This month, we continue in the Book of Psalms, following the inner life of David, the psalmist king as he expresses his heart to God in challenges and triumph.  Well-known chapters include Psalm 91 (the “Warrior's Psalm”) and Psalm 119, among others.

The Book of Acts is a sort of transition from the Gospels to the Epistles.  It gives us a whole lot of context as it relates to the post-resurrection events around the launching of the New Testament church and how the early church went about fulfilling the Great Commission.

The Gospel of John is special in that it shares the life of Jesus from a different perspective, including several unique stories, than the synoptic Gospels (Mathew, Mark, Luke).  The “disciple whom Jesus loved” had a special relationship with Jesus that comes through in his writing. John’s goal in penning this book, under the inspiration of the Spirit, was “that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah.”  His evangelistic and personal tone makes John’s Gospel a staple for new believers… but also provides rich texture for those that have been in Christ for a lifetime.

The book of Luke brings us a chronological rendering of Jesus' life and ministry.  Written by a doctor who was likely not a Jew, it focuses on the facts and is the first of two sequential books addressed the Theophilus... Acts is the second book... as a foundation for understanding the early church and its origins. While Luke focused much of his attention on facts, he clearly valued placing those facts within the context of relationships... Jesus' interactions with people.  So while it is clinical in its observation, it's personal in its depiction of Jesus and his compassion for people.

We kick off the Fall with a jump back into the New Testament… the first book of the New Testament, to be exact.  Matthew connects Old and New, with a comprehensive genealogy of Jesus that helps show He is the literal fulfillment of God’s promises as the Lion of Judah, the promised descendant of David. Here we find foundational words and acts of Jesus intentionally designed to display, first to the Jews, the fulfillment of the Law… to clarify the reality of the Kingdom in a way they had not imagined.  Miracles, the Sermon on the Mount, parables and more, paint the reality that was always intended, but as yet unseen.