Peripatetics: The Art of Walking
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
I'm definitely a history-o-holic.
In college, my senior year had room for one elective per quarter, and I took upper-level history courses instead of easy classes to get A's. My favorite was on the causes and results of the Vietnam "conflict."
I can't get enough of movies with a historical basis like "J.F.K." by Oliver Stone. I love to watch the movies and then read books they were based on as well as the books with differing opinions of those books. I could lead tours at the 6th Floor Museum here in Dallas. No kidding.
The Civil War is another particular area of expertise. Of course, growing up in Alabama helps that...but even beyond being saturated with first-hand field trips to various sites and battle fields, I'll sit and watch the Ken Burns directed PBS special on 7 DVD's if I have the chance.
It even flows into sports. I can reel off some 110 years of history of my favorite college football team...the players, the coaches, the great games, stuff like that. In fact, every time I used to go to visiting stadiums I would always buy a program to get an insight into THEIR great games and traditions and such.
And you don't even want me to hit channel 55 on my television. That's the History Channel. If I start watching at like 10PM I could wind up at 2AM and never even realize how long I had been watching.
So, obviously, that leads into the Bible...which is one of the reasons I really like the first five books of the Old Testament. So much history.
And it's why I like Paul's speech in Acts 13 (and by the way, Acts is a history of the church). He gave a sermon...in fact, you might want to read from 13:13 to 13:43. Too much to type here...sorry. If you can read it from The Message, much the better.
Anyway, take a look at how Paul brings the Gospel message to the people assembled. He gives them a history lesson!
He talks about the ancestors in Egyptian exile...and how God provided for them.
He talks about Samuel the prophet...and how God provided for them.
He talks about Saul the king...and how God intervened.
He talks about David...and how God provided.
He brings up Abraham's name, in reference to their rich heritage.
He mentions the greatness of the prophets.
He quotes Isaiah.
And the history lesson has a point: What God promised all of them has come true for the chidren. The Good News. God has raised Jesus and because of that, we can now live life as it was meant to be lived.
So, have you ever thought about the history lesson...how faithful God has been to His people all throughout ages and history? Well, read the sermon, and then answer this question if you don't mind: How does the reality that God has been so faithful to so many over the course of history give you encouragement in the right here, right now of your life?
Brent 4:05 AM
Comments:
It's really encouraging to me that he has been so faithful over the course of history. If hes been so faithful throughout history i know that he will continue to be faithful to us, and that really encourages me in my walk with the Lord. cause i know that he was, is, and will always be faithful.- millard
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