[Practical Application Review – Week 18]
Greetings,
We continue our journey of exploring all 260 chapters of the New Testament, five (5) chapters each week. Let us finish the book of John and get started in Acts.
Schedule – Week 18:
Please read and/or listen to John 18, 19, 20, 21 and Acts 1
Even though reading and listening to the Bible being read is valuable, our primary goal is learning to live the Bible (to the best of our ability).
Consider our Practical Application Review process…
For “every” chapter:
Step 1: Select a passage of interest.
Step 2: Identify area of teaching.
Step 3: Consider a practical application.
Now let us explore an example (of our three-step process) for each of these five chapters…
Text #1: John 18
Passage: (vv. 12-27)
Teaching: Once the guards arrested Jesus, they went to see the high priest. Peter and another disciple (John) were invited in. When asked three times about whether a follower of Jesus, Peter replied “no”. John seemingly was not questioned (as the high priest knew him).
Application: I choose to follow Jesus to the end. Others may scare me, but fear must never push me away from my Lord. Always better to be known (in Heaven and on Earth) as a loyal follower of Jesus.
Text #2: John 19
Passage: (vv. 25-27)
Teaching: While on the cross, Jesus connected his mother Mary and the apostle John. Jesus trusted John to finish what He could not, protecting and caring for his aging mom in the physical world.
Application: What an honor to be worthy of God. Entrusted with giving and receiving love. Christians must come together as one family, whether biologically related or not.
Text #3: John 20
Passage: (vv. 11-18)
Teaching: Mary of Magdala spoke to Jesus shortly after He rose from the dead. Jesus said that He had to first ascend to His father (no physical contact).
Application: Our Lord entered into Heaven as the pure sacrificial Lamb and paid our sin debt in full. I am eternally grateful to Jesus, paying what I could never have done on my own.
Text #4: John 21
Passage: (v. 25)
Teaching: The apostle John said that Jesus did so many different things that if every single task was written down, he believes that not even the world would be able to contain the books.
Application: Jesus was truly on a mission, for the glory of God. I pray that my life will radically help so many people through different programs and projects. And hopefully even the observers of my life work will lose count.
Text #5: Acts 1
Passage: (vv. 1-11)
Teaching: Jesus invested forty days with His followers (after He rose from the dead). He spoke about the Kingdom of God and the Holy Spirit, who would soon come.
Application: Because of Jesus setting the stage, the Holy Spirit continues His work in each of our lives. Thank you, Lord Jesus and Holy Spirit for utilizing even me within the Kingdom of God.
“Under the Shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1),
Shawn Episcopo