Re-Living our Experience in Israel/Palestine Through Acts

As we continue to get settled in our new role with NieuCommunities, develop an understanding of our neighborhood and CONTINUE to wait for the arrival of our daughter, I had the opportunity to teach at our church gathering this past Sunday night.

As you may know, we spent a good portion of this past summer studying in Israel at Jerusalem University College. It was an intense course and there were times when we wondered if all the work was really worth it. As I prepared for this talk, which was focused on articulating the social/historical context of the church in Acts, I realized how useful that experience really was. It won't only be important for this conversation on Acts, but for many, many other teachings that require the insight gained from our experiences in Israel and Palestine. Bottom Line: If you are ever able to go to Israel/Palestine...Go!! To see/read of some of our experiences, check out my "Israel Diaries" on my personal blog: http://jonhuckins.blogspot.com/

We are reading Acts and discussing the divine imagination the early apostles/disciples had as they invited others into a Kingdom with characteristics counter to their expectations. As Jews with their identity wrapped up the story of Israel, they would have expected their Messiah to be a Davidic King who would physically take the throne of power through military overthrow, while restoring Jerusalem. Instead, their Messiah subverted and overthrew the political powers by inaugurating a Kingdom that turns the other cheek, walks the extra mile and who's King was enthroned through death and resurrection. This Kingdom would not be only be inhabited by the nation of Israel, but freely invites all humanity into participation and redemption.

Some of my central passions/gifts are teaching and writing. With that said, this past year I have often felt uninspired and mechanical in those areas. It was refreshing and hopeful to be able to share those struggles with our new community. I trust that those passions will be refreshed/renewed and I believe this will be a safe place for that to happen.

Also, it was great having both sets of our parents in town to meet and experinece our new friends/co-workers here in Golden Hill

P.S. Pray for progress in the peace talks between Israel and Palestine as they culminate over the next couple days.