God's message
The 13th Sunday after Pentecost
They read from the Book of the Teachings of God and explained what it meant so the people understood what was being read. ~ Nehemiah 8:8 (NCV)
For two years Paul stayed in a rented house and welcomed everyone who came to see him. He bravely preached about God’s kingdom and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ, and no one tried to stop him. ~ Acts 28:30-31 (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
Teaching God's message to people is so important that it is worth risking one's life to do it.
PRAYER:
Gracious God, thank you for your word. Once I understand it, my own life starts to make more sense.
And thank you for those who are called to teach your message. Forgive me for being slow to listen and slow to take up this calling. Please lead me to new opportunities to bravely preach about God's kingdom and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I'm going to trust you for that. Amen.
TRANSLATIONS
ABP = Authorized Boydston Paraphrase — my own freestyle biblical adaptation — somewhere between paraphrase, commentary, and sermon
CEB = Common English Bible (©2011, the Common English Bible)
CEV = Contemporary English Version (©1995, American Bible Society)
MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)
NIRV = New International Reader's Version (©1996, 1998, Biblica)
NIV = New International Version (©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica)
NLT = New Living Translation (©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, Tyndale House Foundation)
