Alamo Heights United Methodist Church

The Quarry, October 18, 2012 Part 1

Quarry, October 11

Moses wants to free his people his way. His plan has serious limitations.

Pharaoh forgets Joseph and his God; great suffering follows.

Joseph comes to understand that God had used Joseph's painful journey to bless the world.

David McNitzky

Joseph is betrayed by his own family. Immaturity and jealousy play a role...maybe even God is involved.

Joseph is betrayed by his own family. Immaturity and jealousy play a role...maybe even God is involved.

Acts begins with Jesus preaching the Kingdom of God and ends with Paul doing it.

Those who serve God's purposes shall expect opposition - from people and nature!

The Roman who arrested Paul actually protects him on his journey to Caesarea.

Acts 20:17-27

Paul teaches us how to engage non-believers. He uses a positive approach and does not condemn them.

Paul chooses an unlikely candidate to be his disciple; Timothy was an outcast and young. He became pastor of the largest Christian community, Ephesus.

The early church handles its greatest challenge -- the inclusion of Gentiles -- by a wise compromise. The Gentiles do not have to become Jews, but they are not to follow the ways of pagan worship.

The Spirit calls Paul and Barnabas to risk their lives and calls on the community to part with two of their leaders.

Michael Crocker preaching

Saul's life is redirected by an encounter with Jesus; it is possible Saul was meditating on Scripture when the encounter occurred.

The Spirit leads Philip to open the doors to a man who would normally be excluded from worship. Philip breaks race and legal boundaries.

The early church finds difficulty blending Jewish and Greek Christians. The apostles keep the Gospel as a priority yet find a way to resolve conflict.