Podcasts about Theophilus

"St Cyril was... from Alexandria, born about the year 376, the nephew of Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria, who also instructed the Saint in his youth. Having first spent much time with the monks of Nitria, he later became the successor to his uncle's throne in 412. In 429, when Cyril heard tidings of the teachings of the new Patriarch of Constantinople, Nestorius, he began attempting through private letters to bring Nestorius to renounce his heretical teachings about the Incarnation; and when the heresiarch did not repent, Saint Cyril, together with Pope Celestine of Rome, led the Orthodox opposition to his error. Saint Cyril presided over the Third Ecumenical Council of the 200 holy Fathers in the year 431, who gathered in Ephesus under Saint Theodosius the Younger. At this Council, by his most wise words he put to shame and convicted the impious doctrine of Nestorius, who, although he was in town, refused to appear before Cyril. Saint Cyril, besides overthrowing the error of Nestorius, has left to the Church full commentaries on the Gospels of Luke and John. Having shepherded the Church of Christ for thirty-two years, he reposed in 444." (Great Horologion)   Today we commemorate St Cyril's repose. He is also commemorated on January 18, the date of his restoration to his see in Alexandria after he had been driven out by Nestorians.

In this sermon, Fr. Theophilus Mikhail explains the significance of the Holy Spirit dwelling within believers. He emphasizes that God's promises, including the presence of the Holy Spirit, never change and remain constant throughout time. Fr. Theophilus describes how the Holy Spirit convicts us gently of sin, judgment, and encourages righteousness, offering a wake-up call rather than blame. He warns against falling into despair like Judas by ignoring the Spirit's guidance and stresses the importance of escaping temptations quickly, similar to fleeing from a snake. The Holy Spirit also inspires virtues such as love and wisdom, helping lead believers toward God's kingdom. Fr. Theophilus encourages regular prayer asking God to fill us and our children with the Holy Spirit for strength and guidance in life. #HolySpirit #ChristianFaith #FrTheophilusMikhail #Pentecost #SpiritualGuidance #FaithInGod #StPaulHouston #Coptic #FrMatthias Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhouston Follow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhouston Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhouston Visit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

As I read through these first four verses of Luke, I hear Luke addressing the “most excellent Theophilus”. His is a Greek name and he must have been in a position of authority or at least a man of some publicly recognized stature. Theophilus, who according to the text, had been verbally taught about the life of Christ. Now, Luke is writing to him to give him a written account of what he had previously heard and been taught. They can now refer back to its truth and accuracy and not forget it.Even though others had previously written, Luke deemed it appropriate to write an orderly account of the life of Jesus on earth although he himself was not personally present with Christ in those days.Dr. Mitchell begins our study in the Gospel of Luke 1:1-4.

Reading 1Acts 1:1-11In the first book, Theophilus,I dealt with all that Jesus did and taughtuntil the day he was taken up,after giving instructions through the Holy Spiritto the apostles whom he had chosen.He presented himself alive to themby many proofs after he had suffered,appearing to them during forty daysand speaking about the kingdom of God.While meeting with them,he enjoined them not to depart from Jerusalem,but to wait for “the promise of the Fatherabout which you have heard me speak;for John baptized with water,but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”When they had gathered together they asked him,“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”He answered them, “It is not for you to know the times or seasonsthat the Father has established by his own authority.But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,throughout Judea and Samaria,and to the ends of the earth.”When he had said this, as they were looking on,he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going,suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them.They said, “Men of Galilee,why are you standing there looking at the sky?This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heavenwill return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”Reading 2Ephesians 1:17-23Brothers and sisters:May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelationresulting in knowledge of him.May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,what are the riches of gloryin his inheritance among the holy ones,and what is the surpassing greatness of his powerfor us who believe,in accord with the exercise of his great might,which he worked in Christ,raising him from the deadand seating him at his right hand in the heavens,far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,and every name that is namednot only in this age but also in the one to come.And he put all things beneath his feetand gave him as head over all things to the church,which is his body,the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.GospelMatthew 28:16-20The eleven disciples went to Galilee,to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.Then Jesus approached and said to them,“All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father,and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

The Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast begins a new series on the Gospel of Luke. Dr. Mitchell will be giving 3 lessons in overview comparing and contrasting the four Gospels before beginning his exposition of the Gospel of Luke.Each writer presents the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ from his divinely revealed perspective and focus as to who this Jesus of Nazareth is. So to begin Dr. Mitchell looks at the contrasts between Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Each gospel writer was inspired of God to write without error God's revelation to him concerning this Jesus. Matthew writes to Jewish believers. Mark writes to Roman gentiles. Luke writes to a gentile Greek believer named Theophilus. John writes to everyone that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God. Here is Dr. Mitchell on the Unchanging Word Bible Broadcast,Luke 1 Introduction.

On Earth as in Heaven Acts 1 by William Klock It's been over ten years since I finished preaching through Luke's Gospel. I had planned to preach on the Acts of the Apostles after a short break, but it didn't happen and didn't happen and didn't happen, but as I was preaching through Ephesians these last few months and pondering the things St. Paul tells us about the what the church is and what that means for us, I got to thinking that I really shouldn't put off Acts any longer.  So I'd planned to jump into it last Sunday. Acts begins with the Ascension of Jesus, and then the very next chapter is Pentecost.  What providential timing!  And then scheduling and a trip to a clericus threw me off by a week.  So last Sunday, Ascension Sunday, you got Ephesians 6—which was a bit of an Ascension sermon—and now on Pentecost, you're getting the Ascension and next week, on Trinity Sunday, you'll get Pentecost! Now, in case you're wondering what Acts has to do with Luke, it's quite a lot. Luke probably wrote his Gospel around a.d. 59 or 60.  He addresses it to someone named Theophilus.  Theophilus means “lover of God”, so some think that Luke may have used this name symbolically and that the Gospel is for everyone who loves God.  It certainly is that, but an attribution like that seems to have been unknown in Luke's world, so Theophilus probably was a real person and was probably a patron who funded Luke's writing project.  Luke was not an eyewitness to Jesus or the events of the Gospels.  As he says in the introduction, he sought out the eyewitnesses so that he could scrupulously record the events surrounding Jesus' life and ministry.  And now Acts.  Luke wrote Acts not long later, sometime between 60 and 62.  The book ends with Paul, imprisoned in Rome, awaiting his hearing before Caesar.  There's a debate about exactly what happened to Paul after that time.  He was martyred at Rome, probably during Nero's persecution of Christians, sometime between 64 and 67.  The traditional view is that Paul's case was heard in 62, he was released, and may have travelled to Spain to preach the good news about Jesus, before returning to Rome to work with Peter to oversee the church there.  The more “modern” view is that Paul was imprisoned once and was executed between 62 and 64.  Whatever the case, since Luke doesn't mention such an important event, we can pretty safely assume he wrote during that time that Paul was awaiting his hearing.  And in the case of Acts, Luke was an eyewitness, at least to part of it.  He researched the early part of Acts just as he did his Gospel, but then he took up with Paul at the city of Troas, on Paul's second missionary journey around 50-51.  Luke spent the following ten or more years travelling with Paul as a missionary and records those events as a participant. And who was Luke other than a companion of Paul?  He was a gentile.  At the end of Colossians, Paul names him separately, apart from his fellow Jewish workers.  In that same passage, Paul describes Luke as a physician.  Beyond that we really don't know a lot about him.  He writes as we would expect a Gentile would write when writing to other Gentiles.  He writes in polished, educated Greek and he often describes Jewish customs for the benefit of his non-Jewish readers.  And when it comes to Acts, he jumps in right where he left off in his Gospel.  He ended with a condensed telling of the Ascension and he begins Acts with a more detailed account, so we'll start there.  It's page 1080 in your pew Bibles if you want to follow along. Luke writes, “Dear Theophilus, The previous book which I wrote had to do with everything Jesus began to do and to teach. I took the story as far as the day when he was taken up, once he had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to his chosen apostles.” Let me pause there.  Notice how Luke writes that in his Gospel he wrote about everything that Jesus began to do and to teach.  Brothers and Sisters, Jesus isn't done.  If Luke's Gospel were called “The Acts of Jesus”, Acts could very easily be “The Acts of Jesus: Part II”.  Jesus isn't done.  Remember what we learned from Paul in Ephesians: in the church, Jesus has established a people—purified by his blood from the stain of sin and filled with God's own Spirit—to be his new creation in the midst of the old, to carry his victory into the world to challenge the Caesars and the gods and the principalities and powers, to proclaim the good news until God's glory fills the whole earth.  Jesus continues his “acts” through us.  At the start of his ministry he told the people to pray: on earth as in heaven.  Now he's empowered us to be the people who will actually live out heaven on earth until he's finally ready to finish what he started that first Easter, and bring heaven and earth and God and human beings back together as they should be. Now, Luke goes on in verse 3: “He showed himself to them alive, after his suffering, by many proofs.  He was seen by them for forty days, during which he spoke about God's kingdom. As they were having a meal together, he told them not to go away from Jerusalem, btu to wait, as he put it, “for the Father's promise, which I was telling you about earlier.  John baptised with water; but in a few days from now you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.  So when the apostles came together, they put this question to Jesus: “Master,” they said, ‘is this the time when you are going to restore the kingdom to Israel.'” Jesus must have been pretty exasperated by their question.  John Calvin wrote that there are as many errors in their question as there are words.  Jesus has spent forty days teaching them what his resurrection meant for them, for the world, for everything.  Think of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus on Easter Day.  Jesus walked with them for hours and explained what happened to them using the Old Testament scriptures.  We get the impression that as it all sank in they started to understand.  But clearly not fully.  Not even after forty days.  They're still thinking of the kingdom in terms of events like the Maccabean revolt.  The Messiah will raise an army and smite the pagan gentiles and put Israel back on the top of the heap—but this time it will take, it will be forever.  They're still thinking of Jesus as the king in waiting or the king in exile—like some of the Iranians wanting Reza Pahlavi to return to Iran and retake the Peacock Throne.  But that's not how God's kingdom works.  Think of all the parables Jesus told about the kingdom: It's like a tiny mustard seed.  Yes, it will grow into a huge tree, but it takes a long time.  It's like yeast.  Yes, it grows, but it takes time and the right conditions.  After two thousand years, I think we have a better grasp of this.  But not always.  There are still many, many Christians who still kind of ask the same question, as if Jesus is the heir apparent, in exile, still waiting to become king.  But Brothers and Sisters, he already is king.  The church's job is to announce his kingship—as it's carved out on our lychgate: “Jesus is Lord”— and to implement the fact that he really is king.  Now. Not someday.  Now. So Jesus responds to them in verse 7: “It's not your business to know about times and dates,” he replied. “The Father has placed all that under his own direct authority.  What will happen, though, is that you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.  Then you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judaea and Samaria, and to the very ends of the earth.” The timing?  How the kingdom is going play out?  When everything will finally be consummated?  Don't worry about that.  The Father has that worked out in his goodness and wisdom.  That' not your job.  That's not our job.  That' not even Jesus' job to know.  Their job, our job is to witness Jesus—his death, his resurrection, his ascension, the fact that he is Lord—to be God's new creation, to put off the old, lie-based way of being human to to put on the new—our job is witness that good news and God's new creation to the world.  And Jesus reiterates it again: I will make sure you're equipped for this.  He's told them already: As John baptised you with water, I will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.  The significance of that didn't seem to sink in.  It should have.  This is what the Lord had promised through the prophets over and over.  Filling his people with the Spirit was to be the great sign of the Messianic age.  It would be the thing that would finally set the hearts of his people right.  And so Jesus says it again: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.  And then you'll be my witnesses from Jerusalem and eventually out to the whole world.  The mustard seed.  The yeast.  The king returning from the far-off land.  And then, to make his point, to drive home the fact that, yes, he really is king, Jesus acts out another prophecy.  He loved to do this and so it makes perfect sense that his last act before leaving them would be another acted out prophecy.  Verse 9: “As Jesus said this, he was lifted up while they were watching and a cloud took him out of their sight.  They were gazing into heaven as he disappeared.  Then, lo and behold, two men appeared, dressed in white, standing beside them.  ‘Men of Galilee,' they said, ‘why are you standing here staring into heaven?  This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you saw him go into heaven.'” Jesus acts out Daniel 7—maybe not something we're intimately familiar with (although we should be), but a passage—a dramatic image—any Jew knew intimately.  That's the dream Daniel had of the ferocious beasts representing the pagan kings and empires that threatened God's people.  And in his vision, Daniel sees the Ancient of Days take his throne to sit in judgement over these beasts.  Their kingdoms are taken from them and then one like a son of man comes on the clouds to heaven to take his throne.  And to him is given dominion and glory and kingship so that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.  His dominion, Daniel says, is everlasting, his kingship one that shall never be destroyed.  This the vision of the Messiah becoming king and restoring the kingdom to Israel. So in his ascension, Jesus is showing the fulfilment of God's promise to Daniel.  Coming on the clouds to take his throne.  It was an unmistakable image for the disciples.  The kingdom has been restored to Israel—of course, that's Israel reconstituted around and in Jesus the Messiah—but restored it has been.  The Messiah is on his throne.  At the end of Matthew's Gospel, when Jesus gives the disciples what we often call his “great commission” he deliberately echoes Daniel 7: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  So you must go and make all the nations into disciples.”  The Ascension means that the world is under new management.  Maybe it helps to understand how they thought of heaven.  Unfortunately, we tend to think of heaven through a Platonic lens.  It's a far away and otherworldly place.  The opposite of earth.  The real world of which this is only a shadow.  But that's Plato—pagan Greek philosophy—not the Bible.  In the Bible heaven is earth's compliment; its other half.  God created them to fit together, to mesh.  Heaven is his realm, but the two were meant to overlap, for us to share his presence.  But his part, the heavenly half, was—in the Jewish view—it was like the control room or the CEO's office.  And that's where Jesus has gone.  To take the controls, to sit at the big desk, to accede to his throne—to rule and to reign: as Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:25: “He has to rule until he has put all his enemies under his feet.” But back to Daniel 7.  If the son of man has taken his throne, then that means that the kingdom has, indeed, been restored to Israel.  There are implications there for the disciples.  One of the twelve is missing.  Judas hanged himself after betraying Jesus.  The twelve are only eleven.  If the apostles represent the fullness of Israel reconstituted in the Messiah, they need a replacement for Judas.  Twelve tribes; twelve apostles. Maybe they didn't grasp this immediately.  Luke says that after Jesus' ascension, after the two angels asked if they were just going to stand around staring into heaven all day—because: he's one day coming back in the same way—like, didn't he give you work to do?—so they went back to Jerusalem as Jesus had told them.  Verse 13: “They then entered the city (‘they' meaning Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the zealot, and Judas the son of James) and went to the upstairs room where they were staying.  They all gave themselves single-heartedly to prayer, with the women, including Mary, Jesus' mother, and his brothers.” Luke makes a point of naming them all.  And there are eleven, not twelve.  He anticipates what needs to happen.  The apostles themselves apparently weren't sure what to do, so they did the right thing: they devoted themselves to prayer.  Brothers and Sisters, don't ever let prayer be an excuse for not doing what needs to be done, but when you don't know what to do: pray.  And pray some more.  Luke doesn't say that God suddenly spoke and gave them direction, but after days of prayer they began to understand what they had to do.  They knew the scriptures.  They'd listened to Jesus for forty days.  And as they prayed, understanding came.  Prayer has a way of doing that.  As we see here, the scriptures began to percolate in Peter's head.  That's often how God leads us.  It's not often that he speaks directly and we shouldn't expect him to.  But when we're already steeped in the scriptures and when we pray, the Spirit works and things “seem” to just come together.  I'm often amazed to see how this works when I'm preparing a sermon.  So Peter stands up in the middle of the disciples.  Luke says they'd grown to a hundred and twenty by this point.  And he says—verse 16: “Brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago by the mouth of David about Judas, who became a guide to the people who arrested Jesus.  He was counted among us and had his own share in this ministry.”  Luke then adds that Judas went to the field bought with the money used to betray Jesus, he hanged himself there, where he burst open and his guts came out.  Luke notes this bit as historical evidence.  The field was still called “Blood-Place” in his day. And Peter goes on in verse 20, quoting Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8, “For this is what it says in the book of Psalms: ‘Let his home become desolate and let no one live in it' and again, ‘Let another receive his office.' “So,” Peter said, “this is what has to be done. There are plenty of people who have gone about with us all the time that our master Jesus was coming and going among us, starting from John's baptism until the day he was taken from us.  Let one of them be chosen to be alongside us as a special witness of his resurrection.” Through prayer and the scriptures and the prompting of the Spirit, Peter realised that if Jesus, the son of man, sits on his throne, the kingdom has been restored to Israel, and that meant that the leaders…the apostles…of this renewed Israel had better number twelve, to represent the full number Israel's tribes.  The symbolism was vital if people—particularly fellow Jews—were going to see how the scriptures and the covenant and God's promises to Israel were being fulfilled in the church.  “So,” writes Luke, “they chose two: Joseph who was called Barsabbas, with the surname Justus, and Matthias.  ‘Lord,' they prayed, ‘you know the hearts of all people. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to receive this particular place of service and apostleship, from which Judas went away to go to his own place.' So they cast lots for them.  The lot fell on Matthias, and he was enrolled along with the eleven apostles.” This may seem like a mundane detail to us, especially after the glory of Jesus' ascension.  But it was a big deal to the apostles and no less to Luke.  Their knowing the need for twelve, not eleven apostles, highlights just how much they saw the work of Jesus as being about the fulfilment and the restoration of God's people as the promises to Abraham were fulfilled and their mission was about be launched into the nations.  It was proof that this new movement wasn't really new at all.  It was rooted in God's promises and showed their fulfilment of God.  Jesus, the cross, the resurrection, Pentecost weren't just stand-alone events.  They were part of the great story that God had been telling his people for thousands of years.  In these events, God was doing what he'd promised, showing his faithfulness and revealing his glory.  That's why Peter takes us back to the Psalms here.  It's why Stephen, before his martyrdom in Chapter 7 recounts the history of Israel.  They wanted to make it clear that what's happening here in Acts was what God intended all along. I've always found it funny that for all the big deal they make choosing Matthias, he's never mentioned again. I say that, because it's a good reminder that what Luke records in Acts is selective.  As St. John writes at the end of his Gospel, if someone were to write down literally everything that Jesus did, the world could not contain all the books.  And just so with Acts.  Just so with the whole history of the church.  The world could not contain the books needed to record all the things, big and small and all amazing, that Jesus and the Spirit have done through Christians down through the ages, the famous ones and the ordinary saints like you and I.  But the little bit that Luke records for us in Acts, Brothers and Sisters, is a partial (and strategic) record—inspired by the Spirit—that ought to encourage us as it reminds us how God is fulfilling his promises here and now in us and as it exhorts us to carry on with our mission, knowing that the Spirit is with us and will equip us for everything he has for us to do. On that note, I want to conclude with two images.  Jesus was acting out Daniel's prophecy of the son of man coming on the clouds to his throne when he ascended, but there are at least two other unmistakable images in that act as well.  The first is Moses, ascending Mount Sinai, up into the clouds and thunder.  Moses went up and came down with the law.  In the same way, Jesus has gone up, but what has come down is not another law written on stone, but God's own Spirit, poured into our hearts.  Contemporary Christians often think of the Spirit mainly as the agent of amazing and miraculous gifts, but the most important work of the Spirit, Brothers and Sisters, the most amazing miracle of the Spirit, is to transform our hearts and to turn our affections toward God, to fill us with his law of love.  The other image here is that of the Prophet Elijah as he was taken up into heaven in a chariot of fire.  As he went, he threw down his mantle onto Elisha, his protégé.  In that act, he not only passed on his God-given mission to Elisha, but he empowered him to do it.  That is what the book of Acts is about.  Luke's Gospel is about Jesus and his ministry—like the Prophet Elijah—and at the Ascension he's taken up in heaven and his mantle falls to the apostles, to the church, to you and to me, and the book of Acts is then like the continuing story of Elisha, carrying on the work and ministry God had given to Elijah.  Elijah's last act was to strike the waters of the Jordan with his cloak so that they parted, and Elisha's first act is to do exactly the same.  Brother and Sisters, that's Acts.  That's the ministry of the church.  To steward the good news about Jesus, to steward God's presence, to be his temple, ever expanding until it fills the earth.  Yes, it's a difficult job—some even lose their lives for it—but Jesus has equipped us and he's given us hope in the faithfulness of God to do what he has said.  His mantle has fallen on us in the gift of the Spirit and we know that he sits on his throne as Lord.  That central gospel truth is carved on our lychgate, a reminder as we come here and as a remind when we go back out to the world.  May Jesus' ascension never be for us a mere doctrine.  May it be for us the great truth that gives us hope, the great truth that is transforming creation. Let's pray: Almighty God and Father, as you have taken your son, Jesus the Messiah to reign in heaven, and as you have let his mantle fall on us in your indwelling Spirit, fill us with bold faith and certain hope that we might be faithful stewards of your gospel and for the sake of the world until the knowledge of your glory reaches the ends of the earth your son returns again on the clouds.  Through him we pray. Amen.

Pastor digs deeper into "Who was Theophilus?" He is mentioned 2 times in the New Testament: Luke 1:3-4 "With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught." Theophilus evidently had come to know Jesus. "Most excellent" possibly denotes a position of significance or of high authority. Acts 1:1 "In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach…"   Theophilus means:  Lover of God Friend of God Loved God Theophilus was a common name.   Some Suggested Identities given for Theophilus Ageneric name for every believer - but this is not an accepted idea Unknown high ranking Roman  Civic leader in Antioch Paul's defense attorney  Jewish High Priest (37-41 A.D,) This suggestion has been gaining popularity over the past few years. It is possible that perhaps Theophilus was an individual who was part of the ruling elite as a high priest and that he became so dissatisfied by what he was seeing and so overwhelmed by what he was seeing in Jesus that he actually became a follower of Jesus and thus removed from high office as a result. There is no proof of this, but what a story if this is true, that one of the people instrumental in Jesus' crucifixion, actually saw the Light and came to faith.   God changes hearts! God does the impossible! God turns lives around through faith in the risen Savior.     Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer  FREE.   View live or on demand: https://www.awakeusnow.com/tuesday-bible-class   For more check out the series, "God Acts!" https://www.awakeusnow.com/god-acts-then-now   Or watch from our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AwakeUsNow/streams   Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service   Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Luke 1:1-4 New International Version Introduction 1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Full Text of Readings Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter Lectionary: 298 The Saint of the day is Saint Theophilus of Corte Saint Theophilus of Corte's Story If we expect saints to do marvelous things continually and to leave us many memorable quotes, we are bound to be disappointed with Saint Theophilus. The mystery of God's grace in a person's life, however, has a beauty all its own. Theophilus of Corte was born in Corsica of rich and noble parents. As a young man, he entered the Franciscans and soon showed his love for solitude and prayer. After admirably completing his studies, he was ordained and assigned to a retreat house near Subiaco. Inspired by the austere life of the Franciscans there, he founded other such houses in Corsica and Tuscany. Over the years, he became famous for his preaching as well as his missionary efforts. Though he was always somewhat sickly, Theophilus of Corte generously served the needs of God's people in the confessional, in the sickroom, and at the graveside. Worn out by his labors, he died on June 17, 1740. He was canonized in 1930. Reflection There is a certain dynamism in all the saints that prompts them to find ever more selfless ways of responding to God's grace. As time went on, Theophilus of Corte gave more and more single-hearted service to God and to God's sons and daughters. Honoring the saints will make no sense unless we are thus drawn to live as generously as they did. Their holiness can never substitute for our own.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Luke 1:1-4 New International Version Introduction 1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bishop Tony Percy says St Luke's address to "Theophilus" — meaning "lover of God," invites every believer to see themselves as personally called to love God deeply. Because Christ's resurrection is now living within us, sorrow is transformed into joy, enabling us to respond to God and to one another with love as true “Theophilus.”

PARANORMAL PHILIPPINES - PART 2Alam nating may ibang ibang approach sa pag investigate sa Paranormal, pero pakinggan natin si Sir Theo kung paano ang holistic approach ng Paranormal Philpppines.  Meron rin iba't ibang kwentuhan tungkol sa mga paranormal topics, may usapang Bible, at ang upcoming Ghost Walk sa May 9.thank you ulit sa mga kwento. Ready na tayo sa part 3 hehe.Kung di nyo pa napakinggan ang part 1 ni Elle, eto yung link:Elle Part 1 - ⁠https://youtu.be/tKRVceub7PA⁠Kung meron ka ring mga Imaginary Friends na kwento at gusto mo yan share, pwede yan email sa ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠paranormalsph@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mag like - share - subscribe na para ma notify ka pag lumabas na ang Part 3 In case first time mo makinig sa podcast, pwede ka magsimular sa Episode 1:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EPISODE 1 The Unexpected Visitor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kung di nyo pa nabalitaan, meron tayong episodes na Deep Dive, English and Tagalog, mahahanap lang yan sa YouTube:English - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcg83FW_a91KrMPaZK-9AkbDNNDS0venx⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tagalog - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcg83FW_a91KpB4E63SE1nG_Bm7IGkgd4⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you enjoy this kind of conversation, you might want to subscribe :D ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Do you want to support the podcast? You can help keep us going by giving us a cup of joe! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ko-fi.com/paranormalpodcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠You can also support us on Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/paranormalpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We have different tiers for supporters, from the general support to early access, to joining us on the calls way in advance. No pressure, just additional help for us :) The Para Normal Podcast. Engineered and Produced by f90 Productions Rate and Review our show on Spotify, Pocket Casts, and Apple PodcastsFor brand partnerships, advertisements, or other collaboration opportunities with our podcast, please contact our management team at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠info@tagm.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Enjoy. 

Send Us Your Questions/CommentsEach week Pastor Mark takes time to go deeper and talk about the week's message!  If you have questions you'd like him to answer or hear more about please send those in by texting us at the link in the show notes!You can also view video of this podcast and our Sunday sermons by visiting our YouTube channel!https://www.youtube.com/@lifehousemot Jesus says “go,” then tells His closest followers to do something that feels almost impossible for driven people: wait. That tension is where Acts begins, and it's where many of us get stuck, too. We kick off our new series in the Book of Acts by tracing the thread from Zechariah's promise “not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit” to the birth of the Spirit-empowered church. We walk through Acts 1:1-11 and slow down on the details Luke highlights: the many proofs of the resurrection, the forty days of kingdom teaching, and the surprisingly personal fellowship Jesus shares with His disciples. We also dig into why Luke addresses Theophilus, and what that careful opening suggests about the credibility and purpose of the account. Then we get practical: why Jesus commands waiting, how impatience pushes us to operate in our own strength, and why the Holy Spirit in us is even better than Jesus beside us for the mission ahead. From there, we talk about the purpose of Spirit-given power: witness. Not spectating, not silence, but testimony that reaches from our “Jerusalem” outward, even when it costs us. We also challenge passive Christianity and unpack why we work not to be saved but because we're saved, plus how spiritual gifts show up in real life through service, hospitality, encouragement, giving, and everyday obedience. If you want to find your place and recover joy in serving Jesus, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the series.New episodes every Mondaywww.lifehousemot.cominfo@lifehousede.comJoin us Sundays at 9 & 11 AMIntro music by Joey Blair

Doctor Theophilus “Doctor” Khumalo, a name that carries weight in South African football history. A midfield magician who made the game look effortless in a Kaizer Chiefs jersey, and a key figure in the legendary Bafana Bafana side that conquered Africa in 1996. When he had the ball at his feet, something special was always about to happen. Today, he stands as more than just a former player, he’s a symbol of excellence, longevity, and influence in the game. His impact has stretched far beyond his playing days, shaping the next generation and staying deeply embedded in South African football. And now, adding to a decorated legacy, he’s been honoured with an honorary doctorate from the Tshwane University of Technology, a nod to a life lived in service of the game and its growth. But today isn’t about titles: it’s about the man, the magic, and the memories. Hang out with Anele and The Club on 947 every weekday morning. Popular radio hosts Anele Mdoda, Frankie du Toit, Thembekile Mrototo, and Cindy Poluta take fun to the next level with the biggest guests, hottest conversations, feel-good vibes, and the best music to get you going! Kick-start your day with the most enjoyable way to wake up in Joburg. Connect with Anele and The Club on 947 via WhatsApp at 084 000 0947 or call the studio on 011 88 38 947Thank you for listening to the Anele and the Club podcast..Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 06:00 to 09:00 to Anele and the Club broadcast on 947 https://buff.ly/y34dh8Y For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/gyWKIkl or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/K59GRzu Subscribe to the 947s Weekly Newsletter https://buff.ly/hf9IuR9 Follow us on social media:947 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/947Joburg/ 947 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@947joburg947 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/947joburg947 on X: www.x.com/947 947 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@947JoburgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Praise O'Clock Show (also known as The Praiseworld Podcast) is the breakfast show of Praiseworld Radio.Host: Goodness EzehQuote of The Day:"If God be our God, He will give us peace in trouble. When there is storm without, He will make peace within." — Thomas Watson

Don't Worry About The Future, Focus On What The Holy Spirit Can Do Through You In The Present Acts 1:1-7 1In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized with a water, but in a few days you will be baptized with b the Holy Spirit.” 6Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.

Fr Peter George Flynn begins a series on the Acts of the Apostles for the Easter season, written by St. Luke as a sequel to his Gospel for Theophilus — “lover of God,” a mysterious figure Fr Peter examines. He reads the opening chapter closely: the forty days of resurrection appearances, the promise of the […] L'articolo Catechesis – Judas and St Matthias – Fr Peter George Flynn OFM proviene da Radio Maria.

The first command the risen Jesus gives His disciples after forty days of resurrection appearances isn't "go." It's "wait." In this message from Acts 1:1-11, we sit in that tension and ask why the gap between what God has called us to and what we're currently experiencing often comes down to one word: power. From Luke's prologue to Theophilus, to the disciples asking the wrong question about Israel's kingdom, to the ascension itself, every word in this passage is loaded with mission. The ascension isn't a footnote. It's the coronation of a King who now rules and reigns at the right hand of the Father, and we are not ambassadors of a defeated cause. You were placed in your city, your neighborhood, and your family in 2026 by a God who wastes nothing, and this week you have one assignment: name your Jerusalem and have one intentional gospel conversation. You weren't born into this moment by accident. You were born for it.

Acts 1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.  5  For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. (Luke 1: 1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, 2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; 3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.) Theophilus needed to know, so do You!

“The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had given orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He had chosen. To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of things regarding the kingdom of God. Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So, when they had come together, they began asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time that You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” But He said to them, “It is not for you to know periods of time or appointed times which the Father has set by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.” And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were watching, and a cloud took Him up, out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, then behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them, and they said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” Acts 1:1-11 NASB Where Is Jesus Now? He is ruling and reigning over His kingdom at the right hand of the Father “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things in subjection under His feet and made Him head over all things to the church,which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:18-22 NASB What Is He Doing? He is building His church “I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” Matthew 16:18 NLT He is preparing a place for us “There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” John 14:2-3 NLT He is with believers that have gone before us “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8 NKJV Three Things Jesus Left Behind 1.) An unmatchable presence “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” 1:8a This Brings: Passion “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:25 NIV Purity “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16 NIV Power “…be filled with the Spirit” Ephesians 5:18 NIV Promptings “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” Romans 8:14 NIV 2.) An unfinished task “and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.” 1:8b The work of Jesus is finished (John 19:30, Hebrews 1:3) The work of the church is unfinished “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14 NIV 3.) An unshakable promise “This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” 1:11

Welcome to the Pinkleton Pull-Aside Podcast. On this podcast, let's step aside from our busy lives to have fun, fascinating life-giving conversation with inspiring authors, pastors, sports personalities and other influencers, leaders and followers. Sit back, grab some coffee, or head down the road and let's get the good and the gold from today's guest. Our host is Jeff Pinkleton, Executive Director of the Gathering of the Miami Valley, where their mission is to connect men to men, and men to God. You can reach Jeff at GatheringMV.org or find him on Facebook at The Gathering of the Miami Valley.Dr. A.J. Swoboda (Ph.D., Birmingham) is the associate professor of Bible and Theology at Bushnell University. He served as a college pastor on the University of Oregon campus for nearly ten years. For another decade, he planted and pastored an urban church in Portland, Oregon, called Theophilus, which continues to worship today. He leads a Doctor of Ministry program around Spiritual Formation and Soul Care at Friends University. He has taught at the London School of Theology, LIFE Pacific, Southeastern University, and Multnomah University. He is the author of over ten books, including Redeeming How We Talk, After Doubt, and the award-winning Subversive Sabbath. He hosts the “Slow Theology” podcast (w/ Dr. Nijay Gupta) and writes the widely read “Low-Level Theologian” Substack. A.J. lives and works on an urban farm with his wife and son in Eugene, Oregon. 

God Rises                                          John 20:24-29The Doubt (vv.24-25) 1 Cor. 15:5-7  5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.Lu. 1:3-4 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. The Discovery (vv. 26-28) 1 Cor. 15:42-44a-b, 51-52 42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. ... 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.  The Declaration (v. 29) 1 Pet. 1:8-9 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 

That Don't Sound Right is all about conversation—the kind we had before the internet, when you couldn't fact-check mid-sentence and the “experts” were just whoever was in the room. If you've ever listened along and thought, that don't sound right, you're exactly who this show is for. In this special Easter episode, Peter and Cecil welcome guest Phillip Murray—creator of the YouTube channel The League of Biblical Enthusiasts—for a fascinating, down-to-earth conversation about some of the most intriguing questions in biblical texts. Did the Gospel of Mark originally end at 16:8? Why do later manuscripts include a longer ending? What happened in the 19th century that reshaped how scholars understand the New Testament? And what about the mysterious Joanna ossuary—could it connect Luke's Joanna and Theophilus to real, high-status historical figures? Phillip brings thoughtful insight (and a knack for making complex ideas accessible) as the conversation weaves through manuscript discoveries, historical context, and what these findings might mean for how we read the Gospels today. It's curious, conversational, and just the right amount of “wait…what?” Check out Phillip Murray's YouTube channel here:

On this episode, Shane highlights some of the intriguing parallels that exist between the parable of Lazarus recorded in Luke 16 and the account of the raising of Lazarus in John 11. Since both texts involve a man named Lazarus as well as the subject of resurrection, it's worth considering that these two stories may in fact be related. During this exploration, Shane talks with Richard Bauckham, author of Jesus & The Eyewitnesses, and T.C. Schmidt, author of Josephus & Jesus.SPECIAL OFFERFor a gift of any size, you'll recieve a pre-release PDF download of Shane's forthcoming book, Luke's Key Witness, along with a 30 page PDF resource titled The Identity of the Beloved Disciple. If you're already a paid subscriber, you'll be able to access both resources via the above links. To donate or subscribe, use the green button below.SHOW NOTESEpisodesQuestioning The Fourth Gospel, #49 with Richard BauckhamDid Josephus Ever Mention Jesus? #77 with T.C. SchmidtWho is Theophilus? #79 with Peter. BoltStories of Jesus: Can They Be Trusted? #61 with Peter J. WilliamsIs John's Gospel Late & Unreliable?, #51 with Daniel WallaceAre The Gospels History or Fiction? #52 with John DicksonThe Messiah's Redemptive Mission Episode #72Faith Founded on Facts, Episode #15Locating Golgotha, #17 with David RohlAuthenticating The Book of Acts, ep. #24 with Lydia McGrewWhat Did the Earliest Christians Believe?, #25 with Dennis JohnsonJacob's Ladder, #63 with Richard Bauckham and othersThe Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony, #48 with Richard BauckhamWhich John Wrote John? Episode #50 ArticlesThe Parable of Lazarus, Shane RosenthalConsidering Alternatives to the Resurrection, Shane RosenthalBart Ehrman on Jesus & The Claim of Resurrection, Shane RosenthalThe Implications of 70 AD on the Date of the Gospels & Acts, Shane RosenthalA Pre-70 Date for the Gospels & Acts, Shane RosenthalThe Date of John's Gospel, Revisited, Shane RosenthalCan We Trust Luke's History of the Early Jesus Movement? Shane RosenthalAuthenticating The Fourth Gospel, Shane RosenthalThe Gospels as Authentic Testimony, Richard BauckhamOn Faith & History, Shane RosenthalDetailed Notes for Episode #79 (resources for the Identity of Theophilus)Passover, The Last Supper & The Day of Crucifixion, Shane RosenthalWhere Was Jesus Crucified?, Shane RosenthalBooksJosephus & Jesus, T.C. Schmidt — FREEJesus & The Eyewitnesses, Richard BauckhamThe Fate of the Dead, Richard BauckhamCan We Trust The Gospels? Peter J. WilliamsIs Jesus History? John DicksonTestimonies to the Truth, Lydia McGrewLuke: A Commentary, Peter G. Bolt The Surprising Genius of Jesus, Peter J. WilliamsProof of the Gospel, Eusebius of CaesareaVideoHistory, Archaeology & Luke's Most Excellent TheophilusAn Archaeological Discovery Sheds Light on the Gospel of LukeHave Archaeologists Discovered Biblical Bethsaida?Can We Trust the Gospels? Peter J. Williams New Evidence for the Gospels, Peter J. Williams Evidence for the Resurrection, Peter J. Williams Are the Gospels Reliable?, Peter J. Williams & Bart EhrmanThe Tools & Rules of History, Gary Habermas & Shane Rosenthal & others Get full access to The Humble Skeptic at www.humbleskeptic.com/subscribe

"Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed." Luke 1:1-4"For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty." 2 Peter 1:16

On this episode of the Ephesiology Podcast, we explore how archaeology, missiology, and the text of Luke-Acts converge to suggest that Theophilus may have been closer to the story than we've ever imagined. Drawing from the archaeological record—from inscriptions in the prytaneion to the civic roles of the Kouretes and temple officials—we explore a compelling possibility: Theophilus was a high-ranking Ephesian, perhaps even a guardian of Artemis, who encountered the message of Jesus in a way that required not just belief… but a complete reordering of allegiance. Have we discovered the identity of Theophilus? Find out on this Ephesiology Podcast. Keywords: Theophilus Luke Acts identity, Ephesos archaeology Christianity, Luke-Acts historical context, Early Christian movement Asia Minor, Artemis cult Ephesus, Prytaneion inscriptions Theophilos, Missiological archaeology, Kouretes Artemis Ephesus, Luke nativity hymns Artemis parallel, Roman elite conversion Christianity, Gospel contextualization vs missiology, Gods Emperors Philosophers New Movement, Archaeology and Bible interpretation, First century Ephesus Christianity Key Takeaways Theophilus was likely a real, high-status individual, not a symbolic or anonymous figure Luke's use of “most excellent” (kratiste) indicates elite social standing within Greco-Roman society Archaeological evidence from Ephesus (inscriptions and coinage) points to identifiable Theophiluses in the first century Theophilus may have held significant civic and religious roles such as Kouretes, temple administrator (neopoi), or priest of Artemis This places Theophilus at the center of Ephesian religious, political, and social life Luke's narrative aligns closely with the known historical and civic realities of the Roman world Luke employs missiological parallelisms to connect Jesus' story with Theophilus's cultural and religious framework Examples include contrasts between Jesus and Artemis (savior, nativity, temple practices, hymns) Conversion to Jesus would have required a radical shift in allegiance, involving social, economic, and religious consequences Theophilus represents a case of “religious switching” among the elite Luke models careful, precise, and contextually meaningful communication rather than shallow proclamation His goal is certainty about Jesus, not merely persuasion or rapid conversion Effective mission involves both deep theological clarity and cultural intelligibility Engagement with influential leaders is essential for long-term movement sustainability Modern church planting movements must balance rapid expansion with depth of discipleship Luke prioritizes the depth and integrity of the message over pragmatic efficiencyThe religious ecosystem of Pergamon was deeply layered—healing cults, imperial worship, and traditional deities all competed for allegiance. Connect With Us Follow Ephesiology: Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube Follow Andrew Johnson  @thediscfan.bsky.social If this episode encouraged you, please leave a review and share it with others exploring missional living in post-Christian contexts. Thanks for doing theology in community with us today! If you have a question or topic that you'd like to hear addressed on the Ephesiology Podcast, just send it to Andrew at thediscfan@gmail.com. Donate Find the podcast on your favorite podcast app Just search for “Ephesiology” Our Podcasters Michael CooperProfessor | Missiologist | AuthorMichael is the missiologist in residence with East West where he focuses on equipping and empowering church leaders in evangelism, discipleship, leadership, and catalyzing church planting movements in the most difficult to reach places on the planet. He is the author of Ephesiology: The Study of the Ephesian Movement as well as many other books and academic articles. He has lectured at universities around the world and serves as affiliate faculty at Kairos University where he facilitates the degree programs in partnership with Ephesiology Master Classes.Andrew JohnsonMinistry Lead, West Village ChurchAndrew is a proud husband, father and pastor who desires all to know the one true King. He is honored to serve at West Village Church in Victoria, BC. Previously, he's ministered in Houston, Chicago, Indy, Flagstaff and Tempe in a variety of church contexts. Andrew has a BA in Christian Ministry from Trinity International University and an MA from Phoenix Seminary. He is currently a Doctor of Ministry student at Kairos University and is the co-host of the Ephesiology Podcast. When not at work, he's an avid disc golfing, vinyl playing, Spider-Man following/collecting fellow. Go Pacers. Do you enjoy the Ephesiology Podcast? Pick up Dr. Cooper’s latest book Religions, politics, and education shaped the cultural world of Asia Minor where a new faith emerged that would change history. Gods, Emperors, Philosophers, and a New Movement uncovers how the earliest Christians navigated—and often disrupted and adapted—the dominant forces of their age. Drawing on decades of research, fieldwork, and teaching, Michael T. Cooper takes readers beneath the surface of Ephesos, Smyrna, Pergamon, and other cities to reveal how temples, inscriptions, and civic spaces illuminate the missionary impulse of the first Christians. Far from being silent, the archaeological record testifies to their resilience, creativity, and bold proclamation of the gospel in a world saturated with competing loyalties. This is more than history. By examining how the early church encountered powerful religious traditions, political ideologies, and systems of education, today's missionaries and church leaders gain fresh vision for gospel engagement in their own pluralistic and contested contexts. The dynamics that shaped mission in the first centuries—identity, power, worldview, and cultural disruption—remain central to how the good news advances today. This book is an invitation to rediscover the mission of God in the archaeological record and to discern its enduring relevance for faithful witness in the twenty-first century. Buy on Amazon Partner with the Pod The Ephesiology Podcast comes to you from a desire to engage in community conversations about the intersection of theology and culture. We do not believe such dialogue should come with a cost so the podcast will always be free.  However, if you've benefited from the Ephesiology Podcast, would you consider a nominal $5 per month donation? All proceeds from the podcast go toward helping bring needed theological education to the majority world through our Ephesiology Master Class initiative to end a theological famine. We'd be honored to partner with you to continue providing solid biblical, theological, and missiological content for listeners around the world. Donate Empowering Future Church Leaders Imagine a world where passionate, equipped Christian leaders spread God's Word in areas with the greatest need—leaders grounded in both deep theology and practical ministry skills, trained to make a lasting impact in their communities. Through your support, this vision can become a reality for students from countries like Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Nepal, and India who are eager to teach and multiply disciple-makers in their own regions. Learn More Ephesiology: A Study of the Ephesian Movement If you want to understand principles for the growth of Christianity in the first century, the place to begin is the city of Ephesus. In this winsome study, Ephesiology offers readers a comprehensive view of the empowering work of the Holy Spirit in the most significant city of the New Testament, and compels us to ask the question: how can we effectively connect Christ to our culture?  “Masterfully handling the book of Ephesians and using its content as a definitive guide, Michael Cooper lays a theologically strong foundation that is both corrective and directive to disciple making movements.  The principles he gleans from the book of Ephesians and related texts, help to ensure the on-going multiplication and maturation of a movement. Because these are supra-cultural principles, they are applicable anywhere in the world.” Marvin J. Newell, Staff Missiologist, Missio Nexus, Author of Crossing Cultures in Scripture Buy This Now! Educating to Shift the Tracks of History To shift the tracks of history requires leaders who are equipped to critically assess and engage the contours of contemporary culture. As a new initiative in collaboration with the Movement Leaders Collective, Kairos University, and Ephesiology, we deliver just-in-time theological education focused on issues important to you, mxAcademy is designed as the theological and missiological foundation to unlock your potential as a movement leader and catalytic thinker. mxAcademy is a dynamic and innovative educational experience rooted in mDNA.We dream of a church fully equipped, fully mature, fully mobilized, and fully alive. A church that lives and breathes the Good News of Jesus! Learn More Join a Community Conversation at Ephesiology Master Classes Areopagus Symposium Taking its inspiration from the historical and philosophical legacy of Athens, Greece, the Areopagus Symposium focuses on intellectual and philosophical topics related to Christology, missiology, and ecclesiology. We invite scholars, theologians, and practitioners from diverse backgrounds to engage in a profound exploration of the theological landscape at the intersection of these vital disciplines. Sign up for an Ephesiology Master Classes account and gain free access to the Areopagus Symposium. Check it out! The Ephesiology Podcast and Ephesiology Master Classes are ministries of TELOS.GO, a registered 501c3 non-profit agency committed to imaginatively missional ways of engageing culture, church planting, and theological education. Your donation to the podcast is tax deductible.

Title: Luke and TheophilusSpeaker: Peter GoodrichDate: 8th February 2026Location: Adelaide, Australia This episode follows the account of Luke writing to Theophilus, a man who appears sincere and thoughtful, yet lacking full certainty. Through Luke’s careful retelling of Christ’s life, the message centres on how God meets people in that gap between belief and confidence, not with condemnation, but with truth, patience and purpose. Drawing on the widow of Zarephath, Simon carrying the cross, and the father who cried, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief,” the episode shows that faith is often formed in pressure, grief and unanswered questions. It points clearly to the purpose of Christ’s death and resurrection: that people from every background might receive the Holy Ghost and find real assurance in God. 3 Takeaways Luke’s writings to Theophilus show that God takes uncertainty seriously and answers it through the life and purpose of Jesus Christ. The gospel is not limited by status, background or worthiness; it reaches those who feel outside, overlooked or unsure. The goal of the gospel account is not mere information, but a life changed through the Holy Ghost, baptism, and confidence in Christ. Reference Scriptures Used Luke 1:1–4 Luke 4:16–30 1 Kings 17:10–24 Luke 23:26 Luke 24:49 Acts 1:1, 5, 8 Acts 10:44–48 Mark 9:21–24 Listen to the entire Podcast Revival library by visiting https://podcastrevival.com The Revival Fellowship is a Bible-directed, Spirit-filled Church and we welcome visitors to our meetings at any of our locations worldwide. To find your nearest venue visit https://therevivalfellowship.com © 2026 The Revival Fellowship. All Rights Reserved.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode I talk with Christopher Chen, author of the brand-new book Evil Empire? Government Officials as Proponents of the Gospel in Luke-Acts and Beyond, out now on Wipf and Stock, where he argues that there is a place for believers to hold positions of power even in hostile governments. In this conversation Christopher explains how God's people often attained positions of power in the Old Testament, how the original recipient of Luke-Acts, Theophilus, is likely a government official, the prominent role centurions and government officials play in Luke's writings, and the New Testament evidence for government officials advancing the gospel. He then reviews the varying perspectives held by leaders in the early church about Christians in government service, how this has played out in Chinese history, and how Christians who find themselves as government officials today can navigate the complex relationship between their faith and their position in government.  Media Referenced:Evil Empire?: https://a.co/d/04y1sz9GChris on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/csychenBrother Kevin Chen on Messiah in the OT: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-152-the-old-testament-and-the-messiah-with-kevin-chen/ The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at theprotestantlibertarian@gmail.com.  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show's profile! Thanks!

Send us Fan MailThe world has a thousand explanations for why this moment feels unstable, but we step back and ask a sharper question: what if it is actually an unparalleled time to be alive because God's grace is this open and this personal? We start in Acts chapter 1 with Luke's words to Theophilus and treat them like they were written to the church today, because they were. If you have trusted Christ, you are not a spiritual outsider looking in. You are a friend of God, loved on purpose, and invited into a living relationship that does not run on guilt, earning, or distance.From there we trace a single line: Jesus began something, and it continues. The cross is not portrayed as a conclusion but as the doorway into a work that keeps moving through the Holy Ghost. We talk about the passion of Jesus as love in action, His heart to save, and God's desire that none perish but that all come to repentance. Then we land on Acts 1:8 and get practical about “power” as something believers possess right now, power to be witnesses through truth, compassion, prayer, and intercession rather than performance.We also dig into 1 Timothy 3:15–16 and the claim that the church is the church of the living God and the pillar and ground of the truth. In a world of shifting sand, the message stays the same across nations: the blood of the Lamb, the Holy Spirit, holiness, healing, wisdom, joy, and hope in Jesus Christ. We close with a direct invitation to come home, and a simple request to connect so we can pray with you. If this strengthens you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can hear it.(Recorded Live on December 3, 2025 at Grace Baptist Tabernacle in King, NC) Support the showNEW BOOK! I'm pleased to say that we have completed a new book that has been years in the making. The Ten Shirot: Songs of Redemption looks at ten songs that were sung through pivotal times in Scripture. It's an examination of the redemption of Jesus, of worship, and of Scripture in a way that we believe you probably haven't seen before. Check it out at https://a.co/d/0a4KIooL .The Redeeming Love Bible Broadcast is a ministry of Grace Baptist Tabernacle. We're located at 121 Arborside Lane in King, NC and we can be reached at welcome@gracebaptisttabernacle.org. Please continue to share these episodes, and please consider coming to visit our church. We are excited and expectant for you to come!

Psalm 89Reading 1: Exodus 33, 34Reading 2: From the book addressed to Autolycus by St. Theophilus of Antioch, bishopSt. Helena Ministries is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit. Your donations may be tax-deductibleSupport us at: sthelenaministries.com/supportPresentation of the Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) from The Liturgy of the Hours (Four Volumes) © 1975, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation. The texts of Biblical readings are reproduced from the New American Bible © 1975

Luke is continuing to show Theophilus proof that Jesus is indeed the Son of God. As we wrap up chapter 3 we will see Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist and voice of God identifying Jesus His Son. Luke will also connect Jesus through his family lineage to show He is indeed the promised Messiah. Join us today as we look at the proof! Chapters (00:00:00) - Coming soon: Looking at the Proof(00:01:32) - Luke 3: Finished With Chapter 3(00:01:55) - Luke's Letter to Theophilus(00:03:25) - Luke 3: The Proof That Jesus Is the Son of God(00:12:07) - Point 2, The opening of the heavens(00:13:31) - The Voice of God at Jesus' Baptism(00:20:35) - Look at Me, Church!(00:23:26) - Luke's 77 Names(00:30:16) - Jesus is the Son of God

The Healing of a SinnerFebruary 22, 2026 • RD McClenagan • Luke 5:17–31Luke wrote his Gospel to Theophilus so he could move from partial knowledge about Jesus to deeper certainty, and in that sense Luke was written not to us but for us. Reading the Gospels is an invitation to encounter Jesus personally and be led from doubt into confident relationship with him. Discipleship is pictured as Jesus meeting us where we are and then steadily drawing us from the shallow end into deeper waters, often addressing deeper needs than we recognize. In Luke 5, friends lower a paralyzed man through a roof expecting physical healing, but Jesus first forgives his sins to show that the deepest healing is spiritual restoration with God. Jesus then heals the man's body to prove his authority to forgive, pointing ahead to the cross—like the lifted bronze serpent in Numbers 21 fulfilled in John 3—calling us to look to Christ not merely for relief but for heart renovation and life with God.WEBSITE: https://fellowshipknox.org/INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/fellowshipknox/

Acts February 18, 2026 PM.The book of Acts is a letter from Luke to a man named Theophilus. Acts records how the Lord Jesus Christ worked to build His church in fulfillment of His promise in Matthew 16:18. It is the continuance of Luke's carefully researched history of the events of the Lord's birth, ministry, death, and resurrection in the Gospel of Luke. Those things recorded in Luke's gospel cover what "Jesus began to do and teach" (Acts 1:1). It is clear that Luke wants us to understand that Acts covers what "Jesus continued to do and teach." His ministry by the Spirit through the apostles spread the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome and to other farther-flung parts of the Roman empire.

Theodora was the wife of Emperor Theophilus the Iconoclast, but secretly revered the icons, and protected others who did, until the emperor's death. Upon his death, she quickly restored veneration of icons to churches throughout the empire, the event celebrated on the upcoming Sunday of Orthodoxy, the first Sunday of the Great Fast. She ruled wisely as regent for the young emperor Michael for fifteen years: she is said to have initiated the mission of Sts Cyril and Methodios to the Slavs. Before Michael III reached his majority, he was prevailed upon by Bardas, Theodora's brother, to depose her and send her to a monastery, where she finished her life in peace and holiness.   When Constantinople fell, her incorrupt relics were taken to Corfu along with those of St Spyridon. They are still venerated there.   There is a much-debated story that, when Theophilus was dying, the Empress, moved by compassion for him, brought an icon of the Mother of God out of hiding and laid it on his face; and that Theophilus, coming to himself, kissed the holy icon and confessed the true Faith before giving up his soul. Other accounts say that the Emperor died in heresy. It seems possible that the holy Empress circulated the story to ensure that her departed husband would be remembered in the Church's prayers.

February 4th, 2026:  The Mission of the Church Involves Everyone;  St Joseph of Leonissa;  Ss Andrew Corsini, Jane of Valois & Theophilus the Penitent;  St Joseph of Leonissa - The Necessity of Self-Denial;  God Our Father Disciplines Us

Teach Us To PrayFebruary 01, 2026Teacher: Pastor Dave BrownSince I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus.— Luke 1:3As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”— Luke 10:38-42The Good Samaritan shows us what love does.Mary reminds us where love begins.Prayer teaches us how to stay there.“Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”— Luke 11:1One day Jesus was praying in a certain place.  When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”— Luke 11:1“When you pray, say: Father…”— Luke 11:2Prayer is about presence before it's about anything else.  Prayer doesn't begin with outcomes.  Prayer is the free choice to be with the Father, to prefer his company.  In our desire for certain outcomes or our confusion over not getting certain outcomes, we are tempted to begin there.  But we cannot brush past simply being with the Father and arrive at anything close to the sort of prayer Jesus won back for us.  Prayer starts with presence.— Tyler StatonGracious Father,you are the God of peace,the sovereign King who gathers one Kingdom from many nationsand calls us to belong wholly to you and to one another;Teach us to be with you before we strive to do for you.Quiet our anxious hearts,loosen our grip on lesser allegiances,and form in us the mind of Christ.Where opinions differ, give us charity.Where fears rise, give us trust.Where we are tempted to divide, make us one.As we seek the future of Redeemer Church,guide us by your Spirit.Grant us wisdom in discernment,patience with one another,and courage to follow wherever you lead. Make us a praying people before we are a decisive people,that our life together may reflect the peace and unity of your Kingdom.Through Jesus Christ our Lord,who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, now and forever.Amen.

A Sunday sermon by Pastor Brett Deal.The Bible's rich with all kinds of words. Some are everyday words: the, and, to speak; but others only show up a handful of times, and their rarity causes them to stand out. One great example is episkiazó. Following Matthew, Luke used episkiazó (meaning to overshadow) describing Jesus' transfiguration.  All three Synoptic Gospels harmonize their use of this word (Matthew 17.5; Mark 9.7; Luke 9.34) where on the mountain, as Jesus' disciples watched in awe, Jesus “was transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became white as light,” and “a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.”Imagine Luke on a missionary voyage with Paul, with the scroll of Matthew's Gospel rolled out before Him, praying for the best way to share the good news with his friend Theophilus. Then, struck like a divine lightning bolt, Luke's heart was set on fire with the word episkiazó! Luke used overshadow three times. The third time was in Acts 5.15, describing the Apostle Peter—so heavily anointed by the Holy Spirit after Pentecost—people would bring their sick loved ones out to the street where they were healed, overshadowed by the passing Apostle. The second was Christ's transfiguration, but both are imbued with deeper meaning when read them the light of the first. Luke told Theophilus at the beginning when Gabriel the angel announced to Mary about the arrival of the Messiah: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God,” (Luke 1.35). Luke's triple use of episkiazó is illuminating. The Spirit's overshadowing places the emphasis on the actor more than the act. It is the same Spirit overshadowing Mary which magnifies Christ before His disciples. Is it the same Spirit overshadowing Peter which miraculously heals the hurting. Beloved, it is the same Spirit overshadowing you and me today as we draw near to the Father, and say, “I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word,” (1.38).

Revolution (Introduction) Acts 1:1-7 We begin our series with an introduction to Acts, the second letter of Luke to Theophilus. Luke and Acts have many parallels between the life of Jesus and the life of the new church and its disciples.

In this Bible study, Fr. Matthias Shehad explores the harmony of the Gospels by examining the narratives before and after the birth of Christ. He begins by explaining St. Luke's purpose in writing his Gospel to Theophilus, emphasizing accuracy and eyewitness testimony. Fr. Matthias then contrasts this with St. John's Gospel, highlighting the divine nature of Christ as the eternal Logos involved in creation. The discussion covers key theological concepts, including the Trinity, the Incarnation, and the significance of Christ as both fully God and fully man. Fr. Matthias also explains the role of John the Baptist as the forerunner preparing the way for Christ, and details the historical context of Zacharias and Elizabeth's family, including priestly divisions and the rule of Herod the Great. This study provides foundational insight into the early Gospel accounts and their theological implications for understanding Jesus' identity and mission. Subscribe to us on YouTube https://youtube.com/stpaulhouston Like us on Facebook https://facebook.com/saintpaulhouston Follow us on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/stpaulhouston Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com/stpaulhouston Visit our website for schedules and to join the mailing list https://stpaulhouston.org

Welcome to Day 2764 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Day 2764– Only the Best - A Gospel of Excellence – Luke 1:1-4 Putnam Church Message – 11/23/2025 Luke's Account of the Good News “Only The Best -A Gospel of Excellence: Thanksgiving for the Truth "   Last week, we explored the letter of 3 John and Learned how to have “A Confident Life: Balancing Truth and Love.” This week, we will begin a year-long study of Luke's Account of the Good News. We are tying in our Thanksgiving celebration in a message titled: “Only the Best -A Gospel of Excellence: Thanksgiving for the Truth.” Our Core verses for this week will be Luke 1:1-4, found on page 1587 of your Pew Bibles. 1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. Opening Prayer Heavenly Father, as we open the Gospel of Luke, give us eyes to recognize Your truth, ears to hear Your voice, and hearts ready to respond with thanksgiving. Just as Luke carefully recorded the life of our Savior, may we honor the story of Christ with excellence, gratitude, and faith. Shape us today by Your Word, and let our thanksgiving rise like a fragrant offering before You. In Jesus' name, Amen. Introduction: Luke's Gospel Begins with “Thanksgiving.” Unlike the dramatic beginnings of the other Gospels, Luke opens quietly—with something resembling a letter of dedication. He writes to “most honorable (excellent) Theophilus,” explaining why he has prepared such an orderly, carefully researched account. It is as though Luke begins his entire Gospel by saying: “Thank you for caring about truth. Thank you for seeking certainty. I wrote this so you can know for sure what God has done.” In a season where we pause to give thanks, Luke reminds us that thanksgiving is grounded in remembering. We cannot be thankful for what we forget. And we cannot build our faith on what we do not know. That is why Luke opens his Gospel with an invitation to excellence, truth, and gratitude. (Bulletin Insert) MAIN POINT 1 — Excellence in Research Luke 1:1–2 (NLT): "Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples." Luke acknowledges that others had already tried to document the life of Jesus, but he felt compelled to go further. He wanted not a loose collection of memories,/ but a dependable record strong enough to support future generations of believers. A Historian Among Apostles Luke traveled widely with Paul. As they journeyed from city to city, Luke met...

** PLEASE SUBSCRIBE ** Featured in WYGYFF Episode 37: Singer, songwriter and producer Theophilus “Chip/Maniac” Glass, known for working with acts like Klymaxx bassist Joyce Irby, Glasswurk, Dallas Austin and Highland Place Mobsters, The LaFace Cartel, George Clinton and Fishbone. He has also performed as GeorgiaClay and spent decades knocking around Atlanta's music scene, with many interesting experiences and stories to share. Those include his musical father, bringing Usher to L.A. Reid, impersonating Journey's Steve Perry in the recording studio and missed opportunities due to years of incarceration. RECORDED JULY 2025 Hosted by Scott "DR GX" Goldfine — musicologist, author of “Everything Is on the One: The First Guide of Funk” and creator/host of the popular TRUTH IN RHYTHM podcast — "Where'd You Get Your Funk From?" is the latest interview show brought to you by FUNKNSTUFF.NET. Where'd You Get Your Funk From (WYGYFF) is an open format video and audio podcast focusing on the here and now, with a broad range of creative and artistic guests sharing fascinating stories, experiences, and perspectives. WYGYFF is a welcoming avenue to newer and independent musical acts as well as established and still active musicians of any genre; authors; filmmakers; actors; artists; collectors and archivists; radio & podcast personalities; journalists; scholars; sound techs; promoters; photographers; and other creative people. A common thread, is the show's standard opening question: Where'd you get your funk from? This is much deeper than it may seem as the answer need not be strictly about funky music, as not everyone has found the funk. It could hit on whatever type of music touches their soul or pleasure centers. Additionally, the question extends beyond music. Paraphrasing George Clinton, funk is whatever it needs to be to get you over the hump. Thus, guests can explain where they got their grit, perseverance, inspiration, talent, creativity, character or other qualities that shaped them into who they are today. This serves as a springboard into candid, in-depth and engrossing conversations. LEGAL NOTICE: All video and audio content protected by copyright. Any use of this material is strictly prohibited without expressed consent from original content producer and owner Scott Goldfine, dba FUNKNSTUFF. For inquiries, email info@funknstuff.net. Get your copy of "Everything Is on the One: The First Guide of Funk" today! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1541256603/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1541256603&linkCode=as2&tag=funknstuff-20&linkId=b6c7558ddc7f8fc9fe440c5d9f3c400

I . . . decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. — Luke 1:3-4 The Christmas story is familiar to many people throughout the world, wherever the message of Christ has spread. In various parts of our world today, though, the Christmas season has become a time when focusing on Jesus competes with shopping, holiday parties, and a frenzied rush.In the book of Luke, the story of Jesus begins with a reminder that can help us even today in our world of competing ideals. Luke writes to a reader called Theophilus (“friend of God”) so that this person may know deep-down that the story of Jesus is certain and true.God wants the Christmas story to inspire a kind of certainty in us. This is not intended to promote pride or superiority, as if to suggest that we know God better than anyone else. Instead, this is to instill wonder at the reality of the birth of Christ and what it means for the whole world (see John 3:16).Do you feel overwhelmed by the busyness of the Christmas season? Do the holidays remind you of stresses and hurts from the past that have not healed? In this season, turn again to the story of what God has “fulfilled among us”—the promise to provide a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. See how Jesus changes the lives of all who come into contact with him, and let his birth renew in you the certainty of God's love for us all. Spirit of God, thank you for sharing the story of Jesus with us. May the wonder of this story sink into our hearts, giving us certainty and hope in you. Amen.

Isaiah 41:8-14; Luke 1:1-4 Will Clark

Welcome to the last Messianic Checkpoint! Jeff Cavins joins Fr. Mike to introduce the Gospel of Luke and highlight the distinctive aspects of this synoptic Gospel. We learn that the Gospel of Luke uniquely captures the humanity of Jesus, the role of women, Jesus' frequent engagement with individuals on the margins, and the mystery of the Ascension. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

He was a physician from Antioch, a disciple and traveling-companion of the Apostle Paul, who refers to him as the 'beloved physician.' He wrote not only his Gospel but the Acts of the Apostles, dedicating both to Theophilus, who according to one tradition was the Governor of Achaia, a convert. Much of the Acts of the Apostles is written in the first person, describing his own travels with the St Paul. He lived to an old age and died in Achaia, possibly in Patras. Most ancient authors say that he died as a Martyr. Church traditions about St Luke are somewhat contradictory. According to many, he was one of the Seventy and thus an eye-witness to Christ's ministry on earth. (He is usually considered to be the companion of St Cleopas on the Road to Emmaus). According to others, he never met Christ himself but was converted by the preaching of the Apostle Paul. Church tradition holds that St Luke was the first iconographer, and painted an image of the Most Holy Theotokos from life. He is considered the patron of iconographers. Several icons attributed to St Luke himself are still in existence.

He was a physician from Antioch, a disciple and traveling-companion of the Apostle Paul, who refers to him as the 'beloved physician.' He wrote not only his Gospel but the Acts of the Apostles, dedicating both to Theophilus, who according to one tradition was the Governor of Achaia, a convert. Much of the Acts of the Apostles is written in the first person, describing his own travels with the St Paul. He lived to an old age and died in Achaia, possibly in Patras. Most ancient authors say that he died as a Martyr. Church traditions about St Luke are somewhat contradictory. According to many, he was one of the Seventy and thus an eye-witness to Christ's ministry on earth. (He is usually considered to be the companion of St Cleopas on the Road to Emmaus). According to others, he never met Christ himself but was converted by the preaching of the Apostle Paul. Church tradition holds that St Luke was the first iconographer, and painted an image of the Most Holy Theotokos from life. He is considered the patron of iconographers. Several icons attributed to St Luke himself are still in existence.

Throughout his various writing projects, J. Warner Wallace encourages his readers to study the Gospels forensically—that is, to always be on the lookout for evidence, either of deception on the one hand, or of authentic eyewitness testimony on the other. On this episode, Shane talks with him about some of the evidence he discovered when he read the Gospels for the first time and which ultimately led to his conversion to the Christian faith. They also discuss issues related to the dating of the four Gospels and some of the interpretive possibilities related to identifying Luke's Theophilus. For more information about J. Warner Wallace, visit his website coldcasechristianity.comDuring this episode, Shane referenced his recent webinar on the prologue of Luke's Gospel. A video recording of this presentation is available here for paid subscribers. To upgrade to a paid subscription, click here.SHOW NOTESArticlesWhy I Know The Gospels Were Written Early, J. Warner WallaceThe Date of John's Gospel, Revisited, Shane RosenthalThe Implications of 70 AD, Shane RosenthalA Pre-70 Date for the Gospels & Acts, Shane RosenthalWho is Theophilus? Notes to Ep. #79, Peter Bolt and othersHow to Detect Deception, Shane RosenthalThe Authenticity & Genuineness of The Fourth Gospel, J.B. LightfootAuthenticating The Fourth Gospel, Shane RosenthalIs Luke a Trustworthy Historian? Sir William RamsayOutside The Gospels, What Can We Know About Jesus? Shane RosenthalCan We Trust Luke's History of the Early Jesus Movement? Shane RosenthalOn Faith & History, Shane RosenthalEpisodesDealing with Discrepancies, Episode #57 with J. Warner WallaceThe Case for Early Gospels, J. Warner Wallace (podcast)Luke, Theophilus & Joanna, Episode #80 with Jim SibleyWho is Theophilus? Episode #79 with Peter BoltDid Josephus Ever Mention Jesus? Episode #77 with T.C. SchmidtJesus in Josephus & Other Ancient Texts, Episode #78 with T.C. SchmidtThe Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony, Episode #48Faith Founded on Facts, Episode #15 with Richard Bauckham and othersStories of Jesus: Can They Be Trusted? Episode. #61 with Peter J. WilliamsAre the Gospels History or Fiction? Episode #52 with John DicksonQuestioning Your Faith, Episode #21 with Fikrit BocekDeath, Ghosts & Views of the Afterlife, Episode #31 with Michael McClymondThe Gospel Creed, Episode #9BooksCold Case Christianity, J. Warner WallaceThe Truth in True Crime, J. Warner WallaceForensic Faith, J. Warner WallacePerson of Interest, J. Warner WallaceJesus & The Eyewitnesses, Richard BauckhamReligion on Trial, Craig PartonTestimonies to the Truth, Lydia McGrewCan We Trust The Gospels? Peter J. WilliamsRedating the New Testament, John A.T. RobinsonRedating Matthew, Mark & Luke, John WenhamRethinking the Dates of the New Testament, Jonathan BernierLuke's Key Witness, Shane RosenthalVideoCan You Trust Bible Manuscripts? J. Warner WallaceHas the Bible Changed Over Time? J. Warner Wallace Get full access to The Humble Skeptic at www.humbleskeptic.com/subscribe

In a chapter he wrote for the Handbook on the Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith, Jim Sibley argued that Luke's Theophilus was likely a Jewish high priest. In fact, he says this Theophilus may have been deposed from office in 41 AD because of his favorability toward the growing Christian movement. He also believes that Luke's Joanna was likely the granddaughter of this same Theophilus. Dr. Sibley joins Shane to discuss these issues and more.JOIN US FOR A LIVE VIDEO STREAM WITH Q & AIf you upgrade to a paid subscription, you'll be able to participate in Shane's upcoming live video stream on the topic of Luke's prologue (more details to be announced soon via email). You'll also be able to download a pre-release PDF of Shane's book, Luke's Key Witness, along with a 35-page PDF resource titled Josephus & His World. If you're already a paid subscriber, you can access both resources here. To donate or subscribe, click here.SHOW NOTESBooksA Handbook on the Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith, Jim Sibley & othersA Handbook on the Jewish Roots of the Gospels, Jim Sibley & othersThe Undercover Messiah & His Coming Kingdom, Jim SibleyThe Moody Handbook on Messianic Prophecy, Rydelnik & BlumLuke: A Commentary, Peter G. BoltThe Gospel According to Luke, James R. EdwardsLukan Authorship of Hebrews (ebook), David Allen Gospel Women, Richard BauckhamCan We Trust The Gospels? Peter J. WilliamsTestimonies to the Truth, Lydia McGrewLuke's Key Witness, Shane RosenthalArticlesWho is Theophilus? Notes to Ep. #79, Peter Bolt, Johann Michaelis, etc.Is Luke a Trustworthy Historian? Sir William RamsayCan We Trust Luke's History of the Early Jesus Movement? Shane RosenthalOn Faith & History, Shane RosenthalWho is Sergius Paulus? Shane RosenthalSimon of Cyrene: An Intriguing Archaeological Discovery, Shane RosenthalThe Implications of 70 AD, Shane RosenthalA Pre-70 Date for the Gospels & Acts, Shane RosenthalThe Date of John's Gospel, Revisited, Shane RosenthalOutside the Gospels, What Can We Know About Jesus? Shane RosenthalEpisodesWho is Theophilus? Episode #79 with Peter BoltDid Josephus Ever Mention Jesus? Episode #77 with T.C. SchmidtJesus in Josephus & Other Ancient Texts, Episode #78 with T.C. SchmidtDid the Exodus Ever Happen? Episode #69 with David RohlLocating Golgotha, Episode #17 with David RohlStories of Jesus: Can They Be Trusted? Episode. #61 with Peter J. WilliamsAre the Gospels History or Fiction? Ep. #52 with John DicksonThe Gospel Creed, Episode #9 Faith Founded on Facts, Episode #15Video — featuring Shane Rosenthal on the topic of Luke's Key WitnessThe Alisa Childers PodcastCross Examined with Frank TurekYou Can Handle The TruthF4F with Chris Rosebrough Get full access to The Humble Skeptic at www.humbleskeptic.com/subscribe

August 24, 394. On the walls of a fading Egyptian temple, a priest carves what will become the last known hieroglyph in history. At the same moment, in Alexandria, a fiery archbishop named Theophilus is rising to power. He mocks the ancient Egyptian gods, desecrates their temples, and sets out to stamp out “paganism” for good.  But Theophilus is fighting more than ancient religion—he clashes with monks, rivals, even fellow bishops, in a ruthless bid to make Alexandria the beating heart of the Christian world. What drives him to destroy? And can an entire faith really be erased? Special thanks to our guests: Solange Ashby,  Assistant Professor of Egyptology and Nubian Studies at UCLA in Los Angeles, author of Calling Out to Isis: the Enduring Nubian Presence at Philae; Stephen Davis, Woolsey Professor of Religious Studies and Professor of History at Yale University; and Christine Luckritz Marquis,  Associate Professor of Church History at Union Presbyterian Seminary, and author of Death of the Desert: Monastic Memory and the Loss of Egypt's Golden Age. Artwork: Saint John Chrysostom and the Empress Eudoxia by Jean-Paul Laurens. -- Get in touch: historythisweekpodcast@history.com  Follow on Instagram: @historythisweek To stay updated: http://historythisweekpodcast.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices