Acts 10:44-8

1) God does not always do things decently and in order. Here, the gift of the spirit precedes baptism.

2) Again, the ambit of the church widens, as the Gentiles receive charism.

3) Where in our lives can we ask about withholding baptism or other acts fo the church?

4) Baptism here is in the name of Jesus, not a Trinitarian formula.

5) Easter life is one of hospitality. The wall of separation was more than breached, a hand of friendship was now extended.

6) Think of how the way we do things defines the culture of a congregation and how resistant we are to change

I John :5:1-6

John continues his look at the interplay of the love of God and love of neighbor.

2) I have always been wary of arguments about obedience. Here, we are told that obedience is not burdensome but responsive to the love of god, so the commandment doesn’t sound or feel like a commandment, here I think of Torah meaning teaching as much as law. Put differently, it is a law of love we follow not the strictures of regulation.

3) What does it mean that faith conquers the world? How can this be read in dangerous ways?

4) Here believers are begotten of God as well.