Paul teaches the Galatians to live following the lead of the Holy Spirit and not by the rules and regulations of the Jews and not by the way of ‘the flesh’. He speaks of the Holy Spirit walking alongside the Christian disciple.

The Gospel and Adoption into God’s Family: Galatians 4:1-7Paul introduces the ideas of adoption and inheritance based on the experience of the Gentile areas he is preaching to. Adopted children could inherit all that belonged to the family. All those blessings are ours in Christ Jesus. We do not need to look back.

Paul is alone in Athens. He engages with the Jews in the synagogue and the Epicureans and Stoics in the marketplace. He introduces them to new ideas about God, the afterlife and Jesus.

Paul and Barnabas visit two different cities. Iconium has a synagogue and Paul uses the Old Testament to introduce Jesus. Lystra does not have a synagogue but is under the cultural influence of the Roman and Greek gods which Paul compares to the true God who sent Jesus. There are mixed responses with persecution from some of the Jews.

The disciples have a miraculous catch of fish and recognise Jesus on the shore. They breakfast with him and then he reinstates Peter to his important role as pastor/leader of the Church.

Thomas was absent when Jesus met the other Apostles but Jesus appears here in exactly the same way. Thomas believes. The writer, John, declares his intention is to help people believe.

Jesus appears to a group of disciples including ten Apostles. He proves his physical resurrection body. He explains to them from the Old Testament that what has happened was predicted and begins to commission them.

The second appearance of Jesus is to the group of women who clasp his feet and worship him. The Temple guards are bribed to say that the disciples stole the body.

On Sunday the women discover the empty tomb and tell Peter and John. Mary stays at the tomb and Jesus appears to her and gives her the charge to tell the disciples.

Two members of the Sanhedrin bury Jesus, watched by a group of women. The divine Jesus did not die but went to be with his Father, but the human Jesus did die and was buried in a sealed tomb.