Gadfly's Muse

Acts 16 & 17: An Inconvenient Gospel...

Image:  "Brilliance", 2013, Sunset (presented as I saw it), Saguaro National Park. Tucson, Arizona

Acts 16:1  ... And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek.

Acts 16:4–5 And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number daily.

Acts 16:11 Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, ...

Acts 16:19 But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.

Acts 17:4 And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.

Acts 17:6  ..., they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.

Acts 17:11–12  These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.

Acts 17:30–31 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

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"Brilliance" aptly describes the progress of the gospel as we see it in these chapters.  We see the addition of Timothy, a young man of mixed ethnicity, added to Paul's company (16:1).  What an apprenticeship he must have served!  We know that along with Titus and a few others, he would become a principal pillar in the post-apostolic church.  Notice also that Luke's description of Paul's travels now shifts from 3rd person to 1st person (16:11) as he evidently joined the group at the same time.  We are delighted with the descriptive details he includes about the journeys.  He, an obviously well-educated Gentile, must have been overpowered by the gospel.

We are amazed when we read carefully the stories.   is the almost joyful perseverance the missionaries displayed.  They are not only heckled by infuriated enemies but are actively pursued as they go from town to town.  Those fanatics, Satan's disciples, one and all, play on the 'inconvenience' of the gospel.  A poor, spirit possessed young girl is exorcised and her "masters" are horrified at their loss of profit.  There is no care for the young woman nor amazement at Paul's good work.  They cry out:  "These men are trouble..." and the missionaries are savagely whipped and thrown into prison.

What do Paul and Silas do?  They pray and sing hymns!  God delivers them and the story of the Philippian jailor becomes a source of encouragement for eons of Christians.

Notice how our general perception of the apostolic church as being made up entirely of slaves and the poor, is corrected in these chapters.  First, there is Luke himself... a man of some sophistication as is evident in his beautiful use of the Greek language.  Second, there are direct references to "many prominent" men and women who confessed and were baptized.  Lydia's heart-warming story also shows us a woman of some standing who ran a successful business in a man-dominated world.  At Berea, God converts "not a few" Greeks including prominent men and women.  At Athens, Paul takes on the sedentary and smug intellectual academics at the Areopagus.  For the most part, like secular academics of every age, they sneered at the Gospel because it was an affront to their "sophisticated" mindset.  But, not all were immune.   Dionysius was an Areopagite and he believed along with a few others.

There is so much to digest in these stories.  Each of them is such a powerful narrative of how God works and how unflinching courage is required to preach and proclaim the truth.

You see, the "gospel" is "inconvenient."  Human beings don't like having their comfort-zone shaken.  When God comes into a community or an individual, things are going to change.  The "status quo", being by definition, at enmity with God, has to be shaken up, convicted, convinced, and motivated to change.  This is inherent in the idea of repentance.  God may have called us "just as we are" but God has no intention of leaving us "as we were."  The Gospel of Jesus Christ turns the whole secular world upside down.

"The times of ignorance", Paul spoke of in 17:30, are over.  Man everywhere is commanded to repent.  The Thessalonians were correct when they said that the missionaries were "turning the world upside down." (17:6)  This is inherent in the Gospel itself.  It is not a message of peace... Jesus Himself said it was not.  He came to clearly divide His Kingdom from the Kingdom of this world.  Each kingdom unabashedly and unapologetically demands total obedience.  There is no neutral ground between them.  There can be no half-way decisions.  Every person has to put everything on the line, either for Christ or for His enemies.

People don't like this demanding Gospel.  It's inconvenient.  It arouses their ire or contempt or both.

But the Church, following the lead of Paul and his party, recognizes that this is progress.  If the message doesn't stir things up then the message has to be re-examined.  Boldness and courage are just as much required of us today as it was then.  Pray that God will give us this courage and success in our work as He did with Paul and the others then.

Acts 14 & 15: "To Infinity and Beyond..."

Image: "Long Road Ahead", 2013, Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge, Hiway 286, north of Sasabe, Mx in Arizona.

Acts 14:3  Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

Acts 14:14–15  But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out 15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them,

Acts 14:21  And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,

Acts 14:27  Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.

Acts 15:1  And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Acts 15:13–14 And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me: 14 Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name.

Acts 15:38–41 But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. 39 Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

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In 2013 my brother and I decided to visit all the Western National Parks between the Mexican and Canadian borders.  I will always treasure the trip though it was not without its challenges.  We saw some spectacular sights, visited some quaint little towns, and took thousands of pictures.  It was with a real sense of satisfaction that I arrived back home.  Paul and Barnabas must have felt an infinitely greater joy when they returned to Antioch.

By all "Kingdom" measures the first missionary journey was an incredible success.  By "worldly" standards the "fake news" would have reported that they returned after having been chased out of virtually every city they visited, been stoned, and had left a significant amount of turmoil in their wake.  Some would say that it is all a matter of perspective but that doesn't mean all perspectives are equal.  God's perspective was that it was a great success... and that's all that matters.

These chapters constitute a real milestone in the progress of Christ's Church.  This first organized mission journey resulted in several new churches over a significant range of territory.  Think of them as frontier outposts manned by small garrisons of "troops".  These churches would be the springboard for other works that would one day fill the entire Roman empire.  A new social order had been founded.  A society built on the call for all nations to "turn from these useless things (idols) to the living God..." (14:15)  Here was a radically new world order being birthed.

It was difficult for everyone to grasp just what was happening.  The "Jerusalem Council" meeting recorded in ch. 15 reflects this.  The Jewish Christians had a very understandable hesitation.  If these new converts did not have to be circumcised then did that not mean that 1500 years of Israelite tradition was rendered meaningless in any meaningful way?  This would mean that God must have changed in how His covenant people were to be organized and recognized.  It's not easy for any motivated and thoughtful person to essentially cast away his heritage.  

So, in God's providence and through the Spirit's deliberate guidance, what we see at the end of chapter 15 is the first vestiges of a structured social order that stands over and outside all others.  We see bastions of Christianity, already tempered by difficult opposition and, importantly, under indigenous leadership ("elders", 14:23).  We have the founding of a prototype "high-court" in the Jerusalem council that has the critical function of judging "orthodoxy" within the new community.  God is a God of order, not chaos, and it is not consistent with His wisdom for His Church to have widely differing fundamental doctrines.  There will always be room for some disagreements about relatively minor points, but there is an amazing unity in the core doctrines of the true Church of Jesus Christ.  That is one of the key features that distinguish it from pretenders.

Thus there is at the end of ch. 15, a long road ahead of the Church.  Troubles and trials still abound, both within and outside its walls.  Paul and Barnabas part ways over how to view John Mark's previous departure.  The Church will struggle in every age.  Truly the Kingdom is built, like Nehemiah's wall, by working with one hand and holding a sword (of truth) in the other.  But it is built... and is being built... and will continue to be built.  The Master Builder will have His Temple and we are it.

The message of these chapters is very timely at this cusp of a new year.  Perhaps it is a good time to pause and ponder the road ahead of us.  We need to get our priorities right in one sense.  It's one thing to drive along and enjoy the view.  It's another thing entirely to recognize that our road leads somewhere... that there is work to do along the way... and that our goal is to come to the end of our journey with more than just memories... we need to bring fruit from our labors.

 

Acts 12 & 13: It's All A Journey

Image: "The Journey Ahead", 2020, Rocky Gap State Park, Md

Acts 12:1–3 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 2 Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also...

Acts 12:5  Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.

Acts 12:11  And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”

Acts 13:32–34  And we declare to you glad tidings—that promise which was made to the fathers. 33 God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm:  ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.’ 34 And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, ...

Acts 13:48  Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

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In chapters 12 & 13 we begin a transition.  We see Peter at the peak of his Church leadership in 12 and in 13 we see the rise of Saul/Paul who will to some degree displace him.  Each of their stories however has this in common:  they depict a journey.  In his supernatural escape from prison and God's judgment on Herod for his crimes, we see that Peter has come a long way from his cringing denials of Jesus.  Peter in prison is sleeping between two guards.  He must have been fairly certain that he was going to be executed even as was his brother apostle James. (12:2) Yet we are not told that he was shaking in his boots... he was prepared to follow his Lord wherever Jesus led him.

But he had something going for him: the constant prayers of the church. (12:5)  Here we see how God uses His people.  God didn't need to be reminded that Peter was in jail.  He knew full well that he was. But God was working in and through His people in this even as He was through James' death.  The Church of Jesus Christ is washed not only in the blood of Jesus but in the blood of its martyrs and those who suffer for the glory of God.  It's part of the journey, not only for individuals like Peter and Saul/Paul but for the Church as a whole.  

The Church is confirmed in its faith, strengthened in its resolve, and sharpened in its proclamation by facing adversity.  Notice the fruits that are born from Peter's imprisonment: Acts 12:22–24  ...Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. 24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.  Herod's antipathy toward God's people, like Pharaoh before him, is met with a forceful rebuttal and the result is that the Church was strengthened, not defeated.

Saul & Barnabas are set aside to their task of taking the gospel to the Gentiles as a direct result of the pressure being exerted against the church.  God used the wicked passions of the Jews and the politicians to "push" His people to greater exertions and to purge from them the weak-kneed and timid.  We must remember that travel, in and of itself, in those days was very dangerous.  Sea travel had been greatly expanded but once you left coastal waters things could get hairy in a heartbeat.  This entire missionary party had to show great courage and then boldness.  They get to Cypress and immediately caused a bit of a stir.  Sergius Paulus was the Roman appointed "proconsul", an important official who could quite easily become as dangerous as was Herod.  Saul and his party are summoned to see him and are immediately opposed by the local witch-doctor who saw his "rice bowl" being threatened.  Again, in a somewhat lesser fashion but similar content, God vindicates His servants and His Word.  This time the governor, being an "intelligent man" (13:7), "believed." (13:11)  We should be astonished at this statement.  Here was a haughty Roman humbled by the Word of God.  This is the power of God at work and the sharp efficacy of its power was heightened by its undeniable victory over the swirling opposition it faced.

Saul and his partners then started the serious work of preaching and teaching wherever God gave them the opportunity.  Further opposition is raised up among the Jews who were jealous of their success.  But, (13:46) Saul and Barnabas grew very bold and plainly told them that by their rejection of the word of God, they were judging themselves unworthy of eternal life.  They then said that therefore they would turn to the Gentiles.

This will now become the main theme for the last chapters of Acts.  It is the sad story of how God's original covenant people prove to be God's enemies and that God uses that antagonism to cause the word to be preached to "as many as had been appointed to eternal life" among the Gentiles.

These chapters are rich indeed in doctrine as well as encouragement.  God's sovereign rule over His Church and indeed, the entire world, is present in every line.  It is He that shapes all things such that His Word produces exactly the fruit it was sent to bear.  Along the way, God actually uses difficulty and even persecution to heighten His harvest.   He is a great and wonderful God, whose ways are far above us, but He proves Himself faithful at every step along our journey of doing His will.

Acts 10 & 11: No Second Class Citizens...

Image: "Without Embellishment", 2009, Nature Walk, Covenant Village Retreat Center, Pa.

Acts 10:4  And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.

Acts 10:15–16 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

Acts 10:28 Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

Acts 10:34–35 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth, I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

Acts 10:43  To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

Acts 11:17  If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”

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Throughout my formal ministry, I would, on a regular occasion, hear someone say something similar to: "I feel like a second class citizen".   One person was born into a family in which other members were active in foreign missions while he only was part of our local church and was actively raising his family.  Others would compare themselves to the officers and/or teachers who ministered to them and who reflected a fairly deep knowledge of scripture and zeal while they found the doctrines and understanding of scripture difficult to grasp much less master.  Some quite unfairly and without the least justification, thought they were inferior to the main body of the congregation because they were not as "spiritual" as others.  

Though they did not quite express it this way, they had this in common:  they thought Jesus did not, could not, love them or value them as highly as "those other guys."  Their claim on salvation, in their mind, was tentative and God was generally tolerant of them but without enthusiasm.

This kind of thinking is somewhat inevitable in any American church.  We are a very "value" focused people.  We tend to equate "respect" and "merit" to some measure of accomplishment.  Our own self-perception is often formed by thinking more about how other people must "see" us rather than anything else.  At its root, this leads to a negative form of "works-righteousness" or even "class distinctions."  If a person does not have a college degree then those who have one must think less of them.  Perhaps it is a matter of vocation, or marital status, or even, as with some women, whether they have natural-born children.  

Jesus Christ came to found a Church, indeed to build a Kingdom, wherein this type of thinking must be ripped up by its roots - whether it is found in those with an assumed "inferiority" self-perception, or, even more egregiously, in those who view others with a degree of contempt for these reasons.

The bottom line is, within the Church of Jesus Christ, there are no "second class citizens."  Since the entire premise of salvation by grace is founded on the premise that none, not anyone, merited God's favor, then no person stands above another in value or claim to God's affection.  These two chapters drive that truth home with simplicity.  The unadorned, bare-bones-gospel, is that "Jesus loves me, this I know because the Bible tells me so."  Period.

God sends an angel to tell Cornelius that though he is a Gentile and a Roman Soldier, he stands on equal ground with any member of God's historic covenant people, the Jews.  God reveals to Peter and later on the rest of the Church, that any person He has declared "clean" is not to be considered, nor treated, as "common", that is, as inferior in quality.  

It doesn't really matter how we "feel" about ourselves that determines our standing before God.  It doesn't really matter how we "feel" about other brothers and sisters in the church that determines their standing in God's household.  Jesus made it painfully clear that "many who would be first shall be last."  In other words, many who put in a great effort to gain "status" in the Kingdom of God, will, on the last day, be revealed as having demonstrated a lesser "faith" than other, far more simple, Christians.  To the degree that we contaminate our faith, in whatever manner, with some kind of "works-righteousness", it is to that degree that our faith is deficient.

Here is where Jesus' admonition that we are not to judge, lest we be judged, comes into play.  In order to make real progress in our ministries and in our faith, we must cast away the shackles of merit-based thinking.  Most certainly we are to seek improvement in our understanding of Scripture and the doctrines of our faith, but never should we think that somehow this will make God love us more.

If God loved us when we were, by nature, children of wrath, and sent His Son to purchase for us our salvation, then on what possible grounds do we think that His love for us can be improved?  If God sent His Son to effect that same salvation for others in our congregation, regardless of their relative progress in sanctification or edification, then how can we view them as inferior to ourselves in any matter of eternal significance?

The bottom line, again, is that there are no second-class citizens in the Kingdom of God.  There are those who are outside the faith and that is a different situation.  They have no claim on God because they do not believe.  But, (cf. 11:17) if God has poured out His Spirit on a person such that there is evidence of a true and lively faith present, even if as a grain of mustard seed, then that person is beloved of God.  As this is true for ourselves and the most certain antidote for an assumed inferiority in ourselves, so is it the vibrant standard that we must embrace for viewing others.

That's the stark, black-and-white, barebones gospel truth of it all.

Acts 8 & 9: Time to Hatch!

Image: "Individuals", 2020, Quail Eggs, Severna Park, Md

Acts 8:1 Now Saul was consenting to his (Stephen's) death.  At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Acts 8:4–5  Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.

Acts 8:25  So when they (Peter and John) had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

Acts 8:35–36 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”

Acts 9:3–4  As he journeyed he (Saul) came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

Acts 9:15–16  But the Lord said to him (Ananias), “Go, for he (Saul)  is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

Acts 9:22  But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Acts 9:31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

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Individually, quail eggs, like the quails themselves, do not constitute much of a meal.  They are right tasty but are very small.  With a bowl full though they can make a pretty decent omelet.  I think there is a bit of a parallel here to what occurred in this earliest stage of the Holy Spirit's work.  He was gathering eggs into His bowl in an amazing and surprising manner.

Everything was being caused to work together for good.  Even Stephen's martyrdom and intense persecution drove the main body of believers in Jerusalem out into the "suburbs."  We must pay careful attention to how unprecedented in Israelite history this took place.  

Philip, one of the deacons, goes to Samaria and raises up a congregation there.  Samaria!  These were a mixed-race people, generally held in contempt by the "orthodox" Jews. (cf. Jesus and the Samaritan woman, John 4:9)  Yet the Holy Spirit gathers His eggs from that brood and in no uncertain terms.  In doing so it gave an opportunity for Peter and John to preach to other villages along the way.  

Philip is also sent by Divine command to intercept a foreign eunuch.  Eunuchs were not uncommon in the OT but they were considered defective (Lev. 21:16) and hence subject to restrictions.  They were prohibited from a ministry before the Lord even if born a Levite.  Here God sends a clear message to the early Church.  They were not to consider as unclean any person who God has called "clean".  Not only that but he was a Jewish proselyte from Ethiopia.  The Holy Spirit was calling people from different races and foreign lands.  This was an astonishing development.  

The Church was being taught that they had to change their entire way of thinking about God's populating of the "New Israel".

Most amazing of all is the story of "Saul".  These chapters begin the transition in Acts from the primacy of Peter to the primacy of Paul.  He will continue to be called Saul through chapter 13 and then "Paul" will be commonly used.  Here we see Saul being confronted with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus and like Isaiah (cf. Isa. 6), he will be horrified at his own sin.  He was a religious zealot but his zeal had been entirely misdirected.  Jesus confronts him with the truth that in persecuting His Church, he had been persecuting the Christ Himself. (9:3-4)  For a man who had been entirely convinced that he had been doing the work of God, this was a mortifying reality.  Everything about his previous life, all that he had ever been taught to think and believe, had to be re-examined in the light of this truth.

But, most of all, Saul's conversion and Divine commissioning meant that the Holy Spirit was taking even the vilest of sinners, cleansing them of their sins, and setting them to the task of advancing His Kingdom.  Here again, we see something "new".  In the Jewish culture of the day, external purity, once lost, was not easily accepted as restored.  Like the rich young ruler, the emphasis was on keeping the commandments from youth.  If a man was labeled as "no-good", or, in common parlance, a "sinner", he was not even invited to dinner.  We saw this attitude expressed about the prostitute who washed Jesus' feet at the table.  Here, the Church was being taught that no sin is beyond God's grace to cleanse and Jesus' blood was the common bond of sinners within the Church, no matter how foul their previous life had been.  We can see why Paul, in his letters, will make this so much a part of his teachings.  He knew it first hand.

The Church was definitely hesitant to embrace Saul at first, and with good reason.  We see in the story of Simon the magician that in many cases we have to be careful about new converts, but, once the Holy Spirit has definitely vindicated a person as belonging to Christ, it is our duty to embrace that person no matter from whence they came or what lifestyle they have lived.

Here we see an image of a newly gathered bunch of "eggs", each with its own spots and individuals in their own right.  Each had relatively little impact on his own but in total, they represented the power of God to do great things.

There is much for us to ponder here.  Perhaps, like the early disciples, we need to examine how we have viewed our own congregations and whether we have embraced our brothers and sisters, not on the basis of how much they look like us, but how they "look" to Christ.

Acts 6 & 7: "And Strength for Tomorrow..."

Image: "Source of Strength", 2020, Severna Park, Md

Acts 6:2–4 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

Acts 6:8–10  And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen ..., disputing with Stephen. 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.

Acts 6:15  And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.

Acts 7:52–53  Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, 53 who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”

Acts 7:59–60  And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

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The grand old hymn ("Great is Thy Faithfulness") concludes with:

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

As we read this book I call the Acts of the Holy Spirit, we should be alert to His powerful Presence and how He registers Himself within His little but growing community of believers.  We should take note that they faced difficult challenges.  They, like Moses before them, recognized that the few leaders at the top could not "do everything" and that priorities had to be set.  

Now, this is a very practical, common-sense observation but we must not overlook the Spirit in it.  He showed them the kind of questions that growth brings along. Yes, what they did would not surprise any secular management executive.  Organizing an activity and delegating authority is inherent in any organization and the Church is no different in these broad strokes.  But having some facet in common does not make the two entities identical.  Notice how the first deacons were chosen!  They were, in essence, elected from within the community.  They were not imposed on the congregation by executive fiat... they were nominated and approved by the people.   The other distinct difference was in the criteria used to qualify the nominees.  They were to be a specific number (7), "of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom..."  

There was not a single mention of management experience.  What was vitally important was that these men were self-evidently devout and godly men, possessing "wisdom" which is the God-given ability to make righteous decisions and to do justly.  Any man, so equipped, can be trained to do just about anything and often will have the innate ability to deal with whatever challenges arise.  Thus we see the Holy Spirit putting Jesus' new Church on a distinctly different foundation than the world around them.  They were to find their "strength for tomorrow" in the reservoir of the Holy Spirit-filled men (and women) who had been added to the Church.  Notice, for example, the casual statement in Acts 6:7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.  The priesthood was comprised of men who were deeply steeped in the Hebrew Bible.  The Holy Spirit worked even there, within the ranks of the very group who had led the people to cry "crucify Him" and chose men to dramatically deepen the knowledge of the ordinary people.

This is how the Holy Spirit empowers and strengthens the Church, in every age!  His Presence is most clearly seen in the community itself.  And it is from that community that great works and powerful witnesses arise.

In chapter 7 we have the brilliant example of Stephen.  We don't know a great deal about Him other than that he was one of those seven men chosen above.  But notice how his speech, from beginning to end, reflects the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Even as I read the text, though having long familiarity with it, it stirs my heart.  Here was a common Israelite, standing before the powerful intellectual leaders of the day, including the high priest, and he, off the top of his head, summarized the general history of the entire nation.  He laid out before them, as Jesus Himself had done at one point, the irrefutable truth that they had consistently rejected the witnesses God had brought to them and had persecuted and killed them.  He didn't apply this to himself, though such was the case also, rather he showed that it was Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ of God, Whom they had treated in this same manner.

Notice how, with these words, the surrounding judges were cut to the heart.  They could not deny it.  The only thing they could do was shut him up... this they did by the horrible death by stoning.  But even here we see the Holy Spirit strengthening him.  He gives Stephen a vision of heaven itself and the truth of the Son of God standing at God the Father's right hand.  He shows Stephen his reward.  He was going to be with his Lord.  Stephen does not cry out in rage and anger.  Rather he prays for forgiveness for his persecutors and then, with heart-rending tenderness, he says "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!"  The parallels with Jesus' death are obvious.

Think of the impact this must have made on those men who threw those rocks.  Think of the impact it made on that young man Saul who guarded their robes as they did the strenuous work of stoning.  Think of how the Holy Spirit used the memory of his part in Stephen's criminal execution to convict this young Saul when, one day, on the road to Damascus, he saw this same Jesus.

When we step back from the details the coordinated work of the Holy Spirit becomes clear.  He was there at every point and He strengthened the Church to do the work of the ministry.  He still is.

Acts 5: Not To Be Trifled With...

Image: "Stark Relief", 2020, Cape Henlopen St. Park, DE

Acts 5:3–4  But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? 4 While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

Acts 5:11  So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.

Acts 5:19–20  But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”

Acts 5:29–32  But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

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The story of Ananias & Saphira startles us every time we read it.  This was the intent!  It's supposed to startle us and get our attention.  Think back to the dawn of the Israelite nation when Moses had given them the Ten Commandments, had instructed the nation and the priesthood in their covenant responsibilities, and had sanctified the Tabernacle and Aaron and the Levites.  It was time for their first worship service at the Tabernacle and two of Aaron's sons were to bring incense before the Lord.  In Leviticus 10:1 we read that these two brain-dead rascals proceeded to bring "profane fire" before the Lord.  They thought they could improve upon the Lord's worship.  They arrogated to themselves the right to choose what manner of worship to perform.  In a sense, like Ananias and Saphira they were lying to the Holy Spirit.

And like Ananias and Saphira, or better, ... and Ananias and Saphira, like Aaron's sons, were judged, found guilty of blasphemy and condemned to death on the spot.  Both of these accounts, one OT and the other NT, are meant to startle us... shock us... warn us.  The God of Moses and Aaron is the same God of Jesus Christ and the Apostles.  He will be treated as holy by all who come near Him. (Lev. 10:3)

No wonder "great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things!" (vs. 11)  Great fear ought to come on us also.  The fear of God does not cancel-out love for God.  They are not mutually exclusive.  In fact, a healthy "fear of God" is a pre-requisite for the "love for God" God commands us to have.  Ananias and Saphira were not commanded to bring all of their profit from the sale of land to God.  As Peter said, it was theirs to do with as they willed.  But they saw Barnabas (4:37) selling some property and bringing (like the poor widow who gave all of her livelihood to the poor) all of it to the disciples and subsequently having the entire congregation rejoice over him.  Ananias and Saphira thought to themselves: "I want some of that honor!"  They brought a portion to Peter but acted as if it was the total amount they had received. He "lied to God." (vs. 4)

Now we must put this in perspective.  Ananias and Saphira were the first but certainly not the last to blaspheme in this manner.  God killed them on the spot yet He has not continued to do so.  Certainly, sin and hypocrisy and even blasphemy have plagued the Church throughout the ages.  If God had struck down such people in every instance there would be few, if any, people in the pews today.  God was making a point and He did so, both in the OT and the NT, very clearly.

He is Holy, Holy, Holy.  We have to give Gamaliel credit at least for his wise counsel in vs. 38 & 39.  If this truly was God working in and through these crazy Galileans then they had best not be found guilty of fighting against God.  I find it interesting that even though they followed Gamaliel's advice yet they beat the apostles before they released them.  They just had to get in their last licks.

What should we take from this?  

Straightforwardly we should recognize what the holiness of God really entails.  It means that He is a powerful Presence, majestic in bearing and glory, awesome in His mighty power, and perfectly righteous.  He is unlike anyone we have ever encountered in the flesh.  Jesus, in His earthly ministry, set aside these qualities to be born as a servant so even the apostles had not encountered the Holy God in a fleshly presentation.  Now the risen Christ is bathed with even greater power and glory in some mind-boggling manner.  He, as both God and Man, is Holy, Holy, Holy.  As such we are not to presume upon Him or His love in such a manner as to callously expect Him to bless us in our arrogance and willful self-vaunting pride.  He is the same jealous God as He was in the OT and He must be treated with respect.

So, in worship and in our earthly ministries, let us bask in His covenant love and favor but never forget, He is God and He is to be held in reverence and awe.

 

 

 

Acts 3 & 4: No Other Name... None... At

Image: "In The Name", 2020, Patapsco St. Park, Md.

Acts 3:15–16 ... and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

Acts 3:26  To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”

Acts 4:10  let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.

Acts 4:11–12  This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:29–30  Now, Lord, look on their threats and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

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There is something magical about walking through deep woods when the leaf canopy deepens the shadows and imparts a sense of mystery to your surroundings.  During such times one encounters a scene such as the image above when the sun lines up perfectly with a gap in the overhead ceiling and, like a spotlight, sends shafts of light down onto a pleasant little patch.  If a person is not prone to meditation, they might not pause when they pass... but,... it will be noticed.  The eyes are magnetically drawn to it.  It may not be very spectacular but it is there, offering a bit of cheer to the journey.

Acts 3 & 4 offer a similar splash of light shining down from above on a little patch of believers.  Other people might not have noticed them at all except when, through their presence, incredible things happened.  A man who was born lame was healed through the ministry of Peter and the disciples.  Peter had looked at him, saw that the Holy Spirit purposed to do a work in him and then said: Acts 3:6  “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”  

Pay careful attention to the phrasing: "In the name of..."  The "name of Jesus" is a recurring phrase in these verses.  Peter says that it was through "faith in His name" that the man was healed. (3:16)  Later he says it was "by the name of Jesus" that the man stood in their presence. (4:10)  In 4:12 Peter declares that there is "no other name" by which any man can be saved.  Peter's prayer (4:30) petitions God to empower healing, signs, and wonders to be done through the "name of Your Holy Servant Jesus."  Clearly, these passages set forth the "name of Jesus" as a bright light shining down on those servants He has commissioned for His work.

What is this "name" business?  We have to go back to John 14 (there are many other passages) for a little more insight.  In vs. 13 & 14, Jesus tells His disciples that if they ask "anything in My name, I will do it."  This is an incredible statement.  If we believe, as I do, that it was not confined only to those immediate disciples, then we have to think that maybe God's spotlight is still shining down on His little patch of believers, the Church.

Does this mean that the "name" of Jesus is some kind of talisman or a magical phrase that, when wielded by a believer, he can get anything he wants?  Self-evidently "NO!"  There is entirely too much "magical thinking" in Christ's church.  Rather, we must understand that we have been given Jesus' "name" in the sense of having a "power of attorney", the authorization to act on another person's behalf for the purposes of furthering that person's interests.  A "medical power of attorney" allows a person to authorize treatment for the named person to the end of restoring his health.

We have been given the authority to invoke the "name" of Jesus for the purpose of furthering His work in the world.  Peter saw this man as one whose healing would be directly used to glorify Christ.  Both chapters tell the story of just how that was done.  "Belief in His name" means embracing Him in terms of His "name": Messiah/Christ, the Savior of the world.   That is why it is only "by His name" that salvation will come to any person.

Now, inherent in these things, is the underlying principle that Jesus is alive and, through His Holy Spirit, is actively at work in the world.  Hence, "His name" also implies a "sphere of reality", a separate "patch" of light in the world which is the realm in which Jesus is ruling, visibly, in the darkness.  

This is THE Name!  It is the authority of Christ as sovereign over all things including the continuing good works of His people, the teachings that define His Kingdom, and His Person as the One to Whom every heart and eye should turn.  There is no other Name under which any truly good can come.

Let's embrace that Name with reverence, use it as it should be used, and trust it for our own blessing.

 

Acts 2: Lights in the Darkness

Image: "Lights on the Tree", 2020, Severna Park, Md.

Acts 2:3–4  Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:12–13  So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?” 13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”

Acts 2:22–23 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;

Acts 2:32–33 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

Acts 2:41–42  Then those who gladly received his word were baptized, and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Acts 2:46–47 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

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Acts 2 is much loved for good reason.  What a beautiful metaphor for the Church it presents to us!

First, think of the spiritual darkness on the earth. 

The disciples were in a state of flux.  The Lord had told them to wait... they were to "receive power when the Holy Spirit" would come upon them (1:8) but they had no idea what form this would take or even what it would mean, so, in a sense, they were still in the dark.

The "world" was gathered in Jerusalem, here comprised of Jews and Gentile proselytes (who would be so essential to the founding of the broader church).  They were there to celebrate the Pentecost which was the Jewish celebration of harvest but also of a time to renew the Mosaic covenant.  The pilgrims who had made the rigorous trek to Jerusalem were presumably devout... longing for the consolation of Israel.  They also had a veil over their eyes because the scope of their vision was limited to types and shadows.  And, of course, the enemies of God were there also.  These were even more blinded by their own traditions and stubbornness.  Truly it was a time of darkness.

Second, think of the "lights" that came into the world!

The Holy Spirit did descend on the gathered disciples and did so through "flaming tongues of fire" which sat on each one of them.  In other words, each disciple became a "candle" shining in the darkness.  Each was given an amazing gift.  They were empowered to speak in "other tongues", ... not gibberish or mere noises, but in intelligible languages such that the gathered peoples of the world would hear the Gospel in their own dialect.

What could this mean other than the fact that now, the Church, had been blessed with the power and the ability to go into all the world and speak the Gospel without being restrained to only the common Greek of the day or the institutional Hebrew of the Synagogues.  God's action at the Tower of Babel had the effect of cutting off the nations of the earth from a unifying language.  Now, God was calling the peoples back to unity, not by giving them a common language but by a common Gospel.

Wherever darkness was present in the world, the light was to shine and bring about hope and unity.  No more were men to be differentiated by their national, ethnic, or cultural heritage.  Now, the Church was to become a new social order, with a common tradition, a common heritage, and a common Lord!  All this was to be accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit empowering common men, like the disciples, to do uncommon works.

As Peter preached that first sermon, he set the tone and the message for the subsequent generations.  The world was to hear that we have entered into the "last days" (vs. 17) as prophesied by the Old Testament, that this new age was ushered in by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth (vs. 22) Who was completely vindicated by the historical record of His life in His claim to be the Son of God.  This Man was indeed Israel's Messiah, but instead of receiving Him as such, the world took Him by "lawless hands" and nailed Him to a cross. (vs. 23)  But, amazingly, God raised Him up from the "pains of death" (vs. 24) and exalted Him to the "right hand of God". (vs. 33)

Third:  As a result of these things, God has "poured out" the promise of the Holy Spirit on His Church. (vs. 33)

Therefore, all the world must now believe that "God has made this Jesus", Whom it crucified, both Lord and Christ.  Now comes the call to the light.  Now is the time, while there is still time, for every on to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, to have their sins forgiven and expunged, and to receive, in their turn, the "gift of the Holy Spirit!" (vs. 38)  Now is the time for all men, everywhere, to become lights in the darkness, and thus transform this sin-darkened world into brilliant beauty.

What a joyful message this is for every season of the year... including Christmas.  This is God's vision for His Church.  We should respond by rejoicing in the light and doing our part to shine forth even as do the lights on our Christmas trees.  Praise God.

Acts 1: The Acts of the Holy Spirit

Image: "Emerging Bloom", 2017, Jonas Green Park, Annapolis, Md

Acts 1:3  to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

Acts 1:8  But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 1:11 ... who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

Acts 1:21–22  “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

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With the Book of Acts, we begin the final countdown to completing this two-year journey through the Bible.  It started in the first week of Lent, 2019 and Lent comes early this year. (2/17/21)  It seems appropriate somehow that this section of Scripture is before us because, in many ways, the work of the Holy Spirit in establishing, growing, protecting, and empowering the Church of Jesus Christ is the culminating phase of all history.  That's what the Acts is all about.

Luke has done a powerful job in writing this book and the first chapter not only sets the stage, in many ways it defines the book.  What it teaches us is that the Church of Jesus Christ began, continues, and shall prevail in its primary mission:  to bear witness through reliable men and women, to the crucified but resurrected Jesus Who has ascended to heaven and shall, in the fullness of time, return in the same way He departed. (see above verses)

Today it seems that the modern Church fails to concentrate on this primary mission.  Most solid, conservative churches still preach the Cross but only in its most narrow application: the individual forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life for all who believe.  In ministry, the Church is most often characterized by a therapeutic vision:  we offer comfort and healing ministries to those empty souls who long to be filled. 

These things are good and must continue, but we must remember that in essence, these ministries are like the healings and exhortations of Jesus and His disciples.  These things, properly understood, are signs:  they point to a greater truth that is to transform the daily lives of the Christians who embrace the Church and its message and that is to be the core proclamation of the Church in both its individual and corporate messages.  

That core message - stripped to its bare facts - is:  Jesus of Nazareth was God in the flesh in His earthly ministry and was killed on a cross but He rose again from the dead and is alive even now!  Throughout the book of Acts, we will see this message powerfully applied to both Jews and Gentiles.  Jesus, by His resurrection, has vindicated His teachings about Himself and the Kingdom of God. (1:3)  Jesus, by His ascension, has clearly established that He lives at the right hand of God and has all authority in heaven and on earth.  Jesus, by sending His Holy Spirit, has empowered the Church to proclaim these things throughout the entire world (1:8) to the end that every tribe and nation will contribute its share to the eternal harvest yet to come.  Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead and will hold the Church accountable for how it pursued its mission.

When viewed this way it seems so simple.  In one sense it is.  But, this Gospel, as Paul will state, is the power of God unto salvation.  But, we must be cautious about this idea of simplicity.  This "simple" Gospel is like the still waters of a deep lake.  As the Church and its individual members undertake to live a life reflective of this gospel, incredible things begin to happen.  This is the unfolding story of the Acts and it continues down to this day.

As the Church spreads throughout the world it discovers that the Holy Spirit has prepared many to hear and embrace its message.  As the Church grows it becomes the focus of jealous rage by those powers and principalities that have a vested interest in the evil status quo.  We will see a vicious backlash develop.  This backlash continues down to this day also.

But the Holy Spirit acted then and continues to act now, to preserve Jesus' Church. to nurture it, and to cause its message to sink deep into the consciousness of all men and nations.  Saved and unsaved, regenerate and unregenerate, caustic disparagers and convinced proponents, all have this in common:  they cannot deny the deep impact that the Church has had on the history of mankind.

This was and is the work of the Holy Spirit in Jesus' Church.  The book of Acts contains the opening chapters of this story but it does not bring that story to an end.  Only Jesus' return will do that.