Legalism -vs- Love

Acts 21:17-40. It has been said that wherever Paul went, either a revival or riot broke out. Well when Paul arrived in Jerusalem, a riot broke out. What's interesting in this chapter is the efforts that were undertaken to avoid a riot, but those efforts failed. The elders of the Jerusalem church told Paul that some Jewish Christians were accusing him of trying to turn Jewish Christians away from the law. They suggested that, to dispel those rumors, Paul should take a special vow and visit the Temple, and Paul did so (v.19-26). Rather than appeasing the Jews, however, Paul's gesture only added fuel to the fire as he was falsely accused of bringing Gentiles into the Temple.

Now while we commend Paul's flexibility, what should break our hearts is the church of Jerusalem's immobility. The church there had become paralyzed in legalism and traditionalism. And when the mob seized Paul, where was the church? It's a sad commentary on the church because it was the Romans that came to his rescue. But you see, that's what happens when legalism and traditionalism sets in a church. She becomes immobile and unwilling to rescue the perishing. She becomes too busy making up rules, correcting people who break those rules, and maintaining the status quo, which means maintaining the same old mess. "Lord help us not to care more about external regulations and forms than we do about love, commitment, and standing by one another when someone's getting beaten up." That should be our lesson and prayer today.

Discerning God's Will

For those of you who were in our Sunday morning service, this past Sunday-July 27, here you will have an opportunity to use the points of the sermon and apply it to today's reading in Acts 21:1-16. From Acts 9, we learned that Paul was commissioned to carry the Gospel to the Gentiles first (see July 12 blog "Closed Doors"). But in today's reading we see him going back to Jerusalem despite warnings from others to do so. So the question is "What is God's will in this situation?" or as we stated Sunday, "How will Paul make a Godly decision, in this situation?" Let's apply Sunday's sermon points to answer this question.
1. Submit To God's Sovereign Will (James 4:13-16; Deut.29:29a)
Paul knew it was God's will to take this offering back to Jerusalem. Paul had devoted a good part of his third missionary journey to taking up a love gift for the Jews in Judea. Paul knew this would also help mend the fences between the Jew-Gentile division that had to be addressed back in ch.15. So, Paul knew it was in God's sovereign will to get this offering back to Jerusalem.
2. Submit To God's Moral Will (Deut.29:29b)
As we said Sunday, we make decisions in submission to the moral will of God. God's moral will is the abundant counsel of God that is given to us in Scriptures. In a word, it's obedience to all God commands us in His Word. If we're not willing to obey that which God has revealed to us in His Word, why should He reveal anything else to us? So, we must be in God's Word daily. Paul was a man in God's word daily. And I find no disobedience on his part in this passage.
3. Submit To Others (Phil.2:1-4)
Remember, Sunday we said that in making Godly decisions we must ask: "is this decision in the best interest of others?" "Will this decision hurt someone?" If it does, then it's probably not God's will. And in our test case here, Paul has the best interest of the Jews in Jerusalem in mind, even if it cost him his life.
4. Focus On Your Strengths (Sunday we referred to Acts 6)
Paul's strengths to witness to Jew and Gentile alike was brought out in the Acts 9 blog back on July 11. Go back and review. But not only that, Agabus came down from Judea and warned Paul in an illustrative way, that he would be bound in Jerusalem. Again, God had prepared Paul for this. Much of Paul's ministry was spent in chains. This would be no problem for Paul.
5. Seek Godly Counsel (Prov.11:14; 13:20; 15:22; 19:20; 20:18; 24:5-6)
In this passage, Paul was getting this whether he asked for it or not. They were repeatedly telling him, "Don't go Paul...don't go." But as we mentioned Sunday....#6
6. Listen To Your Heart
Ultimately the will of God is found in your heart, that is, a heart that is already submitted to the sovereign and moral will of God and is fully following Jesus. And Paul knew in his heart that he must go to Jerusalem, even if it cost him his life. He wanted to see the Jews and Gentiles reconciled in Christ, and this offering would be part of that process. He wanted to go to Rome, and in God's sovereign will, this would be the way he would get there: in chains from Jerusalem. And in the end, look what Paul's friends said, "The will of the Lord be done." 20:14. How often we are driven back on God like that when faced with a situation we cannot change. God knew that Nero needed to have the Gospel preached to him. And the only way that would happen is that God's preacher, Paul, go there in chains as a prisoner of the Department of Corrections of Rome. Yes, God's will is difficult to discern, but when we live by these six principles we gave out Sunday and through much prayer and seeking God's direction, He will show us each step of the way. May we, like Paul, never forget to ask that question he asked way back in Acts 9: "Lord, what do You want me to do?" (Acts 9:6).

Sleepy Sunday Service

Today we complete Acts 20, but I want us to look back at 20:6-12. I've often wondered why God included this story in His Word. The reason I believe it is preserved for us is a few things we learn about the early church. First of all they met on the Lord's Day, the first day of the week--Sunday. The fact that Paul sometimes attended Sabbath services (on Saturday) in Jewish synagogues (17:1-3) does not prove that the first century church kept the Jewish Sabbath. Instead, it shows that the early church took the Gospel message to wherever people gathered and were flexible in their evangelistic approaches. Some churches today are harshly criticized for having a Saturday evening service while still maintaining Sunday services. But if the motive is to reach lost people on Saturday, I say go for it. We need to learn this lesson of flexibility from the first century church. They guarded Sunday as the Lord's day even more than we, yet they were flexible enough to offer the Gospel at any time. In fact, truth be known, the early church met far more than we do today. They virtually met in someone's home every day as folks were being added to the church daily.

That leads me to another thing. They did not have church buildings. They met in homes. Church buildings didn't come along for another 300 years. The early church truly understood that the people were the church, not the building. Our culture is vastly different today, and we'll never erase all the church buildings from the landscape. But we must understand that the church is the people of God, where ever they meet.

Another thing we learn is that there was not a set time for the service to end. Paul preached until midnight. Now we've got to understand, Sunday was the first day of the work week like our Monday. These folks had been working all day, yet they still came to church that evening. This would explain why Eutychus fell asleep. He had worked all day. Yet the sermon was not boring. People were so engaged into what Paul was saying, they didn't even notice Eutychus getting sleepy. Unfortunately, in many of our churches today Paul would have been told what time to finish. All too often, in our fast paced society today, time is the deciding factor in our church services. It governs the pulpit with careless disregard for the moving of the Holy Spirit. Above all the preacher must finish on time. The song service, the announcements, the special music all can run a few minutes longer than planned (and that's OK), but the preacher MUST finish on time. The Holy Spirit may be moving in those closing moments, but that doesn't matter to some: Cut it short! It's time to close. No wonder the Holy Spirit is grieved in many of our churches, and we see no move of God. God help us!

So if you get sleepy this Sunday during the message, remember what Spurgeon once said: "Remember, if we go to sleep during the sermon and die, there are no apostles to restore us!" How to look forward and enjoy Sunday? Here are some very simple and practical things to observe.
1. No Public Worship Because There's No Private Worship.
The reason we see very little expressive public worship in our services, is because there has been no private worship among our people all week. So spend time daily with God and in His Word. If you will, you'll enjoy Sunday so much more.
2. Plan For Sunday.
Make up your mind now that you'll be in church Sunday. Clear your calendar. Do what you have to do on Saturday. Lay out your clothes the night before.
3. Prepare Yourself.
In addition to preparing yourself spiritually all week (see #1), prepare yourself physically. Go to bed early Saturday night. Get a good night's rest. It's hard to get up and go to church if you've been out on the town into the wee hours of the morning. Go to bed. Rest. And we'll see you Sunday!

We're Back

We're back from our vacation, and God gave us a safe and refreshing trip to Florida. I'll have to tell you about it on the next blog because, right now, I'm heading out the door to the hospital for one of our church members who is having some test. If I can't do it today, then I'll update the blog tomorrow and we'll resume our devotions. Today's reading is from Acts 20:1-16 and tomorrow's is Acts 20:17-38. Till then God bless,
Bro. Royce

Away For The Week

My family and I will be on vacation next week, so I will be away from my computer and unable to update these daily devotions. However, for those of you reading along through Acts, I encourage you to continue to do so. I will chart the course with an outline below, and you keep reading and let the Holy Spirit illuminate the Word of God. Pray for us as we will for you. We'll be back here the following week. God bless!
Bro. Royce

Acts 14: Paul and Barnabas complete their first missionary journey. They suffer persecution but that doesn't deter them from doing the will of God. How much does it take to move you out of the will of God? Quote: "The will to persevere is often the difference between failure and success."
--David Sarnoff

Acts 15: Once again the legalist raise their ugly head. When sincere Christians disagree, they must get together, see what God is doing in His church, and find out what the Word has to say about it. It's not what you think, it's what God says and what God is doing that makes the decision!

Acts 16-18: The second missionary journey begins.
1. The Personnel is Chosen 15:36-40
2. The Churches Revisited 15:41-16:5
3. The Call to Europe 16:6-10
4. The Work at Philippi 16:11-40
5. The Work at Thessalonica, Bera, Athens 17:1-34
6. The Ministry at Corinth 18:1-17
7. The Second Journey Completed 18:18-22

Acts 19-21: The third missionary journey begins.
1. Ephesus: The Power of the Word 18:23-19:41
2. Greece: Warning and Farewell 20:1-38--We will resume here Monday 28th.

Legalism -vs- Liberty

Today we finish reading Acts 13. We're following Paul on his first missionary journey. They travel about 100 miles inland to Antioch. This is not the same Antioch mentioned earlier. There were seven different cities named Antioch in that day. This Antioch was located in the Galatia region (modern Turkey). As we follow Paul, we'll notice that he goes to strategic cities, plants churches and then moves on. Then, from that urban area, the Gospel will spread out into the rural areas. Also we'll notice that Paul, whenever it was possible, ministered in the synagogue to the Jews first. Why? I thought he was called by God to go the the Gentiles. He was, but Paul had a burden for his people (Rom.9:1-5, 10:1). But not only that. It was God's plan 'to the Jew first'. (see Acts 13:46, Matt.10:5-6; 15:24; Luke 24:47; Rom.1:16). You see, it was not a matter of preference. It was a matter of precedence.
Now, how did these Jews react to the Gospel? Most rejected it (see v.45-50), but some received it (see 42-43). And for these that received the Gospel in Acts 13, we must remember that these are Jews in the Galatia region. Paul would have to write a letter (Galatians) to them in a few years. Why? Because they became legalist. They started adding rules and requirements to those who were being saved. Rules such as circumcision and dietary laws, were imposed by them. Paul would write Galatians, to this same group of Jewish believers, and say, 'No, we're free in Christ.' Remember, he urged them to stick to what they started with--grace (v.43). But they turned from grace back to the law.
Legalism is still alive and well in the church today. "Why is she wearing that to church?", "Why does he raise his hands in church?" "Why is the music so loud?" "Don't they know how to act in God's house?" ...and on goes the legalistic remarks. Legalist want to impose their miserable attitudes onto those who are excited about their salvation. Legalist come to church to see who they can rebuke and who they can correct. Legalist have no joy in their salvation. An excited Christian once sat in church by a sour pus legalist. After the service, the legalist turned to him and said, "Give it time, and you'll get over it." To that I say, "yes, if they continue sitting by you, they'll get over it." But when God truly saves you, you never get over it. I find it ironic that these same Jewish believers, that Paul would address later in Galatians, had no joy in their salvation, yet notice the last verse in our reading today (13:52). The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. HMMM! No joy--no Holy Spirit. Have you lost the joy of your salvation? If so find out why. If you've never had it, receive Christ today. You'll be forever glad you did!

Acts 1:8 Expectation

Acts 13:1-13. From here to the end of the book the Apostle Paul will be the main character, taking the Gospel to the uttermost part of the world. Remember, in Acts 9 that was the commission given to him. He would be God's instrument to go to the Gentiles, kings and children of Israel in that order. So now the final phase of Acts 1:8 is fully in place. Jesus told His disciples they would be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth. That's what He said, and that's exactly what happened. We've seen how the apostles boldly proclaimed the Gospel in Jerusalem. We've seen how persecution scattered the church throughout Judea and Samaria. Then we saw the Gospel go to Cornelius as the transition began to Gentiles and to the uttermost parts of the world. Now Paul is launching out on his first missionary journey to the uttermost parts of the world.
Now I say this, not only for review, but for another reason as well. Acts 1:8 is a command to the church. It was a command to the first century church. It is a command to the 21st century church. It is a command to be obeyed. Every local church is a "World Missions Headquarters" doing her part in propagating the Gospel throughout her community to the uttermost parts of the world. But here's what I don't want you to miss. Even though Acts 1:8 is a command, it's also an expectation. God expects it to happen. In other words, it WILL HAPPEN, whether you are apart of it or not. The command part of it is up to you to obey. The expectation part of it, as far as God is concerned, is the fact that it will happen! Missions will happen! Evangelism will happen! The question is will you be obedient and get in on what God is doing? Or will you be disobedient and sit and soak and watch it still happen? Because you nor I can stop it. It's going to happen. So why not just join God in what He's doing around the world and enjoy the blessings of seeing men and women, boys and girls getting saved. The choice is yours.

His Eye Is On You

Today's NT reading is Acts 12. Then read 1 Peter 3:12. In this passage of 1Peter, he quotes from Psalm 34:15-16. I believe that I can safely say that this was a favorite Psalm of Peter; one that must have brought him much comfort after his miraculous release in Acts 12. When you and I find ourselves in difficult circumstances, there are three things from this story, combined with 1 Peter 3 (& Psalm 34) that we can count on.

1. God Sees Our Trials Acts 12:1-4 "the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous..."
God looks down and sees what Herod is doing. He sees what the early church is going through. And my friend, God looks down and sees what you are going through. He sees the trials and tribulations you are going through, and He sees the storm you are in right now.

2. God Hears Our Prayers Acts 12:5 "His ears are open to their prayers..."
Never underestimate the power of prayer. Thomas Watson said, "The angel fetched Peter out of jail, but it was prayer that fetched the angel." I do believe that we have angels watching over us. The psalmist said, "The angel of the LORD encamps round about them that fear Him, and delivers them..." Psalm 34:7. But again, it's prayer that fetches the angel. You can count on this: God hears your prayers!

3. God Deals With Our Enemies Acts 12:21-23
"The face of the Lord is against those who do evil..."
The death of Herod was under the sovereign will of God. Herod's time had run out. His sin could not be allowed anymore. He was stricken with a severe stroke of some kind. And the Greek word 'skolex' was used by Greeks to refer to intestinal worms. The historian Josephus reported that he lingered for five days, suffering great pain in the area of the stomach.

Conclusion:
So, this chapter begins with Herod on the rampage and Peter in jail. It ends with Herod in a pine box and Peter set free, and the church growing (v.24-25). And what a fitting close to these first 12 chapters. The apostle Paul will be the main character from here on out.
But remember, when you're having a tough time:
God sees your trials...
God hears your prayers...
God will deal with your enemies.
What a mighty God we serve!

A Christian

Today's reading comes from Acts 11. The Gospel is now beginning to spread to the uttermost parts of the world. Early on in the chapter Peter was called to the carpet for sharing the Gospel with Cornelius (v.2). Peter then rehashes the story and basically says, "Hey guys, this wasn't my idea. God did it. You'll have to take that up with God." And then by (v.18), the Jews finally got it. The light finally came on. It finally sank in. They finally realized that the Gospel was indeed to be preached to the entire world. Verse 19-22ff shows the continual spread of the Gospel. Men of Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch and prepared the way for Paul's work there. And by the time you reach v.29, we see strong churches that are now reaching back and helping the churches where it all began--in Judea.
One verse to focus on is v.26. "...the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch." What does Christian mean? It means one that abides in, dwells in, and lives in Christ. If you are a Floridian, that means you dwell in Florida. If you are a Georgian, that means you dwell in Georgia. If you are a Christian, that means you dwell in Christ. You live in Christ ALL the time, just like a Georgian lives in Georgia all the time. A Christian is not someone who just comes to church on Sunday. A Christian is someone who lives in Christ 24/7. Jesus said in John 15, 'Abide in Me' 'I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." John 15:5. What does that mean? It means if you don't live in Christ, you are not a Christian, regardless of how many services you attend. A Christians doesn't simply attend; he abides. He abides in Christ. The term Christian doesn't need labels, adjectives or modifiers. I hear people say, "He's a good Christian", as if one could be a Christian and not good. Some say, "He's a dedicated Christian", as if one can be a Christian and not dedicated. Or, "He's a born again Christian", as if one could be a Christian and not born again. Oh my friends, if you are a Christian, you are a Christian. You live in Christ and bear fruit and the world will know. If there is no fruit, then maybe you try to hang labels on to help like these above. But Jesus says that won't help. Because if you bear no fruit, then you're not abiding in Him; thus you'll be cast into the fire. Plain and simple. Either one is a Christian or not. Which one are you?

Job Description: Soul Winner

The Gospel has progressed from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria. God has already chosen His evangelist, Paul, who would be the catalyst for taking the Gospel to the entire world. That won't fully begin until ch.13. But God had to convince the Jews that this Gospel was for the entire world. Jesus told them that in the Great Commission, but that was ten years prior, and they are still hesitant to move out of Jerusalem. Enter ch.10. Here God shows Peter that the Gospel is for everyone by leading Peter to witness to Cornelius, a centurion in the Roman army. Ch.10-11 are transitional chapters for the final act in the book of Acts.
The one passage I want to focus on is vss.3-8. Reread those verses. Now, why did God send an angel to tell Cornelius to find Peter? Why didn't the angel just share the Gospel with Cornelius? Because it's not the job of angels to share the Gospel. It's my job and your job. God has chosen us to be the instruments of telling people the Good News of Jesus Christ. God has placed the Gospel in man's hands to share with a dying world. It's our responsibility. Old Vance Havner said it well, "The Gospel is not something we come to church to hear; it's something we go from church to tell!" Oh dear church; we better understand this. People matter to God, so they certainly better matter to us. Might we pray with Tovey, "Give me a passion for souls dear Lord. A passion to save the lost; O that Your love were, by all, adored and welcomed at any cost, Amen."

And remember, you'll never meet a person that Jesus doesn't want to save. Let's get out there and win souls for Jesus. God bless!

"...he that wins souls is wise." --Proverbs 11:30

Closed Doors

Acts 9:23-43. Yesterday we saw how God engineered circumstances in Paul's early years that shaped and molded him for future ministry. Back in v.15-16 we see the scope of what that ministry was to be. God told Ananias that Paul's ministry was to be to the Gentiles first and foremost, secondly to kings, and lastly to the people of Israel. But first, Paul kept trying to minister to the Jews as our reading today shows. Read v.19-20 again. Thinking he was custom made to be a witness to the Jews (educated by Gamaliel, and a member of the Sanhedrin etc.), Paul headed for the synagogues to preach. Read v.21-22. The Jews were amazed, but they were not converted. Now read v.23-25. Paul won the debate, but he didn't win their hearts. Although it seemed like he was the perfect one to carry out ministry to the Jews, that was not the plan of the Lord.
So what does Paul do next? Go to the Gentiles? No. He goes to Jerusalem, the capital of Judaism -v.26-27. The disciples were afraid of him and didn't believe that Paul was a disciple. Only Barnabas, the son of encouragement, became Paul's encourager. Now read v.28-31. The churches were edified and multiplied--when? When they got rid of Paul, who had such a heart for the people of Israel. But now Paul was finally in the Gentile territory which would be his primary mission field, and he will be the main character from ch.13 till the end of the book--carrying the Gospel to the uttermost part of the earth--the final phase of Acts 1:8.
Maybe you can relate to this. You keep ministering in a certain place, in a certain ministry, only to the point of frustration. And you keep thinking, 'I'm tailor made to do this; God has molded me for this. Why then is this ministry so fruitless?' Be encouraged, because the man who would turn the world upside down, the most powerful preacher, besides Jesus Himself, had to first experience shut doors and shut doors. If the Lord is closing doors in your life, don't be discouraged. Don't quit. Don't walk away. Pray and ask Him for the ability to see the open doors. Go back to Saul/Paul's initial question: "Lord, what do you want me to do?" Listen and observe. He will tell you. He will show you. [I'm indebted to Jon Coursen's work on this passage, who has enabled me to see this in depth. Hope it helps you as it did me, God bless.]

You're Under Arrest

Background on SAUL:
Today's reading: Acts 9:1-22. Back in 8:1-4, we were introduced to the radical Saul who was radically wrong. Saul was born and raised at Tarsus in Cilicia. Tarsus was a port city, as well as a university city. These two things would mold Paul in his childhood days. First, growing up in a bustling seaport filled with sailors and merchants from all over the world, he would learn much about the world around him. And secondly, being in a place of higher learning, Paul would absorb the Greek atmosphere and would become fluent in the Greek language all, to his unknowing, to be used by God in his missionary journeys and writing 13 epistles of the New Testament. He was born a Roman citizen. His parents were Jewish but possessed Roman citizenship. All this, plus the fact that Paul was the Hebrew of Hebrews. He was trained by Gamaliel, the 'teacher's teacher' of that day. He was a respected member of the Sanhedrin. God would soon use these three elements, that molded Paul's life, to reach the world with the Gospel. These three elements of the world's culture met in him: Roman citizenship, Greek culture, Hebrew religion. He was religiously refined but religiously lost.

Conversion of SAUL/PAUL:
Saul would soon be changed to Paul as he made his way to Damascus to arrest more Christians. But Saul would be the one put under arrest that day. As Saul wallowed on the ground, he asked two very important questions: Who are you Lord? and Lord, what do you want me to do? Key word: Lord. How do you know when someone is truly converted to Christ? Christ becomes the Lord of their life--not just Savior, but Lord and Savior of their life. Paul would later write to the Romans, "For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, [why, so] that He might be the Lord of both the dead and the living." (Rom.14:9) Jesus died, not only to be your Savior, but also your Lord. When you accepted Christ as Savior, that was the best decision you ever made, but it was the last decision you'll ever make. From now on, HE calls the shots. He is Lord! Is He the Lord of your life? Who calls the shots? You or Him? If you have truly been placed under arrest by Jesus, then He calls the shots in your life.
[Tomorrow we'll see the beginning of Paul's ministry and we'll use that background material on Saul. So be sure to re-read this for tomorrow. God bless.]

Chariot Conversations

The Gospel has marched north into Samaria. Now it marches south of Jerusalem in Acts 8:26-40. Philip had preached Christ up in Samaria. Now he will preach Christ to an Ethiopian eunuch, who will then take the Gospel to his own country. Do you see how the Gospel spreads? Are you doing your part? Yes, I know the task seems overwhelming; So many people without Jesus and so little time. But notice the key in v.29. The Holy Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake THIS chariot." Now there would have been numerous chariots on that busy road south of Jerusalem, but the Holy Spirit led Philip to a certain one. That's the key. No, you can't proclaim the Gospel to everyone. God only expects you to proclaim it to the one He directs you to each day. Be sensitive to the leadership of the Holy Spirit each day. Just as God placed Philip on that road that day, God has placed you in certain places each day. Teacher, as a pastor I can't get into your school each day. God has placed you there. And there are certain chariots that you encounter that I will never encounter. Secretary, I can't get into your office. God has placed you there not me. Mechanic, I can't get into your shop. God has placed you there (and you even get to work on their chariots--I couldn't resist...) But you get the idea.
Let me close with a humorous story I read a few years ago. A man took his seat on the plane next to a little girl. He didn't want to be bothered throughout the flight so he hoped this girl wouldn't bother him. Well, his greatest fear came to fruition when the little girl nudged him early on in the flight. "Mister, do you brush your teeth?" "Yes," he replied. She said, "That's good. People who don't brush end up loosing their teeth." A few moments passed. Then, "Mister, do you smoke?" "No." "That's good, because people who do...die." He settled back in, and then, "Mister, do you love Jesus?" He said, "As a matter of fact, I do." "Good," she replied, "because people that love Jesus go to heaven." Thinking now the conversation was over he settled back in to rest. But then the little girl nudged him once more. "Mister, ask that man next to you if he brushes his teeth?" Well, you can guess what happened. He began a conversation with the man next to him and planted the Gospel seed. Always be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and the "chariots" around you. And understand, you'll never speak to the wrong person about Jesus.

Gospel Marches On

Acts 8:1-25. On Sunday, January 8, 1956 on the shore of a lonely river deep in the Ecuadorian jungle, five missionaries were murdered by the primitive Waodani tribe. News of the massacre shocked the world. To some, their deaths seemed a senseless tragedy. Their promising missionary careers were cut short. Five widows and fatherless children were left behind. Yet in the end, the tribe would be saved, even the very ones that took part in this senseless murderous spree. [I recommend you see the whole story in the movie "End of the Spear".]
At first, Stephen's death may also seem pointless. Here was another promising career cut short. He was a powerful preacher with a deep knowledge of the O.T., as we saw in chapter seven. And it seems to end all wrong. And thus the Holy Spirit inspires Dr. Luke to open this chapter by giving us some details about the increased persecution of the church. This chapter marks another turning point in the church. The Gospel now marches on according to Acts 1:8 from Jerusalem into Judea and now into Samaria. It's here (7:58; 8:1-4) that we are now introduced to Saul, who would later become Paul. This brilliant young theologian would vote for Stephen's death (Saul consented to his death 8:1). He would drag men and women out of their homes in order to imprison them and beat them (Acts 22:19) and persecute them unto death (Acts 22:4). He really thought that persecuting the believers was one way of serving God, so he did it with a clear conscience. This needs to be a word of warning to us personally. We can think we're doing the Lord a big favor by coming down on people, beating them up, and pointing our fingers at them, all in the name of "purifying the church." But what a shock it was for Paul on the Damascus Road when he finally realized that all of the time he thought he was doing God a favor, he was actually persecuting His Son. Be very careful. Remember Paul when you feel like going from house to house pointing out sinners and finding fault with believers. Like Paul, you can be radical--but you can be radically wrong!

History 101

Today we conclude our observations from yesterday with the reading of Acts 7. It's going to run a little long, because we're dealing with 68 verses.
III. Opposition of Servants 6:8-7:60
These embittered Jews disputed with Stephen (6:9), that is, they argued as in a formal debate. Luke doesn't give us the details of the debate, but it was no doubt centered on the death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and the inability of the Mosaic Law and temple rituals to save. Regardless of the precise issues of the debate, Stephen won. His opponents were unable to contend with his wisdom (6:10). So, unable to defeat Stephen in a fair debate, his opponents changed tactics. They recruited and coached false witnesses to accuse Stephen (the same tactic used at Jesus' trial). Then, when Stephen was allowed to speak (Ch.7), he launched into the greatest sermon recorded in Acts. He gave them a history lesson of how Israel had always resisted the truth. Let's note a few points of that sermon that surely enraged his opposition.
7:2: Stephen began by reminding his accusers that God appeared to Abraham, NOT in the Holy City of Jerusalem, but in the pagan city of Mesopotamia, where the moon god was worshiped. His point: God is not confined to a place.
7:8: God gave him the covenant of circumcision, long before the Temple and Mosaic Law. The point: Again, God is not confined to a place.
7:9-11: Joseph is a picture, a type of Jesus. His brothers rejected him. Point: Jesus came unto His own (brethren) and His own received Him not--rejected Him.
7:13: It wasn't until the second time that they recognized Joseph. Point: Israel did not recognize Jesus at His first coming. They rejected Him. But they will recognize Him at His Second Coming (-see Zechariah 12:10.)
7:27: The Israelites rejected Moses (again, a type of Christ). They said, "get out of here. We don't want you to rule over us." Point: Israel rejected Christ and said, "We have no king but Caesar. Away with this Man. Crucify Him!".
7:28-29: After he was rejected, Moses went into the land of the Gentiles and took a Gentile bride. Point: When the Jewish people rejected Christ, He went to the Gentiles and took a Gentile Bride--the church.
7:46-50: Again, God is not confined to a place. By now their blood was boiling.
Those are just a few points we brought out. The main thrust of his message is that Israel always resisted the truth and rejected the messengers that God sent to them. They rejected Joseph, Moses, the prophets, and now they have rejected and crucified their own Messiah. Israel's history reveals the patience of God and the hardness of man's heart, and that was the message he was trying to get across to them. That's the message for us. God is patient with us. But eventually that patience runs into His wrath and judgment. Turn from your hard-hearted ways before it's too late. God is ready to forgive.
Well, they get so mad, they stone Stephen to death. His death was now the third murder in Israel's most recent history and a turning point in God's dealings with the nation. They had:
1. Rejected the Father when they allowed John the Baptist to be slain. They had...
2. Rejected the Son when they asked for Jesus to be crucified. And now they had...
3. Rejected the Holy Spirit as they kill Stephen.
There could be no more forgiveness. The line had been crossed, and the Gospel will now move out of Judea into Samaria and eventually to the utter most parts of the world.

Growing Pains

Today's NT reading is Acts 6. The last verse of Acts 5 brought down the curtain on act 1 in this book. Our present chapter opens a new thought from Dr. Luke's pen. He moves on to show how the gospel will spread to Greek speaking Jews and then eventually to pagan gentiles. Stephen becomes Luke's point man at this stage in the story. Here we find the transition from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria, and eventually to the entire known world.
Now in this chapter, we see a congregation at work trying to solve a simple problem. We could learn much from this chapter if we make the observations we need to make. First we see,

I. Need For Servants 6:1-2
The chapter begins, "In those days..." What days? Days when the church was on the move. The church was exploding with growth. First it was 3000, then 5000, and by now it is estimated to be 20,000-25,000 strong. The explosive growth left little time to organize. There was a great need for more servants. The apostles could no longer handle carrying the load by themselves. They needed organization. They needed help. Solution: Chose seven men. "You serve the tables, and we'll serve the Word!" Now when the church was smaller, the apostles could do both. But as the church grew, they couldn't do it all. God has called men into ministry to serve up the Word of God. The greatest time a pastor can feed his flock is from the pulpit. Three sermons a week from that pulpit requires, on average, 30 hours of preparation. That leaves little time to 'serve the tables'. What the 21st century church needs, just like the first century church, is more servants. Will you serve? Will you step up and say, "Here I am. What can I do to help?"

II. Qualifications of Servants 6:3-4
This text is often used to show the selection of the first deacons, though the text never calls these men deacons. Whether or not these men were the first deacons, we can debate later. What we can learn is the qualifications will apply to all servants. Note 4 characteristics:

1. "From among you." The church's most valuable resources are right under her nose. In fact, I believe that God has resourced the church with everything and everyone it needs. The problem is people's refusal to step up 'to the plate' and serve where God has called them to serve.
2. 'Of good report.' They must be people of integrity, above reproach.
3. 'Full of the Spirit.' Must be fully yielded to the Holy Spirit and His control in every area of their lives.
4. Possess 'wisdom'. Need biblical knowledge and then the practical wisdom to apply Biblical truth to everyday situations in life.

III. Opposition of Servants 6:8-7:60
God fearing servants will face opposition. We see this in tomorrow's reading in ch.7.

Visual Solution

Happy July 4th. We need to pause and thank God today for the blessed nation that we live in. We need to remember all those who paid the ultimate price for the freedoms we enjoy. I love my country. Yet, my heart breaks for our country. For you see, we are a nation adrift. And we are drifting faster and farther from God each day. One passage from our reading today offers us some hope. After Peter and John healed the lame man and preached the Gospel in Acts 3, it was off to jail in Acts 4. Standing before the Sanhedrin and filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter responds, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (4:12) Then the Sanhedrin were fascinated when they realized that these men had been with Jesus. "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus." (4:13) They knew these men didn't have degrees from the 'Jerusalem Seminary'. But you see, these men had another degree. It was a HS degree. They had the Holy Spirit. The Sanhedrin could see Jesus in them. You know what our nation needs? Each day it needs to see Christians, like you and me, filled with the Holy Spirit, that have spent time with Jesus. Spend time with Jesus daily. I promise you, it'll show. And that's what our nation needs to see. It sees enough ungodly as it is. Let's let them see God in us today and each and every day. God bless you and God bless America!

Missional Church

In today's reading of Acts 3, we see the healing of the lame man and Peter preaching the Gospel. In v.3-4, this lame man stared down Peter and John. You know the feeling. They hold up their signs: "Will work for food." They stare you down as you enter various places of business, and when you stare at the ground, trying your best to not make eye contact, they shout, "Hey buddy, can you spare a few dollars?" That's what Peter and John experienced with one exception. Peter didn't ignore the man. Peter made eye contact, and apparently the lame man looked away, because Peter said "[Hey, you....] look at us." And v.5 says the lame man gave them his attention expecting to receive something from them. Did you know that is the attitude of the world? The world expects a handout from the church. They don't want Jesus. They want a handout. But our commission is to give them Jesus. Oswald Chambers said, "The great controlling factor [of our mission] is NOT the needs of the people but the commands of Jesus." [10-26]. In a December devotion he goes on to say, "If you think you are helping lost people with your sympathy and understanding, you are a traitor to Jesus Christ. You must have a right-standing relationship with Him yourself, and pour your life out in helping others in HIS way--not in a human way that ignores God. The theme of the world's religion today is to serve in a pleasant, non-confrontational manner. But our only priority must be to present Jesus Christ crucified--to lift Him up all the time." [12-20]
Are we to help people? Absolutely. The Bible teaches that we are to help those in need; in fact if we don't then our testimony becomes hypocritical [See James 2:14-17; I John 3:16-19 etc.]. But we must never forget what our main mandate is: To proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And we don't have to apologize for that. Because the Gospel deals not so much with conditions as with causes. Apart from Christ, humanitarian efforts deal with surroundings, but cannot touch a man's heart. And the heart of the problem is a problem with the heart. And the best heart doctor I know is Jesus.
Let me wrap this up by giving you at least three different kinds of churches today.
1. Church + Gospel = Institutionalism. That's the selfish 'member mentality' model. The institutional church--which never gets out of its four walls. It'll preach the Gospel, but only to those who come to the country club to hear it.

2. Church + Culture - the Gospel = Liberalism/Socialism/ humanitarian church. A social ministry without the Gospel is no ministry at all. Jesus taught first, then fed the 5000.

3. Church + Gospel + Culture = Evangelism and Missions. This is the missional/ kingdom thinking model. This was the first century church. Did they help people? Absolutely. They sold their goods and helped anyone who had need--that was in yesterday's reading. But they understood their mission--proclaim the Gospel, and they engaged the culture around them. They got out of the four walls of the upper room and saturated the culture with lifestyle evangelism.
God help us to engage in our culture and become the missional church that God has called us to be.

1st Century Church Model

Yesterday's reading of Acts 1 combined with today's reading of Acts 2 makes it hard for this preacher to just make a few comments. I would love to comment on all 73 verses combined! But I have to remember, this is just a 350-400 word reflection on just one portion of each day's reading. Perhaps 2:42-47 will best sum it all up for us. The 21st century church would do well to study and imitate the 1st century church. For you see, it was a...
1. It Was A Saved Church v.41b-42a
Only saved folks became members of the first century church, and they "continued steadfastly..." They showed the sincerity of their decision by continuing to come to Bible study, to learn, fellowship and grow. To say that the church should be made up of saved individuals seems like the given. But unfortunately, not all people on our church rolls are saved.
2. It Was A Bible Based Church v.42b
First, Peter got up and preached a Bible based sermon, right from the Old Testament. Then v.42 comes to tell us that they were committed to the apostle's doctrine/teaching. Of course that (the apostle's doctrine) is what became the New Testament. The first century church was a Bible believing, Bible reading, Bible teaching, Bible preaching church. And if we're going to be the church that God called us to be, we must be no less.
3. It Was A Fellowshipping Church v.42c
The Greek word for 'fellowship' is 'koinonia', which means much more than just fellowship over a meal. It means to participate in, be in partnership with. For a Christian to fail to participate in the life of the local church is inexcusable. There are no lone ranger Christians.
4. It Was A Christ Centered Church v.42d
The breaking of bread = communion. Communion is a time to focus on the Cross.
5. It Was A Praying Church v.42e
We've got folks today who'll march around a school holding up a banner reading "Put Prayer Back In School", but they won't show up for prayer meeting on Wednesday night! God help us!
6. It Was An Awe Inspiring Church v.43
Why? Because it was Spirit Filled. Go back and read the whole chapter again.
7. It Was A Sharing Church v.44-46a
8. It Was A United Church v.46 "one accord"
9. It Was A Worshiping Church v.46b-47a
Praising God produced joy. And because of all these marks above, it was an....
10. It Was An Attractive Church v.47 'having favor with all people'
Unfortunately, today people are turned off by the church. Who's fault is that?
11. It Was A Growing Church v.47b
People were being added to the church daily, because every member realized that they were missionaries. Every member was a witness.
12. Therefore, It Was A Church Much Different Than Many Churches Today
Vance Havner summed it up best: "Christians today are so sub-normal, that if we ever went back to 1st century normal, people would think we're abnormal." God help us to become abnormal in the eyes of a lost world and a lazy church!

(OK, I probably ran a little long today...but I tried...)

Faith In Action

Today we begin reading in the Book of Acts, Acts chapter one. The complete title is "The Acts of the Apostles." The author is Dr. Luke (author of the Gospel According To Luke). Dr. Luke records, for us, the spread of Christianity through the Spirit-filled action of the apostles and other believers. Thus, this is a very appropriate title for the book. For you see, faith without action is not faith at all. James said, "Show me your faith without your works (action) and I'll show you my faith by my works (action)." (James 2:18) That is what the Book of Acts shows us. There are no "pew sitters" in this book. Their faith is alive and their actions prove it. Lots of people on our church rolls say they love Jesus, but there is no action to back up those words. Here's the bottom line: What you do is what you really believe. Everything else you say is really just a bunch of hogwash. Your actions speak so loud, the world can't hear what you're saying. And of course, in this book, that is true. The Apostle's and believer's actions speak for themselves. Notice the progression of Christianity. In chapters 1-7, the church was established in Jerusalem. In chapters 8-12, the church enlarged its territory to Judea and Samaria. Then in chapters 13-28, the church expanded to the ends of the earth. This explains how the Gospel got to Rome. This my friend is the outline of the book given to us in Acts 1:8. Go back and read that verse. That verse is our marching orders: To be witnesses unto Jesus before the whole world. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, it will be your actions that witness for Jesus. Remember, "faith without works (actions) is dead." (James 2:20)