Please read Acts 25 and Acts 26:1-14
Paul is spending this long ordeal in house arrest. Not fun but much better than being in a dungeon! As he is waiting for God's next part of the plan, we know from Chapter 24 that he is using the time wisely, testifying to Felix and the court. Now, as we go into Ch. 25, Felix has been recalled to Rome. Apparently, the imprisonment of Paul did not calm the situation down enough...he has to answer for the further riots and fights between the Jews and the Syrians. I do not think I would want to be Felix in front of Caesar.
Enter Festus, and man that other historians say is more wise than his predecessor in his few short years in office. Festus is making a tour of his territory and meets with the Temple leaders as part of the tour. They decide that it is a good time to take advantage of the situation: a man in office for only three days can surely not understand the whole picture, so they ask for Paul to be sent to Jerusalem for trial. This is to put in place exactly the same situation as we saw in Chapter 23. The plan was to ambush Paul on the way and get rid of this thorn once and for all.
Festus (did we mention that he was wise?) decides immediately to ask them to send representatives to him in Caesarea for a trial, so two weeks after he takes office the trial is held. Again, unproven charges are brought against Paul but no evidence. Paul simply answers with a statement: I have done nothing wrong against the Jews, the Temple or against Caesar. So Festus asks, "Will you go to Jerusalem to stand trial?" Paul sees the trap that Festus does not and merely points out his standing as a Roman citizen. He appeals to Caesar...
Wow. This is a big move in those days. A Roman citizen has rights, as we have discussed but this was a huge step with many repercussions. Imagine appealing to the Supreme Court but that the appeal went to a single man (or his appointed judge). There perspective would not be "what is truth?" but would more likely be "what is good for the empire?" Dangerous thing, this appeal. If you are wrong, you are likely dead. If you are right, you may still be dead if it gives an advantage to the empire.
So why would Paul do this? Remember that he was told in Acts 23 that he was going to Rome. In my opinion, God had a plan for this and Paul merely listened to the spirit. He knew it was likely to be his downfall but he knew that he was in God's hands...and had been for many years. Festus prepares to send him to Rome.
As we are awaiting Paul's departure, King Agrippa arrives. Agrippa is the latest in a long line of Kings over the land. This can be confusing but follow it a bit here. The King is the ruler under the Governor, who is under Caesar. That is a rough idea of the form of government. Agrippa is in the line of the Herods we read about in the Gospels. Remember, Jesus was almost killed at birth by Herod I and later during his final days met with Herod Antipas (who had also beheaded John the Baptist). In some ways, these Kings had become more like Mayors than anything else and were in some ways only figureheads.
Festus discusses the Paul situation with him and tells him how he cannot find any charges to send to Rome. This is a real problem: if you were Caesar and some yahoo from a podunk land sends you a prisoner to judge with no charges, would you keep him in office there? I think not. Thus, we see Festus' problem. Luckily, Agrippa agrees to listen as well.
As we start Chapter 26, Paul gets his chance to speak and what does he do? He tells his testimony...sensing a theme here? Paul NEVER misses an opportunity. But Paul's testimony IS different here. In Acts 13, Paul tells the story of the Jewish people in his testimony. In Acts 22, Paul gives his bonifides on being a "Jew's Jew"" and his study. Here Paul lays out a little of that but only to touch on his reason for being persecuted: He believes in life after death. But here Paul goes in a different direction. These ears are not Jewish. The same testimony is not effective for them. And Paul is trying to get them to open up their ears. Not to save his skin...no, it is to save their souls! We could learn a lot from Paul here. Maybe when we are telling our story to non-believers, we need to connect with their lives. Not a pat story (although we often struggle just getting though one story!) but one that they can relate to. Not deceiving or lying but just leaving out the details that would not connect and adding in those that would. Just maybe, we need to listen to the spirit more during those times. Just a thought...
In verse 14 we hear a new detail... "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads." WHAT? I never read that in his other testimonies. And, what is the world is a goad? In modern vernacular (OK, maybe a little dated but still used), a goad is what someone does to incite someone to do something. It is often negative, like peer pressure, to force someone to do something they would not normally do. In these days, a goad was a device used on the front of a wagon, or placed behind a oxen, that had a series of spikes on it. It forced the animal to move forward only. It could not back up, it would hit the sharp spikes. It could not abruptly stop, the goads would hit it when the cart rolled up on the animal. Thus, the oxen went where they were led. If an animal got mad, it would kick back against it, only causing more pain...
So, what did this mean to Paul? Why would Jesus use this term with him? Well, it all has to do with Grace. You see, God was calling, prompting, seeking Saul well before the road to Damascus. Saul had to hear it, even as he sought and killed those believers in the Way. John Wesley explained it best. He said that God's grace presented itself in three forms: Prevenient Grace, Justifying Grace and Sanctifying Grace. Not that there is not one Grace, only that our limited brains can only understand Grace in such a way. So what are these big, fancy theological terms:
Prevenient Grace: This is Grace that precedes our understanding and our relationship with Christ. You see, God is seeking to find us, even you dear reader, before we "find Him" God sets the stage and draws us to Him. We still can refuse but He still calls. This is Grace that leads only to Him. Prevenient Grace follows us though our lives.
Justifying Grace: When we find and accept God, this is the forgiving Grace. This grace is the new life that is found in Christ. We are forgiven and made new. It is the culmination of the Prevenient Grace. In this moment of Grace, we freely choose to let God cleanse us. It is only by this Grace that we may stand in the presence of a Holy and Righteous God. It is only through our repentance and acceptance of our Lord and Savior that grace can free us. Justifying Grace is instantaneous. We come, He makes new.
Santifying Grace: This is the grace that actively works in our life to produce holiness. This grace is the power of the Holy Spirit working in us and through us so that our lives are fruitful. It is both instantaneous and a process. We are driven to build a deeper relationship with Christ through this grace. It is not about us becoming perfect; it is about God working in us to move us closer to it. His power alone...and our accepting of it.
These graces are not a once and done thing. We are all moving through all of these steps. I have seen God set the stages for me to come to Him, I have accepted Him as my savior and I have been made new and I am being actively worked on to go deeper with Him...but He is still working behind the scenes to set the stage for what is next in my life. I am still in need of repentance for new things and still need to accept his Lordship over my life... And He will continue to make me holy...because I can't do it. You see...it really is one grace...it is just hard for us to get our little brains around the concepts. This was Wesley's attempt to help us understand and it has been accepted by many denominations, not just Methodists. It may be tweaked here and there but the core is the same...
Saul was being called before, prepared for his future through his study and other events in his life. This is Prevenient Grace. He found Christ and was reborn as Paul (Justifying Grace). He spent the rest of his days watching the spirit move in and through him. That, dear reader, is Santification. What does this mean for each of us. If a killer and persecutor like Paul is not beyond God's Grace, then how can we be? Nothing we have done or will do will take us beyond God's mercy and grace. Nothing. We just need to accept it and let Him heal us. Cleansed by the blood of Jesus....
Today should be the day. If you have not accepted the love of God, talk to Him to day. Don't kick against your own goads. Come, repent and accept. The words are not important...only the heart seeking Him the way He is seeking you. Let Him show His love to you today.
God is good...
D
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Acts 24
Please read Acts 24.
So, as we dive back into the world of Paul's trials, we get to see Paul's first meeting with the Governor, Felix. Felix allows the Jewish leaders to present their case first, so Tertullus presents the "evidence" to him. He basically proceeds to butter up Felix repeatedly and really, in essence, says that Paul is a troublemaker. And he wants to imply that that trouble is aimed a Rome, not just the Temple.
Paul rather methodically goes through actual facts. He admits being a follower of the "Way." (Just a side note, if you are looking for why it is called the way, please go back to John 14:6.) He talks about how he has never actually been found to have violated Temple rules. The only thing he is guilty of is stirring a disagreement that was already in place: Pharisee vs Sadducee. His core message: I'm still Jewish, I have the same hope that they do but I know that Jesus was the Messiah. It is culmination of scripture and the Temple, not attack and desecration.
Felix, who is familiar with the goings on of the early Christian church, after 6 years of rule there, adjourns court. He and his wife, a Jewess named Drucilla, call on over the next two years. Paul does what Paul does: he preaches the Gospel. This frightens Felix because it does not mean good things for him and his lifestyle (Drucilla was his third wife, in an era where this was not very common), so he sends Paul away.
Over those years of house arrest, Felix would call Paul frequently. Why? One is that he wanted a bribe. After all, it was Paul who brought offerings (see Acts 11:29) when the famine hit earlier. Maybe there was money behind Paul. Secondly, with Paul in prison, there was less strife in the Temple. Not that it was peaceful, but at least there were fewer riots since Paul was no longer "calming the crowd." And I believe there just may have been a third reason for these calls: Felix was hearing Truth and it still attracted him. God's grace and Truth calls us, even when we don't follow Him. Maybe, just maybe, Felix could not help but to hear Paul speak more on this Jesus person...
Short lesson today but still deep truths...
May God bless the reading of His Truth.
D
So, as we dive back into the world of Paul's trials, we get to see Paul's first meeting with the Governor, Felix. Felix allows the Jewish leaders to present their case first, so Tertullus presents the "evidence" to him. He basically proceeds to butter up Felix repeatedly and really, in essence, says that Paul is a troublemaker. And he wants to imply that that trouble is aimed a Rome, not just the Temple.
Paul rather methodically goes through actual facts. He admits being a follower of the "Way." (Just a side note, if you are looking for why it is called the way, please go back to John 14:6.) He talks about how he has never actually been found to have violated Temple rules. The only thing he is guilty of is stirring a disagreement that was already in place: Pharisee vs Sadducee. His core message: I'm still Jewish, I have the same hope that they do but I know that Jesus was the Messiah. It is culmination of scripture and the Temple, not attack and desecration.
Felix, who is familiar with the goings on of the early Christian church, after 6 years of rule there, adjourns court. He and his wife, a Jewess named Drucilla, call on over the next two years. Paul does what Paul does: he preaches the Gospel. This frightens Felix because it does not mean good things for him and his lifestyle (Drucilla was his third wife, in an era where this was not very common), so he sends Paul away.
Over those years of house arrest, Felix would call Paul frequently. Why? One is that he wanted a bribe. After all, it was Paul who brought offerings (see Acts 11:29) when the famine hit earlier. Maybe there was money behind Paul. Secondly, with Paul in prison, there was less strife in the Temple. Not that it was peaceful, but at least there were fewer riots since Paul was no longer "calming the crowd." And I believe there just may have been a third reason for these calls: Felix was hearing Truth and it still attracted him. God's grace and Truth calls us, even when we don't follow Him. Maybe, just maybe, Felix could not help but to hear Paul speak more on this Jesus person...
Short lesson today but still deep truths...
May God bless the reading of His Truth.
D
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Acts 23
Please read all of Chapter 23.
Paul is called in front of the Sanhedrin to testify with them to the Commander of the Roman regiment. Paul makes a strong statement to start the exchange...he says, "I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day." Which immediately draws a strong response from the High Priest, who has him struck. Why is this such a terrible thing for Paul to say?
Think about who Paul was again...if Paul had not gone off into this blasphemous sect, he could very well have sat on that council. He was a star student of the greatest Jewish teacher of the era. He was a rising star...and then he went off into the weeds, turning his back on Yahweh! And he has the nerve to stand in front of them and declare that he has a clear conscience? The pig!
Ananias has him struck immediately, despite the fact that he is doing it in front of the Commander. this shows something about Ananias and about the Jewish society of the time. It was very much against the rules to strike someone in the Temple. After all, this is God's house...not in the modern vernacular but literally it was God's throne room! Imagine if your pastor had your elders or church council beat someone up in the sanctuary! But Ananias was a man known for his cruelty and violence. His rise to power reflected the growing agitation and violence in Jewish culture of the day. With this rising violence, even in front of the very soldiers who were called upon to quell that violence, shows it was a growing problem in the land.
Paul responds to this strike by calling him a "white-washed wall". What does that mean? Some suggestions from our class spoke of a falseness or fake clean. Something pretty on the outside but not within. This is what Paul meant but to an even deeper level. Back in those days, to go to the Temple one had to been ceremonially clean. That means all the food restrictions and most importantly, to not have been around dead people or animals. To touch them would make one unclean until they could go through purification rites. To assist in this, they would whitewash the tombs, so it was apparent where they were. By calling him a whitewashed wall, Paul was saying that Ananias was unclean, even full of death inside...ouch. He is calling him a hypocrite...
So, Paul then calls to mind a fight that has been building in the temple for many years: The Sadducees vs. the Pharisees. Let's look at the two beliefs structures in the Sanhedrin:
Pharisees:
The party of the people - the were the power behind the synagogues
Believed the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old Testament) and the oral traditions were both authoritative and binding. This includes what we think of as the Old Testament, with the prophets, history and other books.
Unclear on opinion on Freewill vs. predestination - road the middle ground
Believed in a hierachy of angels and demons
Believed in the resurrection of the dead
Believed in the immortality of the soul and eternal rewards
Were champions of human equality
Emphasized ethics, rather than theology
Sadducees:
The ruling party in the Temple - they held the ultimate power there
Denied the oral law
Literal interpretation of the Mosaic law
Absolute belief in the rules of Levitical purity
Believed in free will only
No resurrection, no life after death and no angels or demons
No spiritual world
Only the Pentateuch was scripture
(Main source for above: NIV Study Bible - chart p.1506)
An interesting note on the Pharisees vs. Sadducees battle: It only had a few more years of fighting left. When the Temple fell a decade or so later, the Sadducees fell with it, never to return. When God allowed His house to be cleaned, He did a thorough job...
Paul lights a match on this argument and immediately his accusers begin to fight among themselves. This is a battle that had been raging for years, so it did not take much. Paul definitely fit in with the Pharisees. Even if he did not start out believing, he had seen enough angels to make it awfully had to deny them! That very night, a angel is sent by God to assure him that he will survive Jerusalem and got to Rome.
The next day, a mob makes a bold public statement: they would fast until they can kill Paul. Note: they did not take a Niacean vow, just a public vow. It was not with God on their side, only themselves. Word is out about this vow. It gets to Paul's nephew, who tells Paul. He sends him to the Centurion who takes him to the Commander who listens...why would he listen to a prisoner? A few things come to mind: one is that Paul is a citizen and another is that maybe it is starting to appear to the local Roman leaders that Paul is not the one who is the issue here. Not that it mattered to much. If it would end the disturbance, they would eliminate him immediately...
The Roman response is to send Paul onto the Governor, Felix. He sends a troop of over 200 soldiers. Why so many? If he sends fewer, he is inviting an attack. And an attack on Roman soldiers is never acceptable. If the force is overwhelming, they may think twice...if they don't think twice, the force should be able to crush them! The chapter ends with Felix agreeing to hear the case....
May you be blessed as you consider where your theology falls...what do you believe about God?
God bless you today!
D
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Chapter 22
Read Chapter 22
Note: we covered both Chapters 21 &22 in one week.
Paul begins the chapter with his address to the crowd...in Aramaic. What is Arameic? It is the most common language of the area, the one the crowd would understand the best. The commander of the Roman soldiers is probably wondering who he has in custody right now. Just how many languages does this man speak???? Not the norm to be multilingual...
Paul, with the crowd hanging on his every word, does what Paul ALWAYS does when he gets a crowd: he tells his testimony. He tells the story of his Jewish days until the day that Christ grabbed him and set him on his new course. All goes well (not to say that they were being swayed but, you know, some might have been) until Paul gets to the end of his story. At that point, he says that God sent him to the Gentiles...blasphemy!
Remember, to the Jews, the Gentiles were for God to smite. But that was never God's plan. In Genesis 12, God tells Abram, 2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." How do you bless the other peoples when you avoid them and don't accept them. Don't get me wrong, God had plans at times that involved Him telling them to destroy a society. But the Hebrews were to lead the Gentiles to God. Isaiah says in Isaiah 49 that God told him that, "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth." What a charge...and conveniently forgotten by the Jewish leaders. The riot begins again...
The Romans prepare to torture the truth out of Paul and gets an all new surprise. Paul is a Roman citizen. You can understand the frustration that the commander must have felt. Every time he seemed to have the situation under control and figured out, Paul changes everything again. As a Roman citizen, he has rights that the conquered peoples do not. One is that they are not allowed to use their most degrading form of torture on their own. That was saved for the common conquered rabble...
While the commander had to buy his citizenship, Paul's was by birth. We don't know why this is important but it is possible that this meant that Paul's citizenship had greater value in Roman's eyes. His was not earned or bought but by birth. It was common at the time for that to be of value, kind of like how a non-Jew could follow Yahweh but could never become Jewish in Jewish eyes. Regardless, at the end of this chapter, we have Paul being released from chains and the commander, once again, trying to figure out what is going on...
May God bless the reading of His Word....
D
Note: we covered both Chapters 21 &22 in one week.
Paul begins the chapter with his address to the crowd...in Aramaic. What is Arameic? It is the most common language of the area, the one the crowd would understand the best. The commander of the Roman soldiers is probably wondering who he has in custody right now. Just how many languages does this man speak???? Not the norm to be multilingual...
Paul, with the crowd hanging on his every word, does what Paul ALWAYS does when he gets a crowd: he tells his testimony. He tells the story of his Jewish days until the day that Christ grabbed him and set him on his new course. All goes well (not to say that they were being swayed but, you know, some might have been) until Paul gets to the end of his story. At that point, he says that God sent him to the Gentiles...blasphemy!
Remember, to the Jews, the Gentiles were for God to smite. But that was never God's plan. In Genesis 12, God tells Abram, 2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." How do you bless the other peoples when you avoid them and don't accept them. Don't get me wrong, God had plans at times that involved Him telling them to destroy a society. But the Hebrews were to lead the Gentiles to God. Isaiah says in Isaiah 49 that God told him that, "It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth." What a charge...and conveniently forgotten by the Jewish leaders. The riot begins again...
The Romans prepare to torture the truth out of Paul and gets an all new surprise. Paul is a Roman citizen. You can understand the frustration that the commander must have felt. Every time he seemed to have the situation under control and figured out, Paul changes everything again. As a Roman citizen, he has rights that the conquered peoples do not. One is that they are not allowed to use their most degrading form of torture on their own. That was saved for the common conquered rabble...
While the commander had to buy his citizenship, Paul's was by birth. We don't know why this is important but it is possible that this meant that Paul's citizenship had greater value in Roman's eyes. His was not earned or bought but by birth. It was common at the time for that to be of value, kind of like how a non-Jew could follow Yahweh but could never become Jewish in Jewish eyes. Regardless, at the end of this chapter, we have Paul being released from chains and the commander, once again, trying to figure out what is going on...
May God bless the reading of His Word....
D
Acts 21
Read all of Acts 21
Luke continues the narrative of his journey with Paul and his companions on their way to Jerusalem. We read how Paul's companions are also hearing from the Holy Spirit of what is to come in Jerusalem. They are begging Paul to not go, but Paul know the Spirit is telling him TO GO. You see that while the Spirit is preparing the people for the loss of Paul, in their love for him and maybe in their fear of the loss of him, they are reacting in a way to change the plan and will of God. Paul sees this but is not to be swayed...he has an appointment in Jerusalem...and beyond!
Paul continues on the journey, finally reaching Caesarea, about as close as you can get to Jerusalem by sea. See map below for details (look right above Jerusalem):
In Caesarea, Paul visits Phillip the Evangelist. If we look back to Acts 8, we see the story of Phillip. Remember, he is the one who met with the Ethiopian eunuch to explain the Gospel...and much more evangelizing. He is also one of the seven listed in Acts 6, when the Apostles named seven people to run the administration of the Church. If you want to see more of the Biblical example of this, see Exodus 18 for Moses example. One interesting thing to note: While their "job" was administrative, their job description was that they need to be "full of the Spirit and wisdom"...when we look for administrative roles or jobs in our churches and ministries, do we look mostly at skills or at spiritual skills?
Well, Phillip has 4 daughters, who prophesied. The verse says they are all unmarried, so we may assume that they are specially dedicated to the Lord and He is blessing them for it. That is not a call for us to necessarily follow that lead but it may be an example of Paul's message in 1 Corinthians 7...
Agabus, the prophet, is the next prophet to appear. Do they grow on trees here in Caesarea? Let's take a moment to look at a prophets. What is the modern definition? Most of us would say "someone who tells the future", really meaning a fortune teller, soothsayer, or other person who can predict the future. That is a warping of the word. If you review what a prophet is in the Old Testament, you see that a prophet really is someone who is given a message by God for someone or for His people. That is the role, exclusively. It can be of the future or of the present. We are not to seek the modern "prophets", look at Isaiah 8:19. It is usually very hard to be a prophet, as the message is often hard to deliver and can mean pain or death to prophet. In the New Testament, John the Baptist was the first prophet we run across. His message: repent for the kingdom of Heaven is here. So, has God stopped sending messages in this way? I'd say no but that does not mean we listen to all who claim prophet status. But when the Spirit pushes us to speak out for Him, or to confront a friend who is going into the weeds, or to tell of our testimony (even the tough stuff in it), He is calling His new prophets...are you listening for the call?
Agabus comes and does a strange thing...he takes Paul's belt and ties up his hands and feet with it...saying, "In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles." Wow, not a message that your would want to hear, huh? Immediately, everyone jumps in to tell Paul to not go to Jerusalem (even Luke - "we gave up" verse 14). Paul insists he is ready for this mission from God, the one he has been travelling on for a long time, since that road in Damascus.
There is an interesting parallel here to an earlier event. In John 21:18 Jesus says to Peter, "I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." Is this not the same message as Agabus has for Paul? I see a strong parallel between the message for Peter and Paul. By the time they both faced this arrest, prosecution and death, they were ready to die for Him. Surely both had spent a lot of time in their lives trying to avoid pain and death, like most of us would do or have done. We must understand that both were Apostles of the Master and had been prepared for this journey.
After arriving in Jerusalem, Paul goes to James and the other elders of the Jerusalem church. He makes his report and they marvel at how the thousands have believed...but also know the animosity that Paul has stirred up in the Jewish leaders. They are telling all that Paul is pitching out their customs and heritage and, worse yet, to reject Moses. Why the Moses note? Because he is the written source for the heritage, at least the early part that came directly from God. This is a huge accusation...one that would always lead to punishment.
The Elders suggest a plan: an Nazarite vow, with four other men. We have discussed this vow in Chapter 18. The message here seems to be that Paul would surely not be a defamer of their traditions if he then proceeds to do one of their toughest and most difficult traditions, a vow that goes all the way back to Sampson and beyond. But we see that it is no good...the reaction is exactly what they fear and the attack on Paul is immediate.
The turns into a riot until the Roman Chiliarch (think commander of 10 Centurions - 1000 soldiers) sends in the troops to bust some heads and put down the riot. There were likely many. many people hurt until the riot stopped. The soldiers are even forced to carry Paul to get him back to their "barracks" (really it was more of a prison). They were unable to even get a clear story from the mobs. Paul asks to speak and the commander gets his first surprise of the day: Paul speaks Greek. Why is this surprising? Because they assumed Paul was an Egyptian false prophet who had led a revolt in the past. Josephus, the ancient historian tells of this tale. The leader escaped but many were killed in the put down of the revolt. You see two things are true here: one is that the Romans immediately thought all riots were an attack on them and, secondly, the Jews in Jerusalem were getting a reputation for revolt and unrest. This is not healthy in ancient Rome...
As we leave this Chapter, Paul is allowed to address the crowd...very unusual. God is at work here...
May God bless you as you seek Him in the Word...
D
Luke continues the narrative of his journey with Paul and his companions on their way to Jerusalem. We read how Paul's companions are also hearing from the Holy Spirit of what is to come in Jerusalem. They are begging Paul to not go, but Paul know the Spirit is telling him TO GO. You see that while the Spirit is preparing the people for the loss of Paul, in their love for him and maybe in their fear of the loss of him, they are reacting in a way to change the plan and will of God. Paul sees this but is not to be swayed...he has an appointment in Jerusalem...and beyond!
Paul continues on the journey, finally reaching Caesarea, about as close as you can get to Jerusalem by sea. See map below for details (look right above Jerusalem):
In Caesarea, Paul visits Phillip the Evangelist. If we look back to Acts 8, we see the story of Phillip. Remember, he is the one who met with the Ethiopian eunuch to explain the Gospel...and much more evangelizing. He is also one of the seven listed in Acts 6, when the Apostles named seven people to run the administration of the Church. If you want to see more of the Biblical example of this, see Exodus 18 for Moses example. One interesting thing to note: While their "job" was administrative, their job description was that they need to be "full of the Spirit and wisdom"...when we look for administrative roles or jobs in our churches and ministries, do we look mostly at skills or at spiritual skills?
Well, Phillip has 4 daughters, who prophesied. The verse says they are all unmarried, so we may assume that they are specially dedicated to the Lord and He is blessing them for it. That is not a call for us to necessarily follow that lead but it may be an example of Paul's message in 1 Corinthians 7...
Agabus, the prophet, is the next prophet to appear. Do they grow on trees here in Caesarea? Let's take a moment to look at a prophets. What is the modern definition? Most of us would say "someone who tells the future", really meaning a fortune teller, soothsayer, or other person who can predict the future. That is a warping of the word. If you review what a prophet is in the Old Testament, you see that a prophet really is someone who is given a message by God for someone or for His people. That is the role, exclusively. It can be of the future or of the present. We are not to seek the modern "prophets", look at Isaiah 8:19. It is usually very hard to be a prophet, as the message is often hard to deliver and can mean pain or death to prophet. In the New Testament, John the Baptist was the first prophet we run across. His message: repent for the kingdom of Heaven is here. So, has God stopped sending messages in this way? I'd say no but that does not mean we listen to all who claim prophet status. But when the Spirit pushes us to speak out for Him, or to confront a friend who is going into the weeds, or to tell of our testimony (even the tough stuff in it), He is calling His new prophets...are you listening for the call?
Agabus comes and does a strange thing...he takes Paul's belt and ties up his hands and feet with it...saying, "In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles." Wow, not a message that your would want to hear, huh? Immediately, everyone jumps in to tell Paul to not go to Jerusalem (even Luke - "we gave up" verse 14). Paul insists he is ready for this mission from God, the one he has been travelling on for a long time, since that road in Damascus.
There is an interesting parallel here to an earlier event. In John 21:18 Jesus says to Peter, "I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." Is this not the same message as Agabus has for Paul? I see a strong parallel between the message for Peter and Paul. By the time they both faced this arrest, prosecution and death, they were ready to die for Him. Surely both had spent a lot of time in their lives trying to avoid pain and death, like most of us would do or have done. We must understand that both were Apostles of the Master and had been prepared for this journey.
After arriving in Jerusalem, Paul goes to James and the other elders of the Jerusalem church. He makes his report and they marvel at how the thousands have believed...but also know the animosity that Paul has stirred up in the Jewish leaders. They are telling all that Paul is pitching out their customs and heritage and, worse yet, to reject Moses. Why the Moses note? Because he is the written source for the heritage, at least the early part that came directly from God. This is a huge accusation...one that would always lead to punishment.
The Elders suggest a plan: an Nazarite vow, with four other men. We have discussed this vow in Chapter 18. The message here seems to be that Paul would surely not be a defamer of their traditions if he then proceeds to do one of their toughest and most difficult traditions, a vow that goes all the way back to Sampson and beyond. But we see that it is no good...the reaction is exactly what they fear and the attack on Paul is immediate.
The turns into a riot until the Roman Chiliarch (think commander of 10 Centurions - 1000 soldiers) sends in the troops to bust some heads and put down the riot. There were likely many. many people hurt until the riot stopped. The soldiers are even forced to carry Paul to get him back to their "barracks" (really it was more of a prison). They were unable to even get a clear story from the mobs. Paul asks to speak and the commander gets his first surprise of the day: Paul speaks Greek. Why is this surprising? Because they assumed Paul was an Egyptian false prophet who had led a revolt in the past. Josephus, the ancient historian tells of this tale. The leader escaped but many were killed in the put down of the revolt. You see two things are true here: one is that the Romans immediately thought all riots were an attack on them and, secondly, the Jews in Jerusalem were getting a reputation for revolt and unrest. This is not healthy in ancient Rome...
As we leave this Chapter, Paul is allowed to address the crowd...very unusual. God is at work here...
May God bless you as you seek Him in the Word...
D
Monday, August 24, 2009
Acts Chapter 20
Acts Chapter 20
Read all of Acts Chapter 20.
Paul's journey continues, as he goes back to Macedonia. This is the farthest reach of his third missionary journey. He spends his time going from city to city, visiting the places that he has planted churches, encouraging the leaders there. While we could look at this as a victory lap or a reminiscent visit, it really was more of a farewell tour. Paul is feeling a growing sense of urgency.
After 3 months in Greece, the plots against his life are getting to be too much. Don't forget that a few chapters ago, the Jews had been dragging him before the Proconsul. Now it is clear to Paul that it is time for him to head back to Jerusalem, and to make this one last "lap" to encourage the others.
We see an interesting story of Eutychus thrown into Luke's testimony, starting with verse 7. Eutychus, we see, is a young boy who falls asleep during Paul's teaching and falls from the third story window to his death. From this we learn a few things. #1 - It is a good thing that our class sits on couches and does not sit on window ledges. If it did, we may have a few less students... #2 - Paul can go a long time when he gets excited and has a lot to say (I am sure he was standing and pacing...). #3 Paul is still very much filled with the Holy Spirit. In this moment, God uses Paul to heal Eutychus and bring him back to life. Thus, we have seen Peter and Paul raise people from the dead, through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. If anyone doubted Paul's claim to apostleship (and they should not have), it is over now.
Paul is in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, preferably by Pentecost. Pentecost...where this great story began... The Spirit has been guiding him back to Jerusalem and warning him that suffering is coming.
He calls for the leaders of the Church in Ephesus to come meet him in a nearby port. There he begins his final council... 24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. Wow. He is ready now to do anything, ready to die for his mission. Instead of his prayers being "God save me," they have become "God let me finish" or "let me see the end of the race." Do you see the change in him? Can you see a time where you have prayed to God, "Just let me tell one more person of You?"
Paul now knows that his race is ending soon and he has a level of desperation to reach all those he can. No matter what is to come, he is still running. Paul talks in Gal 2 about this race he has been running. Later, in 2 Timothy 4, we can hear him say, " 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." For Paul, he has known that he has been in a marathon and now is entering the final miles. Although there is pain and suffering, he is still running and running gladly towards the finish line.
He charges the Ephesian leaders to be strong and to be good shepherds of the flock that the Lord has given them. He warns that they must be on guard because people will come to lead away their sheep. Even from within their ranks, wolves will rise to lead them astray. The Holy Spirit is speaking directly to them, through Paul. Will they hear him in time? For that answer, I suggest you read Revelation 2...
Acts 20:32 "Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. " This is an amazing verse, don't fly over it! We discussed in class what the word "sanctified" means. What is your definition? Think about it for a moment... It means to be made holy. Another way to look at it is to be made clean, spotless, as if you had never been stained. Why is this important to Paul? And to us?
You must gain an understanding of grace and sanctification. Louie Giglio defines grace as God at work. Pretty good short description. We discussed "Amazing Grace" in class, written by a true wretch of a man, a slave trader captain known for his brutality in an already brutal profession. If there was a man beyond God's saving, John Newton was that man. But God gave his unwarranted, undeserved gift of grace: forgiveness & love to him...and to us. You see, John did not deserve it. He could not do anything to remove his stains, his sin, his unholiness. But God said "Come home, child" and He wrapped his arms around him. And on the way to that hug, the blood of the Lamb of God cleansed him and made him holy, able to be in the presence of God. Revelation 7:14, talks of the robes of the saints being "washed white in the blood." What an amazing picture...beyond human description. Jesus was that ultimate sacrifice for the sanctification of the saints...so they can one day walk with God...just like God always intended. Not just now but forever with Him. Not as gods, that is a blasphemous teaching, but as ones chosen by and whom chose God.
From the beginning, God asked for a sacrifice, to bring the hearts of his people to him. It was never about the animal. He knew that someday, it would be His Son on that alter, on that cross. He knew that people would make it all about how they could sanctify themselves...and lose sight of the source of their holiness. Dear Reader, all God has ever wanted was a relationship. When God created all other beings and things (see Genesis 1), He said "it was good"...because He made them that way. He created man and he did not say "they are good." He said instead, "let us make man in our likeness." God is not saying "Boy, did I create a lousy man" or "I made a mistake here." What He is saying is "This is the one I will give a choice to...this one will be the one I have a relationship with..." This is the one I will sanctify...and MAKE GOOD!
Can we truly ever understand all the reasons and whys of God? No. But it will continually lead us closer and deeper to Him. We should not just throw up our hands and write it off as unexplainable...because when we seek Him, He is there waiting with His arms open wide, ready to reveal more. You see, the neat thing about an infinite God is that we can never stop learning about Him...and isn't that what a really good friendship is all about???
May God bless you as you seek Him!
D
Read all of Acts Chapter 20.
Paul's journey continues, as he goes back to Macedonia. This is the farthest reach of his third missionary journey. He spends his time going from city to city, visiting the places that he has planted churches, encouraging the leaders there. While we could look at this as a victory lap or a reminiscent visit, it really was more of a farewell tour. Paul is feeling a growing sense of urgency.
After 3 months in Greece, the plots against his life are getting to be too much. Don't forget that a few chapters ago, the Jews had been dragging him before the Proconsul. Now it is clear to Paul that it is time for him to head back to Jerusalem, and to make this one last "lap" to encourage the others.
We see an interesting story of Eutychus thrown into Luke's testimony, starting with verse 7. Eutychus, we see, is a young boy who falls asleep during Paul's teaching and falls from the third story window to his death. From this we learn a few things. #1 - It is a good thing that our class sits on couches and does not sit on window ledges. If it did, we may have a few less students... #2 - Paul can go a long time when he gets excited and has a lot to say (I am sure he was standing and pacing...). #3 Paul is still very much filled with the Holy Spirit. In this moment, God uses Paul to heal Eutychus and bring him back to life. Thus, we have seen Peter and Paul raise people from the dead, through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. If anyone doubted Paul's claim to apostleship (and they should not have), it is over now.
Paul is in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, preferably by Pentecost. Pentecost...where this great story began... The Spirit has been guiding him back to Jerusalem and warning him that suffering is coming.
He calls for the leaders of the Church in Ephesus to come meet him in a nearby port. There he begins his final council... 24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. Wow. He is ready now to do anything, ready to die for his mission. Instead of his prayers being "God save me," they have become "God let me finish" or "let me see the end of the race." Do you see the change in him? Can you see a time where you have prayed to God, "Just let me tell one more person of You?"
Paul now knows that his race is ending soon and he has a level of desperation to reach all those he can. No matter what is to come, he is still running. Paul talks in Gal 2 about this race he has been running. Later, in 2 Timothy 4, we can hear him say, " 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." For Paul, he has known that he has been in a marathon and now is entering the final miles. Although there is pain and suffering, he is still running and running gladly towards the finish line.
He charges the Ephesian leaders to be strong and to be good shepherds of the flock that the Lord has given them. He warns that they must be on guard because people will come to lead away their sheep. Even from within their ranks, wolves will rise to lead them astray. The Holy Spirit is speaking directly to them, through Paul. Will they hear him in time? For that answer, I suggest you read Revelation 2...
Acts 20:32 "Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. " This is an amazing verse, don't fly over it! We discussed in class what the word "sanctified" means. What is your definition? Think about it for a moment... It means to be made holy. Another way to look at it is to be made clean, spotless, as if you had never been stained. Why is this important to Paul? And to us?
You must gain an understanding of grace and sanctification. Louie Giglio defines grace as God at work. Pretty good short description. We discussed "Amazing Grace" in class, written by a true wretch of a man, a slave trader captain known for his brutality in an already brutal profession. If there was a man beyond God's saving, John Newton was that man. But God gave his unwarranted, undeserved gift of grace: forgiveness & love to him...and to us. You see, John did not deserve it. He could not do anything to remove his stains, his sin, his unholiness. But God said "Come home, child" and He wrapped his arms around him. And on the way to that hug, the blood of the Lamb of God cleansed him and made him holy, able to be in the presence of God. Revelation 7:14, talks of the robes of the saints being "washed white in the blood." What an amazing picture...beyond human description. Jesus was that ultimate sacrifice for the sanctification of the saints...so they can one day walk with God...just like God always intended. Not just now but forever with Him. Not as gods, that is a blasphemous teaching, but as ones chosen by and whom chose God.
From the beginning, God asked for a sacrifice, to bring the hearts of his people to him. It was never about the animal. He knew that someday, it would be His Son on that alter, on that cross. He knew that people would make it all about how they could sanctify themselves...and lose sight of the source of their holiness. Dear Reader, all God has ever wanted was a relationship. When God created all other beings and things (see Genesis 1), He said "it was good"...because He made them that way. He created man and he did not say "they are good." He said instead, "let us make man in our likeness." God is not saying "Boy, did I create a lousy man" or "I made a mistake here." What He is saying is "This is the one I will give a choice to...this one will be the one I have a relationship with..." This is the one I will sanctify...and MAKE GOOD!
Can we truly ever understand all the reasons and whys of God? No. But it will continually lead us closer and deeper to Him. We should not just throw up our hands and write it off as unexplainable...because when we seek Him, He is there waiting with His arms open wide, ready to reveal more. You see, the neat thing about an infinite God is that we can never stop learning about Him...and isn't that what a really good friendship is all about???
May God bless you as you seek Him!
D
Act's 19 - Second half
Acts 19 (Second Half)
Read Acts 19:23-41
Paul and his gang of rabble-rousers (OK, maybe it is a little loose to label them as such) have caused another great disturbance in Ephesus. Ephesus was known for it's temple and worship of Artemis (also known as Diana). Her temple in Ephesus was one of the "7 wonders" of the ancient world. This was an amazing temple, drawing many from all around.
With this massive temple, the worship of Artemis had become big business. Paul and his fellow followers of the Way had become a big problem to this business. You see, when Paul led others to Christ, they did not come back to the temple...they did not come back and buy new statues...or new offerings to Artemis. When they found the Truth, they abandoned all of that. So when Demetrius calls together his fellow artisans and business people, he points out how Paul is leading people astray...AWAY from them! And worse, he is discrediting the temple!!! And, to take it one step further, if Paul has his way, he will rob the goddess of her DIVINE MAJESTY... Wow, powerful stuff. Powerful accusation. You see this was not just a business threat but a threat to the goddess herself! "We must protect her!!!," Demetrius says.
HMMMM... Don't know about your god but my God does not need me to protect Him. I cannot do anything to rob him of His majesty!!! He's go that covered. If He can create all we see (and all that we do not see) I do not have to protect Him. Not to say that we are not to take a stand with God. But it is with Him, not for Him. It is telling that the argument is phrased the way it is. I cannot minimize or send Yahweh into obscurity, even when I mess up or bring dishonor to the name "Christian". I may hurt myself, my church, my own reputation...but not God. I cannot remove His honor and glory.
Look at the many historical religions of the world. The Greek and Roman Gods are pretty much gone as "gods." The worship of Baal? Gone. The Babylonian and Phoenician subjects of worship? Gone, too. Only one God did not have a start and end date. That is the one true God, Yahweh, the I AM. Some people seem to believe that Christianity started 2000 years ago...not true. It started in the Beginning... The God of Abraham is our God too. Don't ever forget that. Christianity is not a passing fad, doomed to be cast off into the pages of a history book. It can be traced and documented as far back as any history can go. Over 2000 years ago, Jesus was born...not a religion but a continuation of a story long foretold. The prophets spoke of it hundred's of years before. The archetypes showed lesser reflections of Him to point the way. And then He came, not a "new thing" but to continue the love story of God with His people.
Back to the story, Paul companions are grabbed to answer to this riot and these accusations. Paul would like to appear to the crowd, to calm the crowd I'm sure, but he is not allowed to do it. As a matter of fact, friends begin to send him letters begging him not to do it. They seem to know better than Paul that he tends to cause riots, not quell them! So, for once, Paul is quiet and on the sidelines of the disturbance.
The City Clerk is the one to quiet the crowd and he listens to their call. He is not a clerk as we think of one in the modern world. He is not a powerless bureaucrat, pushing paper. He is powerful figure, the one who leads the general assembly and reports to Rome. He is the one who will likely answer to Rome for the riot. Needless to say, he is quick to point out that Rome will not like the riot. The Romans had one response for riots: send in the troops! Easy way to end up dead. Both the trade guilds and the Clerk were likely to be dead at the end of that...
So in the end, things wrap up rather quickly. The clerk calls on them to press their charges in a way that will be acceptable to Rome and to the local society. Since many of them were just caught up in the moment and in the group, they see the light quickly. Isn't it human nature to do things as a group that we would never do as an individual...sad but true.
In one dramatic turn of events, God has called an end to Paul's three years in Ephesus. His work here was done, he had laid a good foundation and was now pretty much unwelcome in the city. That door was closed...but Paul still had more race ahead...
May God bless your reading of the Word...
D
Read Acts 19:23-41
Paul and his gang of rabble-rousers (OK, maybe it is a little loose to label them as such) have caused another great disturbance in Ephesus. Ephesus was known for it's temple and worship of Artemis (also known as Diana). Her temple in Ephesus was one of the "7 wonders" of the ancient world. This was an amazing temple, drawing many from all around.
With this massive temple, the worship of Artemis had become big business. Paul and his fellow followers of the Way had become a big problem to this business. You see, when Paul led others to Christ, they did not come back to the temple...they did not come back and buy new statues...or new offerings to Artemis. When they found the Truth, they abandoned all of that. So when Demetrius calls together his fellow artisans and business people, he points out how Paul is leading people astray...AWAY from them! And worse, he is discrediting the temple!!! And, to take it one step further, if Paul has his way, he will rob the goddess of her DIVINE MAJESTY... Wow, powerful stuff. Powerful accusation. You see this was not just a business threat but a threat to the goddess herself! "We must protect her!!!," Demetrius says.
HMMMM... Don't know about your god but my God does not need me to protect Him. I cannot do anything to rob him of His majesty!!! He's go that covered. If He can create all we see (and all that we do not see) I do not have to protect Him. Not to say that we are not to take a stand with God. But it is with Him, not for Him. It is telling that the argument is phrased the way it is. I cannot minimize or send Yahweh into obscurity, even when I mess up or bring dishonor to the name "Christian". I may hurt myself, my church, my own reputation...but not God. I cannot remove His honor and glory.
Look at the many historical religions of the world. The Greek and Roman Gods are pretty much gone as "gods." The worship of Baal? Gone. The Babylonian and Phoenician subjects of worship? Gone, too. Only one God did not have a start and end date. That is the one true God, Yahweh, the I AM. Some people seem to believe that Christianity started 2000 years ago...not true. It started in the Beginning... The God of Abraham is our God too. Don't ever forget that. Christianity is not a passing fad, doomed to be cast off into the pages of a history book. It can be traced and documented as far back as any history can go. Over 2000 years ago, Jesus was born...not a religion but a continuation of a story long foretold. The prophets spoke of it hundred's of years before. The archetypes showed lesser reflections of Him to point the way. And then He came, not a "new thing" but to continue the love story of God with His people.
Back to the story, Paul companions are grabbed to answer to this riot and these accusations. Paul would like to appear to the crowd, to calm the crowd I'm sure, but he is not allowed to do it. As a matter of fact, friends begin to send him letters begging him not to do it. They seem to know better than Paul that he tends to cause riots, not quell them! So, for once, Paul is quiet and on the sidelines of the disturbance.
The City Clerk is the one to quiet the crowd and he listens to their call. He is not a clerk as we think of one in the modern world. He is not a powerless bureaucrat, pushing paper. He is powerful figure, the one who leads the general assembly and reports to Rome. He is the one who will likely answer to Rome for the riot. Needless to say, he is quick to point out that Rome will not like the riot. The Romans had one response for riots: send in the troops! Easy way to end up dead. Both the trade guilds and the Clerk were likely to be dead at the end of that...
So in the end, things wrap up rather quickly. The clerk calls on them to press their charges in a way that will be acceptable to Rome and to the local society. Since many of them were just caught up in the moment and in the group, they see the light quickly. Isn't it human nature to do things as a group that we would never do as an individual...sad but true.
In one dramatic turn of events, God has called an end to Paul's three years in Ephesus. His work here was done, he had laid a good foundation and was now pretty much unwelcome in the city. That door was closed...but Paul still had more race ahead...
May God bless your reading of the Word...
D
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