Readings:
I Chronicles 26
Acts 14:8-20
Focus:
Acts 14:11: "When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted, in their native Lycaonian, 'The gods have come down to us in human form!'"
After Paul has healed a man who has been unable to walk since birth, the people of Lystra are so amazed that they believe that Paul and Barnabas are the gods Zeus and Hermes, and the priest of Zeus brings out an ox to sacrifice to them. It is only by hurried persuasion that the apostles are able to avert this.
But when some people from Antioch and Iconium arrive and start swaying the crowd against them, the people actually change their minds so far as to stone Paul, and he only escapes through the protection of the other disciples.
The crowds can be so fickle. General opinion can be changed so easily, for or against God's message. We cannot rely on popular opinion to decide what we think about God. We must instead rely solely upon what we have learned about him in the Bible, because that does not change according to the swing of the pendulum of popular thought.
Showing posts with label apostles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label apostles. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Taking Risks
Readings:
I Chronicles 25
Acts 14:1-7
Focus:
Acts 14:1-3a: "At Iconium they went together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke to such purpose that Jews and Greeks in large numbers became believers. But the unconverted Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the Christians. So Paul and Barnabas stayed on for some time, and spoke boldly and openly in reliance on the Lord."
It's amazing to me that when opposition to Paul and Barnabas arises, what do they do? I would expect that they would lie low or get away from there. But instead they stay where they are for quite a while, and continue to speak out, and do so boldly.
It is something for me to remember, that when people are opposed to the Christian message, that I can choose between backing down, not making ripples, but never telling them the life-giving message, or risking offending them and then perhaps telling them what could save their eternal lives. Paul and Barnabas took the risk.
I Chronicles 25
Acts 14:1-7
Focus:
Acts 14:1-3a: "At Iconium they went together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke to such purpose that Jews and Greeks in large numbers became believers. But the unconverted Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the Christians. So Paul and Barnabas stayed on for some time, and spoke boldly and openly in reliance on the Lord."
It's amazing to me that when opposition to Paul and Barnabas arises, what do they do? I would expect that they would lie low or get away from there. But instead they stay where they are for quite a while, and continue to speak out, and do so boldly.
It is something for me to remember, that when people are opposed to the Christian message, that I can choose between backing down, not making ripples, but never telling them the life-giving message, or risking offending them and then perhaps telling them what could save their eternal lives. Paul and Barnabas took the risk.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Suited for the Job
Readings:
I Chronicles 15
Acts 9:1-9
Focus:
Acts 9:1-2:"Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the Lord's disciples, went to the high priest and applied for letters to the synagogues at Damascus authorizing him to arrest any followers of the new way whom he found, men or women, and bring them to Jerusalem."
It's interesting to me that throughout the Bible, people's personalities remain the same. It's another detail that proves the reality of what we read. These weren't just invented characters; these were real people. Peter, for example, was always ready to throw himself whole-heartedly into things: when he saw Jesus walking on the water, that made him want to do it, too; when he understood why Jesus wanted to wash the disciples' feet, he asked Jesus to wash not just his feet but his whole body; when he was on a boat and he saw Jesus on the shore, he jumped out of the boat and plunged to shore.
Saul (Paul) also shows a consistent personality. What he believes, he believes firmly, and he is so convinced that he wants to go not only to people where he lives, but also to people in other towns, and carry his message there as well. So, before he was a Christian, he was so committed that he got permission to go hunt out the Christians there so that he could destroy this belief that he found to be wrong.
Of course, as we see, God had other plans for Saul: he had chosen him to be his apostle to the Gentiles. And this is another thing that I love about seeing Saul's personality. God picked a person with a perfect personality for the job he had in mind. Saul was a person driven to carry his message far and near. That's exactly the kind of person God wanted, because he wanted his message carried to lands far and near. God didn't pick any person and then mold him into the kind of person he needed. God picked the kind of person he needed and converted him--molded him into the kind of believer he wanted.
God does this with us, too. When he has a job for us to do, he doesn't pick out a job we'll hate. He picks out jobs for us that are things that we are already suited for. Or rather, I should say, he has jobs that need to be done, and he picks us to do them because we are the kinds of people who are suited for those jobs. Or probably even more likely, God planned us and the jobs for each other. And so we will not have to grit our teeth and take on some task that we hate for God. In order to serve God, we will find that we will end up doing something that is just up our alley, like Saul did after he became Paul.
I Chronicles 15
Acts 9:1-9
Focus:
Acts 9:1-2:"Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the Lord's disciples, went to the high priest and applied for letters to the synagogues at Damascus authorizing him to arrest any followers of the new way whom he found, men or women, and bring them to Jerusalem."
It's interesting to me that throughout the Bible, people's personalities remain the same. It's another detail that proves the reality of what we read. These weren't just invented characters; these were real people. Peter, for example, was always ready to throw himself whole-heartedly into things: when he saw Jesus walking on the water, that made him want to do it, too; when he understood why Jesus wanted to wash the disciples' feet, he asked Jesus to wash not just his feet but his whole body; when he was on a boat and he saw Jesus on the shore, he jumped out of the boat and plunged to shore.
Saul (Paul) also shows a consistent personality. What he believes, he believes firmly, and he is so convinced that he wants to go not only to people where he lives, but also to people in other towns, and carry his message there as well. So, before he was a Christian, he was so committed that he got permission to go hunt out the Christians there so that he could destroy this belief that he found to be wrong.
Of course, as we see, God had other plans for Saul: he had chosen him to be his apostle to the Gentiles. And this is another thing that I love about seeing Saul's personality. God picked a person with a perfect personality for the job he had in mind. Saul was a person driven to carry his message far and near. That's exactly the kind of person God wanted, because he wanted his message carried to lands far and near. God didn't pick any person and then mold him into the kind of person he needed. God picked the kind of person he needed and converted him--molded him into the kind of believer he wanted.
God does this with us, too. When he has a job for us to do, he doesn't pick out a job we'll hate. He picks out jobs for us that are things that we are already suited for. Or rather, I should say, he has jobs that need to be done, and he picks us to do them because we are the kinds of people who are suited for those jobs. Or probably even more likely, God planned us and the jobs for each other. And so we will not have to grit our teeth and take on some task that we hate for God. In order to serve God, we will find that we will end up doing something that is just up our alley, like Saul did after he became Paul.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
General Rejoicing
Readings:
I Chronicles 13
Acts 8:2-25
Focus:
I Chronicles 13:8:"David and all Israel danced for joy before the Lord with all their might to the sound of singing, of lyres, lutes, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets."
Acts 8:12:"But when they came to believe Philip, with his good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, men and women alike were baptized."
Sometimes it feels like not very many people care about God. But there have been other times when lots of people have joined together with enthusiasm in belief and worship. Two of those times are in these readings.
When David had become king, he decided to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem. It had been in a sort of temporary location due to some complicated history. When the Ark was being carried towards Jerusalem, there was great happiness, and David and many other people danced for joy. They were overwhelmed with happiness that the Ark, the symbol of God, was going to be in their midst.
When Philip went down from Jerusalem to a Samaritan town and preached, large numbers of the population listened attentively and became Christians. It was so impressive that more apostles came from Jerusalem to help out. All of them were happy in their new faith.
It's good to think about these times when there have been large groups of people rejoicing together in their faith in God. We have a connection with them; all believers are in the family of God together. In a sense we can rejoice with them, too.
I Chronicles 13
Acts 8:2-25
Focus:
I Chronicles 13:8:"David and all Israel danced for joy before the Lord with all their might to the sound of singing, of lyres, lutes, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets."
Acts 8:12:"But when they came to believe Philip, with his good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, men and women alike were baptized."
Sometimes it feels like not very many people care about God. But there have been other times when lots of people have joined together with enthusiasm in belief and worship. Two of those times are in these readings.
When David had become king, he decided to bring the Ark of God to Jerusalem. It had been in a sort of temporary location due to some complicated history. When the Ark was being carried towards Jerusalem, there was great happiness, and David and many other people danced for joy. They were overwhelmed with happiness that the Ark, the symbol of God, was going to be in their midst.
When Philip went down from Jerusalem to a Samaritan town and preached, large numbers of the population listened attentively and became Christians. It was so impressive that more apostles came from Jerusalem to help out. All of them were happy in their new faith.
It's good to think about these times when there have been large groups of people rejoicing together in their faith in God. We have a connection with them; all believers are in the family of God together. In a sense we can rejoice with them, too.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Sin from the Start
Readings:
I Chronicles 10
Acts 6
Focus:
Acts 6:1a:"During this period, when disciples were growing in number, a grievance arose on the part of those who spoke Greek, against those who spoke the language of the Jews."
Even though the brand new church of Jesus Christ was beginning with great grace and wonders, and even miracles, it did not take long before a grievance came up between different members of the church. They fell into ethnic camps and started making accusations of each other. The apostles had to settle this problem by setting up more of a church structure, in effect starting the order of deacons.
If I had naive expectations, I might have thought that the very first Christians would have been without flaw, showing us succeeding generations the ideal of what it ought to be like to be a Christian. But instead, from the very start, sin crept in. In this case, either people were taking sides, or else people thought that other people were taking sides. In either case, it was sin.
Sin crept in from the very start because Christians are just like any other people. They are part of the world, and the world is infected with sin. That's why Jesus had to come into the world, to save us from the consequences of that sin. The only difference between Christians and other people is that Christians have acknowledged that fact, have recognized that Jesus took the punishment instead of them, have given their lives to Jesus, and are doing their best to avoid sinning. But being human, they're not able to be perfect.
So Christians need to keep returning to God to confess their new sins and ask for forgiveness. The great thing is that we know that God will forgive us. But we can't let that knowledge make us complacent. We still need to try our best to avoid new sins. Not only is this better for us, but it is also better for everyone else. Thank God that although we are prone to err, he is merciful to forgive!
I Chronicles 10
Acts 6
Focus:
Acts 6:1a:"During this period, when disciples were growing in number, a grievance arose on the part of those who spoke Greek, against those who spoke the language of the Jews."
Even though the brand new church of Jesus Christ was beginning with great grace and wonders, and even miracles, it did not take long before a grievance came up between different members of the church. They fell into ethnic camps and started making accusations of each other. The apostles had to settle this problem by setting up more of a church structure, in effect starting the order of deacons.
If I had naive expectations, I might have thought that the very first Christians would have been without flaw, showing us succeeding generations the ideal of what it ought to be like to be a Christian. But instead, from the very start, sin crept in. In this case, either people were taking sides, or else people thought that other people were taking sides. In either case, it was sin.
Sin crept in from the very start because Christians are just like any other people. They are part of the world, and the world is infected with sin. That's why Jesus had to come into the world, to save us from the consequences of that sin. The only difference between Christians and other people is that Christians have acknowledged that fact, have recognized that Jesus took the punishment instead of them, have given their lives to Jesus, and are doing their best to avoid sinning. But being human, they're not able to be perfect.
So Christians need to keep returning to God to confess their new sins and ask for forgiveness. The great thing is that we know that God will forgive us. But we can't let that knowledge make us complacent. We still need to try our best to avoid new sins. Not only is this better for us, but it is also better for everyone else. Thank God that although we are prone to err, he is merciful to forgive!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Rejoicing for Being Found Worthy to Suffer
Readings:
I Chronicles 9
Acts 5:33-42
Focus:
Acts 5:41:"The apostles went out from the Council rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer humiliation for the sake of the name."
Peter and some of the other apostles had just been under arrest by the authorities in Jerusalem, and they had been flogged because they had been teaching in the name of Jesus. When they are let go after the floggings, how do they leave? Rejoicing. That is amazing to me. I think if I had just been flogged, I would be feeling pretty miserable, and I would just want to crawl home and have someone take care of me. I would feel quite sorry for myself that I had had to suffer because I was a Christian.
But the apostles go out rejoicing, not only that they have suffered for being Christians, but that they have been found worthy to suffer for being Christians. Suffering is something to be worthy of! Obviously their value system is different from that of most of us. And it's something I want to learn from.
Someday any one of us may have to suffer for being Christians. If it happens to me, instead of self-pity, not only do I want to feel God's love and support for me, but also, I want to rejoice for being found worthy to suffer for the sake of the name. What a wonderful thing to be able to rejoice like the apostles!
I Chronicles 9
Acts 5:33-42
Focus:
Acts 5:41:"The apostles went out from the Council rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer humiliation for the sake of the name."
Peter and some of the other apostles had just been under arrest by the authorities in Jerusalem, and they had been flogged because they had been teaching in the name of Jesus. When they are let go after the floggings, how do they leave? Rejoicing. That is amazing to me. I think if I had just been flogged, I would be feeling pretty miserable, and I would just want to crawl home and have someone take care of me. I would feel quite sorry for myself that I had had to suffer because I was a Christian.
But the apostles go out rejoicing, not only that they have suffered for being Christians, but that they have been found worthy to suffer for being Christians. Suffering is something to be worthy of! Obviously their value system is different from that of most of us. And it's something I want to learn from.
Someday any one of us may have to suffer for being Christians. If it happens to me, instead of self-pity, not only do I want to feel God's love and support for me, but also, I want to rejoice for being found worthy to suffer for the sake of the name. What a wonderful thing to be able to rejoice like the apostles!
Friday, January 15, 2010
We Must Obey God Rather than Men
Readings:
I Chronicles 8
Acts 5:11-32
Focus:
Acts 5:29:"Peter replied for the apostles: 'We must obey God rather than men.'"
Just a few days ago we read that Peter and John had been cautioned by the authorities not to teach in the name of Jesus, and they had replied that it would not be right for them to obey men rather than God. So they continued to teach about Jesus, and the community of believers grew. The power of the Holy Spirit among them was so strong that many people were healed from various sicknesses.
The reputation of the Christians and the power of the Holy Spirit became so well known that it eventually became too much for the authorities, and they had the apostles arrested again. But when the apostles were miraculously freed through God's power, they continued to teach out in the open in the temple. They did not hide in fear. So it was easy for the authorities to lay their hands on them again.
The authorities then said, basically, "What on earth is this? We told you not to teach in this man's name, but you're just doing it all the more, plus you're blaming us for killing him!" But Peter and the other apostles, although they had reason to fear, because they had just been shown that the authorities meant what they said about trying to stop them, had equally just been shown, by their miraculous freeing from prison, that God was going to be with them no matter what. So they were able to again boldly proclaim, "We must obey God rather than men."
This is the confidence that we can gain the longer we build our relationship with God, and the deeper we make it. It was something I found out when I had cancer. We know God will be with us. So we too can boldly proclaim, "We must obey God rather than people."
I Chronicles 8
Acts 5:11-32
Focus:
Acts 5:29:"Peter replied for the apostles: 'We must obey God rather than men.'"
Just a few days ago we read that Peter and John had been cautioned by the authorities not to teach in the name of Jesus, and they had replied that it would not be right for them to obey men rather than God. So they continued to teach about Jesus, and the community of believers grew. The power of the Holy Spirit among them was so strong that many people were healed from various sicknesses.
The reputation of the Christians and the power of the Holy Spirit became so well known that it eventually became too much for the authorities, and they had the apostles arrested again. But when the apostles were miraculously freed through God's power, they continued to teach out in the open in the temple. They did not hide in fear. So it was easy for the authorities to lay their hands on them again.
The authorities then said, basically, "What on earth is this? We told you not to teach in this man's name, but you're just doing it all the more, plus you're blaming us for killing him!" But Peter and the other apostles, although they had reason to fear, because they had just been shown that the authorities meant what they said about trying to stop them, had equally just been shown, by their miraculous freeing from prison, that God was going to be with them no matter what. So they were able to again boldly proclaim, "We must obey God rather than men."
This is the confidence that we can gain the longer we build our relationship with God, and the deeper we make it. It was something I found out when I had cancer. We know God will be with us. So we too can boldly proclaim, "We must obey God rather than people."
Saturday, January 9, 2010
What Are We to Do?
Readings:
I Chronicles 1
Acts 2:22:47
Focus:
Acts 2:37:"When they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Friends, what are we to do?'"
I love the way these people responded when they heard the message the apostles gave about Jesus. Their response was simply, "What are we to do?"
Often when we read the Bible we think of objections to or arguments about what we have read, or reasons why what we have read doesn't apply to us. Or we think of it as a nice story that we forget immediately after reading it.
But the best response of all to the story of Jesus--to the Bible--is to think about it and then to say to ourselves, "Now, what are we to do because of this?"
I Chronicles 1
Acts 2:22:47
Focus:
Acts 2:37:"When they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Friends, what are we to do?'"
I love the way these people responded when they heard the message the apostles gave about Jesus. Their response was simply, "What are we to do?"
Often when we read the Bible we think of objections to or arguments about what we have read, or reasons why what we have read doesn't apply to us. Or we think of it as a nice story that we forget immediately after reading it.
But the best response of all to the story of Jesus--to the Bible--is to think about it and then to say to ourselves, "Now, what are we to do because of this?"
Thursday, January 7, 2010
New Beginnings
Readings:
II Kings 24
Acts 1:12-26
Focus:
II Kings 24:12:"King Jehoiachin of Judah, along with his mother, his courtiers, his officers, and his eunuchs, surrendered to the king of Babylon. The king of Babylon, now in the eighth year of his reign, made him a prisoner."
Acts 1:26:"They drew lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was elected to be an apostle with the other eleven."
The kingdoms of Israel and Judah fell greatly into sin. Time after time, God sent prophets to them tell them to repent, and to warn them, so that they could avoid disaster. But they wouldn't listen, and eventually God showed his "tough love" for them by sending them into exile. The lines of the kings of Israel and Judah came to an end, or so it seemed.
When the religious and political leaders felt threatened by the sway that Jesus held over the people, one of his apostles, Judas Iscariot, betrayed him to them. His remorse after he did this was such that he then went out and killed himself. The group of 12 apostles, matching the number 12 of the patriarchs of Israel, had come to an end, or so it seemed.
But God is a God of new beginnings. He can always make something new and good happen when we turn to him in a desperate situation. A twelfth apostle was supplied and the work of the new church continued, despite what Judas Iscariot had done. God can renew any situation.
II Kings 24
Acts 1:12-26
Focus:
II Kings 24:12:"King Jehoiachin of Judah, along with his mother, his courtiers, his officers, and his eunuchs, surrendered to the king of Babylon. The king of Babylon, now in the eighth year of his reign, made him a prisoner."
Acts 1:26:"They drew lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was elected to be an apostle with the other eleven."
The kingdoms of Israel and Judah fell greatly into sin. Time after time, God sent prophets to them tell them to repent, and to warn them, so that they could avoid disaster. But they wouldn't listen, and eventually God showed his "tough love" for them by sending them into exile. The lines of the kings of Israel and Judah came to an end, or so it seemed.
When the religious and political leaders felt threatened by the sway that Jesus held over the people, one of his apostles, Judas Iscariot, betrayed him to them. His remorse after he did this was such that he then went out and killed himself. The group of 12 apostles, matching the number 12 of the patriarchs of Israel, had come to an end, or so it seemed.
But God is a God of new beginnings. He can always make something new and good happen when we turn to him in a desperate situation. A twelfth apostle was supplied and the work of the new church continued, despite what Judas Iscariot had done. God can renew any situation.
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