“Remember Whose You Are”

 Lessons From Acts

Scripture:   Acts 4:1-4, 5-10, 11-14, 18-20

Today is Memorial Day – a day when we celebrate both personal sacrifice and family connections, and both are reasons to remember and celebrate.  So, today’s lesson from Acts is about both identity and sacrifice, and the importance that they hold in our faith. 

 We know that our names hold identity through our last names – that they tell others who our family is.  But then, so can our first and middle names – we may be named after a favorite relative, or even a cherished friend.  In my case, my first name, William, is the same as my mother’s brother who died as an infant, and my middle name, Charles, is the same as two close friends of my parents, one of whom fought in the Battle of the Bulge in World War 2.   

And even more than this, names may even hold a clue to a portion of our heritage.  In today’s western culture though, identity for many tends to be more personal and individualistic, and not as important within their ancestry.

 But whether we want it to or not, others see our identity as contained within our names – after all, our names are who they know us as.  And this is equally true in faith.  When we claim that we are Christians, we are proclaiming that our identity, our family, is established in Jesus Christ.  The word Christian identifies us a member of the family of Christ – Christ who gave His life for us, that we might have hope for eternal life.

 Today, we consider this lesson, and how it fits us into God’s great plan of eternity.

 Read Acts 4:1-4

 Interestingly, this passage opens by identifying the primary antagonists through their associations.  The priests – the keepers of Jewish faith; the captain of the temple guard – the enforcer of the faith; and the Sadducees – the holders of great influence in politics, in religion, in the economy, and throughout the nation’s life in general.  And each was greatly opposed to the teachings of Jesus, especially to those who were attempting to carry on the name, the life, and the teaching of the LORD. 

 Each, but especially the Sadducees, did not believe in Christ’s divinity and His resurrection, which is what Peter and John were sharing with the people this day.  There was some reluctance to treat these “heretics” too violently because of the popularity that many people held for them.  So an acceptable, and politically correct, response tended to be arrest and imprisonment.  And yet, the message of Jesus was spreading and many were believing and claiming Him for who He truly is.  As a matter of fact, we read that on this day, another 2,000 men (note men, and probably an additional large number of women, too), were added to the 3,000 of Pentecost.

 The “family” of God was growing by leaps and bounds, and the “family” of Israel was becoming more and more worried!

 Read Acts 4:5-10

 Chapter 3 of Acts gives us the background for this entire incident.  Peter and John had returned the gift of mobility to a crippled man at the temple – a man who had begged at the temple gate for many years, and on this day, we read that he began “walking and jumping and praising God” (Acts 3:8).  And when the crowds saw what had happened, they wanted to know more about this new and incredible power that the two apostles had.

 And the next day, when court was held for Peter and John, a similar question was asked of them - “By what power or what name did you do this?”  Of course, we are led to wonder if the question referred to the miracle that had been performed, or the teaching that was irritating the authorities so much.  And when Peter spoke in response, it was the Holy Spirit that was speaking through him.  In the family of God, support for those who are standing on the front line of faith will always be given sufficiently for what is needed.

 And Peter tells them the very thing that they didn’t want to hear – that they are the ones who must accept the responsibility for condemning Jesus to death on the cross, that it was by God’s grace that death was overturned and life was returned to Jesus, and that this is the same Godly power that healed the crippled man.  And without saying it, this is the power that was guiding Peter’s tongue that day.

 When we truly believe that our identity resides in this great power, in this loving grace, in this Eternal Family, there is nothing that will ever change the message and the gifts that we will receive, and there is nothing that should ever change our response to the world’s skepticism.  (Philippians 4:13)

 

Read Acts 4:11-14

 And Peter’s words to the Sanhedrin include the promise of Psalm 118:22-24 – that Jesus is the cornerstone, the source and reference, for Israel’s faith, and is now that same cornerstone of faith for the entire world.  Every other earthly faith expression had now been shown to be impotent and irrelevant when compared to faith in Jesus Christ.  And Peter proclaims not only the authority of Jesus, but the power of the love of God that resides in His name.  Jesus and His word is not only the cornerstone of our faith, but within it is also the power of forgiveness and salvation for all who believe.

 And did the high priest, the elders, the Sadducees, and the other members of this court, believe and accept the words that they were hearing?  Was the courage of these men, the courage that was so evident in their words and attitudes, sufficient to change their minds about Jesus?  We read that they were astonished and convinced that the two men were, indeed, disciples of Jesus, that they had seen all the evidence of Jesus living and working through these men, that they could see the man who had been healed standing with the accused.  But did it make any difference in the way they saw Jesus and His Family?

 Read Acts 4:18-20

 Apparently, the fact that a man has been healed by a power they can’t explain, after reviewing  all the evidence that they had at their disposal, after seeing the courage and confidence that is so obvious in the apostles’ words – none of it could make a bit of difference in the court’s decision.  They didn’t see this as a call on their personal lives, they didn’t see the truth of Jesus as a reason to change the intensity of their legalism, they didn’t feel the importance of encouraging the message of Jesus to continue to grow and spread throughout the world, so they simply give Peter and John an order to stop proclaiming Jesus.

 Family identity is a powerful influence in our lives.  It gives us a sense of belonging, it establishes the focus that controls our life, and it is the basis of the truth that our life depends upon.  But if something effects a change in any of these aspects, one of two possible changes must occur.  Either our family identity must change, or the family’s understand must change.  If neither change occurs, conflict will rise up within the family, and the family will be torn apart.

 The members of the court who were hearing and ruling on Peter and John’s case had decided not to make any waves, and to not make any change in their understanding of the situation.  Repentance for their past was not possible, so they decided to order the evangelists to cease their proclamations.  But Peter and John also have a family connection that they, too, aren’t willing to break – and theirs is in Jesus and the Family that bears His name.  They don’t just say “We won’t obey your decision.”  They put the question right back on the faith of the high priest and the others – “Who would you have us obey – you or the LORD?”  It would require an answer that these men weren’t prepared to give.

 This raises a question that each of us must ask ourselves each and every day as soon as we wake up – “Whose family will I belong to today?”  And a decision is required before we can ever begin the day.  Will we follow the ways of the family of earth, or will we be an integral member of God’s holy family?  Peter’s question to the Sanhedrin that day has to be the same one that every person who claims the name of Jesus as Savior has to answer every moment of their life – “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God.” 

 Jesus came and died and rose again to help us make the right answer!  So, whose will you be today?                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

“The Power of the Word” (Pentecost)

Lessons From Acts 

Scripture:   Acts 2 (selected verses)

 Today is Pentecost – the day that Christians celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit to work within the lives of all believers.  The unfaithful, though, might wonder what the big deal is!  After all, we had Jesus with us, and He was crucified.  Shouldn’t the Spirit be rejected, too? 

Of course not!  Just as there is more to Jesus than His death, there is more to the Holy Spirit than a simple presence!  The point is that God never gives up on us, which is why both Jesus came, and the Spirit came!  God didn’t give up after Eden; He didn’t leave Israel during their trek through the wilderness; He didn’t abandon them when they were taken into captivity by the Assyrians and Babylonians; He wouldn’t condemn the world when we not only refused to listen to His Son, but sent Him to Calvary to be executed; and throughout the ages, He has never given up on His plan of salvation for even the worst of humanity and will never abandon you and me to the condemnation of our sin.

The Holy Spirit can be denied, ignored, blasphemed, and berated, but He will be with us - encouraging us, nudging us, and calling us until the Day of Jesus arrives.  And His work didn’t begin on Pentecost – it just became obvious to the world on that day.

Read Acts 2:1-4

 John’s gospel has a number of passages in which He introduces the coming of the Spirit, the mission of the Spirit, and the importance of the Spirit for our lives.  And the promise was that after Jesus left the Earth, it wouldn’t be long before the Spirit arrived.  And when the Spirit comes, there will be no limitation on what He can do for us.  There would be no humanity within Him, and He would not be bound by human limitations. (John 15:26-27; John 16:12-14)

 And when the Spirit came, He came in power!  For Israel, Pentecost had always been a celebration of God’s provision and nourishment, and was one of the three mandatory holidays that required sacrifice at the temple in Jerusalem.  Temple offerings would consist of firstfruits from the wheat harvest, as well as loaves of fresh bread.  Passover had been about the harvest, but on this day, the harvest wouldn’t be grain, but rather that of souls!

 Heaven had, once again, burst upon the scene of the world, and would be inspiring humanity once again.  But it would not become a new approach – it would be a continuation of “the way and the truth and the life” that had already been established by Jesus. (John 14:6)  The entire purpose of the Spirit’s presence would be to empower believers in Jesus Christ, that they would begin to take up the Cross, and proclaim the teachings of Jesus throughout the world.  But it wouldn’t be through human inspiration and ability – fire and wind would come to symbolize the Spirit’s power to work within and through us, and not only to teach us the truth of Jesus.  And that brings divine power from the LORD to all who will speak His word.

 Read Acts 2:5-12

 The roaring of the wind wasn’t missed – not by those in the room, nor by all who were out in the street!  And why were there so many people in town?  Pentecost required that Jews return to Jerusalem, regardless of where they may be living at the time, if at all possible.  Exiles who had never returned home, Jews who had moved to greener pastures, and especially those who lived in Judea and Galilee - all had come to temple for the celebration.

But many had been away from Israel for many generations, and had adopted the language of their new nation as their own.  Interestingly, this diversity of nations made for the perfect introduction to the Holy Spirit and His power.

 All were surprised that these “Galileans” could speak in a way that they themselves normally spoke.  Only the learned people of Israel would be able to learn languages other than Hebrew or Aramaic, but here, the people were hearing prophesy in tongues – their own national languages – words that they completely understood!  Some would doubt, but most simply wondered how it all could be happening.

 Read Acts 2:17-21

 And Peter began to preach about Jesus, and he begins with a prophesy from the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28-32) and explains that Joel’s words were an introduction to the coming of God’s Spirit, and what the Spirit would be doing for all who believed.  And even more, Joel proclaimed events that would come in the last days – those signs and wonders that Jesus said would bring many to believe in Him. (John 4:46-50)

 And he reminds the people that Jesus Himself had performed many of the signs and wonders that they wanted, and yet, they still wouldn’t believe.  And if those wonders weren’t enough, God was doing even more on that particular day.  “What does it take to free you to believe?”, he was asking.  And on this day, the question went out to not only the Jews, but to “every nation under heaven”.  Salvation was no longer limited to the faithful of Israel – it was for all who believed in Jesus, and followed the way that He taught.

 But maybe that question is what the world needs to hear, and answer, today!  What does it take to free you from the ways of earth, so you can walk in confidence and hope with the Almighty God?  Is there anything that will convince you?  It would appear that the Holy Spirit knows that it desires our involvement to allow the Spirit of God to work and speak through us, WHEN we let the Spirit fill us.  Unfortunately, all too many only want just enough of the Spirit to make them look good, and not so much that others will despise them!  Peter and the others didn’t hesitate that day – they welcomed the full measure of God’s Spirit!

 Read Acts 2:36-41

 Peter’s opening words to the people is right to the point, and would cut some of them right to the heart.  “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both LORD and Messiah.”  And they hear the truth that the Messiah, who they had waited for through those many long years, was after all, Jesus.  They believed, not so much because of  Peter’s words, but because of the power and truth of the Spirit who was flowing through him.  Jesus is LORD, the ruler, of our human lives, and the Messiah who brings us, through faith, to eternal life.

 And now the crowd asks the question – “What shall we do?”  They are agreeing with the truth of Peter’s words, and they want to get right with Messiah.  And the answer that they need?  Is it too simple?  No – it is the pure and absolute truth of God – repent and reject your sinful life, and surrender that life to Jesus and His way.  Period.  This will be the one and only act on our part that can clear the way for the LORD’s forgiveness and salvation to become ours.  And the one additional gift that they had never imagined would be the gift of the Holy Spirit – the same Holy Spirit, who was working through the apostles that very day, would be the same Spirit who would work within each of them.

 Repentance means that we reject the life that we had always led, in favor of a totally new way - a new way that is based in the teaching and gift of Jesus, a new way that has no basis in the world, but a new way that leads to eternity.  And it would be by faith in Christ, and through the power and grace of the Holy Spirit, that this newness would change us for the better.

 In this one day, the church grew from 120 souls (Acts 1:15) to 3,000!  How’s that for a membership drive?  And no one can claim the victory for that day except the LORD!  But the beneficiaries of that day were each and every one of those 3,000 people who came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  By the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Prophesy, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Conviction, the Spirit of Hope - all who come to the salvation that Christ offers through His death and resurrection will be made new through the gift of Jesus Christ, and will be blessed with power through the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 On this day of Pentecost 2021, I want to invite all who have yet to give their life to Jesus, to become one more addition to the 3,000 of that first Christian Pentecost, and to the countless numbers of people who have come to Christ since then.  Life without Jesus, life without the Spirit, and life without the Father of all, is a life that is no life at all.  Let the LORD make your life whole and complete and divinely powerful today.

“Healing”

Scripture:   Mark 6:7-13

Throughout the gospels, we read of Jesus calling, first, to his disciples and then to others, that they might follow Him in faith and service.  The twelve were given special attention through one-on-one time with the LORD, when He taught them in a depth that others didn’t receive.  He provided explanations of some of His teaching and parables to prepare them for the days to come, but for the majority of the faithful, they heard His sermons, and saw His healings, and experienced His condemnation of evil and its wicked ways, but it would be simple trust and faith, and the power of the Holy Spirit, that would enable them to follow wherever they were led.

 Remember Jesus’ words to Thomas?  “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:24-29)  The disciples had extensive training in what Jesus is all about, but the rest of us fall into that other category - “believing without seeing”!  And yet, is there any significant difference in our call versus that which the Twelve received?  Quite honesty, there is very little difference, except for the details!

 Read Mark 6:7-13

 They had been given the authority for ministry in and through the name of Jesus, and that would include all that the LORD had done for this world - like sharing the truth of God, healing the sick and infirm, taking a stand against the ways of Satan, and loving creation and the created with all the grace and mercy and power of the heavenly Father.

 And before anyone thinks that this call was limited to the disciples, in Luke 10:1-17, Jesus appointed seventy-two of His followers to go out “into His harvest field”.  They were to heal the sick, proclaim the day of the LORD, to stand up against evil and the ways of wickedness, and to love others as Jesus had first loved them (John 13:34-35).  First it was twelve, then it was seventy-two, and today, the call of Jesus Christ rests on all who know Him as LORD.

 We are servants of the Father, the brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, and the ones who follow the nudging and blessings that come by the Holy Spirit.  As Luke 10 tells us, we are to go throughout the world to share the way of Jesus with all who are in need of His truth.  And the promise that Christ gave to the faithful of that day, He also gives to us - “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects Him who sent me.” (Luke 10:16)

 By faith in Jesus, by trust and acceptance of His word, we receive His anointing to carry on in the ministry that He began, and now calls us to be an integral part of all that He does.  Over and over, we read that people were healed because of the faith they placed in our LORD.  And today, by faith, we also come for His healing grace.

(Note:  Following this short message, we held a healing service for all who were in need)

“Women of Faith”

                             Lessons from Acts

Scripture:  Acts18:18-20, 24-26, Romans 16:3; Acts 16:11-15, 40; Galatians3:26-29

Today, we celebrate Mothers’ Day – the day when we give God the glory for all that He does through the women we know as Mom.  Actually, scripture is full of women who allowed the will of God to work within their lives – Deborah was a judge of Israel (Judges 4); Hannah was a woman of faith who was barren, but who the LORD blessed through the birth of her son, the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 1); Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho who took a risk to help the Israelite spies escape, and would become the great-grandmother of David (Joshua 2, Joshua 6:20-25); and Ruth, a Moabite who would become the grandmother of David (Ruth 1-4:16).  And these are just a few of the Old Testament mothers who, we discover, gained honor and prestige in the eyes of the LORD God Jehovah, simply by being faithful to the call He placed on their lives.

 And we haven’t even begun to consider the women of the New Testament!  Think about how God worked through them for a moment – Mary, the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:26-38, 46-56); Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist (Luke 1:1-25,57-80); Eunice, Timothy’s mother, and Lois, his grandmother, who Paul commended for raising Timothy to serve Christ in ministry (2 Timothy 1:3-5); Tabitha, a woman of faith, who had died, was raised from the dead through Peter, and who became a testimony that brought many people to the way of Christ (Acts 9:36-42).  Isn’t it amazing how God can work through the very people who the culture deems as unworthy?  And that was the plight of women in those days, and in many areas of our world, this attitude continues to be true today.

 So today, we consider the worth that God places on us, even when the ways of earth see us in other, less desirable ways.

 Read Acts 18:18-20, 24-26

 Paul had a real attraction to this couple, as the husband, Aquila, was a tentmaker, just as Paul was.  He was invited to live with them in their home, and he actually worked with them for a while.  Paul was a firm believer that a follower of Jesus should have a skill that would support himself wherever he went, so he wouldn’t have to depend upon the generosity of others.

 And as he came to know them better, they began to join together in ministry.  Imagine how our own faith would grow and strengthen if we were able to live with the apostle Paul for an extended period of time!  And so it would be with Priscilla and Aquila, to the extent that Paul would trust them to carry on without him.  But to what purpose?  To help the Church in Ephesus to grow in faith and understanding of all that Jesus had prepared for them during His time with the people of earth. 

 Ephesus was a seaport in what is today’s Turkey.  It was cosmopolitan in nature, Gentile in character, and the ideal place for Paul to plant a new church.  He wouldn’t be staying there at this time, but he entrusted this opportunity to Aquila and Priscilla, who would stay behind to serve the people.  They would establish the church in their home as we discover in 1 Corinthians 16:19, and would become teachers for Apollos who, in his own right, would soon begin spreading the word of Jesus Christ throughout Asia.

 Aquila and Priscilla would be highly influential in the Church, which, as far as I know, was the only husband & wife ministerial team of that day.  And as we search through scripture, and we find them both mentioned together, half the time Priscilla is mentioned first, and the rest of the time Aquila is.  The implication is that their ministry was joint and equally shared in authority - an arrangement that went against all social convention in that day.  But then, God never was bound by society, but only by what He knew to be right and proper.

 The woman was no longer the property of the man – she was now the servant of Jesus Christ, and Him alone.  It had become an entirely new day in faith.

 Read Romans 16:3

 Paul tells the church in Rome that not only are Pricilla and Aquila equal partners, but they are both working hand in hand with him.  And even more than this, the verse is part of Paul’s final greeting and commendation of a number of God’s servant ministers to the church in Rome.  And included in his list of faithful are a number of women.  Priscilla was not unique as a woman in ministry – there were many others who were mentioned, such as Phoebe, Mary, Olympas, Tryphena, Tryphosa, and others. (Romans 16:1-16)

 Even with all this evidence of God’s call on men and women alike, and His leading them into every phase of ministry, during this time of beginning for the Church of Jesus Christ, diversity seemed to be the rule in faith.  Men & women, Jews and Gentiles, young and old – it would seem that the only requirement was a deep and enduring faith, trust in God’s leading wherever it might take you, and a love of the people who were placed in your care. 

 The driving force behind the Church was, initially, based solely in call to faith, but as the formal Church developed more and more structure, rules also began to grow.  And whenever rules and laws begin to replace God’s way in faith, separation and divisiveness and legalism will also begin to thrive.  And the only way to break the cycle is through a return to faith and Godly ways.

 Read Acts 16:11-15, 40

 Here we have another servant of God who is specifically mentioned in Luke’s writing.  Interestingly, there were many people involved in leadership and service to Christ in the early Church, and the vast majority are never mentioned in scripture.  This doesn’t detract from their work of faith in any way, but when names are specifically mentioned, it implies an importance in some way, that for some reason, the writer of the epistle was either impressed or blessed by something that the person accomplished or said.  Through the years, men and women alike have faithfully followed the LORD’s lead into ministry, and their example is important for us to remember.

 In this passage, the women were gathered outside of the city gates, probably because many of the synagogues of that day still did not admit women to their services.  So if they couldn’t join the men for worship and teaching, they would find a way to do it on their own.

 Lydia was a recognized business leader in the community, and was probably a rather wealthy woman.  We read that she was a dealer in purple cloth, which, because of the cost of the dyes that were used, was a very expensive commodity.  She was already a woman of faith, and as Paul began to share the truth about Jesus with those gathered there, “the LORD opened her heart”.  We aren’t told specifically what came from that “opening”, but it is reminiscent of John Wesley’s journal account of the moment when his “heart was strangely warmed”, and we all know about the life that grew out of that warming.  And after Lydia and her entire household were baptized, Paul and his entourage were encouraged to stay at her home for as long as he was preaching in the area.

 The only other reference to Lydia was that when Paul and Silas were released from prison, they went to Lydia’s home to meet with her and other faithful people.  Presumably, she hadn’t been relaxing and wasting time since previously meeting the apostle.

 Read Galatians 3:26-29

 In the book of Zechariah, we read of the High Priest Joshua standing before “the angel of the LORD” at the Judgment.  The LORD orders that Joshua’s filthy clothes be removed, then takes the priest’s sins taken away, and finally, redresses him in fine, new clothing.  (Zechariah 3:1-6) 

In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he writes about being “clothed with Christ” after being baptized.  Combining the symbolism of both passages, we are told that when we come to Christ and give Him authority over our life, it is as though we were newly clothed in the LORD Jesus.  And the next verse proclaims that this is true for anyone and everyone who comes to Christ, not just a select and special few.

 The discussion of this passage in my Life Application Study Bible (NIV), pg. 1972, ©1986 tells us this: “The role of women was enhanced by Christianity.  Faith in Christ transcends these differences and makes all believers one in Christ.  Make sure you do not impose distinctions that Christ has removed.  Because all believers are His heirs, no one is more privileged than, or superior to, anyone else.”

 To belong to Christ, it seems, is the ultimate equalizer!  By faith, no one is greater, no one is less, and at the same time, no one is the same as anyone else.  We are each new and unique creations, loved and led in new and unique ways, in union with Christ and all believers!

 There are no longer men and women when it comes to God’s call on our lives.  As far as the LORD is concerned, we are each and all believers, and that is enough for Him.

 May it also be enough for each of us, His Church.

 

“Wait Patiently”

Scripture: Psalm 27:13-14; Romans 8:24-26; Acts 1:4-8; 1 Timothy 1:15-17;  Habakkuk 2:2-3

 Today, we begin an examination of the lessons that scripture has always presented to us, but which we may have forgotten about.  And as I thought about where we might start to find some of those lessons, in addition to directly from the teaching of Jesus, the book of Acts came to mind.

 In this book, we find many stories about how the message of Jesus began to thrive and grow in many different people and in many different ways.  Take the disciples as an example.  When we leave them at the end of the gospels, they are just beginning to discover the depth of truth that existed in all of the LORD’s parables, in His sermons, in His healings, and in all that He did and said throughout His 3 years of ministry.

 And the disciples were the least of the learners – the Pharisee Saul would come to know the incredible and total change that Jesus can bring to our life; Gentiles would no longer just be the central theme of some of Jesus’ teaching – they would become the focus of transformation, in not only what faith could be, but what it must be in Christian culture and Church; and the story of women in faith would grow and bring its own truth to light – a truth that had been overlooked for centuries, and will continue to be misunderstood for many more.

 But I think that one of the hardest lessons for many of us to learn has to do with understanding that God’s timing has far more to do with infinite grace than it does with our concept of time.  So for today, our lessons begin with considering the importance and blessings of discovering God’s way through “patient waiting”.

 Read Psalm 27:13-14

 The psalmist offers us insight into four aspects of his faith: 

The first is confidence – he trusts that all that the LORD God has promised will come to be.  Faith without trust and certainty in God’s word is no faith at all. 

The second is that by this confidence, he knows that his God is good, and will share that goodness with all who follow Him, that when we are with the LORD, we will know true life through Him.

The third is his acknowledgment that he needs to wait for God’s goodness to arrive.  Trusting that it will come, though, doesn’t mean that you already have it.  Jesus told Thomas, in essence,  that seeing has nothing to do with believing, but when one believes and trusts without seeing, when the confidence that you have is so strong that it is no less than knowing, this is the proof of faith. (John 20:24-29)

And the fourth is that as we wait in confidence, we wait in strength by taking heart – in other words, we wait without doubt, and nothing will cause us to turn away from the certainty that God will come through. 

 Nothing should ever deter us in faith, no matter how long we must wait.

 Read Romans 8:24-26

 Paul is telling the Church that hope is at the core of Christian faith, for without it, salvation becomes just another lost commodity.  But more than that, he is telling us that an impatient hope is little more than a worldly desire!  When we hope in the LORD, it fulfills the certainty of God within our life.  Through faith in Christ, hope becomes convincing; hope becomes proof; Godly hope goes beyond anything that the world can offer or even conceive.

 And the hope of Christ demands patience, because we either trust in the word of God, or we don’t.  Remember that we have never been given a day and time for anything that comes from our LORD!  So as we wait upon the arrival and fulfillment of God’s promise, we wait with the knowledge that it will bring joy and surprise and amazement and a previously unknown power that only God could provide.

 And the Spirit will help us whenever we slowly begin to doubt.  Paul’s use of the word “weakness” has nothing to do with the lack of physical strength – he is referring to the deterioration of faith.  And when we begin to slip in our trust that God’s word is absolutely firm and true, and we don’t know how to get it back, we can always call out to the Holy Spirit, and He will be our intercessory.  Imagine – when doubt begins to overwhelm us, when patience flees from our faith, God will pray to God on our behalf!

 Can it get any better than that?

 Read Acts 1:4-8

 This is the promise of Pentecost, and it, too, requires waiting in faith and trust.  Jesus is telling His faithful that the promise that He had given them is on the way, and it will involve an anointing by the Holy Spirit.  The disciples weren’t actually sure what this would mean for their lives, and they interpreted it as the time that Messiah was expected to renew the nation of Israel in power, prestige, authority, and presence.

 But in Christly fashion, He doesn’t actually answer their question, except to say that the anticipated power of God won’t be bestowed upon Israel, but instead, upon all who are faithful to His teaching.  Wouldn’t it be so much easier if the LORD would just let us know when it all was going to happen?  We could count down the days, or years, or at least know that it wasn’t going to be until long after we had left this life! 

 But if we knew the day and time, what would that do to our faith?  What would it do for our waiting?  It is guaranteed that faith would suffer, and waiting, not to mention patience, would be put off until another day!  And even though the disciples and other faithful people didn’t actually understand what Jesus was telling them, they trusted that this gift of God would bless them beyond all expectation.  And so it would.

 Read 1 Timothy 1:15-17

 As Paul writes this letter to his young friend Timothy, he is encouraging him to stay faithful, just as Christ has been faithful in all that He is for us.  He cites himself as an example of the patience that the LORD had shown to him.  Jesus had shown the love of God to, as Paul describes himself, “the worst of sinners”! And if Christ can be patient with someone like Saul, well, why not … – well, you get the point!

 And why would God want to be patient with Paul?  With us?  With anyone for that matter?  He wants the world to see what he can do for and through the likes of you and me.  Paul may have been the worst of sinners, but we aren’t far behind him, you know!  And by the example that Christ is showing to us, He is, at the same time, showing His grace and mercy, and patience, to the rest of humanity.  We are part of all that the LORD does, and we should be thankful for the time we have with Him in the here and now.

 Read Habakkuk 2:2-3

 Habakkuk was an impatient prophet.  At the opening of his book, we find him calling out to Jehovah God, asking “How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?” (Habakkuk 1:1-4)  The prophet wanted his God to deal with those who were oppressing Israel, and he wanted it to happen right then and there!  But by the beginning of chapter 2, he was beginning to understand, and now he has a powerful message for all who believe and wait for God’s time with patience. 

 First, he says that we are to “write it down”, so we never forget it, and then in plain words and truths, to share it with others.  Divine patience is not for us alone – it is to always be an example to the world.  Remember when you came to Christ, and surrendered your life to Him to use in His way?  What were your friends’ reaction to the change that had come over you?  One person told me – “You’re different today!  What happened this weekend?”  I guess that was plain enough for some!

 And Habakkuk reminds us that God has a time that is already established, and that nothing can ever interrupt, or delay, or disrupt that timing.  But it is equally certain, that this day and time will not come when we think it should.  So wait with patience, as we run the race of faith. 

 Hebrews 12:1 – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us”

 May it be so with each of us.