"Fear - Don't Let it Get You Down!"

 Scripture:   Acts18:5-17

Fear is one of those human emotions that seem to drive us into areas that take control of our actions.  We can easily lose focus on what we had intended to accomplish, we begin to react instead of respond - fear can take us in a direction that is totally outside of our nature.  But fear is also something that springs into our life with practically no warning, and catches us by surprise.  The point is that we have to be prepared for the emergence of fear every time we take those risky steps that can put us in a dangerous or awkward situation.

 And in the context of today’s message, it can even occur in those times when we are testifying to God’s presence in our life, and the listener begins to contradict and object to everything we say.

 Stress?  Probably!  So let’s ask ourselves this question – what would Paul or one of the other early disciples of Jesus Christ do in a situation like this?

 Read Acts 18:5-8

 Paul had begun to proclaim Jesus as a full-time effort.  We remember from a previous passage that he felt that an evangelist should always be prepared to support himself, (Acts 18:1-4) but with the arrival of Silas & Timothy, others were beginning to support him in his ministry.  But there would always be those who denied the word he was sharing, and opposed him in every way they could.  It would seem that the tables had turned on this former persecutor of Christians! 

 And it seems that Paul remembered what the prophet Ezekiel had to say about this turn of events.  In  Ezekiel 33:4, we read “⁴ then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head.”  The trumpet was an alarm signal that danger was approaching, and all were to be aware of its meaning.  If you heard the warning, but didn’t respond in the correct way, your demise was your own fault!

 And now he was using that same warning for the Jews of Corinth – that the coming of the Christ was the warning sign that impending danger was at their doorstep, and that “Jesus” was the only name that could save them.  But since they wouldn’t listen, he would leave them to their own designs, and would transfer his ministry to the Gentile people – they were already open to the way of Jesus, so he would put his time to good use with those who would pay attention to the “trumpet” of warning.  In Matthew 10:13-15, Jesus prepares his disciples for the mission field - that if they are welcomed, if others accept the word they are sharing, to stay with them, but if they are opposed to the word and reject it, to “shake the dust off your feet” and move on to the next place. 

 And he is telling us the same thing.  If it appears that a person might gain from our sharing Jesus with them, then stay the course.  But if they ridicule the word of Christ, don’t keep beating your head against the wall of disbelief – move on to the next opportunity in Jesus.

 Read Acts 18:9-13

 Don’t be afraid, don’t give up the course!  Good words for us all to remember!  And the LORD also tells the apostle that he will protect him from any harm that might come against him because of his witness.  Now we have to remember that this was a gift to Paul, and not a gift to all people for all time!  But if God tells us the same thing, it will be a sign of vast importance to us, indicating that we are moving in the right direction.

 Paul had moved on from the Jews to the Gentiles, and that was exactly where Jesus wanted him to be.  In Corinth, the Gentiles seemed to be more open to the gospel than the Jews were, so that is where the word was going to produce more fruit.  And the LORD will lead, and guide, and use us where the going may get rough, but He will see us through it all, too.

 And Paul remained in Corinth, under God’s protection, for an additional 18 months, proclaiming the word in spite of the Jews, and unbelieving Gentiles, and all of their threats and divisive actions.  And when the Jews finally have him arrested under false charges, the LORD would continue to be with him through it all.

 Read Acts 18:14-17

 And Paul doesn’t even have to speak on his own behalf, which any accused would be allowed to do.  The power of God is at work, in ways he might never have expected! It appears that the LORD even works through unbelievers when the situation requires it, and has done so over and over in the past. 

One such example is how He used the Persian king Cyrus, and several successive rulers of the empire, to end the Jewish exile, to free the people to return to their promised home.  And not only were they allowed to return, they would be given all of the temple treasures that had been taken after their conquest, the Persian people were commanded to give money and gold to the Jews to help them on their way, and they were ever given protection during their journey back to the Promised Land. (Ezra 1,3-6:13)

 There is no limit to the work that the LORD can accomplish!

 And God is giving Paul plenty of reasons that he should never to be afraid.  Gallio not only doesn’t convict Paul and his associates, he dismisses all charges, and tells the crowd to go away and stop bothering him!  Even when the leader of the synagogue is beaten right in front of him, he does nothing to help him.  There is no explanation as to why he would refuse to try Paul for proclaiming Jesus, while at the same time to ignore the plight of another converted Jewish leader, EXCEPT to admit that God was at work through him.

 The promise of God is always sure and true – whether in Paul’s time, or throughout the early days of the church, or in our time, or until the time of the LORD’s return for the Judgment – God is the same, and His thoughts and plans are the same, and His ways will be the same, forever!  That doesn’t mean that we will never experience difficulties, but it does mean that God will be with us through it all, and that in the faithful way we respond when it does come down, that it will bring glory to our Almighty God.

 Paul knew that as long as he was following in the footsteps of Jesus that there would never be any cause to fear the plans that men would contrive.  We read in Luke12:4-7 that the only thing we should fear is the chance that hell may be waiting for us when we die.  As we continue in Luke’s passage, the LORD goes on to tell us just how much the Father cares about us, and later, in Revelation1:18, we read that He is the one who holds the keys of hell and death, that He will be the Judge who will decide our eternal future. 

 God will give us every chance to follow Him, to listen to his will and word, and to be faithful in all things.  But the problem is that we still have to decide to follow – Remember the song “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus”?  It’s our choice to make – to never turn back to the old ways, and to follow faithfully wherever the LORD may take us, or to give control to our old ways of earth and the fear that can overcome and paralyze us.

 Paul had chosen the way of Jesus, and God never failed him.  Which way will be yours today – the way of fear, or the way of glory?

 

“Revealing Their Unknown God”

 Scripture:   Acts 17:16-32 

 Scripture tells us that our God is a jealous God - in Deuteronomy 4:23-26 we read that ²⁴the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. And later in Deuteronomy 32: 16-18, Israel, and we, are cautioned about who we worship and serve -  ¹⁷ They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God -  gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your ancestors did not fear.

 And there are god’s today that Israel didn’t even know – “gods that recently appeared”.  These would be gods such as our jobs, the nature that surrounds us, gods that human desire has conjured up.  As for those “gods your ancestors did not fear”?  Even the most ancient of gods are no longer objectionable – societal norms now see “inclusiveness” as a valid reason to be accepting of any and all faith expressions.

 Throughout the ages, people have chosen to worship any god that may suit their fancy, instead of seeking out the one true God for their lives.  And in the days of Paul’s ministry, as well in these days that we live in, this has never been any less true.

 Today, in our 12^th lesson from the Book of Acts, we discover just how pervasive these false gods can be.

 Read Acts 17:16-21

 This is Paul’s first visit to the city of Athens, which occurs during his second missionary journey.  While he waited for Silas and Timothy to catch up with him (Acts 17:14-15), he did the touristy-thing in this great city and spent a lot of time seeing the sights.  And the sights that seemed to catch his attention were all the idols and alters that existed there, with each being dedicated to some other false god.

 Athens was still a major center of philosophical thought, and many, who either lived there or were just visiting the city, loved to engage in deep debates and discussions on practically any subject.  Paul’s concern over the preponderance of false gods led him to the local synagogue where he sought the opinion that the local population of Jews may have had over this great atrocity.  We don’t read anything about what that he may have learned there, but his next stop was with the general populace at the town square – the most common place for men to gather and discuss the issues of the day. 

  And in that place, as Paul always did, no matter where he was, he proclaimed the glories of his Lord Jesus.  And being the convincing apostle of God that he was, there were some who accepted his message, as well as a few who rejected it.  The debates must have been very interesting, as the Epicureans and Stoics held very different views of what this life was all about, and with Paul adding a third view of religion, their discussions had to be one for the history books!

 So they led him to the Areopagus, which was a form of judicatory body that heard and rendered decisions on philosophical disputes.  But Paul’s message of Jesus Christ is new to the “court”, and they have questions for the evangelist. 

 

Today, this could so easily be us during encounters with those who have heard little about Jesus.  Paul saw every person as an opportunity to share the story of Jesus.  Do we see the questions that others may ask as an opening to be a witness for Jesus?  We should, if we intend to claim the name of Christ as our own!

 Read Acts 17:22-28

 As a great example to each of us, Paul doesn’t try to address every idol that he found – he focuses on one that needed to be opened up – the one that was dedicated to the Unknown One!  The individuals who are questioning him are intellectuals who are familiar with the various aspects of religion.  They may not understand the Christian faith, but they still know what validates faith – 1) the religion must advocate for a deity, 2) it must prove that the deity will be available to the community, and 3) that its presence will show the community its benevolence.

 Paul knows their hearts, and so he begins.  He begins by talking about God as Creator – that He exists throughout all creation, and instead of demanding servanthood, He Himself gives all good things to His world.   He created all people, and established them in places and homes.  He has given a great deal to humanity - not to make them dependent on Him, but that they would search Him out to live within Him.  Paul addresses every question that they would have asked, and gives them every reason to consider their place within the LORD’s created order.

 Paul knew what the people were anxious to learn, and he gave them the answers.  When we encounter the curious, or even the objectors, Paul would have us know that addressing the questions that may be hampering their search for truth is the only direction that really has a chance of bringing them to God’s truth.  But that’s the issue that we have to start with, isn’t it – knowing what their concerns are!  This is why, at least for us, that developing a personal relationship is so important before we share our Christian witness.  There’s an old saying that punctuates this very issue – “Make a friend, be a friend, bring your friend to Christ”. 

 Read Acts 17:29-32

 And now Paul gets to sharing Jesus and God’s great plan that comes to us through Him, and the first image he places in our minds and hearts is that “we are God’s offspring”!  The point is that God made us – we did not make Him!  When the false god is made by us, the god is no different, no greater than we are.  But when we are created by God, we are of His conception and desire, and that is a relationship that makes our life based in Him, not within ourselves.

 Think about Paul’s introduction to the Areopagus, the council – the true God gives life, and breath, and all good things, while man-made idols can only demand human gifts – food, money, time, etc.  They can give absolutely nothing to us!  We are either dependent on the LORD for guidance in His way, or we can resort to the ways of earth and dependency on the impotent idols that we have created.

 And one day we will be “judged” as to how well we have trusted and honored our Creator, instead of how much we have relied on our own limited understanding and abilities.  And Paul tells the distinguished group that this judgment will be by the one who God raised from the grave. 

 And as usual, some poo-pooed the very idea of this resurrection of the dead, but there are always a few who will hear, and want to hear more about Jesus, and this is why we must always be ready to answer their questions, and to inspire them to want to learn more about God, and to realize what the LORD can do for them. 

 For far too many people, Jesus is that “Unknown God” that Paul noticed, and he seized the chance to set others straight.  And we can, too!  May our good and true God show us those opportunities, and then give us the wisdom, the words, the resolve, and above all, the love to introduce them to the one who has always been Unknown to them.

 So today, go out and “make a friend, be a friend, and invite your friend into the loving arms of our one and Almighty God!”  Amen.

 

“The Law, But Whose Law?”

Scripture:   Acts15:1-21  (#11)

 In the U.S. culture of today, everything has become “relative” to individual understanding, and absolute truth has been declared a fantasy.  And even more than that, there is no longer any respect for the thoughts that others may have – the rule has become “my way is right, and your way is banned”!  What ever happened to “love your neighbor”?  What ever happened to “unity in spirit”?

This isn’t a new issue, though.  Since time immemorial, family relationships have been damaged, wars have been fought, and nations have fallen because of this same lack of respect for others!  And religious faith, including Christianity, is no exception.  Consider Methodism itself – I recently read that there are over 30 different denominations that practice some form of Wesleyan theology!  And to think that John Wesley never intended to establish even 1 new denomination – his desire was to spiritually reform and refocus existing ones!

 But on the other hand, ancient Israel was so focused on the law of Moses, that nothing else was acceptable, and they completely missed out on the coming of Messiah in Jesus!  For the religious elite, it was far more important to DO what was necessary in faith, than it was to BELIEVE in the truth of faith. 

 Today, we consider lesson #11 that comes to us from the Book of Acts – the struggle that the earliest followers of Jesus experienced between the law of Moses that had always been their way, and the Law of God that Jesus had come to explain and “fulfill” (Matthew 5:17-18).

 Read Acts 15:1-4

 We may not see this as a very important issue, but for Israel, there were two tests to prove that you were truly Jewish – 1) that your mother or grandmother were Jewish, and 2) for a male, that you had been circumcised.  The second held true for all, whether you were born into the faith, or whether you freely chose to join the faith as a proselyte (which is a non-Jew who wishes to become a Jew). 

 This law became ever more important to many as the Way of Jesus was being opened wider and wider to the Gentile world.  They felt that the traditions of Judaism should be saved, even as faith in Jesus was added to their lives.  But somehow, they had forgotten Peter’s sermon at Pentecost, when he shared the prophet Joel’s words, first that God would pour out His Spirit on all people (Acts 2:17), and second, that faith for all was based in calling upon the name of the LORD, and when they did, they would be saved (Acts 2:21).  Not a word about the things that we must do!

 Faith would no longer be determined by what people did, but by what they believed and followed.  And the act of circumcision was about to be challenged as an unnecessary and insufficient demonstration of faith.  So Paul and Barnabas, as well as some others, were chosen by the church in Antioch to speak before the Council of Jerusalem in opposition to this movement. 

 Remember who Saul the persecutor was before Paul’s conversion to Jesus?  Remember how he hated Jesus and all who were following Him?  His vendetta against the faithful was known far and wide, but now he had become the strongest proponent for the faith! 

 But would he be able to convince the Council hierarchy?

 Read Acts 15:5-11

 It would seem that Pharisees show up in the strangest places – including within the Church!  This doesn’t mean that they don’t believe in Jesus – they do!  But they can also be rather legalistic at times, and several of them were present at the Council meeting to ensure that “the law” would be upheld! It would seem that they still aren’t quite up to speed with “love your neighbor”, Christian hospitality, forgiveness, and all that these imply!

 And even Peter now has to assume the position of contributor to the conversation, and is no longer leading the Council.  But his passion and words on behalf of the gentiles is just as strong as it was at Pentecost.  And his comments strike to the core of the issue – that it was God who has sent them to the Gentiles, and not through their own choice, and that the Gentile’s salvation has to come through the same basis as their own – by faith, not works.

 This brings us back to a version of that age old question – “Which came first – the chicken or the egg”?  But to put it in the context of this discussion, the question that we should be asking is “Which must come first – faith or works?”  The Pharisees put works first, but as we consider all that Jesus taught, he would tell us that once we trust and believe in all that He has given us, the works that come from it will bring glory to the Father.  But when our works are given first place, the only glory that develops will rest on the workers, not on the LORD! (John 15:5-8)

 Peter tells us that it is always about Jesus, His word, and His truth.  And he reminds us that the burden of following that truth is upon us!  We don’t get to rework His words to make His truth easier to follow, or to make His humanity appear greater than His divinity, or to explain His call in ways that it becomes oppressive instead of blessed.  Thank you, Peter, for reminding us that it is through the grace and truth of Jesus that salvation has become available to all who come to Him by faith.

 Read Acts 15:13-18

 From the days long before Jesus ever came to teach what the Council should have known all along, the prophet Amos proclaimed the ancient and Godly truth, that Israel would fall, and be rebuilt through the inclusion of the Gentiles – those people who Israel never saw as being worthy of God’s grace.  And the disciples Peter and James remind us that it has always been the LORD’s intention to open His kingdom to all, simply by faith, and not by heritage!

 Notice that the prophecy does not say that the Gentiles will become Jewish!  It says that all who bear the name of the LORD will be welcomed in.  It isn’t that we have to become worthy before God accepts us – Romans 5:8 is the answer.  “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”  Worthiness was created for us and all people, long before anyone ever came to the LORD.

 Read Acts 15:19-21

 And James begins to agree that the law has no connection to salvation, until he trips!  He admits that they shouldn’t heap difficulties upon the Gentiles, but then, instead of requiring circumcision, he heaps other demands upon them.  Each of those three requirements comes from the law of Moses! 

 Abstinence from eating food that had been dedicated to idols was a law, but in 1 Corinthians 8:4-6, Paul writes, basically, that “an idol is nothing in all the world”, so anything dedicated to a non-god is meaningless.  There is only one God, and He is the only one we need to honor.

Avoidance of sexually immoral acts is not only a law of Moses, but is also one of God’s.  There are countless references to these acts throughout both the Old and New Testaments, and every passage condemns the act. (ex. Romans 1:24-27)

Not eating meat that came from a strangled animal was a law of Israel, but scripture makes little reference to the practice, except in this chapter of Acts.  It is certainly a cruel way to kill an animal, but we read nothing about not eating their meat.

And blood – the only definitive reference to this act is in John 6:50-60 in which Jesus is setting the stage for the significance of Holy Communion.

 But James, in trying to placate the legalists, is, none the less, establishing works as means to salvation for the Gentiles, all of which will, in later times, be shown to be insignificant in matters of faith.

 The Church must always be careful that we never establish rules of faith that are out of sync with Jesus’ teaching.  Be discerning of the way of God, but never judge others by what you believe!  You never know who is walking in God’s favor – just like the Jews did with the Gentiles! 

 May we always seek out the truth of God’s laws, to walk in His ways, to follow the example of Jesus, and to listen only to the guidance that comes from the Holy Spirit of God.  The world will object, though, and want to implement their own rules to define the means to faith and salvation.  But the LORD would have us shun the laws and ways of the earth, and to place our hope in Him and Him alone. 

 May it be so for all who claim the name of Jesus.

 

“Freedom With a Purpose”

Scripture:   Acts 12:1-24 (Selected)   (Lesson #10)

 Today we celebrate Independence Day – the day when a bunch of forward-thinking men signed a declaration of separation that would be sent to the King of England.    They had all been loyal British subjects, but the restrictive policies, the oppressive taxes, and the insult of British occupational forces had become unbearable, and the time had come to try something different.  Through many days of discussions, they finally agreed  that the only course left to them was to “shake the dust from their feet”, to set out on a course to create a new nation, founded in new ways, and dedicated to freedom and rights for all.  We continue to grow into those freedoms and rights, and while we still have a way to go, we are much further along than nearly any other nation on the face of the earth.

 Persecution is also the cross that the Christian Church has had to bear for two thousand years.  And we, too, have been promised that a New Day is coming, but until it arrives, we need to stand strong and faithful as we wait for the LORD to bring His ultimate freedom to fill our lives.

 And today, the United Methodist Church is also standing at a very similar crossroads.  Contentiousness, conflict in understanding of faith, disagreements over the directions that the Church should be moving in, as well as other and sundry struggles, are all leading us toward a separation that will, hopefully, be much more amenable than the one that began in 1776!

 Freedom is one of those things that everyone needs but very few truly understand and appreciate.  There is an old saying that “Freedom is not the right to do whatever you want, but rather it’s the opportunity to do what is right!”  But the burning question remains - “what are we to do with the freedom that has been hard won and freely given to each and every one of us?”

 Read Acts 12:1-5

 This Herod (there were others) ruled primarily over the Galilee, and brutally opposed followers of Jesus’ Way.  And when we read that “the Jews” were pleased at his vendetta against Christians, we need to remember that this term generally refers to the political and religious hierarchy of Israel.  Many at the lower end of Jewish society liked Jesus, and the message of love and compassion and freedom in faith that the apostles were bringing to the masses, was encouraging, and it brought a sense of hope to their lives.

 The persecution that was being directed at these messengers of the LORD was intended to bring a halt to the perceived campaign against the authority that the establishment had enjoyed for so many years.  And ridding the land of this upstart Church was beginning at the top, and would, over time, work its way down to anyone who claimed Jesus as Savior.

 But as we know, after so many years of attempts to silence the word of God, the truth that Jesus brought to earth has thrived and spread throughout the world.  And even though true believers continue to be badgered and berated and even attacked in body and spirit, the numbers of faithful continue to grow.  And they are learning what the Church is supposed to do and be – to pray, and to stay strong in Jesus.

 But as each of the early Christian leadership were arrested and put to death, encouragement from the elitist minority would continue in the hopes that their prestige and authority would hold firm.  The truth of God, unfortunately, would hold no importance for any of them!

 Read Acts 12:6-7; 9-10

 John’s brother James had been beheaded, and now Peter was also in prison, awaiting a quick trial and an even swifter sentence of death.  Security was high for these leaders of the Christian movement, so he was actually being chained to a couple solders, with others being stationed at the prison doors.  This was a sign that they were guarding a very special and very valuable prisoner, and their assignment would have been very specific – “tomorrow is his trial, so don’t let him get away, or else!”

 But there is no possible means or extent of security that can prohibit God from having His way!  An angel enters the prison block, awakens Peter without waking the two guards, tells him to get up and immediately his chains fall away, again without ever disturbing the two guards. 

 This reminds me of a Chris Tomlin song “Amazing Grace, My Chains are Gone.”  It’s about our imprisonment in sin, and the chains of bondage that hold us there.  But the song reminds us that no matter how strong the pull that sin has on our life, its chains can never stand against the love and grace of God that abounds over and beyond all of the power that earth can ever muster.  And this is exactly what happened the day that Peter was freed from Herod’s chains – it was God’s grace in action.

 But grace didn’t stop there!  The angel led Peter past the other two guards, without them ever seeing or even sensing their presence, and even the iron gate that secured the prison entrance surrendered to the LORD’s desire.  Peter had been freed from Herod’s grasp, but freedom always brings an obligation to ensure that it never fails to inspire others.

 Peter had been freed through one door, so that he could enter another – one that would give him the chance to share this miracle with those who had been praying for him.  And what would those who lived within these walls do?  They, too, would spread the word that no matter what the authorities tried to do, they would always fail to stop the word from spreading within and beyond their influence.

 In the long run, the world always fails, and God always wins!

 Read Acts 12:18-19; 21-24

 The next morning, the escape was discovered, and the solders tried as hard as they might to figure out what had happened while they were asleep, but nothing that they could remember, or even imagine, explained the mystery.  And Herod’s only answer to the same question was “it was the solder’s fault”, and they would pay the price for the King’s sin.

 But later, Herod would again, or maybe still, continue in his arrogance and disdain for his God.  When the crowd proclaims, for some unknown reason, that the King is far greater than any human personage, and must therefore, be a divine being, Herod never corrects the error.

 God will never allow words that contradict heavenly truths to continue for very long! And the king is completely and horrifyingly struck down.  And the word of God?  What happens to it?  We read that it “continued to spread and flourish”!

 Peter’s freedom was present even while he was in prison, and Herod’s death was already upon him every time he had denied the word and work of his Jehovah God.  Freedom doesn’t mean that we have been released to live any way that we desire.  It means that the chains of sin have been broken, and we have been released from Satan’s grasp.  But why?  What should this freedom mean for us?

 To begin with, the one thing that it doesn’t mean is that we are now obligated to God to always do just what He tells us to do, without question.  It does mean, however, that we are now free to choose to do what He calls us to do!  Free to choose the truth, not free to be controlled by some new authoritative entity!  Our God calls, not demands; our God frees, not enslaves; our God creates opportunities and truths for us, not restrictions; our God presents and teaches His truth to us, and will never deceive us, never change His way, never leave us searching in the darkness for His light; our God will never allow our sacrifice, our obedience, our choice of His way to go unnoticed or unused or unappreciated.

 Freedom in our Almighty God will always be our chance to discover just how able and ready He is to show us His mercy and grace and majesty, and it allows us to show the world just who it is that has freed us to be who God has always prepared us to be.

 May we always be worthy of the eternal plan that the LORD has set in motion for our lives, may we rejoice over the chains that have dropped away from our hearts, and may we spread the word of Freedom that comes by faith in Jesus Christ, that others might listen and accept His freedom for themselves.