Milo

SEPTEMBER 18

Reading 261

PAUL’S CONVERSION Acts 9

“This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel” (Acts 9:15).Salvation first: service second.

Overview

Saul set off to stamp out Christianity in Damascus (9:1–2) but was converted on the way (vv. 3–19). His bold preaching of Christ aroused deadly hostility in Damascus (vv. 20–25). Back in Jerusalem, his fearless witness again endangered him, and Saul was sent home to Tarsus (vv. 26–31). Meanwhile Peter, in Joppa, raised a beloved widow from the dead (vv. 32–43).

Understanding the Text“

Breathing out murderous threats” Acts 9:1–2.

The Sanhedrin had the right to discipline any Jew living in the Empire. Letters from that body gave Saul legal authority to arrest Christian Jews in Damascus. But why was Paul so adamantly opposed to the Christians? He undoubtedly saw faith in Jesus as a corruption and perversion of the Scriptures, and very possibly saw himself as a worthy successor of such ancient heroes as Moses or Phinehas, who killed immoral Israelites at Baal of Peor (Num. 25:1–15). There is no question that zealous first-century Jews viewed hatred of the wicked as a mark of righteousness. Saul’s absolute certainty serves to alert us to a common danger. It is always possible to apply Scripture wrongly. The Word is reliable, but we human beings have a tendency to proof text our actions. And the verse or principle we refer to may not apply to our situation! God has given us His Holy Spirit to guide our application of Scripture. We must remain sensitive to His leading, or risk running enthusiastically in the wrong direction, as Saul surely did! “And heard a voice say” Acts 9:3–9. This is the first of three accounts of Saul’s conversion that are found in the Book of Acts (cf. Acts 22; 26). Why three accounts? In part because the later two are reports of how Paul told his conversion story when speaking to different audiences. But mostly because Saul’s conversion was the most significant event in his life. You and I hardly have conversion stories to match Saul’s for drama. But ours do match his for significance! The most important event in any human being’s life is coming to know Jesus Christ as personal Saviour. (See DEVOTIONAL.) “I have heard many reports about this man” Acts 9:10–19. We know little about Ananias of Damascus. What we do know is admirable. He was “a disciple” (a term which in Acts almost always is used with the sense of “a Christian”). Ananias responded immediately to God’s instructions and went to see Saul, despite Saul’s reputation. And he accepted Saul as “Brother Saul.” Sometimes despite Christ’s call to us to be witnesses, we hesitate to approach people about whom we’ve “heard reports.” Often the reports aren’t true. More often than not when I’ve gotten to know people that others criticized or gossiped about, I’ve found the reports totally wrong. But at times the reports we hear are true, as in the case of Saul. Even then, there’s an unknown factor. God may have been working in their lives, as He worked in Saul’s. We should never let what people say about another person keep us from reaching out to him or her with God’s Good News. “He got up and was baptized” Acts 9:18. Even before Paul ate—and he had fasted the three days he remained blind—he was baptized. The act was a public confession of his faith in Jesus, and of his solidarity with the Christians of Damascus. Too many Christians seem intent on keeping their allegiance to Christ a secret in the workplace. Not that believers should carry red-covered Bibles, pass out tracts, and buttonhole colleagues for a three-minute sermon every day. But in every relationship there are times when it is natural and necessary to affirm our relationship with Jesus. A Christian really has to work at being a secret believer. He or she must consciously choose not to speak of his faith many times. We need to let Paul be our example here. One of his first acts as a believer was to publicly identify himself with Christ and with other Christians. If we’re to serve God and other people effectively, we need to be publicly identified with Jesus too. “At once he began to preach” Acts 9:20–25. Paul had been a committed and zealous persecutor of the church. The same dynamic qualities were now dedicated to promoting the faith he had once tried to destroy. The text says that Saul “grew more and more powerful.” As he preached Jesus as the Son of God and the Old Testament’s promised Messiah, he grew in his understanding of Scripture and his ability to communicate. There’s an important principle here. No one can wait until he is “powerful” to begin witnessing or preaching. We grow in the doing, not in the waiting. If you want to develop in any area of your Christian life—be it in prayer, Bible study, witnessing, teaching, whatever—start. “They were all afraid of him” Acts 9:26–27. Barnabas is undoubtedly one of the most attractive figures in Scripture. In Acts 4 we saw him sensitive to the needy, and willing to sell his property to meet others’ needs. Here in Acts 9 we see him sensitive to Saul’s loneliness, and willing to risk possible betrayal to the authorities by contacting him. Some Christians care about others. And then, some Christians care about others. Members of the first group have honest emotions of concern or pity. Those in the second group are willing to do something to meet others’ needs. Barnabas belonged to this second group. What group do you and I belong to? Those who care, or those who care?“They tried to kill him” Acts 9:28–31. This is the second time in just a few verses that folks with whom Saul debated about Jesus were ready to kill him (cf. vv. 23–25). Somehow I get the impression that the fiery young Pharisee, so eager to attack error in the church, hadn’t changed a great deal! I may be wrong, but I suspect that Saul wasn’t at all worried about being diplomatic in his approach to evangelism. “Attack!” was Paul’s watchword. And holy zeal made that attack even more enthusiastic. Note that the brothers “took him” down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. At that point brother Saul was just stirring up trouble for the church, not winning converts! With Saul gone, “the church . . . enjoyed a time of peace” and “it grew in numbers” (v. 31). Much later Saul, by then Paul and a veteran of decades of ministry, wrote, “The Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will give them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 2:24–25). That kind of wisdom comes to most of us later in life. “In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha” Acts 9:32–43. The story of Dorcas is fascinating for two reasons. First, this is the only case in which a miracle worker was sent for after a person had died (vv. 37–38). Even Jesus was sent for while dying persons still breathed. Apparently the Christians at Joppa had such a firm faith that they expected God to bring Dorcas back from the dead. Second, note the reason for the church’s desire for Dorcas’ resuscitation. She “was always doing good and helping the poor” (v. 36). This is perhaps even more important. Let’s commit ourselves to being the kind of persons whose loss would be felt deeply, because we too are “always doing good.”

DEVOTIONAL

The Mark of Saul(Acts 9:1–19)

Every true Christian must bear the mark of Saul. I don’t mean that you or I have to have an exceptional conversion experience. Or even that we have to put a date and time to the moment we came to know Christ. I do mean that there are some things in the account of Saul’s conversion that really are normative for Christians. Even though the story is found in Acts. You know the story. Saul was stunned by the flash of light and the voice from heaven, which he recognized as a sign of divine revelation. But he was even more stunned to hear a voice say, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” With those words everything Saul had believed with such fierce conviction, everything he had staked his life and being on, was shown to be utterly false. Most people drift through life, with few strong religious convictions. Conversion seems a welcome or delightful thing. Some, as Saul, experience conversion as a total redirection of belief and life. Yet there are certain things that are common to every Christian conversion. For each of us, becoming a Christian means (1) acknowledging the error of old beliefs and abandoning them, (2) revising our opinion of Jesus to acknowledge Him as Saviour and Lord, (3) gradually realizing that life must take on a new direction, with service given priority. In Saul, these changes were instant and dramatic. In others the changes may take place more gradually, and certainly less dramatically. But Christian conversion must bear these marks. Many assume that they “believe” in God or in Jesus. But if the three indelible marks of conversion are lacking, that “belief” is superficial and not true Christian faith.

Personal Application

How does your life display the mark of Saul?

Quotable

“The mark of a saint is not perfection, but consecration. A saint is not a man without faults, but a man who has given himself without reserve to God.”—Brooke Foss Westcott

SEPTEMBER 17

Reading 260

BEYOND JUDEA Acts 8

“A great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the Apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria” (Acts 8:1).The church that prospers under persecution crumbles when comfortable.

Overview

Intense persecution scattered Christians through Judea and Samaria (8:1–3). Samaritans (vv. 4–7) and even a magician named Simon (vv. 9–13) were converted by Philip’s preaching. Apostles came from Jerusalem to investigate, and gave the Holy Spirit in a way that established their authority and the unity of the church (vv. 14–17). Simon was rebuked for trying to buy spiritual power (vv. 18–25). An angel directed Philip to leave the revival to lead a lone individual to Christ (vv. 26–40).

Understanding the Text

“On that day a great persecution broke out” Acts 8:1–2.

The Apostles had been told that God’s purpose was to plant the Gospel first in Jerusalem, then “in all Judea and Samaria” and then to the “ends of the earth” (1:8). For a long time, however, the church remained a Jerusalem phenomenon. The thousands of converts came from that city—and stayed there. Why leave such a loving community of believers, such outstanding leaders? We all have a tendency to “settle down” here on earth. As strange as it seems, God’s blessings can sap our spiritual vitality. It took an outburst of persecution to scatter the Jerusalem believers—and the Gospel message—across Judea and Samaria. Let’s not “settle down” too comfortably in this world. God has work for each of us to do. “Saul began to destroy the church” Acts 8:3. We know Saul better as Paul the Apostle. But that story comes later. Now Saul, with authority from the Sanhedrin, zealously went about trying to stamp out the Christian movement. After his conversion Paul had a key role in God’s great plan for evangelizing the world. But even now, before his conversion, Paul played a key role in that same plan! It was Paul’s active persecution that scattered believers—and thus spread the Gospel. God is great enough that even His most active enemies actually promote His cause. “Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there” Acts 8:4–7. Philip was one of seven “deacons” chosen to distribute food to the needy (6:1–7). Here we see him preaching and performing miracles in Samaria. Another “meals on wheels” driver had been promoted in God’s army! What’s really significant, however, is that Philip preached in Samaria. The Samaritan religion was a perverted form of Judaism, and Samaritans were viewed with hostility and contempt by the Jews. Philip, however, viewed them as human beings for whom Christ died, and preached Christ to them. How we classify people determines to a large extent how we relate to them. We Christians are not to classify others by racial or socioeconomic group, or even by such categories as drug addict, homosexual, or convict. We are to look at other believers as brothers and sisters in the Lord. And we are to look at every non-Christian as a candidate for salvation—as a person God loves, and for whom Christ died. “Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit” Acts 8:14–17. Every now and then we need to be reminded that Acts is a book of history, not of doctrine. Some of the things that are reported there are not normative. That is, they are not patterns for all Christians to follow everywhere. This is one of those incidents. God did not give the Holy Spirit to the Samaritans until two apostles came down from Jerusalem. Then the Spirit was given when and only when John and Peter laid hands on the new believers. Remembering the ancient hostility and religious rivalry between the Jews and Samaritans, we can see why this was necessary. The church of Christ is one, and the ministry of the Apostles was foundational to its teaching and unity. Only such an obvious sign of unity and authority could keep the Samaritans from developing a separate church in the critical early Christian decades as they had developed a separate form of Judaism. So don’t build your doctrine of the Holy Spirit and His coming on the experiences reported in Acts. Look for the unusual reasons for God’s unusual actions. “Simon . . . offered them money” Acts 8:9–13, 18–25. Simon was one of those folks who made a good living promoting his or her supposed supernatural powers. Like the modern stage magician, Simon knew some mighty good tricks, and had deceived “high and low” into honoring him as “the Great Power.” And then Simon got converted. But he brought some of his old attitudes into his new life. Peter’s rebuke is blunt and to the point. It is also directed to you and me. Like Simon we bring too many of our old attitudes and values with us when we become Christians. And we have to get rid of them, for they have no place in people who belong to Jesus. “On his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch” Acts 8:26–35. Usually “eunuch” indicates a male who has been castrated. It was quite common in ancient times for rulers to castrate young boys and train them for administrative duties. The theory was that with no family to consider they would be more faithful to the ruler they served. In time “eunuch” was used in some societies as a title for certain officials, whether they had been castrated or not. So we can’t be sure if this high Ethiopian official was a true eunuch or not. It’s tempting to think that he was, just because Old Testament Law forbade such persons to participate in temple worship. How exciting it must have been for the Ethiopian as Philip taught him to realize that in Christ, God would welcome even him. Everyone is welcome in Christ. Whatever one’s background, whatever he has done or not done, there is room for him or her. The Good News for every outcast is, come on in! “How can I . . . unless someone explains it to me?” Acts 8:31–40 Most people do not really comprehend what they read. That’s frustrating for those of us whose ministry is writing. But it’s exciting for everyone else. I communicate by computer. But you have the opportunity to explain to friends or neighbors or folks you meet on the plane, face-to-face, the wonderful message that led to the joyful conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch. I’ve been told (by publishers) that authors are (or were, before TV evangelists came along) the “superstars” of Christianity. Having received little adulation, I’m not at all convinced. But I am convinced that the most effective and most exciting ministry there is is the simple one-on-one explaining of the Gospel to someone who wants to understand what he’s read or heard. Why not ask God to send you to someone like the Ethiopian eunuch today?

DEVOTIONAL

Go South(Acts 8:26–40)

I’ve learned over the years that God has a habit of asking us to change directions suddenly. The night of my seminary graduation, I had the privilege of speaking for the “future pastors.” Three days later I was on a plane to interview for a position as an editor at a Christian publisher. Several years later I spoke at a church that was looking for a pastor. I was expecting a call. Two weeks later I was an assistant professor at Wheaton College Graduate School. I finally got my Ph.D. and tenure, and looked forward to a lifelong career in teaching. A few months later I moved to Phoenix, with no job, to launch a writing ministry. It seemed that every time I was set on my direction in life, God interrupted, and said, “Go another way.” That’s surely what happened to Philip. But Philip’s change of direction was even more stunning. He was right in the middle of a great revival: hundreds of people were being saved. And God said to him, “Go south to the road—the desert road.” What? Leave the city and the big tent meeting, where conversions were coming by the dozen. Go where? The desert! Philip knew better than to question. He went out by the road, and there he met an Ethiopian official that he led to Christ. Undoubtedly that official then carried the Gospel back to his distant homeland. I suppose that a Government Accounting Office official would argue that going south wasn’t cost effective. I mean, stay where you can get the most for your money. Don’t reserve all that time for just one person when it could be used to reach hundreds. But it’s kind of nice to remember that God isn’t a GAO accountant. To Him, the individual is still as important as the crowd. So the next time God says, “Go south,” to you, don’t hesitate. It may not make much sense to you. But whatever God tells us to do makes a lot of sense to Him.

Personal Application

Be sensitive to God’s change of direction.

Quotable

(Morning prayer): “Good morning, God, I love You! What are You up to today? I want to be a part of it.”—Norman Grubb

SEPTEMBER 16

Reading 259

THE FIRST MARTYR Acts 6–7

“While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, ’Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ’Lord, do not hold this sin against them’ ” (Acts 7:59–60).The good sometimes die young. But never unnoticed.

Overview

Conflict in the community was resolved by appointing seven deacons (6:1–7). One of them, Stephen, spoke so effectively that other Greek-speaking Jews attempted to have him done away with (vv. 8–15). In his defense, Stephen reviewed Israel’s history (7:1–34) to demonstrate Israel’s historic rejection of Moses and his Law (vv. 35–43) and its distortion of temple worship (vv. 44–50). Stephen charged that in the same rebellious spirit, this court betrayed and murdered Jesus, God’s Messiah (vv. 50–56). The court became a mob and stoned Stephen (vv. 57–59).

Understanding the Text

“The Grecian Jews among them complained” Acts 6:1. The Grecian Jews were most likely Jews who had come to Judea from foreign lands, but spoke only Greek and no Semitic language. Documents reflecting the first century show that such Jews, whether converts or Jewish by birth, were looked down on by natives of the Holy Land. Apparently the prejudice survived conversion. The dispute over neglect of Grecian Jewish widows may well reflect a sharper split in the Jerusalem church. Most people try to maintain groups by keeping out those who differ, not by seeking to include them. Christian sociologists have noticed that local churches that appeal to a particular strata of society tend to grow more rapidly. Folks feel comfortable with others who are like them. Thus few American congregations have extremes of wealth and poverty, of low and high degree of education, or of mixed races. Perhaps this is good from a sociological viewpoint. It isn’t from a spiritual viewpoint. God sacrificed His Son to create a church that is one body, united in and around Jesus Christ. When differences of any kind isolate us from others, we distort that truth and violate one of God’s great purposes in the Incarnation. Acts 6 shows us that the Jerusalem church faced, and overcame, the threat raised by prejudice and differences. We need to face and overcome such threats too. “The Twelve gathered all the disciples together” Acts 6:2. How fascinating. The “pastoral staff” didn’t take responsibility for distributing the food. Instead the Apostles led the congregation to solve the problem themselves! Note these principles. You can use them in church—and at home! First, there was no attempt to blame. We need to find solutions, not fault! Second, the leaders suggested a way the congregation might resolve the problem. Again, the leaders didn’t take this responsibility on themselves. The solution could be found by the people involved. Third, the leaders gave the congregation full authority. The people involved, who knew the situation best, were given freedom to correct any injustice. Each step here is important. In church, in families, and in society at large, we tend to be paternalistic. Appointed or elected leaders take on more and more responsibility, and give less and less authority to those affected by the social or personal problems. Acts 6 shows us a better way. That way may not work well in society. But it will work in the Christian church, and in the family where Christ dwells. “Choose seven men” Acts 6:3–7. Did you notice? The NIV version of this passage which some churches refer to when proof texting the role of deacons, doesn’t mention “deacon” at all? Why? Because the title deacon (Gk., diakonos) is not in the Greek text. Why then do other versions have “deacon” in these verses? Because the verb diakoneo, “wait on” or “serve,” and a similiar noun, diakonia, “distribution,” are in the Greek text. What does all this mean? Simply that the ministry of the “deacon” came into being long before the office was invented. And this is important. You and I don’t have to hold an office to serve others. We don’t have to carry a title to minister. What’s more, the function is undoubtedly more important than the office in the sight of God. So let’s not be concerned about holding office in the church. Let’s simply be concerned about serving others for Jesus’ sake. “Full of the Spirit and wisdom” Acts 6:3. You need the Holy Spirit to be a driver for “meals on wheels”? You bet. Any ministry, however menial, must be performed in the Spirit’s power if it is to be a means of grace. Some of the most meaningful ministry I ever had came when I was a young Christian, in the Navy, serving as volunteer janitor at our little Baptist church. What a joyous time those Saturday mornings were, singing as I pushed my broom and arranged chairs in the church basement. There’s no service that’s demeaning to a Christian. And there’s no ministry that we are to perform in our own strength. “Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power” Acts 6:8–15. The “meals on wheels” man, performing miraculous signs and preaching powerfully? You bet. Again, what a false distinction we make in ranking some ministries as “higher” than others. The janitor who cleans the church and the preacher who speaks to the congregation both are God’s servants. Both need to be good men, filled with God’s Spirit. Don’t be surprised if one day the janitor becomes the preacher. Serve God well in small things. Remember, He promotes from within the company. “Members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen” Acts 6:8–13. This synagogue was most likely composed of Jews like Stephen who spoke only Greek. One reason for its hostility may well have been the general feeling that Hellenistic (Grecian) Jews were not as “good” Jews as the native born. These Grecian Jews would have a powerful motive to refute Stephen, and thus show orthodoxy. When they could not defeat Stephen by argument, they arranged for false witnesses to charge him with speaking “against Moses, and against God.” That is, they said Stephen rejected the Mosaic Law, and that he showed contempt for the temple at which God was worshiped. Stephen’s defense (Acts 7) is geared to refute these two charges. Lying about someone to defend “orthodoxy” is the last resort of desperate men. And it’s done by Christians today. One recent Christian bestseller roused righteous indignation by charging well-known believers with all sorts of heresies, and “proving” the charges by quoting them—out of context. Just remember when you run across such things, or are tempted to defend the faith that way yourself, that in Acts 6 God is on the side of the victim. That kind of act puts a person right there beside those folks from the Synagogue of the Freedmen who were guilty of Stephen’s death. “Like the face of an angel” Acts 6:15. Don’t take this to mean Stephen’s face shone. In contemporary idiom, saying one’s face was like that of an angel was a compliment given very devout men. Stephen, composed and serene, reflected a calm which could only be ascribed to the Spirit’s presence and his own knowledge of his innocence. “The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham” Acts 7:1–34. It was customary in Judaism to incorporate a review of God’s work in history into any declaration of faith. Stephen followed this pattern here. How important for us, as we face any modern test, to have our faith firmly anchored in a grasp of God’s redemptive work in history. We stand in a millennia-old tradition of men and women of God, who have seen God act, and who know that He is totally trustworthy. “The same Moses whom they had rejected” Acts 7:35–43. Stephen’s review of history is more than an affirmation of his faith. It is a bold and courageous confrontation of his accusers. The history which showed God had acted for His people showed that God’s people rejected Moses, and were so disobedient to Moses’ Law that they finally were sent into Exile! Now Israel had compounded the sin by rejecting the “prophet like me [Moses]” whom God had sent! Thus Stephen showed that the men who charged him with disrespect for the Law of Moses were the real culprits, for they rejected the source of a new revelation that that law itself predicted. “What kind of house will you build for Me?” Acts 7:44–50 Disrespect for the Jerusalem temple was viewed by the Sanhedrin as disrespect for God Himself. Stephen showed that God, who fills the heavens and the earth, cannot be totally identified with any human construction. His accusers were the ones guilty of distorting God’s truth. “You stiff-necked people” Acts 7:51–58. With total boldness Stephen drove his point home. His accusers were in the line of those Israelites who persistently resisted God, not those who represented Him. When Stephen had the temerity to shout that he saw Jesus, standing at God’s right hand, the court became a mob and stoned him. Don’t look at Stephen’s boldness as a mistake. The text reminds us that Stephen was “full of the Holy Spirit” as he spoke (v. 55). The martyrdom of Stephen was no more an unavoidable mistake than was the crucifixion of Jesus. Each was an element of the plan of God for His people. It’s a mistake too for us to say about our own lives, “That didn’t turn out well, so it must not have been God’s will.” We can’t judge God’s will that way, for He has a habit of turning “bad” results into unexpected good. “The Son of man standing” Acts 7:54–60. Stephen saw Jesus “standing” by God’s right hand. Why standing? Perhaps because in Jewish courts a person giving testimony stood before the tribunal. As Stephen stood before the Sanhedrin testifying to Jesus, Christ stood before God, speaking for Stephen. In a few moments Stephen, who died with a prayer for his murderers on his lips, was in the presence of the Lord. It matters little what men say to us or do to us. What counts is what Christ says about us before the Father’s throne.

DEVOTIONAL

How to Put Down Troublemakers(Acts 6:1–7)

They could have handled it differently. I mean, when people complain, you’ve got to be firm. You tell ’em, “Listen. I’m in charge here. If you have a complaint, put it in writing. I’ll get to it as soon as I can.” And then you drop the complaint in the circular file (wastebasket, to the uninitiated) and go on about your business. I suppose that’s one way to put down troublemakers. Or ignore them. Or lose their files. Or make promises you don’t expect to keep. Or multiply forms, till it’s too much work to fill them out. The Jerusalem church, though, had a little different approach. When Grecian Jewish Christians complained that their widows weren’t getting a fair share when food was distributed, the church listened to them. Then the Apostles got the whole church together, suggested they choose seven known “to be full of the Spirit and wisdom,” and let the seven solve the problem. What’s fascinating is that every one of the seven that the church chose had a Greek name. What does that mean? Simply, that the church, instead of slapping on the label “troublemakers,” gave the people who experienced an injustice the power to correct it. In the process the Hebrew Christians made themselves vulnerable. They surrendered their rights to those who had felt, and had been, victims of their injustice. How did the Jerusalem church put down troublemakers? It didn’t. It lifted the troublemakers up, and gave them the authority they needed to solve the problem they complained about. Can this radical kind of solution work in Christianity today? Yes, if we keep three things in mind.

(1) Don’t view people with problems as troublemakers. Take their concerns seriously.

(2) Don’t be defensive, or try to fix blame for past failings. The past isn’t the issue. The problem is. And

(3), don’t be paternalistic. Don’t think that “leaders” are the only folks who can solve problems. Select wise, Spirit-filled folk who know the problem firsthand, and give them the authority they need to solve it. The Holy Spirit really is resident in the church. We exhibit trust in God when we “put down” our troublemakers, by lifting them up.

Personal Application

The tighter folks hold on to the reins of spiritual power, the less trust they exhibit in God.

Quotable

“In order to obtain and hold power a man must love it. Thus the effort to get it is not likely to be coupled with goodness, but with the opposite qualities of pride, craft, and cruelty.”—Leo Tolstoy

SEPTEMBER 15

Reading 258

REVERENTIAL AWE Acts 5

“Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events” (Acts 5:11).Fear of God” is another way of saying that we take God seriously!

Overview

A husband and wife conspired to deceive the church—and were struck dead by God (5:1–11). An eruption of miracles polarized public opinion (vv. 12–16), and led the Sadducees to arrest the Apostles (vv. 17–18). Released from prison by an angel (vv. 19–20), they preached in the temple (vv. 21–25). Arrested and tried for contempt of court, the Apostles were flogged, warned, and released (vv. 26–40). Yet they “never stopped teaching” of Jesus (vv. 41–42).

Understanding the Text

“He . . . brought the rest and put it at the Apostles’ feet” Acts 5:1–11. Peter has taken a beating by the critics over the story of Ananias and Sapphira. They’ve said he was completely brutal and unkind to cause the death of Ananias, and then Sapphira. Why, he didn’t even give them a chance to repent. Of course, the critics miss the point. Peter had nothing to do with the death of this pair. He did not act as judge. He didn’t pass judgment. He simply stated the case against the two who had conspired to lie to the church, never realizing that they were really lying to God. God passed judgment. Both Ananias and Sapphira dropped dead. And the text says, “Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.” Here, as in most places in Scripture, fear of God is not terror, but a reverential awe. The church took even more seriously the fact that God was alive, active, and present with them! Living with God—and being honest with Him!-had a priority it had not had before. I don’t know about you, but I’m not about to pass judgment on God for condemning Ananias and Sapphira to biological death. If you or I were to debate the “morality” of God’s act, we’d totally miss the point. The early church didn’t miss it. And neither did the people living in Jerusalem. God is alive! God is active. And we had better take Him seriously if we are to live happy, healthy—and long—lives! “At the Apostles’ feet” Acts 5:2. There’s so much to be mined in this story of Ananias and Sapphira (see DEVOTIONAL). But just one more thought now. Luke had just told how generous members of the early church were, and how some even sold houses and other property to feed the needy. Luke pointed out Barnabas as an example of generous giving (4:32–37). Well, Ananias and Sapphira wanted to be thought of as examples too. They wanted folks to point them out, as Luke pointed out Barnabas, and say glowing words about what good and generous Christians they were. But Ananias and Sapphira weren’t comfortable giving all, so they kept part of the cash, and made the rest a down payment on the praise of men they hoped to buy. The conspiracy reminds us how important motives are. If we give, let it be because we care about people in need, not money or the praise philanthropy so often buys. “No one else dared join them” Acts 5:12–16. The sense of God’s active presence that the judgment of Ananias and Sapphira produced was heightened by a flurry of miracles performed by the Apostles. Great crowds of country people brought their sick to Jerusalem to be healed—and they were. Note the impact of this obvious moving of God on the people who observed. (1) The believers continued to meet together on “Solomon’s Colonnade” (a long porch running the length of the temple’s outer courtyard). The exercise of God’s power drew the church closer together as a joyous, praying and witnessing people. (2) “No one else” is literally hoi laipoi, “the rest.” Here it identifies unbelievers who did not dare to “join them.” When God works, some people find it most uncomfortable, and draw back. (3) “The people” were responsive, and regarded the Christians “highly” (v. 13). Many of “the people” who remained open to the Apostles and their message, subsequently believed in the Lord and “were added to their [the Christians’] number.” In one sense there are only two groups of people in the world: those who have eternal life, and those who do not. But this second group can be further divided into those who are open and responsive, and those who are closed and antagonistic. While we want to witness to all, let’s give special attention to folks who are willing to hear. “The party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy” Acts 5:17–20. This faction in first-century Judaism controlled the higher offices of the priesthood. Its members were wealthy and aristocratic, and had profited from a close association with Herod and the Romans. The popularity of the Apostles and the miracles they performed were seen as a threat by the chief priests, who were also members of the Sanhedrin that had recently engineered the death of Jesus. It’s not surprising that they acted against the Apostles and had them arrested. I’m sometimes surprised, when Christianity comes up on talk shows, that so many people are actively hostile. In just the past couple of weeks I’ve heard Christianity bashed by a popular radio talk-show host, by a best-selling author of advice on how to live successfully, by a “scientist,” and by a pro-abortion advocate. At first I figured they just didn’t understand the Gospel and the Christian message. But on second thought, I concluded several of them do understand—and don’t like it one bit! After all, if they took a biblical view of how to discipline children, live a successful life, view Creation and an unborn child’s right to life, what they promote would have to be abandoned. Like the Sadducees of the first century, some modern pundits would rather die than admit—even to themselves—that they might be wrong. The sad thing is, they will. “Go . . . tell the people the full message of this new life” Acts 5:19–26. What a beautiful way to put it. Peter and the others were not miraculously released from jail to publicly debate doctrine. They were sent by God’s angel to tell the people about “this new life.” That’s what the Gospel of Jesus is. Not a call to join our church. Not an exhortation to subscribe to our doctrinal distinctives. It’s an invitation to receive new life from Jesus, and to live that new life to the full! Let’s keep this focus when we share with others. “They made them appear before the Sanhedrin” Acts 5:27–32. The account in Acts 4 of Peter and John’s first appearance before the Jewish high court notes that the court adjudged them “unschooled, ordinary men” (v. 13). In first-century Judaism an ordinary man called before a court for violating some religious law was warned, and the offense carefully explained. A rabbi or biblical scholar would have been punished, for the court would assume that he knew better, while an ordinary man might not. If there were a second offense, the ordinary man, having been warned, might now be punished. The Apostles had been warned not to speak in Jesus’ name. They had kept on preaching. There was no need for an inquiry. “We gave you strict orders” was all the high priest needed to say. The Apostles did not equivocate. “We must obey God rather than men.” As for the charge that the Apostles were determined “to make us guilty of this Man’s blood,” they were guilty. As Peter responded, “you had [Him] killed by hanging Him on a tree” (v. 30). It’s important for us to remember that we can sometimes do the right thing, be guilty before the law, and innocent before God. Martin Luther King, Jr., whatever his flaws, was willing to take a stand against the evil of racial prejudice and oppression. He broke man’s laws, went to prison, and I suspect that in this he was innocent before God. Many who have chosen to take a stand against the evil of abortion do, in the process, break man’s laws. But I suspect that most of them too are innocent before God. It is never a light thing to break the laws of our nation. But there are times when as the Apostles “we must obey God rather than man.” In this way we do show reverential awe of God. “If their purpose or activity is of human origin . . . it will fail” Acts 5:33–42. Rabban [our rabbi, or teacher] Gamaliel the Elder, whom Luke mentioned here, is revered in Judaism as one of the wisest and most holy of its sages. In this instance Gamaliel’s personal charisma and the respect he had earned in his own day prevented the Sanhedrin from attempting to do away with the Apostles, as they had done away with Jesus. The principle Gamaliel stated shows another way we express reverence for God and the conviction that He is actively at work in our world. Gamaliel’s advice: let history judge. Don’t take too much into your own hands, because you are not able to perceive what God may be doing. History has judged. The Christian movement not only flourished in the early decades of the first century, but matured into a faith that has sustained millions across some 2,000 years. Yet today we may need to show a similar reverence for God in dealing with others. Parents all too often are sure they know just what’s best for their mature children. But there comes a time when we have to back off, and say with Gamaliel, “If this purpose or activity is of human origin it will fail.” If we truly trust and reverence God, at the right time we will let our maturing children be responsible to Him, and not to us.

DEVOTIONAL

At Your Disposal(Acts 5:1–11)

Some have argued that the early church practiced a form of “Christian communism.” After all, doesn’t Acts 4:34–35 say there were “no needy persons among them” because folks “who owned lands or houses sold them” and the money was “distributed to everyone as he had need”? Anyone who thinks that should read on. He’d immediately be corrected by the story of Ananias and Sapphira. This pair conspired to sell property, keep some of the cash, but pretend to give all by putting money at the Apostles’ feet as others had. Their immediate deaths came not because they kept the money, but because their act was a lie: a deception to manipulate the Christian community and disguise their true motivations. What’s fascinating is that if they’d kept all the cash, invested it in a shipping venture, and turned into the Donald Trumps of their day, they’d probably have lived “happily ever after”! As Peter said, wasn’t the property theirs in the first place? Wasn’t the money at their disposal? (v. 4) That’s not communism. That’s capitalism! And what’s more, according to Peter, it’s all right! Now, before you get the wrong impression, this isn’t a devotional on the American way, or an exhortation to “invest your way to riches.” It’s simply an observation that whatever you or I have is ours. What we own, we own. When we have money, it is at our disposal. Acts 4 and 5 don’t raise the question of Christian communism at all. But these chapters do raise a question. The question is, are we at God’s disposal or not? You and I aren’t likely to suffer the fate of Ananias and Sapphira, whatever we may do. We won’t drop dead if we deal deceitfully with the church. But we can’t deceive God. And one day, we will be judged.

Personal Application

Our money may be ours. But we are God’s.

Quotable

“The genius of Christian spirituality is to integrate [the] spirit of possession with the spirit of dispossession. The spirit of dispossession implies that all the good and delightful things of this world are never allowed to own, possess, or shackle me. Dispossession implies that I am always free, my own person, liberated from the tyranny that possession can easily exercise over us.”—John Powell

SEPTEMBER 14

Reading 257

IN JESUS’ NAME

Acts 3–4 “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (Acts 3:6).We can have the utmost confidence today in the power of Jesus’ name.

Background

Name.

In our society a name is a label that identifies a person. In Hebrew culture the name indicated far more. The name expressed the essence of the person’s being. Thus to preach or heal in the name of Jesus was to release the power of Jesus in that situation. This concept of “name” lay behind magic practiced in the ancient world. People pronounced names in hopes that the power of the being would be activated. What a difference in the use of Jesus’ name by Peter, and by the church. As God, Jesus was actually present in power when Peter healed the cripple, even as Jesus is present in power with His people today. It was not magic that healed the cripple. It was the power of God, and Peter’s use of Jesus’ name was an expression of faith that Christ’s essential power could meet the cripple’s need. Today too we are to pray, speak, and live in the utter confidence that the One on whose name we rely, Jesus, is present with us too. Jesus’ power still flows, and we meet every challenge in His name.

Overview

Peter healed a cripple in Jesus’ name (3:1–10), and called the crowd that gathered to repent and believe in Jesus (vv. 11–26). Peter and John were arrested (4:1–4). Peter boldly confronted the men who had condemned Jesus, and credited the resurrected Christ with the miraculous healing (vv. 5–12). The two disciples were threatened, beaten, and released: they were not to speak in Jesus’ name again (vv. 13–22). The church joined Peter and John in prayer (vv. 23–31), and all were filled with the Spirit. Boldness in witness and a marvelous unity resulted (vv. 32–37).

Understanding the Text

“What I have I give you” Acts 3:1–7.

Our society has a “throw money at it” philosophy. For Congress and many Christians, throwing money seems to be the first and last approach to solving social and/or spiritual problems. We throw money and then, feeling our duty is done, we hurry on about our own business. Peter and John had a peculiar advantage. They had no money to throw! Instead, they gave what they had. In this case what they had was the power to heal in Jesus’ name. You or I may not have the power to heal. But we need to follow the two apostles’ example, and give what we have. Perhaps a listening ear. Perhaps a helping hand. Certainly love and concern. These, offered in Jesus’ name, have more power to lift others up than all the money in the world. “Walking and jumping, and praising God” Acts 3:8–10. When the preaching of Wesley began to stir England, the religious establishment was disturbed. Those people had too much “enthusiasm.” And “enthusiasm” seemed inappropriate to the staid churchmen of the era. But how appropriate it seemed to the cripple, who realized he was healed, to walk and jump and praise God! And how appropriate for us, who have experienced Christ’s healing touch, to be excited about our Lord. “Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him” Acts 3:11–26. Peter’s second sermon, while less polished than the first (Acts 2), emphasized the same themes. Jesus is the Christ. He died as the Scriptures predicted, and was raised again. Turn to Him for forgiveness. Every generation or so, someone comes along and claims that for this new day, we need a fresh way to express the Christian message. Usually that “new” way deemphasizes Jesus, questions His deity, doubts His death and resurrection, and ignores the need for forgiveness of sins. There is no “new” way to express the Gospel, for the Gospel of Jesus remains the same Good News it was when first preached by Peter, and believed on by thousands of Jerusalem Jews. If you want to be an effective witness, don’t worry about finding a new way to communicate. Just tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love. “It is Jesus’ name” Acts 3:11–26. A unique aspect of this sermon is Peter’s use of a variety of names for Jesus. Jesus is God’s Servant (vv. 13, 26), the Holy and Righteous One (v. 14), the Author of life (v. 15), the Christ (Messiah) (v. 18), and the foretold Prophet like Moses (v. 22). Each of these names unveils more of Jesus’ essential character, and each displays the harmony of the new revelation of Jesus with the Old Testament. God has fulfilled His ancient promises, and demonstrated this by raising Jesus from the dead. Peter pressed these claims by insisting that his listeners “repent.” The basic meaning of repent is to “change your heart and mind.” Peter’s sermon was designed to unveil the true nature of Jesus so that his listeners, who had hesitated to accept Christ’s claims while He lived among them, would change their minds about Jesus. Anyone who thinks of Jesus as anything less than God, and the Saviour of mankind, must change his or her mind about Jesus to be saved. “By what power or what name did you do this?” Acts 4:1–7 I’m constantly amazed by the gall of those who see God do some great work through others—and then set up an ecclesiastical court to decide whether or not they should have done it. Still, it happens all the time. It was arrogant of the Sanhedrin to arrest Peter and John. Oh, it was their official responsibility to supervise Jewish religious affairs. But when they asked, “By what power or what name did you do this?” they asked a foolish question. Only God had the power to heal a cripple from birth. They knew full well the miracle was from God—and that the apostles had healed in Jesus’ name. I remember in the early days of Billy Graham’s ministry, our little congregation in Brooklyn, New York decided not to support his Madison Square Garden campaign—because he had a “liberal” on the sponsoring committee and sitting on the platform with him. How arrogant of us. God was using Billy and many were being converted. But our church’s little court decided he wasn’t dotting the right theological i’s and crossing the correct doctrinal t’s. So we wouldn’t play. Let’s not deny what we see God doing through other Christians, just because they dot their i’s and cross their t’s differently than we do. It’s far more appropriate if we join those who experience His grace, and are found walking, and jumping, and praising God. “Whom you crucified but whom God raised” Acts 4:8–12. Peter pulled no punches in speaking to the Sanhedrin. They had engineered the murder of Jesus. And God in raising Christ from the dead made it clear that the One they rejected was the cornerstone of God’s plan of salvation! Blunt and fearless, Peter announced, “There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (v. 12). How gracious of God! The very men who murdered the Saviour now heard a clear and simple presentation of the Gospel. They had yet another chance to repent, and believe. Let’s be as gracious as God in our dealings with others. However bluntly or forcefully others reject Jesus, let’s give them another chance. “We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” Acts 4:13–22. Peter and John were classed by the religious elite as “unschooled, ordinary men” (v. 13). I suspect that most people in our world fit pretty well into that category. But Peter and John, ordinary though they were, had a personal relationship with Jesus that gave them the spiritual power to perform a miracle that not one of the elite could duplicate! Don’t worry about being ordinary. If you too have “been with Jesus” (v. 13), your relationship with Him lifts you far above the ordinary. Confident of your relationship with the Lord, you too like Peter and John will obey God rather than mere men, and speak boldly about what you have seen and heard. “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit” Acts 4:32–37. Acts 4 suggests two results of filling with the Spirit. They “spoke the Word of God with boldness.” And “all the believers were one in heart and mind.” The Holy Spirit is our living link with Jesus and the Father. It is through Him that Jesus’ power flows. We are to be controlled—for “filled” implies—by the Spirit, clear channels filled to the full by His own dynamic power. But how does a Spirit-filled people display that presence? Not by spectacular signs. But by boldness in sharing the Good News of Jesus, and by loving unity in the body of Christ.

DEVOTIONAL

Prayer Power(Acts 4:23–37)

It’s one thing to be told what to do, another to be shown, and yet another to try it yourself. I remember reading about how to drive. Then I carefully watched my dad drive. And then my dad let me try—in a very old 1920 Ford he picked up somewhere. The first time I tried to drive it I went too fast on a turn, bounced over a curb, and blundered up on a neighbor’s yard. I ended up nestled in some bushes just a few feet from the house wall, with my dad tightly gripping the seat beside me. I’d read all about it. I’d seen him do it. But somehow it was different when I tried. Still, I suspect if I hadn’t been carefully watching Dad for some time, I probably would have gone through the neighbor’s house instead of just her yard. That’s why I’m so attracted to this description of the early church at prayer. These Christians faced a crisis. They were in trouble, and needed help. Acts 4:23–37 doesn’t just tell us that they prayed. It shows us how they prayed. Watching them carefully, you and I can learn how we should pray when we too face a personal or corporate crisis. There are 141 words in the NIV version of this prayer. And 104 of them are in praise of God’s sovereignty. They rehearse His greatness as Maker of heaven and earth; they review Scripture’s affirmation of His power; they recall how His Sovereign power was expressed in turning the conspiracy against Jesus to His own purposes. Only then, after affirming God’s sovereignty, do they make their request. And that request is specific, and to the point. Think about it for a moment. Out of 141 words, 104 are in praise of who God is. That means that five sevenths, or 70 percent of the prayer, wasn’t concerned with their needs at all. It was concerned with God. In remembrance and in praise, these Christians not only honored the Lord, but also strengthened their faith in Him. In response to that prayer God poured out His Spirit, and gave the Jerusalem church both boldness and love. What an example for us. And what a challenge. Do I come to God hastily, a runaway Model T bouncing over someone’s yard, so desperate to make my request that I have no time to remember who God is? Or do I come like the early church, affirming my faith and confidence in One who is Sovereign over all? And then making my request, sure that because God is God, He can and will respond.

Personal Application

For prayer power, praise.

Quotable

“We have to pray with our eyes on God and not the difficulties.”—Oswald Chambers