Milo

SEPTEMBER 26

Reading 269

TO JERUSALEM Acts 21–22

“Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way” (Acts 21:4–5).Sometimes we have to choose a course we know holds danger.

Overview

Paul set out for Jerusalem despite warnings (21:1–16). He was welcomed by Jerusalem Christians (vv. 17–20), but was asked to show his personal dedication to Old Testament Law by paying expenses for men discharging a Nazarite vow (vv. 21–26). Paul was accused by Asian Jews, and almost killed in the riot (vv. 27–32). Saved by the Roman army (vv. 33–40), Paul told the crowd of his conversion (22:1–20). When Paul mentioned his commission to go to the Gentiles, they cried for his death (vv. 21–24). Paul then asserted his rights as a Roman citizen (vv. 25–30).

Understanding the Text

“They urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem” Acts 21:1–6. Luke seemed to draw a parallel between Jesus’ determination to accept the Cross, and Paul’s commitment to face danger in Jerusalem. Jesus knew what lay ahead. Paul too was shown by the Spirit what lay ahead for him. Like Christ, Paul refused to fear, but set out to do God’s will whatever the cost. Some have argued that Paul was willfully disobedient in going to Jerusalem. After all, wasn’t it “through the Spirit” that the disciples near Tyre urged Paul not to go on? It seems best to take the phrase “through the Spirit” as referring to the agency by which these believers learned Paul would be in danger. Their conclusion, “then don’t go on,” was their own. Let’s remember that danger alone is not a sufficient reason to turn back. Let’s also remember that each of us is responsible to determine God’s special will for himself or herself. Others can advise us. But we must respond to the Holy Spirit who speaks in us. “The Holy Spirit says” Acts 21:7–16. It’s only natural that after hearing this message, Paul’s Christian friends “pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem.” That’s what was wrong with their response! It was only “natural.” This was one of those times when the message was not intended to change Paul’s mind, but to provoke intensified prayer support for him. Again there’s a parallel with Christ’s last days. When Jesus spoke of His coming death, His disciples were quick to say, “Never” (cf. Matt. 16:22). When others make a difficult decision, let’s not make it harder for them by urging them to take an easier course. Let’s give them our support, promise our prayers, and say as the Caesarean Christians finally did, “The Lord’s will be done.” “Thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the Law” Acts 21:17–28. Christian Jews were not expected to abandon Judaism, any more than Gentile Christians were to abandon their culture and heritage. But Paul’s mission to the Gentiles had stimulated rumors that he was anti-Judaism. To reassure the Jewish Christian community, Paul paid the expenses of four persons who were completing a Nazarite vow. This was considered a “good deed” in Judaism, and would show that Paul was not anti-Judaism. Some have condemned Paul for his act, holding that he compromised his convictions. Hardly. Instead the act shows that Paul was far more sensitive to the meaning of freedom than his critics! As the Gentiles were free to worship God apart from Jewish rituals, so Jewish Christians were free to worship within their heritage. You and I are likely to be criticized by others if we maintain a truly Christian view of freedom. That’s all right. Just as Paul was willing to suffer in Jerusalem under the Spirit’s guidance, he was willing to be criticized. So should we be. “He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd” Acts 21:27–36. Some Asian Jews visiting Jerusalem recognized Paul, and assumed he had brought a Gentile companion into a forbidden area of the temple. Their outcry started a riot and mob attack on an innocent Paul. Some might today call the Roman Empire a tyranny. In many ways it was. But when the commander of Roman troops in Jerusalem heard the uproar, he immediately dashed into the crowd and rescued Paul. Later events showed he thought Paul was a notable revolutionary. Even so, the Roman officer was committed to the rule of law. Our government, like that of ancient Rome, surely has flaws. But the rule of law is to be preferred to the mob rule that would certainly replace it. We can be especially grateful to those who take responsibility to maintain law and order today. “Listen to my defense” Acts 22:1–20. The mob was as confused as the Romans about why Paul was being attacked. No one had stopped to get the facts. Paul’s “defense,” made in Aramaic, the everyday language of the Jews, was biographical. Paul established his identity with his listeners in a common commitment to the God of Israel, and told of his conversion. In Judaism orthopraxy (orthodox behavior; keeping the ritual law) was at least as important as orthodoxy (orthodox belief). Also first-century Jewish religious literature abounds with stories of visions, so Paul’s report must have captured his listeners’ interest. As Paul’s hosts had said, there were “many thousands of Jews” who had believed in Jesus, “and all of them zealous for the Law” (21:20). In that society mention of Jesus was not enough to set the mob against Paul. Paul was a master at identifying with those to whom he ministered. He used this gift to share Christ all over the world. Let’s be sensitive to the beliefs and prejudices of others. They may take offense at the Gospel. But let it not be because we are offensive. “I will send you far away to the Gentiles” Acts 22:21–23. Sometimes truth itself is offensive to people. Should we try to avoid offensive truths? When Paul reported his commission to go to the Gentiles, the mob again shouted for his death. The notion that God accepted Gentiles on the same basis He accepted Jews was totally repugnant to this people who had for centuries thought of themselves as God’s chosen people. It takes real wisdom to know how to share God’s truth with others. The response to Paul’s defense in Jerusalem reminds us that however wise we may be, the truth will sometimes be rejected—and we will be rejected with it. “I was born a Roman citizen” Acts 22:22–30. When the Romans were unable to tell what the riot had been about, the commander ordered that Paul be examined under torture. This involved being beaten with a flagellum, a leather whip studded with sharp pieces of metal or bone. It was illegal to put a Roman citizen to this torture. When Paul claimed citizenship, the Roman commander hurried to release him. A verbal claim of citizenship was all that was needed in the first century: the penalty for lying about citizenship was death. Paul did not hesitate to claim his legal rights as he traveled through Empire lands. We can be proud of our citizenship too and should actively assert our rights under the law to practice our faith. Today these rights are in fact being challenged on many fronts. The American Legal Society has even begun to hold seminars on how to sue churches and religious organizations. The day may come soon when many legal challenges to our constitutional rights will be mounted, and all of us will be called on to make a stand. Paul had followed God’s leading and come to Jerusalem. He had been attacked. But God acted to protect His servant. God will protect us as we follow His leading today.

DEVOTIONAL

God’s Special Will(Acts 21:1–36)

My old Christian education professor at Dallas Seminary told of the woman who, when he was a seminary student, passed on some exciting information. God had told her that Mr. Howard Hendricks was supposed to marry her daughter! This exciting revelation was shared regularly, until Howie finally said, “Let’s wait until God tells me.” God never did, and later Howie married his lovely wife of many years now, Jean. The story illustrates some of the confusion that exists about knowing God’s special will. By “special will,” I mean His will for each of us as individuals, in contrast to His general will for all believers as revealed in Scripture. Guidance for who we marry, what occupation we pursue, when and whether to move on, are illustrations of that “special” guidance we want from God, but can’t get by turning to a verse or passage in the Bible. Several things in Acts 21 help us think more clearly about God’s special will for us. And the first is that God’s will for the individual is to be discerned by the individual himself or herself. Not by others. That was true for Howie Hendricks. Momma didn’t have any right to tell him it was God’s will for him to marry her daughter. It was true for the Apostle Paul. The believers at Tyre (vv. 1–6) and at Caesarea (vv. 8–12) didn’t have any right to tell Paul it was God’s will for him not to go up to Jerusalem. And it’s true for you and me. A second helpful principle is that God’s will can’t be determined by what seems wise or expedient. When Ella’s daughter began to do visitation in inner-city Chicago, the suburban mother was terrified. She had been ready to see her daughter go to Africa as a missionary. But to Chicago? That was too dangerous! Yet during her months in Chicago God not only kept the daughter safe, but gave her an effective ministry. Finally, even a “disastrous outcome” is no sure indication of God’s will. We can’t second-guess ourselves, or others. Paul was almost killed, and was arrested in Jerusalem. But God turned this disaster to Paul’s and His own advantage. In time the apostle was brought to Rome, and there won members of “Caesar’s household” (Phil. 4:22). We Christians believe in a God who is Sovereign, and in an indwelling Holy Spirit who guides us through life. Part of our responsibility is to be sensitive to the Spirit, and to seek His leading. To live a responsible Christian life means in part accepting responsibility for our own choices, and doing God’s will as we understand it.

Personal Application

Listen to others’ advice. But be led by God.

Quotable

“The surest method of arriving at a knowledge of God’s eternal purposes about us is to be found in the right use of the present moment. God’s will does not come to us in the whole, but in fragments, and generally in small fragments. It is our business to piece it together, and to live it as one orderly vocation.”—F.W. Faber

SEPTEMBER 25

Reading 268

COMMITTED TO GOD Acts 19–20

“Now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance” (Acts 20:32).Saying good-bye is made easier by knowing that God will be with our loved ones.

Background

Ephesus.

The city of Ephesus had been a major commercial city as well as the Asian center of the religious cult of Artemis (Diana). Over the centuries area forests were denuded, and the Ephesus harbor gradually filled with silt. In Paul’s day, the economy of Ephesus depended to a great extent on the massive temple of Artemis, which was considered one of the wonders of the ancient world. Paul’s ministry was so effective that tradesmen who depended on the sale of religious medals saw their business fall off dramatically. The result was intense hostility toward Paul and his message.

Overview

In Ephesus Paul told disciples of John the Baptist about Christ (19:1–7). His two-year ministry there was supported by miracles (vv. 8–16). It yielded so many converts (vv. 17–22) it threatened the temple-based trade of the Ephesian silversmiths, who rioted (vv. 23–41). Paul revisited his Macedonian churches (20:1–6). In Troas Eutychus died and was restored to life (vv. 7–11). Paul stopped near Ephesus, and bade that church’s elders a last good-bye (vv. 12–38).

Understanding the Text

“John’s baptism” Acts 19:1–7.

Even decades after the death of Jesus there were Jews in the Roman Empire who knew of John the Baptist and accepted his message, who had not heard of Jesus. There were no mass media: information came by word of mouth. The dozen Jews that Paul met when he arrived in Ephesus had been baptized by John years before, probably when on a pilgrimage to one of the great religious feasts in Jerusalem. Their commitment was real, however, and when they heard of Jesus they believed the Gospel. This is the third “unusual” case in Acts of receiving the Holy Spirit. Here as in Samaria it was by laying on of hands. And here, as at the house of Cornelius, the Spirit’s coming was marked by speaking in tongues. Why here? Perhaps for the same reason that Paul’s ministry in Ephesus was marked by a number of “unusual” miracles. Ephesus was a center of evil supernatural activity. God through Paul was about to display true supernaturalism. Every now and then the unusual does mark our Christian experience. But we’re not to expect supernatural signs every day. If they happened every day, they would not be unusual. And soon we would be living by sight, not by faith. “The lecture hall of Tyrannus” Acts 19:8–10. Most commentators believe that Tyrannus rented his lecture hall to itinerant teachers for public lectures. Paul’s daily lectures and discussions there reached “all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia” (v. 10). Paul always found a way to reach people. We can too. As a new convert, I started a noon Bible study on my Navy base. Two civilian workers came, but none of my Navy friends. So I began putting a Bible “verse for the day” on the bulletin board by the office coffeepot. If we look around, God will always show us some way to share our faith. “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul” Acts 19:11–20. The practice of magic was common in the first century, and especially in the cult center of Ephesus. The goal of magic was to manipulate supposed supernatural powers to protect oneself, or gain an advantage over another person. It is significant that the “extraordinary” miracles of Paul were performed there rather than, say, in Athens. God often chooses to meet human beings where they are. In intellectual Athens, Paul gave a philosophical defense of the faith. In Ephesus, where the practice of magic and superstition ruled, miracles were performed. On whatever ground Satan chooses to do battle, his defeat is certain. “Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest” Acts 19:13–16. In the practice of ancient magic, knowing “names” was critical, for one who knew the name of a supernatural being was thought able to access his power. For this reason Jewish magicians were thought of highly. Jewish priests especially were reputed to know the secret name of the most powerful God of all. This reputation stemmed in part from the Jew’s reverence for the personal name of God, Yahweh, which was never spoken aloud by a pious Jew. Apparently the family of Sceva, a Jewish priest, made a good living in Ephesus by the practice of magic. When Paul came along, and began to heal and cast out demons in the name of Jesus, the family decided to go with the more powerful “name.” It didn’t work. Uttering the name of Jesus is no key to supernatural power. The key is having a personal relationship with Jesus, and being available to Him. We do not use Jesus’ name. He uses us to accomplish His purposes. “They calculated the value of the scrolls” Acts 19:17–22. In Ephesus the impact of the Jesus movement was demonstrated by burning books on magic worth 50,000 days’ labor! How do you tell if a conversion is real? One good way is to check the bottom line. People who cleanse their lives of what is evil, even when it costs them money, are likely to have a faith that’s real. “After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem” Acts 19:21–22. Paul’s great passion was to preach the Gospel where it had never been heard. With evidence that a strong church was now established in Ephesus, Paul was ready to move on. Most of us have a tendency to settle down with success and enjoy it. Paul was always looking for new challenges. I know some older Christians who share Paul’s outlook. “Retirement” for them has meant more time for ministry. One retired carpenter takes regular trips to mission fields to help with building. One grandma has more time to spend with the retarded folks she ministers to. The best way to keep young is to keep active serving God and others. “The temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited” Acts 19:23–34. The “great goddess Artemis” deserved to be discredited. This was not the Diana of Greek mythology, but a multibreasted “earth mother” goddess of the East. Her moral and spiritual qualities were reflected in the practice of magic that flourished in Ephesus. Then as now the practice of magic was a desperate attempt to control supernatural forces. We live in a world over which we have little control, and are subject to seemingly impersonal forces. The present fascination with satanism in our culture reminds us that when materialism fails to satisfy, and there is a religious vacuum, people quickly fall prey to evil. In Ephesus the coming of the Gospel so reversed this situation that not only were books on magic being burned, but a serious threat existed to worship at the temple of Artemis. The Gospel and the Gospel alone is able to discredit evil and reverse the trends now seen in our society. “They have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess” Acts 19:35–41. A city official silenced the rioters and sent them home. His review of the situation was fascinating, for it gave an insight into effective evangelism. The Christians did not speak against Artemis, but for Jesus. The Christian has a positive message to share. But it will only be communicated if all Christians become involved. A survey of 2,000 members of the United Church of Christ, from more than 200 congregations, revealed that members of that 1.6-million-member church are extremely uncomfortable when it comes to talking about their faith. Other mainline churches, concerned about a membership plunge that has continued since the 1960s, are now trying to emphasize evangelism. It’s easy to accuse liberal churches of failing to have a faith worth talking about. But this would miss the point. Every Christian, and there are many in every Christian tradition, is to witness. Perhaps it would help if we all realized as the Ephesian Christians apparently did that witness is simply a positive presentation of Jesus, not an attack on others’ beliefs. As people turn to Christ, not only magic but modern temples to false religions will automatically be discredited. “Because he intended to leave the next day, he kept on talking until midnight” Acts 20:7–11. It’s not the raising of Eutychus that fascinates me in this paragraph. It’s Paul, talking first till midnight, then taking a break and going on till daylight. I remember when I was dating in my Navy days in New York. I’d take my girlfriend out, then sit in the car in front of her home and talk for hours. Finally she’d go in and I’d drive back to my base, many times almost falling asleep on the way. Why keep talking till you’re ready to fall asleep? Love. Somehow you can’t tear yourself away, even for a brief parting. I think that’s what was happening here. Paul was leaving folks he loved. Yes, he had things he wanted to say. But what kept him talking till dawn, and what kept the people there to hear him, was love.

DEVOTIONAL

Fond Farewells (Acts 20:13–37)

The scene is touching. When Paul said good-bye to the elders of Ephesus he knew they would never again meet in this life. Luke, watching, said, “They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him” (v. 37). It was a sad, but a fond farewell. Somehow in just two brief years an unbreakable bond had been forged between Paul and these converts. Perhaps it seems strange to us, because we live in such an impersonal society. Few of us, saying farewell to friends made during a two-year stay anywhere, would be seen off with such emotion. Yet if we look closely at Paul’s farewell remarks, we can see what made these people so fond of him. And we learn how to become close to others ourselves. How? Paul let people know how he lived (v. 18). In our society we tend to keep people at arm’s length. Paul opened up his life, and invited people to see and know the real him. Thus he said, “You know” several times as he reviewed his way of life in Ephesus. Being willing to share ourselves is a key to building intimacy. Paul served the Lord with humility (v. 19). What gave Paul such integrity was that he maintained a close relationship with the Lord. An intimate walk with God gives our lives an authenticity which enables others to trust us. Paul didn’t hesitate to be helpful (vv. 20–21). This meant speaking up about Jesus as well as giving other assistance. If you and I really care about another person, we will offer any help we can in a spirit of love. And we will be loved in return. Paul was an example of Christian values (vv. 33–35). Paul chose to earn his own living rather than be supported by the gifts of those he taught. While Paul had a right to such support, he chose to live as an example of Christian values in action. These qualities combined to create a bond of deep love and affection between Paul and the Ephesians. And these same qualities can create bonds of affection between us and others today. Let’s not complain how difficult it is to make friends in our impersonal society. Let’s invite others into our lives, serve the Lord with humility, never hestitate to be helpful, and live our Christian values.

Personal Application

Be a Christian friend, and you will make friends.

Quotable

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”—Dale Carnegie

SEPTEMBER 24

Reading 267

THE UNKNOWN GOD Acts 17–18

“I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you” (Acts 17:23).We must be very wise when we begin to proclaim a God who is unknown.

Overview

Paul was driven from Thessalonica by Jewish hostility (17:1–9), but found the Jews of Berea more ready to listen (vv. 10–15). Paul preached to philosophers in Athens (vv. 16–34) before moving on to Corinth (18:1–5), where charges made by the Jews were rejected by the Roman proconsul (vv. 6–17). Paul traveled with friends through Ephesus on his way back to Antioch (vv. 18–23). In Ephesus these friends, Priscilla and Aquila, explained the Gospel to a powerful preacher named Apollos who had heard only of John the Baptist’s preaching.

Understanding the Text

“A large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women” Acts 17:1–9. Paul continued to preach the Gospel to his own people first. Even though only a few would respond, they deserved the opportunity to hear first. We mustn’t measure a person’s or group’s right to hear the Gospel by their response. Even if the response is as hostile as the Jewish reaction to the missionaries in Thessalonica, everyone has the right to hear. “The Bereans were of more noble character” Acts 17:10–12. The “nobility” of the Jews in Berea was displayed not by their willingness to hear Paul out, but by their careful daily examination of the Scripture to make sure what he said was true. It may be hard to grasp, but the “noble” Christian today listens to preachers skeptically. The minister who insists, “Trust me,” whether from the local pulpit or on the airwaves, doesn’t seem to realize that the Word of God, not his teaching, is our ultimate authority. So be noble. Listen, but then study the Bible to make sure what you hear from the pulpit is true. “He reasoned . . . in the marketplace day by day” Acts 17:16–21. Paul was forced to leave Berea when a delegation of Thessalonian Jews came there to stir up trouble. As the other members of his team still had an opportunity to minister, Paul went on to Athens alone to wait for them. The idolatry Paul saw in Athens upset him greatly. As well as minister in the synagogue on the Sabbath, he started a street ministry, talking daily with anyone who would listen. I learned about street meetings as a young Christian in New York City. A man was standing on a short stepladder, preaching in Rockefeller Center, just opposite Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. About a hundred folks were gathered around listening. I stopped for a while and then the man, hoarse from shouting, invited anyone who wanted to give a word of testimony to climb on his ladder. I certainly didn’t plan it, but suddenly I found myself standing there in my Navy uniform, preaching away. Street ministry isn’t popular or easy. Yet I later learned that one of the deacons in my local church had been converted in a street meeting. Paul showed us in Athens that it’s all right to adopt unorthodox ways to reach people who might not otherwise hear. Acts 17:18–33: While in Athens Paul addressed its philosophers on Mars Hill, shown here. His message on the nature of God and the Resurrection seemed foolish to most. But some believed, including one Dionysius who was a member of the “Council of Ares,” the local governing body. “Something unknown I am going to proclaim to you” Acts 17:18–32. Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill is a classic example of what today is called “contextualization.” He did not begin with quotes from the Jewish Scripture, or a review of Hebrew history. Rather Paul drew on pagan Greek poets to establish a point of contact, and then went on to proclaim God’s truth. Paul did not use pagan authors as authorities, and his use doesn’t suggest that what they said is necessarily true. But his quotes did set the stage for his teaching. That message directly confronted the worldview of his listeners. God is the Creator of the world and all in it. God is the Creator of all men, and all are responsible to Him. It is ignorant to think of the divine Being in terms of gold, silver, or stone idols. A day of judgment is coming, and the proof is that God has raised Jesus from the dead. It’s one thing to find a point of contact so we can tell them about a God they do not know. It is another thing entirely to abandon biblical truth so that what we say will be more “acceptable” to them. “When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered” Acts 17:32–34. If Paul had spoken only of the immortality of the soul, many more might have listened. That belief had deep roots in Greek philosophy. Instead Paul spoke of resurrection, a keystone of Christian faith and biblical revelation. Luke tells us that when this teaching was advanced some sneered—but others wanted to hear Paul again on the subject. It’s our task, as it was Paul’s, to present the truth of God without apology to those who do not know Him. Today too some will ridicule and turn away. But some will keep coming back, and some of these will believe. “A Jew named Aquila” Acts 18:1–3. This man and his wife Priscilla illustrate the mobility of people in the Roman Empire of the first century. The couple had been expelled from Rome. They settled in Corinth (v. 1), later moved to Ephesus (v. 19), and still later are found again in Rome (Rom. 16:3). They were tentmakers (leatherworkers) by trade, and very successful, for their home was large enough for church groups to meet there. This freedom to travel was a key to the spread of the Gospel in the first century, and the early Christians took full advantage of it. Today we should take advantage of every opportunity society affords to spread the Gospel where God is unknown. “Priscilla and Aquila” Acts 18:18. The first time Luke mentioned this couple, Aquila was named first. That’s appropriate. In the world of the first century, men were head of the house. But every other mention of this pair in Scripture names Priscilla first. Apparently she made the strongest impression, and very possibly was the one who took the lead in ministry. It’s likely that Paul’s relationship with women like Lydia of Philippi, the “prominent women” of Thessalonica, Damaris of Athens, and Priscilla of Corinth, helped shape the apostle’s far more liberal view of women and their place in ministry than he is often credited with. “Gallio was proconsul of Achaia” Acts 18:7–17. The response of the Corinthian Gentiles to the Gospel again aroused the hostility of unbelieving Jews. At this time Gallio, well-known in secular history, was proconsul. Gallio was the brother of Seneca, the philosopher and politician, and was an influential man in his own right. When the Jews tried to haul Paul into court on a charge of teaching an illicit religion, Gallio threw the case out. He was willing to hear civil and criminal cases, but not religious disputes. This decision by a well-known and highly respected proconsul set a precedent, and for over a decade after Christianity was given the protection of a licit faith. During that time Paul preached freely in the provinces, without fear of coming in conflict with Roman law. Again an attack by Paul’s enemies was deflected by God, and even used to make the Christian community more secure.

DEVOTIONAL

Speak Up-Wisely(Acts 18:18–28)

I always cringe a little when I hear folk speaking about “contending” for the faith. I get this picture of the grim-faced fellow who on the way out of church tells the preacher (loudly) how his sermon twisted the morning’s text. Or the young man who visited our congregation one Sunday morning, and ostentatiously walked out when Ruth Flood, who’s been a speech teacher in several Christian colleges, read Scripture from the pulpit. He was letting us know that we were ignorant of the fact that womenfolk shouldn’t get up on that platform. He was contending for the true faith. Actually, there are times when any of us need to be informed or corrected. But how a person tries to clear up another’s ignorance makes a big difference. There’s a right way and a wrong way to go about it. Priscilla and Aquila show us the right way. A fiery preacher named Apollos came into town, teaching the imminent coming of the Messiah. He had his Scriptures right. But he’d never heard about Jesus. All he knew was that John the Baptist had appeared in the homeland, and said the promised One was due to arrive. That was enough for Apollos, and he went out to preach the Good News as he knew it. It would have been easy for Priscilla or Aquila to stand up in that meeting and bring Apollos up to date. Or to correct him as they shook hands on the way out the door. Instead the couple invited him over for dinner, complimented him on his speaking, and “explained to him the way of God more accurately.” What a model for us to follow. Sure we want to clear up misunderstandings, and enlighten folks who worship a God they don’t really know. But let’s do so wisely. Not in public, where someone might be embarrassed. But in the warmth of our home, or the privacy of a friendly chat. Actually, I suspect that Apollos was too big a man, and far too sincere, to have been turned off even if Priscilla and Aquila had been as obnoxious as some of us Christians are. So perhaps Luke tells the story more as a reminder than anything else. The best way to present an unknown God is not to “contend” at all, but in a spirit of warmth and love to share our understanding of God’s great and wonderful good news.

Personal Application

Sensitivity to others’ feelings opens their ears.

Quotable

For me ’twas not the truth you taught, To you so clear, to me so dim, But when you came to me you brought A sense of Him! And from your eyes He beckons me, And from your heart His love is shed, Till I lose sight of you and see The Christ instead. -Author unknown

SEPTEMBER 23

Reading 266

ON TO EUROPE Acts 16

“During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, ’Come over to Macedonia and help us’ ” (Acts 16:9).The course of history in many a region has been changed by the coming of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Background

Mission to Europe.

Paul’s second missionary journey penetrated Europe and many major cities of the Roman Empire. Many of his New Testament letters were later directed to the European churches of Thessalonica, Rome, Corinth, and Philippi. The foundation Paul laid led to the later Christianization of the Empire, and shaped the history of the West.

Overview

Timothy (16:1–5) and Luke (v. 11) joined Paul’s missionary team and sailed for Europe (vv. 6–12). Paul’s first convert in Europe was a woman named Lydia (vv. 13–15). He was later arrested, beaten, and thrown into prison (vv. 16–24). This led to the salvation of the Philippian jailer before Paul was released and left the area (vv. 25–40). The Roman Empire in the First Century

Understanding the Text

“Timothy . . . whose mother was a Jewess and a believer” Acts 16:1–5. The few details given here tell us much about young Timothy and his city. The Jewish community must have been small and weak there, for Timothy’s mother was allowed to marry a Gentile. Its weakness or laxness—is further emphasized by the fact that Timothy had not been circumcised. Any child of a Jewish mother was considered a Jew, and a strong Jewish community would have insisted on his circumcision. These few details enhance what Paul said in a later letter to Timothy: Timothy was taught the Scriptures by his grandmother and mother “from infancy” (2 Tim. 1:5; 3:15). It really is difficult for those who have to bring up children in a home where only one spouse is a believer. But Timothy serves as a beacon of hope. Despite difficulties, the sincere faith of his believing mother was shared effectively with her son. We will have to work “from infancy” at sharing our faith. But God can and will work in the children of divided homes. “Paul . . . circumcised [Timothy] because of the Jews who lived in that area” Acts 16:3. Paul’s decision to have Timothy circumcised was not, as some have thought, a compromise with his convictions. First-century Jewish believers did not abandon their heritage when they became Christians, but continued in it. As Timothy was known in the area as a Jew, it was appropriate for him to express his faith in Christ through his Jewishness. Paul had no quarrel with this. Paul’s quarrel was with those who tried to identify their way of life as “the” Christian way, and to impose it on others. Today messianic, or “completed,” Jews often form synagogue/churches, and worship Jesus in the traditional forms of Judaism. Not the form, but the faith, counts. “The Holy Spirit. . . . the Spirit of Jesus. . . . God” Acts 16:6–10. If you are ever challenged to prove that the early church really believed Jesus is God, here’s a good passage to turn to. Luke wasn’t teaching the doctrine. But in the most natural and unconscious way Luke used these names in the same paragraph, and so expressed the early church’s trinitarian faith. “We went outside the city gate to the river” Acts 16:11–15. It took 10 adult Jewish men for a minyam, the quorum needed to establish a synagogue. In cities where this was lacking, Jewish worship took place out under the open sky, often by a river’s edge. When Paul found the local Jewish “place of prayer” he reached Europe’s first convert: a woman named Lydia. From this beginning the Lord developed one of the strongest churches in Europe, and one dearly loved by the apostle. “These men are servants of the Most High God” Acts 16:17–18. The persistent shouting of the demon-possessed slave girl drew attention away from the message of the apostles to herself. Finally Paul, in the name of Jesus Christ, commanded the demon to leave. The situation reminds me of the instant celebrity that the church sometimes creates of murderers and movie stars. After a sudden conversion, the famous individual appears on Sunday TV, to give a testimony that draws more attention to him or her than to Jesus. And all too often the convert’s “faith” dissipates as soon as the appearances cease. The credibility of a witness is as important when speaking up for Jesus as in speaking up in a court of law. Let’s give new converts time to mature before pushing them forward, no matter how famous they may be. “These men are Jews” Acts 16:19–21. When Paul cast a demon out of a slave girl who had earned money for her owners by fortune-telling, the owners were furious. Their subsequent attack on Paul reflects an anti-Semitism which was already deeply rooted in first-century society. That accusation was enough to cause an uproar, which the two missionaries were then blamed for starting! Add the charge that they were preaching a religion illegal for “us Romans” to practice, and we sense the strong racial antagonism the slave girl’s owners consciously appealed to in order to get back at Paul. Today a similar kind of hostility toward Christians is found in news stories, and in media portrayals of believers and pastors. Those who speak out of Christian conviction are often labeled pejoratively as “fundamentalists,” in an attempt to have their views rejected before they are even heard. It’s wrong to victimize anyone by an appeal to prejudice rather than to the facts. “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Acts 16:23–34 After being beaten Paul and Silas were put in prison, only to be released from their chains by an earthquake. The jailer must have been somewhat familiar with Paul’s message, probably through the persistent shouting of the slave girl before her demon was exorcised. But now his terror at finding his prison doors open, and his narrow escape from suicide, created a readiness for salvation. Let’s recognize the earthquakes God brings into our lives as His gracious gifts, intended to turn our thoughts toward Him. “You and your household” Acts 16:31. In New Testament times the “house” or “household” of a person extended beyond spouse and children. Slaves, clients, and close friends were all part of one’s household. We need to understand Paul’s promise of salvation to “you and your household” not as blanket assurance that one’s children will someday be saved, but as assurance that they, like us, can find salvation through faith in the Lord. “Let them come themselves and escort us out” Acts 16:35–40. Roman citizens were under the protection of the Empire wherever they traveled. Even in a semi-independent colony like Philippi, no Roman citizen could legally be treated as Paul and Barnabas had been. Paul was always quick to assert his rights, and not just for personal reasons. Those rights of citizenship were guarantees that he could not be stopped from preaching simply because some mob disliked what he was saying. We Christians need to affirm our rights for the same reason. In demanding our rights we maintain the freedom of all to share the Gospel of Jesus without fear.

DEVOTIONAL

Relying on the Spirit (Acts 16:1–10)

When the great missionary pioneer and founder of the China Inland Mission, Hudson Taylor, came to Canada for a speaking tour, the first person he stayed with was excited. At last he was going to meet a true giant of the faith! He was also curious. How would this Spirit-led believer go about planning his itinerary? The next afternoon he was shocked when Taylor asked for railroad timetables, and simply sat down at the kitchen table to work out his schedule. Where was the prayer and fasting the host had expected? Hudson was surprised. God had already provided Canada’s railroads and the timetables. What more was there to ask? Paul’s approach to missions was similar. He had a strategy he used to select key cities, and to minister when he reached them. Like Hudson Taylor, Paul went about ministry in a practical way. But the lives of both men show that they also remained sensitive to the Spirit’s leading, ready to change plans or direction at the Spirit’s call, and relied on the Spirit fully. We don’t need to be mystical to rely on the Holy Spirit. We can rely on Him while using what God has provided for us—from timetables to our ability to plan and develop strategy. But relying on the Spirit also means remaining totally open to God, ready to change any plan when He says, “No,” or “Go.”

Personal Application

Mind and heart must cooperate as we rely on the Spirit to lead.

Quotable

“When we rely on organization, we get what organization can do. When we rely upon education, we get what education can do. When we rely on eloquence, we get what eloquence can do. But when we rely on the Holy Spirit, we get what God can do.”—A.C. Dixon

SEPTEMBER 22

Reading 265

JERUSALEM COUNCIL Acts 15

“Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the Apostles and elders about this question” (Acts 15:2).Differences must be faced and resolved.

Overview

A doctrinal dispute over whether Gentile believers must adopt Judaism (15:1) brought representatives of the Antioch church to Jerusalem (vv. 2–5). A council of leaders determined that Old Testament Law was not binding on Gentile Christians (vv. 6–19), but asked them to be sensitive to Jewish convictions (vv. 20–21). The Antioch delegation returned with a freeing letter from the Apostles (vv. 22–35). But a personal dispute between Paul and Barnabas could not be resolved, and the two separated (vv. 36–41).

Understanding the Text

“Unless you are circumcised . . . you cannot be saved” Acts 15:1. The earliest Jewish Christians lived as Jews, committed to the the Old Testament Law. As Gentile churches were established outside Judea, a critical question arose. Did these Gentiles have to abandon their own culture and adopt Jewish customs to enjoy the salvation offered by Israel’s God? The Old Testament frequently predicted that Gentiles would be saved. But most such references linked their salvation to Israel’s resurgence under the Messiah. But now Gentiles were coming directly to God, apart from Jewish faith and practice! This many believing Jews did not understand—or appreciate! And so some Jews began to travel and teach that to really be saved, a person must convert to Judaism as well as to Christ. Today we call this ethnocentrism: the idea that one’s own customs and practices are right, and others’ are wrong. It crops up in missions as it did in Antioch so long ago. Many a church service has been set in Africa or Asia for 11 A.M., in spite of local customs, just because the missionary’s home church meets then. And many a hymn tune has been transferred from West to East, despite the fact that Eastern musical traditions are completely different from our own. You and I too need to watch out for ethnocentrism. Let’s not assume that folks who are different from us are either wrong or inferior. Faith in Christ and love for Jesus can be expressed in a variety of ways besides our own. “To go up to Jerusalem to see the Apostles and elders” Acts 15:2–5. The attempt to impose Judaism challenged the validity of Gentile conversion, and questioned the nature of the Gospel itself. Was the Good News really that God forgives the sins of anyone who believes in Jesus or not? To say, “You can be saved if you believe AND are circumcised AND keep Moses’ Law” is not the Gospel Peter preached to Cornelius, or that Paul preached on his travels. We need to be just as clear today that salvation is through our faith in Jesus Christ, with no ANDs at all. As the old hymn says, “Jesus paid it all.” The new life of love and obedience that we adopt after salvation is a consequence, not a condition of salvation. How freeing it is to realize that our salvation rests on what Jesus has done, not on what we must do. Like the early church, we need to be on guard against any teaching that would rob Christ of His preeminence, or faith of its centrality in Christian experience. “God . . . showed that He accepted them” Acts 15:6–11. It was not easy for pious Christian Jews, dedicated to their traditional customs and still worshiping at the temple, to face this issue. But Peter had a compelling argument. God showed that He accepted Gentiles as well as Jews when He purified the house of Cornelius by faith and gave them the Holy Spirit. God thus “made no distinction between us and them.” It was clear that all are saved “through the grace of God.” Keeping Jewish Law was not at issue. Let’s keep the focus on grace today too. Salvation is by grace through faith, with no other condition. To insist that others conform to purely cultural standards to be welcomed into full fellowship is wrong. The issue isn’t as abstract as it may seem. Some of us resist fellowship with folks who raise their hands when praying, while others can’t relate to those whose worship is liturgical. How irrelevant these things are! Let’s affirm each other’s freedom to differ, without a hint of criticism, knowing that the God who has accepted us in Christ also accepts our worship as an act of love. “The words of the prophets are in agreement” Acts 15:12–19. Paul and Barnabas joined Peter in arguing from evangelistic experience that God accepted Gentiles “as is,” without requiring them to adopt Judaism first (v. 12). James, the brother of Jesus, highly respected for his piety, showed that what Peter and Paul reported was in harmony with Old Testament Scripture. After all, Amos spoke of “all the Gentiles who bear My name.” Clearly Gentiles as Gentiles were expected to bear God’s name in the Messianic Age, which had now come in the person of Jesus. Evidence from Christian experience is important. But we must always check to see that our experience is in harmony with the Word of God. When experience is confirmed by Scripture, we can act confidently, as did the Jerusalem church. The council’s decision was that Gentiles are not subject to the Law God gave to Israel, nor must they live like Jews to be acceptable to God. “We should write to them, telling them to abstain” Acts 15:20–21. The three issues raised here have been much debated. Why these three? And what is their significance? If “from sexual immorality” is understood as referring to marriages between persons whose union is prohibited in the Old Testament, it seems that the Jerusalem Council asked Gentile converts to be sensitive to their Jewish brethren’s convictions. We certainly need to be sensitive to others today. Later Paul would write to the Romans and to the Corinthians, and encourage them not to misuse their freedom, but to avoid giving unnecessary offense to those whose convictions might differ from their own. As the letter the council sent to Antioch and beyond said, “You will do well to avoid [such] things” (v. 29). “They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas” Acts 15:22–29. It was customary in Judaism to send two sages with any official communication from the Sanhedrin to Jewish communities abroad. The early church adopted this wise custom, and sent two prophets along with the letter that explained the Council’s decision. The letter brought relief. The two messengers, who “said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers,” communicated love. The personal touch is vital in our own relationships with others as well. “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit” Acts 15:28. The Jerusalem Council seemed so sure that they had the mind of the Spirit. How did they know? First, they had gathered the leaders together, being careful to communicate the process to the “whole church” (vv. 4, 22). Different viewpoints were openly expressed (v. 5). They went through a process of “much discussion” (v. 7). They tried to discern God’s will by recognizing what God had taught them through His past working among them (vv. 8, 12). They compared this with Scripture (v. 15). And they reached a consensus, expressed by James (v. 19). The achievement of a consensus after working through this careful process was the Spirit’s stamp of approval. Churches would do well to adopt the same approach to problem-solving. Our goal is the same as that of the first church Council: not to make the best decision we can, but to discern what God’s will is.

DEVOTIONAL

Differences That Divide(Acts 15:36–41)

I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed it. The doctrinal differences we seem to be able to handle. It’s those interpersonal conflicts that really divide. When I was a teen we visited one of my dad’s friends, a retired man who had a cottage on a lake. On the way home Dad remarked that when his friend was a child, he’d been to a church supper and asked for a piece of a cake he’d seen earlier in the kitchen. The lady at the counter said the cake was gone. But a few minutes later, he’d seen her, sitting in the kitchen, eating a piece of that very cake. Dad’s friend never went to church again! It wasn’t doctrine that turned him off. It was a woman’s lie about a piece of cake. The early church was able to work out the doctrinal conflict between Hebrew Christians who felt strongly that Gentile believers should be circumcised and those who felt strongly they should not. But when Barnabas wanted to take John Mark, his nephew, along on another missionary venture—oh, no. Paul just wouldn’t have it. Mark had left them in the lurch on the first missionary trip (13:13), and Paul had no sympathy with quitters. Luke said that “they had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company” (15:39). Barnabas took Mark and went off one way. Paul took Silas and headed off a different direction. Doctrinal disputes they could handle. A personal conflict? No way. If I can’t have my piece of cake, I’ll quit, and go on home. So there! Actually, there is a way to deal with interpersonal conflicts. Jesus spoke of remembering that we human beings are all like sheep, sure to go astray. We have to be brought home lovingly and with rejoicing (Matt. 18). Paul himself would one day write, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Phil. 2:3–4). Interpersonal differences don’t have to divide Christians. But the separation of Paul and Barnabas reminds us how vulnerable we all are. Disputes will certainly divide. Unless we are sensitive, and humble as well.

Personal Application

It’s often more important to be loving than to be right.

Quotable

“I used to think that God’s gifts were on shelves one above the other, and that the taller we grew in Christian character the easier we could reach them. I now find that God’s gifts are on shelves one beneath the other. It is not a question of growing taller, but of stooping down, to get His best gifts.”—F.B. Meyer