Milo

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

SEPTEMBER 13

Reading 256

POWER

Acts 2

“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:4).The most important gift of the Spirit is not tongues, but enablement.

Overview

The Spirit suddenly and visibly came to the gathered believers on Pentecost (2:1–4). They began speaking in languages recognized by visitors to the great feast (vv. 5–13). Peter preached history’s first evangelistic sermon to the crowd that gathered (vv. 14–39). Some 3,000 believed (vv. 40–41), and began to meet in house churches (vv. 42–47).

Understanding the Text

“The Day of Pentecost” Acts 2:1.

Pentecost was a major religious festival. It was held just 50 days after Passover. On Pentecost the Jews celebrated God’s goodness by offering firstfruits of the grain harvest to the Lord. In the first century it was also thought of as the anniversary of Moses’ giving of the Law to Israel. Each association is significant. Christ had died for sinners: on this Pentecost the first results of that harvest of souls was seen as the Spirit bundled the believers together, to form the living church. It also ushered in a new era. The Law had come by Moses, but grace and truth by Jesus Christ (John 1:17). Pentecost marked the full initiation of the age of grace, in which you and I now live. “A sound like the blowing of a violent wind” Acts 2:2–4. While some Christians tend to focus on only one, there were in fact four visible signs of this unique work of the Holy Spirit by which the Church Age was launched. (1) There was the sound of rushing wind, heaven’s hurricane. (2) There was the appearance of a fireball of leaping tongues of flame. (3) There was the separation of the fireball into individual flames, which came to rest on each of the assembled believers. (4) There was an outburst of sound, as all in the band of believers spoke in languages that were foreign to them. This was a unique event: in no other passage in the New Testament is an exact parallel to be found. Yet often in Acts Luke speaks of the Spirit filling believers, and empowering them for ministry. It would be wrong of us to dogmatically insist that the “gift of tongues” is not for today. But it would be just as wrong to single out this one of four Pentecost signs and insist that it remains the mark of the Spirit’s presence among God’s people. The exciting reality is that God the Holy Spirit still rests on “all of them” who belong to Jesus Christ, and that He is the source of supernatural power in our lives today. “Each of us hears them in his own native language” Acts 2:5–13. In the first century Jews were scattered in every country of the Western and Eastern world. Many of these Jews spoke only the language of their homeland, and did not even know the Aramaic spoken in Jerusalem or the Hebrew of the Old Testament. Yet diaspora (scattered) Jews were faithful to God’s Law and to the temple. Each year many came as pilgrims to celebrate one or more of the annual religious festivals. Undoubtedly many who were present that Pentecost had been there for Passover as well, and had some knowledge of the events surrounding Christ’s crucifixion. What was the miracle of tongues? In this passage at least it’s clear it must have been one of two things. The miracle was either in the speaking, as believers were enabled to speak in a foreign language they had never learned. Or the miracle was in the hearing, as members of the crowd each heard what the believers said in their mother tongue. Whichever it was, one thing is plain. That first use of tongues was the gracious gift of a God who wants all men to understand who Jesus is, and what He has done for us. “This is what was spoken by the Prophet Joel” Acts 2:14–21. One important characteristic of biblical prophecy is temporal distortion. By that I simply mean that time, sequence, and all those other things we use to organize information, are lacking in much of the prophetic word. Events that are separated by hundreds or thousands of years of history, may be linked in a single prophecy and separated only by a comma. So when Peter quoted Joel he expected his listeners to understand. Joel said God would pour out His Spirit on all peoples (vv. 17–18). This He has done. Joel said that God would show signs in the heaven just before the coming of Judgment Day (vv. 18–20). So the pouring out of God’s Spirit is a warning that judgment will surely follow (but not an indication of when judgment will follow!). Joel went on, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Now, then, after the outpouring of the Spirit and before the day of judgment, is the moment to call on His name. It’s the same for us today. The sun stands still for us as it did for Joshua long ago. God is lengthening the day of opportunity, this time that all may be saved. “Men of Israel, listen to this” Acts 2:22–39. I’ve known lots of Christians who have felt uncomfortable about witnessing to others. Often they just didn’t know what to say. Or how to explain the Gospel. Peter’s sermon—the very first Christian sermon ever preached—is a good explanation of the basic elements of the Gospel. We could do a lot worse than to memorize these points, and draw on them when we’re asked to share the Gospel with others.

1. Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead	2:23–24
2. Jesus’ death was predicted éand explained in the Bible	2:25–35
3. He is Lord and Christ	2:36
4. Repent and	2:38a
5. Your sins will be forgiven, and God will give you His Holy Spirit	2:38b-39

Effective evangelism is nothing more or less than telling who Jesus is and what He did, and inviting others to accept forgiveness. “Those who accepted his message were baptized” Acts 2:41. Baptism here is water baptism—within the tradition established by John the Baptist, but slightly reoriented by Jesus. John preached baptism as a symbol of repentance: an indication that a person confessed his sins and was turning from them. Jesus was baptized over John’s objection because it was “the right thing to do.” Jesus had no sins to confess, but it was right for Him to publicly identify Himself with John and his message. The baptism urged by Peter served both these functions. It was a confession of past failures. But more than that it was a public affirmation of faith: a step that forever identified the baptized person as one who identified himself with Jesus Christ. After that first sermon some 3,000 persons turned to Jesus, and publicly identified themselves as followers of the Lord by following His example of water baptism. The first Christians met in houses where they shared meals and “devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer” (v. 42). Meeting in houses kept groupings small and intimate, encouraging the deep caring that characterized the early church.

DEVOTIONAL

Lost, or Loved?(Acts 2:22–47)

“Oh, I slip out of church during the last hymn. I just come for the preaching.” Lots of Christians feel something like this. They want to attend on Sunday. After all, it’s the right thing to do. But they want to remain anonymous. I suspect that this is part of the appeal of some of the superchurches of our day. They’re big enough for people to get lost in. You can go to church. But you don’t have to get to know anyone. Personally, I’m fascinated by the pattern I see here in Acts 2. Big? You bet. Some 3,000 people were converted by Peter’s first sermon. That’s a pretty good start on what you’d call a big church! But lost in the crowd? Never! Because that big First Church of Jerusalem immediately divided those converts up into small groups, got them to meeting in houses, and before you knew it, each of these folks found he or she was loved—and loved others. Luke described the result. They experienced unity in their house fellowships (v. 42). They expressed their love for each other in the most practical of ways (v. 44). They got together in larger groups to worship with enthusiasm (v. 46). They became such friends they spent a lot of time with each other’s families (v. 46). They felt so glad that praise kept welling up out of their lives (v. 47). And, oh, yes, everyone was favorably impressed—and more people kept on being converted daily. Of course, we’re lucky in our day. We don’t have to meet in homes. We just put up a church building on some corner, pack it with a few hundred (or thousand) people once or twice a week, and get on with our daily lives. It’s not like first-century Jerusalem. Here you can get lost in the crowd—even in a small crowd. But if you’re one of those folks who’s been lost in a large church, you’ve also lost out on a vital ingredient of real Christianity. You’ve lost out on love—on being loved, and loving, in intimate, truly Chistian ways.

Personal Application

Go to a big church if you want. But please, not to get lost.

Quotable

“One thing about the New Testament church. There’s a climate of loving relationships. A sense of warmth and care permeates the whole, and fondness for individuals breaks through repeatedly. People knew how to love and be loved by each other.”—Norm Wakefield

SEPTEMBER 12

Reading 255

PREPARATION Acts 1

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).A sense of mission can infuse any Christian’s life with purpose.

Overview

Luke continued the story of Jesus begun in his Gospel (1:1–2). Christ gave His last words to the disciples and ascended into heaven (vv. 3–11). The disciples, while waiting in Jerusalem as Christ instructed, chose Matthias to replace Judas as a witness to the Lord’s resurrection (vv. 12–26).

Understanding the Text

“All that Jesus began to do and to teach” Acts 1:1. Both Luke’s Gospel and Acts are addressed to Theophilus. In Luke 1:3 he is addressed as “most excellent,” a title that suggests Theophilus held high rank or social position. Some think that Theophilus, whose name means, “he who loves God,” financed Luke’s research. At any rate Theophilus was eager to know all about Jesus. And Luke made it clear that to understand Jesus, the story must be continued beyond Christ’s resurrection and return. The Gospel of Luke told us only what Jesus “began to do and teach.” Acts tells us what Jesus continues to do and teach through the church, His living body here on earth (see DEVOTIONAL). “Wait for the gift My Father promised” Acts 1:4–5. Earlier Peter and several of the disciples had gone back to Galilee, and back to fishing (cf. John 21:1–3). They didn’t know what to do, and just waiting wasn’t easy for these active, restless men. Waiting is hard on all of us. Sometimes it hurts and we know we can’t stand it for another moment. Sometimes it’s uncertainty. We know we’d feel better doing something—anything—even the wrong thing. Anything would be better than waiting. And then Jesus’ words come to us, as they came to the disciples. “Wait.” “Wait for the promise of the Father.” I know that these instructions were unique. It was the disciples who were told to wait for the coming of the Spirit on Pentecost. Nevertheless, Jesus often has the same instructions for us. Wait. Wait for God to act. Wait for God to fulfill His promise, and do you good. I have no idea how many personal tragedies could have been avoided if believers would only have listened, and heard God say, “Wait.” I do know, however, that until we sense His “Now!” the very best thing we can do is wait. “Are You at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” Acts 1:6–8 Even now the disciples remained “Old Testament believers.” They knew the promises made by the prophets. They were convinced that Jesus, who had proved Himself the Messiah, would make Israel a nation again, and indeed the dominant world power. Their only question was, “When?” And so they asked, with a word order in the original that reflects the emphasis on time, “At this time are You going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” Jesus certainly didn’t rebuke His followers for believing that the promises of the Old Testament would be fulfilled literally. He didn’t say, “Oh, don’t take all that stuff literally. Didn’t I say that My kingdom isn’t of this world?” The fact is that God’s kingdom has far more facets than most are aware of, and a future earthly kingdom is one, but only one, of them. What Jesus did say is, “It is not for you to know the times or dates.” Believe that this will happen. But don’t try to pin down the when. This is a good principle for us to follow in our relationship with the Lord. Believe His promises. Even when you are asked to wait, trust that the good gifts God distributes will be yours. But leave the when entirely up to God. “But you will receive power . . . you will be My witnesses” Acts 1:8. It’s not wrong to probe Scripture in an effort to understand the sweeping nature of God’s grand plan for humankind. It’s commendable. But at the same time, it’s often irrelevant. What is relevant is to know God’s purpose for you and me, now. This is the significance of what Jesus said to the disciples. They questioned Him about His kingdom. And He told them their specific role in what was to happen next. I don’t know when Jesus will return. I expect it in my lifetime—but so have believers through the ages. In a very real sense, when Jesus is to return is none of my business! What I need to know is what the Lord wants me to do with my life. I need to know how to make the decisions that affect next month and next year. I need to know what He wants me to do today. That’s what the disciples needed, and were given. Wait a few days. The Spirit will come. You will receive power. And then you will be My witnesses—next door, and throughout the world! “This same Jesus . . . will come back” Acts 1:9–11. You and I don’t need to know when Jesus will return. We do need to live with the conviction that He will return. The fact that Jesus will come back means that life here is doubly temporary. It is temporary in that death stalks all of us after our few short years. It is temporary in that whether we remain on earth or not, the way of life represented in man’s society is destined to disappear. When Jesus returns the injustice, the selfishness, every dark and unfair deed will all be purged, and true goodness will fill the land. The certain knowledge that Jesus will return gives us the courage to fight on against present evils. Despite setbacks and defeats, in Jesus our victory is already won. “They all joined together constantly in prayer” Acts 1:12–14. This verse marks the first appearance in Acts of a very special Greek word: homothymadon. In fact, 11 of 12 uses of the word are in Acts; the other is in Romans 15:6. What does the word mean? It is a word which pictures the church gathered—praying, worshiping, reaching decisions—in a spirit of unity and harmony. In fact, harmony is perhaps the best description. It is as if a great orchestra assembles, with each instrument retaining its individuality, yet under the baton of a great conductor blending to produce a symphony. This is what the church is intended to be. Not mass-produced tonettes, each with five holes punched in black plastic, but a gathering of distinctive, hand-made instruments. All different. Yet under the guiding hand of God united to play the masterpiece God has composed. “Show us which of these two You have chosen” Acts 1:15–26. Two of the men who had followed Jesus from the beginning, and yet had not been numbered with the Twelve, were recommended by the little company of believers to take Judas’ place. After prayer, the two drew lots and Matthias was selected. This is the last recorded incident in the New Testament of believers seeking to know God’s will “by chance,” and it is significant that it took place just before the Holy Spirit came. From that time on, the Spirit would guide His people from within, and outward signs were no longer necessary. But note that there were two good men, each with the necessary qualifications for leadership, and that only one was chosen. There are nearly always more men and women with leadership potential in the church than are needed. So what about the man who was not chosen: Justus? Was he set aside, to mold on some shelf? Not at all. Matthias was chosen to “become a witness with us of His resurrection” (v. 23). The implication, of course, is an official witness; one representing the church as a whole. But what’s exciting to me is that Justus, while not “official,” was nevertheless a witness still. And he, just as Matthias, could and undoubtedly did bear witness to his Lord. I’m sometimes puzzled by the clamor of some to be “official” leaders. Being on a board or committee, or being ordained, adds nothing to your or my right to serve Jesus, or to witness to His love and grace. If you’re one of those folks who feels some hurt because you’ve been denied some “official” position in the church, why not take Justus as your patron saint? The man who was not chosen to become one of the Twelve. But who had just as much freedom to witness to Christ’s resurrection as they—because like them he had been with Jesus from the first. Think about it. Isn’t being with Jesus a far greater honor than being elected to an office in His church?

DEVOTIONAL

Keep on Doin’Acts 1:1–8

The knock comes on the door, and the little child, left alone for a few hours and carefully instructed by Mom and Dad, leaves the door shut. The knock comes again. Finally, a little desperate, the child cries out, “Go away. There’s nobody home.” Sometimes I think we Christians feel like that little child. We feel all alone. When folks come knocking on our door, we hide inside, hoping they’ll leave us alone. If only Jesus were here, He’d be able to respond. So, aware of our weakness, we finally cry out, “Go away, there’s nobody home!” That’s why we need to read Acts more often. To remind ourselves that someone is home! That all that Jesus did while He was here on earth was just the beginning of His ministry. Today Jesus is still actively at work, in and through His body here on earth. The church. You, and me. When Jesus left His disciples for the last time, He told them the secret. In a few days, He said, you’ll be baptized with the Holy Spirit. I know that there’s a lot of debate of the meaning of that baptism. But certainly everyone would agree with 1 Corinthians 12:13. That verse says that by the Spirit all we Christians were “baptized into one body.” And that body is the body of Christ. God the Holy Spirit has so bonded to Jesus that, though He is in heaven, we are His living body, a body of flesh and blood, present here on the earth. And in His body, Jesus is present too! So the next time someone from the world knocks on your door, and you feel anxious and uncertain, don’t shout, “Go away. There’s nobody here.” Someone is here. Jesus Christ is present, in you! And in your loving, caring response to the people who knock on your door, Jesus continues His loving, saving work in our world.

Personal Application

Trust, and let Jesus work through you.

Quotable

“Attempt great things FOR God and expect great things FROM God.”—William Carey