Showing posts with label Paul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul. Show all posts

Loving + Learning = Living!

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , | Posted On Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 8:15 PM

This morning I was reading my Life Journal reading plan reading - Philippians. This may be my favorite book of the entire Bible. It's full of joy! But it also tells us some incredible things about Jesus Christ. In fact, I'll be focusing on some of this in Philippians 2 in my Sunday messages on the Incarnation this month.


But this morning I found something else that really caught my attention. I would usually journal this in my Life Journal, but I felt this was something I wanted to write out and share.


"I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return." (Philippians 1:9-10 NLT)


Vs. 10 caught my attention first - Paul wants us to understand what really matters. Isn't that what we all want, one way or another? And how do we discover that? Paul tells us in the previous verse/sentence. He points to two things: (1) overflowing love, and (2) growing in knowledge and understanding. It's learning and loving, and loving and learning - back and forth. It's not one or the other - both are the key to living! Loving + Learning = Living!


Love grows out of increasing knowledge and understanding of who Jesus is and what he has done for us. Love grows out of realizing God has loved us unconditionally and sacrificially through Jesus. And as I love more, I want to know even more about Jesus and our Heavenly Father. It's back and forth - loving and learning. 


To me this becomes a picture of what the maturing follower of Christ looks like - both loving and learning. They go hand-in-hand. And the outcome is a life worth living, a life that makes a difference, a life that fulfills God's purpose for him or her. 


Too often in my life I have drifted to one extreme or another. Learning for learning's sake, and developing a faith life that really doesn't make much difference in anyone else's life. In fact, it becomes a very self-serving life. Or serving others, because we're supposed to love our neighbors, but not really understanding why. After a while, I found it became pretty senseless. Doing good so others would notice and in some small way applaud. And once again it became pretty self-serving.


I have been out on both extremes, and neither was very satisfying. What I see here from Paul is that to live the way we were created to live, to live "pure and blameless lives," requires loving and learning. It's the secret to living. Living for the sake of others, because we've spent time learning about Christ and his love for us. It sounds simple, yet at least in my life it's a continual struggle to get the right balance. We really need the Holy Spirit's help on this. I hope and pray you've been doing better than I have - it's definitely worth it!


Loving + Learning = Living!

24 HOURS-Week 4: The Sons of Simon from Cyrene

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , | Posted On Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 5:50 PM


“A passerby named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the countryside just then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.)” (Mark 15:21 NLT2)

Simon of Cyrene was almost definitely a Jew who had made a pilgrimage, maybe his first ever, to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. Cyrene was located in what is today northern Libya in North Africa, so he had come a long ways, most likely on foot.

There has been conjecture over the years as to whether Simon was a black African, based on some possible allusions in Acts, but it’s fairly vague. The truth is, we really don’t know - he certainly could have been - but what’s even more intriguing is the comment in parentheses that Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.

Mark would not have included seemingly random information unless it conveyed something significant, so scholars have tried to figure out why he did this. We do know that Mark wrote his Gospel primarily for Gentiles – non-Jews – in the mid-60s AD, and it was very likely first intended for Christ followers in Rome.

In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, probably written a decade earlier, is a very interesting note: “I send greetings to Rufus, that outstanding worker in the Lord’s service, and to his mother, who has always treated me like a son.” (Romans 16:3 TEV)

Is it a coincidence that one of the most revered members of the church at Rome was named Rufus, which also just happened to be the name of the one of the sons of Simon of Cyrene? Is it a coincidence that a document written a decade later, most likely to the Christians in Rome, specifically mentions an outstanding worker named Rufus?

Of course, we don’t really know, but many scholars believe these were the same individuals, and that somehow Simon’s experience carrying Jesus’ cross had had a big impact on him. Jesus had called upon his followers to take up their crosses and follow him – perhaps Simon had done that literally. Perhaps he later married another follower of Jesus, and they moved as missionaries to Rome, where their sons Rufus and Alexander were raised as Christ followers.

There is no absolute proof of this connection, but it certainly explains a great deal about why Mark would specifically mention Simon’s sons. It's something to think about, because it shows us that Jesus can use what seem to be random or even terrible experiences for his good purposes.

Mark and the Invitation of Jesus

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 12:01 AM

Today we move into the Gospel of Mark, looking at the first two chapters. But I want to first share a little background about Mark.

Most scholars believe that Mark was the first of the Gospels written (but not the first writing of the New Testament - some of Paul's writings date to the late 40s), somewhere between 55 and 65 A.D. It was written by John Mark, a disciple of Jesus, but not one of the original twelve. He is mentioned in Acts as accompanying Paul on his first missionary journey (Acts 13:5), but he did not stay for the whole journey (13:13). As Paul prepared to depart on his second missionary journey with Barnabas, Barnabas wanted to take John Mark along, but Paul strongly disagreed since John Mark had left them on their first journey. Barnabas ends up taking John Mark with him to Cyprus, while Paul takes Silas with him on his second missionary journey.

Sometime after that Mark probably wrote his Gospel. Many scholars believe that while Mark probably knew Jesus firsthand and followed him, he depended on the Apostle Peter for many of the details of his Gospel, giving it the credibility of one of the greatest apostles. Mark's Gospel is the shortest of the four Gospels, and was written to Gentiles (probably in Rome) instead of Jews. Therefore, he wanted to emphasize that Jesus was the Son of God who came not as a conquering king but as a humble servant. For that reason, unlike Matthew, he is less concerned to show how Jesus fulfilled Jewish prophecy. His focus is on what will make the most sense to Gentiles who may know little or nothing about Judaism and the one true God, and it may explain why he shows us more miracles than any other Gospel. Interestingly, Mark is the only Gospel that tells us absolutely nothing about Jesus' birth or coming into this world.

Most scholars believe that both Matthew and Luke had copies of Mark as they wrote their own Gospels, for virtually all of Mark is repeated in one or both of these other two Gospels. This explains why we often read the same stories in these three Gospels, though Matthew and Luke added their own insights and purposes to make them distinctively different. These three Gospels are sometimes called the Synoptic Gospels, differentiating them from John, which has little overlap.

Mark begins his Gospel with John the Baptist announcing the Messiah, the anointed one of God, is coming. Jesus comes to John, his older cousin, and is baptized by him in the Jordan River. "As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, 'You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.'" (Mark 1:10-11, NLT)

The very first words Mark records out of Jesus' mouth are these: "'The time promised by God has come at last!' he announced. 'The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!'" (1:15) These words sum up Jesus' message throughout Mark - repent and believe!

Very soon after that Jesus begins calling his disciples, and his invitation then is the same as his invitation today. To Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, Jesus said, "...'Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!'" (1:17) He would repeat that same basic invitation, Mark tells us, to the brothers James and John, and to Levi (Matthew), the tax collector: follow me!

Last night our Life Group finished watched the three-part video series "Simple" by Pastor Andy Stanley. The three messages were: "Follow," "Believe," and "Obey." Our group really enjoyed all three, but it helped to hear Stanley talk about where Jesus began with people. Not do this, or follow these rules, or jump through these hoops. He simply said, "Follow me." Go with me, get to know me, discover who I am and what I'm about. Walk with me. I love that! Let's get to know and trust each other first. That's the way all relationships begin - walking through life together.

Mark tells us Jesus invited five disciples this very way, but my guess is he used this same basic invitation with everyone. Too many folks want to make it hard - they want to make Christianity a religion of rules, when it all begins with a relationship. That doesn't mean there isn't a place for doing the right things - Stanley got to that in his third message, which we watched last night, and it was obedience. But obedience comes after a relationship is established and we come to believe and trust Jesus. In the beginning, we just follow.

Because Mark wrote to people who may have known little or nothing about Jesus, his emphasis on Jesus' invitation is a great way for us to begin today with those around us who aren't sure about Jesus. Just come check him out, start following him, and see where he leads you. Don't worry about all the rules, etc. - just get to know Jesus himself. We can tell our own story of how we began to follow him, and not try to force things. We might just be surprised by how much happens when we simply do things Jesus' way.

Paul and the Journey of a Lifetime (and Even Longer)

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 12:01 AM

Today we come to the end of the Book of Acts, written by Luke, the author of the Gospel of Luke. Acts told us the stories of the Apostles, the coming of the Holy Spirit, the birth of the church, and the spread of Christianity beyond the Jews to the Gentiles. We meet the Apostle Paul, who wrote a significant portion of the New Testament. We learn about his powerful calling to follow Jesus and preach the Gospel, first to the Jews, and then to the Gentiles. An interesting side note is that in Acts 16:10 the story changes from third person to first person, for Luke apparently actually joins Paul on portions of the remainder of his journeys, recording some of these events first hand.

In a very eventful trip, Paul sailed from Caesarea, was shipwrecked in on Malta, bitten by a poisonous snake, healed many people, and eventually made it to Rome. There, he remained under guard, but he had the freedom to pick his own lodging and was able to welcome guests. "For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him." (28:30-31, NLT)

These last two verses tell us something significant about Paul and God's intention for all Christ followers: Paul welcomed all, and he boldly proclaimed the Kingdom of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what the church is called to do: welcome all and boldly proclaim the Good News, because we live in a world dying for Good News!

We also see here the mission Jesus gave the early church moving toward it's fulfillment: "'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'" (1:8) Paul may not have reached the "ends of the earth," but he reached Rome, which was essentially the center of the earth (or at least of the western world). It was said that all roads led to Rome. In Rome Paul would meet people from the ends of the earth, and he would proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

There's a lot about Paul that we really don't know. Some scholars believe Paul was sent to Rome around 60 A.D. From Luke's writings in Acts, we know he was there at least two years. During this time, he very possibly wrote what are sometimes called the Prison Letters: Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, and Philippians. There is reason to believe Paul was released at the end of these two years. He continued to travel and preach as he most likely headed east to Macedonia and Ephesus. There are some indications that he then traveled west to Nicopolis on the eastern shore of Greece. During this period he appears to have written 1 Timothy and Titus. Some scholars think he then traveled to what is today Spain before being imprisoned again by Nero in a new round of persecutions of Christians. He was returned to Rome, where he probably wrote 2 Timothy, and penned some of his last words:

"As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me - the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:6-8)

It is believed Paul was executed in late 66 or early 67 A.D. in Rome, very possibly by beheading. Yet, Paul was confident that He lived his life well. He knew God had used him and he had remained faithful, even in the face of all kinds of adversity. Paul's life was anything but easy, yet he never gave up welcoming all and boldly proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And because of his faithfulness, the church has been blessed and encouraged down through the centuries.

The reality is, we follow in Paul's footsteps today, seeking to reach all people with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Paul let nothing stand in the way of the mission Jesus had given him. Not only do his writings teach us so much, but his life should teach us to never give up on the mission, never diminish it or reduce its significance. Like Paul, may we be found faithful at the end of our days!

Chains and Real Freedom

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Monday, October 26, 2009 at 12:01 AM

As I read Acts 24-26, I at first felt that a lot of Paul's precious time and experience was being wasted in jail. He has been jailed because he was accused by Jews of stirring up a riot in the Temple. As we saw yesterday, he was brought to Caesarea, the lead Roman city of the area, located on the Mediterranean Sea.

Paul stayed there at least two years, according to Acts 24:27. Apparently, Felix, the governor, was quite a politician. He knew the Jews wanted Paul killed, but he also knew there were no legitimate Roman charges. Yet, to keep the Jews happy, he didn't let Paul go. Instead, he subtly searched for a bribe from Paul, but nothing ever came of it (24:26).

After two years, however, a new governor, Festus, was appointed. Felix had delayed and delayed, but now Festus seemed determined to find some resolution to the situation. He invited the Jews to come and again make their case against Paul. The Jews religious leaders pushed for Paul to be given a hearing in Jerusalem, but they planned to use the opportunity to have him killed. Paul refused to go to Jerusalem, and instead, as a Roman citizen, exercised his right to appeal to Caesar (25:11). With that, Festus was obligated to send Paul to Rome, the seat of power in the 1st Century Western World. As I've studied this part of Paul's life, I've come to see that Paul probably saw real value in this as a way of spreading his message even further.

A few days later King Agrippa arrived, and chose to hear Paul's case. This was Agrippa II, son of King Herod Agrippa, who had had the apostle James killed to please the Jews and sought to have Peter executed (12:2-4). King Herod Agrippa died, the Bible tells us, because he accepted the praise of men that he was a god (12:20-23). Both kings ruled under Roman rule, at the whim of Caesar, yet they wielded significant power in their realms. Agrippa II was enough of a politician to know Jewish culture, since Palestine was a significant part of his realm.

Paul stands before King Agrippa, his sister Bernice, and Festus, as well as many prominent citizens in what the New Living Translation (NLT) calls the auditorium (25:23), thought it was really more like a small coliseum. Paul explains his innocence and tells his conversion story on the road to Damascus. You really get the feeling Paul is trying to convert King Agrippa, who was familiar with the Jewish faith. Paul says to him, "...'I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.'" (26:29, italics added)

Agrippa and Festus realize Paul has done nothing wrong, but because he has appealed to Caesar, they cannot just release him but must now send him on to Rome. Again, this doesn't seem to be a disappointment to Paul, for he has desired to go to Rome for some time.

My wife Susan and I visited the Holy Land - Israel - in 1990, and one of the places we traveled was to this location, often called Caesarea by the Sea. Many ruins remain there from biblical times, including the auditorium (coliseum) where it is believed Paul spoke to Agrippa and Festus. It is essentially an amphitheater in the round, with rising levels of rock, much like our "bleachers" at Gateway, except without the cushioned seats. We sat in this place, and listened to these passages being read aloud by members of our tour group.

I remember in particular one older pastor who really relished reading the quote above (26:29) and holding his arms up as if in chains. He made us feel like we had traveled 2000 years back in time to that day as Paul proclaimed his freedom in Christ, a freedom that was greater than any form of political freedom that could be won or bought. Paul knew the people who were really in chains (of sin and death) were Agrippa and Festus, for they had not put their faith in Jesus Christ.

There are many people today who are still bound by these chains. Paul's desire for their freedom drove his life and mission, and it drives our mission at Gateway. We are a gateway to faith and freedom, through Jesus Christ. It is our desire to free people from their chains and bondage, and we know only Christ can do this. It's exciting to see lives freed and to hear their stories of grace. And like Paul, we won't stop as long as there are those around us who have not yet committed their life to Jesus Christ. The "chains" of this earth are nothing compared to the eternal freedom we have in Jesus. Paul knew this, and so, in a very real sense, even though he was "in chains," he really was free. The Good News is that nothing and no one can ultimately take this freedom from us!

Love and Disagreement

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Sunday, October 25, 2009 at 12:01 AM

Chapters 21-23 focus on Paul's journey to Jerusalem and the events that will eventually lead to his imprisonment and travel to Rome. Along the way Christ followers worry for Paul, and he is confronted with prophecies that he will be jailed. Yet, Paul will not back down and continues on to Rome.

Paul had begun his ministry to Jews, but he soon discovered that his greater calling most often was to Gentiles. He had seen many Gentiles come to faith in Jesus Christ. And following the instructions from the earlier Jerusalem council (Acts 15), he had not required these Gentile converts to take on any of the religious requirements of Jews. This would have turned salvation by grace through faith into salvation by doing the right works, and this was not what Jesus or the apostles taught. Yet, this angered many Jews who thought he was subverting Judaism. So, they badgered him, beat him, ran him out towns, and even tried to stone him to death.

Now in Jerusalem, Paul was trying to demonstrate, as a Jewish follower of Christ, that he still fulfilled the Jewish Law, when Jews from what is modern-day Turkey arrived and stirred up a mob against him with lies. Paul is eventually arrested by the Roman authorities. When it is discovered that more than forty Jews had taken an oath to kill Paul, the Roman commander sent Paul west to the Roman city of Caesarea on the Mediterranean Sea. There, Governor Felix would hear Paul's case, alongside the complaints of the Jews.

It's interesting to me just how zealous these Jews were, yet how little love they show. I'm not saying false teaching should ever be completely ignored, for several places in the New Testament are warnings against false teachers. But, in the early church there was no sense of killing these false teachers - turn them out, absolutely, but don't harm them, for they were still called to love them. Sometimes making too much of false teachers actually gives them a platform to advance their cause.

The great Jewish teacher and Pharisee Gamaliel had cautioned against these very actions regarding the early Christians in Acts 5:38-39 (NLT): "'So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will be overthrown. But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.'"

And now the Jews really were fighting God, though they didn't realize it. I've found it wise to never rush to quick decisions regarding the faith of others. God doesn't just work in and through me, and His ways are not my ways. The Bible calls Christ followers to unity, but not uniformity. I don't want to major on the minors. That doesn't mean there aren't beliefs and doctrines worth fighting for, but too often we try to make mountains out of molehills. Doctrines establish the foul lines - what's inbounds and what's out-of-bounds - but they leave a fair amount of room for discussion and even disagreement that don't compromise overall unity. Love is still the underlying motive in everything.

I read this week about a church in Virginia that planned to burn translations of the Bible that weren't the King James Version (KJV), as well as works by Billy Graham and Rick Warren, for this church believed these two men had strayed from the Bible. I don't know about you, but I'd love to have just a smidgen of the faith and love of these two great men of God. This church's narrow approach to the Gospel only serves the enemy. When Christians fight among ourselves, we hurt our witness to those outside the faith. Actions like this burning make us look like buffoons. I'm ok if you want to disagree, but can't we disagree agreeably, in the spirit of Christ and his love? Paul would talk about this with the Corinthians:

"If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NLT2)

Jesus hung on the cross, but he did not revile his tormentors - instead he asked the Father to forgive them. He always loved, and if we can't love, we aren't followers of Christ. That doesn't mean it's easy, and we definitely require the work of the Holy Spirit in us to move in this direction. And love doesn't mean anything goes. But, the attitude of love should undergird all our actions and attitudes. If the Jews had lived this love, they might have still disagreed with Paul, they might even have banished him from the Temple and synagogues, but no one would be taking a vow to kill him.

Likewise, today Christ followers are still called to love. We may disagree and even believe that another person's beliefs and teachings are beyond the bounds of Christianity, but that doesn't give us permission to stop loving them. In fact, when it's hardest to love another, when they put us down and seek our harm is the very time we must most love. The kind of love Jesus calls us to is a choice, a decision, not a feeling, and as a choice, it requires action on our part. We're called to choose love and act on it even when we fundamentally disagree with another, even when they have hurt us, or we find ourselves in the same boat with the Jews who badgered and threatened Paul.

The witness of love has never been overcome. Paul never stopped loving. Jesus never stopped loving. And neither can we! It's radical - I know! But it's also right!

Jesus' Spirit is the Difference Between Moralistic Religion and a Relationship of Freedom

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Saturday, October 24, 2009 at 12:01 AM

Today's reading takes us through Acts 19-20. Paul is on his third missionary journey and he comes to Ephesus, where he found several believers. However, their belief and knowledge was incomplete. They had received only the baptism of John and not baptism in the name and power of Jesus.

The "John" being referred to here is John the Baptist, the older cousin of Jesus. John began his ministry before Jesus, calling people to repentance. The word "repentance" means to change your mind, to turn around and go in a different direction. It's important to understand that repentance is not simply changing your mind, but changing it so that you actually act and go in a different direction.

John baptized those who sought to repent and change their lives. Their repentance was to turn away from sin and turn to God, but it was a human endeavor. It was, "give it your best shot," "try your hardest," etc. Even John knew that what he was doing was only an intermediate step. John explained it this way: "...'I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.'" (Luke 3:16 NLT2) John knew something more was coming, but it wasn't in his power to give it.

Jesus told his followers he would need to leave so that the Holy Spirit could come and live in them. After Jesus' death and resurrection, just before he ascended into heaven, he promised that his followers would soon receive the Holy Spirit: "'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'" (Acts 1:8, italics added)

In Acts 2 we read of the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. The coming of the Spirit brought the presence and power of Jesus Christ into the lives of his followers. No longer would a person have to try to repent and do better on their own, in their own power. Now, the Holy Spirit came to live in those who received Christ into their lives to empower them and transform them increasingly into the image and likeness of Jesus himself. "...the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image." (2 Corinthians 3:18)

What Paul discovered in Ephesus were believers who were trying to live good, moral lives in their own power. They were moving in the right direction, but without the power of Jesus Christ living in them through the Holy Spirit, they were still enslaved to sin. This is still often the case in the church today. Good hearted people are sorry for their sins and turn away from sin, trying to do better on their own. But they get worn out and feel like failures, because eventually they realize they never can live up to the standards Jesus set for us. They have not completely sold themselves out to Jesus Christ. They have been trapped in a moralistic religion rather than a relationship of freedom.

Through a life committed to Jesus (not just to trying to repent and turn away from sin), the power of sin is broken, and his Spirit begins to work in us as we profess our faith in Christ so that not only is the guilt of past sins taken away, but the power of sin is reduced in our lives. The love of God begins to replace the self-centered sin-filled nature that we're all born into. This is why Jesus is not simply a great moral teacher. As Jesus said, "'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.'" (John 14:6) There is no Christianity apart from Jesus, and there is no genuine, lasting life change unless we commit our lives to Jesus Christ, trust him with our whole hearts, and welcome his Holy Spirit to come and live within us to guide and teach and empower us.

As the Ephesian believers understood the difference between their baptism by John, and the baptism of Jesus, the Holy Spirit entered their lives and gave them the gift of tongues and prophecy. (As we look through Acts, we find that this is one of only three conversions that specifically mentions the receiving of the gift of tongues - seven others do not expressly state this.) From that day forward, as they cooperated with the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives, they began to be transformed increasingly into the image and likeness of Jesus himself - the goal for all Christ followers.

Standing Up for the Gift of Grace, by Faith

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 12:01 AM

Chapters 15 and 16 of Acts are filled with powerful stories, including the beginnings of Paul's second missionary journey, and there's no way I can do them all justice. So, I'm going to focus on the first Jerusalem council, found in Acts 15, because a very important decision was made here by the early church that has huge implications for us today.

In Acts 10-11, Peter had his first encounter with Gentiles, and discovered that when they placed their faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit came to live in them, just as He was doing in Jews who were placing their faith in Christ. This event showed that God had much bigger plans than the salvation of a relatively small race - He was setting in motion the salvation of the world!

Now, in Acts 15, we read that some Jewish Christians were trying to force these new Gentile Christians to first become Jews through the rite of circumcision. There was an act they had to do to become a follower of Christ. But Paul and Barnabas strongly disagreed with this teaching. So, the church in Antioch of Syria decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to consult with the apostles and elders of the church, at what has been called the first Jerusalem council.

There's more to this story, but it's interesting to note a pattern that begins here that would carry on for a few centuries in the early church. A controversy arises that threatens to split the church. Because there is no written Scripture, as we have today, or least none that was yet accepted as what we would call New Testament Scripture, how did the early church make decisions? By councils - gatherings of church leaders who prayerfully sought the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit. And it's also interesting to note that these controversies - some of which would be labeled heresies - caused the church to get clear about what it believed and what it didn't. The doctrines of the church aren't heavy handed rules but are more like foul lines in baseball that help Christ followers know what's in bounds and what's out of bounds. Otherwise, well-meaning Christ followers can drift into all sorts of dangerous beliefs. Doctrines are important, and they were often settled or determined in response to a controversy or heresy, such as the one we see here in Acts 15.

Back to our story, when Paul and Barnabas arrive in Jerusalem, they discover the same controversy has been brewing there as well (15:5). "So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue." (15:6, NLT) After lots of discussion, Peter shared the conclusion they had reached:

"God knows people's hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith. So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus." (15:8-11)

This became the crucial distinction for the Christian faith, and yet a battle that continues to be fought today. How often do we find ourselves believing we have to follow certain rules, do certain actions, meet certain standards, in order to measure up and be saved? The Bible often calls these "works." How many people have said, "Let me clean up my act first, and then I'll commit my life to Christ." But what they're saying is actually this, "There are certain things (works) I must do first (such as circumcision in the First Century church), before I will be acceptable to God." But Peter called grace "undeserved." We don't deserve it; we can't earn it; we can't be good enough to gain it. We can only receive it, by faith, with gratitude.

This was a battle Paul would fight over and over again with Jewish Christians in many of his writings. He tried to spell it out very clearly in his letter to the Ephesians: "God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it." (2:8-9) We are not saved by works. We are saved by grace, through faith. This became, in fact, the rallying cry of the Protestant Reformation nearly five hundred years ago.

This decision by the first Jerusalem council would set the foundation for a Christian faith that would never be first and foremost about rules, works and meeting certain criteria, but about a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. We can't earn it, and we certainly don't deserve it. But, we can accept it gratefully, and then seek to serve Christ as an expression of our gratitude, rather than as a condition to earn our salvation.

This misunderstanding is still with us today in many circles, with many folks in our churches closer to the beliefs of the Jewish faith than the Christian faith. Which is why it is such Good News - no one has to measure up to receive this "undeserved" gift of grace - in fact, no one can measure up! We're all in the same boat, so none of us is in a position to brag or boast. We are all saved by grace, through faith!

Just Take the Next Step

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 12:01 AM

Our reading today in Acts 13-14 tells us about what has historically been called Paul's first missionary journey. He would ultimately take four of these, and this was the first and shortest (in distance). From this journey we learn several things about sharing the story of Jesus Christ.

First, notice that Paul doesn't travel alone. He begins with Barnabas and John Mark. Also, notice that the Holy Spirit led them out - they didn't do it on their own. And the Holy Spirit used the church to dedicate these men to their mission. (Acts 13:2-3 NLT)

Second, notice that Paul and his companions always started out in the local synagogue when they arrived in a new town. Paul started with those who would have the most connection with the Christian faith - the Jews. In fact, as we see here in Acts 13, Paul's typical pattern was to ground the story of Jesus in the history of Israel. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, was the fulfillment of all God had been working toward in what we call the Old Testament. The early Christians discovered this and always attempted to reach Jews by showing them their common history and how Jesus fulfilled prophecy. "'Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God - something the law of Moses could never do.'" (13:38-39) And Acts tells us many did listen and turned their lives over to Jesus Christ.

Third, we notice to see that not everyone liked what Paul and his companions were doing. Some of the Jews became very upset, slandering them and arguing with them. A mob ran them out of Antioch of Pisidia and Iconium, and in Lystra Paul was stoned nearly to death. (14:19-20) Jesus warned that the Gospel would divide friends and families. Today there are folks who are vehemently opposed to Christianity, and they'll do whatever they can to ridicule it or discredit it. When we run into those folks, we just need to realize we're in good company with Paul and other missionaries.

Fourth, we see that when the Jews would reject the Gospel message, Paul would then take the message to the Gentiles. He started with those who would most easily connect with his message, but he discovered that God had also been working in the hearts of the Gentiles, who had no history or connection to Jesus. "'...since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles.'" (14:46) Paul then quoted from the prophet Isaiah to show that even this extension of the mission to the Gentiles had always been a part of God's plan: "'"I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth."'" (14:47, from Isaiah 49:6)

Interestingly, the Gentiles, who had little or no common history with Jesus, were often the most grateful ones to hear this Good News. "When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message..." (14:48) Sometimes we may overlook folks around us who are the most eager to hear Good News. They are different from us, in any number of ways, and we presume we have nothing to say or offer them. But Paul discovered otherwise. We make a grave mistake when we presume we know whom God is trying to reach. The Holy Spirit can work in us and anyone, and sometimes all God desires is for us to open that door, to share our story and offer hope and healing to folks who are looking for answers.

Because Paul was faithful in his journey, many Jews and Gentiles came to faith in Christ. I'm sure the journey did not go at all the way Paul had anticipated, but he left himself open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and God took care of the rest. It was not an easy journey - he nearly died - but lives were transformed forever. By faith, many times all we can do - and should do - is just take the next step, and trust God to work out His plans through our faith and obedience. We don't have to worry about where it will all end, or what might happen - just take the next step, and leave the results to God. That's really all walking by faith is - taking the next step.

Who is Your Cornerstone?

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , | Posted On Wednesday, October 7, 2009 at 12:01 AM

In Luke 20 Jesus continues to teach and have encounters with the religious leaders. In vs. 17 Jesus asks his listeners, "…'Then what does this Scripture mean? "The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone."'" Jesus is quoting from Psalm 118:22. It's interesting that both the prophets Isaiah (28:16) and Zechariah (10:4) made references to this "cornerstone." In the New Testament Matthew (21:42) and Mark (12:10) both quote Jesus on this same saying. Luke again quotes it in Acts 4:11. The Apostles Paul (Ephesians 2:20) and especially Peter (1 Peter 2:4-7) reference this same "cornerstone".

So, if this Psalm is quoted by Jesus, Isaiah, Zechariah, Paul and Peter, among others, it must have been significant. So, we go back to Jesus' question - what does it mean?

Jesus is applying this Psalm to himself. He has just entered Jerusalem (on what we call Palm Sunday) and faces his last week on earth. He knows that on Friday he will be rejected by the religious leaders and the government and even the people. He knows he will hang on a cross and die. He understands that his rejection is only days ahead of him. Yet, in spite of this "rejection," he will become the cornerstone of life and faith.

The cornerstone was the first and most critical stone laid in building a structure, because everything else was built from it and on it. If the cornerstone was improperly placed, the whole structure would be in jeopardy. So, the cornerstone was crucial.

Jesus is quoting this scripture to tell his listeners that rejecting him doesn't change his importance and significance. God placed Jesus as the cornerstone of life and living, and apart from him, life will never be all it can be.

Many of the people in Jesus' time rejected him, and many still reject him. They fail to realize who he really is and why he is so important. Sometimes it's intentional, but often it's simply from neglect or laziness. Yet, the day will come when everyone will know who Jesus is. Paul wrote to the Philippians: "Therefore, God elevated him (Jesus) to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (2:9-11)

Jesus is Lord and Master, whether we realize it or acknowledge it. But those who fail to acknowledge him will find that they built their life on something that will never support life now and for eternity. This isn't what Jesus wants, nor is it what his church wants. So, am I building my life upon the cornerstone? Have I chosen a cornerstone that is sure and true and strong? And what about those around us? Our goal and mission is to lead everyday people to build their lives on this cornerstone, this rock, that will withstand all the floods of life and remain standing into eternity. With so much at stake, how can we do anything less?

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