Acts 24

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Jason

Reading for Wednesday, May 9: Acts 24

It’s interesting to note that, although Luke devotes considerable space to Paul’s legal battles, he ultimately offers no resolution to the matter. From a literary point of view, this isn’t particularly good writing. Imagine a John Grisham novel with copious courtroom scenes without a final verdict of the main character’s guilt or innocence. But that’s the point Luke is making: Paul is an exemplary model of faithfulness to Jesus. So, in the big picture, Luke doesn’t really CARE what Rome has to say about Paul — what matters is his faithfulness to Christ. And in this final analysis, Paul is a tremendous example — maybe even our best example — of following Jesus. This is why Paul will tell the Corinthians to imitate him. “Therefore, I urge you to imitate me,” (1 Cor. 4.16); “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ,” (1 Cor. 11.1).

Paul’s defense before Felix validates the consistency of the New Testament with the Old. Jesus stands as the fulfillment to every promise of God to His people. “But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust,” (Acts 24:14-15). Paul doesn’t see Christianity as a religious upstart, a clean break from Judaism. Rather, Paul understands Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, the One who fulfills both Law and Prophecy and ushers in God’s Kingdom reign. Despite his advocacy for Gentile inclusion, Paul remains committed to the fulfillment of the distinctly “Jewish” promises of the Old Testament. “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him,” (2 Cor. 1.20).

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Acts 23

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Jason

Reading for Tuesday, May 8: Acts 23

Two quick thoughts on this chapter:

  1. Paul’s statement to the council in v1: “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.” Paul isn’t claiming perfection; our reading of Romans validates his belief in the universal nature of sin. But he stands fully confident in God’s justifying grace. It allows him to stand before the Lord with a clear conscience. And Paul testifies to this in ch23. What a tremendous example for us — to fully embrace God’s saving grace as foundational to our self-understanding.
  2. Paul’s devotion to Jesus and His Gospel is constantly putting him at odds with others, particularly the religious leaders of his day. To those who claim to have it “all figured out”, the Gospel is folly. They want to crush Paul, believing that killing him will squash the Jesus Movement. But Luke winks at us as we read, for we see the irony. Just as surely as Jesus conquered the grave, so too will His followers experience God’s resurrecting power to save. Strengthened by the reality of Christ’s resurrection and its promise for us, Paul is emboldened to preach Jesus in spite of life-threatening opposition. I have to ask myself: Has the power of the empty tomb made me a more bold evangelist? If not, perhaps I need to reflect on its import more fully…
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Acts 22

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Jason

Reading for Monday, May 7: Acts 22

Acts 22 follows Paul as he tells his conversion story. Paul testifies to the power of Jesus at work in his life. I’m reminded that the greatest sermon we preach is the life we live. When we commit ourselves to Jesus, we join our small, insignificant story to The Ultimate Story of God’s reconciling work in Christ. We are woven into a larger narrative, God’s work of redemption. And we’re never able to look at ourselves in quite the same light. The language Paul uses in Ephesians is “saints” — those who have joined their stories with the Great Narrator, finding meaning and purpose in Him.

So, like Paul, let’s tell our stories. Let’s be honest about our struggles — just as Paul is honest about his own wrongheaded attempts to find life apart from Christ. Let’s be honest about what God is doing in us through Jesus. And let’s give Him all the credit and praise for transforming our dead, fruitless lives into something glorious and redeemed.

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Acts 21

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Jason

Reading for Friday, May 4: Acts 21

V4 – “And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.” If it’s not clear by now, Luke gives us one more reminder: God is the one animating Paul’s missionary movement. As we read through Luke, we’re probably not surprised that Paul receives guidance in vision — Luke has already trotted out a few examples of this in his writing. But an equally important voice emerges here: the faithful community. They urge Paul not to go on to Jerusalem, even though Paul believes strongly that he must go there. But how do we resolve this tension? Is the Spirit telling Paul to go to Jerusalem, only to tell these believers that he must not?

The next episode may help us answer the question. Paul arrives at Ptolemais and the believers share another Spirit-inspired vision: Agabus, using Paul’s own belt, demonstrates the binding that will occur in Jerusalem. This vision is validated: “Thus says the Holy Spirit.” But when these believers see that Paul cannot be dissuaded, they shrug their shoulders and say “Let the will of the Lord be done,” (v14).

It seems we should distinguish between prophecy and interpretation of prophecy. The prophetic word concerning Paul is predictive, not prescriptive. Paul seems convinced that God will use his time in Jerusalem as a testimony to the Gospel. To this he commits himself. And the believers tearfully say, “Let the will of the Lord be done.”

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Acts 20

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Jason

Reading for Thursday, May 3: Acts 20

In Acts 20, we find Paul in Troas, joining the believers on the first day of the week. The miraculous raising of Eutychus is a reminder of the new life Christians celebrate each Sunday. The Lord’s Day is a declaration of resurrection as the church gathers in communion, for He has raised us through the power of His own rising. And we celebrate this joyously together — even as we reverently worship Him for His great love, our communion is sweet for we share it together. Each week begins with Sunday, the day of new beginnings and new life.

Paul speaks some heartfelt words to the Ephesian elders, indicating the depth of his relationship with them. Paul understands these rich relationships to be the result of God’s Kingdom power to save in Christ. Again, this is part of the communion we enjoy — life along the Way. But Paul’s words are bittersweet as he bids these believers farewell. Paul isn’t sure what will happen to him in Jerusalem, but he prepares himself for the worst: “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that i received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

v28 is a helpful reminder for those in church leadership. Overseers are to serve as “under-shepherds” — those who are mindful of their commission to tend the Lord’s flock. We should never lose sight of the fact that the sheep are HIS…not ours. Anyone who shepherds a subset of the Lord’s flock would do well to remember this stewardship principle.

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Acts 19

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Jason

Reading for Wednesday, May 2: Acts 19

Paul encounters some disciples in Ephesus, believers who have received John’s baptism but who lack the Holy Spirit. These “irregular” disciples are incorporated into the body — baptized in the name of Jesus and given the gift of the Spirit. Lack of understanding is not an impediment to the Kingdom in Paul’s ministry. Proper understanding comes as a result of fellowship, rather than acting as a test of it. There’s an important lesson for us here.

Paul’s interaction with the sons of Sceva underscores the transformative power of this Kingdom message. “Many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all.” (v18-19). The Gospel call transforms this community, undermines the cultural norms of magic arts, and authors new life in what was previously a dark, pagan place.

The riot in Ephesus also illustrates this in depth of detail. Luke is telling us that the Gospel has implications for every facet of one’s life: social, economic, relational, etc. No dimension of our lives is off limits to the ramifications of the Good News of Jesus.

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Acts 18

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Jason

Reading for Tuesday, May 1: Acts 18

Acts 18 highlights Paul’s continued missionary travels. But I want to focus on the last part of the chapter that deals with Apollos and the correction he receives from Priscilla and Aquilla.

Apollos possesses a knowledge of the Scriptures and a great deal of eloquence, a powerful combination that he uses to bless God’s people. But for all of his fervency, Apollos knows only the baptism of John (v25). Priscilla and Aquilla graciously take Apollos under their wing and provide him with the instruction he lacks. Their example reminds us of Barnabas, the encourager who refuses to give up on Saul and John Mark and all of God’s people. Priscilla and Aquilla reach out to Apollos in a time when it would’ve been easy to leave him to fend for himself, alone in his ignorance. But their presence makes all the difference in Apollos’ life.

Today, I want to quietly give thanks for the many Priscillas and Aquillas who have pulled me aside and graciously offered correction and friendship and encouragement to me in my walk with the Lord. These embodiments of grace have richly blessed me and have made all the difference in my life. We all should be this fortunate.

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Acts 17

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Jason

Reading for Monday, April 30: Acts 17

Acts 17 gives us insight into Paul’s missionary strategy. As he passes through Thessalonica, Paul goes to the local synagogue for three consecutive Sabbaths to preach Jesus as the Messiah. “He reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead.” Paul understands that these Jews have a context for understanding Jesus through the Hebrew Scriptures (or, Old Testament, as we call it). Paul’s evangelistic appeal to them is rooted in Scripture.

In Athens, Paul takes a different strategy. As he walks the streets of this great city, he is greatly distressed at the number of idols (v16). He continues to preach in the synagogue, but he also takes his message to the marketplace (v17). This street-preaching puts Paul in dialogue with the philosophers of the day — Epicurieans and Stoics. This gives Paul an opportunity to make a different kind of appeal — a cultural appeal. He lauds the Athenians for their religiosity (v22). “For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.” (v23)

Paul takes this cultural artifact — an altar to an unknown God — and uses it as a springboard to preach the Gospel. He also quotes from one of the ancient poets, probably Epimenides, when he says, “In him we live and move and have our being.” (v28). Altars, poems — these are products of culture, yet Paul infuses them with Gospel meaning. This is Paul’s missionary strategy with these Gentiles: to meet them on their own terms, preaching Jesus as the power to infuse life with true meaning and purpose.

“In him we live and move and have our being.” Amen.

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Acts 16

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Jason

Reading for Friday, April 27: Acts 16

An interesting development occurs in the early verses of ch16: Paul comes across Timothy, a disciple of Jesus with a Jewish mother and a Greek father. Paul circumcises Timothy “because of the Jews who were in those places,” (v3). For those who would accuse Paul of looking for any reason to violate the circumcision command, Timothy is the rebuttal. Paul never teaches Jews to abandon their Jewish heritage; his concern is for a path to Gentile conversion that is unobstructed by Jewish practice.

V5 is another of Luke’s summary statements: “So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.” Daily, incremental growth — numerically, spiritually — defines the early church.

V6 is also fascinating: (From the ESV Study Bible) “From Antioch in Pisidia, Paul and Timothy travel far northward, and then westward. Natural human wisdom would have led them to think they should preach the gospel in all the cities that they passed through, but instead the Holy Spirit directed them on a 400-mile journey by foot to Troas. They must have had a strong sense of the Spirit’s direct guidance and concluded that he would guide others to preach the gospel in the northern regions of Asia.”

God sends Paul a vision of a Macedonian man and this prompts Paul to alter his travel plans. Acts is clear that God is still the primary character. As the narrative shifts from the exploits of Peter to the activity of Philip to the missionary impetus of Paul, God remains front and center — prompting, guiding, leading. This is because this is HIS mission; we are but willing participants in HIS missionary work.

God blesses Paul’s faithfulness — leading him to Lydia, who is converted; a spirit-possessed slave girl, who is healed; and a Philippian jailer, who is set free from the bondage of sin. The text says Lydia is a God-fearer or a God-worshipper — she has a context for understanding the Gospel in light of her previous understanding. The slave girl represents those who are adamantly opposed to the work of God’s Kingdom. And the jailer doesn’t even understand his own condition as a prisoner to sin. Yet, each of them receives the invitation into God’s Kingdom life. Each one experiences new life resulting from the Gospel proclamation.

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…” (v31).

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Acts 15

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Jason

Reading for Thursday, April 26: Acts 15

Acts 15 is another landmark chapter in our reading this year. This chapter describes the resolution to a tremendous controversy in the early church: the inclusion of the Gentile believers. All the major players are here for this council-discussion: Peter, Paul, James, Barnabas. The question: should Gentile converts also be required to undergo circumcision?

Peter speaks first, alluding to his call to baptize Cornelius: “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe,” (v7). Peter appeals to his experience at Cornelius’ (Acts 10) and concludes with this assessment: “We believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will,” (v11). Barnabas and Paul also make a personal appeal, relating all the signs and wonders God has provided in their ministry to the Gentiles. James, as one of the influential voices of Jerusalem, appeals to Scripture, turning to Amos 9 and God’s promise of restoration for His remnant people — including the Gentiles.

The council agrees not to further burden the Gentile Christians, only to ask them to exercise discretion in food and sexual restrictions. Judas and Silas are nominated to accompany Paul and Barnabas as they share this news in the Gentile churches.

But the collaborative victory of the early part of the chapter is quickly forgotten; by chapter’s end, Paul and Barnabas have separated. The cause of this rupture? John Mark. On their first missionary journey, John Mark returned home halfway through (Acts 13.13). Paul seemingly loses confidence in the young man, but Barnabas remains an encourager to the end. He refuses to give up on John Mark, much as he refused to give up on Saul years earlier.

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