Acts 27

I would imagine that a Roman centurion that was a part of the Imperial Regiment would be used to being in charge no matter what. Pretty much everyone that he came into contact with would have to obey him, and I'm sure that he was a fairly proud man. I would be. It was an honor enough to be a part of the Roman army, the finest fighting machine the world had ever seen, and to be a part of the Imperial Regiment was a cut above even that. He was one of the best at what he did and I'm sure that he was not used to taking orders from very many people. He spent most of his time giving orders.

Julius was just such a soldier, but he wasn't just a soldier. He was man. This chapter sheds some light on his humanity when he allows Paul to go and visit his friends in Sidon. Not only that, but it also tells us that he probably knows a little bit about why Paul is going to Rome. He's not treating Paul like an ordinary criminal because he realizes that Paul wants to make this journey, so there's little risk of him running away. Basically, we're dealing with a smart, relatively kind, proud man. So why does he have so much trouble with simple instructions?

Paul tries to tell them early on that things are going to get bad. We don't know for sure why Paul made that prediction. Perhaps it was from his travel experiences over the last several years, or perhaps it was a direct message from God. It really doesn't matter. His was a voice of wisdom that went unheeded. I imagine that Julius thought that there was no way that this intellectual could possibly know much about traveling the Mediterranean, so why listen to him? Paul was ignored and Julius moved ahead under the advice of the ship's captain.

When things started to get bad, it moved in slowly, and initially, Julius and the crew thought that they were being favored. The wind was picking up and things seemed to be going well. Looking back, of course, we ask, shouldn't an experienced sailor on the Med have thought about Paul's warning and realized that this south wind was a portent of disaster?

As predicted, things did get pretty bad in a hurry. A hurricane force storm blew up and trapped the ship. The men were wondering if they would survive, and Paul received a message directly from God. He told the men that they would be saved, but that the ship would be lost. They would have to run aground on an island somewhere in the sea, but they would survive and Paul would reach Rome.

Still some of the men did not believe that Paul knew what he was talking about and they tried to sneak off the ship in a life boat. Julius, though, was finally coming to understand the wisdom of Paul's words and he prevented their escape. When they finally did run aground, the other soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to prevent them from escaping, but Julius had made it that last step and apparently realized that if God had promised their survival to Rome, then he would not allow the prisoners to escape either, so he spared their lives. Julius was finally understanding that there are things in this world that he could not and would not ever be able to control. No matter his position before men, God would always be in charge.

We don't know whether Julius ever became a Christian or not, but through this story, we see the importance of keeping our pride in check and not letting one bad decision escalate into a horrible situation.

Acts 26

It sounds insane. The whole of Christianity sounds insane. God came to earth as a man to teach us about Himself because we just weren't getting it, we killed him (which was part of the plan all along), and as a result, he offers us eternal life for free. What part of that doesn't sound plain crazy? It's such a different way of thinking than how humans work naturally. Add in a bit about seeing a light and hearing voices while driving to a foreign city and you'd think that this was some kind of alien abduction story from The X-Files.

Paul, though, is not concerned with how it sounds because he knows how it works. He's lived on both sides of the fence and he knows God's grace. Not only that, but he's determined to tell as many people as possible about Christianity. To do that he needs to be in front of both the common man and the nobility. Paul recognized that the common man could start a ground swell, but until the nobility embraced Christianity a worldwide change would be almost impossible. That's why he's happy to testify before Felix, Festus, Agrippa, and he's requested an audience with Caesar.

Agrippa would have let him go free if Paul had not requested an audience with Caesar but there would two problems with that scenario. First, Paul wouldn't get to speak to the highest ranking official in the world. Second, Paul would probably be killed without the protection of his Roman prison. How ironic is it that Paul is now in prison for protection rather than punishment? I guess they hadn't really perfected the witness protection program back in the day.

If Paul had been thinking strictly for himself, he might not have requested an audience with Caesar. He might have taken his chances with being set free. The world back then was not very high tech. He could have lived in a hundred different places where he was unknown and probably grown old, but then what would have started the wheels turning to spread Christianity throughout the entire world? Paul had to go to Caesar and at least try.

We know from history that Caesar is not going to just roll over and declare that Christianity is cool and everyone should believe it, but we also know that a seed is going to be planted and that a Caesar down the line will make that declaration. Would that have happened without Paul? I don't know. The real question is whether or not you are looking out for your own interests today or the interests of God and your community?

Acts 25

It's somewhat reassuring to know that legal systems have always been slow. Two years after Paul was sent to Felix, he's still in prison and now he's got a new judge, Festus. The only problem is that this judge can't find a reason to keep Paul in prison, but he's got to make political allies of the Jews, so he can't just let him go either.

In another example of recognizing the authority that God has given our governments over us, Paul appeals to Roman law for help. He knows that he's done nothing wrong, and he knows that the Romans won't turn over a man to his accusers if he's not been proven guilty of a crime. Using that leverage he requests an audience with Caesar. Here's the bind that he's put Festus in now, though. Festus is obligated to send Paul to Caesar, but after hearing everything the Jews have to say, there are no charges to send with Paul. He can't extrapolate a single thing out of any of the accusations that the Jews have brought.

That tells us two things about Paul that should be true in our own lives as well. First, Paul was a man of the highest integrity. When the Jews made accusations against him, there was nothing that could be proven and nothing that could even be twisted into an actual charge against him. Second, Paul was a man who was aware of the world's rules and was willing to play inside those rules to further the gospel. Paul was going to get an audience with Caesar. He was going to have a chance to speak the Gospel to the highest ranking official in the entire world, and he didn't have to sneak in; he's going to be sent by Governor Festus himself.

Acts 24

Governor Felix wanted to play with Christianity. He liked the idea of it, and he apparently enjoyed listening to Paul talk about it. Did he ever really believe it, though?

Like so many people that go to church every week because they feel obligated to go, or they have a habit of getting up, or they enjoy talking with their friends that are also at church, Governor Felix kept Paul in prison (low security to be sure) for two years because he like the idea of Christianity. I'm not sure that he ever really developed any meaningful relationship with God in that entire time, though. Felix was more interested in getting a bribe from Paul or keeping the Jews happy, whichever came first, than he was in responding to the urges of the HS. And I think it's pretty obvious that the HS was working on him when he became afraid after listening to Paul preach.

Felix knew what God required of him, and Felix ignored it. It's mind blowing to me how someone could have listened to Paul preach and not become a believer, but it happens. People managed to do just that after listening to Jesus himself. It's amazing how we can be so selfish even in the presence of hearing God's grace, and yet we continue to do it. The question is, how many times do we play church for our own interests rather than for God's?

Acts 23

Be a person of high character. That's what we learn from Paul in this passage. As he stands trial before the Sanhedrin, he's hit across the mouth on the order of the high priest. I don't know much about Jewish law, but it seems like a cheap shot to me. Paul called them on it, and was rebuked when he learned that the high priest had ordered the hit. Immediately, Paul recanted and implied an apology for his offense. Even though they were taking cheap shots, Paul tried to stay above that.

Later, the Roman commander, Claudius Lysias, wrote a letter to the governor on Paul's behalf. This followed Paul's nephew reporting a plot to kill the Jews. I've got to believe that the commander would not have listened to just any prisoner that said they were in danger and that he would not have cared either way in most cases anyway. In Paul's case, he not only cared, he assigned 470 men to sneak Paul out of the city and guard him on his way to the governor's palace. Along with that he sent a letter that clearly stated his belief in Paul's innocence and requesting protection for the prisoner. How many prisoners do you think a Roman commander ever tried to protect? I'll bet not many.

All of this testifies to the quality of character that Paul demonstrated while in the presence of his enemies. Can you say the same? If you were wrongly accused would you character be that of Paul's? Or would you make a fool of yourself and confirm everyone's suspicions?

Acts 22

Paul already knows that the Jews in Jerusalem are not going to understand or listen to the truth of the Gospel. In his speech to them he tells them specifically that God had already revealed that truth to him years before. Paul just can't help trying to explain things, though.

He's been gone for years, and many of these people were once his friends. Now they all want to kill him. I'll bet that he not only felt sorry for them as they pushed their ethnic pride in spite of the Gospel, but I'll bet that he also felt lonely. The only people that he could look to at that moment for help were Roman soldiers. His country, his race, and his heritage had all but disowned him. That must have been a hard time.

In addressing the crowd, though, Paul tried to reestablish bonds with those people that he had known earlier in his life. He reached for points of common interest in detailing how he used to also be bloodthirsty in hunting down the Christians. The Jews, though, reveal their true fears when he finally tells them that God sent him to the Gentiles to save his life and because the Jews wouldn't listen. To the Jews that made Paul a blasphemer and unclean.

The Jews were more concerned with keeping their little religious clique going than in hearing God. They were more concerned with not being able to continue saying they were better than the Gentiles than in sharing the salvation of the Lord. They were more concerned with complaining about the Roman soldiers than in trying to work together with them to further the Gospel. They were short-sighted, selfish, and scared.

Paul was scared, too, and in that fear, he reminds us of one other important point: it's okay to be a part of a human government and to work within the rules of that government to further the Gospel. When the Romans were preparing to flog Paul, he knew that that flogging would be worse than any other punishment that he had ever received. He knew that it would probably result in his death. Paul used the fact that he was a Roman citizen to take control of the situation. As a matter of fact, I think he may have even inserted a little pride into the mix when he told the commander that he was "born a citizen." Seems to me that he's implying that he's a little higher socially than a man that had to buy citizenship most likely through bribes.

In what ways are you short-sighted, selfish, and scared? And is it possible that you are ignoring God as a result of your own fears and prejudices?

Acts 21

What happens when you convert to Christianity? Do you have to give up all of your old beliefs, practices and traditions? What if some of those are part of your culture? What if they define who you are socially? Are all Christians meant to fit a cookie cutter mold?

By the time of Paul, the Jews had been around for a long time, and during that time they had developed their own sense of national identity. That sense of identity includes a strong pride in self-preservation that we see even still today, and it's not completely misplaced. It seems like nearly every generation has someone or something that is trying to annihilate the Jews. They were enslaved in Egypt after God sent them there for protection. They were enslaved by the Babylonians. They were scattered by the Romans. They were rounded up and imprisoned by the Nazis. And even now, they are on the hit list for most Palestinians. Generally speaking, they've got a reason to be looking over their shoulder. The only problem is when they spend too much time looking over their shoulder worrying about protecting themselves and not enough time looking forward letting God protect them.

I believe that it was God's intent to position Jerusalem as a city to reach the world with the Gospel. It would be the literal "city on a hill" that Jesus described, but when the opportunity came to take that step, the city leaders rejected God's messenger (Paul) and closed the gates effectively shutting out the rest of the world and sealing their fate. We know from history class that the center of Christianity then shifted to Rome and we also know the trials and setbacks that ensued as a result of that transition. I wonder what things would be like if Jerusalem had embraced Paul and recognized that he was both a Jew and a Christian?

Ironically, Paul was attempting to demonstrate that he could be true to his heritage and be a Christian by going through the purification ceremony. He was probably in the temple to complete the purification and thus show the Jews that he was sincere when he was arrested. Thankfully, God sent the Roman soldiers to rescue him, and I do mean rescue. When you first read the passage it seems that the Romans were also just arresting Paul, but you have to realize that the penalty for a Gentile that entered either of the inner courts of the temple was summary execution. There was no trial, there was just death. And the same penalty was carried out against any Jew that brought a Gentile into the inner courts. The temple guard would have killed Paul if the Romans had not intervened to save his life, and that is also interesting because we know that the Romans tended to not interfere with internal Jewish politics, law, or traditions. Normally, they would have let them execute the offender. Really, it was a miracle that Paul was saved.

Another interesting thing is that the church leaders understood the fact that a person did not have to surrender their identity to become a Christian. They asked Paul to affirm his identity as a Jew by partaking in the purification rites, but at the same time they reiterated to the Gentiles that the traditions of Judaism did not extend to them and that they were not expected to follow the same traditions. Essentially, they were telling everyone present that Christianity is about one thing only: Jesus. Outside of that, you are who you are and you should not have to be someone else just to be a Christian.

Are you able to accept people with different national identities, different customs, different traditions, or even different physical appearance as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ? Or are you more like the Jews; concerned that your religion and your identity will be destroyed if you let outsiders join your group?

Acts 20

I'm glad to know that the fine art of falling asleep during church started from the very beginning. Paul apparently preached all night long in Troas and Eutychus just couldn't keep up. Thankfully, we don't sit in windows to hear the sermon, so we run little risk of falling, dying, and being resurrected, but it's nice to know that God still performed a miracle even though Eutychus fell asleep during the sermon.

The real meat of this chapter is not in the fact that God forgives us when we fall asleep during church. It's about this extended relay that all believers are a part of. We each run our segment of the race and then pass the baton on to the next group of believers. Paul recognized that. He had some knowledge from the Holy Spirit that he was going to be imprisoned and that he would never see the Ephesians again. He realized that it was time to pass the baton, so he called together the leaders of the church, reminded them of what he taught, warned them about the dangers that lie ahead, and left to walk the path God laid out before him.

Many of us experience these same moments. It's just a part of life. The world keeps going, Christianity keeps going, but it's someone new leading the way for each generation. The challenge is to be like Paul and recognize that it's good to pass that torch. If Paul had chosen to keep a hold on the church at Ephesus and not let it grow on its own he would have done a disservice to them and would have been disobedient to God. How many things are you still trying to keep a hold on rather than letting them grow on their own? How many people have you taught, groomed, and trusted to carry on in your absence?

Acts 19

There are several interesting things that I found in this passage. Least important is that Paul was in Ephesus for over two years. I guess reading these passages in detail is good because it's shattering the perception that I always had from Sunday School of Paul continually moving from place to place, never staying anywhere more than a few weeks.

Of the more interesting things, though, the first is that it is clear in this passage that just invoking the name of Jesus carries no weight. Several Jews, non-believers, tried to invoke the name of Jesus to force evil spirits out of people, and they were met with failure. Not only that, but one of the spirits responded that he knew who Jesus was, that he knew who Paul was, but that he had no idea who the people using those names were. That must have been embarrassing for those guys.

The real meat of this, though, is the realization that "Jesus" is not a magic word. Just saying the name doesn't do anything and doesn't carry any weight. People all over America say, "In Jesus' name," or "In God's name," and then they wonder why nothing changes. This isn't a David Copperfield show where you say the magic word and a car disappears, it's a relationship. I think of it like this, if someone random off the street came up to me and said that my mother sent him to tell me that I needed to give him $100 I'd look at him like he was crazy. I'd say, "Hey, I know my mom, and I know that she'd want me to help people out, but I don't know you, and I don't see how you could possibly know her." On the other hand, if one of Mom's friends came up with the same request I'd probably give them the $100 knowing that Mom has a good reason for sending them to me.

Okay, so the analogy is weak and breaks down in several places, so do most other analogies. The point is that it's about the relationship, and that relationship is what creates the authority to speak on another person's behalf, and it's what puts the power and authority into the name of Jesus. It doesn't do you any good to go running around saying things in Jesus' name if you don't know Jesus.

The second interesting thing is the thought process of the citizens of Ephesus. Especially Demetrius is so wrapped up in his own well being that he's not even reasoning through what he says and neither is anyone else that's listening to him. Did you catch that he says, "…[she] will be robbed of her divine majesty," when he was talking about their goddess Artemis? Did you think about that statement? If I'm in that crowd, I hope that I would ask myself two questions: Why do I want to worship a goddess that could have her divinity stolen? And who is the higher power that is going to take it away?

If you're a simple farmer or tradesman in the Roman Empire and you're superstitious about everything, wouldn't you just want to opt for the winner in a situation like that? It's not the best reason in the world to turn to God, but it would probably be good enough for me at the time. The reality, though, is that we still don't think that way; at least not as a society. Take prayer in school for example. If we let that run rampant, then we'll be limiting the cultural education that a kid could receive. Effectively, it's the same thing. God will rob your "cultural" idol of its power. I'm sure that you can think of many more and better examples than me, so hopefully you get my point.

Acts 18

I never realized that Paul got frustrated enough to quit. Sometimes, I get frustrated and consider quitting whatever task I'm involved in, but for some reason, I always imagined that Paul never wanted to give up no matter how bad things got. I see in this chapter, though, that that was apparently not the case.

Perhaps I am misreading, but it seems to me that Paul gets fed up with the Jews not believing and coming to attack him. He gets so fed up, as a matter of fact, that he stomps his feet and is ready to storm out of town never to speak to the Jews about Jesus again. Calmly, though, God comes to him and says that he must continue to preach and teach. In fact, God tells him that no one will bring harm against him as long as he is there, and so Paul settles for a year and a half to teach and preach the Gospel.

I wonder how many times I've walked away from something and ignored God telling me that that was exactly where He wanted me to be at the time? I wonder if I would have the courage to follow God like Paul and stay in town even when the people didn't seem to like me very much?

Acts 17

They say history repeats itself. I don't know who "they" are, but I do think that they are right. In this chapter it says that the Athenians spent all of their time sitting around talking about things and exploring new ideas. It kind of comes across as a negative in the passage, but it also reflects the state of our society. We spend so much time now talking about ideas and things, wondering about the best way to accomplish something, striving to become smarter, stronger, and faster that it's almost becoming a negative. When you put intellectual learning above all else, basically you've made that your idol.

It's something that I have to contend with. I love to learn, and I really enjoy being knowledgeable about a host of different things. My curiosity extends into a variety of different fields and I search out answers in each one. By itself that's not a bad thing, but if I let it consume my life, or I let that become a source of sinful pride in my life then it's certainly not good. Paul came to explain to the Athenians that they could talk and listen and explore all they wanted but that they were never going to find God through intellect alone.

Our society today spends tons on writing books and producing shows that talk about spiritual well being. The people that live around us are starving for a Paul to come along and explain how to truly find out about the "unknown god." Can you be Paul to them? Are you willing to stand up in this society and tell people that not everyone's ideas and opinions are valid? Are you willing to risk rejection by stating that not all things can be explained by science, but that that doesn't make them any less real?

It's great to be smart. Right up to the point where it makes you stupid.

Acts 16

This chapter really reminds that Paul and Silas and the other disciples of the early church were just men. They were doing their best to spread the Gospel, but they were just men. Unlike Jesus, who was perfect, they were copies that still had some imperfections to be worked out. We're the same way today.

We've looked in previous chapters at the dangers of worshipping a man, and this chapter helps keep us grounded in that reality by reminding us that Paul is just a man. No doubt he was a great man of faith and one that I think I would love to meet, but just a man. At the very opening of the passage he has Timothy circumcised. Why?

Paul is out spreading the news of the decision of the church regarding circumcision. He's argued successfully that it's not a requirement for salvation, and he's spreading that message. So why does he have Timothy circumcised? Paul certainly knows without a doubt that it won't make any difference to God, and it seems obvious from the passage that he encouraged that only because of the Jews living in the area. This tells us that Paul was socially conscious. He wanted Timothy to "fit-in" with the society.

Later, in the epistles, Paul will talk about being in the world but not of it and he'll talk about being aliens and strangers in this land, but I think this passage will remind us that Paul was still conscious of the society and he did not shun their conventions, practices, or traditions unless they weren't completely against God. He didn't want to be embarrassed any more than you or I, and to be accepted socially is the first step in being able to spread the Gospel.

Next, Paul gets frustrated with a woman in Philippi. She's able to tell the future because of a spirit, and she's walking around with Paul and his group telling everyone that they are messengers of God. For some reason this frustrated Paul, and he turned and cast the spirit out. Why?

Just like you and I, Paul got annoyed with the woman. The scripture doesn't tell us the details, so I can only imagine what was really on going for those few days, but do you always want to be recognized around town as that guy that preaches the Gospel? Do you always want to be "the servant of God?" Of course you do, because you've gone to church all of your life and you know that's what you're supposed to say. The reality of it is that sometimes we just want to be alone to be ourselves. I think that's part of what Paul was feeling. And I wonder too if there might have been a little sarcasm or condescension in her voice when she spoke of Paul. Maybe she implied with her tone that being a servant of God was not a good thing. That would definitely frustrate Paul as well. Either way, we're reminded again that he's human.

Finally, after the jail is cracked open, the jailer is saved, and the magistrate sends word to release Paul and Silas (obviously before cell phones and email since the magistrate had no idea that God had already taken care of that detail), Paul gets a little uppity. Just like when you or I feel slighted and we have a chance to do a little "told you so" or a chance to rub the bullies nose in the fact that he's "busted," Paul seems to have responded similarly. When the magistrate sent word to free Paul and Silas, Paul immediately responded by saying, "No way! I'm not going to let them get away with brushing us under the rug. They were wrong, and I'm going to make sure that they have to admit it by walking us out of town themselves." That's probably not a response that we would teach in Sunday School, but it's a perfectly normal human reaction.

The builders of the early church were truly amazing men, but they were just men. Let's not forget that.

Acts 15

This is an interesting chapter in that it's the first time that we've seen a real disagreement in the church. There were some little complaints in previous chapters like widows not being treated fairly and whether or not Peter should have eaten with a Gentile, but up until this point, the early church seemed to really be a bed of roses much like our modern church. NOT!

Of course, anyone that's driven around their town very much knows that disagreement in the church may have started with the question of whether Gentiles needed to be physically circumcised, but it still hasn't ended. Some disagreements have been large enough to start whole new branches or denominations of the church each with their own slightly different interpretation or understanding of some finer point of scripture. Only in some of these cases does the disagreement go beyond personal preference and actually delve into an issue related to the message Gospel and the theology of salvation, so in most cases I think we're able to co-exist peacefully as a church because of the denominations.

The challenge that faced the early church is that the disagreement was centered on the theology of salvation. Do you have to be circumcised to be saved? The apostles answered no, and everyone present agreed with their statement. That doesn't necessarily mean that everyone agreed. There may have been other churches that rejected that teaching and continued to preach circumcision for the Gentiles. I think we'll see more on that in some of the epistles later, and it's a pretty clear cut case of in or out. If you believe that circumcision is required for salvation, then you're not preaching the Gospel. Simple.

I think it's more interesting to see the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas. They are both saved. They are both preaching the same Gospel. They both agree that they need to go back and check on the churches that they've started during their journeys. They disagree on who to take and why. Apparently, they disagree so much that they take separate boats and go separate directions. It's not quite like starting a new denomination, but that's how it happens. I don't really believe that either of them would have been able to stay angry at the other, though. I think they both realized that their disagreement was really nothing compared to their common goal of the Gospel, and that's the lesson for us to learn about ourselves.

It's okay for us to disagree over the trivial matters of Scripture. It's okay to have different denominations. It's even fun and educational sometimes to discuss these things as a group of believers wrestling with the Word. It's only a problem when we start believing that our personal preference and interpretation of the minutiae of the Scripture is more important than the message of salvation. If we get to that point, the church will tear itself apart from the inside.

C.S. Lewis described it as a house with a large central hall. Everyone that's in the house is safe from the weather and the world outside. They're saved. And everyone in the house agrees that the master of the house is going to let anyone that knocks on the door in. When you walk down the hall in the middle of this house, though, you notice that the rooms off to the side have different things going on. One room has some people eating meat. Another room maybe has some people reading. Another one has some music going. On and on. None of the things going on in the rooms make any difference in the matter of whether or not you're in the house, it's just a question of which room do you feel most comfortable in. Everyone is a little different and some of those preferences manifest themselves in the church as denominations.

Just remember that we are all in the same house.

Acts 14

Paul and Barnabas are getting into more trouble here, and not just from the plan to have them killed by stoning (which very nearly ended Paul's ministry in this chapter). They were close to getting in trouble when the people started to try and worship them instead of God. Paul and Barnabas, surely, were tempted by the feeling of empowerment and pride that would come with that type of response. Everyone wants to be liked, not very many of us are liked enough that people want to worship us, but I'm sure that it would be hard to turn away from that kind of attention.

It's a dangerous thing because it's easy to get confused about who's really doing the work. We see preachers on TV all the time that are talking to hear themselves talk. They like that attention, and their audiences all but fall on their faces to worship them. Some of them may have started out with that end goal. They might have planned from the very beginning to get the attention of a crowd and encourage that crowd to worship them as a god. Mostly, we call those people cult leaders, and they are fairly recognizable. The comedian Tim Wilson says it's pretty much like any other job. You can't find good help and the pay's never good enough, but you do get to play with automatic weapons, so there are some perks. I think there are plenty of guys on TV, though, that started out like Paul and Barnabas, and they are little harder to spot. They just wanted to preach the gospel, and when they preached people came to listen. Then there were more people and there was more attention, and they liked the attention. Before they knew it, they were preaching to get the attention rather than to share the Gospel.

So, it's really two sides of the same dangerous coin. On the one side, we have to be careful that preaching the Gospel and giving God the attention and the glory is always at the forefront of our actions. On the other side, we have to be careful that we are not falling into the trap of worshipping the messenger rather than the sender (God Almighty).

Acts 13

There’s an interesting contrast in this chapter between an unlikely pair of characters:

First, there is Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. Why did the author choose to describe him as “an intelligent man?” Without any detailed study of the passage, I think that he was distinguishing him from a religious man. The author was trying to let us know that this guy was smart, but that he didn’t know much about God and religion.

On the other hand, there are the synagogue rulers in Pisidian Antioch. These men are definitely religious and intelligent. They know much of God, the prophets, and scriptures, but they don’t really “know” God.

To both of these characters, Paul and Barnabas speak. They tell them all about the Christ, they tell them all that the prophecies have been fulfilled, and they tell them all about God’s plan of salvation. Only one hears the truth and believes, though.

If you didn’t read this chapter directly, you might be inclined to think that the synagogue rulers would be the most likely to understand what Paul and Barnabas are talking about, they would be the most likely to see the fulfillment of the prophecy, and they would be the most likely to believe. But they don’t believe. Only Sergius Paulus believes. And that’s in spite of the fact that he’s got a false prophet, Bar-Jesus, whispering lies in his ear. The religious leaders, who are already supposed to know God and are supposed to be on the lookout for the Messiah, run Paul and Barnabas out of town.

The choice for us is to be either like the religious leaders holding tightly to our traditions, temporal popularity with man, and intellectual superiority or to be like Sergius Paulus, truly seeking a meaningful relationship with God so that you can recognize Him when He appears. Be careful to not substitute religion for relationship.

Acts 12

Does anyone else watch “Heroes” on Monday nights? If so, you’re probably familiar with the new character, Claude. Claude is invisible, and he can move around town without even touching another person making him, effectively, non-existent. Peter must have had a similar experience during his escape from jail.

Herod assigned sixteen men to guard Peter, and two of those men were on either side of Peter while he slept. One night, though, an angel appeared to Peter as he slept between those two guards, woke him up, and led him straight out of the jail to the gate of the city. How did none of the guards see what was going on? Peter had to get up, get dressed, get out of the jail; this was not a quick process, but the guards were completely oblivious to what was going on. Somehow, God made the guards not see.

Here’s the interesting part to me. Peter has been going around preaching to everyone since the day of Pentecost; nearly a year (at least) since the Passover is coming, and Pentecost is a month after Passover (in rough terms), and in that time, Peter has spoken in different languages, healed the sick, raised a girl from the dead, eaten with a Gentile, and escaped from jail once before. This time around, though, the Bible tells us that Peter did not understand and implies that he had doubts as to the miraculous nature of his escape. I hope that that was designed by God in some way for some reason because I don’t want to think that an apostle who was a part of so many miracles, witness to Jesus in flesh and blood, and the recipient of such power could have doubts about God. If that’s the case, what a challenge for us who must believe without seeing.

At the same time, though, the believers that were praying for Peter had their prayers answered, and they didn’t even recognize it at first. Did they doubt God as well? At first, Rhoda announced that Peter was at the door, and they told her that she was crazy. She kept insisting, the Bible says, and they finally said that it must be his spirit. They didn’t even believe that God could really free Peter from jail. God had already done it once before. And if they didn’t really believe it, then what were they praying for? That his death would be merciful? Or did they pray that familiar generic prayer that we use so often: God's will be done? If you sincerely pray for God's will, then you better be prepared for what He wills!

God is so much bigger than all we can ask or imagine, and it challenges me to read about the early church having doubts. It reminds me that we are all people with fears and doubts, but that God is still God. It challenges me to think bigger and to pray bigger, and it reminds me that too often we put limits on God because of the limits of our own belief. God has no limits except those of His own choosing, and we are foolish to not believe that anything is possible with Him.

Acts 11

Most of this chapter is a retelling of the events in the previous, but there is still an important lesson to learn here. Notice that the believers first criticized Peter for his actions. He had eaten with a Gentile. He had broken the law or at least a tradition. They were judging him without all the information and without understanding God. After Peter explained what had actually transpired and that he had received a word from God, they eased up and seemed amazed that God would grant salvation to the Gentiles.

I think that there’s a sad shift in many churches and among many believers today that keeps us from eating with the Gentiles, and it causes us to judge harshly those that do. It’s good to spend all of your time at church only congregating with people like you. It’s good to keep your kids from going to school with the unbelieving world. It’s good to give to the church so that the church can take care of itself and can make itself feel good. Have you seen this?

I have, and I think that this passage is a prime example of what the response really should be. God wants us to be out among the Gentiles (the unbelieving of our generation). He wants us to eat with them and live with them, talk with them and share with them. It’s the only way that they’ll ever hear about God. He wants us to give to the church but not for the sake of the church, for the sake of the church giving to the Gentiles. And we shouldn’t be amazed that God would save a Gentile. They’re the only ones that need saving; you were once one, so was I, and so were the Jews in this passage (Abram surely wasn’t a “Jew”; that didn’t come until later).

Praise God that He saves Gentiles, else we would all be condemned!

Acts 10

How often do you find yourself treating others a certain way because traditions cause you to interpret rules and laws a certain way? Since you know that you are right, you don’t even think twice about your actions. “It’s no big deal,” you say. I’m sure Peter felt this same way. He was convinced that the law was meant to keep him from associating with Gentiles. He was convinced that God would never pour out His spirit on them. He was convinced that he was right.

I wonder how many Gentiles crossed Peter’s path before the events in this passage. How many of them did Peter completely ignore because they were unclean? How many did he walk right past and not even notice because God didn’t want him to see them? And if Peter was like me at all, I’m sure that on the trip to Caesarea he started questioning himself about these same things. The realization that he had been mistaken for most of his life was probably hard on him, and I imagine that he was probably still a little uneasy about going to visit a Gentile. Sure, he knew that God wanted him to go, but he’d never done it before. It would be like putting metal in a microwave.

Did you know that they make microwave ovens now that you can put metal in? I’ve only seen them in the last few years, but I’ve still never put any metal inside one. All of my life, I’ve known that metal and microwaves are a bad combination, but they say that the technology has changed. Apparently, you still can’t put things in that have sharp edges, but a plate covered with smooth tinfoil would be okay. Personally, I remember when I accidentally put a fork in the microwave as a kid, and I just can’t bring myself to do it. Intellectually, I know that it will work, but my habits and memory just can’t be overridden.

Peter had to override his habits and memories from a lifetime of laws and traditions, and it was hard. Even though God told him to do it, it was hard. Even though the message he received on the rooftop: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean,” was extremely clear, it was hard. I’m not sure I could have moved so quickly. I usually need a day or two to process, but Peter only had a few minutes between the vision and the arrival of Cornelius’ men. He had to move quickly on what God told him without questioning or pondering.

What things are you holding onto that are hindering your ability to spread the Gospel? Could those things be like Peter’s idea of clean and unclean? Is God asking you to quit pondering and just set them aside to further His kingdom?

Acts 9

How many times did God try to get Saul’s attention? It’s interesting to read this story in context because mostly, I’ve only ever read about the experience Saul had on the road to Damascus. Looking back over the last few day’s worth of readings, I note that Saul appears in those stories as well. I believe that God may have been trying to get his attention through the testimony of Stephen, and Saul just wasn’t listening. Apparently, something sunk in, though, because this passage tells us that he immediately began “proving” that Jesus was the Messiah. So, does need to hire a sky writer or etch a message in the side of a mountain or knock you off of a horse and blind you to get your attention?

I hope not, and that’s really the point of this passage, I think. Contrast Saul to the other players in this chapter. Saul is the only one that got knocked off his horse and blinded. Basically, he’s the only one that had a radical encounter with God, but he’s not the only one to have an encounter.

Ananias was listening when God told him to visit Saul. He didn’t like what he was being told. He was afraid of Saul and might have even thought that either he or God was going a loony. Maybe the cell connection was bad that day, and Ananias was sure that he just heard static. I don’t know, but Ananias walked out on faith and went to Saul. He didn’t need a big bright light. He didn’t need to be knocked on his rear. He didn’t need to be overwhelmed by the power of God. He just obeyed.

Peter, also, in his visit to Lydda and Joppa encountered God, and other as well through Peter. There was no loud noise or bright light mentioned when Aeneas was healed or when Tabitha was resurrected. Peter simply moved in faith at the direction of the Holy Spirit, and those he encountered experienced the soft gentleness of God.

Sometimes, God has to get our attention like He did with Saul, but I think most times he prefers to work in more subtle manner like with Ananias and Peter preferring that we just follow His lead and trust. Do you trust God even when He asks to minister to someone you don’t like? Or someone you’re afraid of? Do you trust God enough to let Him work miracles through you like Peter?

Acts 8

The world’s first charlatan preacher was born in Samaria. Maybe that’s a little harsh, since Simon appears to have recognized the error of his ways before he actually became a preacher, but the fact still remains that even after hearing Philip, following Philip, and being baptized he still didn’t understand. Why else would he try to buy the Holy Spirit?

Simon had a problem when Philip arrived. He was obsolete, and he needed to choose between fighting and joining. Up until the time that Philip arrived, he had enjoyed being the center of attention. He enjoyed amazement of the citizens. He enjoyed being called “the Great Power.” Contrasted with Philip, though, it became quickly apparent that he was not all that powerful, and that he was more interested in his own well being than that of the citizens. He was prideful.

When Peter and John arrived, Simon saw an opportunity to regain his status. He could once again be “the Great Power” if he had the ability to lay hands on people so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. It was so valuable to him that he was willing to pay for it, but God doesn’t work like that. God isn’t interested in helping a prideful person be more prideful, and God doesn’t sell His blessings.

I hope that things worked out for Simon. After Peter and John rebuked him, he appears to have realized his mistake, and he asked for forgiveness and prayer. The question for you, though, is whether you recognize when you are like Simon?

In our society today, we equate almost everything to money. We have a saying that, “there’s nothing money can’t buy.” Some of us even pride ourselves on how much money we give to the church as if that can buy us more favor with God. Even more amazing, some charlatan preachers even suggest through their message that you can buy God’s blessing by sending them money. What a contrast to Peter and John!

The fact that the church needs money to survive means that we do all need to give. It should only be that though. Giving implies a gift for which you expect nothing in return. Be careful that when you give to any ministry that your heart is not prideful about your act, looking for an ego boost, or expecting some blessing in return.