Sunday 20 January, 2013

1 Comment/in /by

Acts 22:30 - 23:11

30 The commanding officer wanted to find out exactly what the Jews had against Paul. So the next day he let Paul out of prison. He ordered a meeting of the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin. Then he brought Paul and had him stand in front of them. 23 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin. “My brothers,” he said, “I have always done my duty to God. To this very day I feel that I have done nothing wrong.” 2 Ananias the high priest heard this. So he ordered the men standing near Paul to hit him on the mouth. 3 Then Paul said to him, “You pretender! God will hit you! You sit there and judge me by the law. But you yourself broke the law when you commanded them to hit me!” 4 Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you talk like that to God’s high priest!” 5 Paul replied, “Brothers, I didn’t realize he was the high priest. It is written, ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’” (Exodus 22:28) 6 Paul knew that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees. So he called out in the Sanhedrin. “My brothers,” he said, “I am a Pharisee. I am the son of a Pharisee. I believe that people will rise from the dead. That’s why I am on trial.” 7 When he said this, the Pharisees and the Sadducees started to argue. They began to take sides. 8 The Sadducees say that people will not rise from the dead. They don’t believe there are angels or spirits either. But the Pharisees believe all these things. 9 People were causing trouble and making a lot of noise. Some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up. They argued strongly. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10 The arguing got out of hand. The commanding officer was afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by those who were arguing. So he ordered the soldiers to go down and take him away from them by force. They were supposed to bring him into the fort. 11 The next night the Lord stood near Paul. He said, “Be brave! You have given witness about me in Jerusalem. You must do the same in Rome.”

Life following Jesus is filled with adventure and challenge and Paul was no stranger to these things happening.  When he finds himself called before a Roman commander with the Jewish High Council and the leading priests Paul answers all he is asked – calling those who accuse him “brothers”. Even here – under attack – he carries the peace of God and has a heart for reconciliation. However – when Paul reminds the Pharisees that he is under attack because his hope is in the resurrection of the dead – the response is an uproar. It gets so bad the Roman Commander removes Paul from the situation. Tense! Paul seems to take it all in his stride – this is part of the adventure of following Jesus.

God is still in control. The passage ends with God confirming this. You are in the right place – “be encouraged – just as you have been a witness here in Jerusalem, you must preach the good news in Rome.”

Oh God – help me let go of the comfort of the familiar and be ready for all that the adventure of following You brings. Like Paul – in the midst of hostility – may I be a witness to You. Encourage me – in whatever situation I find myself – that I am there for

you!

Written by Ps. Linda Quinn

1 (reply)
  1. Dina Reed says:

    I just love How God came to Paul and encouraged him after such a havoc day. He came to encourage him for what he has done and direct him to the next move. God is always with us leading us protecting us encouraging us regardless of the circumstances,

    Thank you Lord that you are always with us, help me to remember that to look and listen for your leading.

[comments closed]

Saturday 19 January, 2013

in /by

Acts 21:37 - 22:29

37 The soldiers were about to take Paul into the fort. Then he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” he replied. 38 “Aren’t you the Egyptian who turned some of our people against their leaders? Didn’t you lead 4,000 terrorists out into the desert some time ago?” 39 Paul answered, “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia. I am a citizen of an important city. Please let me speak to the people.” 40 The commander told him he could. So Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When all of them were quiet, he spoke to them in the Aramaic language. 22 1 “Brothers and fathers,” Paul began, “listen to me now. I want to speak up for myself.” 2 When they heard that he was speaking to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul said, 3 “I am a Jew. I was born in Tarsus in Cilicia. But I grew up here in Jerusalem. I was well trained by Gamaliel in the law of our people. I wanted to serve God as much as any of you do today. 4 I hurt the followers of the Way of Jesus. I sent many of them to their death. I arrested men and women. I threw them into prison. 5 The high priest and the whole Council can give witness to this. I even had some official letters they had written to their friends in Damascus. So I went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished. 6 “I had almost reached Damascus. About noon a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice speak to me. ‘Saul! Saul!’ it said. ‘Why are you opposing me?’ 8 “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. “‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,’ he replied. ‘I am the one you are opposing.’ 9 “The light was seen by my companions. But they didn’t understand the voice of the one speaking to me. 10 “‘What should I do, Lord?’ I asked. “‘Get up,’ the Lord said. ‘Go into Damascus. There you will be told everything you have been given to do.’ 11 The brightness of the light had blinded me. So my companions led me by the hand into Damascus. 12 “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a godly Jew who obeyed the law. All the Jews living there respected him very much. 13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ At that very moment I was able to see him. 14 “Then he said, ‘The God of our people has chosen you. He wanted to tell you his plans for you. You have seen the Blameless One. You have heard words from his mouth. 15 Now you will give witness to all people about what you have seen and heard. 16 So what are you waiting for? Get up and call on his name. Be baptized. Have your sins washed away.’ 17 “I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple. Then it seemed to me that I was dreaming. 18 I saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem at once. These people will not accept your witness about me.’ 19 “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know what I used to do. I went from one synagogue to another and put believers in prison. I also beat them. 20 Stephen was a man who gave witness to others about you. I stood there when he was killed. I had agreed that he should die. I even guarded the coats of those who were killing him.’ 21 “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go. I will send you far away to people who are not Jews.’” 22 The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they shouted, “Kill him! He isn’t fit to live!” 23 They shouted and threw off their coats. They threw dust into the air. 24 So the commanding officer ordered Paul to be taken into the fort. He gave orders for Paul to be whipped and questioned. He wanted to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. 25 A commander was standing there as they stretched Paul out to be whipped. Paul said to him, “Does the law allow you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?” 26 When the commander heard this, he went to the commanding officer and reported it. “What are you going to do?” the commander asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.” 27 So the commanding officer went to Paul. “Tell me,” he asked. “Are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes, I am,” Paul answered. 28 Then the officer said, “I had to pay a lot of money to become a citizen.” “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied. 29 Right away those who were about to question him left. Even the officer was alarmed. He realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.

Nothing Wasted

Paul used everything he had in his life to promote Jesus and God’s Kingdom.  His background, his skills, his education, even his city of birth.  In the passage above Paul speaks to the Roman Commander in Greek – much to his surprise.  He then speaks to the crowd in Aramaic – they are immediately silenced in hearing their own language. At the end of the passage Paul declares his Roman citizenship; preventing further beatings and gaining favour with his captors.

Sometimes we are tempted to think that the things we are doing or learning right now are of no use.  That they have no value to God.  Maybe Paul felt that way about his Greek classes at school or his Roman Citizenship.  Maybe he thought “I’m a Jew – when am I ever going to

need this?”

But God wastes nothing.  There is

a reason why I am in this time of learning or going through this particular difficulty.  Even heartache and tragedy are not wasted.  God wastes nothing. He can redeem and use everything we go through to help others and point people to Jesus.  We simply need to be patient and keep our eyes open.

Jesus, thank you for this trial I’m facing right now.  I know someday You’ll redeem it – I’m looking forward to seeing how.  May what I’m going through be used for Your glory.

Written by Boudy VanNoppen

[comments closed]

Friday 18 January, 2013

in /by

Acts 21:27-36

27 The seven days of cleansing were almost over. Some Jews from Asia Minor saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd. They arrested Paul. 28 “Men of Israel, help us!” they shouted. “This is the man who teaches everyone in all places against our people. He speaks against our law and against this holy place. Besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area. He has made this holy place unclean.” 29 They said this because they had seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul. They thought Paul had brought him into the temple area. 30 The whole city was stirred up. People came running from all directions. They grabbed Paul and dragged him out of the temple. Right away the temple gates were shut. 31 The people were trying to kill Paul. But news reached the commander of the Roman troops. He heard that people were making trouble in the whole city of Jerusalem. 32 At once he took some officers and soldiers with him. They ran down to the crowd. The people causing the trouble saw the commander and his soldiers. So they stopped beating Paul. 33 The commander came up and arrested Paul. He ordered him to be held with two chains. Then he asked who Paul was and what he had done. 34 Some in the crowd shouted one thing, some another. But the commander couldn’t get the facts because of all the noise. So he ordered that Paul be taken into the fort. 35 Paul reached the steps. But then the mob became so wild that he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36 The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Kill him!”

What strikes me in this passage is that the Roman authorities actually saved Paul’s life in this episode of Acts. By all accounts, Roman authorities in Paul’s time were not the nicest bunch, nor were they supporters of Christianity per se. But in this particular moment, God used the authorities to spare Paul’s life.

As soon as the commander and his troops arrived on the scene, Paul’s accusers stopped beating him.

Reading this passage, it is clear that God uses all people, at all levels of society, to fulfill his good purposes. Even the most unwitting people. And in this instance, these authority figures saved God’s servant, Paul, from probable

You fail to and regain the sexual satisfaction you want.

death.

I am reminded that I need to be thankful, and prayerful, for all those in authority over me. I need to prayerful that people of good repute, and Godly character, would hold such positions.

Written by Ps. Rob Waugh

[comments closed]

Thursday 17 January, 2013

2 Comments/in /by

Acts 21: 17 – 26

17 When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers and sisters gave us a warm welcome. 18 The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James. All the elders were there. 19 Paul greeted them. Then he reported everything God had done among the non-Jews through his work. 20 When they heard this, they praised God. Then they spoke to Paul. “Brother,” they said, “you see that thousands of Jews have become believers. All of them try very hard to obey the law. 21 They have been told that you teach all the Jews who live among the non-Jews to turn away from Moses. They think that you teach them not to circumcise their children. They think that you teach them to give up our Jewish ways. 22 “What should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come. 23 So do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a promise to God. 24 Take them with you. Join them in the Jewish practice that makes people pure and clean. Pay their expenses so they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know that these reports about you are not true in any way. They will know that you yourself obey the law. 25 “We have already given written directions to the believers who are not Jews. They must not eat food that has been offered to statues of gods. They must not drink blood. They must not eat the meat of animals that have been choked to death. And they must not commit sexual sins.” 26 The next day Paul took the men with him. They all made themselves pure and clean in the usual way. Then Paul went to the temple. There he reported the date when the days of cleansing would end. At that time the proper offering would be made for each of them.

Paul arrives in Jerusalem and is warmly greeted by James and the elders, and they rejoice together at what God has been doing amongst the Gentiles through him. There are also many Jewish believers,

which would have pleased Paul enormously, however, it seems that the Jewish believers were upset with him. Paul understands that the purification rites are no longer necessary because salvation is by grace, not works. But he follows his stated principle from Corinthians where he says “To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law…… I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” 1 Cor 9: 20

In Romans

14:13 Paul says “Let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.”

Paul is following both of these principles here. He is always trying to witness to people for their salvation, and he is trying to not offend other believers by his actions.

Lord, please help me to not be a stumbling block for anyone else’s faith, but to encourage others by my actions.

Written by Megan Cornell

2 replies
  1. Graham Knight says:

    It is interesting that the Jewish christians still believed that the law of moses was important as the teachings of Jesus. I wonder how much of my christian faith I have inherited and how much is based on the teachings of Jesus, mmmmm.

  2. Dina Reed says:

    For a long time I understood the meaning of Grace to be the opposite of the meaning of legalism. However I eventually understood that Grace stands on its own. its meaning is not limited to one word and its application is even wider
    God in His grace always meets us where we are at, whether at the point of salvation or other times. He does not expect us to change before He accepts us. He accepts us first through the blood of Jesus, then with the help of the Holy Spirit Helps us grow and change.
    In this passage Grace means, going along with legalism. Paul met the people where they are at, and allowed what is not necessary to occur, to help them take a step closer to God.

    Lord give me Your eyes to see where the people are at, give me Your heart to love them, and the Your grace to be able to do what is necessary for them walk closer to you.

[comments closed]

Wednesday 16 January, 2013

1 Comment/in /by

Acts 21:7-16

7 Continuing on from Tyre, we landed at Ptolemais. There we greeted the brothers and sisters. We stayed with them for a day. 8 The next day we left and arrived at Caesarea. We stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist. He was one of the seven deacons. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. 10 We stayed there several days. Then a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 He came over to us. Then he took Paul’s belt and tied his own hands and feet with it. He said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘This is how the Jews of Jerusalem will tie up the owner of this belt. They will hand him over to people who are not Jews.’” 12 When we heard this, we all begged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 He asked, “Why are you crying? Why are you breaking my heart? I’m ready to be put in prison. In fact, I’m ready to die in Jerusalem for the Lord Jesus.” 14 We couldn’t change his mind. So we gave up. We said, “May what the Lord wants to happen be done.” 15 After this, we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the believers from Caesarea went with us. They brought us to Mnason’s home. We were supposed to stay there. Mnason was from Cyprus. He was one of the first believers.

Two different times in v9 and in v16, Paul received prophecy regarding his journeys. In v12 the people told Paul not to go to Jerusalem because it was dangerous. Paul had been warning he would have trouble, that when they came, they wouldn’t surprise or terrify him. The Christians began to weep urged him not to go to Jerusalem.  Paul asked them not to break his heart; his resolve began to weaken, but then he said “has not Jesus told us to take up our cross?” It troubled him that they should urge him to not obey the words of the Holy Spirit.

Although their human thinking was understandable, even logical, it wasn’t of God. They knew as much when they recognised Paul’s resolve to go to Jerusalem, despite the danger as

the will of the Lord. It is easy to do – and a source of trouble – when we “add our bit” to what God may be saying, often thinking that it is also from the Lord.
It’s easy to say “I don’t understand why you have to go wherever when there are plenty of people here that need help.”

It is

just as dangerous to stay where you are, when it is not in the will of God. It’s best to go wherever God tells you, when you are in His will, you are safe in Him.

Written by Cathy Croft

1 (reply)
  1. Graham Knight says:

    Paul and his party stayed with Philip who was one of the Seven (Ch 6:5) but now lived in Caesarea. Philip had four daughters who were prophets. The question is why did Agabus come to from Judea to give Paul the message and why did Luke make the point of telling about Philip’s daughters? I think Luke is telling us that God through the Holy Spirit was giving further confirmation to Paul that he was walking in His will. All of Paul’s followers were grieving because they wouldn’t see Paul any more and Paul would have loved them very much but Paul was on his way to Rome.

[comments closed]

Tuesday 15 January, 2013

1 Comment/in /by

Acts 21:1-6

21 After we had torn ourselves away from the Ephesian elders, we headed out to sea. We sailed straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes. From there we continued on to Patara. 2 We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia. So we went on board and headed out to sea. 3 We came near Cyprus and passed to the south of it. Then we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre. There our ship was supposed to unload. 4 We found the believers there and stayed with them for seven days. Led by the Holy Spirit, they tried to get Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 But when it was time to leave, we continued on our way. All the believers and their families went with us out of the city. There on the beach we got down on our knees to pray. 6 We said good-by to each other. Then we went on board the ship. And they returned home.

The disciples in Tyre get a word from God for Paul: don’t go on to Jerusalem. Not just one of them, a number of them have the same word. The word will be confirmed by Agabus in Caesarea and

by subsequent events. They had heard the Holy Spirit correctly.

They tell Paul the word. They urge him to listen to the word. And yet Paul rejects the word and continues on to Jerusalem.

It can be very easy to become emotionally involved with a word God has given us for someone. We love our God who has spoken passionately. We desperately want to see the word he entrusted to us have its effect. And it can be easy to become so emotionally caught up in it that we try to make it be heard.

Although God entrusted it to us, it remains his word. Once it has been faithfully given, it is up to God what happens next.

How do

the disciples from Tyre respond? They don’t get angry with Paul for rejecting the word. They continue to love him, all going to see him off and to pray with him. Presumably they prayed for Paul’s safety, and ultimately against the fulfillment of the word they so faithfully delivered.

What faithful disciples!

Written by David Cornell

1 (reply)
[comments closed]

Monday 14 January, 2013

in /by

Acts 20:25-38

25 “I have spent time with you preaching about the kingdom. I know that none of you will ever see me again. 26 So I tell you today that I am not guilty if anyone has not believed. 27 I haven’t let anyone keep me from telling you everything God wants you to do. 28 “Keep watch over yourselves. Keep watch over all the believers. The Holy Spirit has made you leaders over them. Be shepherds of God’s church. He bought it with his own blood. 29 “I know that after I leave, wild wolves will come in among you. They won’t spare any of the sheep. 30 Even men from your own people will rise up and twist the truth. They want to get the believers to follow them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning you. Night and day I warned each of you with tears. 32 “Now I commit you to God’s care. I commit you to the word of his grace. It can build you up. Then you will share in what God plans to give all his people. 33 I haven’t longed for anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that I have used my own hands to meet my needs. I have also met the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that we must work hard and help the weak. We must remember the words of the Lord Jesus. He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” 36 When Paul had said this, he got down on his knees with all of them and prayed. 37 They all cried as they hugged and kissed him. 38 What hurt them the most was that he had said they would never see his face again. Then they went with him to the ship.

Paul knew here that he was about to encounter hard times. The

Holy Spirit had shown him that he was going to be jailed and that the road ahead for him was full of trials.

Yet his focus here was on encouraging the people he had been ministering to, not on his impending trials. He really wanted to finish his race well and be obedient to want God had called him to do.

When I am able to keep focusing outward in the midst of suffering and trials I am demonstrating the power of God in my life, because I know that this is not my natural human reaction. When I focus on giving rather than receiving I am demonstrating the character of Jesus. This is not something I can do

in my own strength, but requires me to reach out for God’s help each and every day.

Lord, help me to keep my eyes focused on obeying Your calling and not on my own comfort. May I daily receive Your grace and power to be all that You have called me to be.

Written by Shelley Witt

[comments closed]

Sunday 13 January, 2013

in /by

Acts 20:17-24

17 From Miletus, Paul sent for the elders of the church at Ephesus. 18 When they arrived, he spoke to them. “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you,” he said. “From the first day I came into Asia Minor, 19 I was free of pride. I served the Lord with tears. I served him even though I was greatly tested by the evil plans of the Jews. 20 You know I haven’t let anyone keep me from preaching anything that would be helpful to you. I have taught you in public and from house to house. 21 I have told both Jews and Greeks that they must turn away from their sins to God. They must have faith in our Lord Jesus. 22 “Now I am going to Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit compels me. I don’t know what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Spirit warns me. He tells me that I will face prison and suffering. 24 But my life means nothing to me. I only want to finish the race. I want to complete the work the Lord Jesus has given me. He wants me to give witness to others about the good news of God’s grace.

Thinking about a person who has personally touched your life and had a great impact on you, are you able to identify how they were able to

have such an impact? What did

they do that was different?

Here, and elsewhere in scripture, the Bible suggests that to be truly effective, to lead well and see growth in others, we need to live life in fellowship and community, investing in one another through relationship.

God help me to do life well with other people. Help me to seek Godly mentorship and leadership in all spheres and help me to grow and be an example and support for others.

 

Written by Justin Ware

[comments closed]

Saturday 12 January, 2013

in /by

Acts 20:13-16

13 We went on ahead to the ship. We sailed for Assos. There we were going to take Paul on board. He had planned it this way because he wanted to go there by land. 14 So he met us at Assos. We took him on board and went on to Mitylene. 15 The next day we sailed from there. We arrived near Kios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos. We arrived at Miletus the next day. 16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus. He didn’t want to spend time in Asia Minor. He was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem. If he could, he wanted to be there by the day of Pentecost.

Paul went for a walk. He walked about 21 miles according to Google. I guess he wanted some space before he headed to Jerusalem. God looked after his travel to make sure he made it on time to meet up with his friends. He made arrangements and everything held together. Its great when we are in sync with God’s plans – everything just seems

to work.

Lord help me remember to spend time speaking to you about my plans and to be willing to listen to what Your plans for me are.

Written by Therese Manning

[comments closed]

Friday 11 January, 2013

in /by

Acts 20:7-12

7 On the first day of the week we met to break bread and eat together. Paul spoke to the people. He kept on talking until midnight because he planned to leave the next day. 8 There were many lamps in the room upstairs where we were meeting. 9 A young man named Eutychus was sitting in a window. He sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. Sound asleep, Eutychus fell from the third floor. When they picked him up from the ground, he was dead. 10 Paul went down and threw himself on the young man. He put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he told them. “He’s alive!” 11 Then Paul went upstairs again. He broke bread and ate with them. He kept on talking until daylight. Then he left. 12 The people took the young man home. They were greatly comforted because he was alive.

What a random event in the record of Acts. A kid falls out of third story window whilst listening to Paul, and dies.

What a shocking event! Yet even in the apparently random, grossly unfortunate, unexplainable event that this was, God works His good purpose. And Paul is his man for the moment.

Maybe he initially experienced shock. Maybe he was thrown by the moment for a moment. But just as quickly Paul is into action, and into a place of faith-filled action.

God worked in this random event a glorious miracle, and great comfort for His people.

What challenges me most is Paul’s readiness to go to a place of faith in the midst of apparently random and unfortunate events. I think about my life, and my week, and there are often apparently random or unfortunate events that take place. Not necessarily young men falling out of windows and dying right in front of me. But needs of others coming up that I hadn’t

planned to attend to. Unfortunate news such as sickness or troubles in lives around me or simply interruptions to my day that I couldn’t have controlled but now have to deal with.

And the example of Paul calls me to quickly go to a place of faith. God is at work here. God has got a plan for this moment. God can put his goodness on display. God’s got a miracle in store. Rather than shock, or disappointment, or throwing my hands up in the air. God wants faith.

God, help me to quickly move to faith, no matter what circumstances might take place in

this day.

By Ps. Rob Waugh

[comments closed]