The Everyday Prayer

Re:Verse reading–Acts 15:1-29 (day seven)

I am amazed at the resiliency of the early church, and the resiliency of Paul.  They went through trial after trial, but joy remained.  From the outside, they were ran out of most every town they visited, and from the inside, they could not agree on what life in the church was supposed to look like.  Strife surrounded the church, but the Holy Spirit was in it.  The Holy Spirit kept the peace and gave them joy in the most joyless situations.

This week’s text is a prime example.  After a church fight, Paul and Barnabas were sent down to Jerusalem to get their opinion, and along the way we get verse 3.  Between the two great debates that happened in Antioch and Jerusalem we get a glimpse of Paul and Barnabas on the road.  They weren’t sulking, they weren’t bulking up their arguments, the text says they were sharing their stories of joy, encouraging the church all along the way.  That is the work of the Holy Spirit.

Re:Verse reading–Acts 15:1-29 (day five)  Acts 15:11 “But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.” In verse 11, Peter changes the focus group in the work of salvation. The primary example in his closing statement was the Gentiles, NOT the Jews. The Jews would have said verse 11 in a different way, “Gentiles believe they are saved just like us”. In other words, Peter is proclaiming that the goal of salvation was NOT to be like the Jews. We often have the same mindset. We misunderstand the message and goal of the gospel. It is not that people become like us, but that they become like Christ. Any other goal falls far short of the promise and power of the Gospel. But, the possibility and opportunity to become more like Christ brings hope and joy to the human heart. That is GOOD NEWS!!

 

Re:Verse reading–Acts 15:1-29 (day four)

V. 8 – “And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us;

When a covenant or promise is made, it is often accompanied by a seal, a ring, or a document.  This outward sign of a pledge made, gives witness of the bond between two parties.  For instance, in a marriage ceremony, a ring is given to testify to the relationship established by the sharing of the covenant.

This is one of the roles of the Holy Spirit…He is a testimony of the pledge of a relationship between a believer and God.  It is a covenant relationship!  Peter had seen it back in chapter 11…now he reminds the elders of that role of the Holy Spirit.  The Gentiles would not have the seal of the Holy Spirit if they did not have the covenant relationship.  The Spirit bears witness.

Is that true in your life?  Does the Spirit bear witness in you of a covenant relationship with God?

Re:Verse reading–Acts 15:1-29 (day three)  

“Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”  Ours is a sentimental society, that is, sentiment—feelings—have a cachet of authority.  If one is sincere, nothing else matters.  Paul will later teach a “circumcision of the heart”.  When Paul speaks of heart circumcision, though, he doesn’t use “heart” like we often do, as a synonym for “feelings”.  By “heart”, Paul means the very core of one’s being—the will or spirit of a person.  In rejecting circumcision as a prerequisite to the Christ-life, the Jerusalem council could have simply placed Christianity on a foundation of feelings.  That seems good if you feel good, but what happens when you don’t?  On what do you depend when you feel conflicted and confused?  No, they declared.  Christ transforms the spirit, and gives us sure footing.

 

 

Re:Verse reading–Acts 15:1-29 (day two)  

But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses.” vs. 5

Every morning when I get Jessica in the car she begins to ask Elsa? Elsa? Which translated means: “Daddy, I would be most grateful if you would please play the soundtrack to the animated movie Frozen.” The hit song from that movie, is titled “Let it Go.” If you have walked by anyone under 25 in the past 4 years, you know this. As I read this verse this morning that title kept running through my head.

These new believers had a lot of religious baggage that they brought with them. They were well-educated, and knew the customs of the people. Peter had already had to deal with this for himself, but it would be the theme in the early years of the church. We cannot expect to have a conversion experience and bring every thought, action, and custom from our old lives. It just won’t work. What are those things you are still holding on to? Let it go.

Re:Verse reading–Acts 15:1-29 (day one)  

“If you cannot go back to your mother’s womb, you better learn to be a good fighter.”–Anchee Min.

“I have fought the good fight”–the Apostle Paul (2 Timothy 4:7)

It happened in the early church.  It will happen (has) in our church.  We will come to a point/place of disagreement. About truth.  About direction.  We will need to fight.

We will need to fight fairly.  Work hard to address issues and truth rather than personalities and feelings.  The same skills we use in marriage.

Acts 15 will serve as an example.  We will engage in honest and courageous debate–v 2.  We will seek wisdom from the apostles–v 3 (our application will be to “search the scripture”).  We will give testimony–v 7-12.  We will submit to our leaders–v 13-22.

I don’t know which is harder to teach.  The courage to fight for truth or the kindness to do it fairly.  For Christ-followers, neither is optional.

 

Re:Verse reading–Acts 13:1-52 (day seven)

Paul witnessed with surgical precision.  He left Antioch with a specific model to reach devout Jewish men in their natural synagogue setting.  It made sense to Paul because they were his tribe, he knew them as well as anyone.  Paul was a Jew of Jews, he was a Pharisee, he had unique access, and now he was armed with the Gospel instead of indignation.  Being familiar with their order of worship Paul knew that as a guest rabbi he would have the opportunity to offer encouragement at the end of their service.  He was ready.  He restated their shared story and led them to the person of Jesus Christ as the culmination of all they believed.

Paul had a specific word, he had a specific place, he had a specific time, he was fully prepared to witness that day.  I hope that we can look around our spheres of influence to recognize people that we can specifically reach with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  You have a unique access to people that you can witness to just like Paul.  I hope that we can pray for a specific model that we can use to witness to our own tribes for the sake of the Gospel.

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews…To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.  I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.  1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Re:Verse reading–Acts 13:1-52 (day five) In the first words describing the church in Antioch, we come to discover the study of God’s Word was a priority. They had teachers (plural). In Acts 11, Barnabas and Saul are preaching AND teaching. Notice in Acts 13, that teaching was accompanied by other activities: prayer, worship, fasting, and listening. Learning was not the end, but rather a means to the end of understanding and doing the will of God.

Sending Paul and Barnabas required great faith and courage. They were probably the most recognized and seasoned leaders in the church. Yet, they clearly heard God’s direction and plan. They responded with joy and obedience. Sound familiar?

Were there concerns and questions? I think so. Did the teaching ministry of the church in Antioch strengthen their faith? I think so. Did learning and understanding the faithfulness of God help guide that church to trust and follow God’s direction (change in leadership, new missional thinking). I think so.

I wonder if FBCSA demonstrates the same kind of priority (well-taught church), will our faith and trust in the Lord help us to look to the future (change in leadership, new missional thinking) with hope, joy, and obedience.  I think so.