Acts

Week 8, Day 5

I hope you have all enjoyed this look in Acts and our study in the Kingdom of God.  I just love the way the book of Acts ends. Paul, in prison, is “proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ…” He ends the book by doing what Jesus was doing in the opening verses of Acts – proclaiming the Kingdom of God.  He had indeed continued “all that Jesus began to do and teach (Acts 1:1).”
 
Paul’s example serves as a reminder of our task today.  As Christ’s church we are called to do what He did, teach what He taught, and proclaim the Kingdom that He rules.  The church in Acts did this in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.  We are called to do it in Chapel Hill and Durham, the state of North Carolina, and to all the corners of the world.  May we be faithful in this spectacular task!

-Jeremy Gwaltney

Week 8, Day 4 (Acts 27:1-44)

The whole time I was reading today’s passage and Adam’s devotional, I was imagining myself standing on board a ship and looking into the distance toward some landmark, like lighthouse and harbor where I was headed to land. I imagine that sailors would have had that same mark in mind – but unlike Paul (and us) they didn’t have any assurance that they would reach the mark they were aiming for.

God gives us promises. Sometimes these are specific (a prophesy maybe), sometimes general (promises in the Bible). Either way, we know that there’s a string linking now to then that will remain unbroken and that we can trust in, because God set out the string and the beginning and the end.

What we don’t know is how we’ll get there. This is important, and I think where Christians (myself included) frequently get discouraged. When we learn that we have something to look forward to in the future, and God is the one who’s promised it to us, we start spinning our minds and guessing how it will happen. We think it means that the path to getting there will be easy and pleasant. Often it’s just the opposite.

Sometimes I wonder if God gives us promises so that he can take us through more trials (refinement) in the mean time, knowing that if we have something set in stone in the future, our faith will be strengthened – we won’t give up as we might have done if we didn’t know the outcome. God wants to make us fully ourselves, which means throwing us into the rock tumbler of life. We get tossed around and worn away so that our true colors shine, and we can be confidently, boldly, fully and beautifully who we are.

I know that (as Hebrews 12:11 says) “no discipline seems pleasant at the time,” but as I look at my life as a whole, I’m grateful that on the way to the things God promises, I’m made more and better. In a way, that seems closer to the point anyway: working out my salvation, being transformed more and more into the likeness of Christ, etc. As Adam writes in the devotional, “Let’s see God’s hand in [the trials] and thank Him.”

-Emily Nisch

Week 8, Day 3 (Acts 26:12-32)

In Acts 26, Paul is defending himself before King Agrippa. Starting in verse 12, he recounts his conversion experience, when Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus. Jesus says that he appeared to Paul to appoint him to be two things: a servant and a witness (v. 16). I want to focus on the second of these roles: witness.

I did a quick word study, and discovered that “witness” appears 20 times in Acts (in the ESV). Of these, 13 occurrences refer to a group of people (or a single person, like Stephen) as being witnesses for God in some way. Of these 13 occurrences, 6 refer specifically to people being witnesses to Jesus’s resurrection (1:22, 2:32, 3:15, 5:32, 10:41, and 13:31). I think it’s safe to say that being a witness to his resurrection is a consistent theme of Acts.

But what does it mean to be a witness to Jesus’s resurrection? I reckon it’s a lot more simple than I usually think. Few people dispute that Jesus once lived. But we get the privilege of saying, “Hey, guess what? You know that man, Jesus, who changed the course of human history more than any other? Well, he wasn’t just a man, and he’s not actually dead. You can actually know him. In fact, he wants you to get to know him, to talk to him and ask him things. How do I know? Because I know him, and he’s told me this.”

Then, like Paul, we may be called crazy (v. 24). But we know the truth, and we can say, with Paul, that we are “speaking true and rational words” (v. 25). This wonderful foolishness of God is life to those who are perishing. Jesus does all the heavy lifting, all the wrestling with sinners’ hearts. All we have to do is to say, “Take it from me: Jesus is alive!”

-Jeff Terrell

Week 8, Day 2 (Acts 26:1-11)

Week 8, Day 1 (Acts 25:1-27)

This section of Acts provides a fascinating behind-the scenes glimpse of God tipping the scales of “justice” for His purposes. A sneak glance at the previous section indicates that Paul had been imprisoned for two years under the corrupt Felix, who was apparently more afraid of upsetting the Jewish establishment than bringing about justice for his prisoner. This portion of Acts begins with a flurry of activity as the new and improved governor Festus tackles Paul’s case with some alacrity. And we read something sadly familiar: “Then Festus, wanting to please the Jews….” Oh dear. The same old line. Festus ultimately defers to another equally corrupt couple, King Agrippa and Bernice, wanting their sage advice on how to handle Paul’s case. The three of them strut and preen to impress each other and their audience.

Two major points occur to me:

1). As always, Paul is single-minded and unafraid. We know that Paul made good use of his imprisonment under Felix, using this time to share the Gospel as always. As Adam Dawson wrote, Paul had his eye on the great harvest field of Rome; he was not afraid of dying but was waiting for God’s perfect timing. He spoke to kings and rulers with calm authority. Jesus had promised that when his followers were brought to trial, they should not worry because the Holy Spirit would guide them into “what needs to be said (Luke 12:11).”

2). Fear of man proved to be a mighty snare for those who opposed the Kingdom of God.  From Pontius Pilate to the three “movers and shakers” in this section of Acts, their primary motivation was cultivating the approval of man, not God. They tossed truth and justice aside to avoid the censure of others.

Personally, I would love to know how Luke was privy to that conversation between Festus and his pair of pompous cohorts. I can also imagine the arrogance of Festus as he assumed this new position of leadership. I wonder if he scorned Felix for his apparent inability to resolve such a trivial religious matter. He was obviously taken aback by Paul’s forthright appeal and sounds quite irked as he responds, “Very well! You have appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar you will go!” Perhaps he made up for losing face by participating in that ostentatious display in his court.

I am encouraged that God is shining His light on my own fear of man (without condemnation, amazingly) and trust that He will answer my prayers for a new boldness and confidence in His timing.

-Katharine Everson

Kingdom Coming

Week 7, Day 5 (Acts 24:22-27)

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a frightening thing. This isn’t usually what you hear at church on Sunday mornings or at Bible studies, but it is the truth. The good news of the Kingdom of God is frightening because it has the power to convict, renew, and transform the lives of those who listen to it. This power, which makes the hearts and minds of people collapse in humility, comes from the fact that the Gospel is the Word of God—and God’s Word is power.

We see this power in the relationship between Paul and Governor Felix. Governor Felix was a powerful man who had been appointed by the Emperor of the Roman Empire. Yet we read in Acts that when Paul told him about faith in Christ Jesus “Felix was afraid and said, ‘That’s enough for now! You may leave.’” (Acts 24:25). Somewhere deep inside him, Governor Felix felt a presence or a feeling that what he was hearing was a truth and had power beyond what he could muster or withstand.

In the same way that Paul was ready to preach the goods news of Jesus to everyone he met, even in trials and tribulations, we are to be ready to fight the good fight. We should prepare ourselves spiritually and biblically to be strong and true ambassadors of the Kingdom of God. Nevertheless, it is crucial to remember that the power to transform the lives of men and women doesn’t come from us—but it is God’s. We are but vessels and instruments of His message and it is His Holy Spirit that knocks at the door of individuals and offers them God’s Grace. Salvation is the Lord’s. Let us approach others with confidence that God has prepared us to do His will, but that in the end God leads the way.

I would like to finish this post with a story from my personal life. In the spring of 2008 I was finishing my freshman year of college at NCSU. Around this time I became friends with an ROTC cadet I will refer to as “Tony.” Tony had suffered a lot in the past year and the stress of college and ROTC had dealt a toll on his life. I found out that Tony was an atheist and was going through a lot of personal family hardships—this obviously didn’t help him focus on college and other life issues. One night, during December of 2008, Tony messaged me and asked me about Jesus. He told me that he respected me and wanted to know what I thought about Jesus. He went on to ask me my reasons for believing in God, Jesus, the Bible, and the saving and transforming power of the Gospel. Near the end of our conversation, Tony told me that he had never heard anybody talk about Jesus and God in the way that I had. At that moment I gave all glory to God and asked for God to use me to impact Tony’s life for His Glory.

I am joyous to say that Tony is today a God-fearing man and is currently working at a Christian summer camp in Alabama. When Tony asked my about Jesus, I don’t know if I was ready or not to defend Christ, but I spoke from the power of the Holy Spirit inside of me and today I can claim that God is faithful and never fails to use our deeds, big or small, for His glory. We don’t know if Governor Felix ever came to believe in Jesus, but if we believe that God has the power to transform the lives of men and women, there is no excuse not to declare His name in times of prosperity and in times of tribulation.

-Quauhtli Y. Olivieri Herrera

Week 7, Day 4 (Acts 24:1-21)

Paul was on trial for his faith. He could have backed down, denied his faith or been quiet. Instead he stood firm in his faith, logically defended himself and connected with common beliefs to lead people to Christ. He spoke boldly, confidently and wisely. Nathan had a very insightful question: Are you wisely stewarding all your relationships so that at some point there may be a door for the gospel? When you do have an open door you can use Paul’s example: know that the Holy Spirit will put words in your mouth. Be bold. be confident, be wise and don’t back down!

-Joseph Vinar

Week 7, Day 3 (Acts 22:30-23:35)

What an encouragement it must have been to Paul that the Lord came to him in v.11 to reassure him that he would go to Rome and that his accusers in Jerusalem would not prevail against him there. We know the end of the story, but in that moment what did Paul know? His deepest desire was to serve his King, to run his race to the end successfully; his eyes were on the prize – God Himself. How satisfying it must have been to know he would make it to Rome and that God in His sovereignty would somehow make provision for finishing his race. And, how difficult it is to embrace Paul’s priority (v. 20:24) of finishing the course of what God has put before us over our own personal well-being!

I can speak from my recent experience in Transnistria. The high temperatures ranged from 95-104 degrees, the hours were long, but our hearts were set on finishing the course set before us. The task seemed impossible to finish. Every aspect of the project from the raw state of the materials available to the minimal tools available to the lack of a clear plan made it seem at first that we couldn’t achieve our expectations. But two things happened both by the amazing sovereignty of God.

First, we discovered the composition of the team was exactly what it needed to be. Each person, in their inherent God given skill and spiritual gifting was spectacularly suited to some aspect of the task at hand. Sometimes it was an obvious skill like Mandy stepping up into the role of project manager and lumber yard logistics specialist… but sometimes it was the quiet resolve of folks like Jamie and Alisha who were unwilling to let the daunting task of sanding and sealing get the best of them and their team. Sometimes it was the reckless abandon of a young man’s zeal to dig a hole for Jesus that made the difference. And sometimes it was the heart willing to say I’m sorry I was just a jerk when I opened my mouth a minute ago, that made it all work. The list is endless of all the things that God provided through nineteen individuals that were somehow able to come together in unity and accomplish an amazing task.

This brings me to the second thing that happened, that is, the amazing and palpable Grace of God. We often talk about God’s Grace as a noun, like an object on the table, but we experienced it as an action verb. It’s not that we weren’t hot in the blazing sun; it’s just that the heat didn’t overwhelm – it wasn’t on the forefront of one’s mind. It’s not that there were no bumps or bruises; it’s just that they didn’t change one’s course of action. The active power of the Grace of God was a palpable reality bringing wisdom and sufficiency and joy in the suffering through the inconveniences of the circumstances to achieve the so desired end result. It is that His Grace sustained us in a way that made the suffering less important, less compelling, and less in the mind’s eye than the joy of accomplishment of His will that was being done and achieving that task set before us.

I am convinced that the joy of the Lord that Paul experienced in achieving each victory, in spite of his suffering and by the Grace of God, sustained him through the course of his ministry. How else could he have continued to walk willingly into town after town, knowing what awaited him there? And how precious that Jesus would grant him such a moment of encouragement… that Paul’s suffering wasn’t the point, but the Jesus’ suffering was… and that He deserves every effort we give, not out of compulsion, but out of love for our savior that gave us his all that he might have us for his very own and that we might have Him – our glorious prize.

-Cari Carothers

Week 7, Day 2 (Acts 21:37-22:29)

Every time I read this part of Acts when Paul headed towards Jerusalem and inevitably going to be arrested and put to death, I want to shout with the elders of Ephesus and others warning Paul, “Don’t go!”  It’s like the sense of dread in a suspenseful movie when I know an innocent victim will be attacked or the ending will not be “happily ever after.”

Yet though Paul knew he would face persecution in Jerusalem he walked fearlessly into the situation knowing he was in the center of God’s will. The Holy Spirit had told Paul that he would face persecution in Jerusalem. His co-workers and the elders in churches such as Ephesus were warning him not to go there. And just before arriving back in Jerusalem the prophet Agabus explicitly showed how Paul will be bound and suffer. Paul was not deterred by any of these warnings because he knew this was where he was to go. The Holy Spirit’s words of warning did not mean he was to not go into a most difficult situation.

So knowing about Paul’s whole hearted focus and passion for sharing the gospel regardless of the personal consequences, I wonder if I am so willing to step into territory potentially hostile to the gospel. Am I truly willing to trust God no matter where I am and no matter who is around me listening?

After being taken away by the Roman soldiers, he was so aware of the opportunity to share the gospel he asked to speak to the hostile crowd. Paul also was culturally savvy and was comfortable in the multicultural Roman, Greek, and Jewish worlds. There is much to learn about Paul’s ability to speak in any cultural setting and the way he understood each audience. In Athens he shared the gospel not only in the synagogue but also in the open air of the Areopagus with the philosophers who had religious authority in the city. There Paul explained the existence of an immanent, sovereign, transcendent, Creator God who calls men to repentance. In Jerusalem Paul did not give the protestors in the temple area a lesson in metaphysics or theology, but he shared his testimony. Paul began by making a personal connection with the listeners, giving his Jewish “credentials,” explaining his own Jewish roots and zeal for defending the Jewish faith. Then he explained his radical conversion to Christ and how God called him to be a witness to all men.

Though it seems a waste of his life and a ministry cut short, Paul was the perfect man, born a Jew and a Roman, and trained by the leading Jewish teachers, to speak to the Jewish worshipers and later men in governmental authority in Roman controlled Palestine. None of the other apostles had his background or training. He was God’s perfect instrument to be witness in the highest halls of power in the Roman world.

I wonder how God is using each of our unique giftings, education, and life experiences to bear witness to Jesus Christ in our personal spheres of influence. And do we have Paul’s sense of assurance that if God is leading us into places of potential conflict for His glory, He wants us to be faithful in sharing who we are in Him? He will never leave us or forsake us no matter where He leads us to go.

-Cindi Suffern

Week 7, Day 1 (Acts 21:1-26)

Many times our greatest personal challenges can turn into great kingdom opportunities and stepping stones into what God has destined for us. Paul knew that this trip to Jerusalem would bring trouble. He had to tear himself away from friends who feared they would never see him again.  He later gets a prophetic word that he will be locked up and turned over to a rowdy Gentile mob. Notice here that Agabus’ word (v.11) was not prohibiting Paul from going into danger, but was preparing him for what was to come when he arrived in Jerusalem. Paul’s eternal kingdom perspective (to die is gain) must have helped overcome the fear of not completing all that God had for him. He also knew ahead of time, as Nathan pointed out, that he was on assignment and this was not going to be easy (Luke 21:12-13). I personally think its fine to ask God to confirm important matters multiple times… I sure need it.

Perhaps my favorite parts of Paul’s adventures in Acts are the RED letters. Just check out how close Jesus stayed to Paul during his journeys. These are some of the recorded ones:

18:1 One night the Lord spoke to me in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you…”

22:18 I fell into a trance and saw the Lord speaking; “Quick, leave…”

22:21 Then the Lord said to me, “Go…”

23:11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said: “Go…”

Like Paul, I have found that my most difficult times have been the closest times with the Lord and the times of greatest direction.

-Chris Burns

Kingdom Transformation