Engaging Scripture

How God wants to change the world (& one practice that can help you hear the Spirit speak) – Acts 13, Part 1

Starting a backyard berry patch in eastern Idaho | East Idaho News

Are you a gardener? Maybe you have some potted plants bringing life to your home. Maybe you have a flower bed? A vegetable garden? We have a vegetable garden with a berry patch, and a few weeks ago that berry patch was in serious need of weeding. So a couple weeks ago, I weeded it, trimmed branches and we put grass clippings around the plants. Those weeds were out of control!

We often use weeds as a spiritual metaphor for the fast growth of sin in our lives and in our society. But not all fast-growing things are bad. Turn with me to Acts 12:24-25, where we read that “the word of God continued to increase and spread.”

“The word of God” is described here almost like a living breathing organism that is growing and spreading. It reminds me of films where there is darkness and rot across a land, but good triumphs over evil, and light starts to break through the darkness, and where the light shines, green growth of grass, trees, and flowers bloom, and clean water flows and animals return. The power of light is victorious over the power of darkness.

When we think about the word of God increasing and spreading, we will see, in a very real sense, the evidence of the power of light having victory over the power of darkness. The word of God spreads as more and more people believe in and trust the story of Jesus as the true story of life. It is when they understand the goodness of God, making their heart and minds more like his. Shifting their priorities more in line with his. In the first century Roman Empire, people were turning away from the story of “the way things are” and turning to the story of Jesus which not only provides hope of eternal life in the future, but redefines the world now.

No longer is “the way things are” acceptable. The Kingdom of God enters the picture and tells the story of a new way, the true way, a life that is believed in our hearts and minds, but also, flowing from that belief, it is lived out in our actual real lives. Here’s how it works: as the word of God spreads, what that means in down to earth, real-life terms, then, is that more and more people were filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit then changed them, so that what emanated from their lives, in their thoughts, words and actions, was called the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control, and that brings a new way of life into the real world. That bring justice and righteousness to what is broken. It heals, it repairs, it restores. When the word of God spreads, lives are changed for the good. That’s what was going on.

Acts 12:25 reminds us of a beautiful example of the spread of the transformative word of God when the church, through the financial gift that the daughter church in Antioch (located in modern-day Turkey, very close to Syria) collected and sent to the mother church in Judea, back in Israel. We read that Barnabas and Saul brought the gift (first mentioned in 11:27-30) to Jerusalem. The word was spreading. Now Barnabas and Saul returned to the church in Antioch, and that brings us to chapter 13.

In 13 verses 1-3, we read that there are prophets and teachers in the church in Antioch, and five are mentioned by name including Barnabas and Saul.

What role did Prophets and Teachers play in the life of the church? They are very similar in that they are communicating the word of God. The difference is that, a prophet is one through whom revelation is given, while a teacher is one who explains revelation, helping people apply it to their lives. Both are gifts used by God.

We read in verse 2 that the Christians in the church in Antioch were worshiping and fasting. More than likely they gathered in homes, like many contemporary Christian small groups, and they prayed together, singing, encouraging one another, hearing what the teachers and prophets had to say, discussing it together, all probably taking place around a table meal, that included communion.

Except that in this case, they were fasting. Fasting is the practice of abstaining, primarily from food, for the purpose of heightened dependence on God, usually connected to prayer. Have you practiced fasting? Fasting is an important spiritual practice that we would do well to include as a regular habit in our lives. At the end of this five-part series on Acts 13, we’ll return to some practical suggestions, or you can learn more now, as I write about how to practice fasting here.

Luke writes that, “while they were worshiping and fasting,” the Spirit communicates to them! What did the Spirit sound like? And what did the Spirit say? Check back in to the next post to find out!

A story of thankfulness to help us during hard times – Acts 12, Part 5

Do you like to watch awards shows? I do. It’s interesting to see who gets awards, and what they get the award for. But more than that it is interesting to hear how they are introduced. Often they are lauded as, “The great and wonderful…” Whether it is an athlete, musician or actor, they are usually described in glowing terms.

Then when they get to the podium, with their award in hand, I am fascinated by who they give credit to, who they thank. Are they aware of the many sacrifices made by many others who helped them get to that point?

Adam Young, of the band Owl City is an example of what I mean.

Years ago he came out with the song “Fireflies.” This song reached number one in the USA and many other countries around the world.

So what? At the time, he was a relatively new artist, and people wondered, “Who is this Adam Young guy with the super awesome song?” People started rubbing shoulders with him, commenting that he seems different. So nice backstage. What is going on with this guy?

He made a post on his blog (no longer online, but read the Christianity Today article about it here) that answered the question. He stayed up late into the night recording a song that he says, “If I were to count on one hand the songs that moved me, this one would take the cake.” Do you recognize the words to the first verse?

In Christ alone, my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My comforter, my all-in-all
Here in the love of Christ I stand
https://www.stuarttownend.co.uk/song/in-christ-alone/

He posted his recording of the song, a great rendition, and said in conclusion on his blog: “As I’m so often reminded what a priceless gift my life is, I ache with everything in me to make it count, so that when I finally cross the finish line, I’ll hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” To me, there is no greater reward.”

Adam Young is a great example of someone who counted his blessings and he gave credit to Lord, as we have been studying in this series of posts on Acts 12, which you can read starting here.

I write this after 60 days in quarantine because of the coronavirus pandemic of 2020! Some days it is easy for me to choose gratefulness, some days it is harder. Some days I can see the silver lining in the midst of this time easier than others. I love that there is hardly any traffic, and a tank of gas in my car lasts a whole month. I really struggle, though, with the loss of life, the shutdown and the isolation and the economic hardships.

But the days and times that I choose thankfulness, that I choose to see God and his goodness in the midst of troubles, are better days. The circumstances don’t necessarily change, but joy in the midst of them comes quicker. When I can thank God for them, when I can pause to see the good in the midst of it, and to honor God and thank him for that good, my heart is in a much better spot.

I encourage you to look for ways to see God’s goodness and to thank him for it. He is good and he gives good gifts, even in the middle of a quarantine.

Four practical ways to count your blessings – Acts 12, Part 4

*Photo by Marcos Paulo Prado on Unsplash*

In this series of posts on Acts 12, we have been trying answer the question: “How How do we count our blessings the right way?” I want to suggest some practical ideas that I believe could help you.

First, we have to say the right words, flowing from a humble, grateful heart. Not “I did it,” but “God did it.”

We need to tell one another about the good things God is doing in our lives, which means we need to first be able to pause and take time to self-reflect on the good. We need to train our eyes and heart to see God and his goodness in the midst of what is going on around us.

Next, counting your blessings the right way means celebrating God’s provision. It means having a regular practice of thanking God. It does not mean you don’t ignore reality when things are hard. As we saw in the previous post, James encourages us to train our hearts and minds to see God in the midst of the difficulty. We practice speaking both truths; the reality of the struggle, and also the goodness of God in the midst of it.

Third, I love how the church in Acts 12 gives us a very practical example of how to speak both truths in prayer.

Review that chapter again, and observe how the church reacts to their trial? Look at verse 5. The church was earnestly praying to God on Peter’s behalf. They admit that the situation is dire. James has just been killed, and Peter is in jail. Clearly, the ruling powers are coming for them too. Imagine their fear and desperation. But what do they do? They face it in prayer.

Then in verse 12, we read that many people had gathered and were praying. We don’t know for sure, but Peter’s escape could have happened in the middle of the night. If so, that prayer meeting might have been an all-nighter. Either way, those Christians are committed to prayer, and they give us a wonderful example to follow when life goes haywire. They are a praying church. In the middle of their trial, they knew that God was the source of good, and they acted on that knowledge by committing time and energy to pray. Prayer is vital. Prayer is a very practical way that we show how dependent we are on God, how thankful we are to him. The example of the church in Acts 12 shows us a people who were committed to prayer.

Not only does counting our blessings mean that we practice a regular habit of prayer, it also means that we make sure that Jesus gets the glory, like Peter did. We are not all given leadership roles, like Peter and Herod, but we are all given gifts and abilities. Whether we are up front, leading, or whether we are behind the scenes, we must point people to Christ.

Fourth, I would recommend that when people praise you for something good you did, it is polite and appropriate for you to say, “Thank you.” It can come across as odd, however, and isn’t entirely truthful, if we always say, “I take no credit, it was all God.”

God gives us all gifts, and we co-create or partner with him. So it is right to say, “Thank you,” and point people to God.

In the next and final post, I’ll share a story of a man who reached the heights of fame, and made sure to point people to God. Even if we don’t achieve that kind of notoriety, as most of us will not, we can learn from his example.

How to know if you have the wrong perspective on your blessings – Acts 12, Part 3

What we have been studying in Acts 12 reminds me of the story of a young lady who was waiting for her flight in the boarding room of a big airport. As she would need to wait many hours, she decided to buy a book to spend her time. She also bought a packet of cookies. She sat down in an armchair in the VIP room to rest and read in peace.

Beside the armchair where the packet of cookies lay, a man sat down in the next seat, opened his magazine and started reading. When she took out the first cookie, the man took one also. She felt irritated but said nothing. She just thought, “What nerve! If I was in the mood, I would punch him for daring!” For each cookie she took, the man took one too. This was infuriating her, but she didn’t want to cause a scene.

When only one cookie remained she thought, “Well…what will this abusive man do now?” Then, the man, taking the last cookie, divided it in half, giving her one half. “Ah!” she thought, “That was too much.” She was much too angry now! In a huff, she took her book, her things, and stormed to the boarding area. When she sat down in her seat inside the plane, she looked into her purse to take out her glasses. And to her surprise, her packet of cookies was there, untouched, unopened. She thought the man was taking from her, but actually she’d been taking from him and he was happy to share with her.

This story is about perspective, and how we can so easily have the wrong perspective. Apply this to the story we’re studying this week in Acts 12. We can think our blessings came from our work, our own goodness, our own smartness or ingenuity. That is the wrong perspective.

But how do we know when we have the wrong perspective on the source of our blessings? Here’s one way to find out: observe what happens inside you when you feel like those blessings are taken away. Do you get angry? Do hurtful words come out of your mouth? That just might be a indication you have the wrong perspective.

But if we can learn to observe the good things that happen to us from the right perspective, we’ll see how blessed we really are, even when those blessings are taken away. The woman in the story above, for example, was very angry when she felt like the man was taking from her cookies. If, however, she had the right perspective about blessings, she could have joyfully shared with him, having an attitude of generosity. Of course, this is not to say that we should be doormats, allowing ourselves to be abused by people who mean to harm.

My point is that if we learn to see the Lord as the source of our blessings, we’ll realize that we are truly blessed. And, here’s the thing, he gives blessings to all. NOT just to those of us who love him. He is a good God. He gives good things to all people, he loves all. So the level of abundance or prosperity or health in our lives does not reveal whether God loves one of us more than the other. That’s the wrong perspective about God. When we view life from that false perspective, it is much more difficult to be grateful and we tend to complain more.

The right perspective is remembering where good things come from. God! When we have the right perspective, we’ll be able to avoid the false idea that we are “owed” an easy, good life. We are talking about having a posture for recognizing good gifts for what they are and remembering who gives them to us.

In the previous post, I quoted a passage written by Jesus’ brother, James. But there is another passage James writes that talks about this even more clearly. Here is what he says in chapter 1 of his letter:

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him…Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of all he created.”

God is the source of our blessings, so how, then, do we count our blessings the right way? In the next post, I’ll suggest some practical ideas.

Are you counting your blessings the right way? (or the wrong way?) – Acts 12, Part 2

How Children Learn to Count - The Mathematical Brain

Have you ever been around a child learning to count? My kids, at that very early stage, would often skip numbers in the teens, “11, 12, 13…15, 16, 17…” It was humorous, but we would stop them and say, “You missed 14…let’s try it again.” After practice, they learned.

In the previous post, I suggested that the question, “How should we count our blessings?” is crucial to our study in this series of posts. Today, two men in Acts 12 help us that perhaps we need to relearn how to count our blessings.

The author of the New Testament book of Acts, a history of beginning of the Christian church, in chapter 12, verse 19-23, tells the story of an event that had nothing to do with the church. Because this episode does not further the narrative of the church, we could ask why the author included it. To attempt to answer that, we first need to know what the details of the story. I encourage you to read it for yourself. The summary is that King Herod (learn more about him in the previous post here) receives accolades from some people comparing him to a god, an angel of God strikes him with sickness, and Herod dies.

It seems the reason Luke included this story at this spot in his narrative is to contrast the two men in the story. In the previous post, we heard how Herod murdered James the disciples, imprisoned Peter and was power-hungry. Now in verses 19-23, we just read that he was arrogant.

What about the other man in our story, Peter? How does he act? Let’s go back and read verses 6-18, noticing how he handles his situation. Again, I encourage you to read them for yourself, because it is a delightful, even humorous story. While the church is praying for Peter, an angel visits in prison, frees him, and Peter thanks God. Under cover of night, he hurries through the city to the home where the church is praying, and they are shocked, and overjoyed.

Now do you see why Luke included that last bit about Herod in verses 19-23? If not, let me point out a contrast that I think might give us insight into Luke’s reason for mentioning Herod’s death. Think about the contrast between these two men:

Peter, the leader of the church, is imprisoned. The church prays, an angel of the Lord shows up and Peter is rescued.

Herod, the king of the land, gives a speech. The people praise Herod, liken him to God, an angel of the Lord shows up and Herod is killed.

Why such a different result? Both men held leadership roles; Peter in the church, Herod as king. In both cases an angel of the Lord shows up, but the result is totally opposite. Why? Think about to whom these men give the credit? Remember our question from the previous post, How should we count our blessings? See how these men answer that question:

Look at Peter’s words in vs. 11, “I know without a doubt the Lord sent his angel and rescued me.”

Compare that with Herod in vs. 22-23, “Herod did not give praise to God.”

I want to be clear. Stories are descriptive, not prescriptive. They describe what happened at a particular time. They do not prescribe what will happen every time. In telling this story, Luke isn’t trying to say that if we simply praise God, like Peter, our lives will be great, and we’ll get out of any mess we’re in. Peter would go on to be crucified upside-down. Luke also isn’t trying to say that if we don’t give God credit where credit is due him that he’ll strike us dead. Some evil people prosper.

It does, however, seem that Luke wanted us to see this contrast: both men had the opportunity to give credit to God. Peter did. Herod didn’t. Peter was freed and his ministry flourished, while Herod was killed. It reminds us of a principle:

How you count your blessings can make a huge difference in your life.

Maybe we’ve seen blessings in our lives, and we’ve forgotten that God is the source of all we are and all we have!

So let’s remember that all we have is a blessing from God: our jobs, and our bodies and minds that enable us to work, our abilities, talents, personalities and our gifts are all to his credit. He made us. He gave us life. He is good and he gives good gifts.

James, the brother of Jesus, the leader of the church who is mentioned in verse 17, reminds that we need to learn to count our blessings the right way! He says, in James 4:7,

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

When we remember to be grateful, when we remember who gives good gifts, we give credit to God, who is the proper one who should receive credit. How many of our parents worked hard to teach us to say, “Thank you,” and to write thank you notes for gifts that were given to us? How many of you work with your children or grandchildren on that? It is a really important way to recognize that when we receive a gift, it is not something that was owed us, not something we earned. It is a gracious gift. Thus we show honor and gratefulness to the one who gave us something.

How should we count our blessings? – Acts 12, Part 1

What have you been grateful for lately? Or has it been hard for you to be grateful? We all go through seasons of abundance and seasons that seem dry like a desert. What season are you in right now? I’m writing this in the spring of 2020 when the entire world has been on quarantine for two months due to the coronavirus pandemic. Quarantine can easily feel like one of the desert times, making it very hard to be grateful.

During the quarantine, Michelle and I have many reasons to be grateful to God. Our family is healthy. I finished my doctoral classes. Though Michelle has been off work for two months, we’re making it financially.

What are the ways you’ve seen abundance lately in your life?

Even during quarantine. Extra time for sleep? Time with Family? Health? Recovery from bad health? Do you have the provision of employment and finances? We could go to the basics, if need be. Do you have food, clothing, homes, air to breath, a heart that is pumping.

What I’ve noticed about myself is that it is very easy to feel I am lacking when I compare my life to those who have more than me. Maybe you have a tendency to think like that too. In our world, there will always be people who have more.

Perhaps we are better off comparing ourselves to those who have less. Maybe then we will see that we are the ones with abundance.

What I’m getting at is that are ways that all of us can say, “I am blessed.” It is often just a matter of perspective.

Taking the perspective that we all have at least some reason to count our blessings, I want us to consider a related question. The main characters in our next chapter in Acts will help us answer that question, “How should I count my blessings?”

Turn with me to Acts 12. In this chapter we are going to see a stark contrast in the lives of two powerful leaders. Peter is the leader of the upstart followers of Jesus who are called the “Way,” or “Christians.” The other character is King Herod. In the years previous to this story Herod has consolidated power, little by little, to the point where the emperor in Rome made Herod the ruler of all Israel. Before this story is over, one of these two men will die. Who will it be and why? I believe it has to do with the question we are looking at in this series of posts: how should we count our blessings?

In Acts 12, the account starts with Herod. Who was he?

That name Herod might sound familiar. There are many Herods mentioned in the New Testament, starting with Herod the Great. Herod the Great was the guy on the throne at the birth of Christ. Herod the Great was also the king who met the wise men, and who ordered the genocide of children in Bethlehem. Then we come to Herod the Great’s son, Herod Antipas. Antipas was the king who put John the Baptist to death and to whom Pilate sent Jesus for questioning right before his crucifixion. Today we meet Herod Antipas’ nephew, Herod Agrippa 1, and what did we just read about him? He was doing some killing too. These are really wonderful men, these Herods, wouldn’t you say?

The account in Acts 12 starts off with Herod Agrippa on the hunt for Christians. The early church is being persecuted again. So far in our series through Acts, I hope you have noticed how frequently persecution was a reality for the early church. Things were not easy for these people. Here’s a quick review:

The persecution really started with Jesus’ crucifixion.
Then a few months later in Acts 4, Peter & John are imprisoned by the Jewish leaders, who command them to stop preaching Jesus. They don’t obey.
Acts 5 – The Apostles are again jailed by the Jews, who also flog the apostles. Again the Jewish leaders command them to stop preaching Jesus. Again, the apostles don’t obey. Instead they rejoice that they were persecuted.
Acts 6 & 7 – Stephen is arrested and put on trial by the Jews, who stone him to death for preaching Jesus.
Acts 8 – Widespread persecution breaks out against the Christians in Jerusalem, led by Saul. Many Christians are jailed or flee the city.
Acts 9 – Saul is on the way to Damascus to arrest more Christians. Jesus appears to him, and Saul becomes a disciple of Jesus and begins preaching that Jesus is the truth. The Jews in Damascus now try to kill Saul. When Saul eventually arrives in Jerusalem, he preaches there too and again the Jews try to kill him, but he escapes.

Now in Acts 12, King Herod is persecuting the Christians.

Yes, there have been periods of peace in the church. But there has been regular opposition. Imagine what that must have felt like, to know that so many powerful people could at any moment destroy your movement.

Despite all the ways the church had been attacked, none of the apostles had been killed, even though they remained in Jerusalem, directing the work of the church. In Acts 12 that changed as Herod puts James to death.

Who is James? This is the James who was part of Jesus’ inner circle of three disciples: Peter, James and John. Look ahead to verse 17 where Peter refers to another James. That other James in verse 17 is the brother of Jesus who would go on to write the book of the Bible titled James. Back in verse 2, Herod kills James the disciple, the first disciple to be killed as a martyr.

This is sinister, and likely was a power play on Herod’s part. As we saw in the list of persecutions the church had already faced, the Jewish religious leaders badly wanted to destroy the church. Further Herod wanted to please the Jews, because he wanted to be able to send reports of peace and prosperity back to his boss, the emperor, in Rome. Herod doesn’t want the emperor hearing anything about uprisings and discontent among the Jews. So he kills off one of the top leaders of the church.

But he doesn’t stop there. Peter is the #1 top leader of the church. Herod goes for the jugular, throwing Peter in jail. The text tells us he intends to bring Peter to trial after Passover. It’s very likely the result of Peter’s trial would be the same as what happened to James: execution. It is a dark, ominous time for the church.

Before we find out how the story unfolds, let’s continue with Herod’s story, because something very mysterious happens to him. For the rest of the story, check back in to the next post!

The one thing you must do to get unstuck in life – Acts 11:19-30, Part 5

Do you feel stuck during the quarantine? Does it feel like the trauma is walling you in? It can be crippling, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. What is the solution to get through a difficult time? Move!

Move? Sell your house or get a new rental and move?

No, not that kind of move.

To explain what I mean by “move,” I want to go back to the article I quoted in the first post. Here is his conclusion:

It’s no secret that the happiest people on the planet are those who live with little. With little, that leaves more freedom and playtime to discover our true creative genius within — our true nature. We all have it.

Become the person you are, and perhaps would have been, before culture contaminated you and brought you into disharmony with yourself. You can choose to live your life in the vital mode of BEING rather than the empty mode of HAVING.

So what does it look like to life in the mode of being rather than having, and how does that relate to the mission of Jesus? This past week in one of my classes, a group presented fascinating material on how we can respond to trauma. The group referred to a scientist who in 1989 traveled to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Hugo, and here is what he said: ” It was one of the first times I saw very vividly how important it is for people to overcome their sense of helplessness after a trauma by actively doing something. Preventing people from moving when something terrible happens, that’s one of the things that makes trauma a trauma.”

We are now in the trauma of the coronavirus pandemic, and it can feel like we cannot move because of the quarantine. In response to that, the story of the early church reminds us that the mission is still the mission. If you are feeling afraid, bored, anxious, upset, confused, or frustrated by the pandemic and quarantine, then I encourage you to respond to the trauma and move, to be on mission.

Being on mission starts with a state of mind that looks outward. As I said before, for sure you need to be taking care of yourself and if you are struggling with mental health concerns during the pandemic, there are resources that are available, and I’d be glad to talk with you about that.

And let us all be encouraged and empowered to know that we can still be on mission during the quarantine. You have value, you are needed, you have a purpose. It might require creativity and ingenuity, but let’s go for it! You have gifts, you have a purpose. Rather than feel all is lost, and just pine for the day when we will be back to the way it used to be, let’s remember that the way it used to be was filled with all kinds of stress and frustration as well. Maybe the way it used to be was actually not so healthy.

So let’s put our current situation into perspective, and look outside ourselves to the mission. One of the most encouraging things to me is to hear how my church family is still on mission during the pandemic.

One person is sewing face masks for Doctors without Borders. Over 200 masks!

One couple got 75 flowers and drove them around to people.

People are writing encouraging greeting cards.

People are delivering meals to one another.

People are spending time each day praying for those in our congregation.

People are doing prayer walks in their community and praying for their neighbors.

People are choosing honest encouragement on social media rather than bickering and complaining.

What ways can you be on mission this week? Ask God to grow his heart within you more. Take that time and sit with the Father and journal and talk with him. Ask him to give you eyes to see and ears to hear his heart in all of this and how you can find purpose and value in being a part of good during this time. Then step out in faith, following his lead!

God designed you for mission – Acts 11:19-30, Part 4

What were you created to do? Do you know? What gifts, abilities and aptitudes do you have? Are you using them for a mission in the world? In this post we learn about how God wants all to be on mission, and how he has equipped us for mission!

In the previous post, we learned two stories of people that were encouraging. One of those was a guy named Barnabas. As we continue studying Acts 11:19-30, in verses 25-26, Barnabas sees that the new Christians in Antioch need more teaching, and what is fascinating is that he, Barnabas, thinks beyond himself. He thinks about who could help with this mission. He knows exactly who is the right man for the job. Who might be a man associated with Barnabas, a man that has a sharp mind and a passion for teaching?

Saul. Barnabas knows Saul has the perfect gift mix to help the church in Antioch, so Barnabas travels to Tarsus in search of Saul.

I wish we had more details about Barnabas’ trip. It’s not like he could send a text message to Saul, giving him a head’s up: “Hey Saul, I’m on my way with a proposition for you!” Instead Barnabas likely had to make the trip having no idea if all the time and expense was going to be worth it. Yet he knew enough about Saul, I suspect, to make an educated guess as to what the outcome would be. Still, was it hard for Barnabas to find Saul? How long might this trip have taken? We don’t know. We know the outcome though! Saul apparently jumps at the chance to be on mission with Barnabas again, and who wouldn’t after Barnabas had been such an encouragement to him back in Jerusalem, as we read in chapter nine?

The mission of Jesus was the center of Saul’s life. Whatever he was doing in Tarsus had to stop so that he could pursue the mission. Knowing the kind of guy Saul was, he was probably involved in important Kingdom work there too. He was a tent-maker by trade, so maybe he was employed in that profession, likely preaching Christ and making disciples at the same time. When Barnabas shows up, though, Saul is on the ready to serve. And not just for the day or the weekend.

Saul and Barnabas return to Antioch where they met with the people for a for a whole year, and taught great numbers of people. When you think of Saul and Barnabas teaching, they were making disciples. Take a look at the last sentence in verse 26: the Christians are described as disciples, and they were called Christians. In other words, these are men and women who Saul and Barnabas taught how to be followers of Christ.

The result? Another great response. Not numbers this time, but a gift. Look at the rest of the chapter, starting at verse 27, where the church in Antioch gives generously to the church in Jerusalem.

Interestingly, this gift is a lot like Barnabas’ generosity in chapter 4. I can imagine Barnabas telling the story of how people in the church of Jerusalem sold off property to support those in need. Now the Christians in Antioch do likewise. They give generously to those in poverty in the mother church in Jerusalem. That generosity is embodied in the ministry funds we give to our denomination every month.

In Acts 11:19-30, we have seen three sets of people, and three situations where the church grew. One group of people started the ministry, Barnabas encouraged it, and Saul deepened it. See what is happening? One group of people who live life on mission help other people to live life on mission. Each one had value. Each one had purpose. Just like us. We all have value and purpose in the Kingdom of God.

The result, when people use their gifts and talents and purposes for Jesus, people became his disciples and focused their lives on his mission. And you know what? This story in Acts holds true for us! God designed each one of us for a missional purpose. Do you hear that? God designed you for his mission. Furthermore, it is such a joy to center our lives on the Kingdom of God. He does not promise ease, doesn’t promise it won’t be frustrating or hard, but it will be fulfilling and it will bring Joy.

What gifts do you have? How can you use them to reach out in the mission of God? I know this, it will never happen if we do not make the mission the center of our lives. If the it is not already the center of your life, how does the mission of God become the center of your world? Your calendar? Your heart?

I’m not saying that we don’t need to take care of ourselves during this time. But let’s look to Jesus as the best example for how to do just that! He took regular time away, quiet time by himself to refuel and refresh. What was he doing during that time? He was sitting with His Father, He was in nature and talking to God. The mission was even at the center of his refueling of his care for himself. So let me try to give you a vision of why commitment to the mission of God is so important.

Commitment to the mission is so important because God uses us to change lives for his Kingdom! Commitment to the mission is so important because he loves us! He knows that when we live on mission, that is also the best life for us. God is good. And he knows we feel good when we know we have value. We are at our best when we know we have a purpose and we are doing something with our gifts and talents. Some of you are feeling the pain of that now because you can’t be at jobs where you felt like you were able to use your gifts and talents. We are designed to be on mission, on his mission! Don’t let the pandemic and quarantine get you down.

We learned in Acts 11 how people became disciples of Jesus because three groups or people reached out for the Kingdom. Do you know that God wants to do the same still today in your community? In fact, he looks at you and he smiles and says, “Yup, you’re just right for the mission!”

You might look at yourself and think, “How is that possible?” When the Lord is with you, and when you are full of the Holy Spirit, the Lord will do great things through you! Imagine the joy you will feel as lives are changed as God is at work in you and through you! Imagine the fulfillment you’ll have knowing that you gave your life to things that matter. Imagine the peace and satisfaction you’ll know hearing God say, “Well done good and faithful servant!!!

Two inspiring stories to encourage us during the loneliness of quarantine – Acts 11:19-30, Part 3

For most of us, quarantine is turning two months old, and I wonder if it is getting to you. The daily news reports about the number of infections and deaths can weigh heavy on us. Are you feeling it? You might not be jumping for joy like the guy in the picture.

As we continue learning how the Christians in Acts 11 were reaching out, we have a couple inspiring stories that just might be the encouragement we all need at this time! If you haven’t read the first two parts of this five-part series, you can start here.

In verse 19 we read the sad news that the Christians were still persisting in telling the story of Jesus only to Jews! This is an important detail, because of what we heard last week in chapters 10 and 11. God wanted the story of Jesus to be told to the whole world! Not just Jews. Peter’s dream was the confirmation of this.

So in verse 20, men from Cyprus and Cyrene go to Antioch and, finally, begin to tell the message of good news of Jesus to non-Jews! Antioch is a city in modern-day Turkey, just north of the border with Syria. So these guys traveled a long time to get there. And we read in verse 21 that the Lord was with them.

Can we learn from these unnamed missionaries? Absolutely. Think about what they did and how their choices could relate to us.

First, they ordered their lives around the mission of the Gospel. It was their priority. They were available.

Second, they crossed cultural and ethnic lines that, previous to this, were not supposed to be crossed. But the mission was their focus, and that wanted to obey Jesus’ instructions to make disciples of all people.

Likewise, we can order our lives around the mission, sharing the good news of Jesus to all, inviting all people to become disciples of Jesus. For that to happen, though, the mission of God must be the central focus of every day of our week, not a tack-on at the end. Not a “maybe we’ll get to it if there’s nothing else going on.” How can it become a regular part of our thought life, a part of what our heart is all about?

What will it look like for the mission of God to spill out onto everything else you do? At work? Still on the mission. At school? Still on the mission. Watching TV? Still on the mission. We can cultivate an attitude of “always on the mission” in our thinking. How can our hearts, our attitudes, and our thoughts more quickly transition from a focus on ourselves to a focus on Jesus and the things that He is all about?

Is that something that has been more difficult or less difficult during this time of quarantine? One aspect of quarantine that has made being on mission more difficult is the feeling of loneliness many of us have experienced during quarantine. Let’s remember we’re not alone, and we see that in the passage.

We read that the Lord was with these guys. He is with us, too, as we make his mission the center of our lives! He has given us his Spirit! We are not alone. He is with us even when we feel loneliness, He is with us when we feel desperate. He is with us when we feel frustrated. He is with us when we feel purposeless. How can we remember that? In the Identity series, we talked about how we have the living God, the Holy Spirit in us and with us! These circumstances have not changed that. How can that be more in the forefront of our hearts?

In the next section, the author of Acts brings up a second person connected to the phrase “great numbers,” and it is a person we’ve met before. Look at verses 22-24.

Leaders in Jerusalem send the right man to encourage the new disciples in Antioch, a guy named Barnabas. Remember him and his nickname? “Son of encouragement.” In chapter four he encouraged the Christians in Jerusalem by giving generously to those in need. In chapter 9 the Christians in Jerusalem were rightly suspicious about Saul’s supposed 180 degree change from being a Christian killer to now being a committed disciple of Jesus. Barnabas stepped in, vouching for Saul, and the Christians accepted Saul because Barnabas stuck his neck for him.

Now Barnabas is back at it again. When the Apostles in Jerusalem hear that God is at work in Antioch, they know exactly who to send. Barnabas. True to form, Barnabas loved the new church, encouraging the people. We read that he was full of the Holy Spirit. Once again, a great number of people are brought to the Lord.

Barnabas was a wealthy man. He could have easily enjoyed the fruit of his labor, but he kept his focus was on the Kingdom of God. He used his wealth to help him stay on mission and traveled to Antioch. How about you? How is your focus on the mission? How are you using your life, your resources, your time, your energy to pursue Jesus?

Furthermore, Barnabas reaches out to the third person connected to the phrase, “great numbers.” And we’ll find out who that is in the next post.

Moving from frustration to purpose when you’re stuck at home – Acts 11:19-30, Part 2

How are you dealing with being stuck at home these past two months? Feeling frustrated?

This week we’re studying Acts 11:19-30, and what we read there could help us move from frustration to purpose. So grab a Bible and and read that passage.

Did you notice there are three sections in the passage? There is a phrase repeated in each of the three sections. Do you see it? Look at verse 21. Then 24. Then 26. “Great numbers”.

I’ll admit there is part of me that wishes the text did not repeat that phrase. Frankly, our American passion for focusing on numbers can be very detrimental, as if bigger is always better. It is a constant battle in my heart and mind, and in countless conversations with pastoral colleagues, to have the proper perspective on numbers. Since the virus shutdown, here’s what I’ve heard numerous times: “How is your church responding to the quarantine? Are people tuning in? How have people responded to giving during quarantine?” It can get frustrating.

So while there is part of me that wishes that the author of Acts, Luke, didn’t mentioned “great numbers,” he did…three times! What do we do with this focus on numbers? I suggest we take it at face value. He mentions numbers because there was a great response to what was happening in the church. So what was going on in the church in Acts 11?

We just read a story of church planting, of outreach. Christians from one town (Jerusalem) travel to other towns (Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch) to tell the message of Jesus.

In essence, it’s similar to how so many churches are started. My congregation, Faith Church, for example began in 1968, when people, Grace EC Church, from one town (Lancaster City) traveled to another town (Smoketown/Bird-in-hand/East Lampeter) and started a new church.

So let’s take a deeper look at this church planting outreach story, and how it could inspire us now to live on mission, even during quarantine. Verses 19-21 tell the story of unnamed Christians who travel about sharing the message of Jesus.

This episode connects back to chapters 7 and 8, where we studied Stephen’s death that resulted in a great persecution of the Christians in Jerusalem. They fled the city fearing Saul who at the time was rounding them up and throwing them in prison. They Christians made a fascinating choice at this juncture. Rather than allow fear and trauma to have them running scared into hiding and rather than give up the faith, the persecution did not deter their focus on outreach.

Prior to the persecution, the church was experiencing great peace and growth in Jerusalem. They were living the dream. Of course they didn’t want the persecution. Who would? But when hardship came, they handled it with grace and trust in God. Yes, they had to go through the awful experience of fleeing for their lives. Yes, some of them were thrown in prison. Stephen was killed. But in the middle of the unsettled, confusing, frustrating time, they made sure that the mission of Jesus was still their priority. He was their focus. In the midst of a mess, he was their heart.

How about us? We haven’t asked for the virus. We don’t want quarantine. In the middle of our frustrating time, what will it look like for us to remember to focus our hearts on God’s grace, and trust and mission? For sure, in a traumatic situation like a global pandemic, it is natural for us to have fear and disappointment. Clearly no one likes or chooses to live in fear and disappointment. So it could be helpful to examine which one of these is the primary outflow of your heart? Fear and disappointment? Or grace and trust and mission? How can you transition from the normal fears and disappointments of the pandemic to remembering and focusing on God’s grace and his goodness, then moving toward pursuing his mission?