Good from Evil
Acts 8: 1 – 8.
I. Introduction.
For the past several weeks we have read the earliest history of the Christian church found in the New Testament book of Acts. We believe the book of Acts is the second and final volume of history written by Luke. His first historical volume was the story of Jesus. This second volume records the story of how the original 12 Apostles received the Holy Spirit and then told the story of their experience with Jesus so that others could have the same experience.
For Luke, this part of the story began when Jesus spent forty days with his Apostles after the resurrection. These men had witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus, so there was no doubt in their minds that Jesus had literally and physically died on the cross. Therefore, the Apostles were a little skeptical at first. Luke tells us that Jesus provided his Apostles with “many convincing proofs” that he was in fact alive.
After forty days with the Apostles, Jesus gathered the group together on the top of a mountain so he could do two things. First, Jesus reminded the Apostles of everything he had previously taught them about the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God cannot be contained in geo-political boundaries. Of course all good Jews of the First Century had difficulty understanding this. They thought the Kingdom of God was the same thing as the nation of Israel. They placed all their faith and hope in the conception of a Messiah who would become the military, political and religious leader for the people who lived on the patch of dirt known as Israel. But that is not what Jesus taught them about the Kingdom of God. On one hand, the Kingdom of God is bigger than Israel. It cannot be contained by any geo-political boundaries. It stretches across nations and oceans to include all men and women who place their lives under the sovereign rule of God as their King. On the other hand, the Kingdom of God is smaller than Israel. For the men and women who submit themselves to God as the Lord of their lives, the Kingdom of God exists within each of our hearts.
The second thing Jesus did on the mountaintop was to give his final instructions to his Apostles. In Acts 1: 4, Jesus said, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised…” Then, in Acts 1: 8, Jesus said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” We can paraphrase Jesus’ final instructions to his Apostles like this: “Stay in Jerusalem until you receive the Holy Spirit, then go tell the whole world.”
It is worth noting here that the book of Acts refers to Jesus’ original 12 followers as “Apostles.” That is not the only name for these 12 men. Sometimes, we know them as the 12 disciples. Disciple is the English translation of the Greek word that means “student,” “learner” or “apprentice.” At other times, we know these 12 men as the 12 Apostles. Apostle is the noun form of the Greek word apostelw, which means “to send.” Therefore, we can say that the very essence of their calling or purpose as Apostles is to be sent by Jesus. Sent people cannot stay in one place very long. Sent people must go somewhere…That is, if they are obedient to Jesus’ final instructions.
Until today, we have not witnessed the Apostles’ going anywhere. They have only followed the first half of Jesus’ final instructions. They stayed in Jerusalem and waited on the gift of the Holy Spirit. Once they received the Holy Spirit, they preached the story of Jesus within the city of Jerusalem. But they never ventured beyond the walls of the city. Today, we will watch as the Apostles go out for the first time.
Read Acts 8: 1 – 8.
This is the story about what happened after Stephen was executed for his faith in Jesus. Over the past several chapters, the violence and persecution against the church has escalated.
In Acts 3, Peter and John were arrested for preaching the Gospel in the common area of the Jerusalem Temple. When they were arrested, the police could not use force, because the common people loved what Peter and John were saying. It was only the religious and political authorities who had a problem with the message that Jesus is the promised Christ. After their arrest, the Jewish authorities released Peter and John with a simple warning: “Stop preaching about Jesus, and we will leave you alone.”
In Acts 5, Peter and John were arrested a second time. More and more common people had placed their faith in Jesus as Lord, so the authorities were once again afraid to use force to arrest them. Just like in the previous story, Peter and John stood trial in front of all the religious and political authorities. The authorities wanted to kill them and stop this threat to their power once and for all, but it would not have been popular with the common people. So, Peter and John were beaten with 39 lashes and released.
In Acts 6 – 8, another Christian was arrested. This time it was the Greek speaking Stephen. Stephen faced the same kind of trial Peter and John faced in front of the gathered Sanhedrin. He was falsely accused of blasphemy against God and preaching that the Jerusalem Temple would be destroyed. Peter and John were released with a warning after their first trial and were released with a beating after their second trial. Stephen was killed. There is one significant difference between these two different scenarios: the common people had changed their minds. While the people supported Peter and John, they joined with the religious authorities in condemning Stephen. The Christian church no longer had the support of the common people.
The violence against the church was not the only thing that escalated in this story. The anger of a man named Saul was also escalating. We watch him move from being a passive bystander to an active persecutor of Christians.
In Acts 7: 58, Luke introduced us to Saul: “Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.” We don’t know exactly what role Saul played in Stephen’s death. Was he the guy watching everyone’s coats while they stoned Stephen? Was he the cheerleader, who instigated the violence? Did he play some other significant role in commanding or orchestrating the execution? We don’t really know.
However, Luke intensified his comments about Saul. Acts 8: 1, “And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.” Then, Acts 8: 3, “But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.”
More than likely, the phrase “house to house” indicates that Saul made a habit of finding Christian house churches and disturbing their Sunday worship services. When he found a group of Christians worshipping in a house, Saul would break into the house and bring people before the Sanhedrin for a trial similar to the trial Stephen faced. The violence against the church escalated and Saul’s role in that violence intensified. He moved from being present at Stephen’s execution to become the chief persecutor against the Christian church.
After telling us about the death of Stephen, Luke introduces us to another Christian preacher: Philip. Just like Stephen, Philip was not one of the original 12 Apostles. And, just like Stephen, Philip was a second generation Christian who had been converted as a result of the preaching and testimony of the Apostles who had lived with Jesus. Philip was also one of the seven deacons chosen from among the Greek speaking Christians to serve the Greek speaking widows in the church. But, Philip’s ministry obviously entailed more than simply serving meals to the elderly women in the church.
Saul’s intense persecution of the church caused the early Christians to scatter. It was too dangerous for the Christians to remain in Jerusalem. So, Philip traveled into Samaria and began to preach the Gospel to the Samaritans.
This was an interesting move for the early church to make, but Philip was the right man for the job. It was interesting, because up to this point Christianity consisted entirely of Jewish men and women who accepted Jesus as the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. Even Stephen and Philip were Jews before they became Christians. They were more than likely Jewish proselytes, who had moved from their Greek speaking, Gentile homelands to live in Jerusalem so they could have access to the Temple and the Jewish tradition of festivals.
If Philip had been a “Hebrew of Hebrews,” he would not have wanted to have personal contact with the Samaritans. The Jews considered Samaritans to be an inferior class of people. They were considered racially inferior, because they were a mixture of several different races. They were considered religiously inferior, because they did not recognize Jerusalem as the Holy City.
Saul and the Jewish religious leaders thought that by killing Stephen, arresting Christians out of worship services, placing men and women in prison, and persecuting the church would stop the spread of Christianity. But it didn’t work! In fact, just the opposite happened. Persecution led to dispersion. Dispersion led to the fulfillment of Jesus’ final instructions: “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
II. Was Persecution God’s Will?
Since the persecution of the church led to the fulfillment of Jesus’ final instructions, there is a temptation for us to say that it must have been God’s will for Stephen to die and for other Christians to be beaten and placed in prison. But, we have to be very careful at this point. I don’t believe we should say that God is responsible for the suffering of the church or for Stephen’s death.
Read Matthew 6: 9 – 13
I want you to notice two things that Jesus taught us to pray for in verse 10. Pray that the Kingdom of God would come. Pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.
We could debate all day about the prayer for the Kingdom to come. But at the very least, most of us would agree that Jesus’ prayer is for the reign of God to break into the earthly realm. In other words, our prayer is to be that God would give us just a taste of heaven while we are still on earth. This includes judgment for the wicked and vindication for the righteous. It means that we should pray for God’s sovereignty to be known right here and right now.
Then, we are to pray for God’s will. Jesus taught us to pray for God’s will on earth to be just like it is in heaven. Now that raises an interesting question. Is there a difference between God’s will on earth and God’s will in heaven?
In heaven, there is no sin. In heaven, there is no fallen creation. In heaven, all the human beings live in the fulfillment of what God created us to be. In heaven, there will be “no tears, no death, no mourning, no crying, no pain for the old order of things has passed away (Revelation 21: 4 NIV).”
Yes! There is a difference between God’s will on earth and God’s will in heaven. Heaven is the only place where sinful humanity and a fallen creation have no effect on God’s will.
III. Paradoxes of Christian Theology.
There is an interesting thing about God’s will. This is perhaps the only theological category we hold which does not live in tension. Everything else we believe as Christians is described as an irreconcilable paradox. For example:
What do we believe about Jesus? Jesus Christ is 100% God and 100% man. Now, I wasn’t a math major in college, but it doesn’t take a math major to know that it is impossible for anything or anyone to be 100% of two different things. How can Jesus be fully God and fully man? It is impossible! But I believe it.
What do we believe about the Trinity? God is One, and God is Three. How is it possible for the same person to be One and Three at the same time? It is impossible! But I believe it.
What do we believe about Salvation? The Bible tells us that Salvation is offered to us by Divine Election, AND the Bible tells us that Salvation comes to those who respond in faith. Which one is correct: Election or Human Free Will? Both are correct. How can Divine Election be possible in a world where humans are free to choose? How can humans be free to choose if God chooses us for salvation? It is impossible! But I believe it.
What do we believe about the Kingdom of God? Jesus said the Kingdom of God is here, but Jesus also taught us to pray, “Let your kingdom come.” Is the Kingdom of God a present, earthly reality, or is the Kingdom of God a future place in heaven. It is both. Again, that is impossible! But I believe it.
What do we believe about the character of God? God is Mercy, and God brings Judgment. Mercy AND Judgment. Impossible! But I believe it.
And what do we believe about Scripture? The Bible is the inspired Word of God, but it was written by sinful human beings. Is that even possible? Impossible! But I believe it.
The only way we can reconcile these IMPOSSIBLE paradoxes is through faith. It takes faith to believe that Jesus is God and man at the same time. It takes faith to believe that God is One and Three at the same time. It takes faith to believe that our salvation comes through both election and free will.
God’s will is perhaps the only thing we believe that does not require faith. It’s easy to say that “everything happens as a result of God’s will.” Where is the faith? Where is the tension? Why are we so certain about the will of God?
IV. The Nature of Faith.
I have shared this once before, but I think it fits so well in this topic. Anne Lamott is an author and a Christian. I wouldn’t go so far as to say she is a Christian author, but she does write about her faith. I have read her book Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith, and I went to a conference at Baylor where she spoke about expressing faith in art. This summer—I believe it was in June—I found a quote attributed to Anne Lamott that gave no reference to what work it came from. So I got on Google and looked up the complete quote.
The quote comes from salon.com, an online magazine that addresses politics, faith, art and a bunch of other stuff. She wrote an article about the Christian season of Advent. In it she tells a story about experiencing anxiety about taking her son to spend Thanksgiving with family:
…I prayed that I could just keep the faith. The thing is, I have a lot of faith. But I am also afraid a lot, and have no real certainty about anything. I remembered something my Jesuit friend Tom told me—that the opposite of faith is not doubt, but certainty. Certainty is missing the point entirely. Faith includes noticing the mess, and emptiness and discomfort, and letting it be there until some light returns. Faith also means reaching deeply within for the sense one was born with, the sense to go for a walk. (Anne Lamott, “Advent 2003,” on Salon.com [December 5, 2003].)
V. Conclusion.
The problem we have when we talk about God’s will is that we are often too certain. Anything that is certain requires no faith. And if there is no need for faith…There is no need for God.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Sunday, June 1, 2008: Living and Dying for Jesus
Living and Dying for Jesus.
Acts 6: 8 – 15 AND 7: 54 – 60.
I. Introduction.
The Bible has a lot to say about human suffering. And that is a good thing, because suffering is one of those things we all have in common. In fact, that is one of the messages the Bible teaches us about suffering. As long as we live on this earth, we will experience broken relationships, death, cancer and other general disappointments.
Another message the Bible communicates to us is the reality that Christians will suffer as a result of our faith in Jesus. In the Gospel of John, Jesus spent his last few hours with his disciples explaining to them that the world would treat them the same way the world treated Jesus. People who love Jesus will love the followers of Jesus. People who hate Jesus, falsely accuse Jesus and eventually crucify Jesus will treat his followers the same way.
This was reality for the first several generations of Christ followers. In the generations immediately following the New Testament period, Christians were falsely accused and persecuted for their faith. Christians were accused of cannibalism, because they viewed the Lord’s Supper as representing the body and blood of Jesus. They were accused of practicing incest, because they recognized each other as brothers and sisters through their relationship with Jesus. They were accused of being atheists, because Christians did not acknowledge the national gods of the Roman Empire. But the accusation that caused the most severe persecution was the accusation that Christians were not patriotic.
Everyone in the Roman Empire was expected to acknowledge Caesar as Lord. But the Christians refused to say this. If they would just say the simple three word phrase, “Caesar is Lord,” they could have lived. They didn’t have to actually mean it. They only had to say it.
In the year A.D. 155, an 86 year old church elder name Polycarp was killed, because he would not say the words, “Caesar is Lord.” As a young man, Polycarp had become a Christian under the teaching of the Apostle John. He eventually became a church leader in the city of Smyrna.
Polycarp was arrested by the Roman police and led into a stadium filled with Roman citizens. In front of the cheering crowd, the police captain gave Polycarp one last chance to save his own life: “Swear the Oath, and I will release thee; revile the Christ.”[1] Polycarp answered, “Eighty-six years have I been His servant, and He hath done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme the King who saved me?”[2]
He was tied up, burned at the stake and stabbed. All because he would not say the words, “Caesar is Lord.”
Have you ever wondered what you would do in a situation like that? Would you be willing to die as a result of your faith in Jesus?
The answer to this question is more than a simple “Yes” or “No.” The answer is found in examining the way we live our lives. People who live for Jesus are willing to die for Jesus. People who are not willing to die for Jesus are not willing to live for Jesus.
The Christian life is much more than simply knowing and accepting the truth. In 21st Century American Christianity, we place too much emphasis on knowing and acknowledging what is right and what is wrong. Jesus called us to live the truth, not simply to know the truth.
In the book of Acts, we have watched as the church grew. On one hand, the Jewish religious and political leaders resisted the new Christian movement. On the other hand, ordinary men and women were increasingly attracted to the teachings of the new church. Three thousand people were saved at the Day of Pentecost. Five thousand people were saved when Peter and John preached daily at the Jerusalem Temple. There were even a number of Jewish priests who became Christians. But the tides have now changed. The people are no longer impressed with the teaching and ministry of the young church. For some reason, the people have turned against the Christian faith, and we witness as an angry mob kills a Christian for the very first time.
Read Acts 6: 8 – 15 AND 7: 54 – 60.
Stephen was one of the seven ministers selected by the church and appointed by the Apostles to serve the physical needs of the congregation. The church selected Stephen, because he met the four qualifications: he was a Greek Christian, had a good reputation, was full of the Holy Spirit and was full of wisdom.
Immediately after Stephen’s selection, the book of Acts describes Stephen as “working miracles and wonders.” Up to this point in the story of Christianity, there were only three others who had done this: Jesus, Peter and John. And now Stephen is doing the same work of Jesus and his original Apostles.
This is significant. Stephen is not the Messiah. Stephen is not one of the original twelve Apostles. Stephen is a “second generation” Christian. He has a Greek name, and more than likely became a Christian as a result of one of the big revivals where Peter preached the Gospel. Another way to think about Stephen is to think of him as just like us. The Apostles lived and learned, ate and slept with Jesus. The Apostles were followers of Jesus as a result of their own personal experience in the physical presence of Jesus. You and I have never lived physically with Jesus. And neither did Stephen. Stephen is just like us, because he heard the Gospel and became a Christian without seeing Jesus in the flesh.
On one hand, this can be very encouraging for you and me. Stephen heard the Gospel and became a follower of Jesus. Stephen received the Holy Spirit as a follower of Jesus and was able to work miracles through the power of the Spirit. Since Stephen is just like us, this tells us the power of the Holy Spirit can work in us the same way it worked in Jesus and the Apostles.
On the other hand, this is not very encouraging. Jesus was falsely accused and eventually killed as a result of his faith in God. Later tradition tells us that eleven of the twelve Apostles were killed for their faith. And now Stephen—a second generation Christian just like us—is killed for his faith in Jesus. We ought to live out our faith with the knowledge that it just might lead us to our own death.
II. Stephen’s Trial, Parallels with Jesus.
If you are familiar with the trial and crucifixion of Jesus, then it is obvious how Stephen’s trial and death serve as a kind of parallel. There are numerous places where the two stories intersect.
Acts 6: 11…Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.”
Acts 6: 12…They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.
Acts 6: 13…They produced false witnesses…
Acts 6: 13…This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the Law.
The “holy place” is a reference to the Jerusalem Temple. It was an important part of Judaism in the First Century. The Jews understood the Temple as the fulfillment of the promises God made to Abraham and the promises made through the Old Testament prophets. Stephen and the rest of the early church did not have the same understanding of the Temple. No. They understood that Jesus was the fulfillment of God’s promises.
God fulfilled his promises in a person, not in a place.
Acts 6: 14…We heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs of Moses handed down to us.
While we don’t have any of Stephen’s previous sermons recorded in the book of Acts, I believe this is probably the only true witness against Stephen. I don’t know for a fact, but I believe the previous witnesses were false. Stephen did not blaspheme against God. Stephen did not preach against the Law of the Old Testament. Stephen didn’t even preach against the Temple. But I do believe he told people that Jesus would take the place of the Temple. Jesus said that himself. If Stephen preached that, he was only preaching the truth.
III. Stephen’s “Defense.”
There were basically two accusations against Stephen. The false witnesses stood before the high court of the Sanhedrin and told them Stephen spoke against the Temple and the Law. If you compare these accusations to the political climate of Jerusalem in the First Century, you can see how serious this would be.
The Jews no longer governed themselves. They were controlled by the Roman Empire and were assigned a Roman Proconsul to represent Roman interests within the city of Jerusalem. The Jewish people were suffering under heavy taxation and daily ridicule by the Roman military officers omnipresent in the city. The Temple and the Law were the only things they had left to identify themselves as Jews. And Stephen was accused of speaking out against their Jewish identity.
After hearing from the witnesses, the high priest gave Stephen an opportunity to speak in his own defense. We might expect Stephen to insist he is innocent of the false charges. We might expect Stephen to refute the false testimony with his own witnesses. But that is not what happened. Stephen never defended himself. Instead, he preached a sermon recounting the history of the Jewish people from Abraham through Jesus.
Stephen begins his sermon by describing God’s call to Abraham. Abraham was living in Mesopotamia when God spoke to him. Interestingly, at the time of God’s call there was no such place as the Temple. There wasn’t even a written Law for Abraham to follow. Yet, God spoke to him, and Abraham obeyed.
Stephen knew that the Jewish leaders accepted this fact. They knew it was because of Abraham’s faith and obedience that the Law and the Temple even became possible.
Then, Stephen turned his attention to a descendant of Abraham named Joseph. Joseph is significant in Jewish history for several reasons. First, he was one of the twelve sons of Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. Therefore, Joseph was one of the recognized ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel. Second, Joseph was significant, because he served as one of many “redeemers” of God’s people throughout the Old Testament.
Joseph was a dreamer. And his eleven brothers resented him for this. In fact, they resented him so much that they sold him to slave traders, and Joseph found himself working as an indentured servant in Egypt. Much of the book of Genesis is devoted to telling the story of Joseph. God used Joseph’s past dreams to help him interpret the dreams of the Egyptian king. Through God’s help and wisdom, Joseph was eventually appointed the second in command over the nation of Egypt. In this position, Joseph devised a wise plan to store up food to prepare for a coming world-wide famine.
Joseph’s father and brothers found themselves in need of food during this famine and came to Egypt for help. In a twist of biblical irony, the brother they sold into slavery was the same man who provided food and salvation for God’s people in their time of need.
Joseph’s family lived in freedom and security in Egypt for hundreds of years. Then came a new king who felt threatened by the Israelites’ presence and conscripted them into slavery. Once again, God sent a “redeemer.” This time the redeemer’s name was Moses.
According to Stephen’s sermon, every time God’s people got into trouble, God sent a redeemer. But this story comes with a warning…Both Joseph and Moses were sent by God to redeem God’s people. Both Joseph and Moses acted in faith and obedience to what God had called them to do. Both Joseph and Moses were rejected by God’s people.
I’m certain the Sanhedrin made the connection Stephen was trying to make. Jesus was just like Joseph and Moses. He was faithful and obedient to God’s call. He came to be the redeemer for God’s people. But he was rejected.
Then, Stephen turned his attention to the Temple. When Moses brought God’s people out of slavery, they spent forty years in the desert before they finally reached the Promised Land. Again, during those forty years, there was no Temple. The people worshipped God in a tent—also known as a tabernacle. God’s people were on the move. A stationary Temple would have done them no good. They needed a portable and temporary place to worship God. In fact, the people had to wait hundreds of years before there was a Temple. Yet, throughout those hundreds of years, the people continued to worship God in ways that were pleasing and acceptable to God.
After hundred of years worshipping God in tents and tabernacles, Israel finally built a permanent Temple. When the Temple was built, a theological shift happened. Whereas the tabernacle was a place to worship God. The Temple came to be understood as a place to contain God. A place where God could be visited whenever they wanted to visit but didn’t have to worry about God’s interfering with daily life.
God cannot be contained in a Temple. The Christian life cannot be lived out fully in the church. God sent his Son, Jesus, to redeem God’s people and to be present in every aspect of our lives. Faith is not about knowing and believing the right things about Jesus. It is not about showing up to church once a week. Faith is experiencing God’s presence in every day living…To give over control of life to Jesus.
And that is why Stephen was killed. He had devoted his entire life to experiencing the Holy Spirit daily. He had given over control of his own life to the power of the Holy Spirit. He did not have to decide at the moment of death whether or not he would die for Jesus. He had lived for Jesus all his life, therefore he was willing to die for Jesus.
IV. Stephen’s Death, Parallels with Jesus.
We pick up here with the parallels between Stephen’s death and Jesus’ death.
Acts 7: 55…But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
Acts 7: 58…(They) dragged him out of the city…
Acts 7: 59…While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Acts 7: 60… “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
V. Conclusion.
I find it significant that Stephen’s trial and death paralleled Jesus’. That is only fitting, since Stephen’s life also paralleled Jesus’. At the moment of death, Stephen never proclaimed his own innocence. He preached about Jesus. This tells me that Stephen was not the one being tried and examined that day. Jesus was on trial. We see Jesus in both the life and the death of Stephen.
[1] The Martyrdom of Polycarp 9: 11 – 12.
[2] Ibid., 9: 12 – 13.
Acts 6: 8 – 15 AND 7: 54 – 60.
I. Introduction.
The Bible has a lot to say about human suffering. And that is a good thing, because suffering is one of those things we all have in common. In fact, that is one of the messages the Bible teaches us about suffering. As long as we live on this earth, we will experience broken relationships, death, cancer and other general disappointments.
Another message the Bible communicates to us is the reality that Christians will suffer as a result of our faith in Jesus. In the Gospel of John, Jesus spent his last few hours with his disciples explaining to them that the world would treat them the same way the world treated Jesus. People who love Jesus will love the followers of Jesus. People who hate Jesus, falsely accuse Jesus and eventually crucify Jesus will treat his followers the same way.
This was reality for the first several generations of Christ followers. In the generations immediately following the New Testament period, Christians were falsely accused and persecuted for their faith. Christians were accused of cannibalism, because they viewed the Lord’s Supper as representing the body and blood of Jesus. They were accused of practicing incest, because they recognized each other as brothers and sisters through their relationship with Jesus. They were accused of being atheists, because Christians did not acknowledge the national gods of the Roman Empire. But the accusation that caused the most severe persecution was the accusation that Christians were not patriotic.
Everyone in the Roman Empire was expected to acknowledge Caesar as Lord. But the Christians refused to say this. If they would just say the simple three word phrase, “Caesar is Lord,” they could have lived. They didn’t have to actually mean it. They only had to say it.
In the year A.D. 155, an 86 year old church elder name Polycarp was killed, because he would not say the words, “Caesar is Lord.” As a young man, Polycarp had become a Christian under the teaching of the Apostle John. He eventually became a church leader in the city of Smyrna.
Polycarp was arrested by the Roman police and led into a stadium filled with Roman citizens. In front of the cheering crowd, the police captain gave Polycarp one last chance to save his own life: “Swear the Oath, and I will release thee; revile the Christ.”[1] Polycarp answered, “Eighty-six years have I been His servant, and He hath done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme the King who saved me?”[2]
He was tied up, burned at the stake and stabbed. All because he would not say the words, “Caesar is Lord.”
Have you ever wondered what you would do in a situation like that? Would you be willing to die as a result of your faith in Jesus?
The answer to this question is more than a simple “Yes” or “No.” The answer is found in examining the way we live our lives. People who live for Jesus are willing to die for Jesus. People who are not willing to die for Jesus are not willing to live for Jesus.
The Christian life is much more than simply knowing and accepting the truth. In 21st Century American Christianity, we place too much emphasis on knowing and acknowledging what is right and what is wrong. Jesus called us to live the truth, not simply to know the truth.
In the book of Acts, we have watched as the church grew. On one hand, the Jewish religious and political leaders resisted the new Christian movement. On the other hand, ordinary men and women were increasingly attracted to the teachings of the new church. Three thousand people were saved at the Day of Pentecost. Five thousand people were saved when Peter and John preached daily at the Jerusalem Temple. There were even a number of Jewish priests who became Christians. But the tides have now changed. The people are no longer impressed with the teaching and ministry of the young church. For some reason, the people have turned against the Christian faith, and we witness as an angry mob kills a Christian for the very first time.
Read Acts 6: 8 – 15 AND 7: 54 – 60.
Stephen was one of the seven ministers selected by the church and appointed by the Apostles to serve the physical needs of the congregation. The church selected Stephen, because he met the four qualifications: he was a Greek Christian, had a good reputation, was full of the Holy Spirit and was full of wisdom.
Immediately after Stephen’s selection, the book of Acts describes Stephen as “working miracles and wonders.” Up to this point in the story of Christianity, there were only three others who had done this: Jesus, Peter and John. And now Stephen is doing the same work of Jesus and his original Apostles.
This is significant. Stephen is not the Messiah. Stephen is not one of the original twelve Apostles. Stephen is a “second generation” Christian. He has a Greek name, and more than likely became a Christian as a result of one of the big revivals where Peter preached the Gospel. Another way to think about Stephen is to think of him as just like us. The Apostles lived and learned, ate and slept with Jesus. The Apostles were followers of Jesus as a result of their own personal experience in the physical presence of Jesus. You and I have never lived physically with Jesus. And neither did Stephen. Stephen is just like us, because he heard the Gospel and became a Christian without seeing Jesus in the flesh.
On one hand, this can be very encouraging for you and me. Stephen heard the Gospel and became a follower of Jesus. Stephen received the Holy Spirit as a follower of Jesus and was able to work miracles through the power of the Spirit. Since Stephen is just like us, this tells us the power of the Holy Spirit can work in us the same way it worked in Jesus and the Apostles.
On the other hand, this is not very encouraging. Jesus was falsely accused and eventually killed as a result of his faith in God. Later tradition tells us that eleven of the twelve Apostles were killed for their faith. And now Stephen—a second generation Christian just like us—is killed for his faith in Jesus. We ought to live out our faith with the knowledge that it just might lead us to our own death.
II. Stephen’s Trial, Parallels with Jesus.
If you are familiar with the trial and crucifixion of Jesus, then it is obvious how Stephen’s trial and death serve as a kind of parallel. There are numerous places where the two stories intersect.
Acts 6: 11…Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.”
Acts 6: 12…They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.
Acts 6: 13…They produced false witnesses…
Acts 6: 13…This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the Law.
The “holy place” is a reference to the Jerusalem Temple. It was an important part of Judaism in the First Century. The Jews understood the Temple as the fulfillment of the promises God made to Abraham and the promises made through the Old Testament prophets. Stephen and the rest of the early church did not have the same understanding of the Temple. No. They understood that Jesus was the fulfillment of God’s promises.
God fulfilled his promises in a person, not in a place.
Acts 6: 14…We heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs of Moses handed down to us.
While we don’t have any of Stephen’s previous sermons recorded in the book of Acts, I believe this is probably the only true witness against Stephen. I don’t know for a fact, but I believe the previous witnesses were false. Stephen did not blaspheme against God. Stephen did not preach against the Law of the Old Testament. Stephen didn’t even preach against the Temple. But I do believe he told people that Jesus would take the place of the Temple. Jesus said that himself. If Stephen preached that, he was only preaching the truth.
III. Stephen’s “Defense.”
There were basically two accusations against Stephen. The false witnesses stood before the high court of the Sanhedrin and told them Stephen spoke against the Temple and the Law. If you compare these accusations to the political climate of Jerusalem in the First Century, you can see how serious this would be.
The Jews no longer governed themselves. They were controlled by the Roman Empire and were assigned a Roman Proconsul to represent Roman interests within the city of Jerusalem. The Jewish people were suffering under heavy taxation and daily ridicule by the Roman military officers omnipresent in the city. The Temple and the Law were the only things they had left to identify themselves as Jews. And Stephen was accused of speaking out against their Jewish identity.
After hearing from the witnesses, the high priest gave Stephen an opportunity to speak in his own defense. We might expect Stephen to insist he is innocent of the false charges. We might expect Stephen to refute the false testimony with his own witnesses. But that is not what happened. Stephen never defended himself. Instead, he preached a sermon recounting the history of the Jewish people from Abraham through Jesus.
Stephen begins his sermon by describing God’s call to Abraham. Abraham was living in Mesopotamia when God spoke to him. Interestingly, at the time of God’s call there was no such place as the Temple. There wasn’t even a written Law for Abraham to follow. Yet, God spoke to him, and Abraham obeyed.
Stephen knew that the Jewish leaders accepted this fact. They knew it was because of Abraham’s faith and obedience that the Law and the Temple even became possible.
Then, Stephen turned his attention to a descendant of Abraham named Joseph. Joseph is significant in Jewish history for several reasons. First, he was one of the twelve sons of Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. Therefore, Joseph was one of the recognized ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel. Second, Joseph was significant, because he served as one of many “redeemers” of God’s people throughout the Old Testament.
Joseph was a dreamer. And his eleven brothers resented him for this. In fact, they resented him so much that they sold him to slave traders, and Joseph found himself working as an indentured servant in Egypt. Much of the book of Genesis is devoted to telling the story of Joseph. God used Joseph’s past dreams to help him interpret the dreams of the Egyptian king. Through God’s help and wisdom, Joseph was eventually appointed the second in command over the nation of Egypt. In this position, Joseph devised a wise plan to store up food to prepare for a coming world-wide famine.
Joseph’s father and brothers found themselves in need of food during this famine and came to Egypt for help. In a twist of biblical irony, the brother they sold into slavery was the same man who provided food and salvation for God’s people in their time of need.
Joseph’s family lived in freedom and security in Egypt for hundreds of years. Then came a new king who felt threatened by the Israelites’ presence and conscripted them into slavery. Once again, God sent a “redeemer.” This time the redeemer’s name was Moses.
According to Stephen’s sermon, every time God’s people got into trouble, God sent a redeemer. But this story comes with a warning…Both Joseph and Moses were sent by God to redeem God’s people. Both Joseph and Moses acted in faith and obedience to what God had called them to do. Both Joseph and Moses were rejected by God’s people.
I’m certain the Sanhedrin made the connection Stephen was trying to make. Jesus was just like Joseph and Moses. He was faithful and obedient to God’s call. He came to be the redeemer for God’s people. But he was rejected.
Then, Stephen turned his attention to the Temple. When Moses brought God’s people out of slavery, they spent forty years in the desert before they finally reached the Promised Land. Again, during those forty years, there was no Temple. The people worshipped God in a tent—also known as a tabernacle. God’s people were on the move. A stationary Temple would have done them no good. They needed a portable and temporary place to worship God. In fact, the people had to wait hundreds of years before there was a Temple. Yet, throughout those hundreds of years, the people continued to worship God in ways that were pleasing and acceptable to God.
After hundred of years worshipping God in tents and tabernacles, Israel finally built a permanent Temple. When the Temple was built, a theological shift happened. Whereas the tabernacle was a place to worship God. The Temple came to be understood as a place to contain God. A place where God could be visited whenever they wanted to visit but didn’t have to worry about God’s interfering with daily life.
God cannot be contained in a Temple. The Christian life cannot be lived out fully in the church. God sent his Son, Jesus, to redeem God’s people and to be present in every aspect of our lives. Faith is not about knowing and believing the right things about Jesus. It is not about showing up to church once a week. Faith is experiencing God’s presence in every day living…To give over control of life to Jesus.
And that is why Stephen was killed. He had devoted his entire life to experiencing the Holy Spirit daily. He had given over control of his own life to the power of the Holy Spirit. He did not have to decide at the moment of death whether or not he would die for Jesus. He had lived for Jesus all his life, therefore he was willing to die for Jesus.
IV. Stephen’s Death, Parallels with Jesus.
We pick up here with the parallels between Stephen’s death and Jesus’ death.
Acts 7: 55…But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
Acts 7: 58…(They) dragged him out of the city…
Acts 7: 59…While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Acts 7: 60… “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
V. Conclusion.
I find it significant that Stephen’s trial and death paralleled Jesus’. That is only fitting, since Stephen’s life also paralleled Jesus’. At the moment of death, Stephen never proclaimed his own innocence. He preached about Jesus. This tells me that Stephen was not the one being tried and examined that day. Jesus was on trial. We see Jesus in both the life and the death of Stephen.
[1] The Martyrdom of Polycarp 9: 11 – 12.
[2] Ibid., 9: 12 – 13.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008: Shared Ministry, Shared Results
Shared Ministry, Shared Results
Acts 6: 1 – 7.
I. Introduction.
My senior year of college, I took my first course in Baptist history. It was a great learning experience for me as a student, but it also marked the end of a person, spiritual journey which began when I left home after high school.
When I was 18 years old and leaving home for the first time, one of the many questions I asked my self was: “Why am I a Baptist?” I became a Christian in Vacation Bible School and was baptized in a Baptist church when I was nine years old. I went through Bible Drill and was active in the youth ministry in that same Baptist church. I grew up in a Baptist church, and my parents had grown up in Baptist churches. Of my four grandparents, three of them had grown up in Baptist churches. My maternal grandmother grew up in a Methodist church but became a Baptist when she married my grandfather. Obviously, my family had been a huge influence on my Baptist faith.
I had a few non-Baptist friends in high school, but in college that number grew. I started to spend time with people from other Christian traditions and realized that they had strong, growing spiritual lives. I noticed for the first time that there are genuine Christians in the world who do not attend Baptist churches. So, I started visiting their churches with them. I went to Presbyterian churches, Catholic churches, Methodist churches, Pentecostal churches, Assembly of God churches and non denominational churches. I was concerned that I was a Baptist only because my family was Baptist.
After visiting all those different churches, I never felt comfortable, but I didn’t know why. So, I went back to the Baptist church. I even answered God’s call to ministry and started serving as a youth minister in a Baptist church beginning my sophomore year. I knew I was most comfortable in the Baptist church, but I didn’t know why. This is where my Baptist history course became important.
On the first day of class, Loyd Allen asked us: “What is the one belief that separates Baptists from all other denominations?” Most of our class thought it was baptism, since that is where we got our name and the most obvious difference we have with certain denominations. But, Dr. Allen pointed out there are many denominations that practice baptism the same way we do—believer’s baptism by immersion only.
He directed us to the writings of E. Y. Mullins. Mullins wrote The Axioms of Religion in 1908, while he was president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In this book, Mullins suggested that the belief which separates Baptists from all others is the belief in the “competency of the soul in all matters of religion.”
Everything we believe as Baptists traces it roots to our belief that every man and every woman is competent to stand before God on his or her own. Everyone is free and responsible to give an account to God for what we believe or what we do not believe. The way I like to imagine this is to imagine that one day every man and woman who has ever lived will stand before God and answer one question. God will not ask us where we went to church. God will not hold us accountable for the faith or sermons of our pastor. God will not ask you what your parents believe. God will ask, “What have you done with my Son, Jesus?”
Since we believe every person is a “competent soul,” this has developed into our historical Baptist theology. Baptism: Parents are not the ones who are responsible for getting their children baptized. You must profess your own faith in Christ in order to be baptized. The Bible: If we are competent to stand before God, then it is possible for us to be right or wrong in our theology. Therefore, it is important that we shape our views of God from the Bible. Everyone must read and interpret the Bible in order to understand who God is. Separation of Church and State: If your parents and your pastor cannot stand between you and God, then the government certainly cannot! The Priesthood of All Believers: Priesthood of all believers is not the same thing as “soul competence,” it is a natural outgrowth or the logical expression of competency.
If we believe that every man and every woman is competent to make their own personal profession of faith in Jesus as Lord, then it is only logical that we should believe each man and woman should do something about their personal faith. On one hand, priesthood implies that nothing can stand between a person and God—We do no need a priest to speak to God on our behalf, and we do not need a priest to speak to us on God’s behalf. On the other hand, priesthood also implies a responsibility to serve God. It’s not enough simply to profess faith in Jesus. You have to actually do something. Priests in the Bible did more than simply listen to God and speak to God’s people. Priests actually got their hands dirty doing the work of ministry.
Over the past several weeks, we have read the book of Acts and we have witnessed several miracles. We witnessed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all men and women. We witnessed the birth of the church as a community for worshipping God. We witnessed the expansion of the church to preach the Gospel to non-believers. And today, we witness the first internal conflict in the church which could only be solved by church members sharing in the responsibilities of priesthood and ministry.
Read Acts 6: 1 – 7.
I preached from this same Scripture about a year ago to emphasize the proper role and work of a deacon. (This is not the same sermon today.) Interpreters of this Scripture fall into two general categories. Some believe this is the story of the selection of the first deacons. Others do not. I believe this is about selecting deacons, because the Greek word “deacon” shows up three times in the Greek text—even though it is not translated that way in any English translation.
The early church was born when God gave his Holy Spirit to all believers. One hundred twenty men and women experienced this at the day of Pentecost. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit, these ordinary men and women began to do some powerful things: preaching with boldness, confronting the cultural leaders, even performing miracles. This Holy Spirit boldness created a conflict between the new church and the established powers. Acts 3 – 5, describe two occasions when Peter and John were arrested and beaten because of their faith. But, until this point the climate within the church had been harmonious. Everyone loved each other…Everyone looked out for the needs of others…and more and more people wanted to be a part of the church.
Then, something happened. The young church experienced its first internal conflict. Instead of fighting against the cultural powers, they started fighting with each other.
II. Acts 6: 1…In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
Verse one states the problem of internal conflict in at least two, perhaps three, different ways. Simply stated, the church was in conflict, because the church was growing. If the church had remained the same, no new members and no new personalities, then there would have been no conflict.
The conflict was also related to perceived differences in the ways the Greek widows and the Hebrew widows were being treated. More than likely this is a “carry over” from the disciples’ experience in the Jewish synagogue. The Old Testament spoke in general terms about the importance of taking care of the poor. It also spoke very specifically about taking care of the widows and orphans in society. In the First Century, widows and orphans were the embodiment of poverty. They had no man in their lives to provide for their physical and financial needs.
Therefore, the Jewish synagogues developed a tradition of providing for the widows and orphans. More than likely, the disciples “carried over” this same practice to the earliest expression of the Christian church. However, the disciples learned—the hard way—that as their church grew, it became increasingly more difficult to perform this practical ministry.
Until this week, I had always read this passage in one of two ways. I thought it was a description of an honest mistake or a racial tension in the church. However, I discovered something I had never thought of before. This was neither an honest oversight or intentional racism against the Greeks. This was the direct result of church growth. The Hebrew widows were long-time members, who had been present with the disciples from the beginning of the Gospel. The Greek widows were new comers. They had joined the church more recently, at one of the times when Peter preached to the large crowds of Greeks. The conflict was between old and new. It was the result of growth.
III. Acts 6: 2…So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.
As soon as the disciples became aware of the conflict within the church, they called a business meeting. They did not move into an “executive session” and close the doors to the rest of the church. Instead, they gathered all the people to discuss the problem honestly and to receive input from the congregation.
The disciples were willing to “fix” the problem on their own strength. To do so would have meant that they would have to change the way they were doing ministry. If the Twelve were to continue to be the only ones distributing food to widows, then they would have to take on a larger responsibility. There was the possibility that they would no longer have time to preach.
Preaching the Gospel is what the disciples loved to do. It was their primary calling. And, not only that…But the Twelve are the only ones who could preach the Gospel from a first-hand experience. Everyone else in the church had come to faith through the witness and preaching of the disciples. If the disciples stopped preaching, the Gospel would be in jeopardy.
Keep this in mind as we interpret the words, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.” This not a statement intended to devalue the hands-on ministry of taking care of widows. BUT…It is a real choice the disciples have to make.
They are not choosing between good and evil. They are choosing between good and best. They are choosing between meeting real physical needs within the church and spreading the Gospel around the world
IV. Acts 6: 3 – 4…Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
While the church was gathered in business meeting, the disciples listed the qualifications for those who will help them do the work of ministry:
A. From Among You…The new ministers came from within the congregation. They did not have to conduct an outside search. Also, I think it is worthwhile to look ahead to the names of the seven who were chosen. These seven men all had Greek names—rather than Hebrew names. From a racial standpoint, the disciples were opening up ministry to people who were not of the Jewish race. From a church membership standpoint, the disciples were opening up ministry to include the new converts who had recently joined the church.
B. Known…This phrase is translated two different ways in English translations. The NIV indicates that these men were known to be full of the Holy Spirit. However, the NASB indicates that these men had good reputations within the church. Either translation can get us to the same idea. These men did not have a private faith. Their faith was known by all the members of the church.
C. Full of the Spirit…This is the key ti understanding the book of Acts. While the title of the book is “The Acts of the Apostles,” you and I are aware that these Apostles were able to do what they did ONLY through the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Of course, that begs the question, “To whom did the Holy Spirit come?” If the Holy Spirit only came to the Apostles, then there is no reason for them to share the responsibilities of ministry. Since the Holy Spirit came to all believers—both men and women alike—then the work of ministry can be shared by all. The Priesthood of All Believers is basically an affirmation of the Holy Spirit. All believers have the Holy Spirit. Therefore, all believers are called to share ministry.
D. (Full of) Wisdom…In an Old Testament understanding…Wisdom = The Fear of God.
V. Acts 6: 5…This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
There are two important phrases here. First, “the whole group” was pleased with the suggestion made by the disciples. Secondly, “they” selected seven men to fulfill this ministry. I think the two phrases refer to the same people: the entire church.
This fits well with my understanding of ordination, even though we would have a difficult time saying this is a description of ordination. In my understanding, ordination is nothing more than the affirmation of a church. In ordination, the church says, “We see that you have been gifted and called by God to ministry. God is already working in your life. Now, go do the work.”
VI. Acts 6: 6…They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
Laying on of hands was a symbol in the Old Testament of one person transferring an assignment or responsibility to another. It was rarely or ever used to transfer authority.
VII. Acts 6: 7…So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
When shared ministry takes place in the church, the result is a church that becomes more effective in meeting needs within the church and preaching the Gospel in the community.
VIII. Conclusion.
Acts 6: 1 – 7.
I. Introduction.
My senior year of college, I took my first course in Baptist history. It was a great learning experience for me as a student, but it also marked the end of a person, spiritual journey which began when I left home after high school.
When I was 18 years old and leaving home for the first time, one of the many questions I asked my self was: “Why am I a Baptist?” I became a Christian in Vacation Bible School and was baptized in a Baptist church when I was nine years old. I went through Bible Drill and was active in the youth ministry in that same Baptist church. I grew up in a Baptist church, and my parents had grown up in Baptist churches. Of my four grandparents, three of them had grown up in Baptist churches. My maternal grandmother grew up in a Methodist church but became a Baptist when she married my grandfather. Obviously, my family had been a huge influence on my Baptist faith.
I had a few non-Baptist friends in high school, but in college that number grew. I started to spend time with people from other Christian traditions and realized that they had strong, growing spiritual lives. I noticed for the first time that there are genuine Christians in the world who do not attend Baptist churches. So, I started visiting their churches with them. I went to Presbyterian churches, Catholic churches, Methodist churches, Pentecostal churches, Assembly of God churches and non denominational churches. I was concerned that I was a Baptist only because my family was Baptist.
After visiting all those different churches, I never felt comfortable, but I didn’t know why. So, I went back to the Baptist church. I even answered God’s call to ministry and started serving as a youth minister in a Baptist church beginning my sophomore year. I knew I was most comfortable in the Baptist church, but I didn’t know why. This is where my Baptist history course became important.
On the first day of class, Loyd Allen asked us: “What is the one belief that separates Baptists from all other denominations?” Most of our class thought it was baptism, since that is where we got our name and the most obvious difference we have with certain denominations. But, Dr. Allen pointed out there are many denominations that practice baptism the same way we do—believer’s baptism by immersion only.
He directed us to the writings of E. Y. Mullins. Mullins wrote The Axioms of Religion in 1908, while he was president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In this book, Mullins suggested that the belief which separates Baptists from all others is the belief in the “competency of the soul in all matters of religion.”
Everything we believe as Baptists traces it roots to our belief that every man and every woman is competent to stand before God on his or her own. Everyone is free and responsible to give an account to God for what we believe or what we do not believe. The way I like to imagine this is to imagine that one day every man and woman who has ever lived will stand before God and answer one question. God will not ask us where we went to church. God will not hold us accountable for the faith or sermons of our pastor. God will not ask you what your parents believe. God will ask, “What have you done with my Son, Jesus?”
Since we believe every person is a “competent soul,” this has developed into our historical Baptist theology. Baptism: Parents are not the ones who are responsible for getting their children baptized. You must profess your own faith in Christ in order to be baptized. The Bible: If we are competent to stand before God, then it is possible for us to be right or wrong in our theology. Therefore, it is important that we shape our views of God from the Bible. Everyone must read and interpret the Bible in order to understand who God is. Separation of Church and State: If your parents and your pastor cannot stand between you and God, then the government certainly cannot! The Priesthood of All Believers: Priesthood of all believers is not the same thing as “soul competence,” it is a natural outgrowth or the logical expression of competency.
If we believe that every man and every woman is competent to make their own personal profession of faith in Jesus as Lord, then it is only logical that we should believe each man and woman should do something about their personal faith. On one hand, priesthood implies that nothing can stand between a person and God—We do no need a priest to speak to God on our behalf, and we do not need a priest to speak to us on God’s behalf. On the other hand, priesthood also implies a responsibility to serve God. It’s not enough simply to profess faith in Jesus. You have to actually do something. Priests in the Bible did more than simply listen to God and speak to God’s people. Priests actually got their hands dirty doing the work of ministry.
Over the past several weeks, we have read the book of Acts and we have witnessed several miracles. We witnessed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all men and women. We witnessed the birth of the church as a community for worshipping God. We witnessed the expansion of the church to preach the Gospel to non-believers. And today, we witness the first internal conflict in the church which could only be solved by church members sharing in the responsibilities of priesthood and ministry.
Read Acts 6: 1 – 7.
I preached from this same Scripture about a year ago to emphasize the proper role and work of a deacon. (This is not the same sermon today.) Interpreters of this Scripture fall into two general categories. Some believe this is the story of the selection of the first deacons. Others do not. I believe this is about selecting deacons, because the Greek word “deacon” shows up three times in the Greek text—even though it is not translated that way in any English translation.
The early church was born when God gave his Holy Spirit to all believers. One hundred twenty men and women experienced this at the day of Pentecost. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit, these ordinary men and women began to do some powerful things: preaching with boldness, confronting the cultural leaders, even performing miracles. This Holy Spirit boldness created a conflict between the new church and the established powers. Acts 3 – 5, describe two occasions when Peter and John were arrested and beaten because of their faith. But, until this point the climate within the church had been harmonious. Everyone loved each other…Everyone looked out for the needs of others…and more and more people wanted to be a part of the church.
Then, something happened. The young church experienced its first internal conflict. Instead of fighting against the cultural powers, they started fighting with each other.
II. Acts 6: 1…In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
Verse one states the problem of internal conflict in at least two, perhaps three, different ways. Simply stated, the church was in conflict, because the church was growing. If the church had remained the same, no new members and no new personalities, then there would have been no conflict.
The conflict was also related to perceived differences in the ways the Greek widows and the Hebrew widows were being treated. More than likely this is a “carry over” from the disciples’ experience in the Jewish synagogue. The Old Testament spoke in general terms about the importance of taking care of the poor. It also spoke very specifically about taking care of the widows and orphans in society. In the First Century, widows and orphans were the embodiment of poverty. They had no man in their lives to provide for their physical and financial needs.
Therefore, the Jewish synagogues developed a tradition of providing for the widows and orphans. More than likely, the disciples “carried over” this same practice to the earliest expression of the Christian church. However, the disciples learned—the hard way—that as their church grew, it became increasingly more difficult to perform this practical ministry.
Until this week, I had always read this passage in one of two ways. I thought it was a description of an honest mistake or a racial tension in the church. However, I discovered something I had never thought of before. This was neither an honest oversight or intentional racism against the Greeks. This was the direct result of church growth. The Hebrew widows were long-time members, who had been present with the disciples from the beginning of the Gospel. The Greek widows were new comers. They had joined the church more recently, at one of the times when Peter preached to the large crowds of Greeks. The conflict was between old and new. It was the result of growth.
III. Acts 6: 2…So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.
As soon as the disciples became aware of the conflict within the church, they called a business meeting. They did not move into an “executive session” and close the doors to the rest of the church. Instead, they gathered all the people to discuss the problem honestly and to receive input from the congregation.
The disciples were willing to “fix” the problem on their own strength. To do so would have meant that they would have to change the way they were doing ministry. If the Twelve were to continue to be the only ones distributing food to widows, then they would have to take on a larger responsibility. There was the possibility that they would no longer have time to preach.
Preaching the Gospel is what the disciples loved to do. It was their primary calling. And, not only that…But the Twelve are the only ones who could preach the Gospel from a first-hand experience. Everyone else in the church had come to faith through the witness and preaching of the disciples. If the disciples stopped preaching, the Gospel would be in jeopardy.
Keep this in mind as we interpret the words, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.” This not a statement intended to devalue the hands-on ministry of taking care of widows. BUT…It is a real choice the disciples have to make.
They are not choosing between good and evil. They are choosing between good and best. They are choosing between meeting real physical needs within the church and spreading the Gospel around the world
IV. Acts 6: 3 – 4…Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
While the church was gathered in business meeting, the disciples listed the qualifications for those who will help them do the work of ministry:
A. From Among You…The new ministers came from within the congregation. They did not have to conduct an outside search. Also, I think it is worthwhile to look ahead to the names of the seven who were chosen. These seven men all had Greek names—rather than Hebrew names. From a racial standpoint, the disciples were opening up ministry to people who were not of the Jewish race. From a church membership standpoint, the disciples were opening up ministry to include the new converts who had recently joined the church.
B. Known…This phrase is translated two different ways in English translations. The NIV indicates that these men were known to be full of the Holy Spirit. However, the NASB indicates that these men had good reputations within the church. Either translation can get us to the same idea. These men did not have a private faith. Their faith was known by all the members of the church.
C. Full of the Spirit…This is the key ti understanding the book of Acts. While the title of the book is “The Acts of the Apostles,” you and I are aware that these Apostles were able to do what they did ONLY through the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Of course, that begs the question, “To whom did the Holy Spirit come?” If the Holy Spirit only came to the Apostles, then there is no reason for them to share the responsibilities of ministry. Since the Holy Spirit came to all believers—both men and women alike—then the work of ministry can be shared by all. The Priesthood of All Believers is basically an affirmation of the Holy Spirit. All believers have the Holy Spirit. Therefore, all believers are called to share ministry.
D. (Full of) Wisdom…In an Old Testament understanding…Wisdom = The Fear of God.
V. Acts 6: 5…This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
There are two important phrases here. First, “the whole group” was pleased with the suggestion made by the disciples. Secondly, “they” selected seven men to fulfill this ministry. I think the two phrases refer to the same people: the entire church.
This fits well with my understanding of ordination, even though we would have a difficult time saying this is a description of ordination. In my understanding, ordination is nothing more than the affirmation of a church. In ordination, the church says, “We see that you have been gifted and called by God to ministry. God is already working in your life. Now, go do the work.”
VI. Acts 6: 6…They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
Laying on of hands was a symbol in the Old Testament of one person transferring an assignment or responsibility to another. It was rarely or ever used to transfer authority.
VII. Acts 6: 7…So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
When shared ministry takes place in the church, the result is a church that becomes more effective in meeting needs within the church and preaching the Gospel in the community.
VIII. Conclusion.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008: The High Calling of Parenthood
The High Calling of Parenthood
Luke 2: 41 – 52.
I. Introduction
Many people do not realize it, but the Bible has contributed several important phrases and expressions to our modern English language. People who have no idea that they are quoting the Bible use common expressions like…I have seen the handwriting on the wall…The team had no chance of winning. They were led as a lamb to the slaughter…He has washed his hands of all guilt…It was a David and Goliath match up…
Of course, you realize that these expressions originally came from the Bible. But did you know that some of your mother’s favorite expressions also came from the Bible? They were originally spoken by biblical mothers to their biblical sons:
Samson! Get your hand out of that lion. You don’t know where it has been!
David! I told you not to play with that sling in the house! Go practice your harp. We pay good money for your harp lessons.
Abraham! Stop wandering all over the countryside and get home for supper!
Cain! Get off your brother! You’re going to kill him someday!
Noah! How many times have I told you not to bring home stray animals?
James and John! No more burping at the supper table. People are going to start calling you the Sons of Thunder.
Judas! Have you been in my purse again?
Jesus! Close the door. Do you think you were born in a barn?
Every church I have ever been a member of recognized Mother’s Day as a special day of the year. Many churches actually celebrate Mother’s Day as if it were a Christian holiday—right up there with Christmas and Easter. But Mother’s Day actually has NOTHING to do with the church…It is not a Christian holiday AND it was not begun by a church.
Mother’s Day actually began in 1907, when Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia, PA gave out carnations—her mother’s favorite flower—to every person who attended her mother’s funeral service. She continued to give out carnations each year to honor her mother on the second Sunday in May. She eventually began a letter writing campaign that resulted in the U.S. Congress passing legislation to designate Mother’s Day as the second Sunday in May and an official U.S. holiday. (And the people at Hallmark cards have been eternally grateful!)
Of course, I am not trying to say that churches should not recognize mothers or that Christians should not observe Mother’s Day. NO! Godly Mothers have made a tremendous impact on Christian men and women for centuries.
In fact, where would our churches be today without Mothers?
On the Sunday of Mother’s Day, I am always faced with several questions. How can I preach a sermon that honors our mothers AND honors the Risen Lord Christ? How can I preach a sermon that relates just to the women of our church—and even then, just to the women who are mothers?
Today, I want to broaden our focus somewhat and preach about godly families and the High Calling of Parenthood.
(Read Luke 2: 41 – 52.)
Jesus was one of those children who was in the church every time the doors were open. His parents were very serious about following the requirements of the Jewish Law—we know this because they had him circumcised on the eighth day. Jesus’ parents were serious about supporting the local synagogue in Nazareth—we know this because they made the customary sacrifice for a first-born son by offering two doves. And they were serious about attending the annual Passover Festival in the Temple at Jerusalem—we know this because Luke tells us a story about what was probably Jesus’ first Passover in Jerusalem.
In order for Mary and Joseph to attend Passover in Jerusalem, they had to make several sacrifices. They had to use up their entire two-week vacation from work to travel on a journey that lasted several days all the way from Nazareth down to Jerusalem for a week-long celebration…And then travel back home again.
More than likely Mary, Joseph, Jesus, James and the other children did not travel alone. The Bible does not tell us specifically, but we have discovered from ancient culture that in the interest of safety people usually traveled in groups. And it would not have been difficult for Mary and Joseph to find a group of religious pilgrims—just like them—who were willing to make the 70-mile trek from Nazareth to Jerusalem. After all, the Jewish Law actually REQUIRED all Jewish men over the age of 12 to attend the Passover celebration in Jerusalem.
Now 70 miles doesn’t sound very far by modern standards. On Monday of last week, I drove to Dallas and back in one day to attend a committee meeting at the BGCT building. According to my odometer, this was a 358 mile round trip…In one day.
However, there were no interstate highways and gasoline powered cars in the ancient world. The only way they had to travel was by foot. And the standard rule of thumb was that a person could only travel about 25 miles in one day. That puts Jerusalem about three days away from Nazareth.
The Passover festival was a special time for the Jewish people. You and I normally think of Passover as a time when the Jews remembered what God did for them to rescue them out of Egyptian slavery. God sent nine terrible plagues on Egypt, but Pharaoh refused to let God’s people go. Then God sent the tenth and final plague. The firstborn child of every family died suddenly, in the middle of the night. That is every family except the Hebrew families who had the Blood of the Lamb splattered on their doorposts. Death PASSED OVER these homes, and God commanded Moses to institute a feast to mark this as the beginning of the year for God’s people.
However, Passover was more than just remembering what God had done for the people long ago. It was a seven-day event that did two things…Remembering that God saved his people long ago…Celebrating that God has saved me…
After a week of celebration, worship, and feasting on wonderful foods Mary, Joseph and the other vacationers were tired and ready to get home. They gathered everything they had; they divided into two groups and they began to head home.
It was normal for large groups of pilgrims to travel in two groups. The first group was made up of all the women and children. The second group was all the men. The women and children traveled ahead of the men for one main reason. Since Nazareth was too far away to make it home in just one day, the women had to go ahead to find a comfortable place to set up camp for the night and to begin preparing the evening meal. The children traveled with their mothers and could normally be found playing and laughing and dancing alongside as they traveled.
I imagine that as Mary and the other women traveled along, Mary had a lot on her mind. She had to set up the tent for the family and prepare supper before Joseph and the men arrived. She had all that laundry to do once she got home. She had a full week ahead of her when she, Jesus and James finally got home. Where are Jesus and James? I haven’t seen them for several miles. Well, there’s James…I guess Jesus is traveling with the men now that he has finally turned 12.
I think this is probably how Jesus got left behind. A Jewish boy was considered a man when he became a bar mitzvah or the Son of the Covenant. Since this happened at age 12—and Luke tells us Jesus was 12—Mary thought Jesus was with the men, and Joseph never gave it a second thought.
When Mary and Joseph finally realized that Jesus was not with them, they did what any parent would do…They PANICKED! They rushed back to Jerusalem as quickly as they could and began searching in all the places where they thought Jesus might be. They looked on the Streets…In the Market Place…In the Toy Stores…On the Playground…At the Ball Field…Then, in a desperate move they looked in the Temple—Surely he won’t be in the Temple…
And that is where they found him…In the Temple…Sitting…Listening… Asking questions of the religious leaders…And the religious leaders were amazed that such a young man of only 12 would be so knowledgeable and interested in spiritual matters…
We can’t really blame Mary for being angry. She was just being a good mother who was worried about her child. Mary snapped at Jesus, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you!”
I just love Jesus’ answer… “My father? No, ma’am. I am in my Father’s house. I never left my Father’s side.”
Most of us are accustomed to hearing Jesus’ reply as something like, “I must be in my Father’s House.” But actually, Jesus never used the word “House.” He literally said, “I must be in my Father’s…”
This expression could mean “in my Father’s House”… “in my Father’s Business”… “in my Father’s Presence”… And Jesus spent his entire life doing just that…He spent time in the Temple…He did the Father’s Business…And He lived daily in God’s presence…
Jesus’ answer is not a smart alec reply. No, Jesus is surprised that Mary couldn’t find him. Jesus was surprised because Mary and Joseph had taught him about God’s Love…They had trained him to follow after godly ways…And they had demonstrated the importance of spending time with the Heavenly Father. He was only doing what he had seen them model for him.
This is the highest calling any parent could ever fulfill…To rear children in such a way that they develop into men and women of God…Men and women who earnestly desire to please God and spend time with him every day…
Jesus ENJOYED spending time with God, because that is how his parents trained him…
How can we fulfill this same calling with our children today? I say that we should follow the example set by Mary and Joseph…
II. They Lived Out a Godly Example for Their Children.
This is the only story the Bible tells about Jesus’ childhood…But it implies a lot about his parents’ spiritual life…
They lived and obeyed the Law and demonstrated what it meant to be faithful…
How can we truly expect our children to love God and live godly lives, if we are not modeling that for them at home? A hard truth for any of us to accept is the fact that most of us turn into the same kind of adults we watched our parents model for us.
III. They Took Their Children to Church.
Don’t you think it is interesting that the only story we have about Jesus’ childhood happened in church?
The Father’s House…God’s People…Both played an important part of Jesus’ life and development as a child…
How can we expect our children to go to church and grow with God’s people if we don’t take them to church as children? Ask yourselves a question: Do you go to church as often as your parents took you to church as a child? For many of you the answer is that you go to church LESS frequently than your parents. And, our children will more than likely go to church LESS frequently than we do.
IV. They Helped Their Children Develop Into Whole Persons.
Read Luke 2: 52…Jesus grew and developed in four important ways…
Physically…Food, Shelter and Clothing…
Mentally…Education and Training…
Spiritually…Discipleship…
Socially…Children must learn how to get along with others…
V. Conclusion
The High Calling of Parenthood requires more than simply providing physically and educationally for our children…We are called to develop children into the Image of Christ.
If we do not model Christ like behavior and Christ like desires for our own children, then where do we expect them to receive that? Will our children learn to live Christ like lives at school? Probably not! Will our children learn to live Christ like lives at church? The answer is “Yes, But…” Yes, children will learn to love and follow Jesus at the church. BUT, parents have to bring your children to church.
Luke 2: 41 – 52.
I. Introduction
Many people do not realize it, but the Bible has contributed several important phrases and expressions to our modern English language. People who have no idea that they are quoting the Bible use common expressions like…I have seen the handwriting on the wall…The team had no chance of winning. They were led as a lamb to the slaughter…He has washed his hands of all guilt…It was a David and Goliath match up…
Of course, you realize that these expressions originally came from the Bible. But did you know that some of your mother’s favorite expressions also came from the Bible? They were originally spoken by biblical mothers to their biblical sons:
Samson! Get your hand out of that lion. You don’t know where it has been!
David! I told you not to play with that sling in the house! Go practice your harp. We pay good money for your harp lessons.
Abraham! Stop wandering all over the countryside and get home for supper!
Cain! Get off your brother! You’re going to kill him someday!
Noah! How many times have I told you not to bring home stray animals?
James and John! No more burping at the supper table. People are going to start calling you the Sons of Thunder.
Judas! Have you been in my purse again?
Jesus! Close the door. Do you think you were born in a barn?
Every church I have ever been a member of recognized Mother’s Day as a special day of the year. Many churches actually celebrate Mother’s Day as if it were a Christian holiday—right up there with Christmas and Easter. But Mother’s Day actually has NOTHING to do with the church…It is not a Christian holiday AND it was not begun by a church.
Mother’s Day actually began in 1907, when Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia, PA gave out carnations—her mother’s favorite flower—to every person who attended her mother’s funeral service. She continued to give out carnations each year to honor her mother on the second Sunday in May. She eventually began a letter writing campaign that resulted in the U.S. Congress passing legislation to designate Mother’s Day as the second Sunday in May and an official U.S. holiday. (And the people at Hallmark cards have been eternally grateful!)
Of course, I am not trying to say that churches should not recognize mothers or that Christians should not observe Mother’s Day. NO! Godly Mothers have made a tremendous impact on Christian men and women for centuries.
In fact, where would our churches be today without Mothers?
On the Sunday of Mother’s Day, I am always faced with several questions. How can I preach a sermon that honors our mothers AND honors the Risen Lord Christ? How can I preach a sermon that relates just to the women of our church—and even then, just to the women who are mothers?
Today, I want to broaden our focus somewhat and preach about godly families and the High Calling of Parenthood.
(Read Luke 2: 41 – 52.)
Jesus was one of those children who was in the church every time the doors were open. His parents were very serious about following the requirements of the Jewish Law—we know this because they had him circumcised on the eighth day. Jesus’ parents were serious about supporting the local synagogue in Nazareth—we know this because they made the customary sacrifice for a first-born son by offering two doves. And they were serious about attending the annual Passover Festival in the Temple at Jerusalem—we know this because Luke tells us a story about what was probably Jesus’ first Passover in Jerusalem.
In order for Mary and Joseph to attend Passover in Jerusalem, they had to make several sacrifices. They had to use up their entire two-week vacation from work to travel on a journey that lasted several days all the way from Nazareth down to Jerusalem for a week-long celebration…And then travel back home again.
More than likely Mary, Joseph, Jesus, James and the other children did not travel alone. The Bible does not tell us specifically, but we have discovered from ancient culture that in the interest of safety people usually traveled in groups. And it would not have been difficult for Mary and Joseph to find a group of religious pilgrims—just like them—who were willing to make the 70-mile trek from Nazareth to Jerusalem. After all, the Jewish Law actually REQUIRED all Jewish men over the age of 12 to attend the Passover celebration in Jerusalem.
Now 70 miles doesn’t sound very far by modern standards. On Monday of last week, I drove to Dallas and back in one day to attend a committee meeting at the BGCT building. According to my odometer, this was a 358 mile round trip…In one day.
However, there were no interstate highways and gasoline powered cars in the ancient world. The only way they had to travel was by foot. And the standard rule of thumb was that a person could only travel about 25 miles in one day. That puts Jerusalem about three days away from Nazareth.
The Passover festival was a special time for the Jewish people. You and I normally think of Passover as a time when the Jews remembered what God did for them to rescue them out of Egyptian slavery. God sent nine terrible plagues on Egypt, but Pharaoh refused to let God’s people go. Then God sent the tenth and final plague. The firstborn child of every family died suddenly, in the middle of the night. That is every family except the Hebrew families who had the Blood of the Lamb splattered on their doorposts. Death PASSED OVER these homes, and God commanded Moses to institute a feast to mark this as the beginning of the year for God’s people.
However, Passover was more than just remembering what God had done for the people long ago. It was a seven-day event that did two things…Remembering that God saved his people long ago…Celebrating that God has saved me…
After a week of celebration, worship, and feasting on wonderful foods Mary, Joseph and the other vacationers were tired and ready to get home. They gathered everything they had; they divided into two groups and they began to head home.
It was normal for large groups of pilgrims to travel in two groups. The first group was made up of all the women and children. The second group was all the men. The women and children traveled ahead of the men for one main reason. Since Nazareth was too far away to make it home in just one day, the women had to go ahead to find a comfortable place to set up camp for the night and to begin preparing the evening meal. The children traveled with their mothers and could normally be found playing and laughing and dancing alongside as they traveled.
I imagine that as Mary and the other women traveled along, Mary had a lot on her mind. She had to set up the tent for the family and prepare supper before Joseph and the men arrived. She had all that laundry to do once she got home. She had a full week ahead of her when she, Jesus and James finally got home. Where are Jesus and James? I haven’t seen them for several miles. Well, there’s James…I guess Jesus is traveling with the men now that he has finally turned 12.
I think this is probably how Jesus got left behind. A Jewish boy was considered a man when he became a bar mitzvah or the Son of the Covenant. Since this happened at age 12—and Luke tells us Jesus was 12—Mary thought Jesus was with the men, and Joseph never gave it a second thought.
When Mary and Joseph finally realized that Jesus was not with them, they did what any parent would do…They PANICKED! They rushed back to Jerusalem as quickly as they could and began searching in all the places where they thought Jesus might be. They looked on the Streets…In the Market Place…In the Toy Stores…On the Playground…At the Ball Field…Then, in a desperate move they looked in the Temple—Surely he won’t be in the Temple…
And that is where they found him…In the Temple…Sitting…Listening… Asking questions of the religious leaders…And the religious leaders were amazed that such a young man of only 12 would be so knowledgeable and interested in spiritual matters…
We can’t really blame Mary for being angry. She was just being a good mother who was worried about her child. Mary snapped at Jesus, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you!”
I just love Jesus’ answer… “My father? No, ma’am. I am in my Father’s house. I never left my Father’s side.”
Most of us are accustomed to hearing Jesus’ reply as something like, “I must be in my Father’s House.” But actually, Jesus never used the word “House.” He literally said, “I must be in my Father’s…”
This expression could mean “in my Father’s House”… “in my Father’s Business”… “in my Father’s Presence”… And Jesus spent his entire life doing just that…He spent time in the Temple…He did the Father’s Business…And He lived daily in God’s presence…
Jesus’ answer is not a smart alec reply. No, Jesus is surprised that Mary couldn’t find him. Jesus was surprised because Mary and Joseph had taught him about God’s Love…They had trained him to follow after godly ways…And they had demonstrated the importance of spending time with the Heavenly Father. He was only doing what he had seen them model for him.
This is the highest calling any parent could ever fulfill…To rear children in such a way that they develop into men and women of God…Men and women who earnestly desire to please God and spend time with him every day…
Jesus ENJOYED spending time with God, because that is how his parents trained him…
How can we fulfill this same calling with our children today? I say that we should follow the example set by Mary and Joseph…
II. They Lived Out a Godly Example for Their Children.
This is the only story the Bible tells about Jesus’ childhood…But it implies a lot about his parents’ spiritual life…
They lived and obeyed the Law and demonstrated what it meant to be faithful…
How can we truly expect our children to love God and live godly lives, if we are not modeling that for them at home? A hard truth for any of us to accept is the fact that most of us turn into the same kind of adults we watched our parents model for us.
III. They Took Their Children to Church.
Don’t you think it is interesting that the only story we have about Jesus’ childhood happened in church?
The Father’s House…God’s People…Both played an important part of Jesus’ life and development as a child…
How can we expect our children to go to church and grow with God’s people if we don’t take them to church as children? Ask yourselves a question: Do you go to church as often as your parents took you to church as a child? For many of you the answer is that you go to church LESS frequently than your parents. And, our children will more than likely go to church LESS frequently than we do.
IV. They Helped Their Children Develop Into Whole Persons.
Read Luke 2: 52…Jesus grew and developed in four important ways…
Physically…Food, Shelter and Clothing…
Mentally…Education and Training…
Spiritually…Discipleship…
Socially…Children must learn how to get along with others…
V. Conclusion
The High Calling of Parenthood requires more than simply providing physically and educationally for our children…We are called to develop children into the Image of Christ.
If we do not model Christ like behavior and Christ like desires for our own children, then where do we expect them to receive that? Will our children learn to live Christ like lives at school? Probably not! Will our children learn to live Christ like lives at church? The answer is “Yes, But…” Yes, children will learn to love and follow Jesus at the church. BUT, parents have to bring your children to church.
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008: When Worlds Collide
When Worlds Collide
Acts 5: 12 – 42.
I. Introduction.
Most of you know that my family had an unusual opportunity about four years ago. I was invited to come back to Waco to a job I had held six years earlier.
I had been associate pastor and college minister in a church in Waco for about five years. During that time, I felt God calling me to be a pastor. So, we moved from Waco to Mississippi to serve as pastor. While in Mississippi, I started working on a doctor of ministry degree at Truett Seminary. By the end of 2004, I had completely finished all of my course work and was trying to write my final project.
The course work had not been too much of an interruption for my responsibilities. However, the writing was very difficult. I tried to write in my church office, but could not. I tried to get out of the office and write, but could not. I was making very little progress.
At the end of 2004, I got a call from the pastor of the church in Waco, asking me to return to my old position to help them rebuild the college ministry. I immediately said, “No. But I promise to pray about it.”
The same day the pastor from Waco called, we discovered that the obstetrician who had delivered both Collin and Nathan returned to his practice. He had hired another doctor to help him in his practice and take over the responsibility of delivering babies. That doctor had left to start his own practice, so our old doctor started delivering babies again. Since Shauna was expecting JoEllen, we thought this might be a good opportunity for us to use the same doctor and the same hospital for all three babies.
Then, we realized that living in Waco would give me better access to the Baylor library and to my major professor. So, over the next three days, we started thinking God might be calling us to Waco.
Moving back to Waco was unusual. There are not very many ministers who have the opportunity to go back to the same church. (Most churches don’t want a former minister to come back, because they are glad he left in the first place.) But the church made us feel like we were “coming home.” We still had some good friends in that church, and we quickly made new friends.
It wasn’t strange for us at church. It was strange when we were at the grocery store or in a restaurant. We would see people in town, recognize their faces, and wonder “How do I know this person?” Or, this is my favorite…I saw a man named Tom in the grocery store one day, I walked up to him, called him by name and said, “Tom, what are you doing here?” He didn’t know what I was thinking, so he told me he had to go to the store to by milk. That is when I realized, “Oh yeah. We moved back to Waco.”
When I first saw Tom, I thought I was seeing him somewhere where he didn’t belong. I thought I was caught in the Twilight Zone, or that my worlds were colliding.
For six years, my Waco world and my current world had been two separate worlds. By moving back to Waco, my Waco world and my current world had collided.
This is a kind of silly illustration about worlds colliding. But the New Testament does teach us that Christians live in two separate worlds. We are living “in the world, but not of the world.” As long as we are here on earth, other people consider us as “aliens and strangers.” In a sense, we walk around in a world in which we do not really belong. On one hand we are citizens of this world—Lufkin, Texas, the United States of America, planet earth. On the other hand we are citizens of the Kingdom of God—we will never feel “at home” until we leave this earth and experience eternal life in heaven.
Jesus told the disciples they would feel this tension. However, as long as Jesus was with them, they never truly experienced it. But they began to experience the tension of colliding worlds after Jesus ascended into heaven.
Read Acts 5: 12 – 42.
This story ought to remind us of the story of the crippled man who sat outside the temple begging for money. Peter and John reached out to the crippled man and offered him assistance. They did not give him financial assistance. They introduced him to Jesus, and Jesus changed his life.
In much the same way, we see the apostles preaching the Gospel around the city of Jerusalem. It became common knowledge that the new Christian church would meet regularly in a place known as Solomon’s Colonnade. Their meetings were similar to our meetings with only one difference. The Christians worshipped God and preached the Gospel just like we do. They even collected an offering of money just like we do. But they also healed the sick. People with every known illness and disability came to the worship services, and through the power of Jesus they were healed.
I struggle with this reference in the book of Acts. If it had only happened one time, it would be easy to explain. But, the apostles worked miracles on numerous occasions throughout the book of Acts. There were dozens or even hundreds of people healed of sickness as a result of the power of God in the apostles. Does this mean we are doing something wrong? Should we have healing services each week when we gather to worship? Or, should we do as some others have done and say this is a gift from God that has ceased—no longer to be used in contemporary society?
I am not willing to say that the gifts have ceased. But I am also not willing to say that I have this gift. I have never been used of God to heal a sick person. Yet, I believe God is the same “yesterday, today and forever (cf. Hebrews 13: 8).” If God has not changed, then perhaps we are supposed to continue to believe in God’s power to heal through human agents.
Healing the sick was an important part of the spread of the Gospel in the book of Acts. I think Luke is documenting for us the reasons why the Gospel spread so quickly in such a short period of time. It was very difficult for people to deny the death and resurrection of Jesus when they could witness with their own eyes the power of God working in the lives of everyday, ordinary people.
Because of this healing ministry, the early church experienced explosive growth. The church started with 120 people. On the day of Pentecost 3,000 more became converts. When Peter healed the crippled man, another 5,000 people were convinced to become followers of Jesus. And, now Luke tells us that he has lost count. He simply says, “more and more men and women believed in the Lord.”
This was a church that was making a difference in their society. They were using the gifts God had given them to address the needs of real people. If we were to apply this to our own church and our own situation, then we would need to ask ourselves if we are using our gifts to meet the real need of real people.
Again, let me reiterate…I do not have the gift of healing. I don’t know anyone in this church who has the gift of healing. But we do have gifts. We have financial resources, physical resources and compassionate members. How are we using our gifts to meet the real needs of real people in our community?
When a church is known as a community of people who make a difference in their community, people begin to notice. On one hand, Luke tells us that the church was growing as more and more men and women believed in Jesus. On the other hand, Luke tells us that people were also afraid to associate themselves with the new Christians. Why would anyone be afraid of being a Christian?
Jerusalem was an unusual city. The political leaders of Jerusalem were also the religious leaders. Since this was during the period of time when Israel was controlled by the Roman Empire, it probably means that the Roman government had assigned some sort of political power to the Jewish religious leaders. More than likely, this means that the Roman government held the Jewish religious leaders responsible for the political actions of the Jewish people. If a political revolt broke out among the Jewish people, the religious leaders would be held responsible. The religious leaders had two very important things to protect. They had to protect the religious traditions handed down for centuries, and they had to protect the peace. Actually, they were only protecting one thing—themselves. They protected their personal power in the Law, and they protected their own lives by maintaining peace.
So, we are not surprised at the response of the Jewish religious leaders. When the apostles started making a difference in Jerusalem, the religious leaders arrested them and tried to stop the work of the church.
The Jewish leaders placed the apostles in jail, but the jail could not hold them. God opened the jail doors and commanded the apostles to go right back out into the streets and keep preaching the full Gospel.
The Jewish leaders provide us with a little comedy in this story. Nothing they do seems to go right. They arrested Peter and John several days ago but had to release them when they could find no charges to bring against them. They arrest the entire band of apostles and can’t even keep them in the jail. Now these same “criminals” are out on the streets being hailed as heroes by the ordinary citizens of Jerusalem. What is a self-respecting religious leader to do? Well, there is only one thing they could do…Arrest them again.
But there is a catch. In Acts 5: 26, Luke tells us the religious leaders had to be careful in arresting the apostles a third time. The people of Jerusalem loved the apostles so much, that if the authorities used any force the people might revolt. It is ironic here how two groups of people could respond so differently to the same miracles and message. The miracles confirmed the message of the apostles to the people. The miracles and the message caused those in power to feel threatened.
The difference can be found in the kind of lives each group of people had in the “here and now.” In other words, the citizens of Jerusalem knew what it felt like to go to bed hungry and to suffer with diseases that had no known cure. The religious leaders knew what it felt like to be the wealthiest and most powerful men in their culture. The regular folks dreamed of a better life. The religious leaders could not dream of anything better than life as they knew it. Life was already pretty good for them. But faith in Jesus promised something even better for the regular folks of Jerusalem.
If the apostles were allowed to keep preaching their message of forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven, then the religious leaders would not continue to hold power over the people. The people would begin to live as the apostles lived. They were unafraid of anything the authorities could do to them. In fact the apostles stood up to the authorities and declared, “We must obey God rather than human authority.”
The religious leaders were so enraged by this statement that they decided to kill the apostles and put an end to Christianity once and for all. But their plans were stopped by a member of their own group. A wise and well-known Rabbi, named Gamaliel spoke up. He reminded the others that this was not the first time Jerusalem had faced similar circumstances. In fact there were two other such occurrences. In both cases, the people got excited, but the excitement died down when the movement’s leader died.
In verses 38 – 39, Gamaliel said, “Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
This statement is significant for several reasons:
1. He is right! The work started by these apostles exploded into a worldwide phenomenon that we now call the Christian church. They did not stop the apostles, and they could not stop the apostles. Even if the religious leaders had chosen to kill the apostles, God would have raised up someone else to carry the message around the world. How do I know this? Because that is what happened. Look at what happened to the original twelve disciples of Jesus: Judas hanged himself after betraying Jesus; Ten of the remaining eleven were martyred for their faith in Jesus; and the only one who was not killed for his faith was persecuted and eventually secluded on a deserted island. In Acts 5, we read about the threat to kill the apostles. They were actually killed later. Their murders did NOT stop the work of God.
2. It shows spiritual insight. Gamaliel was no ordinary man. He was a Jewish Rabbi. He was a FAMOUS Jewish Rabbi. And he was a member of the ruling elite. In fact, he was so well respected that the rest of the leaders actually followed his advice not to kill the apostles. Gamaliel’s insight and speech to the Sanhedrin stand out as unusual in this story. We might have expected Luke to paint a highly negative picture of all the leaders. But he doesn’t. He shows us one man who truly loved God and did not want to fight against something new God was doing in the world. Luke used Gamaliel as an example of the kind of impact the Gospel can have. The message of salvation through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus applies to all classes of people. Salvation is for the common people, and salvation is for the wealthy elite. But no matter who you are, the message is the same. There is “no other name by which we might be saved.”
II. Conclusion.
The apostles had been through quite an ordeal by the time Gamaliel “called off the dogs.” He saved their lives, but he could not prevent the leaders from punishing the apostles. They were beaten and released.
After their release, two very significant things took place. First, they praised God for considering them worthy of suffering. Second, they went right back to preaching the same message of salvation.
The apostles had experienced a collision of worlds. Their world of faith collided with a world that hated the message they preached.
This is the same world we live in today. God has not called us to control the political world. God has called us to two things: Preach the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus; and Make a difference in the world by using our gifts to meet real needs of real people.
Acts 5: 12 – 42.
I. Introduction.
Most of you know that my family had an unusual opportunity about four years ago. I was invited to come back to Waco to a job I had held six years earlier.
I had been associate pastor and college minister in a church in Waco for about five years. During that time, I felt God calling me to be a pastor. So, we moved from Waco to Mississippi to serve as pastor. While in Mississippi, I started working on a doctor of ministry degree at Truett Seminary. By the end of 2004, I had completely finished all of my course work and was trying to write my final project.
The course work had not been too much of an interruption for my responsibilities. However, the writing was very difficult. I tried to write in my church office, but could not. I tried to get out of the office and write, but could not. I was making very little progress.
At the end of 2004, I got a call from the pastor of the church in Waco, asking me to return to my old position to help them rebuild the college ministry. I immediately said, “No. But I promise to pray about it.”
The same day the pastor from Waco called, we discovered that the obstetrician who had delivered both Collin and Nathan returned to his practice. He had hired another doctor to help him in his practice and take over the responsibility of delivering babies. That doctor had left to start his own practice, so our old doctor started delivering babies again. Since Shauna was expecting JoEllen, we thought this might be a good opportunity for us to use the same doctor and the same hospital for all three babies.
Then, we realized that living in Waco would give me better access to the Baylor library and to my major professor. So, over the next three days, we started thinking God might be calling us to Waco.
Moving back to Waco was unusual. There are not very many ministers who have the opportunity to go back to the same church. (Most churches don’t want a former minister to come back, because they are glad he left in the first place.) But the church made us feel like we were “coming home.” We still had some good friends in that church, and we quickly made new friends.
It wasn’t strange for us at church. It was strange when we were at the grocery store or in a restaurant. We would see people in town, recognize their faces, and wonder “How do I know this person?” Or, this is my favorite…I saw a man named Tom in the grocery store one day, I walked up to him, called him by name and said, “Tom, what are you doing here?” He didn’t know what I was thinking, so he told me he had to go to the store to by milk. That is when I realized, “Oh yeah. We moved back to Waco.”
When I first saw Tom, I thought I was seeing him somewhere where he didn’t belong. I thought I was caught in the Twilight Zone, or that my worlds were colliding.
For six years, my Waco world and my current world had been two separate worlds. By moving back to Waco, my Waco world and my current world had collided.
This is a kind of silly illustration about worlds colliding. But the New Testament does teach us that Christians live in two separate worlds. We are living “in the world, but not of the world.” As long as we are here on earth, other people consider us as “aliens and strangers.” In a sense, we walk around in a world in which we do not really belong. On one hand we are citizens of this world—Lufkin, Texas, the United States of America, planet earth. On the other hand we are citizens of the Kingdom of God—we will never feel “at home” until we leave this earth and experience eternal life in heaven.
Jesus told the disciples they would feel this tension. However, as long as Jesus was with them, they never truly experienced it. But they began to experience the tension of colliding worlds after Jesus ascended into heaven.
Read Acts 5: 12 – 42.
This story ought to remind us of the story of the crippled man who sat outside the temple begging for money. Peter and John reached out to the crippled man and offered him assistance. They did not give him financial assistance. They introduced him to Jesus, and Jesus changed his life.
In much the same way, we see the apostles preaching the Gospel around the city of Jerusalem. It became common knowledge that the new Christian church would meet regularly in a place known as Solomon’s Colonnade. Their meetings were similar to our meetings with only one difference. The Christians worshipped God and preached the Gospel just like we do. They even collected an offering of money just like we do. But they also healed the sick. People with every known illness and disability came to the worship services, and through the power of Jesus they were healed.
I struggle with this reference in the book of Acts. If it had only happened one time, it would be easy to explain. But, the apostles worked miracles on numerous occasions throughout the book of Acts. There were dozens or even hundreds of people healed of sickness as a result of the power of God in the apostles. Does this mean we are doing something wrong? Should we have healing services each week when we gather to worship? Or, should we do as some others have done and say this is a gift from God that has ceased—no longer to be used in contemporary society?
I am not willing to say that the gifts have ceased. But I am also not willing to say that I have this gift. I have never been used of God to heal a sick person. Yet, I believe God is the same “yesterday, today and forever (cf. Hebrews 13: 8).” If God has not changed, then perhaps we are supposed to continue to believe in God’s power to heal through human agents.
Healing the sick was an important part of the spread of the Gospel in the book of Acts. I think Luke is documenting for us the reasons why the Gospel spread so quickly in such a short period of time. It was very difficult for people to deny the death and resurrection of Jesus when they could witness with their own eyes the power of God working in the lives of everyday, ordinary people.
Because of this healing ministry, the early church experienced explosive growth. The church started with 120 people. On the day of Pentecost 3,000 more became converts. When Peter healed the crippled man, another 5,000 people were convinced to become followers of Jesus. And, now Luke tells us that he has lost count. He simply says, “more and more men and women believed in the Lord.”
This was a church that was making a difference in their society. They were using the gifts God had given them to address the needs of real people. If we were to apply this to our own church and our own situation, then we would need to ask ourselves if we are using our gifts to meet the real need of real people.
Again, let me reiterate…I do not have the gift of healing. I don’t know anyone in this church who has the gift of healing. But we do have gifts. We have financial resources, physical resources and compassionate members. How are we using our gifts to meet the real needs of real people in our community?
When a church is known as a community of people who make a difference in their community, people begin to notice. On one hand, Luke tells us that the church was growing as more and more men and women believed in Jesus. On the other hand, Luke tells us that people were also afraid to associate themselves with the new Christians. Why would anyone be afraid of being a Christian?
Jerusalem was an unusual city. The political leaders of Jerusalem were also the religious leaders. Since this was during the period of time when Israel was controlled by the Roman Empire, it probably means that the Roman government had assigned some sort of political power to the Jewish religious leaders. More than likely, this means that the Roman government held the Jewish religious leaders responsible for the political actions of the Jewish people. If a political revolt broke out among the Jewish people, the religious leaders would be held responsible. The religious leaders had two very important things to protect. They had to protect the religious traditions handed down for centuries, and they had to protect the peace. Actually, they were only protecting one thing—themselves. They protected their personal power in the Law, and they protected their own lives by maintaining peace.
So, we are not surprised at the response of the Jewish religious leaders. When the apostles started making a difference in Jerusalem, the religious leaders arrested them and tried to stop the work of the church.
The Jewish leaders placed the apostles in jail, but the jail could not hold them. God opened the jail doors and commanded the apostles to go right back out into the streets and keep preaching the full Gospel.
The Jewish leaders provide us with a little comedy in this story. Nothing they do seems to go right. They arrested Peter and John several days ago but had to release them when they could find no charges to bring against them. They arrest the entire band of apostles and can’t even keep them in the jail. Now these same “criminals” are out on the streets being hailed as heroes by the ordinary citizens of Jerusalem. What is a self-respecting religious leader to do? Well, there is only one thing they could do…Arrest them again.
But there is a catch. In Acts 5: 26, Luke tells us the religious leaders had to be careful in arresting the apostles a third time. The people of Jerusalem loved the apostles so much, that if the authorities used any force the people might revolt. It is ironic here how two groups of people could respond so differently to the same miracles and message. The miracles confirmed the message of the apostles to the people. The miracles and the message caused those in power to feel threatened.
The difference can be found in the kind of lives each group of people had in the “here and now.” In other words, the citizens of Jerusalem knew what it felt like to go to bed hungry and to suffer with diseases that had no known cure. The religious leaders knew what it felt like to be the wealthiest and most powerful men in their culture. The regular folks dreamed of a better life. The religious leaders could not dream of anything better than life as they knew it. Life was already pretty good for them. But faith in Jesus promised something even better for the regular folks of Jerusalem.
If the apostles were allowed to keep preaching their message of forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven, then the religious leaders would not continue to hold power over the people. The people would begin to live as the apostles lived. They were unafraid of anything the authorities could do to them. In fact the apostles stood up to the authorities and declared, “We must obey God rather than human authority.”
The religious leaders were so enraged by this statement that they decided to kill the apostles and put an end to Christianity once and for all. But their plans were stopped by a member of their own group. A wise and well-known Rabbi, named Gamaliel spoke up. He reminded the others that this was not the first time Jerusalem had faced similar circumstances. In fact there were two other such occurrences. In both cases, the people got excited, but the excitement died down when the movement’s leader died.
In verses 38 – 39, Gamaliel said, “Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
This statement is significant for several reasons:
1. He is right! The work started by these apostles exploded into a worldwide phenomenon that we now call the Christian church. They did not stop the apostles, and they could not stop the apostles. Even if the religious leaders had chosen to kill the apostles, God would have raised up someone else to carry the message around the world. How do I know this? Because that is what happened. Look at what happened to the original twelve disciples of Jesus: Judas hanged himself after betraying Jesus; Ten of the remaining eleven were martyred for their faith in Jesus; and the only one who was not killed for his faith was persecuted and eventually secluded on a deserted island. In Acts 5, we read about the threat to kill the apostles. They were actually killed later. Their murders did NOT stop the work of God.
2. It shows spiritual insight. Gamaliel was no ordinary man. He was a Jewish Rabbi. He was a FAMOUS Jewish Rabbi. And he was a member of the ruling elite. In fact, he was so well respected that the rest of the leaders actually followed his advice not to kill the apostles. Gamaliel’s insight and speech to the Sanhedrin stand out as unusual in this story. We might have expected Luke to paint a highly negative picture of all the leaders. But he doesn’t. He shows us one man who truly loved God and did not want to fight against something new God was doing in the world. Luke used Gamaliel as an example of the kind of impact the Gospel can have. The message of salvation through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus applies to all classes of people. Salvation is for the common people, and salvation is for the wealthy elite. But no matter who you are, the message is the same. There is “no other name by which we might be saved.”
II. Conclusion.
The apostles had been through quite an ordeal by the time Gamaliel “called off the dogs.” He saved their lives, but he could not prevent the leaders from punishing the apostles. They were beaten and released.
After their release, two very significant things took place. First, they praised God for considering them worthy of suffering. Second, they went right back to preaching the same message of salvation.
The apostles had experienced a collision of worlds. Their world of faith collided with a world that hated the message they preached.
This is the same world we live in today. God has not called us to control the political world. God has called us to two things: Preach the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus; and Make a difference in the world by using our gifts to meet real needs of real people.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008: Faith and Community
Faith and Community
Acts 4: 32 – 5: 11.
I. Introduction.
When I was pastor in Mississippi, I was expected to become a member of the Canton Rotary Club. I had never been a member of a service club before. I had been given opportunities to join clubs when I was in high school and college, but I had never joined. In high school, I played on the high school soccer team and worked during soccer season as a referee. I wasn’t a hardship case; the kind of student who had to work to help support my family. But I made a little spending money by refereeing soccer games and doing something I enjoyed doing.
In college, I had a little bit of scholarship money and a work study job in order to play soccer. We practiced every day during the season, and when it wasn’t soccer season, I managed to find plenty of things to do with my time outside of clubs.
So, I didn’t really want to join the Rotary Club…
But there were a group of 80 year old men who would not take “No” for an answer. There was one man in particular—Robert Filgo—who insisted that I join the Rotary Club. When we first got settled into town, Mr. Filgo called and told me that he would pick me up on Thursday for Rotary. I was to be his guest.
We went to the local “fish house.” I don’t know if we even have “fish houses” in Texas. In Mississippi, a “fish house” is a restaurant that just appears on the side of a two lane highway, usually in the middle of nowhere. They are places to eat fried catfish—I say fried catfish as if there is any other way to eat catfish. They aren’t the fanciest of restaurants, but the fish, hushpuppies and French fries are always pretty good.
The fish house had a large back room, reserved every Thursday for the Rotary Club. The room had seating for about fifty people. The Rotary Club had forty members and a regular attendance of 25 – 30.
When I walked into the back room, the first thing I noticed that day was that the Rotary Club was all men. The second thing I noticed was that I was by far the youngest man in the room. I estimate that when I eventually joined, I brought the average age down to approximately 89.
Mr. Filgo took me to his table and invited me to sit down. We were the first ones at our table. The next man to come to our table told me that I was sitting in his seat. So, he took the seat next to me. The next four or five men who came to our table told me that I was sitting in Cecil’s seat and Cecil was in Jim’s seat, so everyone had to find a new place to sit. It was very uncomfortable for me to know I had messed up the entire Rotary Club by sitting in Cecil’s seat.
We ate our catfish, and the Rotary president called our meeting to order. We stood. Someone said a prayer. We saluted the flag and said the Pledge of Allegiance. Then, I noticed the only woman in the room. She was the piano player. The song leader stood up and announced that there would be no song books that day, because we would sing a song everyone knew by heart. The Rotary Song.
R-O-T-A-R-Y…
That Spells Rotary…
R-O-T-A-R-Y…
Is known on land and sea…
From North to South…
And East to West…
He profits most who serves the best…
R-O-T-A-R-Y…
That Spells Rotary…
Well, it was my first time at Rotary and my first time in any club meeting, so I did not know the Rotary Song. I just stood there feeling dumb, lost and not a little bit uncomfortable.
Then, we heard a presentation from an invited guest. At the conclusion of his presentation, the Rotary president came back to the microphone and announced, “Let’s stand and say the club motto as we are dismissed.” Again, I didn’t know the club motto, so I stood uncomfortably and then shook hands with all the well meaning Rotarians as we left the fish house.
When I got back to my office, I thought about how uncomfortable the whole scenario had been and how I would probably NEVER go to the Rotary Club again.
And then, all of a sudden, rather unexpectedly…I had a thought. I wonder if this is the way people feel when they come to church?
If someone comes to our church today for the first time, how will they perceive church? Do we seem to be a genuine community of people who welcome new people? Or, do we seem like a “closed group?” Do we have strange customs and rituals that outsiders find uncomfortable and just a little disturbing?
Do new people know where to sit? Do church members draw attention to the fact that someone is sitting in their seat?
Do we sing songs that sound strange to new people? Do we expect them to know the words to the strange songs?
I don’t want to sound too negative about the church. There is a negative side to our community. But there is also a very positive side.
If you subscribe to the email prayer list, then you have seen several “Thank You” notes come through your email this week. Three of our church members communicated through this email list how God answered their prayers. And all three of these “Thank You’s” said something like this, “I just don’t know what I would do without my church family.”
Church is perhaps the only community many of us have that truly takes care of each other during the trials of life. We pray for each other in times of crisis. We bring food to people who are grieving or to people who are recovering from surgery. We provide a community of support like nothing else in the contemporary world.
But, this begs the question…Why would anyone want to be a part of the church in Twenty-First Century American culture? The answer is very simple. People will want to be a part of our community, IF they can see that we are making a difference. However, if the church is just a place to go on Sundays and kill a couple of hours, then they have better things to do with their time.
In the book of Acts, it was obvious that the church was making a difference!
Read Acts 4: 32 – 5: 11.
It seems rather ordinary. Luke gives us an ordinary look into the life of the early church. On one hand, this reads sort of like a news account of the normal ordinary occurrences inside the early church. If this were a small town newspaper, it would end with the classic statement: “And a good time was had by all…”
On the other hand, Luke reports something rather extraordinary. The church was a new and different kind of community. It was not like the Rotary Club. It was not like the Junior League. It was not like the PTA. This is a group of people who are committed to each other. They genuinely loved each other and they truly meet the physical and emotional needs of their culture.
Don’t let this Scripture worry you. I do not intend to suggest that we give all our money to the church and form a socialist society where no one has his or her own property. I don’t want to suggest this, because I don’t believe it was what was taking place in the early church.
In the first place the Scripture says that the church members sold their property “from time to time.” If this had been a socialist society, they could not sell their property “from time to time.” No, they would have sold their property ONCE. Then, no one would have any rights to claim individual or family property.
In the second place, the Scripture specifically says that Barnabas sold a field that he “owned.” This was Barnabas’ field. Perhaps it had been handed down through his family for generations. Perhaps it was a field he had bought with the money he had earned in his own employment. Either case, it belonged to Barnabas and not to the leadership of the church.
The key concept for us to grasp in this story is the concept of using our possessions to demonstrate our faith. Barnabas was a man whose life had been changed by a relationship with Jesus Christ as his Lord. Barnabas’ faith was not something he simply talked about. Barnabas lived out his faith by using his resources or his possessions as a source for blessing other people. He saw a need in his church, and he took action to meet that need. He saw a family in need, and he took action to meet that need. In other words, Barnabas allowed God to use him to answer the prayers of other people.
II. The Difference Between Barnabas and Ananias and Sapphira.
The story that comes after this, makes Barnabas’ story difficult to interpret. Barnabas sold a field and gave ALL the money to the church. Ananias and Sapphira sold a field and gave a PORTION of the money to the church. God honored Barnabas’ gift, but God killed Ananias and Sapphira.
On first glance, it seems that God wants people to give all their money to the church. Anyone who withholds money from God will be struck dead on the spot. But that is not how I read this story. I think we need to take a close look at the motives for the ones who gave their money to the church.
The Barnabas story comes right on the heels of Luke’s explanation that the church members sold property and gave the proceeds in response to real needs in the community. The Ananias and Sapphira story comes right on the heels of the Barnabas story. The need had been met. Ananias and Sapphira were not trying to meet a specific need. They were giving for another reason.
I think there are two choices for Ananias and Sapphira’s motivation. Perhaps Ananias and Sapphira were giving because Barnabas’ gift made them feel guilty. Or, and this is what I believe is the case, Ananias and Sapphira were jealous of the attention Barnabas got for his extraordinary gift. So, they tried to imitate Barnabas’ generosity. They wanted other people to think they were doing the same thing Barnabas had done.
However, Ananias and Sapphira did NOT do the same thing Barnabas had done. They sold property. They gave money to the church. They told the church they had done the same thing Barnabas had done. BUT, they were lying. They were trying to get credit for something they did not do. They wanted to be recognized by the church and rewarded for being generous.
III. Faith Leads to Community.
Money is not the only thing this Scripture talks about. Money is just the only thing we notice when we read it.
Money is actually the third and final thing mentioned in this Scripture.
Verse 32…All the believers were one in heart and mind…
There was a unity among the church members like nothing the ancient world had ever seen. This does not mean the Christians / Believers had turned into robots or that they had stopped to think for themselves. No. This indicates a kind of selflessness that is only possible through Jesus.
Naturally, all people think about themselves. It is unnatural for people to think about others or to be concerned about what other people need.
This can be true in the church as well as outside the church. Would you believe there are people who think church is all about them? I don’t mean our church. I’m talking about people in other churches. I know it is hard even to imagine this. But there are people who will go to one church as long as it “meets their needs and expectations.” And the moment things are not going the way they think they ought to go, they drop out.
This is the normal state of human life. Everyone wants the very best for themselves. It’s not normal to think about what other people need. It’s not normal, but it is possible once our lives have been changed by Jesus.
Verse 33…With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all…
Everyone who saw this church knew there was something different about the people and the community they made up. This church was not focused on itself. This church was focused on the people outside the church. They knew Jesus. They had been changed by Jesus. And, they wanted their friends, family members and neighbors to know Jesus too. They told the story of Jesus: his death and resurrection. They witnessed to everyone and invited them to become a part of their community.
IV. Conclusion.
The message of Acts 4 and 5 is a message about being changed by faith in Jesus. It’s not about money. But the way we use our money is one way we can know about the change in our lives.
In some ways, I think Twenty-First Century America is a lot like First Century Jerusalem. Money is our god. Money is our Lord. We will do anything just to have a little more money. We allow money to control us and boss us around.
If Jesus is the Lord of your life, then you can only have one Boss. Jesus is Boss. Jesus is the One who controls us. Money does not control people who are followers of Jesus.
We can use our money in ways that demonstrate our love for Jesus and the people of our community.
Acts 4: 32 – 5: 11.
I. Introduction.
When I was pastor in Mississippi, I was expected to become a member of the Canton Rotary Club. I had never been a member of a service club before. I had been given opportunities to join clubs when I was in high school and college, but I had never joined. In high school, I played on the high school soccer team and worked during soccer season as a referee. I wasn’t a hardship case; the kind of student who had to work to help support my family. But I made a little spending money by refereeing soccer games and doing something I enjoyed doing.
In college, I had a little bit of scholarship money and a work study job in order to play soccer. We practiced every day during the season, and when it wasn’t soccer season, I managed to find plenty of things to do with my time outside of clubs.
So, I didn’t really want to join the Rotary Club…
But there were a group of 80 year old men who would not take “No” for an answer. There was one man in particular—Robert Filgo—who insisted that I join the Rotary Club. When we first got settled into town, Mr. Filgo called and told me that he would pick me up on Thursday for Rotary. I was to be his guest.
We went to the local “fish house.” I don’t know if we even have “fish houses” in Texas. In Mississippi, a “fish house” is a restaurant that just appears on the side of a two lane highway, usually in the middle of nowhere. They are places to eat fried catfish—I say fried catfish as if there is any other way to eat catfish. They aren’t the fanciest of restaurants, but the fish, hushpuppies and French fries are always pretty good.
The fish house had a large back room, reserved every Thursday for the Rotary Club. The room had seating for about fifty people. The Rotary Club had forty members and a regular attendance of 25 – 30.
When I walked into the back room, the first thing I noticed that day was that the Rotary Club was all men. The second thing I noticed was that I was by far the youngest man in the room. I estimate that when I eventually joined, I brought the average age down to approximately 89.
Mr. Filgo took me to his table and invited me to sit down. We were the first ones at our table. The next man to come to our table told me that I was sitting in his seat. So, he took the seat next to me. The next four or five men who came to our table told me that I was sitting in Cecil’s seat and Cecil was in Jim’s seat, so everyone had to find a new place to sit. It was very uncomfortable for me to know I had messed up the entire Rotary Club by sitting in Cecil’s seat.
We ate our catfish, and the Rotary president called our meeting to order. We stood. Someone said a prayer. We saluted the flag and said the Pledge of Allegiance. Then, I noticed the only woman in the room. She was the piano player. The song leader stood up and announced that there would be no song books that day, because we would sing a song everyone knew by heart. The Rotary Song.
R-O-T-A-R-Y…
That Spells Rotary…
R-O-T-A-R-Y…
Is known on land and sea…
From North to South…
And East to West…
He profits most who serves the best…
R-O-T-A-R-Y…
That Spells Rotary…
Well, it was my first time at Rotary and my first time in any club meeting, so I did not know the Rotary Song. I just stood there feeling dumb, lost and not a little bit uncomfortable.
Then, we heard a presentation from an invited guest. At the conclusion of his presentation, the Rotary president came back to the microphone and announced, “Let’s stand and say the club motto as we are dismissed.” Again, I didn’t know the club motto, so I stood uncomfortably and then shook hands with all the well meaning Rotarians as we left the fish house.
When I got back to my office, I thought about how uncomfortable the whole scenario had been and how I would probably NEVER go to the Rotary Club again.
And then, all of a sudden, rather unexpectedly…I had a thought. I wonder if this is the way people feel when they come to church?
If someone comes to our church today for the first time, how will they perceive church? Do we seem to be a genuine community of people who welcome new people? Or, do we seem like a “closed group?” Do we have strange customs and rituals that outsiders find uncomfortable and just a little disturbing?
Do new people know where to sit? Do church members draw attention to the fact that someone is sitting in their seat?
Do we sing songs that sound strange to new people? Do we expect them to know the words to the strange songs?
I don’t want to sound too negative about the church. There is a negative side to our community. But there is also a very positive side.
If you subscribe to the email prayer list, then you have seen several “Thank You” notes come through your email this week. Three of our church members communicated through this email list how God answered their prayers. And all three of these “Thank You’s” said something like this, “I just don’t know what I would do without my church family.”
Church is perhaps the only community many of us have that truly takes care of each other during the trials of life. We pray for each other in times of crisis. We bring food to people who are grieving or to people who are recovering from surgery. We provide a community of support like nothing else in the contemporary world.
But, this begs the question…Why would anyone want to be a part of the church in Twenty-First Century American culture? The answer is very simple. People will want to be a part of our community, IF they can see that we are making a difference. However, if the church is just a place to go on Sundays and kill a couple of hours, then they have better things to do with their time.
In the book of Acts, it was obvious that the church was making a difference!
Read Acts 4: 32 – 5: 11.
It seems rather ordinary. Luke gives us an ordinary look into the life of the early church. On one hand, this reads sort of like a news account of the normal ordinary occurrences inside the early church. If this were a small town newspaper, it would end with the classic statement: “And a good time was had by all…”
On the other hand, Luke reports something rather extraordinary. The church was a new and different kind of community. It was not like the Rotary Club. It was not like the Junior League. It was not like the PTA. This is a group of people who are committed to each other. They genuinely loved each other and they truly meet the physical and emotional needs of their culture.
Don’t let this Scripture worry you. I do not intend to suggest that we give all our money to the church and form a socialist society where no one has his or her own property. I don’t want to suggest this, because I don’t believe it was what was taking place in the early church.
In the first place the Scripture says that the church members sold their property “from time to time.” If this had been a socialist society, they could not sell their property “from time to time.” No, they would have sold their property ONCE. Then, no one would have any rights to claim individual or family property.
In the second place, the Scripture specifically says that Barnabas sold a field that he “owned.” This was Barnabas’ field. Perhaps it had been handed down through his family for generations. Perhaps it was a field he had bought with the money he had earned in his own employment. Either case, it belonged to Barnabas and not to the leadership of the church.
The key concept for us to grasp in this story is the concept of using our possessions to demonstrate our faith. Barnabas was a man whose life had been changed by a relationship with Jesus Christ as his Lord. Barnabas’ faith was not something he simply talked about. Barnabas lived out his faith by using his resources or his possessions as a source for blessing other people. He saw a need in his church, and he took action to meet that need. He saw a family in need, and he took action to meet that need. In other words, Barnabas allowed God to use him to answer the prayers of other people.
II. The Difference Between Barnabas and Ananias and Sapphira.
The story that comes after this, makes Barnabas’ story difficult to interpret. Barnabas sold a field and gave ALL the money to the church. Ananias and Sapphira sold a field and gave a PORTION of the money to the church. God honored Barnabas’ gift, but God killed Ananias and Sapphira.
On first glance, it seems that God wants people to give all their money to the church. Anyone who withholds money from God will be struck dead on the spot. But that is not how I read this story. I think we need to take a close look at the motives for the ones who gave their money to the church.
The Barnabas story comes right on the heels of Luke’s explanation that the church members sold property and gave the proceeds in response to real needs in the community. The Ananias and Sapphira story comes right on the heels of the Barnabas story. The need had been met. Ananias and Sapphira were not trying to meet a specific need. They were giving for another reason.
I think there are two choices for Ananias and Sapphira’s motivation. Perhaps Ananias and Sapphira were giving because Barnabas’ gift made them feel guilty. Or, and this is what I believe is the case, Ananias and Sapphira were jealous of the attention Barnabas got for his extraordinary gift. So, they tried to imitate Barnabas’ generosity. They wanted other people to think they were doing the same thing Barnabas had done.
However, Ananias and Sapphira did NOT do the same thing Barnabas had done. They sold property. They gave money to the church. They told the church they had done the same thing Barnabas had done. BUT, they were lying. They were trying to get credit for something they did not do. They wanted to be recognized by the church and rewarded for being generous.
III. Faith Leads to Community.
Money is not the only thing this Scripture talks about. Money is just the only thing we notice when we read it.
Money is actually the third and final thing mentioned in this Scripture.
Verse 32…All the believers were one in heart and mind…
There was a unity among the church members like nothing the ancient world had ever seen. This does not mean the Christians / Believers had turned into robots or that they had stopped to think for themselves. No. This indicates a kind of selflessness that is only possible through Jesus.
Naturally, all people think about themselves. It is unnatural for people to think about others or to be concerned about what other people need.
This can be true in the church as well as outside the church. Would you believe there are people who think church is all about them? I don’t mean our church. I’m talking about people in other churches. I know it is hard even to imagine this. But there are people who will go to one church as long as it “meets their needs and expectations.” And the moment things are not going the way they think they ought to go, they drop out.
This is the normal state of human life. Everyone wants the very best for themselves. It’s not normal to think about what other people need. It’s not normal, but it is possible once our lives have been changed by Jesus.
Verse 33…With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all…
Everyone who saw this church knew there was something different about the people and the community they made up. This church was not focused on itself. This church was focused on the people outside the church. They knew Jesus. They had been changed by Jesus. And, they wanted their friends, family members and neighbors to know Jesus too. They told the story of Jesus: his death and resurrection. They witnessed to everyone and invited them to become a part of their community.
IV. Conclusion.
The message of Acts 4 and 5 is a message about being changed by faith in Jesus. It’s not about money. But the way we use our money is one way we can know about the change in our lives.
In some ways, I think Twenty-First Century America is a lot like First Century Jerusalem. Money is our god. Money is our Lord. We will do anything just to have a little more money. We allow money to control us and boss us around.
If Jesus is the Lord of your life, then you can only have one Boss. Jesus is Boss. Jesus is the One who controls us. Money does not control people who are followers of Jesus.
We can use our money in ways that demonstrate our love for Jesus and the people of our community.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008: Grander Vision Living
This sermon is the fourth and final in a series of sermons based on a book by Bill Hybels, Just Walk Across the Room: Simple Steps Pointing People to Faith (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006). During these four weeks, our church members are meeting in Sunday night small groups in the homes of church members. We are using the Just Walk Across the Room small group curriculum produced by Willow Creek. The small group format includes four components: (1) food / fellowship time; (2) watching the Just Walk Across the Room teaching DVD; (3) group discussion; and (4) each person prays for three specific people they know who are "far from God." The four weeks will conclude with an event to invite the people we have been praying for to come to the church for an informal meeting to receive more information about our church and a brief presentation of the Gospel.
===============
Grander Vision Living
Acts 4: 23 – 31.
I. Introduction.
I don’t know what your Sunday School class chose to study this week, but I hope you did the lesson from Matthew 9. It is the story of one of Jesus’ disciples named Matthew. We have reasons to believe that Matthew and Levi are the same person. At least their stories are exactly the same in Matthew, Mark and Luke.
In Matthew, Mark and Luke, the call of the first five disciples sounds something like this: One day Jesus was walking along the shore of the Lake of Galilee. As he was walking, Jesus saw two brothers repairing their fishing nets. The brothers’ names were Simon and Andrew. Jesus made eye contact with Simon and Andrew and issued a very simple call, “Come. Follow me.” The brothers dropped their nets, stopped what they were doing and devoted their lives to following Jesus.
The same day, walking along the same shore line, Jesus encountered two different brothers—James and John, the sons of Zebedee. James and John were sitting in their father’s boat. Perhaps they were planning to cast off the shore and begin a day of fishing. Perhaps they were in the boat sorting the fish they had caught earlier. Again, Jesus got their attention and issued the same, simple call, “Come. Follow me.” James and John got out of their father’s boat and committed themselves to a life of following Jesus as his disciples. The Gospels never tell us what might have happened to Zebedee. We know that James and John never went back to work in their father’s boat. Perhaps he took early retirement. Perhaps he went bankrupt. Or perhaps he had to hire two new fishermen to replace his sons in the business. All we know is that James and John never went back to the life of fishing for fish.
Matthew, Mark and Luke all agree that Simon, Andrew, James and John were the first four disciples to follow Jesus. These Gospels also agree that the first teaching Jesus gave these four fishermen-turned-disciples was something like this: “Stop fishing for fish. Come with me and we will fish for people.”
In terms of a fisherman who has devoted his entire life to the skill, craft or even luck of making his living pulling fish out of the water, Jesus’ words to these first disciples describe a “Grander Vision” for living life. Jesus gave them a greater purpose for their lives. They had spent years pursuing fish. Now, Jesus wants them to pursue people.
According to Matthew, Mark and Luke, the next disciple Jesus called was a tax collector. Mark and Luke tell us this tax collector’s name was Levi, but the Gospel of Matthew tells us his name was Matthew. We believe this was the same man, because it is the same story. Jesus found Matthew sitting at his toll booth, collecting taxes. He was sitting by the Lake of Galilee, so we can infer that he was doing one of two things. Either he was collecting a toll from the people who traveled along the road, or he was counting the fish caught out of the lake and charging taxes to the fishermen. Either way, Matthew was hard at work when Jesus walked up. Jesus did the same thing when he encountered Matthew: He made eye contact and issued the simple call—“Come. Follow me.”
On one hand, Matthew responded to Jesus in the same way Simon, Andrew, James and John responded: he stopped what he was doing and committed himself to a life of following Jesus as a disciple. On the other hand, Matthew did something different. Matthew threw a party for all of his tax collector friends.
Tax collectors in the ancient world did not have a good reputation. They were regarded as traitors who showed more allegiance to the Roman Empire than they did to their fellow Jews. They were also known to be unethical in the fees they charged the tax paying citizens. In short, tax collectors were known as “sinners.” So, when we say that Matthew threw a party for his friends, we are saying that Matthew threw a party for sinners. This was just too much for the Pharisees to handle. Jesus—the newest Rabbi / Teacher on the scene—was attending a party with sinners.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. There are some modern day Pharisees who do not believe Christians should attend parties with sinners. They focus all their attention on the verses of Scripture that teach us to “keep ourselves separate and unblemished from worldly pursuits.” They completely ignore the teachings and lifestyle of Jesus, who actually preferred to spend his time with people who did not know God.
On Saturday night we are going to have our own “Matthew Party” here at the church. I want you to bring your friends. We are taking extra precautions to ensure that our “Matthew Party” lasts one hour or less. We are going to eat hamburgers; Shauna and our musicians will play some music; we will show a video highlighting the activities of our church; and I will close with a brief presentation of the Gospel. The only way this will work is if you bring guests. This will NOT be a church fellowship! This is an opportunity for church people and non-church people to spend time together in order to introduce people to Jesus.
Approximately 120 adults and youth have been meeting in small groups. I have encouraged each person to pray for three of their friends. Now, it is time to invite your friends. I think you should be honest and tell people, “We are having hamburgers in the Family Life Center. You will learn more about what our church does. And, my pastor is going to tell you what we believe.”
Simple. Anyone can come. But, please remember…This is not a church fellowship. It is an opportunity to introduce your friends to Jesus.
If you have not participated in a small group, you can still come. You can come, IF you bring someone with you. We need to know how many people are coming by Tuesday. Fill out the “Matthew Party” form. Give us your name and the total number of people in your party.
The “Matthew Party” is one way we can connect with the Grand Vision Jesus has given First Baptist Church. On one hand, some of us are very comfortable in our church. We know the songs. We have our own seats on Sunday mornings—seats that automatically form to shape our bodies. We are comfortable with the programs, activities and ministries this church provides.
But…something is wrong if we think church is all about us. Something is wrong with us if we think we are supposed to come to church only for the things that church provides us. Of course, we do provide ministries and activities so that you can get something out of church. But that is not why we are here. We are here to advance the Kingdom of God and push back the realm of Satan.
Read Acts 4: 23 – 31.
II. Verse 23: “On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.”
A. On their release…
These words connect the following descriptions and teachings to the narrative of Peter and John before the Sanhedrin. Peter’s preaching had stirred up the Jewish people and had led to 5,000 conversions. The Sanhedrin knew they had to put a stop to this Gospel preaching. However, they had no charges against the disciples, so they were forced to let them go.
B. Went back to their own people…
The Sanhedrin and the Jewish political / religious leaders had some things in common with Peter and John. After all, Peter and John were Jewish by birth. However, there was one significant difference between them. Peter and John were followers of Christ. When the Bible says, “they went back to their own people,” it is describing the common life of Christians.
I first moved to Texas in 1994. Very soon after I moved here, I read a newspaper article about the way Texans view themselves. There is no other state in the United States of America quite like Texas. Did you know that approximately 50% of Texans view themselves as Texans first and Americans second? This is not true about any other state. Only in Texas.
Christians ought to be the same way. We might find ourselves living in the United States of America—or even living in the great state of Texas—but our primary identity comes from our relationship with Christ. And when we find ourselves in trouble or hurting or under persecution, there is only one place we should want to come. To church, to be with “our own people.”
III. Verse 24: “When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.”
I wish I didn’t have to tell you this. Of course, I have lots of options. I could lie to you, or I could preach like the TV preachers do. I wish I could tell you that Christians do not have the same kinds of pain and suffering found in the rest of humanity. I cannot say that and tell the truth.
Christians suffer two types of pain. First, we experience the pain of being human. Death, divorce, broken relationships, cancer…This is the pain of living in a fallen world. Second, we face persecution that comes as a direct result of our faith in Christ. Just as we recognize a difference between us and the world, so the world sees us as different from them. As a result, we are excluded and even discriminated against.
However, as Christians, we can face pain and disappointment with confidence and with power. We can walk through the “valley of the shadow of death” knowing that God is with us. We experience God’s presence through our prayers and through the times we gather in the church with “our own people.”
IV. Verses 24 – 30: The Prayer.
Notice that the Bible says “they raised their voices together in prayer.” I can find two explanations for this expression. It might mean that the entire church started praying the exact same words in unison. However, it is more likely that the church prayed together in antiphony. The leader would pray out loud one line at a time. The congregation would repeat the same words out loud.
A. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.”
The God who comforts us in our time of need is the same God who created us. The God who created us has a plan and purpose for our lives.
B. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.'
The God who created us is the same God who has revealed himself to us in Scripture. This is significant because it shows us that God is the One pursuing us. God has not left us to our own devices. God loves each person individually and desires a relationship with each of us.
C. Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.
God’s pursuit of us did not end with the Jewish Scriptures of the Old Testament. God sent his Son Jesus into human history. By naming Herod and Pontius Pilate, we can place the life and death of Jesus into a historical timeline.
D. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
I do not believe this is a defense of a “predestinarian” view of God. This does not teach us that everything that happens is necessarily God’s will. It is a specific reference to the crucifixion of Jesus. The crucifixion was God’s plan from the very beginning. The crucifixion is not God’s plan
B. It was always God’s intention to pursue human beings and go to the great lengths of sending his only Son to die on the cross for our sins.
E. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.
This is NOT what I would have prayed! I would have prayed for God to protect me and to prevent me from being arrested again. They prayed for BOLDNESS and for COURAGE to keep on preaching, no matter what they might encounter.
F. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
There are two sides to presenting the Gospel: miracles and preaching. It is God’s job to do the miracles. It is our job to do the preaching. We don’t get to decide what miracles God performs. The only decision we make is whether or not we will be faithful to describe God’s miracles in terms the world can understand.
God still performs miracles. He heals the sick. He quiets the storm. And most frequently, God changes lives. God takes a worldly, unashamed sinner and transforms him or her into a follower of Christ. This is a miracle. Our own stories of salvation are miracle stories to be shared with non-Christian people. Their lives can be changed too!
V. Verse 31: “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
When God’s people pray, God shows up. We know that God showed up, because the room was shaken. AND, because God’s people continued to preach with BOLDNESS, even in the face of certain persecution.
VI. Conclusion.
There is a pattern in Acts 4, that is consistent with everything that has happened so far in the book of Acts. The church gathered for worship. The church scattered to witness. This was the pattern for the earliest church, and it continues to be the pattern for our church in the Twenty-First Century. This is God’s Grand Vision for us. We are not supposed to gather for worship and scatter to complain or compare our church to other churches. We are to leave this place of worship encouraged and emboldened to tell non-church people about God’s plan of salvation.
===============
Grander Vision Living
Acts 4: 23 – 31.
I. Introduction.
I don’t know what your Sunday School class chose to study this week, but I hope you did the lesson from Matthew 9. It is the story of one of Jesus’ disciples named Matthew. We have reasons to believe that Matthew and Levi are the same person. At least their stories are exactly the same in Matthew, Mark and Luke.
In Matthew, Mark and Luke, the call of the first five disciples sounds something like this: One day Jesus was walking along the shore of the Lake of Galilee. As he was walking, Jesus saw two brothers repairing their fishing nets. The brothers’ names were Simon and Andrew. Jesus made eye contact with Simon and Andrew and issued a very simple call, “Come. Follow me.” The brothers dropped their nets, stopped what they were doing and devoted their lives to following Jesus.
The same day, walking along the same shore line, Jesus encountered two different brothers—James and John, the sons of Zebedee. James and John were sitting in their father’s boat. Perhaps they were planning to cast off the shore and begin a day of fishing. Perhaps they were in the boat sorting the fish they had caught earlier. Again, Jesus got their attention and issued the same, simple call, “Come. Follow me.” James and John got out of their father’s boat and committed themselves to a life of following Jesus as his disciples. The Gospels never tell us what might have happened to Zebedee. We know that James and John never went back to work in their father’s boat. Perhaps he took early retirement. Perhaps he went bankrupt. Or perhaps he had to hire two new fishermen to replace his sons in the business. All we know is that James and John never went back to the life of fishing for fish.
Matthew, Mark and Luke all agree that Simon, Andrew, James and John were the first four disciples to follow Jesus. These Gospels also agree that the first teaching Jesus gave these four fishermen-turned-disciples was something like this: “Stop fishing for fish. Come with me and we will fish for people.”
In terms of a fisherman who has devoted his entire life to the skill, craft or even luck of making his living pulling fish out of the water, Jesus’ words to these first disciples describe a “Grander Vision” for living life. Jesus gave them a greater purpose for their lives. They had spent years pursuing fish. Now, Jesus wants them to pursue people.
According to Matthew, Mark and Luke, the next disciple Jesus called was a tax collector. Mark and Luke tell us this tax collector’s name was Levi, but the Gospel of Matthew tells us his name was Matthew. We believe this was the same man, because it is the same story. Jesus found Matthew sitting at his toll booth, collecting taxes. He was sitting by the Lake of Galilee, so we can infer that he was doing one of two things. Either he was collecting a toll from the people who traveled along the road, or he was counting the fish caught out of the lake and charging taxes to the fishermen. Either way, Matthew was hard at work when Jesus walked up. Jesus did the same thing when he encountered Matthew: He made eye contact and issued the simple call—“Come. Follow me.”
On one hand, Matthew responded to Jesus in the same way Simon, Andrew, James and John responded: he stopped what he was doing and committed himself to a life of following Jesus as a disciple. On the other hand, Matthew did something different. Matthew threw a party for all of his tax collector friends.
Tax collectors in the ancient world did not have a good reputation. They were regarded as traitors who showed more allegiance to the Roman Empire than they did to their fellow Jews. They were also known to be unethical in the fees they charged the tax paying citizens. In short, tax collectors were known as “sinners.” So, when we say that Matthew threw a party for his friends, we are saying that Matthew threw a party for sinners. This was just too much for the Pharisees to handle. Jesus—the newest Rabbi / Teacher on the scene—was attending a party with sinners.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. There are some modern day Pharisees who do not believe Christians should attend parties with sinners. They focus all their attention on the verses of Scripture that teach us to “keep ourselves separate and unblemished from worldly pursuits.” They completely ignore the teachings and lifestyle of Jesus, who actually preferred to spend his time with people who did not know God.
On Saturday night we are going to have our own “Matthew Party” here at the church. I want you to bring your friends. We are taking extra precautions to ensure that our “Matthew Party” lasts one hour or less. We are going to eat hamburgers; Shauna and our musicians will play some music; we will show a video highlighting the activities of our church; and I will close with a brief presentation of the Gospel. The only way this will work is if you bring guests. This will NOT be a church fellowship! This is an opportunity for church people and non-church people to spend time together in order to introduce people to Jesus.
Approximately 120 adults and youth have been meeting in small groups. I have encouraged each person to pray for three of their friends. Now, it is time to invite your friends. I think you should be honest and tell people, “We are having hamburgers in the Family Life Center. You will learn more about what our church does. And, my pastor is going to tell you what we believe.”
Simple. Anyone can come. But, please remember…This is not a church fellowship. It is an opportunity to introduce your friends to Jesus.
If you have not participated in a small group, you can still come. You can come, IF you bring someone with you. We need to know how many people are coming by Tuesday. Fill out the “Matthew Party” form. Give us your name and the total number of people in your party.
The “Matthew Party” is one way we can connect with the Grand Vision Jesus has given First Baptist Church. On one hand, some of us are very comfortable in our church. We know the songs. We have our own seats on Sunday mornings—seats that automatically form to shape our bodies. We are comfortable with the programs, activities and ministries this church provides.
But…something is wrong if we think church is all about us. Something is wrong with us if we think we are supposed to come to church only for the things that church provides us. Of course, we do provide ministries and activities so that you can get something out of church. But that is not why we are here. We are here to advance the Kingdom of God and push back the realm of Satan.
Read Acts 4: 23 – 31.
II. Verse 23: “On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.”
A. On their release…
These words connect the following descriptions and teachings to the narrative of Peter and John before the Sanhedrin. Peter’s preaching had stirred up the Jewish people and had led to 5,000 conversions. The Sanhedrin knew they had to put a stop to this Gospel preaching. However, they had no charges against the disciples, so they were forced to let them go.
B. Went back to their own people…
The Sanhedrin and the Jewish political / religious leaders had some things in common with Peter and John. After all, Peter and John were Jewish by birth. However, there was one significant difference between them. Peter and John were followers of Christ. When the Bible says, “they went back to their own people,” it is describing the common life of Christians.
I first moved to Texas in 1994. Very soon after I moved here, I read a newspaper article about the way Texans view themselves. There is no other state in the United States of America quite like Texas. Did you know that approximately 50% of Texans view themselves as Texans first and Americans second? This is not true about any other state. Only in Texas.
Christians ought to be the same way. We might find ourselves living in the United States of America—or even living in the great state of Texas—but our primary identity comes from our relationship with Christ. And when we find ourselves in trouble or hurting or under persecution, there is only one place we should want to come. To church, to be with “our own people.”
III. Verse 24: “When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.”
I wish I didn’t have to tell you this. Of course, I have lots of options. I could lie to you, or I could preach like the TV preachers do. I wish I could tell you that Christians do not have the same kinds of pain and suffering found in the rest of humanity. I cannot say that and tell the truth.
Christians suffer two types of pain. First, we experience the pain of being human. Death, divorce, broken relationships, cancer…This is the pain of living in a fallen world. Second, we face persecution that comes as a direct result of our faith in Christ. Just as we recognize a difference between us and the world, so the world sees us as different from them. As a result, we are excluded and even discriminated against.
However, as Christians, we can face pain and disappointment with confidence and with power. We can walk through the “valley of the shadow of death” knowing that God is with us. We experience God’s presence through our prayers and through the times we gather in the church with “our own people.”
IV. Verses 24 – 30: The Prayer.
Notice that the Bible says “they raised their voices together in prayer.” I can find two explanations for this expression. It might mean that the entire church started praying the exact same words in unison. However, it is more likely that the church prayed together in antiphony. The leader would pray out loud one line at a time. The congregation would repeat the same words out loud.
A. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.”
The God who comforts us in our time of need is the same God who created us. The God who created us has a plan and purpose for our lives.
B. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.'
The God who created us is the same God who has revealed himself to us in Scripture. This is significant because it shows us that God is the One pursuing us. God has not left us to our own devices. God loves each person individually and desires a relationship with each of us.
C. Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.
God’s pursuit of us did not end with the Jewish Scriptures of the Old Testament. God sent his Son Jesus into human history. By naming Herod and Pontius Pilate, we can place the life and death of Jesus into a historical timeline.
D. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
I do not believe this is a defense of a “predestinarian” view of God. This does not teach us that everything that happens is necessarily God’s will. It is a specific reference to the crucifixion of Jesus. The crucifixion was God’s plan from the very beginning. The crucifixion is not God’s plan
B. It was always God’s intention to pursue human beings and go to the great lengths of sending his only Son to die on the cross for our sins.
E. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.
This is NOT what I would have prayed! I would have prayed for God to protect me and to prevent me from being arrested again. They prayed for BOLDNESS and for COURAGE to keep on preaching, no matter what they might encounter.
F. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
There are two sides to presenting the Gospel: miracles and preaching. It is God’s job to do the miracles. It is our job to do the preaching. We don’t get to decide what miracles God performs. The only decision we make is whether or not we will be faithful to describe God’s miracles in terms the world can understand.
God still performs miracles. He heals the sick. He quiets the storm. And most frequently, God changes lives. God takes a worldly, unashamed sinner and transforms him or her into a follower of Christ. This is a miracle. Our own stories of salvation are miracle stories to be shared with non-Christian people. Their lives can be changed too!
V. Verse 31: “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
When God’s people pray, God shows up. We know that God showed up, because the room was shaken. AND, because God’s people continued to preach with BOLDNESS, even in the face of certain persecution.
VI. Conclusion.
There is a pattern in Acts 4, that is consistent with everything that has happened so far in the book of Acts. The church gathered for worship. The church scattered to witness. This was the pattern for the earliest church, and it continues to be the pattern for our church in the Twenty-First Century. This is God’s Grand Vision for us. We are not supposed to gather for worship and scatter to complain or compare our church to other churches. We are to leave this place of worship encouraged and emboldened to tell non-church people about God’s plan of salvation.
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