Acts 18- Remain Faithful

Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest... Then Paul left the synagogue (Acts 18:5b-6a,7a).

Paul is committed to proclaiming Christ. He is devoted to preaching the Word of Christ in the synagogue. Unfortunately he is encountering opposition. And opposition is discouraging. God calls each of us to ministry (see 1 Peter 2:9) but he doesn't always promise that it will be easy or received well. If the Apostle Paul sees opposition then we should expect the same. But don't lose heart.

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack or harm you, because I have many people in this city" (Acts 18:9-10).

God calls us to be faithful even in the face of opposition. Keep on speaking Paul. God has a plan. God is at work. He has many people in this city. Remember it is God's work. Sometime we rely so heavily on our abilities. We think transforming our schools or evangelizing our friends rests solely on our shoulders. We had better do this thing right. We better have the right stories and the right strategy or it isn't going to work.... But God says "I have." God is the power behind the scenes. If we will obey Him He will accomplish His purposes.

So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God (Acts 18:11).

Remain faithful to what God calls you to. You do not need to win everyone to Christ. You do not need to be the coolest Christian on campus. You simply need to remain faithful to God. The results are in His hands.

Acts 17- Purpose, Repent

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth... and he determined the times set for [men] and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:24,26b-27a).

First off, we each have a purpose. There are no glory days. There is no better time than now. We are living in the God ordained days set for us. God has determined the exact time and place where you are right now. And he purposed it. You were placed in your setting for a very real and specific reason... now the question is, 'are you living it?'

Are you living out God's purpose for your life? The ultimate purpose the text says, is that you would seek him and find him.... so are you intimate with Him. Have you sought Him out? I'm reminded of a time when some friends dropped their keys to an SUV in a lake in Florida. We did not have a spare so we hired a scuba guy to come and search the lake under the dock. We were determined. Do you have determination and drive to seek and find God? You need to do the leg work to seek Him. Secondly, know that He is not far from each one of us.... In Him we live and move and have our being... we are His offspring, His creation, His children. We are His and He is near. So, we can fulfill our purpose and seek Him today. Or, we can abandon our purpose and ignore... Which way are you living?

"Therefore, since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone-- an image made by man's design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead" (Acts 17:29-31)

But even when we live out our purpose of seeking and finding Him, we still have a work to do... it is a work of repentance. When Martin Luther posted his 95 thesis, the first thing he said was, "Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when he said 'Poenitentiam agite' [Repent], willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance." We are prone to treat God like a gold, silver, or stone image made by man's hands. We belittle God in our lives. We do not give Him the honor that rightly belongs to the King. We treat Him as if we made Him and He answers to us. We want Him to play by our rules, to bend to our wants, to behave as we see fit. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent. We are called to a life of humble repentance at the cross of Christ. Our hearts are prone to wander. We constantly belittle our Maker. Once we seek and find Him, we live a life of repentance. One Day Jesus, the Righteous One, who once died but now lives forever, will judge each man. Will He find a heart of humility. Will He find a desperate person who is living a life of seeking Him and repenting. Or will He find arrogance and ignorance?

Seek. Find. Repent. Repeat.

Acts 15- Men Who Will Risk Their Lives

After reading through this portion of scripture I want to ask, "what kind of man or woman are you?" In the text the disciples were sending a hand written letter crafted during the council of Jerusalem that was to be delivered to the Gentiles to encourage them... In addition to the letter they wanted to send some worthy men that would be faithful to deliver it and encourage the believers. What was the description of these men? Verse 26 tells us; "men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

The early church was persecuted and they knew that it was costly to follow Christ... But, do you know that? Do you know that it is still costly to follow Jesus. That it will potentially cost you your reputation, your acceptance, your comforts? Or have you made yourselves a hybrid faith that is easy going and lukewarm? The gospel makes people uncomfortable and uneasy. It is not a set of morals. It does not say you need to be a bible-belt christian that attends church functions and does certain christian things. Following Christ costs you something. At very least it cost you your will. Remember how we lay down our lives to follow Jesus and we don't look back? Many of us have become way too comfortable with casually following Christ. What I want to ask is; would you risk your life for our Lord Jesus Christ? Are you willing to go all out even at the expense of your life? Would you be willing to set a course that says you will take the gospel to the ends of the earth no matter the cost?

Acts 14- Testifying to the Word of Grace

Paul and Barnabas "spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed" (vs 1). After the city was stirred up they fled to a different city... "and there they continued to preach the gospel" (vs. 7). Here we have two men captured by the grace of God. They are changed men that are in love with their savior. They are called to be proclaimers of the gospel. And, that is what they are doing wherever they go and to whomever they go to.

I know that Acts 13 teaches us about the special calling of Paul and Barnabas for frontier missions. They have a special task of helping people come to know Christ by traveling and preaching, but we all receive at least the first part of that call when we recieve Christ as savior. The elders that were left behind in chapter 13 also had the responsibility of proclaiming Christ like Paul and Barnabas. The difference was travel.

So, we should learn from Paul and Barnabas to be single minded about Christ. We need to decide to know nothing other than Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor 2:2). Then our words and actions should be about Him no matter where or what is going on.

Is your life singularly focused on Christ? Is your day timer plans for the day reflecting that Christ is preeminent? Are they reflecting that Jesus is the most important thing to you? Does Jesus come up in conversation? Do you testify about His grace? The message is no less exhilarating for you today than when you were saved.... maybe even more! I need Christ to free me from bondage to sin and to liberate me today and it excites me to think that grace is mine! How can I not share it?!?! So, take a moment to refocus and set your heart your mind your being to proclaim Christ in word and deed today. Make Him known.

Acts 13: Worship, Prayer, and Fasting The Road to Greatness

What is your take on prayer? Francis Chan, Pastor and author, says of his staff, "if you're not praying at least one hour a day, let me know and I'll find someone else who will." What if you spent an hour in undistracted prayer each day? Would that be a waste of time? For the rest of the world this sort of 'inactivity' would be considered a waste... but for the Christian there is nothing more essential and more productive than sitting at the mercy seat.

Prayer is the power horse of the Christian life. That's what was happening in Acts 13. "While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting... after they fasted and prayed, [the believers] placed their hands on [Paul and Silas] and sent them off" (Acts 13:1-3). So we see a few things happening that led to their send off. First, they were worshiping. They were gathered together praising God. Secondly, they were fasting. Fasting is a purposeful refusal of something to get something greater. Fasting is a forsaking of things to gain a supremely valuable thing... Christ. And they prayed. I can't imagine this being a canned prayer. I bet there were tears. I bet there was meditation. I bet there was guidance and direction from on high. 

Those were the precursors to the greatest missionaries being sent out. Worship, praying, and fasting led to 14 of the most productive years in history where Paul was preaching Christ crucified to as many as possible so that he might win as many as possible. This little paragraph in the bible is the beginning of a send off, it is the fire that sparked in the heart of my hero the Apostle Paul. And, the result of these few lines in the text is a colossal life of suffering, rejoicing, ministry, and the gospel. 

Do not neglect these items: worship, fasting, and prayer. It is through these things that God might be enlisting you to greatness. And it is by these things that you might recieve training and equipping for a service you can't perform on your own.

Mark 6 -Sent Out

I clung to this scripture when I moved to Florida... I had a little green diesel Volkswagen full of my stuff. And, I had no clue where I was going stay or what the next few months of my life was going to look like. The only thing that was comforting was that I knew I was being sent by Jesus. "Cory, where are you going to stay?"... "I don't know." "What are you going to do for work?" ... "I don't know." "How are you going to survive?" ... "I don't know." "Why are you even going then?" ... "Because Jesus is sending me." Everything else will work itself out because Jesus is sending me. Sure enough I had a place to stay and I had a job within a few weeks and He provided me with everything that I needed to accomplish the task at hand. Now I look back and I praise him for making me trust him so much.

Jesus wants to send you out. Maybe not physically from this location. I am sure some of the disciples didn't travel far. But he wants you to preach that people should repent.(verse 12) He wants you to boldly proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is near. Proclaim it in your schools and jobs and the surrounding area. Please please don't shrink back from the opportunity. Don't shy away because you are unprepared. If Jesus says go then he will provide everything you could ever need to accomplish the task he is calling you to. Go boldly and proclaim the Good News!

Matthew 28

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing then in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." -Jesus of Nazareth

Jesus conquered the grave. Read again slowly. Jesus conquered the grave. He got up and exited the tomb with all authority and revealed himself to many. He is God. He conquered death and he reigns victoriously! And, with all the authority he has commissioned us... Make disciples. Baptize them. And teach them to obey all that He commands. What a rush! We have been given a mission by the King. And, he promises all that we will need. (His presence in verse 20) You want to know God's will for you life, here it is: make disciples, baptize them, and teach them Jesus' commands. If you do that it won't matter what college you go to or what your profession is. You will be satisfied. "Soulwinning is the chief business of the Christian." -C.H. Spurgeon