Monday, May 13, 2013


ACTS 17 - 19,   9 May2013



PLACE:
Below is the map that indicates Paul's journey

All the cities and towns Paul visited on his second missionary journey, starting in Tessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth, Jerusalem, Ephese,Greece
WHO: 
Paul and Silas (& Timothy & Titus, & Prescilla & Acquilla)
WHAT: 
Spreading the gospel, the apostles offend many and we see Paul most of the times leaving a city or town because of a mob or a riot that formed against him. Except in Athens. He leaves for Corinth without fearing for his life.





ACTS 17
Thessalonica:
 Paul is living with a man called Jason. His many teachings offended the Jewish leaders who incited a mob against him, He fled to Berea.
Berea:
Interestingly the bible mentions that they were more 'open-minded' and 'gladly listened and searched the scriptures' here.
This is a basic principle we as christians should adapt - to be open minded, listen and search! To be able to discern God's Truth, we cannot rely on hear say, or someone else's revelations all the time. We have to master the discipline of searching scriptures and testing any testimony or revelation against the Word of God. When something is published in a book (or on a blog, for that matter, hie hie)..it doesn't mean it is cast in stone Truth. It is merely an opinion or a perspective.

ACTS 18
Athens:
Paul was disturbed by the many gods in Athens. He was invited to the forum at Mars hill, to introduce his philosophy/ foreign religion.
Read Acts 17:16-31
In this passage Paul introduces God as the "unknown G{g}od" - and used an angle and language familiar to his audience to beautifully describe the one True God, Creator of everything.
Perhaps the fact that his 'religion' being one of so many, and the fact that the people of Athens fostered a 'live and let live' type of culture i.e. being tolerant of every and any type of religion, is the reason why Paul didn't flee, but left for Corinth without any mob or riot.
Maybe in the light of the Bereans' open minded approach that took them back to search Scripture, what happens in Athens shows us what 'open mindedness'  without taking it back to the Word, can do....no power...just another philosophy..

Verse 27 says: "His purpose in all of this is that they should seek after God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find Him - though He is not far from any one of us. For in Him we live and move and are!"
Choice of words are perhaps more intentional than we might think. If the word 'seek' is used, perhaps it implies that God is hiding?....(Oh Jannie Dekas would explain this so cleverly!)
And does the word 'feel' imply that we are blind?.....Something to think about.

Corinth:
Paul meets Aquilla and Prescilla, Jews from Rome who were deported by Claudius Caesar. They lived in Corinth with the profession of tentmakers.

We discussed how our daily lives here in Dar, and our homegroup replicates the church in Acts. I mentioned that the Lord opened my eyes to see how it all unfolds and follows the blueprint of the bible. Here we are, gathering at a house, all in their different professions ranging from very corporate to motherhood. An email from a relative reaches us here, encouraging us on matters of the heart....its like a letter to the Corinthians or Ephesians! A blog is created....to share instantly our thoughts and discussions...the only difference between then and now, is perhaps the time it takes to share the message! 
Someone calls us up to tell us they want to come and plant a church here in Dar...like Prescilla and Acquilla we are here to help the Paul and the Peter of this world to spread the message of salvation. How awesome.

In Corinth the Jews opposed Paul's teaching and as in Acts 18:6 he "shook off the dust" from his robe....
God made him stay in Corinth for another year and a half preaching to the Gentiles.
The Jews rioted again, but Gallio (governor at the time) brushes it off as 'issues of semantics + personalities + silly jewish laws'....
Funny how we can make big issues in our lives of small things which in the end boils down to mere semantics, personalities and silly 'laws'....Can we not be BIGGER than that and realise that our agendas, propagandas, opinions might not carry others approval. We do not have to convince the world that we are right (by our own standards, or in our own opinion).....leave the arguments on the table and just turn towards our Maker who will put everything in perspective, and do the convincing Himself.

ACTS 19:

Ephesus:
Verse 4 reminds us what the water baptism symbolises: " Paul pointed out to them that John's baptism was to demonstrate a desire to turn from sin to God and that those receiving his baptism must then go on to believe in Jesus..."

verse 13-20 tells us about the itinerant Jews who experimented casting out demons using Jesus' name. 
This teaches us to understand that, unless we stand in relationship with Him, we cannot call upon His name to do miracles or drive out demons. We have to be rooted in HIM. 
Do not use His name lightly. "I know Jesus, and I know Paul...but who are you?" said the demon. (v15)
The discussion continued around the aspect of casting out demons, and the practice of black magic...and the question was asked whether it is still practiced today. We concluded that indeed, these phenomena still appear today much more so than we think. In Africa especially witchcraft is a very prominent and real threat to many in the spiritual world. 
We just highlighted the fact that we as christians are safely rooted in Christ. We do not have to fear any form of witchcraft or spell. Our God is bigger and most powerful. 

Also in Ephesus we read of the silversmith, Demetrius, stirring up the people because Paul's teachings threatened his business and income. He employed many craftsman to manufacture silver shrines of the greek goddess Diana.
"The whole city was filled with confusion" (v29)
We discussed the fact that God is not threatened by any other god or any other religion or by any clever arguments or any strange philosophy. He tends to 'keep quiet' in the midst of it all..Just as Jesus did not defend himself on the way to the cross. Even though He did nothing wrong. 
He shows himself when the many arguments and justifications quiets down.

We mentioned that christians today are very scared that their firm spiritual stance will offend others. And we discussed that there is a fine line between being judgemental and offering offence (Luke 17:1 says: 'Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!), and discerning right from wrong/ good from bad. 
We used the example of different beliefs. In our homes we have to clearly teach our children that different religions exist, and that we do not agree with them. We have to guide them and be solid and clear. That doesn't neccesarily mean we have to offend these people by attacking their religion publicly.We have to be ready with an answer if asked though. 
Our discernment between right and wrong should be clearly stipulated to our children, but always directed in love, not to offend.(Knowledge puffs up, Love edifies - 1 Cor 8:1)













Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Acts 14 to 16

PLACE: city of Iconium/Lystra, Derbe
WHO: Paul and Barnabas, Peter, Timothy
WHAT: As they fled for their lives, they were spreading the gospel in the cities and towns they stayed in. Acts is a beautiful recollection of how the new testament church was established, and it has become the blueprint for us today as to how christians should 'do church' today…(besides that we ARE the church).
Small groups gathered on a regular basis in a believers house, praying, encouraging each other and reading the Word of God. They studied the old testament as was given to Moses on the mountain. 

After Jesus was resurrected and ascended to heaven there were no documents to tell them what to do or how. The only one clear instruction was given: "..Go and make disciples in all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.."(Matt28:18). The Holy Spirit led them to figure it out as they went along. 


Discussion: Acts 14
Healing of the crippled man: what stood out from scripture is the fact that this man's faith was noticeable (Acts14:9): "He was listening as Paul preached, and Paul noticed him and realized he had faith to be healed".
The group discussed the measure of faith that was dealt to everyone of us. Some have more faith than others, but the awesomeness of God is shown in the fact that He SEES our faith..even if it is small as a musterdseed…He can work with it. 

The 'worship' of the crowd was incorrectly directed to Paul and Barnabas…the lesson we took: in life often our worship is misdirected.
Their worship was also very short lived, cause in the next paragraph the same people were stirred into a murderous mob that stoned Paul. The lesson: let our worship be directed to God, and rooted in Him…not to be swayed by other's opinions.

Acts 14 v16 - 17: "God never left himself without a witness. there were always his reminders, the kind things He did such as sending you rain and good crops and giving you food and gladness" :
This verse reminds us of the whole issue concerning evangelism...what if people die before they've heard this good news? Isn't that unfair? Romans 10:14 says: "But how shall they ask him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about him, unless someone tells them? And how will anyone GO and tell them unless someone sends him? That is what the Scriptures are talking about when they say, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Gospel of peace with God and bring glad tidings of good things'.  
We do not have to 'worry' that our God is unjust. Our God is just and faithful...He never leaves himself without a witness says verse 17. The earth and everything in it will testify to His greatness.
We are reminded that God's Word is our daily bread. Just as God gave manna to the Israelites in the desert, so His word feeds our spirit. 'Man cannot live by bread alone'… Stay in it, to receive more of Him.


14v22: " They encouraged them to continue in the faith in spite of all the persecution, reminding them that they must enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations".
Discussion: This life will not be easy. We learn to become more like Jesus through what we suffer in and for His name.

We also discussed the issue of miracles and how today we don't even recognise the miracles in our lives…or we forget very quickly what the Lord has done for us. Miracles aren't necessarily breaking news or making headlines. They are sometimes witnessed by one soul in the ordinary flow of your day. 
Open our eyes Lord, to see those miracles you have stored up to grow our faith, and to bring glory to your Name.

Discussion: ACTS 15:
The whole issue of salvation being offered to the Gentiles are being discussed here. New concept for even the Peters and the Pauls of the early church…the leaders. 
"God, who knows men's hearts, confirmed the fact that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he gave him to us (Jews). He made no distinction between them and us, for he cleansed their lives through faith, just as he did ours."This is Peter speaking.
There  is no need for gentiles to adhere to Jewish custom, i.e. being circumcised and keeping all the 600 and what Jewish laws. God made it clear that the New testament is a fulfilment of the Old testament, not a replacement. With the coming of Christ we don't have to be circumcised like the Jews.NO - instead Our HEARTS must be circumcised.
The question was asked why then was Timothy circumcised in ACTS 16?
Our discussion made us believe that his circumcision would make him more acceptable to the people he was going to preach to…the pharisees. 
Returning to ACTS 15: It seems that the disagreement between Paul and Silas took them in different directions. 
We were surprised to see that even in those days, leaders of the church had  disagreements… We mentioned that the church are divided even today because of what starts out as 'small' disagreements. Seems negative…..
but then Deon mentioned that perhaps the Lord uses our disagreements to spread His Word. We love to huddle together for our own comfort and our own enjoyment. God has His own agenda…to get people saved!No soul to be lost....no time to loose! If that means using our differences...THAT is how God can turn even our weakness into His strength. HIS purposes...not ours.

Discussion: ACTS 16
Issue of the chapter starting off in 3rd person, and then in verse 11 switching to 1st person was made clear by the comments from Kerion's bible. Book of Acts was written by Luke. He didn't travel with Paul for the first 16 chapters, only relayed the happenings as was told him by Paul and the others. From verse 11 Luke joined Paul on the journey.
The Jailer's conversion:
Paul and Silas' miraculously escaped from jail through an earthquake ….they were worshipping God singing hymns.
AGAIN the power of worship is made clear in this instance!
The jailer received salvation because of their worship and obedience. 

May we truly worship God and release the power of God through our songs of praise this week!
Happy reading for you all: May God reveal Himself to you anew as you study chapters 17 - 19