When should a Christian take a Stance

Acts 16: 35-40

It is clear in the Sermon on the Mount where we are given the Beatitudes, that retaliation is not part of living out what Christ has commanded, and that is made clear in Matthew 5:39, “But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”  But what about confrontation when we have been wronged publicly?  We have many examples of Jesus confronting the religious guys, and now we have Paul and Silas saying no way to the magistrates. 

In this case the magistrate had gone outside of Roman law when he had publicly had Paul and Silas beaten and put into prison without a trial.  This was the law in regards to a Roman Citizen: None but the whole Roman people could pass sentence on the life of a Roman citizen. No magistrate could punish him by stripes or capitally. The single expression, “I am a Roman citizen,” checked their severest decrees.”  So when a policeman shows up and tells the jailer to “Let those men go” the jailer I’m sure is excited because the man who has introduced he and his family to Christ is no longer a prisoner, and the magistrate is relieved to have this man out of his jail.  The Bible is silent on how wide the earthquake was but it seems clear from the Scriptures that it was a great quake and so it must have done damage to things in the city.  In that case the magistrates may have believed these men had authority over more than evil spirits.
This is Dr. Luke’s report of the events: “And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.”  (Acts 16:36-40 ESV)
In the United States we the people have many rights given to us by our Constitution and our “Bill of Rights,” but as Christians do we use those rights to confront evil in our time?  Evil is when a government tells us it is ok to take the life of an unborn child, or that a man and a man, or woman and a woman can be married, when is it time to stand, is it not now? 
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice

Earthquake Faith

Acts 16:26-34

Often, we refer to things like hurricanes and earthquakes as natural phenomena, but if you and your best friend are beat and thrown into prison and your feet or in the stocks, a device designed to keep you from moving, and by the way, all you have done is cast out a demon from a poor young girl under it’s control and share that in Jesus Christ you have found abundant life.  Your first thought might be, that will never happen to me, faith is a very private matter and I do not believe in demons!  You are 100% correct this will never happen to you, but you also will not have any effect on the kingdom of God.  I must tell you that if you have those kinds of thoughts, they come from the father of lies, and your only hope is to believe that “Jesus tells the Truth.”

The night that Paul and Silas are singing and praying to God, at midnight a not so natural phenomenon called a great earthquake shook the very foundations of the prison.  This is Luke’s account: “And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.” (Acts 16:26-34 ESV)

Earthquake faith does not happen when one keeps their faith private, neither does anyone ask the question of you that the jailer ask of Paul and Silas; “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” A private faith can’t fulfill the calling of Christ, for we have been called to be His ambassadors, (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) so as James has told us, a private faith is not faith, it has no actions, it will never be earthquake faith.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

How should a Christian react?

Acts 16:25

How you react when unjust acts happen to you or someone you love may expose the real you.  Has anything like this happened to you; your in a new area and as a follower of Christ you are telling people about how the Son of God came into your life and you have not been the same since.  And in such a time as this, where evil is called good, and good is called evil, many who hear you speaking want to know more.   They are asking this question; could it be true that God loves me when I have no love for him, and if that be true could He, would He, forgive me for my desire to replace Him with the lust and greed of only caring for my self?  And while you sit and share with those how you were the worst of sinners and yet God never stopped seeking you, and then one day you knew that He was a God who did not change, who keeps all His promises, and on that day by faith you bowed your knee to His authority over you and accepted His gift of life, now and for eternity.  And while sharing, some men grabbed you and said all kinds of evil about you and a mob began to gather, and the next thing you knew the police who were suppose to protect you began to beat you, and then you were put into prison without so much as a phone call. 

How are you doing?  Are you feeling as if God has abandoned you, are you angry and fearful of what is coming next, if so you are in good company, you are like me, you are like 98% of people who claim to be a follower of Christ.  As I write this I am convicted of my Mickey Mouse faith, it is so small, but it is faith in a big, big, God.  But this question must be answered: How does one come to a faith that makes this statement, “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:12-13 ESV)  I’ve come to this conclusion, it did not happen over night with Paul and it will not happen over night with any of us!  It will begin when we learn to accept that no matter what value we place on getting to an appointment, we understand that God knew about the flat tire, the train that took ten minutes to clear the tracks, or the wrong turn that the GPS said was a short cut.  And we give thanks instead of acting as I often do, and those actions do not bring glory to anyone but the enemy of my soul.  Yes, it begins in how we act with a teenager who just broke our hearts, for once we begin to accept that God’s love far exceeds our current circumstance, then we are much closer to understanding how Paul and Silas could be praying and singing hymns to God after being beat and put into prison.  And guess what, they were not doing this in a vacuum, for doctor Luke reports that the prisoners were listening to them, and then God showed up; this is Dr. Luke’s account: “and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

           

(Acts 16:26-30 ESV)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Busy doing the work of the Kingdom

Acts 16:16-24

How is your day going, mine began about 4:40 this morning when I awoke with my stomach trying some new gymnastic move.  My mind began to go places that only lead to fear, so I began to pray and at 5:44 I began this new day.  As I was reading the Scripture listed above my mind went to Isaiah 55:8, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” 

As I read about doctor Luke’s account of Paul and Silas they are having the time of their life, they are in Philippi, a Roman colony, staying at the house of Lydia who is a new convert and they are experiencing the Holy Spirit doing a mighty work in and through them.  Then one day as they are going to the place of prayer, they were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and it was a big source of income for her owners as she got paid for fortune-telling.  Shall we let the good doctor tell what happen; “       She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.

But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

(Acts 16:17-24 ESV)

A couple of things jumped out at me, this girl with the bad spirit living in her was telling the truth, but she also was aggravating Paul because she did this day after day, so Paul with the authority given to all of us who accept it, commanded in the name of Jesus Christ for the spirit to come out of her.  Now that spirit was a moneymaker for her owners and it was only at the point of lost income that they opposed Paul and Silas.  One other thing we should notice is how quick the crowd who were mostly Gentiles became a mob and joined in on the attack, and the magistrates had them beat with a rod and put into prison.  Now you do not need to read between the lines to understand this was not what either Paul or Silas had planned for the day, they were just busy doing the work of kingdom building, when all kinds of hell broke out, and that takes me back to Isaiah 55:8.  When we are doing the work of our King Jesus, He may arrange something that looks terrible so that you can do the work of His kingdom, in this case Jesus had a Philippian jailer and his family in mind, and He wanted Paul and Silas to introduce them to Him.

So I’m beginning to grasp that His ways are not my ways and His thoughts are not my thoughts, and that if I am going to be of value to my King I must be willing to accept a change in my plans, and do it with the right heart attitude.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Blaming God

Acts 16: 6-15

If you spend time with ministers they will tell you that Christian people blame God for much of the bad choices they make in life.  Examples are numerous, but this one I’ve heard from more than one pastor: “God told me to leave my wife of 25 years (I just picked a number) because I have found that a much younger girl makes me happy.”  Now that is how evil man can be, to lust and desire, and then to blame God for the evil that is in his heart and actions.  We would be wise to read the Scriptures and ask the Holy Spirit our teacher to give us understanding of God’s character.  For we are told: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  (Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV)

So that being true and it is, how can we discern the warning, the do not’s and the do’s when it comes to His calling on our life?  As we look at Acts 16: 6-15 we are given an account of Paul, Timothy and Silas being forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.  And how they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.   And this is what doctor Luke tells us; “So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.  So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. (Acts 16:8-15 ESV)

The Holman study Bible on page 1893 in the footnotes: “The place of prayer refers to the place where Jews of the city gathered.  Philippi apparently did not have a synagogue, since only women and no men are mentioned.  The establishment of a synagogue required the participation of at least ten Jewish men.” 

Have I answered the question: How can we discern the warning, the do not’s and the do’s when it comes to His calling on our life?  First, it is impossible for a non-believer to hear anything but a repent message from the Holy Spirit.  We know that from 1 Corinthians 2:14, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”  I also believe that an arrogant proud Christian has a very difficult time in hearing the voice of the Lord, in that they are consumed with themselves.  But one who has the same heart attitude as Christ, who thought He was God in the flesh did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing taking the very nature of a servant.  Never forget this truth, God has a plan for you; it is a good plan to use your life in the advancement of His kingdom, for it is God who works in and through you, to will and to act according to His good purpose.

God used a vision for both Peter and Paul to change the way or in Peter’s case the way he looked at Gentiles.  God is the same today as He was then; so do not be surprised if you get a word from God in a vision.  But do remember that God will never tell you to do anything that is in contradiction to His word, the Bible.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

           

Putting what is most Important First

Acts 16: 1-5

Are you one who stands your ground no matter what, or are you the type who goes with the flow, your action resembles those you are with at that moment.  A word for that might be “Politician” and what do you think of such a person?  The word that comes to my mind is dishonest, a schemer, a person who is seeking personal power, and it matters not what political-party, and most are not to be trusted.  But what happens when it’s members of your family, church, or even a pastor, do you feel betrayed?  Many a person has read the account of young Timothy being circumcised by Paul, when he joined Paul and Silas in Derbe, and because his father was Greek and his mother was Jewish he had not followed the custom of circumcision.  Why did it happen?  We are told by doctor Luke that it was because the Jews in that area knew Timothy’s father was Greek.

This seems to fly in the face of what was reported in Acts chapter 15, when the apostles, the elders, and the church of Jerusalem wrote a letter telling the Gentile church they did not need to be circumcised for salvation, but it was by grace through faith in Christ, plus nothing.  So why did Paul put young Timothy through such a painful process? 

Often many Christians run to a commentary to see what a man has to say, but the best source is the Holy Spirit, He is our teacher, and He will guide us into all truth, and the Bible is the very best commentary on the Bible.  So needing an understanding beyond my small interpretation, the Lord showed me why in (1 Corinthians 9:19-23 ESV).

“For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.”

I always look for the application to my life; I am without a doubt very conservative in all aspects of life, and I need to put what is most important first, the souls of my neighbors, business associates, my family, and friends, before my views on a political stance.  That is what Paul is doing in this Scripture, he is not becoming like them, but he is identifying with where they are in order to share Christ.  My pastor, Ray Still, is such a man that to him your end result of choosing heaven or hell is what’s important.  As I said earlier, our goal is to become as Paul, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.”  So Paul did not circumcise Timothy to make him more acceptable to God, but to the Jewish people, and the reason was to share with them the blessing of knowing Christ.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Two Best Friends

Acts 15: 36-41

Two best friends have been in ministry for years, they have stayed in some nice places and they have spent nights out under the stars, cold and sometimes wishing they had a warm bed and could look forward to a hot breakfast.  They have been asked to stay longer in a few towns and they have been told to leave a few, in fact, the better known of the two has been drug out of the city and stoned, leaving him for dead.  They are very close friends, they may have watched the races and enjoyed the children playing jump rope or shooting marbles, but this is a surety, they had the deepest respect for the other.

Now, did I tell you they were very different personalities, one was the speaker and he was also the one best known of the two, the other was more of a people person?  The speaker wanted to see results, he wanted to see people follow his teaching and obey the leading of the Holy Spirit, the other also desired the same, but was much more patient and had the ability to encourage the ones who had trouble, or who had dropped the ball, in what we call the Christian life.

It is amazing how often this story is repeated in a large local church, where an assistant has to patch-up the Senior Pastor’s oversights, or is just too busy trying to win the world to notice a younger staff member who is still very immature.  This is doctor Luke’s account of Paul and Barnabas separating, over such a young man named John Mark.

“And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.”  (Acts 15:36-41 ESV)

And that one act became the model for the Baptist church; have a sharp disagreement, and split into two churches, one down the street call Harmony and the other the Open door.  Just trying to put a little humor into a sad event, but God, I love that statement, “But God” for He never sleeps nor slumbers, and yes, His desire is for unity but He used this to advance His kingdom on this earth.  And as we will see in later chapters, God brings about not only healing in these relationships, but Paul, sometime later, asked for John Mark to come to him because he valued him and his ministry.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Often Misunderstood

Acts 15: 19-35

In our very high technology life we often Tweet, Facebook, Text, or sent a reply on our E-mail that is not received in the manner or attitude in which it was written, and that is a problem with any form of written document.  It requires much thought and a good amount of talent to convey the heart attitude of the writer; was the writer sad, or glad, making a point or trying to tell you personally that they believed you were on the wrong side of an issue?  It has been said by many that it is best not to write if you have the ability to communicate in person, for the written word can often be misunderstood. 

In the verses that preceded, we witness some men from Judea that were teaching the brothers that circumcision according to the custom of Moses was required for a person to be in right standing with Christ.  And we know that Paul and Barnabas and others went to Jerusalem to address this issue with the apostles and elders of the church.  We also know that Peter spoke first and then Paul and Barnabas told what God had been doing through their ministry to the Gentiles, and last we have James wrap-up of the Jesus plus nothing and the council is in agreement, and they wrote this letter.

“The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” (Acts 15:23-29 ESV)

These wise men, who followed the leading of the Holy Spirit knew that this was too important to just put in a letter, so they did the following: and we can read the account in Acts 15: 22, “Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter.” 

I am guilty of sending email that may not express my heart and has been misunderstood as being mean spirited or harsh and the only way I know to address that is not in another note, but to look my brother or sister in the eyes and explain what I was hoping to convey in the letter or note.  The sad thing is often in this world of tweets and email we never know that we have offended someone.  I am big on truth, for only in truth can a person be set free, and Scripture (Ephesians 4:15) has told us to speak the truth in love, and often I forget the love and just want to make my point clear.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Traditions are similar to habits

Acts 15:1-5

Traditions are similar to habits in that they are things we do repeatedly without much thought, that is until someone tries to change some part of the ritual, and then all hell breaks out.  We watched it happen in almost all denominations and what may be very meaningful to a person like myself who visits other Christian churches that are non-Baptist, and they do the apostles creed, and each time that it is recited by the congregation I am moved by its meaning.  I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth.   I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried.  He descended to the dead. On the third day, He rose again.  He ascended to Heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.  He will come again to judge the living and the dead.  I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.  I am not sure why we do not recite this in the Baptist church, but I do wonder if it were done each and every Sunday, would it have the excitement and meaning that it brings me when I visit a non-Baptist church?
Many a Baptist likes to think that they are not steeped in traditions, but most are and one of the statements you often hear is; “We have never done that before” and it is like telling your wife about the new recipe she tried on you, “Honey, that was ok, but lets not have it again.”  I remember a large Baptist church that stopped passing the offering plate, and put boxes at the exits for the people to place their offerings, it almost caused a church fight; we all have our rituals.
Dr. Luke is giving an account of some traditionalist who came to Antioch from Judea and this was their teaching: “But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” (Acts 15:1 ESV)  If you have any knowledge of the Jewish faith then you understand the setting apart of the Jewish man to God by an outward act called circumcision.  So the Jewish Christian came down to these Gentiles and made it clear that to be a follower of Christ it requires more than grace and faith, it requires an outward act of compliance to the laws of Moses.  Not that much different than telling someone that to be a Christian they must be baptized or any other of the add-ons of man. 
So a debate took place between those requiring faith plus and action of man like being circumcised, and grace through faith that Paul and Barnabas were teaching.  So they appointed Paul and Barnabas and a few others to go to Jerusalem.  The church, the apostles and the elders welcomed them, and they shared all that God had done with the Gentiles through their ministry.  It was at this point that some Pharisees in the church ask the question, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the Law of Moses.” (Acts 14:5b)
After some time of debate Peter stood and said; “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” (Acts 15:7b-11 ESV)
For the Jesus plus group, Romans 10:9-10, makes it very clear, it is faith in God’s grace and faith in His Son to do what He has said, plus nothing. “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”  Jesus makes it clear, it is not what you can do for Him it is what He has done for you, this is seen in Romans 10:13, “For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice

Getting Stoned

Acts 14:19-23

Have you ever known anyone who got stoned?  Most of you would reply, yes, if we were not in church, and have some amusing stories to tell about yourself or someone who you ran with in high school or college that often got wasted and did things that today they would prefer to forget.  It is amazing how words take on new meaning in our English language, and the word stoned has taken on new meaning, such as intoxicated, or under the influence of drugs, and not a group of people dragging you outside of the city and picking up stones and you being the target until you are dead.  But Dr. Luke is sharing the account of Paul being stoned in these verses. 

How could a guy go from people wanting to worship him as a god one day to being drug out of the city a few days later and the same people wanting to kill him?   Well my worldview is somewhat small, but as a child who grew-up in very small Baptist churches, my dad was a deacon and I saw it happen more than once to a pastor who came to those churches.  In most cases they were young men with zeal and in most cases they spoke what they believed God had put on their hearts to say, but they forgot that Mrs. Smith or Jones, who was over the “WMU” took exception to “truth” when it was one of her pet sins, and she and Mr. Smith, or Jones who was a trustee of the church and never stayed for the preaching, in that the money must be counted so he and the other money counters would often have the preacher for lunch.  As a young boy I watched these preachers go from being the greatest thing that had ever happened to that small church, to being considered the devil himself. And if it had not been illegal to stone them many of them would have taken up stones, for as a child I saw what religious people would do.  Blaise Pascal had this quote on such people; “Men never commit evil so fully and joyfully as when they do it for religious convictions”.

How did this take place in Lystra, where the apostle is so popular? Dr. Luke gives this account,        “But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.” (Acts 14:19 ESV)  These religious people cannot rest till they put to death anyone who tells them they are sinners, in fact, religion has a 100% record of putting to death who ever opposes their religious convictions, as they did with Stephen and the apostles, and our Lord.  Often, I remind people that Christianity is not founded in religion, but in a relationship with the Son of God.  And Jesus never taught his followers to do anything but love those who were their enemies.

But God is it not exciting to see “But God” for God was not finished with Paul as His servant and thought the plan was to kill him, but it did not work. “But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.  (Acts 14:20-22 ESV)

Now, most of us who read this story are thinking, he did what the next morning, surely he did not go to another town to preach the gospel, and then he did what, he returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, is that not crazy?  Did I read this wrong, aren’t those towns where they wanted to kill Paul?  And what we forget is the “But God.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

Whose name is Jealous

Acts 14:11-15

In yesterday’s account of the apostle Paul, he saw faith in the man who was born lame and told him, “Stand upright on your feet.”  And he sprang up and began to walking.”  Now it is clear that Paul and Barnabas were being lead by the Spirit and it was Christ living out His life in Paul that gave Paul the ability to have such power.  But we also know that a time is coming when the evil one the one Jesus said in John 10:10a, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”  That one is going to be given power to mask the work of the Holy Spirit of God for a short time and the devil will allow men and women who look to him to do great signs and wonders.  So what happens to a people who are looking for outward signs and wonder, the one who put their trust in the latest sighting of Jesus in a tortilla or the ones who flock to see some other sign or wonder?  It is done in ignorance because they will not read what Jesus said about his return in Scripture, and yet Scripture tells us of the evil one being given power to deceive even the elect if God had not shorted the days of his deception.  These are the words of Jesus; “And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

(Matthew 24:22-27 ESV) 

 This is not a new problem, people have always wanted gods they could look upon and yet we also understand that the Father takes exception to anyone who tries to take His glory.  I’m sure you recall King Agrippa having the people yell he is not a man he is a god and this is what is reported that took place soon after; “Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.” (Acts 12:23)

So what are the actions of the apostle Paul when the people tried to worship them?           “And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.”  (Acts 14:11-18 ESV) 

As a people of faith, let us never forget to seek the heart of God, and let us always remember that he is “Jealous.”  “For you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”  (Exodus 34:14)  It is so important to remember the people have left Egypt and all the lands they enter have false gods that they are worshiping, much like the world we live in.  All kinds of false gods, the god of health, of wealth, the god of youth, of sports, of sex, and though none can give you joy or peace that last, they make God, whose name is Jealous, very unhappy and that’s not the place any of us would want to be.  So do as Paul if you are the object of someone’s worship and tell them to stop, and if you find the false gods are what you seek, ask the Father to forgive you and to renew your heart to seek Him, and Him only.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

A Vision Check

Acts 14:8-11

Have you had your vision checked of late?  For most of my life my vision was great, and sometime in my late forties something happened and I began to buy the $10.00 readers at the local drug store.  Then my wife who had worn glasses or contacts since the age of three ask me to see her eye doctor, and that is where my vision went down hill.  He said I could not see as well as I thought and prescribed glasses that I needed to wear all the time.  So how well do you see, do you have 20-20 visions if so you are blessed?  As we look at Acts 14:8-11, we come to this understanding that the apostle Paul had the ability to look into a man and see his faith, do you have that kind of vision?

Dr. Luke gives this account: “Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking. And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” (Acts 14:8-11 ESV)

A little history on Lystra, it’s identification was uncertain until 1885 when J.R.S. Sterrett discovered an inscribed Roman altar three and a half feet high and a foot thick at a mount some 25 miles southwest of Iconium.  On the stone, in Latin, was “Lystra,” along with a statement that it had become a Roman colony under Augustus Caesar. Taken from the Archaeological Supplement by G. Frederick Owen, D.D. page 1674 of the Thompson Bible.

Back to the account, a lame man crippled from birth had never walked.  We do not know the age of the man, but we do know that in Lystra most of the people knew him or they knew about him.  But that did not change the fact that he was the guy that was born with bad feet and had never walked.  Now we do not have his name, just a man who was born lame, but what we do have is a man who also may have dreamed of some day doing what most of us take as a way of life, the ability to walk.  When Paul began to talk to the people of Lystra, where was the man?  Doctor Luke tells us that they went into the Jewish synagogue, so that means that someone must have carried him to the Synagogue, and when Paul began to speak we are told that he listened.  Now, if you have ever spoken to a group of people it’s easy to look at the group and see who is with you an is taking notes, and Paul saw something most of us never look for, he saw a faith to be healed. 

Often, we try to put Paul and Peter and others as not human, but they were very human, they sometime let their emotions get in the way of God’s plans or His best, but they also were called to be apostles of Jesus Christ, as you and I are called to be His disciples.  To see something like hope in another person and they listen to the Spirit and do what He leads is often not seen in the local church, but Paul saw with spiritual eyes and then listened and acted on what he heard, and told the man, “Stand upright on your feet.”  And the lame man sprang up, and that does mean he jumped up, he was on his feet faster than an Olympic athletic at the starting block of the 100 meter race.  And doctor Luke tells us he began walking, now if you had known him, if you had watched him from a child, if you were the ones who carried him that day to the synagogue, you might be over come with joy, and you also might believe that Paul and Barnabas were more than just men?

Why would I say that because people of all generations have been looking for someone who they could put faith in, and often they refuse to look and listen to a God who cannot be seen, so they look for what is seen.  We have many who find Jesus in a tortilla and then put their trust in an image on a tortilla, can you image what they would do if they had been in Lystra?  The same thing as these folks, “And he sprang up and began walking. And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 

After reading this, the word of Jesus came to me, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”  (John 14:12 ESV)  And one last question, do you believe Jesus tells the truth?  If so, it’s time to ask for spiritual vision and an ear to hear and the courage to act on what you see and hear.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Are you willing

Acts 14:2

When reading verse two can you really put yourself into the story; “But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.”  I can’t and most of the Christians I know who live in the great state of Texas have no experiential understanding of what verse two is telling us, or do they?  I believe the majority of Christian leaders and members of congregations do not stir up the unbelieving public for this one reason, they keep public matters private on issues of moral sin that are being promoted by the media and the progressives in our government and those who are agents of the devil. 

Some exceptions have been the Roman Catholic Church, when it comes to abortion and the laws that have been passed by our congress to force these issues on the church.  But when it comes to issues of marriage, where God has said it is a man and a woman coming together in marriage, our progressives in and out of the church have said that God just got it wrong, and a man should be able to marry a man, and a woman marry a woman, and many a powerful company has given vast amounts of support in dollars and media, like Home Depot, Target, Starbucks, and others who agree with the progressives, and they do it because they have no fear of Christian leaders taking a stance against them.  But what is even worse is that Christians who have strong beliefs that these actions are wrong will not be inconvenienced to shop elsewhere, because they do not believe it is that important.  Maybe my dear brothers and sisters in Christ it is time to start reading the Scriptures, I’m sure that Romans 1:18-27, has not changed, and that God has not changed, and you should revisit what is written. 

I was one of a good number of men who attended a men’s ministry kick-off dinner for the coming year, and the speaker is a man I have the highest respect for.  He began by saying something like this: and in no way is this a quote, Men, many of you are concerned with the mess this country is in, and many of you are looking elsewhere and not at yourselves for the solution, but the problem lies in the person you see in the mirror.  When you get right with God and lead your family to seek the things of God, then one man at a time we will begin to change this country back to what God desires.  Great message!  The writer of James would have said; “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”  (James 2:17 NIV)  It has been my experience, that when a man comes under the authority of God’s Word he is confronted by what God would have him do and say.  Such a man gives little thought to what is proper by the world’s standards, nor what the church leadership will think of him, he need not take a poll of who will be offended and who will support his stance, for a man who is a man that looks to the Father and takes direction from him will fulfill what James 2:17 is saying. Note: (And it will differ with each man, for each man has his place in the battle line.)

The Bible is full of such men, and the examples are numerous, men like Stephen, Paul, Peter, James, John and Jesus.  Do you recall any time Jesus was concerned with what a man thought of Him, nor did he once take a poll or send up a trial balloon to see how the wind of public approval was blowing.  But He did take a stance against those who were in leadership did He not call them out?  Matthew’s gospel gives some insight to this subject: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:27-28 ESV)

My prayer is that we would put our house in order, that we would be under the authority of Scripture, led by the Holy Spirit and taking our place in the battle, for no matter what others may say we are in a battle for the heart of a nation.  The hour is late, the battle will be costly, in what others think about you, but if your walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh, just remember these words of Jesus in John 10:10,“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  God always calls men to stand for good and against evil in every generation, and as Nathan confronted King David on his personal sin, he called William Wilberforce in the late 1700’s to stand against slave trafficking and later He called Martin Luther King II to take a stance against judging a man by his skin color and not his heart and actions.  When you find what God calls sin, and for any reason you support that sin or excuse it, you have moved to a very dangerous place.  James give this warning; “You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”  (James 4:4 ESV)

This question only you can answer; are you willing to put on the full armor of God and take your place in the battle?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Critters of Habits

Acts 14:1

One thing that is as sure as death and taxes is that each of us is a critter of habits; some are good habits like eating broccoli and carrots, and others not so good, like wanting lots of salt and sugar.  Habits can best be defined as regularly repeated behavior patterns, and they are shaped by the customs and the traditions we are raised in.   Things that become patterns shape our behavior, our conduct, and our attitude and they are not easily changed. 

So even though Paul and Barnabas told the people of Antioch, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you.  Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.”  (Acts 13:46b)  When reading the Scriptures watch out for the trap of thinking these apostles were not people of habits, they were and the habit of a Jew such as Paul was to go to the synagogue.   So when he and Barnabas entered Iconium they went to the synagogue and spoke in such a way that great numbers of both Jews and Greeks believed.

What a message to you and me, they shared about what had happened to them because of Jesus Christ, and in the past, we called this witnessing to their faith, but that is not in vogue, so let’s just say that as they went they talked about what had changed their life.  Has anything happen in your life that is worth telling someone else, and I’m not referring to the new stuff you got, it soon will be out dated, but these two guys were talking about a person who had given them life, joy, and peace in the middle of persecution, now if that has happened to you, is that not worth sharing?

I was 27 years a Baptist, and I was somewhat proud of being a Baptist, but then I met Jesus in a hotel room and what I read in the Scriptures was not a new message, in fact, it was so simple but it was still so radical, so simple that it took me 27 years to give up on what I could do for God to earn His acceptance, and by faith receive the gift of life.  Guys, have you noticed that the world is centered in pleasure, in deception, and the end is often broken marriages and families.  People want and they do not get so they take what is not earned and they even kill in doing this.  Businessmen cut corners to make a profit, and politicians lie to keep power and guess what Christians who have let the world’s system mold them, fall into these same traps and bring shame on the name of our Lord.

In the book of James, Christians are warned about falling into the habits of a worldly system: “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”  (James 4:1-4 ESV)  How can this happen, in the same way Paul went first to the synagogue, it was a habit, and many of us have not changed the habits that bring shame on Christ, but James has given this insight into what is needed, in every follower of Christ; “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

(Ephesians 4:22-24 ESV)

There are habits that have deep roots in our lives when we came to Christ, mine was fear of failure in business, in marriage, in being a dad, and I had to come to the point of bowing my knee and asking my Father to replace fear with faith, it has been a long journey, but God is faithful.  So I must give a good report, Jesus Christ has been faithful to me, even when I have turned my back on His authority.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The new kids in Town

Acts 13:50-52

Have you ever been black-balled, not allowed to join the club, not picked to play a game at the park when you were younger, yes, we are talking snubbed, ostracized, given the cold shoulder?   Most of us have at sometime been excluded from the group because of lack of talent or lack of social standing, but that is not what is happening with Paul and Barnabas. 

No, they were popular with the people of Antioch of Pisidia, and when you’re the new kid in town and you become the headliner, the talk of the town, watch out because you may be in a very dangerous place.  Dr. Luke shares this insight that the following Sabbath after the new guy had spoken at the Synagogue almost the whole town turned out to hear Paul speak. 

Can you visualize that happening at your church; these two guys show-up at the Sunday services and the preacher (the Senior Pastor) the love of his congregation feels led by the Spirit to ask if anyone has a word, and one of the two stands and begins to share both history of their faith, and some insight about the Lord, and everyone is excited including the Senior Pastor, till the next Sunday.  Now I must add that this imagined story of mine could not take place in a Baptist church for reasons I will soon disclose. 

 It is the following Sunday and to the Senior Pastor and his staff’s amazement, almost the whole town attends the local Presbyterian church and wants to hear the new guy tell them more about Jesus.  As you know, Presbyterians are known for order and correctness and some of those Baptist, Methodist, and Church of Christ, did not understand the order of things and soon the upper class of very devout women of high standards, and I mean standards higher than God’s, and some of the leading men in the church and city began to put a spin on the message of this new guy and now the whole town is out to tar and feather both of these guys.  And you ask why; simple jealousy, and the Baptists said amen, and the Pentecostals raised their hands, it was a mess, and you do understand that it was not proper Presbyterian.

Now let me explain why it would be a bigger miracle than Jesus making water turn into wine for it to happen at the Baptist church, and you do understand that in most towns you have a First Baptist church.  The first big obstacle would be, if it was happening at the First Baptist church, the Baptist church two blocks away called Harmony that had split off from them because of the color of the new cushions on the pews, and the Baptist church two blocks down called the Fuller Life Baptist who had also split because they wanted more praise music, could not return after what they had said in the Wednesday night business meeting before leaving those heathens at First Baptist. I’m not sure much has changed, so back to Dr. Luke’s account of what took place.

Begin in Acts 13:50-52, “But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”  For this to happen today would be no more a miracle than it was in the day that Paul and Barnabas went to Antioch, but my prayer is that we would not ask them to leave.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice