Leaving scorn behind

Acts 17:9-10 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.  This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

There are those who make the decision to become a rock in your shoe.  Often, they are searching for prominence and affirmation that has been lacking, so they go on the attack.  Other times, they cannot assume the humility that is required to walk with Jesus, aligning it with human shame, which is a very bad mistake.

The one being led of the Lord in life becomes subject to their scorn and the life-giving message is cast as foolishness or worse.

Paul’s response was to simply leave and go somewhere else.

He spoke for two years in the lecture hall of Tyrannus!  Given his pedigree of scholarship and academic theological acumen – the guy loved to teach – that would be the equivalent of graduate study at a seminary, the absolute finest training one could receive.  Students can spend multiple semesters studying just one of his letters.  Those in Ephesus received the letter itself, spelled out and expounded upon by the author himself.

And his audience was not a contentious group of aspiring graduate students, it was the common Greek folk of Ephesus.  They would bear great fruit for Jesus and become arguably the strongest church outside of Jerusalem.  Yet they would also need to have their love restored later (see Revelation 2:1-7).

There is no need to put up with abuse. That extends way beyond preaching and teaching the Word, but it is particularly true when the discipleship of God’s people is going on, and I would argue discipleship happens in all kinds of places and circumstances.

Also, the fruit borne by giving one’s gifts with abandon far exceeds the investment of time and energy.  When there is an open door, if one is measured in giving, the church is cheated out of part of its inheritance, for Jesus did not give a toe or finger for the church, he gave his life’s blood and entire body surrendered on the cross.  That bought my salvation; may it inspire my giving all.

When pretense is deadly

Acts 13:11  Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, had conspired to sell some land, give part of the proceeds to the cause of Jesus and keep some of it for themselves.  But their story was that they were giving the entire sum, which was a lie.

First Ananias, then Sapphira, testified before Peter that they had given the entire amount.  He pronounced judgment on each of them, for they had “not lied just to human beings but to God.”  They each instantly fell down dead.

This is a seemingly radical departure from a ministry and movement that featured so much healing and blessing.  If you lie you die?  How could it be?

There was and is a practice of toy religion – human doings and sayings that supposedly win the approval and appeasement of God.  It’s commercial – you say a few prescribed words, perhaps 1000 times to really be impressive, and you get the blessing.  You pretend to be “all in” and are actually only partly “in”.

It’s very clear from the context that the pretense (or acting – hypocrisy) was the problem here – Ananias and Sapphira likely thought everyone pretended just like they had under the Law of Moses.  Not now.  Doing things just for show turned out to be fatal for them, and the fear of that being exposed “seized the whole church”.  Following Christ was not to be a sideshow to the real event – personal, secret life.

Let me know this – they could have kept part of the money and told the truth about it and not undergone the judgment.  It was about being honest.  Turning greed into generosity is discipleship that often takes time, but turning what is fake into what is real needs to be called out right away, and in this case at the expense of the lives of this couple.

So where am I pretending?  How and where do I give only lip service to the things of God, giving part and saying it’s all (or even making that allusion), boasting (even in subtlety) or doing anything that lacks integrity?  Do I sin? It’s with no pride that I say “yes”.  Do I lie about my shortcomings?  Well, I won’t say I advertise them, but let me be quick to confess them to any and all who ask.

Let grace define me – not just receiving it but being open that I need it.  Every single day.

Gospel as life force

Acts 20:30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.

There was no church in the New Testament for which Paul had cared more and on behalf of whom had  exerted more prayer, ministry and overall effort  than the church at Ephesus.  It was by all accounts the gold standard of churches in Asia at the time of this account.

In the tearful good-bye that Paul had with its elders, he cited many examples of his selfless ministry, his devotion to the truth and his overall life of giving.  Now Paul was not one to boast so his motives in saying all that was to present an example for the leaders.  They were to keep the work of the gospel going even as he had.

The warnings he gave were not vain “what if” statements – they were very real trends he had already seen and encountered in his leadership role.  Indeed, by the time of the writing of the book of Revelation, the Ephesian church had lost its fire, its first love and was in need of revival.

One of the kinds of event that led to its decline was the invasion of the church by those who did not have the gospel as their life force.  They were described as wolves who would come in and prey upon the people, enticing and convincing them to abandon the truth of Christ.  Then Paul said the statement above, pointing to the very leaders he had in front of him.  There would be leaders that would build their own flocks, making up their own truths and stories to gain a following.

The word “disciples’ – “mathetes” in the Greek (from which we get “mathematics”) – are those who don’t just follow, but learn from a teacher.  So the leader(s) that would divide the body would gain those who would be their life-students.  And that’s where the lure is for a to-be-wayward leader.

There is little question that every leader has a distinct style, philosophy and approach to leadership.  Each leader is his/her own person, with an individual mix of gifts and attributes.  However, this verse speaks to the goals of leadership, not the style.  Is it a leader’s goal to create his/her own following at the expense of following Christ.  Too many gravitate towards giving Jesus lip service while dedicating their real effort to guaranteeing their own exaltation.  The underlying motivation is pride – lifting up self above others and at others’ expense.

So, it needn’t be a pursuit of wealth that marks the work of such leaders.  Indeed, pride may be taken in the superior sacrifice of being poor.  The question to ask is who is ultimately being followed in a ministry – Jesus or the local leader?  And it’s a cop-out to say “both”.

May I debase myself, be a blundering, blubbering fool in order to follow Christ.  And if I am tasked and charged with leading others, may I point solely to Him as the teacher.  Of course this means that I must be first a follower.

May I be sure to choose leadership that likewise humbly follows the Master, for self-exalting leadership spawns more of the same; I have seen it.  If pride is seen as normal and good, how terrible will be the demise of the one who practices it.

The structures and tactics of conflict

Acts 16:20-21 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”

In Philippi, there was a slave who told the future.  Her masters made money from her gift, though it was not a gift at all but a spirit that was working through her.  When Paul and Silas went into the city and were preaching the gospel, she followed them around, incessantly saying “ These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”  While this could initially be seen as encouragement, after several days it got old and so annoyed Paul that he cast the spirit out of the slave and she became incapable of fortune-telling.

Her owners were infuriated, so they rabble-roused a crowd and came before the authorities with the charge above.  It is very important to note that their charge had NOTHING to do with their underlying conflict.  The charge was only effective in gaining an angry crowd to go along with them, making a strong enough accusation to ensure the punishment of those who they felt had stolen from them.

This shows the structures and tactics of conflict.  The inner motives of aggression and vengeance are such powerful drivers that the origin of the argument is quickly lost.  Once this happens, lies and contrived accusations become the norm.  Woe to the judge or magistrate to make sense of what is said or done.  Teasing the truth out of such an atmosphere requires both wisdom and strong conviction, neither of which might be present.

But I am the judge of such conflict in my own life.  I can see the mechanisms working, conjuring up reasons to justify my position which have nothing to do with the deeper hurt or injustice.  Let me pray to uncover those base reasons and deal with them at the core of my soul, in prayer then in heartfelt communication with my offender(s).  Whatever their response is, let me at least be in touch with what’s really going on in me.  May I cut short the contriving schemes my clever mind hatches and simply forgive, grieve and move on.

And when conflict is brought before me, either as the accused offender or the judge, let me learn to discern what is really going on.  Let me ask deep questions that have nothing to do with the surface charges and insinuations, for they are craftily constructed veneers over the pain that is really the issue.  Then, learning where the true hurt lies, let me apologize, make amends or do justly according to what would acknowledge it, re-establish empathy and heal.

Punitive, limiting miracles

Acts 13:11 “Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”

Simon Bar-Jesus, aka Elymus the sorcerer, was opposing the message of the gospel as Paul and Barnabas were preaching it to the proconsul of the area, Sergius Paulus.  The narrative says that Simon tried to turn Sergius from the faith, so instead of a presentation of the gospel, Paul and Barnabas had a debate on their hands.

Paul would have none of it.  In what appears to be human annoyance, he pronounces the mini-judgment on Simon cited above.  But it actually comes to pass and Elymus the sorcerer transforms into Elymus the groper, needing to feel his way around the room because he was indeed blind.  And seeing that, the proconsul Sergius believed in Jesus.

I don’t know if they call this a punitive miracle, one performed in judgment of sin and opposition to the word of God.  Paul’s first encounter with Christ was exactly this – blindness for a time.  And this was not the only time Paul would be used to silence what was an annoying, distracting voice to the message of Jesus.  In Acts 16, Paul cast out a clairvoyant spirit out of a servant girl who was harassing them, for which he and Silas were thrown in prison.

In the stories around these supernatural limiting works there seems to be a common thread of Paul being annoyed or bothered.  So, when he loses his human patience, God smites someone with blindness.  It can seem picky and trite.

But what is common in each case is the presentation of the good news of Jesus Christ.  THAT is what is being hindered, bothered and blunted.  And the negative works happen to allow salvation of the hearers of the message.

It is very silly for believers to think they can call down the judgment of God on people who they don’t like, who perhaps have hurt them or their feelings.  That’s not God’s judgment at all but only man’s.  And human beings are not given that gift; they simply do not have the equipment.

But let me not miss God’s protection of the presentation of the gospel.  Let me know I can take authority over anyone who get in its way – not in MY way, but in the way of salvation coming to this earth.  Lest I get on a high horse, let me learn what may happen to me should I get in the way of the Good News going forth.  For God will perform miracles in a wide variety to bear witness to the truth of Jesus Christ.

However I am called to preach and teach, let me know that He attends His word and causes it to accomplish that for which it was sent.

Conflict gone ballistic

Acts 6:11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”

They had heard no such thing. Stephen simply had used the same scriptures they used to selectively enforce their oppressive reign over the people to show that Jesus was and is God the Son. And he was unbeaten in his debates; they simply had no answer for him.

So, out of that defeat and wounded pride came a set of false accusations that would eventually result in Stephen’s death. But first he would win one last debate – in front of the whole council of religious leaders.

The act of escalating a debate out of envy and malicious vengeance always produces overkill. But those who do it are pleased to gloat over their victory, however achieved. But it is of course no conflict resolution – it is only escalation to higher authorities who may or may not have the insight or even the compassion to judge or contend fairly and justly.

Do I handle conflict like this? Do I scheme, gather secret consensus and ally myself with those whose only agreement with me is resentment towards my foe? Certainly I can and must appeal to God my Father, both for encouragement and correction. But concerning correction – do I even entertain the possibility that I might be in the wrong? Am I refusing to learn, thinking I know it all? If so, I must remember the wisdom of humility, though it cost me some esteem for a time.

And when I am like Stephen, the winner of debate and the one who finishes atop my competitors, do I seek to reconcile with them, to re-establish peace and safety as much as is possible? We aren’t told about Stephen’s entreaties to his opponents; whether he approached them as friends after contending with them as ideological enemies. Whatever happened, there clearly was no reconciliation and matters only grew worse.

It’s not that peace is the ultimate goal. But it’s definitely one goal. Stephen was fighting, as any believer should, to proclaim the truth. Yet truth without mercy can be very cruel. Again, not being sure of what Stephen said or did, let me be sure to mend relationships when there has been the heat of debate or the bone of contention.

Kingdom expectations

Scripture:

Acts 1:7-8 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Observation:

The apostles were speaking with the risen Christ, not Jesus before he was crucified – this was after all that. They asked him, according to their understanding, if this was the time for his kingdom to be established on earth. That is, was his resurrection – the final proof of who he was – a signal of the arrival of heaven’s political reign on planet earth – for certainly it was not only over Israel that God would rule. His answer above was not only “no” but it was a dismissal of this kind of inquiry. He had spoken before about the end times, saying that only Father God knew the day and hour of those events. But the apostles continued in their queries, reasoning that it was imminent by virtue of his demonstrated indestructible life. They were not even to ask such questions, for they were distracting to the real event to come.

And that event was the coming baptism in the Holy Spirit. They were correct in yearning for the coming of God’s Kingdom, just not in the manner and timing they had expected. The Kingdom was to come within them, consuming them and changing them to be witnesses of the all that was shown and taught to them by Jesus. Even the timing was given to them – they were to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit’s coming. It was imminent.

Application:

What are my expectations about the coming of the Kingdom of God? Do I want God to plow into the lives around me, showing dictatorial power and overriding sovereignty? Do I want him to tear down godless nations, destroying leaders and their corrupt systems? Or am I a marker of days, forever calculating the hour of God’s overthrow of worldly systems?  If those are my desires and practices then I miss the Kingdom within me.  Where there is resistance to the message of grace – and it is both intense and everywhere – I have the power of witness within me. I need to apprehend – to recognize and utilize – God’s Kingdom I possess with the Holy Spirit. Too often I shrink back, letting darkness reign because of the will and established policy of those in power. This belies the power within my life. And this power is not wielded as political clout or authoritarian rule. It is often in submission, closing the mouths of lions or enduring the unendurable. It gives love for malice and enmity. It prays for the prayer-less oppressors. The move of God is undetectable even by his own people sometimes. Yet the Kingdom grows even as seeds fall and die.

Let me plant today. Let me pray and seek open doors to show God’s love. Let me cease to scheme and pine for political power. If it is given that’s fine, but never let me mistake it for the power granted at Pentecost. Let me love with supernatural love and believe for healing, deliverance and the glory of God to be revealed, on earth as it is in heaven.

Prayer:

Father, I thank you for making this clear yet again. I long for your Kingdom but I want it to come in your way, not mine. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Baptized in Ephesus

Scripture:

Acts 19:4-6 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.

Observation:

Having been “relieved” by Apollos in the church of Corinth, Paul’s traveled to Ephesus, where he immediately met some “disciples”. These were people who had heard of the ministry of John the Baptist; some perhaps had been baptized by John himself. But that was where their knowledge ended. Paul referred to John’s actions and words to point to Christ, which was exactly as John had ministered. The baptism they were familiar with was preparatory – one of repentance, or turning toward God. But then came Jesus, fulfilling John’s prophecy and likewise, the purpose and ordinance of baptism. Paul’s account had a direct effect upon his listeners – they were quickly baptized in the name of Jesus. Following that, Paul laid hands on them – an act of imparting, a sharing of a gift – and the Holy Spirit descended upon them, filling them and enabling them to speak in another language and prophesy. Thus began the church at Ephesus.

Application:

It is tempting to take the patterns of this account or the aggregate of all such accounts in the book of Acts and build formulas. Indeed there are common, essential elements of the story which span into our lives today. The eager, prepared hearts of people, seeking after God and wanting all He has for them, the preaching of the gospel, the application of faith to the message and the act of baptism into Christ and the infilling by the Holy Spirit were all repeated throughout the history of Acts. And these are the landmarks along the path to faith in Jesus people take today. But more than a set of instructions about “how it’s done” (and leave it at that), we see the completion of knowledge and faith through the inductive process of taking people from where they are, with what they know and believe, to a new, saving faith in Jesus. Do I meet people where they are like that? Do I make links to all Jesus Christ is by means of what I know and what we all know? Do I listen to their objections, answer their questions and be patient with their slow progress (as I would call slowness – a different measure than that of the Lord)? It happened fast in Ephesus; these disciples were “ripe” – well-prepared by the ministry that came before. Am I comfortable and useful with first sowing the seeds or watering them to lead to the fruition we see here? I should be. And I should never expect the same thing twice. That is the real story, the whole story.

Prayer:

Father, it is Your incalculable patience – long-suffering really – that makes our faith story possible. Such wondrous and persistent love cannot be understood or contained. Only let me walk in it and let it speak and act through me, for I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.             

Poisonous judgment – Acts 28:4-6 (February 21, 2013)

Scripture:

Acts 28:4-6  When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.”  But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

Observation:

Paul had been instrumental in arranging the safe landing of all who had been aboard the ship bound for Rome.  In fact, he had prophesied and advised them not to even make the journey because he was given a vision of the disastrous ship wreck that had now occurred.  While gathering fire wood to produce heat for the castaways, a snake had bitten him and was seen hanging from his hand.  The words spoken by the onlookers show pagan reasoning and pagan fickleness.  The obvious bad fortune of being bitten by the serpent was not only bad fortune in their eyes.  It was payment for sin, indeed specifically for murder.  Since the ship had been full of prisoners under judgment, it was no great leap to make this association.  In their religious system, there was a goddess named Justice who executed criminals using natural means.  This is the famous “Lady Justice” – the same goddess seen in statues around the world, blindfolded and holding the scale of truthful impartiality.  But to their surprise, Paul did NOT die and in fact showed no signs whatsoever of being bitten.  In fact, the instrument of justice was unceremoniously destroyed before it could bite anyone else.  It had been driven out by the heat, not directed by any divine hand or word of recompense.  So after Paul failed to show the signs of a poisoned and dying criminal, the people changed their minds and decided he was a god himself.  This was a swift rise from a condemned castoff to superstar.

Application:

How ridiculous this seems to me!  Yet do I ever try to make sense of bad fortune by inventing some lame cause that makes it seem just?  If I do, I must be warned by Jesus Himself that I have no such knowledge or ability to judge like that.  Judgment is not a gift dispensed by the Holy Spirit.  No, response to tragedy should have one driving sentiment – mercy.  My prayers, worldly goods and even time should be rushing to the place of disaster to be God’s hand extended.  Truly I cannot do everything; truly I can only do a little.  But I can do more than I think, and failing to do anything puts me in the mental state of judging, if only to justify my inaction.  These people should have bound up Paul’s wound or taken action to extract venom.  Instead they became spectators to a hideous death that never came.  Honestly, they could just as soon have been taking bets on how long he would last!  Do I enter into that society?  Do I expect or even hope for the bitter end of someone I am judging?  There is consequence for sin but let me concentrate on my own sin before putting myself in a jury box with peers, foul with their own iniquities yet gesturing thumbs-down whenever they see the person – no, the object – under judgment.  And the final verdict – that Paul was divine – was just as ridiculous as the one that condemned him.  Maybe the snake wasn’t poisonous?  Maybe God protected him?  But these people had no faith basis for the latter possibility.  So those who didn’t die even though bitten were superhuman.  Let me know this well: if I assign superstar status to one who unexpectedly (by my standards) survives a trial, I am taking glory away from God and setting that person to the fall that comes from pride.  No, I must offer humble thanksgiving for deliverance.  But Paul would teach these people; they would learn about the faith that saves.  We have their humble starting point here.

Prayer:

Father, let me run from judging people and run to help them.  Let me rejoice in deliverance, giving You the glory for every advance of Your Kingdom.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Offending Artemis – Acts 19:27 (February 12, 2013)

Scripture:

Acts 19: 27 There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

Observation:

It had been over two years since the Apostle Paul had “set up shop” to teach God’s Word in the lecture hall of Tyrannus in Ephesus in modern day Turkey.  God had done stunning miracles through Paul and the name of Jesus Christ was anything but a swear word around town.  Now, Ephesus was the home of the temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.  In service to that temple was a group of businesses that catered to visiting worshipers.  One of them, Demetrius, noticing that his business was down, made the connection between the teaching of Paul and his lower profits.  In his argument above, he showed that it was not only business that suffered, but the reputation of his profession.  For if idols made by hands were not gods, then he was implicitly deceiving people.  So, conviction concerning the integrity of his trade drove him as well, and he then cited his (and the nation’s) faith in the goddess Artemis.  Now, like all Greek deities, she had her specialties, and she was “goddess of the hunt, wild animals, wilderness, childbirth, virginity and protector of young girls, bringing and relieving disease in women … “  So it was no small thing to those who had not yet put faith in Christ that miracles were taking place in His name at the expense of their faith in their patron goddess.  She was, as Demetrius said, being “robbed of her divine majesty.”

Application:

That’s right: either Christ is Lord or Artemis is and I’ll go with Christ.  It is black and white.  But even this side of faith in Christ, what challenges to my beliefs cause me to protest and riot?  Demetrius and his friends chanted “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians” for 2 hours, as if their voices alone were establishing truth.  Do I cling to my doctrine like that?  Do I denounce a brother in Christ like that?  Certainly I can hold onto what I have been taught and teach others in peace.  And certainly I can peacefully confront another – or s/he can confront me – if there is controversy.  And wherever I am sowing seed, I should expect Demetrius to object.  The god of reason, intellect and wealth is challenged by the transformative power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  None of those gods can do what Jesus did on the cross – give a new heart to believers and start a process of progressive salvation in their adherents.  In nations where other belief systems hold their people, it is no surprise to see violent actions in opposition to the Lord.  Like Demetrius, the infrastructure is not only threatened, it is absolutely going to collapse once Jesus is King in people’s hearts.  Now, there is redemption.   Demetrius could well have turned his talents into artwork for the Kingdom, though crucifixes and other adornments were shunned in the church at the time.  God gave the man talent; let me know that very well as I share the truth with the people around me.  They are fearfully and wonderfully made, but not made in order to serve false gods.  It is black and white.

Prayer:

Father, Your conviction is heavy; no one can wiggle out of it.  And there is no middle ground of faith.  Let me walk, polarized to this world by my faith in Jesus.  And let me see You at work among those around me, that You would grant me mercy and love for them even through their objections.  In Jesus’ name, amen.