Acts 14 - The Adventure Continues

Chapter 14 starts predictably enough - Paul and Barnabas go to the synagogue and speak effectively, such that a number of Jews and Gentiles come to faith in Christ (v. 1).  Beginning in verse 2, things begin to get wild as opponents rise up and bring trouble for our heroes. 

In a new city, Lystra (v. 8), a miraculous and kind act of healing ends up with Paul and Barnabas first having to passionately work to convince a mob they are not gods worthy of worship, followed by the crowd being turned against them and dragging Paul out of the city to be stoned to death.  The same crowd that was bent on worshiping Paul is now pelting him with rocks.  Crazy.  Paul survives and the group moves on, ending back where they started in Antioch of Syria, but stopping along the way to encourage and appoint church leaders in other towns they had visited earlier on the journey (including Lystra, the site of the stoning!).  Back in Antioch the chapter ends with the apostles reporting on their travels and presumably getting some well deserved rest.

I heard a sermon once by Nathan Miller of Christ Community Church in which he talked some about how the Book of Acts, while absolutely the inspired Word of God, at the same time reads like a great adventure story.  The past two chapters 13 and 14 are a great example of that.  In fact, I'd love for someone to make this stuff into a movie.  I remember when I was probably 9 years old, that NBC made a miniseries about some of Acts, called "A.D".  I had no idea what I was watching at the time so I have no idea if it was any good or not.  I wonder if you can find it on DVD.

Chapter 13 - A Dynamic Duo is Born

A few observations from Acts 13:
- While the group was worshiping and fasting, the Holy Spirit said "set apart Barnabas and Saul".  How does that work?  What does it looks like when a group of people are so united in worship that the Holy Spirit speaks so clearly?
- Paul's speech from verses 16-41 is beautiful, using Old Testament prophecy to point the audience to Christ.  And it works really well, since the next week "almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord" (v. 44), and "the word of the Lord spread through the whole region" (v. 49).  And yet...
- Persecution comes.  "They were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying". (v. 45).  "They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their region" (v. 51).

Acts 12 - A Miraculous Escape (and an overlooked martyr)

Chapter 12 of Acts is mostly about Peter - his arrest, imprisonment, escape and reunion his friends.  It's a clear picture of how God works, miraculously at times, to accomplish his purpose.  He obviously wasn't ready for Peter to join James, who was martyred in verse 2.  As I read, it struck me how quickly I glossed over the one verse that described the death of James, the brother of John (not to be confused with the other James mentioned in verse 17).  James, the brother of John, walked with Jesus throughout his ministry.  He was instrumental in the growth of the early church.  Then, at the whim of an evil king, he gets put to death by the sword.  And as I read about it, I barely even notice. 

I thank God for James, those who went before him, and the millions who have died for their faith since.  I thank God for their courage, their commitment to Him, and the legacy their lives have created. 

Acts 11 - Peter's Explanation and More Church Growth

Apparently the idea that Peter would associate with a Gentile is a problem for the apostles and brothers throughout Judea.  It's hard to understand the depth of this prejudice, remembering the conversation Jesus had with the Samaritan woman in John 4.  Fortunately, Peter's explanation opens the door for widespread acceptance of the idea that Gentiles are welcome in the family of God. 

But that takes me back to Acts 10 - Cornelius is described as devout and God-fearing.  I assume the God he fears is the God of the Jewish people he lives among, but why would a Gentile desire to worship a God whose people consider outsiders to be unclean and whose law forbids them to associate with him?  That's the part I don't get. 

I'm glad we have a record of the events in Acts 11 to eliminate the separation of Jews and Gentiles within the church, a necessary step in God's plan to redeem the whole world.

Acts 10 - Peter and Cornelius

As I read through Acts 10 this week some questions came to mind.

- How did Cornelius, a "pagan" Gentile, come to be devout and God-fearing?  Who taught him about God?

- How difficult would we find a world in which two towns that are 30 miles apart, Caesarea and Joppa, constitutes a full day's journey?  It's hard to imagine all the implications of the time it took to get from place to place.

- Why did Peter's vision have to happen three times?  Was God concerned that he might dismiss it otherwise?

- What about Peter's speech in verses 28-29 about how he is rising above tradition by associating with Cornelius?  Is he trying to impress Cornelius?  Is he trying to convince his own companions, or even himself, that he's doing the right thing?  It seems an odd way to enter a house.

- When Peter lays out the Gospel so clearly and beautifully with "God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him" and "everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name", why is it that Peter's friends are "astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles"?  Wasn't that part of the point Peter just went out of his way to make?  What does that tell us about the prejudices that existed?  What does that tell us about the gift of the Holy Spirit?

Amen and amen.  God bless you.