#Acts28 - End of Acts...Or Is It?

1. What stuck out to you from this passage?

I was again amazed that no matter what situation Paul found himself in, he loved and served others and preached boldly  about Jesus. In this chapter he prayed for the islanders, healed their sick, and preached to anyone who visited him while on house arrest. 

2. How does this passage relate to any other Scripture I know?

In Colossians 4:2-6, Paul asks the believers to pray for him that he would declare the mystery of Christ, "for which I  in chains." He goes on to say, "make the most of every opportunity..." Acts 28 helps me realize he is not just writing Christian pleasantries to the church in Colosse, he has lived it out, literally.

3. What does this mean for my life?

This book actually ends abruptly. We don't know the end of the story. But what it makes me realize is that the book of Acts is in many ways still being written. I'm not talking about adding things to the Bible, I'm simply saying that the story of God's work in the church is still being written. My life is a part of God's Kingdom work just like Peter, and Stephen, and Philip, and Ananias, and Paul. It's not that they were extraordinary men, but they all had faith in an extraordinary God. 

4. What questions do you have about this passage?

What happened next? What happened to Paul? Which letters were written in jail and which were written before that?

That is it for Acts. We made it through our first whole book of the Bible. Only 64 to go. Tomorrow I will start reading Romans 1. Join me and feel free to leave comments. 

In Christ, Dan

#Acts27 - Castaway: Bible Edition

1. What stuck out to you from this chapter?

When I think of Paul in this story, I can't get Tom Hanks out of my head. This is a cool story. It's a little comical that Paul suggested they stay in port, but the "experts" and soldiers didn't heed his wisdom. If anyone ever deserves to say "I told you so," it's Paul in this story. But nowhere does he turn that to be prideful. 

2. How does this relate to other Scripture I know?

I first thought of Jonah, where God caused the storm to reroute Jonah back to Nineveh. It's a little different scenario here but it reminded me of that regardless. 

3. What does this mean for me?

I was struck by the confidence Paul had. It's not like he knew anything about sailing that the others didn't, he just trusted God's promise that they would all be safe. Even when it was looking really bleak Paul kept assuring the others that God would be faithful. His encouragement calmed the overall stress and brought order to chaos. I want to exhibit that same kind of trust in God that those around me would be calmed. 

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

Well, nothing theological. I just wondered what types of boats they had that would hold 250ish people. It seemed like they just threw tons of stuff overboard and still made a mess of the ship. What did they look like?

#Acts26 - I Am Not Insane...True and Reasonable

Acts 26 -

1. What stuck out to you from this chapter?

As the blog title indicates, I was struck by by Paul's rationality and calmness throughout this whole trial. It served him well. He was patient with the whole system. He did not shout (even though Festus did), he spoke with honor and due respect for "most excellent Festus" and "King Agrippa," and he started over from the beginning. None of his language is overly accusatory either. I just think I might have acted otherwise, and I think that is really admirable.

2. How does this passage relate to any other Scripture I know?

I have already mentioned that this whole process of Paul's journey to Jerusalem, arrest, and trial remind me of Jesus and his own reaction during the process. Also, during this chapter, Paul recounts his own journey to Damascus in Acts 9. But one of the things that caught my attention was when Paul said that they know from the prophets "that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles." I don't know where it says that Christ would be the first to rise from the dead in the Prophets, but there are three other places in the New Testament that say the same thing. Two are letters from Paul, and one is a vision given to John. 1 Corinthians 15:20, Colossians 1:18, and Revelation 1:5 all talk about Christ being the firstborn from among the dead. I know in Corinthians that whole chapter reminds us that our hope of rising from the dead is based entirely on Christ's resurrection from the dead.

3. What does this mean for my life?

At the end of Acts 26, King Agrippa asks is Paul thinks he can convince him to become a Christian in such a short time. Paul says, "Short time or long - I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am..." In previous chapters, we saw clearly Paul's integrity. In this chapter, we get a wide-open glimpse into his heart. His heart is not proud, it is not self-seeking. It is full of love, compassion, and a desire for all to come to know Jesus by faith and be sanctified through Him. He does not apologize nor is he is not out to offend anyone, but he speaks freely, reasonably, truthfully, and boldly about his faith. Lord, may you give me even more of your heart for people that I would also speak in the same way with the same energy about You, so that more people would know you and make you known to all.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

We never really find out here, but did King Agrippa ever come to believe in Christ? Paul seemed to have good reason that he believed the prophets. I know King Herod in the Christmas story believed the prophets enough to send detachments of troops to Bethlehem looking for Messiah to kill him.

I'd love to hear any responses or thoughts from others about the chapter.

In Christ,
Dan

#Acts25 - Life or death? It's a win-win for Christians.

Acts 25 -

1. What stuck out to you from this chapter?

In this saga of Paul being put on trial time and time again, it seems like everyone is walking on eggshells...except for Paul. The Jews are trying to use just the right words to get Festus to hand Paul over to them without sounding like criminals themselves. Festus is trying to do the Jews a favor but knows he can't convict an innocent Roman citizen. The only person who is speaking boldly is Paul. He knows he is innocent, and he knows he speaks the truth about Jesus. Because of this he is assertive in protecting himself from wrongful accusation and wrongful processes of the law. 

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

As I read this, I was struck by Paul's statement, "If, however, I am guilty of anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die." He is not trying to weasel out of anything. In fact, he is not afraid to die at all. It reminds me of what Paul wrote to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 15:55-56. "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." It's also reminiscent of what he says in Colossians 1:20-21 about how to live is Christ and to die is gain. Paul is certain of his salvation, not by his own works, but by the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ. He is not afraid to die, but he is not looking for death either because he knows that as long as he is alive it will mean fruitful ministry to God. Life or death? It's a win-win for Christians. :)

3. What does this mean for my life?

Because this chapter is mostly a "transcript" from the court proceedings, it's harder to pull a life application from this. However, and I risk sounding redundant from yesterday's blog, it is clear that Paul lived a life of integrity. Even before he entered the temple, he ceremonially washed himself and did not break the Jewish customs or laws. He went beyond God's requirements (which allowed him to eat "unclean" foods and associate with Gentiles) and even submitted to the religious authorities. In my life, I want to win people over by my actions and my words. If that means going beyond what God requires to appeal to a group of people, by all means I'll do it. Dress code in church is a good example. Can I worship God in blue jeans and a hoodie sweatshirt? Absolutely. But if wearing dressier clothes when visiting certain congregations will cause fewer people to stumble and earn more respect from people, I'll gladly do it. That's a big part of what freedom in Christ is all about. I am free to raise my hands in worship or free to keep them down. I am free to sing hymns while leading worship or free to sing newer songs. Whichever will lead more people into praising God rather than bringing attention to myself is what I am compelled to choose.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

In this passage we see that Paul's case is going to move on to Caesar. This was from one province in the Roman Empire. I wonder how many cases Caesar had to officiate in a year. Were there other officials who presided over cases, like a lower court to deal with "smaller stuff?" 

There are definitely times like today, when I would actually just love to keep reading more than just the one chapter. But I know this journey through the Bible will be a marathon, not a sprint. So I'm just gonna thank God for His word for me today, and trust that he will have another feast for me tomorrow. :)

In Christ,

Dan

Acts 24 - Follower of the Way

Acts 24 - The trial saga continues... :)

1. What stuck out to you from this chapter?

In verse 15, Paul states a deeply held belief that was apparently around even before Jesus, that there will be a resurrection for both the righteous and the wicked. Jesus alluded to this as well by saying that the wicked "will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." (Matt. 25:45-46, NIV) I didn't realize this was a belief for the Jews apart from Jesus. But the hope Paul talks about is that his righteousness is certain through Christ, and eternal life is his destination.

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

When Paul called himself a follower of the Way, I had to stop and think about this. I had heard that this is one of the "names" the early Christians were given. Maybe it's a name they gave themselves. At first I thought maybe it meant a certain way of life, but then I noticed that the "W" in "Way" was capitalized. I then thought of John 14:6 when Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the father except through me." This was an answer to one of the disciple's question, "How will we know the way to where you are going?" Jesus answer was basically, "You already know the Way." In Acts, Paul seems to be identifying himself as a follower of the "Way", or Jesus.

3. What does this mean for my life?

In verses 24-27 we found out that Felix kept Paul as a prisoner for 2 YEARS! He called for Paul often to discuss "faith," but he was secretly hoping Paul would offer him a bribe. Being that Paul was there for two years, I'm assuming that Paul never offered a bribe. To me, that is impressive. That is a two year test of Paul's character, integrity, and obedience to God's laws, and he passed with flying colors. This little side note of the story caught my attention and inspired me to continue with great fervor to live a life of integrity before God and others.

4. What questions do I have about this verse?

I'm sure I could find this out with some reading and research, but here is my question. What was the authority structure of the Roman world, and how did that fit with the Jews leadership? Like what was King Herod? What was Pontius Pilate? What was Ananias? What was Felix? What was Festus? What was King Agrippa? And how did they all relate to each other and to Caesar? The answer probably wouldn't change any meaning of the story, but would just help it make more sense as to why they went to certain people.

God's blessings.

In Christ,
Dan

Acts 21-23 - The Trial That Never Ends

So I hit an incredibly busy spell and am now catching up. But these three chapters were all really connected, telling the story of Paul's journey to Jerusalem. On accident, I came up with a Blog title that has an interesting double meaning. The final chapters of Acts all recount Paul who is being put on trial before the Jews, the Romans, the governors, etc. He gets brought from one place to the next, and he is spared by one and then another. But throughout his life and missionary work, he faces trials that never end. It is almost always by the Jewish leaders, but must have gotten old after awhile. So here are my thoughts on these three chapters.

Acts 21, 22, and 23

1. What stuck out to you from this chapter?

In Acts 22, Paul starts speaking the language of the people: Aramaic. Verse 2 states, "When they heard him speak in Aramaic, they became very quiet." I think that all of a sudden this trial got very personal and hit close to home. It's not just about some religious zeal parade, but it became about a guy who is from them. It reminds me how powerful speaking in someone's language is and no matter how fluent you are, the attempt means a lot.

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

As Paul came back to Jerusalem, the apostles there urged him to go through a ritualistic cleansing ceremony, to help the Jewish believers not stumble over details of the law. Even though Paul knew this was not required for salvation or by salvation, he didn't want others to become alienated on his account. It reminded me of a verse from Romans 12:17-18 which says, "Do not repay evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." We shouldn't compromise God's commands for our life, but if we can live in a way that helps others see Jesus rather than turn them off from Jesus we should do it.

3. What does this mean for my life?

I'll share the first thing that I thought of for this question, and it came from the very first verse I read in Acts 21. I had to re-read the last part of chapter 20 to remember the context. Paul was saying goodbye to some of the church leaders who visited him and with whom he had spent significant time teaching and training. The first sentence of chapter 21 is a telltale sign that Paul didn't just do ministry. Everything was about investing in others, and it involved relationships. I need to remember that there is more to ministry than good songs, good skits, increasing numbers, decreasing expenses, good food, good social media, etc. It has always been about people, and as soon as it stops being about people, it stops meaning much.

4. What questions do I have from this chapter?

In verse 38, the commander asks Paul if he was an Egyptian who led a revolt. Who was that? I've heard of Maccabes. Is that it? Maybe someone from history we don't know about. But that's an interesting detail. Also, we see Paul speak in at least a couple different languages. I wonder how many different languages he knew and what languages were common for people to speak.

That's it. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

In Christ,
Dan

Acts 20 - Finish the Race

Acts 20

1. What stuck out to you from this chapter?

One of the most recent memorial services I have attended was that of an old friend. He had lived a long and full life, so while this service came with tears of farewell it was primarily filled with joy and celebration. One of the people who spoke shared one of this man's favorite verses in the Bible: Acts 20:24, "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace." Up until that funeral, I don't think I had ever really noticed this powerful verse. I'm sure I had read it, but I must have just read right through it. As I read it again today, I was reminded of how powerful that verse is as a life verse or a mission statement. As Paul is heading toward Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit had already warned him that he was headed for trouble. He knew this would be one of the last legs of his journey as a missionary. That's why he uses the language of finishing the race and completing the task. What a great example, both in Paul and in my old friend, Gordon.

2. How does this passage relate to any other Scripture I know?

Paul wasn't the only one in the New Testament who had a sense of when his life was nearing it's end, nor was he the only one who was heading to Jerusalem for the final leg of the journey. Jesus was keenly aware of his mission, to suffer and die in the place of the people. Several times he predicted his death and resurrection, and that he would suffer. Matthew 20:17-19 is one of those places. On their way to Jerusalem, Jesus pulled his disciples aside, drew them close and shared about the coming suffering and glory. It reminds me of the way that Paul pulled the elders (his disciples from Ephesus) aside and did the same.

3. What does this mean for my life?

When preaching late at night, don't let people sit in open third story windows. :) Just kidding. I think the verse I shared in question number one is probably the thing I'll take home most from this chapter. Whatever desires I have for my life, I consider worth nothing if they don't line up with what God has asked me to do. They are all secondary to whatever God has put before me. To get real practical, my wife and I have always been interested in international missions, but right now we have been called to invest in a ministry that impacts thousands of youth, adults, and families each year. So we have put those desires (which may very well be from God, and may be used in the future sometime in some way) on the back burner to give ourselves fully to finishing the task God has called us to now.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

I would like to know when Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." This chapter attributes that saying to Jesus. As recorded in the gospels we have several teachings similar to this, like when Jesus said, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many," and "Whoever wants to be first must first be your slave". But I don't know where Jesus says this. I also know that not every word that Jesus spoke made it into these four gospels (or Acts). I wonder if there are any other verifiable, legitimate teachings or sayings of Jesus like the one Paul recorded here.

I hope this enhances your reading of the chapter, and I hope you feel blessed by God's Word just as I feel blessed by reading it. It's life giving.

In Christ,
Dan