An Invitation to Spiritual Conversation

Scripture – Acts 8:32-35: ³²The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. ³³In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” ³⁴The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” ³⁵Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

Reflection: – It’s my experience that people open the door to spiritual conversation more often than most of us notice. It may be a reference to illness or death. Or they’ve seen something on the news (the recent shootings in Tennessee, for example). Or they have a question about something they don’t understand in life. And sometimes their question is as clear as the one asked by this man in verse 34.

I’ve found a couple things are very important in this process. One is that I pay attention. People seldom open the door to spiritual conversation as wide as this man did to Philip. More often they crack it open a little to see if I’m paying attention and/or to see if it’s safe to talk about something. If I’m paying attention, my response can encourage them to open up a little more. Or I can let them know I’m not interested. Then they can close the door without any great risk to themselves. And, of course, the opportunity is lost.

Another important thing is that I’m ready to go with whatever they want to talk about. I’ll let them go as deep as they want, and I’ll let them stop when they want.

Pay attention today to the conversations you have. Listen for those opportunities. How will you respond?

Following Simple Directions

Scripture – Acts 8:26-31: ²⁶Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” ²⁷So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, ²⁸and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. ²⁹The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” ³⁰Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. ³¹“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Reflection: – This is a snapshot of how evangelism works. It begins with a person who is open to the Spirit’s leading. Philip had an exciting and fruitful ministry in a Samaritan town. Then he had a clear message from the Lord to go to a specific road. That’s all he knew to do. And that’s what he did.

Most of the time, I want to know more. I want know here I’m going and what I’ll be doing once I get there.

Philip, however, didn’t need to know all that. He started out as God told him to. On the way he saw a person in a chariot reading from the Bible. Again, the Spirit directed him to simply go and stay near the chariot.

Once there he asked a simple question. This opened the door to conversation. Then the man invited Philip to come and sit with him. Philip didn’t push himself on the man. He made himself available, as the Spirit directed him, and he was ready when the man invited him into a deeper dialogue.

What opportunities will we encounter today to speak with people about spiritual matters? How can we open such conversations? How willing are we to follow up on them? How open am I to the simple directions of the Spirit?

Dealing with My Heart Condition

Scripture – Acts 8:14-25: ¹⁴When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. ¹⁵When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, ¹⁶because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money ¹⁹and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” ²⁰Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! ²¹You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. ²²Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. ²³For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” ²⁴Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” ²⁵When they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.

Reflection: – Simon was a magician by trade (Acts 8:9-11). I can see why he would be fascinated by the miraculous things he saw the apostles doing. I imagine him trying to figure out how it was they did these “tricks.”

Simon’s problem was he had not made a real commitment to Christ. He professed belief and was baptized (Acts 8:13). At the same time, he was more caught up in the miracles he saw, rather than the truth of who Jesus is. I doubt he really saw anything wrong with his offer to buy the spiritual ability he saw in Peter and John. Peter, however, put his finger right on it – Simon’s heart was not “right before God.” Simon’s response indicates that something of Peter’s message got through.

I wonder what happed to Simon. What became of him? He joins a long list of people in the Bible about whom we know nothing more than what’s seen in these brief snapshots.

What about you? What’s happening in your faith journey? How is your heart before God?

The Scattering of the Church

Scripture – Acts 8:1-8: On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. ²Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. ³But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. ⁴Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. ⁵Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. ⁶When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. ⁷With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. ⁸So there was great joy in that city.

Reflection: – The day Stephen died marked the beginning of an exciting, new chapter in our story as a church. Persecution broke out in Jerusalem. The young man, Saul, was a leader in that effort to eradicate this new Jesus movement.

The result was just the opposite of what the Jewish leaders’ planned. While the apostles stayed in Jerusalem, the other followers of the Way of Christ scattered throughout the land and preached the word in brand new places. Rather than being stopped, the church began spreading throughout the world.

A persecuted church is always a stronger church. That’s one of our issues here in North America. It doesn’t cost much to be in the church. I’ve never quite figured out how to address that dynamic.

What does it cost you to be in the church? What does it cost you to follow Christ? How are those two questions related?

Reading for Sunday, July 27, 2008

Scripture – Acts 8:9-13: ⁹Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, ¹⁰and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is the divine power known as the Great Power.” ¹¹They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. ¹²But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. ¹³Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

The Risk of Speaking Unpleasant Truth

Scripture – Acts 7:57-8:1: ⁵⁷At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, ⁵⁸dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. ^8:1And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.

Reflection: – Unfortunately, this is a common reaction to unpleasant truth. The leaders had no defense against what Stephen had said. So they covered their ears and began yelling. This blocked out the unpleasant sounds from Stephen. They rushed at him, dragged him outside and killed him.

Sometimes I’m afraid to speak words of truth because I’m afraid of the irrational reaction of people. The war in Iraq, for example, is clearly a huge blunder on our part. Thousands of American and Iraqi lives have been lost because our president wanted to have a war. There was no good reason for it. The American people were deceived as a way to justify it. Yet in the face of such an immoral act, I have remained mostly silent.

Lord, please save me from the arrogance that says my way is the way. At the same time, give me courage to speak unpleasant, unpopular truth when it’s called for.

What keeps you from speaking the truth? How do you decide when to speak and when to keep silent?

Critical Gifts

Scripture – Acts 7:51-56: ⁵¹“You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! ⁵²Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him—⁵³you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it.” ⁵⁴When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. ⁵⁵But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶“Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

Reflection: – As Stephen winds down his statement, he comes back to the Jewish leaders at hand and points out their stubbornness and disobedience of God’s law. This was not well-received.

Years ago someone taught me to accept criticism as a gift. I’ve learned to listen to it and reflect on whether it’s true or not. Then I can either take it to heart and effect some changes, or throw it away and move on. Now, I don’t handle criticism that smoothly all the time. I sometimes start feeling defensive and get angry with the person bringing it. That’s especially true when what the person is saying is accurate. That’s when I need to swallow my pride and make changes.

These leaders were “furious” with Stephen, even though what he described was accurate. Stephen, however, kept his eyes on Christ.

How do you handle criticism? What gifts have you received through it? When have you thanked someone for bringing something you’d rather not see to your attention?

Places for Praise

Scripture – Acts 7:44-50: ⁴⁴“Our forefathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the desert. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen. ⁴⁵Having received the tabernacle, our fathers under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them. It remained in the land until the time of David, ⁴⁶who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. ⁴⁷But it was Solomon who built the house for him. ⁴⁸“However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says: ⁴⁹“‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? ⁵⁰Has not my hand made all these things?’

Reflection: – The temptation is always there to keep God in a box somehow. David and Solomon had the vision of building a permanent “dwelling place” for the Lord – as though this would be the only place on earth where God would stay and people could find Him.

Even today it’s easy to fall into that perspective. I come to the church building on a Sunday morning and act differently than I do during the week. That’s just a short step from compartmentalizing God – so I’ve got Him in one part of my life rather than throughout all of my life.

Without question, it’s a powerful experience to come together with other Christians and lift our corporate voice in praise and worship. At the same time, living in Christ is not limited to “going to church.” I’ll be intentional about carrying my praises with me in whatever I encounter today.

How are you tempted to limit God? What areas of your life to you try to keep for yourself?

The Direction of My Heart

Scripture – Acts 7:39-43: ³⁹“But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. ⁴⁰They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’ ⁴¹That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and held a celebration in honor of what their hands had made. ⁴²But God turned away and gave them over to the worship of the heavenly bodies. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets: “‘Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the desert, O house of Israel? ⁴³You have lifted up the shrine of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.

Reflection: – As Stephen continued to recount Israel’s story he touched on an important dynamic. The people rejected Moses and “in their hearts turned back to Egypt.”

In the past, I’ve made decisions where my heart has not really been in them. That’s when I drag my feet and kind of go through the motions, but it’s evident I don’t really care.

I’ve learned (on my good days) to be careful about making decisions. Am I willing to move forward whole-heartedly? Sometimes it’s very hard to make that switch. I find it easier to turn “back to Egypt,” and think about what else I could be doing.

I have a lot of plans for today. Some of them are things I want to do more than others. I’ll set my heart to focus on Christ and His call. In Him I will keep my heart engaged in the activity of the moment.

How about you? In what direction will your heart be looking today?

Turning Point

This section of Acts marks a huge turning point in the life and direction of the church. The readings may seem a little dry, but stay with them. As Stephen begins his defense, he provides an excellent summary of our Old Testament story.

I’ll be on vacation and off-line for the next week or so. So I’ve posted the readings for the next several days. I encourage you to read them and offer your observations.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Scripture – Acts 6:8-10: ⁸Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. ⁹Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, ¹⁰but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Scripture – Acts 6:11-15: ¹¹Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.” ¹²So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. ¹³They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. ¹⁴For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” ¹⁵All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Scripture – Acts 7:1-5: ¹Then the high priest asked him, “Are these charges true?” ²To this he replied: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. ³‘Leave your country and your people,’ God said, ‘and go to the land I will show you.’ ⁴“So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living. ⁵He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Scripture – Acts 7:6-10: ⁶God spoke to him in this way: ‘Your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. ⁷But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.’ ⁸Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs. ⁹“Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him ¹⁰and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt; so he made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Scripture – Acts 7:11-16: ¹¹“Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our fathers could not find food. ¹²When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit. ¹³On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family. ¹⁴After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, seventy-five in all. ¹⁵Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died. ¹⁶Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Scripture – Acts 7:17-22: ¹⁷“As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt greatly increased. ¹⁸Then another king, who knew nothing about Joseph, became ruler of Egypt. ¹⁹He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our forefathers by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die. ²⁰“At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for in his father’s house. ²¹When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. ²²Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Scripture – Acts 7:23-29: ²³“When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his fellow Israelites. ²⁴He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. ²⁵Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. ²⁶The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?’ ²⁷“But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us? ²⁸Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ ²⁹When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Scripture – Acts 7:30-34: ³⁰“After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. ³¹When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to look more closely, he heard the Lord’s voice: ³²‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look. ³³“Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals; the place where you are standing is holy ground. ³⁴I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’

Monday, July 21, 2008

Scripture – Acts 7:35-38: ³⁵“This is the same Moses whom they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. ³⁶He led them out of Egypt and did wonders and miraculous signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the desert. ³⁷“This is that Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will send you a prophet like me from your own people.’ ³⁸He was in the assembly in the desert, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living words to pass on to us.

Everyone Was Pleased

Scripture – Acts 6:5-7: ⁵This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. ⁶They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. ⁷So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

Reflection: – The proposal pleased the whole group! In the church, on our best days, that’s the way it works. A problem is recognized. There’s no blaming anyone. We all work together to find the Lord’s solution. Everyone is pleased when that happens.

So seven men were chosen to carry on this new ministry in the church. As a result, “the word of God spread.” The number of disciples grew. Because people shared a common commitment to serve Christ, the church became stronger each day.

I have to remind myself of that from time to time. Sometimes I let my own ego or agenda get in the way. There’s no competition in the church. We each find our place of service and let ourselves be used as Christ wants. He’ll take care of growth and numbers and all that other stuff.

How are you with that? How do you balance your ego with the wisdom of the wider community of faith?

Inside or Outside?

Scripture – Acts 6:1-4: ¹In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. ²So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. ³Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them ⁴and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

Reflection: – As the church was growing, a little more organization was needed. That’s not a bad thing. When I was younger, we used to make fun of the “organized church.” And today we still need to be careful that we don’t create an organization that becomes bulky and self-serving.

In Jerusalem, some people were falling through the cracks. They were being overlooked. That’s still an issue today. There are a lot of people that are easily overlooked.

So our first century brothers and sister had a business meeting. The apostles recognized there was a need within the church even as they knew their focus in ministry was on people outside the church. So, seven people were to be chosen to handle this internal ministry of the church.

Where are you called to serve – in or outside the church?

A Deeper Resolve

Scripture – Acts 5:40-42: ⁴⁰His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. ⁴¹The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. ⁴²Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

Reflection: – Verse 40 slips by so easily, I often overlook that the leaders “had them flogged.” They were not just inconvenienced, they were brutally whipped. I can’t imagine what that would be like. Then they were ordered again “not to speak in the name of Jesus.”

When they were released, they left “rejoicing because they had been counted worthy” of suffering for the name of Christ. That whole scene is hard to picture, as well.

Then they went right back to work. “They never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news.” Nothing was going to stop them, for they had made a clear decision to obey God rather than other people – even people with whips.

I sit here today in my safe setting, and I believe I have a similar resolve. At the same time, that resolve has not been tested as severely as it was for those apostles. Still, I will live with that perspective. I cannot imagine denying Christ. And so, imperfect as I am, I will follow Him today no matter what.

How about you? How has your faith been tested? What’s been the result of that testing?

God's Grand Purpose

Scripture – Acts 5:33-39: ³³When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. ³⁴But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. ³⁵Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. ³⁶Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. ³⁷After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. ³⁸Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. ³⁹But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

Reflection: – We don’t know much about Gamaliel – only that he was “honored by all the people,” and that he was a wise man. He offers very simple advice here.

Over the years I’ve seen all kinds of fads come and go – in the culture and in the church. The continuing existence and ministry of the church today – in its many different manifestations – is clear testimony to the power and intention of God. If this was just “of human origin,” the church would have died out centuries ago.

By the grace of God, we are part of His divine purpose for the salvation of all creation. As I stay faithful to Christ, I have an active role in that grand purpose. It was forty-four years ago today that I consciously accepted Christ into my life as Savior and began trusting Him as Lord. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made. In all the ups and downs of my journey, He has remained faithful. So will I.

When did you become a follower of Christ? How has that decision affected your life? How have you experienced His faithfulness?

When the Sirens Sing

Scripture – Acts 5:27-32: ²⁷Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. ²⁸“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” ²⁹Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men! ³⁰The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. ³¹God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. ³²We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Reflection: – Here is the crux of life in the early church and life in the church still today. The Jewish leaders had given very clear, strict orders. The apostles understood God’s direction led them in a different direction. And in the face of that, they chose to obey God.

There are many places in the world today where Christians face that decision in relation to overt persecution. The choice to obey God puts them at great physical risk. I thank God I don’t face that here in the USA.

At the same time, the siren song of our culture constantly calls me to compromise my faith. The temptations, subtle as they are, are always around us. City Hall, for example, wants the church to be a gentle, non-disruptive presence in the community. If we stick to that, we enjoy some clear advantages in our local community. The compromise, of course, is that we abdicate our prophetic call.

What are some of the costs that come with obeying God rather than the culture? How do you experience that tension where you are?

A Tiger By the Tail

Scripture – Acts 5:21-26: ²¹When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. ²²But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, ²³“We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” ²⁴On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this. ²⁵Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” ²⁶At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.

Reflection: – What went through the minds of the Jewish leaders? There’s a comical sense to this story. They had arrested the apostles and put them in jail. The next morning they came together and sent for the apostles, only to discover they were back out in public teaching the people.

Sometimes I forget: God can do whatever He wants. When I feel trapped, He can set me free. When He has a job for me to do, He’ll make sure I can do it. The apostles were called to preach, teach and be witnesses to what Christ had done. And so, wherever they found themselves, that’s what they did.

The leaders went and brought them back. But I don’t think they had any idea how big a tiger they had by the tail. The Kingdom of God will come. The church will continue until Christ returns. He will not be denied.

How has the Lord equipped you for a job? When have you experienced His power working through you?

Some Interesting Dynamics

Scripture – Acts 5:7-16: ⁷About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” ⁹Peter said to her, “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” ¹⁰At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

¹²The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. ¹³No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. ¹⁴Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. ¹⁵As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. ¹⁶Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.

Reflection: – Some interesting dynamics were developing in the life of our early church. People regarded this group of believers highly. Yet they were afraid to join them. I think a lot of people today are simply afraid to come to a typical church worship service. There are all kinds of reasons for that. You know what many of them are better than I do. What can we do about that? Should we do anything about that?

Another interesting thing was, “more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.” In spite of themselves people were still drawn into this group.

At the same time, the church itself was becoming a transforming presence in the local community. People were being healed. Lives were being changed.

How do you see these dynamics at work today? How should the perspective of non-church and/or non-Christian people affect the way the church operates?

Reading for Sunday, July 6:

Scripture – Acts 5:17-21: ¹⁷Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. ¹⁸They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. ¹⁹But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. ²⁰“Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people the full message of this new life.” ²¹At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.

The Power of Money

Scripture – Acts 5:1-6: ¹Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. ²With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. ³Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? ⁴Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.” ⁵When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. ⁶Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

Reflection: – That seems like a bit of an understatement – “great fear seized all who heard what had happened.” News of this would certainly get people’s attention. Apparently God is serious about this.

This touches on yesterday’s thought about loosening my grip on stuff. Here the focus is on money. I have to admit, I am sorely tempted to hang onto money. Even though I know way better, there’s still a part of me that finds comfort in a healthy bank account. Dealing with that continues to be a spiritual growing edge for me.

I think the real key here is Peter’s charge, “You have not lied to men but to God.” I’ll keep that in mind today. I’ll loosen my grip on the money God has supplied. The best way to do that for me is to give it away – at least, some of it.

What role does money play in your life? How does it impact your spiritual life?

Loosening My Grip

Scripture – Acts 4:32-37: ³²All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. ³³With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. ³⁴There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales ³⁵and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. ³⁶Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), ³⁷sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

Reflection: – What would happen if we all re-captured that mindset. There is so much emphasis placed on “owning” things these days. At some point, if I’m not careful, my possessions begin to possess me. I work at protecting them. I find myself holding onto them with an ever-tightening grip. And it becomes like they are holding me.

These early believers didn’t do that. In fact, they did just the opposite – they loosened their grip on their stuff. So they were free from the power of their possessions. They were free to share whatever they had with one another. “There were no needy persons among them.”

I guess I hang onto things because I’m afraid if I let them go I’ll lose them. Yet God has always provided for my needs. If I keep the basic truth in mind that God is the owner of all things, I can’t really lose anything. So I’ll thank Him today for my daily bread, and I’ll loosen my grip on the things in my life.

What things do you hold onto? What would happen if you let them go?

How Bold Will We Be?

Scripture – Acts 4:27-31: ²⁷Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. ²⁸They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. ²⁹Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. ³⁰Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” ³¹After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Reflection: – Following Peter and John’s release, the church prayed together. The essence of their prayer was that God would “enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.” They did not pray for deliverance from persecution or for their own safety. They prayed for the courage to remain faithful.

A lot of life in our North American culture is geared toward being comfortable – toward avoiding or relieving pain. (Just watch the commercials on TV.) So people work to buy things to be comfortable.

In the face of that, Jesus calls us to give up our lives. Peter and John had been arrested for preaching and healing in the name of Jesus. They were let go with little problem this time. At the same time, they knew that would not last. So they prayed for boldness to keep speaking faithfully, no matter what the cost. And God answered that prayer.

Do I have such courage? Do you? How does our desire for comfort impact our discipleship?