Acts 14-16

Acts 14
Acts 14 opens with Paul and Barnabas in the midst of their first missionary journey. In Acts 13 we find Paul having his first confrontation with Jews who refuse to listen to Jesus. In Acts 14 we find the Jews again refusing to listen, but they also go one step further: "[they] stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers." In the midst of their opposition Paul and Barnabas spend a considerable amount of time there teaching about the grace of God. The opposition didn't let up, however, and Paul and Barnabas had to leave to save their lives.

Acts 14 also shares an incredible story where the people believe Paul and Barnabas are Greek gods. They are dismayed and they use it as an opportunity to correct and teach them about God; unfortunately, Paul is stoned for his effort!

In the midst of all of the difficult circumstances that Paul and Barnabas encountered, here's how they respond when they return to their sending church in Antioch: "They gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles" (14:27)

Wow! I am amazed by their dedication, and I hope that I can respond in the same way in difficult circumstances.

Acts 15
The question that always faced the early church was who was in and who was out. In Acts 15 the Jew/Gentile conflict comes to a head. The Jewish Christians thought of Christianity as a sect of Judaism. Thus, converts to Christianity had to become Jewish (i.e. through circumcision) in order to be good followers of Christ.

Paul takes the issue up before the disciples in Jerusalem. Peter also speaks up on behalf of the Gentiles. Finally, James the brother of Jesus spoke, and the church decided there were only four requirements:

1. Abstain from food sacrificed to idols
2. Abstain from food with blood still in it: this was to allow Jewish background and Gentile background Christians to eat together. Jews let all of the blood out of their meat before they ate; the Gentiles would often cook the meat with all of the blood still in it.
3. Abstain from the meat of strangled animals: This really flows from the first two; Gentile sacrifices were then sold in the butcher shop. The way you sacrificed to the Greco-Roman gods was to twist the neck of the animal and then offer it as a sacrifice. Thus, this retains the blood in the animal. All of these are tied together.
4. Abstain from sexual immorality

Thus, they decided that Christians don't have to become Jews to be followers of Christ.

How does this apply to us today? Well, in some ways it doesn't. But I do think the IDEA applies today. So often we bind things on people that they must do: they must have their lives together to be a follower of Christ. They must not do anything wrong. They must look perfect. I think this tells us that we DON'T have to have it all together; we simply have to follow Christ and his commandments.

What are your thoughts?

Acts 16
I am always amazed by the role the Holy Spirit plays throughout the book of Acts. We find the Holy Spirit calling people to ministry (Acts 13), falling on the disciples and empowering them (Acts 2ff), falling on Gentiles before they were converted (Acts 10), etc. Now we find the Holy Spirit NOT allowing Paul to go into upper Asia Minor. Instead, the Holy Spirit directs Paul to Europe, to the area of Macedonia and Greece, where Paul makes his first European convert.

What we find is the story of two conversions:
First, Lydia is converted (and probably becomes a prominent member of the church that begins to meet.)

Second, Paul converts his jailer after God releases him from prison. (More on this tomorrow.) But here is his conversion story. The jailer is amazed by Paul and Silas, and asks them "What must I do to be saved?" Paul tells him to believe, then he immediately takes him and baptizes his whole household. Throughout the book of Acts salvation is tied to both faith and baptism.

We will discuss this story more later, but I love his humble response. God shakes up his world, and immediately he looks for salvation. I think that is the story of so many in our community. God is constantly working in their lives in amazing ways, and we must be on the lookout for those that God is touching.

What are your thoughts on these chapters?

Acts 9-10

Imagine a complete transformation, where God totally makes a person turn 180 degrees from the way they were going.

Jeffrey Dahmer was a mass murderer, killing (and eating) 17 boys over 13 years. (Sorry to be graphic.) Dahmer was convicted and sentenced to 15 consecutive life sentences (totaling over 900 years). While in prison God changed the heart of Dahmer; he began to read and study the Bible and came to faith in Christ. He repented of his sins and was baptized by a local Church of Christ minister in 1994. What an amazing story! God's transforming power is for ALL people, not just those who the world thinks of as "good." No one would have ever imagined that Dahmer would feel sorry for what he'd done, let alone become a follower of Christ. God truly works in amazing ways.

2000 years ago we would have encountered another murderer. This man took pride in dragging people out of their homes and throwing them in prison, even in having them killed! Yet on the road to Damascus God caused Saul to have a transformational experience. Jesus blinded Saul (aka Paul) in order that he might truly SEE God. Ananias baptized him into Christ three days later. From that moment on Paul becomes passionate about the Gospel of Jesus. God caused him to have a transformational experience that transformed not only HIS life, but the history of the entire world.

Isn't God good! What did you learn?
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Who's in and who's out? That's the real question in Acts 10. Before this most Christians had been former Jews or God-fearers (people who believe in God but didn't take the drastic circumcision step.) In Acts 10 God tells Peter to stop trying to decide who is in and who is out of the church. God sent Jesus to save everyone who believes and chooses him as their LORD and Savior. Peter sees the Holy Spirit poured out on these Gentiles and he baptizes them on the spot!

We so often decide who can and can't come to church based on their outward appearance or their background. Maybe we should trust that God's Spirit is at work in the world in the lives of those TOTALLY unlike us and look to see where God is moving. Just a thought.

What do you think about these two chapters?