Monthly Archives: July 2013

Carelessly Indifferent

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CARELESSLY INDIFFERENT!

“But when Gallio was governor of Achaia province, the Jews got up a campaign against Paul, hauled him into court, and filed charges. This man is seducing people into acts of worship that are illegal.’

“Just as Paul was about to defend himself, Gallio interrupted and said to the Jews, ‘If this were a matter of criminal conduct, I would gladly hear you out. But it sounds to me like one more Jewish squabble, another of your hair-splitting quarrels over religion. Take care of it in your own time. I can’t be bothered with this nonsense,’ and he cleared them out of the courtroom.

‘Now the street rabble turned on Sosthenes, the new meeting place president and beat him up in plain sight of the court. Gallio didn’t raise a finger. He could not have cared less.” Acts 18:12-17 (The Message).

Well done, Gallio! At last a government official with sense!

At first sight, Gallio looked like a welcome champion for Paul and his team. He knew the Jews pretty well. He recognised that they were up to their old tricks again — hair-splitting over religious issues, which was no matter for legal action. They only turned to him because, had they lynched Paul, they would be liable for arrest and trial themselves for committing a crime.

Gallio turned out to be indifferent to their religious nit-picking. He wisely dismissed their complaint because it was a non-issue for the courts, not realising that he had just given them permission to take the matter into their own hands. The street rabble was always looking for an excuse for a brawl, which these unscrupulous Jews exploited to their own advantage. If they could not get at Paul, anyone else would do as a target for their displeasure, and there were always those who would do their dirty work for them.

Gallio’s true colours were exposed when the hooligans, egged on by the irate Jews, turned on Sosthenes in full view of the governor. He was not committed to keeping law and order, so it seemed. Perhaps it was this “Roman citizen” thing again. As long as Roman citizens were not involved, he didn’t care what the others did to one another. As far as he was concerned, they were not his responsibility.

What is it about religion that causes people to forget to be human? Could it be that it is one of Satan’s most potent tools to destroy anyone who has been rescued from his clutches? Throughout the centuries and around the world, atrocities have been and are being committed in the name of religion.

In the name of the church and ordered by the Pope, millions of believers were murdered during the Inquisition in the Middle Ages. The Crusades were nothing but killing campaigns against people of another religion, sadly in the “name” of Jesus. The slaughter continues unabated today. Christians are being persecuted and killed in countless numbers in the name of some god that feels insecure enough to get rid of those who don’t support him!

Regardless of how hard the devil tries, using people like the Jews used the street rabble, he will never destroy God or His people. The fire of truth burns steadily and will continue to burn in the hearts of those who have embraced it, until Jesus comes. We do not have to defend Him or His cause. He is not insecure on His throne!

A Costly Commission

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A COSTLY COMMISSION

“They took the road south through Amphipolis and Apollonia to Thessalonica, where there was a community of Jews. Paul went to their meeting place, as he usually did when he came to a town, and for three Sabbaths running he preached to them from the Scriptures. He opened up the texts so they understood what they’d been reading all their lives: that the Messiah absolutely had to be put to death and raised from the dead — there were no other options — and that ‘this Jesus I’m introducing you to is the Messiah.'” Acts 17:1-3 (The Message).

Day two after their release from jail! How could these men, who had just been severely beaten and were covered in welts and raw wounds, travel such long distances on foot without painkillers, antibiotics or anti-inflammatories? What was it that produced such determination in them to proclaim this message all over the empire regardless of the hostility they encountered from their fellow Jews and from the Roman government?

God had called them to press into Europe and to Europe they would go, regardless of the cost, because they knew that He had commissioned them and He would accompany and support them no matter how people responded. He had never promised them immunity from trouble and suffering. He promised them His own presence, with all His resources, so that they would fulfil their mission, no matter what.

Why could they be so sure of what they were doing? They had at least three reasons for sticking to their ministry, no matter how high the price:

1. They had the Scriptures. Centuries before, Hebrew prophets had recorded, in detail, prophecies about the Messiah. Every one of those prophecies had been fulfilled in Jesus, the Christ. As Paul preached, he matched prophecies with Jesus and the people recognised the truth that Jesus was their Messiah, just as the Scriptures had predicted.

2. They had personal contact with those who had lived with Jesus for three years, those who had watched and listened to Him; who had been present at His crucifixion and talked with Him after His resurrection over a period of forty days. Paul had had an encounter with Him on his way to Damascus that changed the course of his life.

3. Through the miracle of faith, their own lives had been changed, giving them an inner peace and joy that not even the experience of the past days could erase. How could they pray and sing instead of cursing and complaining when they were treated so cruelly and unfairly by civil authorities? They had a Master who had suffered for them. His grace was enough to see them through adversity until they had completed their assignment.

All these experiences added to Paul’s CV, giving him all the testimony he needed to pen the letters that became part of the Scriptures of the New Testament. Paul could never have written words of encouragement and hope to the believers in so many churches had he not had personal experience to which he could testify. Every word he wrote about living the life was first hammered out on the anvil of his own experience. It had to be so otherwise his words would have been nothing but untested theory and useless for his readers.

This life Jesus came to give us is free but costly. Paul found it so, and so shall we if it is our purpose to follow the Master closely and faithfully. It will cost our plans and desires. The Master’s way may take us along rough and even dangerous paths but the rewards will far outweigh any price we are called to pay.

Paul could say, at the end of his journey, that there was a crown of righteousness awaiting him and all those who are looking forward to the Master’s return.

Are you?

Pigs In Pink Tutus!

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PIGS IN PINK TUTUS

“In the course of listening to Paul, a great many Corinthians believed and were baptised. One night the Master spoke to Paul in a dream, ‘Keep it up and don’t let anyone intimidate or silence you. No matter what happens, I’m with you and no one is going to be able to hurt you. You have no idea how many people I have on my side in this city.’ That was all he needed to stick it out. He stayed another year and a half, faithfully teaching the Word of God to the Corinthians.” Acts 18:9-11 (The Message).

Corinth? Why would Paul need such powerful and personal reassurance when his evangelistic campaign seemed to be going so well? The city of Corinth was not only well known for its style of architecture but also for the nature of its residents, so much so that the word ‘Corinthian’ describes a pleasure loving, debauched and impure person.

It was into this environment, thick with sexual and sensual perversion, that Paul came with the message of Jesus — somewhat like trying to dress a muddy pig in a pink tutu! The response to his preaching was phenomenal! He should have been thrilled and excited but it seems he was not. He was so depressed that he needed a personal visit from the Lord in a dream to encourage and energise him to persevere.

When we marry Luke’s story in Acts with Paul’s letters, we catch a glimpse of what he was up against. Of all the churches he wrote to, this one needed at least four letters to address the issues that were tearing the church apart: factions among the members, gross sexual sins which they tolerated without blinking an eye, lawsuits against each other, eating meat offered to idols, drunken and disorderly behaviour at their love feasts, competition over spiritual gifts and even false doctrines — some were undermining the reality of the resurrection.

Other so-called spiritual “authorities” had come in and turned the church against Paul, so that he had to be harsh with them, reminding them that he had fathered them in the faith and that they were as precious to him as his children. He was not in it for money or prestige as they were led to believe.

All this lay ahead for Paul, but the seeds of these deviations were already in them as citizens of a corrupt city. Even in the early days of the church he was aware of what he was up against and was losing heart about this church becoming anything but a liability. Jesus felt the frustration and misgivings of His faithful servant and came in person to reassure him that his work was not in vain.

At this point it was not the Jews who were his problem but the church itself but the strong words of the Master enabled him to pen these words: “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15; 58 (NIV).

When we read the Corinthian letters, we realise how much poorer we would be had Paul not had to deal with such a variety of issues. His wisdom and experience were written, not only for them but for every succeeding generation including us because these matters are as relevant today as they were then.

1 Corinthians 13, the “love” chapter, is a rare gem in literature, penned for posterity out of the need to correct wrong motives in a church unusually gifted with charismata, spiritual gifts that had caused them to become proud and competitive. 1 Corinthians 15, the “resurrection” chapter, brings comfort and hope to many whose loved ones have passed on.

Jesus not only had many that Paul had to reach in a wicked city, but also many messages to His church which were hammered out in Paul’s own experience before he could write about them to his fellow-believers. Nothing is ever wasted. Even these people, whose lives were corrupted by the sinful environment from which they came, were salvaged, saved and sanctified by the grace of God because, to God, no one is beyond redemption.

Stumbling Block

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STUMBLING BLOCK

“When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was able to give all his time to preaching and teaching, doing everything he could to persuade the Jews that Jesus was in fact God’s Messiah. But no such luck. All they did was argue contentiously and contradict him at every turn. Totally exasperated, Paul had finally had it with them and gave it up as a bad job. ‘Have it your way, then,’ he said. ‘You’ve made your bed, now lie on it. From now on I’m spending my time with the other nations.’

“He walked out and went to the home of Titius Justus, a God-fearing man who lived right next to the Jews’ meeting place. But Paul’s efforts with the Jews weren’t a total loss, for Crispus, the meeting place president, put his trust in the Master. His entire family believed with him.” Acts 18:5-8 (The Message).

Paul’s ministry to the Jews was like trying to wring blood out of a stone. The same stubborn resistance and unbelief that frustrated God through their entire history was still in them. It seemed that there were few Jews who responded, wherever Paul went, until he was forced to shake the dust off his feet and turn to those who welcomed him and received his message with enthusiasm. I guess, had Paul not had a face-to-face encounter with Jesus that shook him out of his stubborn unbelief, he might not have been where he was, doing what he was doing.

How did God weave this wholesale rejection into His plan for the salvation of the nations? Would these Jewish missionaries have so readily gone to the Gentiles had the Jews responded in greater numbers? As difficult as it was for Paul to accept the persecution he experienced at the hands of his fellow-countrymen, it was all in the plan of God to make Himself known to the nations to the ends of the earth.

Try as he might, as he went from city to city, he could not persuade the Jews that Jesus was their Messiah. What was the stumbling block? The cross! The very reason why God could invite His people into His presence, apart from the rituals that they had so come to trust, was the reason why they rejected Him in the end. They could not accept a crucified “criminal” as their Messiah, resurrection or no resurrection.

Paul understood this and he also understood that God in His sovereignty used this very rejection to open the door for Gentiles to hear the same saving message.

“Again I ask; Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious…Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in His kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.” Romans 11:11-12; 22 (NIV).

Did God make the Jews rebellious and unbelieving? No, it was their choice. But God, in His sovereignty, used what they were to fulfil His purpose for the world. At the same time, He didn’t cast them off as rejects. In spite of those who believe and propagate that God is finished with the Jews, that is not what the Bible says.

“As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.

“Just as you who were one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so now they too have become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all.” Romans 11:28-32 (NIV).

No Bum!

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NO BUM!

“After Athens, Paul went to Corinth. That is where he discovered Aquila, a Jew born in Pontus, and his wife, Priscilla. They had just arrived from Italy, part of the general expulsion from Rome ordered by Claudius. Paul moved in with them, and they worked together at their common trade of tent-making. But every Sabbath he was at the meeting place, doing his best to convince both Jews and Greeks about Jesus.” Acts 18:1-4 (The Message).

Paul was a nomad but he certainly was no bum. He had no mission board behind him and no monthly stipend to depend on. He was not ashamed to get his hands dirty to take care of his own needs in the course of his mission. He had not only received a rigorous religious training but he had also learned a skill as a tent-maker, which came in handy to meet his needs and to give him credibility in his ministry.

Having done what he could in Athens to sow the seeds of the gospel, he left behind another small group of believers and moved on to Corinth. God was always one step ahead for him on his journey. Aquila and Priscilla, like-minded fellow-Jews, were already in Corinth and ready to give him a home for as long as he needed to be in the city. They were obviously His provision for Paul during his stay there.

No doubt Paul paid his way during his stay in Corinth and probably used his opportunity to “chat” the gospel to his host and hostess. There is no indication that they were believers when they moved from Rome. To all intents and purposes, the gospel had not yet reached Rome unless through some traveller who had spoken about Jesus in the capital city during a visit there.

At this point Paul confined his preaching to the Sabbath at the local synagogue. During the week he and his hosts worked together on their tent making, forging close ties of friendship and love that lasted a lifetime.

We have travelled with Paul since his pre-conversion days and walked with him through the shattering experience of a personal encounter with Jesus and the days that followed. He was a man just like us. He made his mistakes, misjudging John Mark, falling out with Barnabas, and had to change his mind in the end, but he was also a man of extraordinary courage and perseverance. Never did he renege on his commitment to follow Jesus and to carry out His commission.

Corinth was a particularly wicked city, as we glean from Luke’s story and from Paul’s letters. The infant church tolerated unacceptable behaviour among its members, probably because it was woven into their culture and they thought nothing of sexual perversion, drunkenness and factions within the church.

No doubt Paul needed to spend an extended period of time with them to teach the church the standards of godliness demanded by their new life. They had no background knowledge of the Scriptures and it fell to Paul to instruct them painstakingly in the ABC’s of the gospel; hence the home of these amicable Jews to provide a base for him to operate.

Corinth must have been a learning experience for Paul as well. He learned to be a gracious guest as well as a loving and caring pastor of a church growing in the heart of “Sodom”. He needed patience, tolerance and perseverance to guide the believers away from their old lives of self-indulgence and debauchery to the newness of Christ-indwelt children of God.

We will read Paul’s letters to this church with new understanding when we recognise what he was up against in this city of Satan. God had provided an oasis for him in Aquila and Priscilla’s home and a skill which he shared with his hosts. With that as a jumping off ground, he was able to live out and minister Jesus to the new believers there.