Category: Book of Acts

Missions 101

On By BrianIn Book of Acts, Church Life

Acts 13 might be called Missions 101.  It not only tells us of the first missionaries sent out by a church, but in doing so it also offers us a good overview of missions for today.  We see:

  • The Call to Missions (v1-4) – The call comes in the context of worship and fasting.  The Holy Spirit gives the call, and clearly gives it to both the called and the sending church.  They respond to the call with a period of prayer and fasting.  Finally, the church sends the missionaries out, and they go.  What a great model for us!
  • The Warfare of Missions (v4-13) – They face demonic opposition.  Satan doesn’t want the gospel to go forth.  We wrestle not against flesh and blood.  Missions is war.  But God is stronger than the devil.  Sobering reality mixed with great hope!
  • The Message of Missions (v14-43) – They preach the gospel:  Jesus died for sins and rose again as foretold by the prophets and witnessed by the apostles.  His death and resurrection make possible the forgiveness of sins to all who believe.  This is still the message today!
  • The Scope of Missions (v44-47) – The gospel is for the Jew and the Gentile.  It is for everyone – to the ends of the earth.  There are still people groups at the ends of the earth who need to hear the good news!
  • The Response to Missions (v48-52) – Some people oppose the gospel stirring up persecution.  Others embrace the gospel with joy.  And so it will be today!

An Example of Prayer

On By BrianIn Book of Acts, Church Life, Habit of Prayer

In Acts 12, Herod throws Peter in prison. How does the church respond?  With prayer. They seek the aid of the King of Kings who is greater than a mere earthly king. Their prayer response provides us with a good example for prayer today.  Consider that their prayer was:

  • Corporate – Verse 12 says, “…many were gathered together and were praying.”  They believed in the importance of corporate prayer.  They believed in the church coming together to pray.  In our individualistic culture, we often miss this.  But the early church was a community, and they prayed together.  Do we pray corporately?
  • Earnest – Verse 5 says, “…earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.”  Their prayer was earnest.  The same word is used of Jesus’ prayer in the garden as he sweated blood.  Their prayer was not half-hearted or mere duty.  They cried out to God.  They pleaded with God.  Do we pray earnestly?
  • Extended – Verses 4-6 make clear that Peter was in prison for at least a couple of days.  And during that whole time, the church prayed.  Day in and day out.  They were even praying through the night when Peter escaped.  Undoubtedly they had to stop to work and sleep, but when they could, they gathered to pray.  When a significant trial comes upon our church, do we pray extendedly?
  • Expectant – Lest we think the early church were super-Christians, verses 13-16 make clear that they failed in this area of prayer.  When Rhoda tells them Peter is at the door, they think that she is out of her mind.  What irony that they are knocking on the door of heaven, and the answer to their prayer is knocking on their door – and they don’t believe it.  Do we pray expectantly?

Full of Faith

On By BrianIn Book of Acts1 Comment

In Acts 6, we were told that Stephan was a man full of faith.  And so as Stephen nears the end of his life in Acts 7, it should be no surprise to us that we find him full of faith.  He is full of faith and we too should be full of faith in:

  • The Promise of Heaven – He cries out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (v59).  He is confident that his spirit is going to be with Jesus in heaven.  And his confidence is not found in himself or his good works, but in the one he addresses – in Jesus.  When the stones are flying in our lives, we need this faith in the promise of heaven.  We need to be able to look past the trials to the reward when there will be no more flying stones.  And when the final stone is flying, and it is our time to die, we need that faith in Jesus who promises heaven for his people.
  • The Providence of God – Stephan prays that the Lord will not hold this sin against his attackers (v60).  How can he forgive as the stones are flying?  Because he believes God is in control.  Like in Joseph’s life, what they meant for evil, God would use for good.  He was trusting in God’s plan for him even if it meant his death.  When the stones are flying in our lives, we too need this faith in God’s providence.  We too need to trust God when the situation makes no sense to us.
  • The Priority of Jesus – His approach to Christianity was not tacking Jesus onto his story to make his life better.  If his story was central, he couldn’t stand as the stones are flying because his story was ending.  But he understood the priority of Jesus.  It was all about Jesus – the one Stephen had been proclaiming.  Stephen had been tacked onto Jesus’ story, and that story would continue when Stephen died.  When the stones are flying in our lives, we need this faith in the priority of Jesus – that it is all about him, and our purpose is simply to point to him.
  • The Presence of God – Stephen saw Jesus.  He knew God was with him, and that gave him strength to persevere.  When the stones are flying in our lives, we may not see a vision like Stephen did, but we need that firm faith in God’s presence with us.  And because God is with us, we can be strong and courageous when the stones are flying.

Full and Standing

On By BrianIn Book of Acts, Habit of Scripture

Stephen was preaching the gospel.  There arose opposition, and these men disputed with him, “but they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking” (Acts 6:10).  He was full of the Spirit and wisdom, and it showed.  His opponents gathered false witnesses and brought him before the Sanhedrin.  The high priest asked if the charges were true, and Stephen begins to speak to them from the Scriptures.  He was full of the Word, and it showed.

We too must be full of the Spirit and wisdom and the Word so that we might use the Word in the face of persecution or even simple discussion of the gospel with others.  We must be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks us for a reason for the hope that is in us (I Peter 3:15).  Are you ready like Stephen was?

We must be full of the Spirit and wisdom and the Word in our temptations so that we might follow the Spirit’s leading and wisely discern which verses to use against them.  Are you, like Jesus, well equipped with verses to throw in the devil’s face?

We must be full of the Spirit and wisdom and the Word in our trials so that we can follow the leading of the Spirit and wisely discern where we might find encouragement and strength from God’s Word.  Do you have an arsenal of verses at your disposal to use in times of trial?

If we are going to stand when the opposition comes against us – whether persecution, temptation, or trial – we must be full of the Spirit, wisdom, and the Word.  Are you?

Becoming Full

On By BrianIn Book of Acts, Habit of Prayer, Habit of Scripture

Last week we looked at three areas where we should be full.  We should be full of the Spirit, full of wisdom, and full of faith.  But how do we get full?  How can we be filled?  This is not something we can do on our own.  Each of these things comes from God, and so if we are going to be full we must look to God.

  • First, we must look to God in prayer.  In Acts 4, the early church prayed and they were filled with the Holy Spirit.  James 1:5 tells us that if any lack wisdom, they should ask of God, and God will give wisdom.  In Mark 9:24, a man cries out to Jesus that he might overcome his unbelief.  If we want to be full, we must pray.  Do you pray to be full?
  • Second, we must look to God in His Word.  In Ephesians 5:18-20, we are told to be full of the Spirit.  In a parallel passage in Colossians 3:16, we are told to be full of the Word.  The Spirit and the Word work together.  The Word is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17).  Psalm 19:7 tells us that God’s Word makes people wise.  Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes from hearing the Word.  If we want to be full, we must be in the Word.  Are you filling yourself with God’s Word?

Full

On By BrianIn Book of Acts1 Comment

When the members of the early church were given the task of choosing seven men to make sure the church’s widows were fed, the apostles gave some important criteria (Acts 6:1-7).  These men must be of good repute, and they must be full.  They must be full of:

  • The Spirit: To be full of the Spirit is to be empowered and enabled by the Spirit to accomplish the ministry (Acts 4:31).  A person filled with the Spirit will follow the leading of the Spirit and show forth the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26).
  • Wisdom: Undoubtedly practical wisdom would be required to take care of the details of feeding so many people.  Beyond that, they needed Biblical wisdom to discern right from wrong, and in the fear of the Lord (which is the beginning of wisdom) choose what is right.  As they were entrusted with much money to buy much food, they had to be trustworthy.
  • Faith: This was not a criteria but an observation about Stephen.  He was full of faith.  To be full of faith is to have a firm faith in Jesus for salvation.  A full faith will trust God in trials and persecutions.

It must be recognized that these seven men came from the membership of the church.  The only way leaders could be chosen is if the members were growing in these areas, which means we all should be growing in these areas.  Looked at another way, leaders are to be an example to the church so that all of the church might follow their example, and so we too should follow their example and seek to grow in these areas.

Are you living in the power and leading of the Spirit, showing his fruit in your life?

Are you discerning between right and wrong and choosing to do what is right?

Are you growing in your faith in God for salvation, and trusting him in your trials?

Are you being filled?

Are you full?

Six Clear Commitments for the Church

On By BrianIn Book of Acts, Church Life

In Acts 6:1-7, we see six clear commitments of the early church.  These same commitments should be true of our churches today as well:

  • Unity – The occasion behind this passage is a real threat to unity.  Diverse backgrounds, neglect, and complaining all threaten the church.  The apostles deal decisively with the problems to preserve unity in the church.  So should we.
  • Caring Fellowship – The early church was daily feeding widows in need.  Acts 2 tells us they gave to anyone in the church who was in need.  Plus they met regularly in homes.  They cared about each other in tangible ways, and so should we.
  • Prayer and the Word – The apostles wouldn’t neglect prayer and the Word.  Indeed throughout Acts, we see prayer and the Word continually.  These were central to the early church, and they should be central in our churches today.
  • Diverse Roles – If the church was going to commit to caring fellowship and the Word and prayer, it became clear that diverse roles were necessary.  Some needed to focus on caring for people’s physical needs, while others focused on people’s spiritual needs.  Diverse roles are just as important today.
  • Active Membership – The full number of the disciples assembled for essentially a business meeting to deal with the issue at hand.  They were involved in choosing the seven.  These same disciples were devoted to the ministries of the church (Acts 2:41-42).  We need an active membership today.
  • Qualified Leadership – The apostles gave clear guidelines for choosing the seven.  This was not a popular vote.  Each leader had to have a good reputation, and be full of the Spirit and full of wisdom.  We need leaders like that today as well.

As the early church lived out these six commitments, the gospel continued to spread.  May God help our churches to live out these six clear commitments, and may the Lord cause the gospel to spread through us today!

What Are We Willing To Risk?

On By BrianIn Book of Acts

In Acts 4-5, we see the apostles taking risks for the gospel.  In Acts 4, when Peter and John had been arrested, the Jewish leaders charged them not to speak any more about Jesus.  Upon being further threatened and then released, the apostles convened a prayer meeting to pray for boldness to continue to speak of Jesus.  And they continued to proclaim the gospel with boldness and power (4:31, 33).  They took risks for the sake of the gospel and multitudes were being saved (5:14).

The chief priests driven by jealousy, arrested the apostles and put them in prison (5:17-18).  God sent an angel to bring them out and command them to go into the temple and continue preaching the gospel.  And so they did.  They continued to take risks for the gospel.  After finding the prison empty and the apostles in the temple, the chief priests arrested the apostles again.  Standing before the Sanhedrin, the apostles began proclaiming the gospel to the very men who opposed them (5:30-32).  They were again taking risks for the gospel.  Indeed the Sanhedrin wanted to kill the apostles!

The advice of a Pharisee named Gamaliel saved their lives, but they were beaten for proclaiming the gospel before they were released.  And what did they do?  They continued to proclaim the gospel (5:42).  They continued to risk everything for the sake of the gospel.

Which brings us to the question:  What are we willing to risk for the sake of the gospel?  Are we willing to risk it all?  Risk our lives?  Our wealth?  Our comfort?  Our jobs?  Our popularity?  Are we willing to risk ridicule and rejection?  What are we willing to risk to make use of the opportunities God gives us to share the gospel?  What are we willing to risk for the One who gave his life for us?

An Effective Witness

On By BrianIn Book of Acts

One of the main themes of Acts is witness.  Jesus called the disciples to be his witnesses, and we trace that witness throughout the book.  In the first five chapters, we see five characteristics of an effective witness which we should apply to our lives and churches today:

  • Proclaim the message.  This may go without saying, but we see again and again in these first few chapters the proclamation of the gospel.  Clearly we need to be looking for opportunities to proclaim the gospel today.
  • Pray for the gospel to go forth.  In Acts 4, after being threatened for proclaiming the gospel, the early church prays.  They pray for boldness to continue to proclaim the gospel.  Their prayer is centered on a desire to see the gospel spread.  We too ought to be crying out to God for the gospel to be spread.
  • Be filled with the Holy Spirit.  After praying, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.  We are reminded that we cannot save anyone, only God can.  And so for an effective witness, we need the Holy Spirit to be active in our lives, and indeed in the lives of those who are hearing the good news.
  • Be generous with one another.  The early church was known for its generosity (Acts 4:32-37).  This made their message attractive and real – they were showing generosity toward each other even as God had shown great generosity toward them.  Jesus said people would know we are his disciples by our love and good deeds (John 13:35, Matthew 5:16).  Our love for one another will help to draw people to the gospel.
  • Live in the fear of God.  An important part of the gospel is that we have died to sin and been raised to righteousness.  We are to live a new life turning from wickedness to follow Jesus.  When we fail to live out this new life, we deny the power of the gospel.  We begin to look like the rest of the world.  And why should the world care what we say if our lives don’t match our words? This was part of the problem with Ananaias and Sapphira’s sin (5:1-11).  But God dealt very decisively with them, so that the church might fear God and live a new life according to the gospel.

The witness of the early church showed these five characteristics, and multitudes were saved (5:14).  May our witness look like this, and may God grant to us this year many who will be saved!

The Fear of God

On By BrianIn Book of Acts

Seeing others sell their land and give the money to the church, Ananias and Sapphira decide to the same (Acts 5:1-11).  But they choose to keep some of the money.  Nothing wrong so far.  But then they further decide to pretend that they are giving all of the money.  They decide to deceive the church.  They choose to lie.

When Peter confronts them, he makes clear that they are not merely lying to the church, but by application they are lying to God.  They are testing God by sinning in his face.  There is no fear of God before their eyes.  And God punishes their sin by taking their lives.  Great fear came upon the church.  What Ananias and Sapphira lacked, the rest of the church now received in abundance.

This passage is a stern reminder that God is not to be trifled with.  He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He is our Creator.  And as such, we owe him respect, reverence, awe, fear, and obedience.  How dare we ever think that we can sin against God, and God won’t notice!  How dare we ever consider testing God by parading our sin in his face!  We dare not treat God flippantly.  Those who are living in sin are living in dangerous territory.

We live in a world that thinks nothing of sin.  Sin is celebrated in the media and everywhere you look.  And this carefree attitude toward sin has in too many ways infiltrated the church.  We need a fresh dose of the fear of God.  We need to take sin seriously – like God does.  We may need to repent and seek God’s forgiveness.  We need to pursue righteousness.  We need to live in the fear of the Lord.