Acts 15:1-5 – Facing Disagreement

Acts 15 describes the first Jerusalem council that took place. This marks a major turning point in the book of Acts. The mission to reach the Gentiles had been launched and numerous of them had been saved. Gentile congregations mushroomed in many places, in the two Antiochs, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe.

Not governed by Jewish laws and traditions, the Gentiles found more liberty in expressing their new found faith in Christ. Furthermore there was no discussion or agreement by the leaders as yet on what the Gentile believers should or should not do. It is here in this chapter that we find such a discussion and an agreement on what to impose on the Gentile believers.

Up to this point, the church in Jerusalem was keeping a watchful eye on the development of the church. In Acts 11:1-8 they sent Peter and John to check on the outreach work among the Samaritans. Then in Acts 11:22, they sent Barnabas to inspect the development in Antioch. Now in Acts 15:1 we see that some unauthorized Jews came from Judea to Antioch and began to teach, whether formally or informally, that circumcision was a requisite for salvation.

Paul and Barnabas disagreed with them on the issue and great dissension and debate over it had taken place. Still the issue was not resolved. It threatened to break-up the harmony between the Jewish and Gentile believers. The brethren insisted that Paul, Barnabas and some of their people should go to Jerusalem to consult with the apostles and elders. No other detail was given but the dispute was serious enough that the Jerusalem council had to be convened to deliberate the issue.

So Paul and Barnabas and some of their people made their journey to Jerusalem, as they passed the region of Phoenicia and Samaria, they shared with the people on the conversion of the Gentiles. Their reposts brought great joy to the brethren in those places.

When they finally arrived in Jerusalem, they were received by the church, the apostles and the elders. And they also reported to them all the work God had done with them. Nothing was said of the response of the church in Jerusalem except that some believers from among the Pharisees stood up and insisted that to become a Christian, circumcision and observing the Law of Moses was a necessity. 

What can we learn from this short five verses? For one, we know that unity in the church is of primary importance. There will always be issues we do not see eye to eye with each other. They should not be allowed to divide our oneness in Christ. We should talk about it and seek to disagree agreeably. In the essentials of our faith, practice unity. In the non-essentials, exercise liberty. But in all things show charity. 

Acts 14:20b-28 – Paul & Barnabas returned to Antioch

The last we read was when Paul was stoned and left for dead outside the city of Lystra. But he survived and after being watched by the disciples, he returned to Lystra, where they had stoned him. Together with Barnabas, they rested for the night. Having gained sufficient strength, they left for Derbe the next day.

In verse 21 the author made a quick summary that they made many disciples after preaching the gospel in this new city. Quickly, their steps were retraced and they revisited Lystra, Iconium and Pisidium, the three cities of Galatia. It took great bravery to do what they did. How many people would return to places where their lives were threatened? Yet these brave souls returned to where they had earlier faced bitter oppositions. 

Verse 22 provides the reasons for their return. Like good parents they refused to be irresponsible. They couldn’t possibly leave the converts there without strengthening them. So despite the danger, they returned to encourage them in their faith and also to warn them to anticipate tribulations. They told those new disciples that they would need to endure hardship to enter the Kingdom of God.

Besides encouraging the new believers in the Lord to stay faithful, they also appointed elders in every church there. Just as they were sent forth as missionaries with prayer and fasting, they did the same for those elders. They also prayed for them with fasting before committing them to the Lord. 

Paul and Barnabas had fruitfully planted many churches in the cities in Galatia in this first missionary journey. They were now headed home for Antioch in Syria where they were sent out. They passed Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. As they went they also preached the word at Perga which they must have bypassed earlier. Then they headed for the port at Attalia where they set sail for home.

With the task completed, they reached home. Gathering the church together, they reported to them all that God had done through them, and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. We are not told how long they remained at Antioch. But they did spend a long time there. 

Commitment, bravery, diligence, plus the relying on the Holy Spirit took Paul and Barnabas through tough times into victory. Their focus was the Lord as they live life’s great adventure. Amazingly they were mightily used of God to reach the world of Rome within a single generation. 

What about us? Do we have the same gumption, the same determination to reach our nation and our generation? Will God say of us as He said of King David in Acts 13:22 & 36? ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will…’ And this “David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep….”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acts 14:8-20a – The Miracle at Lystra

Leaving Iconium, on hearing that the people there had intention to stone them, Paul and Barnabas went to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe as well as the surrounding region.

At Lystra, Paul had a dramatic start to his ministry. He healed a man who was born lame and had never walked since birth. This man was seated listening to what Paul was saying. Looking intensely at him, Paul could sense his faith and readiness to receive a miracle. So he said loudly to him, “Stand upright on your feet.” Immediately he leaped up and started to walk.

This was a remarkable miracle that only deities could do. At least this was what the crowds at Lystra, who saw the miracle, thought so. They had concluded that Paul and Barnabas were deities who came to them in human form. So they named Barnabas, Zeus, and they called Paul, Hermes, a messenger of god. Even the priest of Zeus, from a temple that was outside the city, came with oxen and garlands to the gate, ready to offer sacrifice with the crowds.

When Paul and Barnabas knew what they were going to do, they were mystified and horrified. As good servants of God, they prevented them, by rushing among the people, tearing their garments, and shouted loudly that they were not some deities but merely humans like them. As far as they were concerned, such activities must stop. Preventing them from carrying out their offering, they then presented the Gospel to them.  According to verse 18 they had difficulty in restraining them from carrying out their activities.

Paul began by calling on them to turn from vain idols to a living God, who made the heaven, earth and the sea and all that was in them. Although they were from pagan background, Paul did not condemn them harshly. He pointed out that God had allowed them to go on their own way in time past. But God was leaving a witness of Himself through the nature. He was the One who gave them the rain, harvest and food for their bountiful living. However, we can see that sufficient ground was laid for the same conclusion found in Acts 17:30-31, which he gave at Athens. There he said, that in Christ, God would no longer overlook men’s ignorance. People everywhere must repent and acknowledge Christ to inherit God’s eternal Kingdom.

But strangely enough, Paul did not bring the message to any conclusion in his message. And there was also no indication of any response. Instead we find the opposition incited by Jews who came from Antioch and Iconium. They managed to win over the people and together they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, believing that he was dead. But some disciples stood around him and he got up and went back to the city.  

One glaring fact is clearly evident here: the fickleness of the people. Remember, once they were going to offer sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas as if they were deities. And yet so quickly they could be persuaded to turn against them. Isn’t this the same with the crowd at the Lord’s trial? One moment they shouted, “Hosanna, to the King!” next they were crying vehemently, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

The amazing thing is this, Paul was unfazed. He kept on. He remained steadfast. He entertained no flattery, neither was he deterred by harsh treatment. This is a quality worth emulating. Have our relationship with the Lord reached a point where we will neither be moved by the flattery of men nor crumbled by their opposition?  Let’s make that a goal in our journey!  

Acts 14:1-7- Paul & Barnabas at Iconium

Leaving Pisidian Antioch, Paul and Barnabas journeyed to Iconium. As usual, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Although they had indicated in Acts 13:46 that they were turning to the Gentiles, yet here the first thing they did, was to go to the Jewish synagogue. They seemed to contradict themselves.

Yes, they did say that they would turn to the Gentiles, but that statement did not say that they would rule out the Jews. Anyway, the synagogue was a good place to start. People present would have sufficient knowledge of the Old Testament that Paul could connect to Christ. Furthermore, there would also be the Gentile proselytes, the God-fearers, who were attracted to Israel’s monotheistic belief.

Verse 1 suggests that Paul and Barnabas were articulate, and the manner they spoke attracted good responses, that both Jews and Greeks believed what they had said. However, there were also some antagonistic Jews who did not believe. These stirred up the mind of the Gentiles and embittered them against those who believed.

What happened did not deter them from preaching. Instead of cowering in fear, they remained committed to the task, speaking out boldly.  They did that by relying on the Lord.  Fearlessly, they shared the word of grace. The Lord attested to their preaching by granting signs and wonders through their hands. The wonders of miracles were not to satisfy the curiosity of the people, but to authenticate the divine nature of the Gospel.

Before long, division began to appear among the people of the city. There were those that sided with the Jews and there were also those that sided with the apostles. Here Luke acknowledges both Paul and Barnabas as apostles. In a broader sense this word means one who is sent forth. Truly, both were sent forth from the church in Antioch.

The opposition began to take the form of a mob. There were plans and intentions by the opposition to lynch and stone them. This plot came to their knowledge, so they were forced to leave Iconium. They fled to Lystra and Derbe, both these were cities of Lycaonia. And there they were not deterred by what had happened at Iconium, they kept preaching the Gospel.    

How many people would have been discouraged and totally gave up in despair, but not Paul and Barnabas. They held through. There were no challenges greater than their love for their Lord. They just moved on when one place refused to accept their message. The key is found in this phrase in verse 3, “…speaking boldly, with reliance upon the Lord.”

Like them, we must not let opposition derail us. People we seek to reach for Christ may resist the message. There may even be those who persist in it, hoping to discourage us.  But God is ever present to help us advance in our assigned task. If God is for us, who can overcome us.   

Acts 9:32-43 - Meeting Needs Miraculously

Acts 9:32-43 describe two miracles that took place in Peter's ministry. The first incidence recorded in verses 32-35 happened in the town of Lydda. This is where the airport at modern Tel Aviv is located today.

Here Peter saw a man who was paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. Aeneas was his name. Just imagine the inconvenience he must have experienced. The physical restriction, the discomfort, the immobility, etc, that he was confronted with daily for eight years.

Now imagine the feeling he must have felt when he heard the words of Peter, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed." We are told that he immediately got up. No other explanation needed. Aeneas just got up. What followed was a natural consequence. Those who knew him and saw his new condition turned to the Lord. Hallelujah!

Then there was this second incidence described in verses 36-43. This miracle took place in Joppa, to a lady disciple of Christ, by the name of Tabitha. In Greek she was known as Dorcas. And she was lovely, gracious and generous.

Tabitha fell sick and died. We are not told the reason. So they took her body, performed the last office and than laid it in an upper room. Meanwhile they heard that Peter was at Lydda which was about 10 miles away. They quickly despatched two men to implore Peter to hurry to them in Joppa.

Peter responded to the distress call. He arose and followed them to Joppa. On arrival, they ushered him into that upper room where Tabitha's lifeless body was laid. Beside the corpse of Tabitha were other widows, weeping and mourning her death. They remembered fondly the garments she had sewn for them, for Tabitha was a seamstress.    

Sending the people out, Peter first knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to that lifeless body and firmly said to her, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes. On seeing Peter, she sat up.

Stretching his hand to hold Tabitha's, Peter raised her up. Then calling together all the fellow believers and widows who were mourning her death, he presented the resurrected Tabitha to them.

How can anything prevent people from believing in the Lord after this had happened? So stating the obvious, verse 42 tells us that the news of Dorcas'  resurrection spread throughout  Joppa and many came to faith in the Lord.

Meanwhile Peter continued to stay in Joppa in the home of  Simon the Tanner. This was in preparation for the next scene in Peter's life.

We need to know that praying for the sick is a Biblical injunction. Some have difficulty accepting this ministry. Aren't we told in James 5:14-15: "Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up..." Let's boldly obey this instruction.

From Peter's life, we also learned the importance of personal ministry. We must learn to  respond to the call of distress.  There will be times in our lives where  we need to put aside what seemed urgent to attend to the more important. It could be a matter of life and death. The Lord is counting on us to meet the needs of others in the community of faith. Dare we ignore His call to meet needs?

Acts 13:44-52 – Gentiles converted at Pisidian Antioch

Here in this passage, Paul and Barnabas were still at Pisidian Antioch. In Acts 10:42, we see the interest of Paul’s audience. After his preaching, they urged the missionaries to return to the synagogue the next Sabbath to continue to share the Word with them. So on the next Sabbath which would be a week later, a great crowd gathered to hear the Word of the Lord.

Paul again spoke. However, this time they met with opposition from the Jews. These Jews did not believe so they were filled with jealousy, so they kept going against Paul’s word and were blaspheming.

While there was no detail about what Paul and Barnabas shared, we can be quite certain that it would be about Jesus, the Messiah. It would be about how He was killed by the Jews and was raised from death by God. And wonderfully through this Name, many were being converted and saved to follow the Messiah.

In verse 46 Paul and Barnabas sized up the whole situation. They knew that the Jews were not receiving the Word of God, although their first intention was to bring the Gospel to them. And since they would not receive the Word and eternal life, they would turn to reach the Gentiles. They quoted what Isaiah 49:6 says “I have placed you as a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the end of the earth,” to support their mission to the Gentiles.

What they said brought gladness to the Gentiles who rejoiced and gladly participated in the Word of the Lord. We are told here that many who were destined to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord spread throughout the region.  

Paul and Barnabas brought the Gospel to the people at a price. The Jews who opposed them incited the devout women of prominence and leading men of the city against Paul and Barnabas. So they were drove out of the city.

They acted on what Jesus had instructed the disciples to do (Luke 9:5 & 10:11), they “shook off the dust of their feet” and went on to Iconium. Their work was not in vain. They have left behind a group of converts who continued to be filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Believers and workers of God are never left stranded. This is the joy of trusting Jesus and being active in His work and word. As evident in the lives of Paul, Barnabas and their converts, everyone (both the preachers as well as the recipients) was strengthened by the Holy Spirit in the midst of opposition.

Let’s not be discouraged in the work of sharing the love of God. Opportunities abound everywhere we go. There would be people who are open to the Word. Just stay faithful in the task and like Paul, we will always leave behind some who would rejoice and glory in the Word. These would be those who would be filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

Acts 13:26-43 - Salvation Promised

 

Having made known to his audience that God was in sovereign control, and Jesus was David’s descendant and God’s promised Savior, from verse 26 onwards, Paul took them further into his message.
 
Here in verse 26, he again passionately addressed his audience, calling them son of Abraham’s family and God-fearers. He was seeking to connect with them on this important part of his message.

In summary, what Paul told them was this: what the Scriptures foretold about Jesus was fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Jesus. He showed that he was not speaking about something new or obscure. In fact he was sharing something foretold by God’s prophets of old.

Although God’s promised Savior has appeared, yet not everyone saw it. So the people and elders conspired and asked Pilate to execute the Savior. Everything, His suffering and death happened just as foretold. Paul’s point was this: Jesus was innocent, yet they put Him to death. But His death fulfilled Old Testament prophecies.

Paul then went on to prove Christ’s resurrection. Although the Savior was buried in a tomb, God raised Him from the dead. And for many days He made resurrected appearances to those who came with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Again this was in keeping with the Old Testament – Psalm 2:7 and Psalm16:10

In verses 38-39, Paul asserted that through Jesus’ forgiveness, justification was offered. Then in verse 41, quoting Habakkuk 1:5, Paul used it as a warning to those who reject God’s offer of salvation. It was obvious from verses 42-43 that their message was well received because the people urged them to come back to share more. Paul and Barnabas encouraged them to continue in the grace that they had received.

God forgives and justifies. What marvelous grace! We are privileged to experience them. No wonder Paul exuberantly called us to live to the praise of His glorious grace. In other words, we should live our lives in such a way that would cause the name of Christ to be praised. Let’s do it for His glory!

Acts 13:13-25 - God's Sovereign Control

Given the personality that he had, it came as no surprise that Paul should now be taking the lead. From Paphos, the three, Paul, Barnabas and John Mark set out to sea arriving at Perga in Pamphylia.

At Pamphylia, John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. No reason was given at this point as to why they parted ways. There is no point adding on to the speculations.  But we do know that it was not a pleasant situation.

Paul and Barnabas did not remain long in Perga before they journeyed to Pisidian Antioch. Arriving there, they lost no time. For on the Sabbath day both missionaries went to the synagogue and sat among the people. After reading the Scriptures (the Law and the prophets), the synagogue officials asked for them and invited them to give the exhortation.

Seizing the opportunity, Paul stood up and animatedly gave a message to them.   He began by addressing two types of hearers: Jews and the proselytes or the God-fearers. Ably, he connected with his audience by affirming the community relationship.

In verses 17 to 19, Paul started by dealing with the election of Israel and their salvation,  covering 450 years of God's historical dealing with them.  Topics covered included: God's choice of Israel, their growth in numbers in Egypt, their mighty deliverance, their wilderness wandering before settling into the promised land when the seven nations of Canaan were dealt with.

From verses 20-25, Paul covered the era of the Prophet Samuel to King David. And how from David's line God gave them the promised Savior, Jesus of Nazareth.

Two things stand out in these verses: God's sovereign control and God's promise.

(1) God sovereignly controls history with Israel occupying a unique place in God's plan. Notice that God was central in everything. It was He who purposed and brought His plan to pass. He chose them, He multiplied them in Egypt, He delivered them from bondage. He led them through the wilderness, He conquered the enemy nations and He gave them the promised land.

(2) Jesus is God's promised Messiah. He raised King David, and from his royal linage came Jesus, the Messiah. John the Baptist affirmed this Messiah by saying that, "But behold, one is coming after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

As we align with God and offer Him our lives and commitment, we can be assured that He is very much in charge. Just as He fulfilled all that He had promised to Israel, He will also fulfill for us what He has promised. Let's allow Him to take our relationship with Jesus, our Savior and Messiah, deeper. For in Him we have redemption, the forgiveness of our sin.

Praise The Lord!

Acts 13:4-12 - Power encounter at Cyprus

 Being sent by the Holy Spirit, Barnabas and Saul, taking John Mark, went to Seleucus, the port of Antioch. From there they set sail for Cyprus docking at Salamis. Acts 4:36 tells us that Cyprus was Barnabas home country.

At Salamis, they preached at the synagogues. The presence of synagogues tells us that there were colonies of Jewish people on the Island. The role of John Mark was not clear, but we are told that he was there to help.

Nothing is said about what took place from Salamis to Paphos. We surmise that they just preached the good news with every opportunity and in synagogues wherever they went. The highlight of the passage was about a Jewish false prophet by the name of Bar-Jesus, meaning son of Jesus or Joshua. He was given the title Elymas, meaning the magician.

In introducing Elymas, we get an indication that there was an attempt to disrupt the word of God from reaching proconsul Sergius Paulus. This false Jewish prophet was attached to the office of this proconsul Sergius Paulus, the chief Roman official of the island of Cyprus.

The proconsul summoned for Barnabas and Paul, seeking to hear the Word of God. But Elymas came between the servants of God and the proconsul, trying to prevent the latter from believing in  the good news.

Saul, now known as Paul, by the power of the Holy Spirit, thwarted the plan of the evil one. He fixed his gaze on Elymas and dealt with him firmly.  Paul told him off saying, “You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord?

Together with his rebuke, Paul also pronounced a curse upon the magician saying, "Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately he was struck with blindness and needed to be led about by his helpers.

Notice that the judgment of blindness  was only for a season. It is interesting to note that Paul should pronounce blindness on Elymas. Could he be thinking of his own earlier experience? Perhaps this temporary blindness that struck this magician was also a means to bring light to his lost soul ultimately.

However, this event had a profound and powerful effect on the proconsul. Verse 12 tells us that he became a believer at once. What a climatic close to the incidence. Notice that Paul now had taken the lead role.

What happened at Cyprus tells us that spiritual warfare would always be involved in the work of God. On the surface it might just appear as a human attempt to disrupt the work of God. But Paul's rebuke tells us that there was more than what meets the eye. He identified that underneath it was that old devil seeking to undermine God's work.  

As we seek to trust God and rely on the Holy Spirit in our journey and service to God, we too will face diabolical opposition. The key to find victory is to live a life of allegiance to the Lord as we serve Him.

Acts 13:1-3 - Barnabas and Saul commissioned

So far, Luke in this second account, had already traced the spread of the Gospel to Judea and Samaria. So he would be taking us into the next phase. That is, the launching of the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

Paul had already been converted, called and commissioned. And he would be a key figure to the mission to reach the ends of the earth. Furthermore, we have already seen the founding of the church in Antioch, the mission centre. This would become the base for future mission activity.

Here in Chapter 13:1, we can tell that the scene was prepared. The church was  ready for the next big thrust, Paul's first missionary journey. It was one guided and directed by the Holy Spirit.

Barnabas and Saul had returned from their relief mission recorded in Acts 12:25. They were just two, of the five mentioned leaders, among the fast growing church. There were designated prophets and teachers. The prophets would be guided by the Spirit to provide direction for the present and future. And the teachers would impart Spirit-guided interpretation and teaching of the Word.

Apart from Barnabas and Saul, we are now introduced to three others. Simeon who was also called Niger. This could be Simon of Cyrene, the man who was tasked to carried the cross of the Lord while on the Road to Calvary, recorded in Mark 15:20. Then we have Lucius of Cyrene and a surprise inclusion, Manaen who was said to have grown up with Herod.

The inclusion of Manaen or Menahem, a Hebrew name, is a great tribute to God's grace. Despite his background, yet the Lord had gifted him to be a prophet and teacher in the church in Antioch.

Notice that in the list of five leaders, Saul was mentioned last. It was because he was the latest addition to the leadership. Remember it was Barnabas who sought him out in Tarsus and brought him to Antioch to help with the work.  

This few brief verses tell a lot about the spiritual climate of the church at that time. We are not told whether that was a regular worship service or not, but they were ministering to the Lord during a time of fasting. They were seeking His will for them.  Then the Holy Spirit spoke and directed through one of the prophets.

The church was told to set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work God had set apart for them specifically. After they had fasted and prayed, they laid hand on the two and consecrated and sent them off to their God-directed mission.

These three verses reveal to us the spiritual climate of the church in Antioch. It was a church with much happening. Their activities show how earnest they were about their work with the Lord. They prayed, fasted, listened, obeyed, consecrated, commissioned, released and sent.

God's purposes and plans, whether personal or corporate, are usually clearly identified and determined through earnest prayer that includes fasting. A life energized by such spiritual exercises connects better with the Lord. Through such spiritual exercises, the  climate and the space would be set for the Lord to speak uninterrupted and for us to hear Him clearly and specifically.  
 

Acts 12:20-25 - Agrippa judged

 After Peter's deliverance, we learned that King Agrippa I left for Caesarea. Acts 12:20 indicates that he and the people of Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon, were engaged in a diplomatic skirmish. The issue was about the supplies of grains that the people of Phoenicia received from the province of Galilee. Hence they were keen to pursue peace with the King.

The Phoenicians managed to win over Blastus, Herod's Chamberlain, or a trusted personal servant in their pursuit for peace with the king. So a day was set where the king would give them a royal audience.  

Overrating himself, Herod put on a pompous display on that day. He wore a glittering robe, ascended a special seat made for the occasion and was making an elaborated speech to the people.

As Agrippa I was making his speech, the people kept hurling flattery at the the king. They attributed his speech to that of a god and not human. And Agrippa did not refute their impious flattery.

So verse 23 tells us, "And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died." He stole God's glory hence the Divine judgment fell on him.  He was struck dead. The worms were reckoned to be the final devourer of the mortal bodies.

With Agrippa's death, Luke again gave another summary indicating that the church grew. This chapter concluded with the return of Barnabas and Saul from their relief mission. Here we also see the introduction of John Mark, an important addition to the ongoing story of the advancement of the Gospel.

Agrippa sought to steal God's glory. His downfall and death was precipitated by his inability to recognize that God alone deserves the glory.  He did not rightly appraise himself. Neither did he have any regard for God. Hence his acceptance of the impious flattery of the people which led him to his tragic end.

According to the grace given to each of us, let us have a sane estimate concerning ourselves. Who we are and what we can potentially become are all due to God's grace.

Let's not for a moment think that our achievement is an act of our own ingenuity. Who we are is God's gift to us. And by His grace what we become will be our gift to God.

Acts 12:12-19 - Prayer Answers

When Peter finally came to himself fully from his puzzling rescue, he made his way to the house of Mary, John Mark's mother. There, many believers were gathered to pray for Peter.

Luke told the story with a touch of irony. Here they were feverishly praying for Peter, while he was there standing outside and knocking at the door of the gate, seeking to be let into the house.

When the servant girl, Rhoda, finally heard the knock of Peter and came to answer it, she recognized the familiar voice of Peter and was overjoyed. But instead of opening the door to let him in, she came hurriedly to the others who were praying, leaving Peter still standing outside.  

Deep in prayer, they probably did not expect Peter to be released so soon. But he was. Rhoda was indeed right and Peter was outside the door and  knocking and seeking to come in. In response they told her she must be out of her mind.

Rhoda must have insisted till they finally told her that what she heard must be Peter's angel. What they meant was the guardian angel of Peter. There was a common belief that believers have guardian angels that could assume the form of a person to look after that person.

Finally a member of the praying band came to open the door, they were amazed to see Peter. They were amazed that their prayer was answered so swiftly for they did not expect God to answer them so soon. Isn't this common  among believers today too?

When Peter entered the house, he had difficulty quieting them to narrate to them the wonderful thing the Lord had done for him. Finally he told them to let James (probably referring to the brother of the Lord Jesus who was presiding the Jerusalem council) and the brethren know. Then Peter departed for another place.

On  the morning there was a great commotion at the prison among the guards. They were shocked and could not answer how Peter could escape such a closely guarded situation. Agrippa  sent out a search party to look  for Peter who was at large.

When  Agrippa  could not find Peter he had the guards and sentries executed before he departed for Caesarea. This  could probably due to embarrassment.

God still answers prayers. James tells us that if we do not experience answers to prayer, it could well be that we are either not praying or not praying right. This account tells us that God can do anything He wants, but He often do it in answer to our prayers. Nothing is impossible with God. Let's pray trustingly. For without faith it is impossible to please God!

Acts 12:1-11 - Peter's arrest and miraculous rescue

Acts 12:1-11 -  Peter's arrest and miraculous rescue

Luke continues here to share about Peter's ministry which was left off from Acts 11:8, to narrate about the work at Antioch. It was about this time that King Herod Agrippa I went after the leaders of the church. King Herod Agrippa I was the grandson of Herod the Great mentioned in Luke 1:5.

In Agrippa's attempts to please the Jews, he had James, the son of Zebedee, one of the 12, killed by the sword. This was illegal and high handed.  But nonetheless he did it.

James was the first of the apostles  that was martyred. Realizing that he gained favor with the Jews by doing this, Agrippa I set out to kill the other leaders. So he had Peter arrested.

He had to delay the trial of Peter because of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (The Passover). His intention was to bring Peter out for trial after the feast, and do to Peter what he did with James. Unlike Saul's earlier persecution of the entire body of believers, his was targeted at selected leaders.

Meanwhile, Peter arrested, bound in chains, imprisoned and heavily guarded by soldiers. Four of them would be on duty to guard him day and night. Two at the gate and one on each side of him. The reason for the extra precaution could be due to his miraculous rescue recorded in Acts 5:19. However, it's likely that Luke was setting the backdrop to show the power of prayer.

Verse 6 tells us that on the very night when Herod was about to bring Peter forward for trail, (remember he was in chains and heavily guarded), an angel of The Lord came to his rescue.

The description, "the very night" tells us that God is always on time. He is never late. It was at this precise moment that God chose to answer the prayers being offered on Peter's behalf. Notice that Peter was sleeping. This tells us that when a person is resting in Christ, he can sleep in the toughest of circumstances.  

In a bright shinning light, the angel appeared to Peter, woke him up firmly with a single blow. Suddenly awakened he was still in a daze. But the chains that bound his wrists were loosed. And he was commanded to get dressed quickly. He was also ordered by the angel to wrap his cloak around him and follow him.

Everything seemed so unreal to Peter. He thought he was seeing a vision.
Following the angel he passed through the guards unnoticed. And when they came to the main gate of the prison, it just swung open. When Peter exited into the main street, the angel departed immediately

What Peter experienced was not just a vision. In verse 11, he affirmed that it was a real experience. So he exclaimed, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

How Peter was rescued stands as a testimony to tell us that God has the ability to deliver us out of what seemed like the  toughest moments of our lives. We need to be convinced that he has the power to save and deliver. Nothing is too difficult for the Lord to take us through. Regardless of our circumstances, the Lord can deliver us anytime. Truly we can completely rest in Him and His constant and unchanging power.

Acts 11:19-30 - The First Christians

Following the persecution of Stephen, believers of Christ were scattered all over. Some made their way to Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch. Two kinds of believers emerged. One took the message only to the Jews, while the other, not so attached to Judaism, took the news to the Greeks as well.

The second group merely shared the Gospel as they went. They did not regard what they were doing as anything great or radical. All they did was to share Christ, the consuming passion of their hearts. So from Cyprus and Cyrene, these Jews took the Gospel to Antioch.

No apostle was involved. All the work accomplished at Antioch were done by average believers of Christ. The Gospel just came natural as an outflow of their love for Christ. Daily, the believers energized by the Holy Spirit, just shared Christ with the pagan. That resulted in a great harvest of souls. So verse 21 tells us, "And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord."

It tells us that when God's people, who are empowered by His Spirit, begin to love Christ and live for Him deeply, there's no telling of what Christ can do through them. There is simply no better way to express our gratitude and appreciation for all that he had done for us than to live wholeheartedly for Him.

Shortly, news of what took place at Antioch reached the church in Jerusalem. And they sent Barnabas, a Hellenistic Jew, to investigate.  We learned from Acts 4:36-37 that he was a pious and generous man. Barnabas was raised from the island of Cyprus and should have some contacts there. He was truly a perfect choice.

When Barnabas arrived at Antioch, what he saw were positive signs of what God was doing. Many of the people were new believers, but Barnabas saw their potential. He saw the grace of God working in their midst. So what he did was to simply encourage them to remain true to the Lord and to live wholeheartedly for Him . Through him many more were added to the church.

While Barnabas was a great worker, he also knew his limitations. He then went to Tarsus to seek Paul out. In Acts 9:30, we saw that Paul was sent there for safety.  With Pau,  Barnabas formed a great partnership with him. And for a whole year they  taught many and for the fist time, believers were known as Christians.

In the closing verses of Acts 11, we saw prophets coming to Antioch, probably to minister there. One of them by the name of Agabus, prophesied of a world-wide famine that actually came to pass in the reign of Claudius. The believers at Antioch,  of their own freewill, contributed whatever means they could to help the church in Judea. The contribution was sent through Barnabas and Paul.

Two things stand out in this passage:
Firstly, we are reminded that God does not need us to be great. All He needs is for us to be fervent and to live out our lives empowered by the Spirit. Evangelism would then be a natural outflow of a life fully in love with Jesus.

Secondly, we must surely be inspired by Barnabas. He saw the new converts from the eyes of Jesus. Instead of the rough and coarse lives of these new believers, he saw God's grace in their lives. He saw what God could make each of them out to be.

Everyone of us, no matter where our spiritual standing, is still a diamond in the rough. We need to yield and place ourselves into the Master's hand.  Remember that the goal in life is to attain Christlikeness.

Acts 11:1-18 - Peter recounting his experience

The news of Peter's ministry at Cornelius' house in Caesarea reached the ears of the elders at Jerusalem. A serious problem was waiting for him when he returned.  These elders from Jerusalem wanted to know why did Peter go to the uncircumcised men and ate with them?

Isn't this quite similar to some modern situations? We nitpick on the rules and regulations but would bypass the more pertinent things that God had done. We are prone to major on the minor rather than the major, engaging in futile exercises.

This group of nitpickers is known here as the circumcised. These disciples are first mentioned here. Then in Acts 15:5, they were  alluded to as believers belonging to the sect of the Pharisees. And Acts 21:20 they were those that were really zealous for the law.

Although they seemed to criticize Peter for eating with Gentiles, the real issue had to do with their obsession with circumcision.  For them the rite of circumcision was an eternal sign given to seal them as God's covenant people. This rite must never be broken. Peter had done the inexcusable. He breached the rite of circumcision and now deemed to have acted against God's will.

Peter did not try to defend or justify himself. In answer, he merely told the story of what had happened. So for 10 verses, Luke retold the story  from verses 5-15. The story was recapped to emphasize that the Lord had indeed opened the door of the ministry to the Gentiles.

Although not as lengthy as the account of the original story, it captures all the essential details. However, in this account, Peter included the promise made by the Lord recorded in Acts 1:5. ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’  Peter's point was this: what the Gentiles experienced was also the fulfillment of the Lord's promise.

Here God had also given these Gentiles the same gift as he did to the apostles at
Pentecost, which most of those who listened knew real well.  So Peter rhetorically asked, "Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”

Peter's presentation so convinced and silenced them that they even  glorified God. They realized that truly the door to find eternal life was now also opened to the Gentiles.  Although this account of what happened at Cornelius house ended positively, the issue on circumcision was far from over. It would pop-up again in Acts 15.

God still wants to instill in us an attitude that would make us a more effective instrument to reach out to others, even those whose outlook in life is different from us.  Peter's story is a clear reminder of that.

Let us not become so inflexible and unchangeably stubborn that would render us unusable. We must remain pliable and hopefully more loving, so that God can use us to reach the unloved. Let Peter's experience be a reminder to us.

Acts 10:34-48 - The response to Peter's message

 Peter had the most perfect condition prepared for him. He was ready and so was the audience. The Holy Spirit was in total control. What followed after his preaching was inevitable.

Peter's message was concise.  What he shared was basically a summary of his message on the Day of Pentecost. He started with a brief introduction in verses 34-37, reminiscing all that God had done and to show God's impartiality.

Quickly Peter then reviewed the life of Christ in verses 34-37. He then shared about the anointed Jesus and His powerful ministry, how He went about doing good and healing the sick and delivering the oppressed.

Peter assertively said that he and all the other apostles could testify of all that Jesus had done, both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. However, this Jesus was put to death on a cross (verse 39). But God raised Him from the dead. His resurrection was not a tale, many of them actually saw Him visibly and ate with Him (verses 40-41).

The Lord Jesus Christ gave them instruction to preach to the people, and to solemnly declare that He will be returning, to take His God given appointment as the Judge of all people - the living and the dead (verse 43).

 The mission of  Christ, Peter marvelously concluded, saying, “All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.” What a change! Peter's orientation had totally shifted. He said that Jesus did not only die for the Jews but "everyone." Hallelujah!

We are told in verses 44 to 46 what happened to the audience. While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came upon all who heard the message. Those whom Peter had chosen to come with him for this trip, were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit was now poured out even on the Gentiles. How did they know? Verse 46 said they were speaking in tongues and exalting God.

It did not take Peter very long to convince the people. He was interrupted by the special visitation of the Holy Spirit. No altar call was required. there was no necessity for any coaxing. With tender hearts toward God, Cornelius and his household responded to God. Everyone who heard received the forgiveness of sin.

Peter quickly followed up by asking , “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” So he gave order that they should be baptized in the name of Jesus.
Praise God, Cornelius and his family and friends were baptized. And the converted centurion then invited Peter to stay with them for a few days. What a great time Peter must have had. Gentile converts, baptism and now for the follow-up class.

God is always at work. The important element is: are we ready to be His instrument. Peter was, and so must we.  Be well-versed with the message of the Gospel, but also be ready to share it. Most importantly be expectant as we share, for we can never fully imagine what God will do through us when His Holy Spirit breakthrough.



 

Acts 10:23b-33 - Peter and Cornelius met

When the night was over, Peter, the three messengers sent  by Cornelius and some believers whom Pater had chosen to accompany him, left for Caesarea. it took another day to reach their destination. Only in Acts 10:45-46 and 11:12 did Luke show us why Peter took these Jewish companions with him.

When they arrived at Caesarea, Cornelius was waiting for them. Together with him were his relatives and close friends. All of them doubtlessly must have heard about Cornelius' vision and were convinced by his sharing. They were probably aware that he had sent for Peter.  

When Peter entered the house, he was taken by surprise and possibly seized by embarrassment, when Cornelius treated him like some kind of a divine being. He fell on his knees in worship. Immediately Peter commanded him to get up, saying that he was an ordinary human just like them. He should not be worshiped.

Peter realized that every one was equal in the sight of God and should meet as such. This act of Peter shows his humility and indicates to us that there is only one, God Himself, who deserves worship.  

In verse 27, Peter and Cornelius had a conversation where the former told the latter why he was willing to come. There present with them, were Cornelius' whole household, family members and workers and friends whom he had invited to come.

Peter made reference to the vision God had shown him in Joppa. He said that it was the vision that dissolved his Jewish resistance, and made him willing to come. For it was unlawful for Jews to meet or visit Gentiles.

And had he not been foretold by God not to consider the Gentiles unclean or unholy, it would be impossible for him to be there with them. Now that he had come to them, Peter wanted to know why they had  summoned for him.

Peter now clearly understood his vision in that trance in Joppa. Those unclean reptiles and  birds of the air on the heavenly sheet that he saw, were symbols of the Gentiles. To the Jews, Gentiles were unclean. The laws of the Pharisees concerning food made it difficult for the Jews to associate with the Gentiles.

The long and short of what Peter was saying is this: The vision God sent him had prepared him and made him willing to come. And he was now eager to find out just why he was sent for.

So in verses 30-32 we see Cornelius gave a recap of his own encounter with God and the instruction that God gave him.  This was the third time he had  faithfully narrated what God had shown him. What Cornelius shared showed that he was faithful to God's leading.

It was good on Peter's part to respond positively to his God-given vision to come at the bidding of Cornelius. Here they were all ready and eager to hear what God had installed for them through His servant Peter.  

Cornelius shows us what could take place when a person is spiritually hungry. He could have maintained that as a Roman officer, he had the right to have Peter come to his home at his command. Instead, he humbled himself before Peter, and he demonstrated it before his family and friends. He desperately wanted to hear the truth. And God obliged.

For the Lord promises that "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" and "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." (Matthew 5:3 &6)

How truly blessed Cornelius and his family were, and so can we! Our willingness to stay humble will definitely pave the way for our spiritual hunger to be satisfied.  

Acts 10:17-23 - Peter's Receptivity

By now Peter was left puzzling over the vision from the Lord to him. And just as he was grappling with the meaning of the vision, the messengers sent by Cornelius arrived at the gate of Simon's house. It was no co-incidence that they should arrive just as Peter was musing over the heavenly message.

The three messengers called out, inquiring if Peter was staying there. And just at the same time, the Spirit of the Lord informed Peter of the arrival of Cornelius' men. He was told explicitly that they were sent at the initiation of the Lord Himself.

Peter was instructed to go downstairs from the rooftop to accompany them. And he obeyed the voice of the Spirit and made his way downstairs.  Making himself known to Cornelius' men, he asked them why they were looking for him.

The messengers began by describing the character of Cornelius.  Luke was re-iterating Cornelius credentials. As we know, he was a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man with a good reputation.

Then they proceeded to tell Peter that it was the holy angel who instructed Cornelius to seek him out.  Although the detail of the conversation was brief, they must have given Peter enough exact information to convince him. So he took the first step to a great movement. He invited them in to lodge for the night.

Peter responded to the vision by making time to muse over it. How many of us would spend time pondering over a God-given message? From Peter we take a lesson. As puzzling as a truth maybe to us, we must make time and take the effort to meditate and think through them.

It's also heartening to note here, that God would take close note of a person. What's encouraging is that God took note of Cornelius even before his conversion. God saw his heart and knew his tenderness toward Him. There isn't anything too small that we do for the Lord, that would escape His notice.

Through Cornelius' receptivity and obedience to His prompting, God opened up a brand new path for the Gospel to advance. We need to know that God's promptings must be acted upon. Any prompting of God to us, if not acted upon, would become a wasted opportunity.

Acts 10:9-16 - Peter's vision

In Acts 10:9-16, the scene now shifts to Peter. This is now the day after Cornelius had his vision. Being a devout Jew, Peter went up to the rooftop of Simon's house to pray. Although midday was not an appointed time for  prayer, he did it anyway.

There's something above the gift of prayer. It's a God-given exercise for us to touch heaven. The day God gave us this means to connect with Him, He had indicated that life and ministry is a collaboration between Him and us. For without God we cannot, but without us, God will not. Hence we must make time for prayer.

By going up to the rooftop, Peter had some privacy. Peter must have become hungry for it was time for lunch, and because he was in prayer, the meal was delayed. While in prayer, he was caught up in a divine trance. It was as if he was having a dream and he could see everything vividly.

In his divine trance, he was amazed when the heaven opened up and a a sheet,  much like a huge sheet of canvas, came down. On it were strange creatures. And mysteriously, he was command by the Lord, "to rise, kill and eat." What Peter saw were all kinds of four-footed unclean creatures of  reptiles and birds.

Being a Jew who was conscious of what the Jewish law demands, he blatantly responded, saying, "“By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean."  

The divine picture appeared again a second time, and this time the voice said something that would forever etched into his conscious mind. It said, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” The word unholy here was making reference to the Gentiles,  whom Peter would soon to realize, the reason for the heavenly trance.

What happened to Peter took place a third time. In all he experienced the whole act three times, declaring the mark of divine certainty. How does  Peter's divine vision apply to us today?

Like Peter, we could have prejudice against certain people because we have heard something about them. Although we know nothing about them personally, we very quickly bundle them as unclean things.

There is none in this life that can claim no impurity in his or her life. We should never prejudge and write off anyone just because of different practices.  

Like Peter, we may develop an unkind attitude toward others, while seemed to be in connection with God. Notice that Peter was in prayer when he said no to the Lord.  One could have a perfect attitude toward God but a disgusting one toward the world. Not that we must be like the world, but we must have an attitude that would make us want to reach them.

We must allow God to change us so that we can have a proper orientation and attitude toward the world and others. This would then make it easier for us to want to reach them for Christ.

Acts 10:1-8 - Cornelius' vision

Acts 10 brings us to Caesarea. Acts 8:40 tells us that this was the destination of Philip. And Acts 9:30 recorded that Saul was escorted to safety there  before being sent to Tarsus. Caesarea was a key place in the expansion of the Kingdom of God to the Gentile nations. Now it was here that we are introduced to Cornelius, a centurion from the Italian cohort.  

As a  centurion, he had 100 men under his command. And as a member of the Italian cohort he was probably recruited from Italy. His peace-keeping force was now stationed in Caesarea. 

As a Gentile, this Cornelius, a military man from a foreign nation, was a devout man and a God-fearer or a proselyte. He was attracted to the monotheistic worship and high moral standards of the Jews. Although he was not fully into Judaism, he worshipped God. 

Verse 2 tells us that he was a generous man and well known for his generosity toward the Jewish people. Cornelius was also faithful in prayers. And at the 9th hour, meaning at 3 pm, while he was in prayer, he had a life-changing vision. Luke had it recounted three more times, in Acts 10:22; 10:30-32; and Acts 11:13-18, before this account ends.

In the broad daylight vision, Cornelius saw an angel of God came to him and called him by name.  Making sure that Cornelius did not have just a  psychological experience but an actual angelic visitation, we are told he fixed his gaze on the angel.  

Naturally, Cornelius was taken by fear as anyone would have been. So trembling and with fear, he responded to the voice by asking, "What is  it Lord?" He wanted to know what that was all about. 

The angel then praised him for his almsgiving and piety. What he did in prayers and alms-giving had ascended as a memorial to the Lord.  A memorial was an offering placed on the altar. Cornelius' kind service to the Jews went before God as a witness to his character.

Cornelius was instructed to send and fetch Simon Peter from Joppa. The angel even detailed the exact location of the house of  Simon the tanner, where Peter was hosted.  

So without wasting any time, Cornelius summoned two of his servants and a God-fearer soldier from the ranks. After explaining everything to them he sent them off to Joppa on the mission to look for Peter and fetch him to Caesarea. 

Cornelius leaves us with examples to emulate. Like him we must have a deep reverence for God and a genuine love for men. This will set for us the climate to encounter God and an attitude to embrace God's best. It will enable us to obey God more spontaneously. Our goal should be to please God always.  

Acts 9:19-31 - Saved to Serve

 Saul did not take on the name Paul just because he became a Christian. He probably had both names at birth. As a true Hebrew he was called Saul. And as a Roman citizen, he was given the name Paul or Paulus.

We learnt that immediately following his conversion, he was with the disciples at Damascus. It's only natural for him to be attracted to like minded believers to fellowship with for several days.

Immediately, we are told, that he began to share his new found faith in the synagogues proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God. His encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus had left him without doubt that Jesus is indeed the Son of God. This was the primary subject of Paul's earliest preaching.

The people were seized with amazement continually by his proclamation of Christ. His radical turn around was too much for them. The one who was relentlessly hunting down believers who proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah, was now sharing his new found faith with equally great zeal. His Jewish opponents were baffled by his proof that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

We are not told how long Saul kept on with his fervent preaching. We are only told that it was many days. During this period he must have made may disciples as well as many Jewish enemies. Saul was in danger as his Jewish enemies plotted to arrest him.

When the plot was discovered, his friends helped him to escape, by lowering him down an opening in the wall in a large basket. This was needful as his enemies were watching at the gate for him day and night.

Verse 26 tells us that Saul escaped directly to Jerusalem. And just as he did at Damascus, he tried to get into the company of the disciples there. He was in for a shock of his life. No one would believe that he was a genuine follower of Christ.

Understandably so, because the last thing they knew about him was his threats and animosity toward the church. This change of event was too sudden. It made it hard to accept.  We human beings often find it hard to immediately adjust to the Lord's surprises.  

It was at this point that Barnabas, who was introduced to us in Acts 4:36-37, came to the rescue. As a widely accepted member of the community, Barnabas took Saul to the apostles. He stood for Saul and told the apostles how he was confronted by the Lord on the road to Damascus, and how Saul had boldly declared his faith at Damascus.

As a result, the community of faith at Jerusalem accepted him and he could move freely among them, declaring boldly the name of the Lord. We are told that he presented his case among the Hellenist who became bitter against him and  sought to put him to death.

Once again, he was rescued by fellow believers. They personally escorted Saul to safety at Caesarea.  And from there they sent him away to his home town at Tarsus.

Verse 31 is another summary statement by Luke. He tells us that now that one of the great opponents of the church had been converted, there was a period of peace and the community continued to grow. The believers grew in spiritual stature and numbers. The fear of the Lord was among them but there were also great comfort in the Holy Spirit.

In serving God, expect to encounter resistance. In this passage we saw how Saul was resisted twice, once at Damascus and once at Jerusalem. But at both times God had people stationed to assist him. Similar to Saul, God has people, like Barnabas, around our lives to help us in our difficult times.

So take courage, just persist in His service. No one can thwart God's plan for our life and ministry.  Better still, stay open to God. We may well be the Barnabas-like people whom God will use, to help others to find their ministry to serve Him.

Acts 9:10-18 - Divine Installation

Blinded Saul was led to Damascus and he was praying. To complete the destiny He had for Saul, the Lord sent Ananias, a disciple, to pray and lay his hand on him.

This Ananias was a spiritually sensitive disciple from Damascus. His name means "the mercy of The Lord."  According to Acts 22:12, Ananias was a devout man with a standing in the community. He was well spoken of.

Ananias was quick to respond to the Lord Who appeared to him in a vision. The way he responded, saying "Here, I am Lord", reminds us of how the prophets in the Old Testament responded. This is indicative that he was a man who was living close to the Lord.

Here the Lord directed Ananias to go to the house of Judas, at the street called Straight, to seek for Saul of Tarsus. The Lord told Ananias that Saul was praying. And he saw a vision that Ananias was coming to pray for him and lay his hand on him so that he might regain his sight.

However, Ananias was cautious. For he had heard many reports of Saul's past misdeeds. Saul had brought great harm to the believers in Jerusalem. And that he now had authorization from the chief priest to arrest the believers who called on the name of the Lord Jesus.  For Ananias, this could even be a trap to ferret out the believers. That explained why he was  hesitant.

But the Lord's instruction to him was very firm: Go! It's a command. It's not a request and there's no option. To ease Ananias' fear, the Lord revealed that Saul was His chosen instrument to carry the message to Gentiles, kings, and even the people of Israel.

We shall learn later that Paul's major ministry was to the Gentiles. And in fulfilling God's assigned mission, he was brought before kings and rulers. In Acts 13:7-12 he appeared before Sergius Paulus, and Gallios in Acts 18:12-17. He appeared before King Agrippa II in Acts 26:1–12; Felix in Acts 24:1–21 and Festus in Acts 25:1–26:32. And then whatever city he went to, he would always address the Jews in the synagogues first.

Furthermore the Lord told Ananias that Saul would have to suffer much for His name's sake. So Ananias departed assured and did as the Lord had directed him. On entering Judas' house in the street of Straight, he bee-lined for Saul.

Notice how he addressed him, Brother Saul. He was no longer an archenemy but a brother in the Lord. Ananias proceeded to explained his mission. He was sent there by the Lord who met Saul on the road. He was there to lay hand on Saul that he might regain his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.  

Luke concluded this section with the miracle that Saul received. His sight was restored and he got up and was baptized. He then took some food and was strengthened

Conscious of it or not, God's miracles abound. They are just waiting to happen. And the Lord is still seeking and developing vessels to bring about the miracles. Perhaps we are not conscious that each one of us is God's miracle, going somewhere to happen. And truly we are.

Be like Ananias. Don't write anyone off. Each person reached for the Lord could be a potential great for God's Kingdom. Let's do whatever he has directed us. And we must seek to be like a Saul who had turned to be a Paul.  Like him let's go and reach the world for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 9:1-9 - Divine Encounter

While Philip was busy about the work of evangelism, Saul the persecutor continued on his trail to hunt down the followers of Christ. He was still threatening and ravaging the church.

He even had an authorisation letter from the high priest to go to the synagogue at Damascus to ferret out the followers of Christ, regardless of their gender, and have them brought to Jerusalem to be dealt with.

Notice that believers were referred to as "...belonging to the Way." What a befitting description! This description was again found in 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22. In Acts 16:17, the Gospel was called a way of salvation and in Acts 18:25, it was the Way of the Lord or the Way of God . This reminds us of what Jesus said in John 14:6. He is the way, the truth and the life.

In Acts 9:2, we see that Saul went about hunting believers and had them bound to Jerusalem. His was a legalized mission. He would make the arrest and then have them transferred to Jerusalem to be tried and dealt with.

While on the way to arrest and punish followers of Christ, he had a dramatic experience.  It's the conversion of Saul. This event caused him to make a great U-turn that would usher in a new dimension to the mission of taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

So remarkable was Saul's conversion that Luke reported it two more times in Acts. In all three accounts Christ was the central figure, and Saul and Ananias were the two featured characters in God's plan.

The reason Saul chose Damacus could well be that many Hellenist had flocked there for refuge when the persecution of the church broke out in Jerusalem. While he was on his way to Damacus God intervened. Saul collasped.

Nearing Damacus, a bright light from heaven blazed on him. Blinded by the flash of dazzling light, he fell to the ground. While down on the floor, he heard a voice that said,“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

Immediately, Saul reponded by asking, "Who are you Lord?" Saul seemed to know that what happened was an act of the Lord. So he had his answer, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting."

Verse 7 affirms that this was a remarkable happening. The band of people traveling with Saul stood speechless. For they heard the voice but they did not see anyone.
Paul felt the full effect only when he got up and tried to walk. He realized that he was blind. His eyes were opened but he couldn't see and must be led. This fierce and hostile man was rendered helpless.

Since Damacus was a short distance away, they brought him there. And for three days he could not see and he fasted. Saul neither ate nor drank.

God's Grace can reach us even in the most unlikely of time. For Paul he probably didn't know that Christ would confront him and make him His instrument although he was breathing threats against His church. Like what He did to Paul, God also wants to use the circumstances of our life to shape us and make us His intruments. Let's stay open to His moulding.  

Acts 8:32-40 - Be armed to share Christ

The passage that the Ethopian eunuch was reading was taken from the servant song of Isaiah 52:13-53:12. This is a prophecy that the the Prophet Isaiah wrote to describe the suffering of the Messiah.

The eunuch's question in verse 34 was understandable. He wanted to know who was the Prophet Isaiah referring to. The Prophet himself or someone else? Seizing the opportunity, Philip shared Jesus Christ the Messiah with him from these scriptures.

Among other things, Philip could have shared about repentance, salvation and baptism etc,  with the eunuch. Hence when they came to a pool of water, the eunuch wanted to know what else was required for him to be qualified for baptism.

The eunuch exclaimed in verse 36, "Look! Water! and then asked, "What prevent me from being baptised?" Was this a co-incidence? Of course not! This was divine guidance. God had led him this far and he responded.

This was truly a dramatic outcome. The eunuch himself came into personal faith in Christ Jesus and saw the need to identify with Christ in baptism. What a joy it must have been for Philip. It showed that the eunuch had grasped the essence of true faith.    

Philip enforced the message by stating  the pre-requisite for baptism: To believe Jesus with all his heart. Without hesitation, the eunuch said, "I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God." The eunuch then order the chariot to stop. Together, they both got into the water and there Philip baptised the eunuch.

Luke's intention was to show that the Gospel had begun to spread. Earlier, he desrcibed  how Philip's message had reached the Samaritans and now, it reached an ethopian eunuch.  This incident could be the ignition that later gave rise to the Ethopia Coptic Church.

On coming out of the  water, supernaturally Philip was snatched away at once. Meanwhile the eunuch went on his way rejocing. Verse 40 tells us that Philip was found in Azotus and as he went he kept on preachng Jesus to all the cities in Caesaria.

This account of the evangelistic trail of Philip showed us a person who was truly in touch with God's Spirit and Word, his ability to share Christ was natural and spontaneous. It was a result of being in constant communion with the Lord.  He leaves us an example.

Realize it or not, all of us are called to stay in touch with the Spirit and with the Word. We are all called to be His witnesses. Like Philip, we are to take the Gospel wherever we go. All of us must come to the point where we are able to share Christ from the Scriptures spontaneously. With God's help we must make it our life work.


 

Acts 8:25 -31 - Guided by God

Having dealt with Simon,  Peter and John then returned to Jerusalem. As they were journeying back, they also preached and spread the message of the Gospel to many other villages of Samaria.

Meanwhile, Philip's ministry took an unexpected turn. Through an angel, the Loed directed Philip to go south and on to the road that led from Jerusalem to Gaza. Philip could have thought it strange to be sent to an area where people were scarce. But nonetheless, he obeyed.

Having gotten used to obeying God, Philip got up and went. Instead of being greeted with a crowd of people, he was sent to an Ethopian eunuch, who was the chief treasurer of the queen of Euthopians.

As treasurer, this eunuch was both rich and powerful. He was on his way back after he had worshiped Jehovah, the God of the Jews at Jerusalem. He was most likely a proselyte.  He was comfortably seated in his chariot and reading Isaiah the prophet as he traveled home.

At this point the Holy Spirit spoke to Philip  and directed him to join the eunuch in his chariot. Philip ran up to the chariot and heard him reading the words of Isaiah.

Recognizing that it was from Isaiah 53:7–8, he boldly asked if the Ethiopian Eunuch understood what he was reading. He could have heard this read while he was in Jerusalem. He could have heard how it pertained to the Messiah. Now how wonderful it must have been for him, to find someone who could explain to him the meaning.

So he gladly inviteed Philip up into the chariot to be with him. Luke's presentation of this incident showed us that the Holy Spirit was guiding and directing every move that was made.

We know that the effectiveness of Philip's ministry was largely due to his  sensitivity to the leading of the Spirit. He was very keen and sharp to divine guidance. Like Philip, we need to cultivate a good inner ear to listen to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit.

We can sharpen our receptivity of God's voice as we learn to tune down the volumn of the noise of the world. And learn to listen with inner attentiveness to God, speaking through the experiences of our life. Let's slow down enough to be able to recognize the voice of God.

Acts 8:14-24 -Godly Pursuit

When news of the amazing happenings in Samaria reached the ears of the apostles in Jerusalem, Peter and John were despatched there. They came to Samaria and found that the situation was as reported. The people had received the Lord Jesus, but they had not received the Holy Spirit,

The objective of their mission, as indicated in verse 15, was to pray for those new believers in Samaria to be filled with the Holy Spirit. So on their arrival, they began to lay hands on them and prayed for them, and the Holy Spirit fell on them.

When Simon, the converted magician, saw the people receiving the Holy Spirit by laying on of hands, he also wanted the ability to do the same. Instead of asking for the Holy Spirit, he coveted the power to impart the Hoy Spirit.  He saw this as a display of irrisistable power. So He offered money to the apostles to ask for the ability.

Simon's real motive was to buy popularity. He must have thought that with this ability he would be able draw the people as he did as a magician. To us this is crazy, but there are people today who still try to buy popularity with money, using spiritual motive as a disguise.

Peter, sensing his wrong motive, rebuked him firmly and told him off. While Peter was firm with Simon, there was also a touch of gentleness. He told Simon that his heart was not right. However, instead of repenting, praying and seeking for forgiveness, Simon merely asked Peter to do it for him. He forgot that there is such a thing as persoanl accountability.

What an amazing lesson! Spiritual power can never be bought. We need to seek God and pursue Him and not power. The ability of the apostles was a natural outflow of their connectedness with the Lord. Let's make the Lord our pursuit today and every day!





 

Acts 8:9-13 - The Power of the Word

As Philip was on his evangelistic campaign in Samaria, he encountered a popular magician by the name of Simon. He was probably a known expert in the occult.

For a long while, people in  Samaria were impressed by what he was able to do with his magical performance. People of all ages in that city were giving him their attention.

This Simon held tremendous sway over the city with his magical art, to a point where he was proclaimed by the people as great, for he was seen to have the power of God.

But Philip came preaching the good news about God's kingdom and Jesus Christ. And the people, men and women alike, believed in him and his message and came forward to be baptised. Even Simon himself also believed and was baptised.

Luke tells us that Simon was impressed by the great miracles that were taking place and he was constantly amazed. He must have known the difference between what he was doing and wha was taking place inbPhilip's ministry. He couldn't get over what he saw. This is the power of the genuine Gospel and the truth.

This Gospel broke the spell that sorcery had over the people. People inadvertantly find new life in Christ, as did those audience of Simon, who now turned to Philip.

This record about Simon's conversion leaves us with no doubt about the power of the Gospel and God's Word. It also tells us that demons could also masquerade themselves as angels of light.

We need to be discerning as we hear about great miracles in the preaching of the Word. Believe genuine miracles by all means but let us place our trust in Jesus Christ. Don't just go for the phenomenal, press in to know Jesus!