Preaching to Philosophers

 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. (Acts 17:30-31)

The setting for acts 17:30-31 is that Paul is at the Areopagus in Athens, Greece. This is where the philosophers of the day debated. Paul gave a brilliant logical apology for the existence of the one true God instead of many gods created as idols. At the end he proclaimed that God, the One he identified, will judge the world by a man that He raised from the dead.

Only a handful of people responded, so why not more? Paul didn't mention the name of Jesus during his presentation. I wonder if that may be the reason for the poor response. Maybe he was only trying to build a bridge of understanding from the Greek philosophers to a very Hebrew view of God. This is what many people say we must do with other cultures.

I'm not so sure that is correct. At least in this instance. Putting myself in the place of these philosophers, knowing somewhat of what they believed, I don’t think they understood what Paul meant by judging the world in righteousness. Their culture didn't have a view of what righteousness means, not according to Christianity or even Judaism. I think we should see this as not a method of evangelism but as an example of what happens when the gospel is only partly preached. We can look at the results and compare them to other times Paul preached and many came to salvation.

I’m not saying that we should never use apologetics to try to convince someone of the existence of God. There is a place and time for that. However, if we do, we should also follow up with clarity about the gospel.

Lord, help me always preach Jesus even if I have to use apologetics first.

Self-Control

Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. (Prov 16:32) 

Where does true strength lie?

According to God it isn't in physical strength or political or military forces. It is in the ability of a person to have self-control. This proverb first focuses on anger. Then it broadens the scope to all-encompassing self-control as it addresses my spirit. Do I control my anger? If so, that is good but that is only one aspect of self-control. Are there any areas of my life that don’t need to be under my control? None, not one should be outside of my self-control. That is a tall order. How can I possibly have this kind of self-control without the help of the Holy Spirit? Help me Lord, every second, minute, hour of every day.

True strength is found in self-control. #selfcontrol #weakness #spiritualcontrol #controlanger #holyspirit

Why Pray

For truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus. (Acts 4:27-30)

After Peter and John have been warned not to preach in the name of Jesus they are released and they, with other believers prayed. First, they acknowledged God's sovereign plan, using Pontius Pilate, Herod, the Jews and Gentiles to crucify Jesus.

So, stop there and consider that they see that God predestined all this to happen. No doubt about who is in control from ages past. With that in mind they then ask God to do miracles through them in the name of Jesus and to be able to speak boldly.

Why did they pray this way? Look at what God already predicted and brought into being. Wouldn't he also predetermine their miracles and boldness? Why ask God for what He has already predetermined?

I'm just amazed that this passage is an example I can use to answer people who ask questions like that. The Apostles knew all about predestination and they didn’t hesitate to ask God to do something. They knew that God wants us to pray and pray according to His will. They knew it better than most of us do. So they did. And I need to follow their example. Lord, help me pray according to your will.

Steadfast and Loyal

And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. (Acts 3:2)

This is a familiar passage because the lame man was healed in the name of Jesus by Peter. What would have happened if the man had not been there on that day? People would not have come running and not heard the good news about Jesus Christ.

The ones I noticed in today's reading are the ones who carried the man every day to the temple. Without them, we wouldn't have had this miracle. At least two unnamed men took time from their work to carry this guy to the temple. They did it every day, except maybe on the Sabbath. They didn't get a reward, they weren't Uber drivers, no tips. They could have been friends or relatives, it doesn't matter, they were loyal and steadfast.

So, help me Lord to be like these, steadfast in your calling. Doing the daily things I need to do to help others. I don't know what the results will be, but like them, it could be anything from bringing someone to church or posting a blog that someone reads. Maybe it results in a miracle.

Most helping hands are in the background and are supporting miracles. #helpers #steadfast #loyal #helpinghands #miracles #lameman

 

My Righteousness

Is it possible for me to be righteous before God? 

24 I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt. 25 And the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight. (2 Sam 22:24-25)

When I read this passage or similar ones in the Psalms, I think that David must have written this before his affair with Bathsheba. Otherwise, how could he declare that he is blameless or kept from guilt? How could he possibly think the Lord would reward him according to his own righteousness. What righteousness did David think he had? And then he considers that God counts him clean in His sight?

This song of David appears long after his sin with Bathsheba. Then it hit me. After David was confronted with his sin, the Lord told him that his sin had been put away. (And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die” 2 Sam 12:13).

This is a huge lesson and very hard for us to learn when we have been struggling with sin or when our past sin comes to haunt us. The Lord puts away our sin and we are counted as righteous. Why shouldn’t we speak as David did about our life in Christ? I am blameless in his sight. I didn’t keep myself from guilt, but He did, and He will. I have God’s righteousness, not my own. When He sees me, He see the cleanness of Jesus. He will also keep me that way. So I need to tell myself (or Satan the Accuser) this when the past tries to get me down.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy (Jude 24).

 #righteousness #davidandbathsheba #cleanbeforegod #pastsins #satanaccuses 

Presumption

Acts 1:15-26: Peter concluded that they needed to replace Judas as the twelfth Apostle. It leads to a lot of questions. Did God require this to happen? Peter thought so as he took Psalm 109:8 to justify his reasoning. But look at who and how he was chosen. First, only two people were selected by the group. Were there not others who met Peter’s qualifications? This is before the Holy Spirit came upon them at Pentecost. Did the Holy Spirit direct them to choose these two or was it Peter’s presumption? Just because Scripture records what happened, it doesn’t mean that it was what the Lord wanted. There is disagreement among scholars about this.

I think that if the Lord wanted a replacement at this time, He would have let them know. He would also have cast lots among all who were qualified, not just the two chosen by men. In addition, I believe Paul was the chosen replacement, it was in God's timing not man's. History is either silent or confused about what happened to Matthias. If he were indeed God’s chosen Apostle, I would think it would be clearer.

Lesson: it is easy to run ahead of God in making our decisions. I know I’ve done that many times. It is easy to give God two choices about what we want and think God wants one over the other and we want Him to decide. However, it is most likely He has something completely different in store. Instead of asking God what He wants, we ask God to bless our choices instead of accepting or even looking for His choice. That is the sin of presumption.

Steady Path

Keep steady my steps according to your promise,
and let no iniquity get dominion over me.
(Ps 119:133)

I need steady steps. Keep on keeping on. Heading in the right direction. Slow and steady. While Paul and Hebrews talks about the Christian life as a race Psalm 119:133 makes me think of a trek. Get up every morning and ask the Lord to fulfill his promise to keep me going according to his plan. His plan to bring to completion the work he began in me (Phil 1:6).

A big part of that plan is to make sure that no inequity get dominion over me. Hebrews 12:1 tells me to get rid of sin that entangles me. But here in Psalm 119:133 is a prayer that it doesn't entangle me in the first place, or maybe after escaping it, never again to let it entangle me.

Make no mistake, if it entangles, it will dominate. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for giving me your power to untangle my sin and keep it from coming back to dominate me.

Who Is in Control

Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” … 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. (John 18:4-6)

Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to him. Not just the next few minutes but the next three days. However, the next minutes are intriguing. When Jesus says, “I am” (Greek ego eimi), the same as in Exodus by which God identifies himself, the soldiers fall down. God is in control; Jesus is in control. It's a wonder that after saying it again, they didn't fall down again and again and again. And they would have except for what Jesus told Peter after he cut off Malchus's ear, “shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” (John 18:11).

Look also at the fact that even after Peter’s brazen act, the disciples were able to flee. That also shows who is in control to fulfill the word of God as John 18:9 says.

Application: trust that Jesus is I Am and know he is in control of all our circumstances. Rest in that, be comforted, be courageous, be obedient, be whatever is needed in the moment.