BIBLE READING: Acts 9

“…Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.” (Acts 9.1-2)

Saul was public enemy #1 to these early Christians. His authority and actions drove fear into the new Christian community (Acts 9.1, 13-14). These were fragile times for believers in Jesus and Saul had potential to crush the whole movement. 

Given the events of Acts 5 you might have expected God to handle Saul decisively. But instead, how did God deal with Saul? He repurposed Saul for His work and glory. “He is a chosen instrument of mine,” God told Ananias (Acts 9.15). Following Jesus’ appearance to Saul on the road to Damascus, Saul made a dramatic about-face that no one expected. “…immediately he proclaimed Jesus, saying, “He is the Son of God.”” (Acts 9.20).

This came as a shock to everyone (Acts 9.21). Even when God told Ananias his plans, he was skeptical and uncomfortable (Acts 9.13-14). Given Saul’s deep ties among the religious leaders and recent actions (see Acts 8.1, 9.1-2), no one could have predicted what Saul would become. But God knew how useful he would make Saul for the kingdom. This is Saul’s (Paul) testimony to others. He would give no pretense about who he once was or why he changed. He gave all credit to God’s grace, mercy and patience (1 Timothy 1.12-16). 

We all have a past and some of it we’re not proud of. Some of you may not want to talk about your past. You are embarrassed about who you were and what you have done. But somewhere along the way you heard the gospel, and it changed you. Look at what God has done with you; think about how God has changed you. For many of us, the people we are today has nothing to do with what I wanted and everything to do with the power of the gospel and what God has done in me. 

The story of Saul reminds us that God’s invitation is for anyone. God may be working in the lives of someone who doesn’t appear to care and may even be opposed to him at the moment (Romans 5.8). But the gospel makes enemies into family; Sinners into saints. The gospel is an invitation from God for every single person to be useful in his kingdom.

May we never forget the source of our change, but also the purpose God has for us. “We are a chosen race, royal priesthood, a people for God’s own possession, that we might proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2.9-10).” God’s calling is for us to be useful in the kingdom, as we introduce others to him. It is not our job to change people but simply to get them connected to Jesus. Sometimes we plant, sometimes we water, sometimes we simply put life events in the context of Jesus, as Ananias did (Acts 9.17). Whatever the case, we are useful when we open the door for God to be known and let him do his work.

“I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” (Romans 1.16)

BIBLE READING: Acts 3

“And a man lame from birth was being carried, who they laid daily at the gate of the temple… And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them.” (Acts 3.2, 4-5)

There is a reason in our digital age, that the Girl Scouts continue to sell cookies face-to-face. Having to look those girls in the eyes makes their message more real and relevant to you. They are asking you not just to buy cookies but to invest in them. The Girl Scouts have run one of the most successful direct to consumer businesses in my lifetime simply because they recognize the value of personal interaction.

We live in a world where kiosks are replacing cashiers, social media is replacing true social interactions, and many people just don’t want to be bothered by the anxiety talking to another person. What this means for us is that opportunities to connect with people are becoming more and more scarce. It has become easier to accept this norm rather than step up to the call of the gospel. But we must not shrink back or give up. In fact, now, more than ever, is when we need to be connecting with others and pointing them to Jesus. But how do we reconnect with people in an increasingly disconnected world?

Notice how Peter turned this potentially awkward moment into a real social connection with 3 simple actions: Peter acknowledged the man, looked him in the eyes, and spoke to his need. Surely it would have been easier to just walk on by. This man had been there every day, and I’m sure many others passed by without a thought. But Peter and John stopped. They looked at him and had a conversation. They let him know he mattered. 

Choosing to engage someone you don’t know is probably the hardest part of evangelism for most of us. But did you notice it doesn’t have to be a big deal? Peter didn’t lead off with some deep theological question or force himself into this man’s life; he simply talked to him. We can’t fix everyone’s problems, but we can show compassion and concern for everyone. Certainly, God has done that for us (John 3.16; Romans 5.5-10)! 

More than anything this episode teaches us the personal nature of the gospel. The good news cannot be communicated unless God’s people do so (Romans 10.14-17). We live in a world of people in need. They are our friends, neighbors, people we see regularly at coffee shops, people we see at events we go to, maybe even people in our own family. We may not be able to meet their immediate needs, but because of the power of the gospel, we can give them what they truly need. But we have to take the first step and engage people with compassion and love for their souls.

“We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4.19)

BIBLE READING: Luke 22-23

“The chief priests and scribes were seeking how to put him to death… Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot… and they were glad and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought and opportunity to betray him…” (Luke 22.2-3, 5-6)

Because of his popularity, the Jewish leadership had been powerless to do anything about Jesus. So, they resorted to playing dirty, fabricating stories and blatantly lying to get Jesus to trial. The injustice is obvious, but the lack of concern for another human is just beyond what I can comprehend. They wanted so badly for Jesus not to be who he claimed to be that they missed the very Son of God. And not only that, they undertook to destroy him by the most severe means possible. All the plotting and hypocrisy surrounding these events are a disgustingly accurate depiction of the degeneration of human selfishness. 

As someone has once said, “Sin always takes you farther than you want to go; keeps you longer than you want to stay; costs you more than you want to pay.” What is so tragic is that if we stop and analyze the role of sin in our own lives, we see the same types of behavior and choices. The deceptive nature of sin is that it aligns with our wants and feeds our logic. Even things we would dare not speak aloud can be justified if no one or only a few select people see.

This passage is not just a history lesson, but a study of human nature at its worst. How did such religious people become murderous and vengeful? The hatred on display in this moment was not a single event but the compound effect of sin over time. They didn’t want to kill him the first time they met him; but each time they closed their heart and stiffened their will against Jesus, they moved closer to this moment. How differently would this moment have been if there was a single choice to stop the momentum in any of the previous moments?

Some of this was the devil’s work, and we certainly face the same challenge today (Ephesians 2.1-3; 6.10-11). But ultimately, it is a battle of the will that must be overcome in the smallest moments. What may seem like an insignificant choice can quickly escalate as we become callous to where it leads. Porn addictions begin with a first look. Affairs begin with a thought. Theft, arguments, murder and all sorts of ungodliness begin with stirred passions and selfishness (James 4.1-2). When unchecked, the consequence of sin grows from a ripple into an unstoppable wave.

We must always be aware of what we are looking for because we are sure to find it. Just like these men, we are not helpless to sin, but our desires can blind us to reality. Paul would admonish us to expose the unfruitful works of darkness (Ephesians 5.11). Peter would encourage us to resist the Devil by being firm in our faith. Any time we make excuses for sin; we give Satan a place to operate (Ephesians 4.27).

BIBLE READING: Luke 12

This blog is an excerpt from Sunday’s sermon, “The Rich Fool”

According to the gospel of Luke, the presence, pull and pursuit of things is one of the greatest obstacles to faithfulness and our eternal outcome. He would address it through 5 teaching accounts from Jesus, and two of those were direct interactions with his followers (Luke 12.13-21; 18.18-30). A clear reality emerges in Jesus’ teaching: our attitude towards possessions will impact our faith. Jesus would describe our affections for things as thorns in the soil of our heart that chokes out the word of God (Luke 8.14). So we must recognize that eternal issues are at stake when handling our possessions. Jesus would address this directly in his Parable of the Rich Fool.

The parable is prompted by a man shouting for Jesus to pass judgment on matters of his inheritance (Luke12.13). But Jesus finds this irrelevant to his mission. Instead, Jesus challenges him consider where his treasure lies [Luke 12.34]. “Beware; keep yourself from covetousness, for life does not consist in the abundance of your possessions” (12.15). Jesus does not dismiss this man altogether, but he makes a clear point of condemnation about his behavior towards his stuff. “‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’” (Luke 12.20). God expected this man to handle his stuff differently; and when he didn’t, he is condemned as a fool.

Most of us are not all that different than this man. We are caught between two worlds, and the pressure of the ‘seen’ is significant. But the result of caving to these pressures is only fear and anxiety. The only way to overcome this outcome is with a proper relationship with the things of this world. We must accept that more things won’t make us happier (12.15); more things will bring more stress (12.17); and more things will breed self-sufficiency (12.19). But more importantly, we must acknowledge that God has given to us with expectation that we will see and serve others (1 John 3.17). We must take stewardship seriously recognizing the opportunity God gives us with our possessions.

We must not be deceived about why we have what we have. We don’t deserve every good thing. Many followers of God live with much less than us. It is not because God loves them less. It is because God uses various ways to serve others and draw us to him. So we must learn to be content in every circumstance, trusting God’s faithful provision (Philippians 4.11). That only comes from life experience and is sometimes difficult. But that’s the purpose of God’s grace. He gives us exactly what we need. We don’t need to complain or wish we had more. He gives and takes away to shape us into who we ought to be. So, whether we have or do not we, like Paul, must learn to be confident and content in every circumstance. 

In California, more than 600 lawyer hopefuls were taking the state bar exams in the Pasadena Convention Center when a 50- year-old man taking the test suffered a heart attack. Only two of the 600 test takers, John Leslie and Eunice Morgan, stopped to help the man. They administered CPR until paramedics arrived, then resumed taking the exam. Citing policy, the test supervisor refused to allow the two additional time to make up for the 40 minutes they spent helping the victim. Jerome Braun, the state’s bar senior executive for admissions, backed the decision stating, ‘If these two want to be lawyers, they should learn a lesson about priorities. The truth is that only two people of the 600 had learned that lesson. Perhaps Mr. Braun would have felt differently if he had been suffering from a heart attack.

Life has a way of distracting us from things of true importance. But as followers of Jesus, we must recognize the priority of serving God by serving others. That’s what we learn from the story of the Good Samaritan. Jesus told the story because a lawyer wanted to know how to inherit eternal life (Luke 10.25). But we learn quickly that the lawyer knew what the law said about that: love God with all his heart, soul, and strength, and love his neighbor as himself; but would he do it?

Many people regard the Good Samaritan as a noble story of an extraordinary individual; but this is God’s expectation for everyone who would follow Him. Jesus’ affirmation of the lawyer’s response (Luke 10.27) is more than a declaration of understanding. Loving God means serving others and showing mercy. The inclusion of the priest and Levite emphasizes this point in the story. There is an unspoken expectation that followers of God will lead compassionate, merciful lives. That is why people in need often seek out spiritual counselors. If these characters were common people, we might have excused their behavior… but everyone understands these men SHOULD have stopped to help. 

Jesus’ emphasis on serving as a means of loving God highlights that our call is not about following the right checklist or simply maintaining our personal relationship with the Father; it’s about taking God’s will seriously and meeting people’s needs as we can. 

Many of us are not that different than the lawyer. We are motivated and aware of God’s directives. We don’t have a knowing problem, but perhaps we have a doing problem. Twice Jesus said to the lawyer, “Do this.” Sometimes we become so consumed with our own spiritual journey that we do not see others bloodied and beaten along the way. The parable of the Good Samaritan sets a clear expectation for God’s people: a love for God always translates into love for humanity. And so, “little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:18)