Acts 15:36-18:11

Having taken in two Epistles, one from Paul and one from James, we’re now back to the historical narrative of the Acts of the Apostles (but just for today, then back to more Epistles). Today we go with Paul on his second missionary journey as he travels from place to place proclaiming the Gospel message, preaching that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One. Wherever Paul goes, there are those who come to believe. And wherever he goes, he meets opposition, mostly from Jewish leadership, but also from some Gentiles. This opposition is not just a “cold shoulder”, not a few mere verbal insults. It’s serious business, with severe physical pain and suffering. Sometimes it seems like we gloss over this pain as we read through Acts. We instead see the miraculous release of Paul and Silas from the Philippian jail. We don’t notice that the jailer still needs to tend to their wounds. (Acts 16:33) I suggest we bear in mind what Paul and his companions endure for the sake of the Gospel as we continue through the Epistles and the remainder of Acts. Perhaps that will serve to help put our own situations — whatever they might be — into proper perspective.

See also:

• August 1 (2021) / Acts 15:36-16:15
• August 2 (2021) / Acts 16:16-40
• August 3 (2021) / Acts 17:1-15
• August 4 (2021) / Acts 17:16-34
• August 5 (2021) / Acts 18:1-28

James 1-5

I love this letter from James. It comforts and encourages those facing trials, and it delivers very real “rubber meets the road” challenges to us all. Are you suffering, facing various difficulties? Count it all joy, as such testing produces steadfastness. (James 1:2) Do you think you are religious? You are deceiving yourself if you can’t bridle your tongue. (James 1:26, 3:2-12) Do you boast of your business savvy? You do not know what tomorrow will bring. (James 4:13-16) Yes, James covers a lot of ground — and packs a punch as he does so.

So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is One; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! … You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

James 2:17-19,24

Some see these words from James as contradicting Paul, particularly Paul’s letter to the Galatians that so forcefully argues that one is justified by faith, and not by works of the Law. But nothing could be further from the truth; there is no real contradiction here. What James is saying here is that “the proof is in the pudding”, that authentic faith — real trust in Jesus and not just intellectual assent to a few facts — results in actions (“works”) that reflect that faith. Paul clearly agrees with that notion, saying that what matters is faith working through love. (Galatians 5:6) So if you’ve ever been bothered by this so-called “contradiction”, you can put that idea to rest.

See also:

• July 27 (2021) / James 1:1-27
• July 28 (2021) / James 2:1-26
• July 29 (2021) / James 3:1-18
• July 30 (2021) / James 4:1-17
• July 31 (2021) / James 5:1-20

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One more thing…

Our reading schedule follows the order given in the Thomas Nelson Chronological Study Bible, so we may be tempted to think that we are, in fact, reading things chronologically, with the Epistles presented in the order in which they were originally written. But the problem is that there is quite a lot of guesswork that goes into assessing the chronology of things 2,000 years old. For example, this letter from James may have been written before Paul’s letter to the Galatians, even though we are reading it after. Or it might have been written several years later and after other letters that we have not yet read. We simply do not know.

My point here is that we should not take the order given by The Chronological Study Bible as being definitive in any sense. Nor should we base any doctrine on any such supposed chronology. Rather, hold the chronology loosely, and consider what the Word of God actually says, not so much when it might have been said.

Galatians 3-6

O foolish Galatians!

Galatians 3:1a

Discounting geography, might this epithet from Paul apply to you? Are you striving to make yourself righteous by following a set of rules? Having glimpsed the grace of God in Christ, are you now trying to earn His approval? Having started with the Spirit, are you now trying to go it alone?

I, for one, have fallen into this trap multiple times. I say I believe in Jesus. I say I appreciate His Cross. I say I acknowledge His Resurrection. Yet I often persist in trying to clean myself up on my own. I effectively tell God, “Thanks for the help. Now I’ve got this!” O foolish Galatian!

Paul goes on to explain that our righteousness comes only through faith in Christ, not from outward conformity to the Law. Any attempt to establish our own righteousness under the Law is not only futile but counterproductive, even deadly, as it undermines grace and cuts us off from Christ. (Gal. 5:4) It reveals that we are really trusting in ourselves and not in Christ at all.

Does that mean, then, that — not being “under the Law” — we should go ahead and engage in all sorts of illicit behavior? Am I free to cheat on my wife? May I steal? Lie? Murder? It should be abundantly obvious that the answer to all of that is, “No!” (Gal. 5:13-15) We must not indulge the flesh. We must instead walk by the Spirit.

So examine yourself. Are you trying to make it on your own? Or do you have a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ? Are you operating in your own strength, trusting in your “flesh”? Or are you walking by the Spirit? Look at yourself in the light of Galatians 5:19-26? What kind of fruit do you see? Even if you might look good on the outside, what’s going on inside?

See also:

• July 21 (2021) / Galatians 3:1-14
• July 22 (2021) / Galatians 3:15-29
• July 23 (2021) / Gal. 4:1-31
• July 24 (2021) / Gal. 5:1-15
• July 25 (2021) / Gal. 5:16-26
• July 26 (2021) / Gal. 6:1-18

Acts 15:1-35; Galatians 1-2

Old habits die hard. And the oldest habit of all is self-justification.

Paul, once the ultimate Pharisee, sees through legalism and self-justification like no one else. He understands what it means to be zealous for the Law of Moses and for the traditions of his fathers. (Galatians 1:14; Philippians 3:4-6) He also knows Jesus. He knows that he cannot attain righteousness under the Law. He knows that by the grace of God he is already righteous in Jesus.

Paul says:

For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

Galatians 2:19-21

We have a choice. We can trust in ourselves and seek to make ourselves look good, to prove ourselves, to justify ourselves. Or we can die and turn our lives over to Jesus. Which will it be today?

See also:

• July 18 (2021) / Acts 15:1-35
• July 19 (2021) / Galatians 1:1-24
• July 20 (2021) / Galatians 2:1-21

Acts 13-14

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

Acts 13:3-4

And so, Saul — who soon becomes known as Paul (Acts 13:9) — begins his first missionary journey. We should note that this is at the explicit direction of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that drives the spread of the Gospel. It is the Holy Spirit Who sends and empowers. It is the Holy Spirit Who gives Paul his ability to preach. It is the Holy Spirit Who makes Barnabas such an encourager. (Acts 4:36) It is the Holy Spirit Who works miracles through the Apostles and other believers, confirming the message of Christ and His Resurrection. It is the Holy Spirit that brings people to repentance and the Holy Spirit Who gives life in Jesus’ name.

We might also note that the Spirit does not call the entire crowd to the mission field — just Barnabas and Saul. We are not all called to missions. In fact, very few have such a call, so no one should ever be “guilted” into going on a short- or long-term mission without that call from the Holy Spirit. We cannot do the Holy Spirit’s job.

See also:

• July 16 (2021) / Acts 13:1-41
• July 17 (2021) / Acts 13:42-14:28

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One more thing…

Reading through the Book of Acts, with so many events presented in just a few pages, it is easy to lose track of the passage of time. It may feel like just weeks since Jesus’ Ascension and the Day of Pentecost, but that would be a mistaken impression. In fact, years are passing by. Paul’s first missionary journey is generally dated to about 47 or 48 AD, which means that the first 14 chapters of Acts span about 18 years — a wee bit longer than how the narrative might feel to us.

Acts 10-12

The story of Cornelius’ conversion is pivotal for the development of the Church. It is so significant that Luke gives us lots of details to fully establish the facts. For example:

• An angel visits Cornelius, instructing him to send for Peter
• Cornelius sends for Peter
• Peter has the vision of the sheet with the unclean animals
• At the conclusion of that vision, the delegation from Cornelius arrives
• Peter travels to Caesarea and preaches to Cornelius
• While Peter is still speaking, the Holy Spirit falls on the Gentiles
• Peter baptizes Cornelius and his household

Then Luke emphasizes the significance of these events by telling the story all over again as Peter conveys the details to those in Judea. Why is this story so significant? Because it is proof positive that the Gospel is not just for the Jews, but for the Gentiles, too. It is Good News for the whole world — yes, even for you and for me!

See also:

• July 12 (2021) / Acts 10:1-23
• July 13 (2021) / Acts 10:24-48
• July 14 (2021) / Acts 11:1-30
• July 15 (2021) / Acts 12:1-25

Acts 8:4-9:43

God has a way of turning things upside down.

Following the murder of Stephen, strong persecution arises against the Church in Jerusalem. Although the persecutors’ intent is to squelch the Gospel message, the actual effect is just the opposite. As believers flee, scattering across Judea and Samaria, they preach as they go. (Acts 8:1,4) Philip, one of the original Deacons named along with Stephen (Acts 6:5), evangelizes the city of Samaria and subsequently guides an Ethiopian official through the Scriptures to Christ. (This Philip becomes known as “Philip the Evangelist” to distinguish him from the Apostle Philip, who remains in Jerusalem — Acts 8:1). And although the Bible does not say so directly, we can be sure that the Ethiopian eunuch takes the Gospel home with him, expanding the Gospel’s reach even further.

And then there is Saul. We first meet Saul taking care of the coats of those stoning Stephen to death, approving of their actions. (Acts 7:58, 8:1) He then leads the persecution of the Church, hauling believers off to prison and seeking to hunt them down as far away as Damascus. (Acts 8:3, 9:1-2) But Saul encounters Jesus on the way to Damascus, and his life is forever changed. The great persecutor of Christ becomes His preacher.

God has a way of turning things upside down.

See also:

• July 9 (2021) / Acts 8:1-40
• July 10 (2021) / Acts 9:1-19
• July 11 (2021) / Acts 9:20-43

Acts 6:1-8:3

Stephen, the first named Deacon of the Church, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5), becomes the first Martyr for Christ. Our word “martyr” comes straight from the Greek, “μάρτυς” (“mártys”), which simply means “witness”. It is because so many Christians have subsequently borne witness to Christ in like fashion as Stephen — laying down their lives — that the word has taken on the meaning it has today.

May we all be like Stephen!

No, I do not desire that any of us be stoned to death by an angry mob, but would that it could be said of us all that we were full of faith and of the Holy Spirit! How would it be if we’d all serve one another as the first Deacons served? How would it be if we knew the Scriptures as well as Stephen? (By the way, Stephen’s speech in Acts 7 is a pretty good overview of the Old Testament.) How would it be if we had Stephen’s boldness and courage? How would it be if we had Stephen’s faith? How would it be if we’d forgive others, even as they murder us?

Yes, may we all be like Stephen!

See also:

• July 6 (2021) / Acts 6:1-15
• July 7 (2021) / Acts 7:1-38
• July 8 (2021) / Acts 7:39-60

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One more thing…

Happy Thanksgiving!

That, of course, is our standard greeting for this day, but it seems to me to be exceptionally shallow. It presupposes a fine feast in a warm place filled with pleasant company and beautiful traditions. But we all know that such a scene is often just a façade masking deep pain and scars. Sometimes that pain can make it difficult to feel thankful, but the truth is that we all have plenty for which to be thankful, including those things that we think of as “negative”.

…giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…

Ephesians 5:20

So give thanks today, even if it’s hard to hear “Happy Thanksgiving!”

Acts 3-5

As we saw in the Gospels, Jesus warned His followers that they would face opposition, that since the world hated Jesus, the world would hate them (us), too. (John 15:18-19) Today we see that opposition rising against the Apostles, and — surprise, surprise — it comes from the same source, the religious leadership that stood against Jesus. When questioned by these leaders, Peter pulls no punches:

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Whom you crucified, Whom God raised from the dead—by Him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:8-12

Peter is as direct as can be. He does not hem and haw about Who is responsible for healing the lame man. He does not shy away from proclaiming that Jesus is the only Way to salvation. He does not beat around the bush as to whether or not God raised Jesus from the dead. And he does not hesitate to remind his audience of their sin, that it is they who crucified Jesus, that they are the builders that rejected the Cornerstone. He does not try to soften the blow with some namby-pamby “I’m OK — You’re OK” blather.

Today it seems that much of the western Church (or what purports to be the Church) seems more concerned with not ruffling feathers, and thereby avoiding persecution, than with speaking the truth. Maybe we should take a few notes from Peter instead.

See also:

• July 3 (2021) / Acts 3:1-26
• July 4 (2021) / Acts 4:1-37
• July 5 (2021) / Acts 5:1-42