“The Canary (NOT) In the River”

As a boy, I was hooked on the intriguing articles of Popular Science and the cool toys and concepts displayed among its pages. While in college, though, I didn’t have time to read it nearly as much, and when we came to Des Moines, we quite simply didn’t have the resources to spare for the subscription. Last year, though, Nicole bought me a gift subscription to the magazine for Christmas, and I’ve been enjoying it again ever since. This month’s issue arrived in the mail Saturday, and I picked it up this morning and started reading. Then, on page 17, I came across an interesting article entitled “The Canary In the River” which relates a puzzling and disturbing discovery: “something in the water is feminizing male fish.”

As someone who enjoys fishing, this caught my attention, and I had to read on. Essentially, the article covers the results of a 9-year-long study by the US Geological Survey which found that 44% of largemouth and smallmouth bass dissected by researchers were found to be “intersex,” or having male sex organs which produced immature female eggs. At some sites, the number was as high as 91%, and intersex specimens were discovered at 34 of 111 sites in 8 of 9 major river basins across the country. The causes of this phenomenon are not yet known, but most theories point to pollution in the form of trace chemicals released into the watershed from sewage treatment plants and agricultural runoff as a primary culprit.

What does this have to do with us? Well, aside from the fact that we still don’t know what these changes in fish mean for the human population which depends on the water that is apparently causing them, probably not all that much. It just serves as a great way for me to raise something that’s been on my radar screen for some time.

Why is it that everyone assumes that, like these intersex fish, Christian men are somehow feminized? Don’t believe me? Walk into a Christian bookstore and tell me which section is bigger: the men’s or the women’s? And in the men’s section, how many of the titles or subjects are truly dripping with testosterone? I dare say that the sedate colors and pretty pictures on the covers of most of these books for men are really intended to convince women that these would be great gifts for men!

Still not convinced? Consider the decor of the churches in which we worship. I still haven’t found one with camouflage or blaze orange as prominent members of the color scheme. And when you look at the faces that populate the pews, how is the balance between men and women? Truly, women dominate the church, and the world tends to think of the men that go as a bunch of pansy sissies.

Now, my objective here is not to criticize the women for driving men out of the church. Indeed, I think that the women have really risen to fill the gaps left by men who left of their own volition. Rather, it is my intention to challenge the men of the church to step up to the plate, if you will. For too long, we have allowed ourselves to be sidelined and marginalized in every area of life – home, church, the culture at large – and kept our mouths shut as the gospel has been neglected, mocked, and trampled by our peers.

Last night, our church started a new discussion in its men’s group which is really intended to enable men to do just exactly that. And in the coming weeks, we will be starting a new Bible study for men only which will do the same. At this point, I’m thinking it will be on Thursday nights at 7:00 pm, starting December 10. This is intentionally set to make it an additional commitment above and beyond those which we already have because I don’t want those who aren’t brave enough to commit to a life of true Christ-likeness to show up.

This study will be a chance for the men of our church to be men and to explore who and what men are supposed to be in a Biblical sense. That means that we’re going to study the men of the Bible. It means we’re going to consider what God had to say directly to men. And it means that we’re going to ask each other tough questions to make sure that we’re not just reading it, but we’re applying it. So that we can be, as Paul called Timothy, real men of God.

 

Sunday Afternoon Ramblings (Monday Edition)

I had a great time in worship yesterday. From where I was sitting, it seemed as though the Spirit was at work from the beginning of the service to the very end. Let me tell you why.

First of all, I thought that Pastor Sharon did a great job with the announcements. Many people probably don’t know this, but getting up on the platform and speaking is actually a stretch for her. She did a wonderful job yesterday!

Adoration was firing on all cylinders again. Their song selections put me immediately into a spirit of worship. I love worshiping with them! And of course, I loved the hymns that we sang; I picked them. But it always means so much more to hear the voices of other saints raised in worship along with my own admittedly sad voice. And Angela and Nicole did such a wonderful job leading them!

The message, I thought, went well. At the very least, I was pleased with the response of several people who indicated that it was a good, strong reminder that we will always have work to do this side of heaven. Truly, the fact that David became king and segwayed immediately to the business of being king, finally conquering Jerusalem and then doing the work that God had yet for him to do, is a powerful example. No matter what we think we’ve accomplished, until we hear “Well done” at the gates of heaven or every last person on earth has been saved, we have work to do.

One thing that I would note, again, is that David was able to conquer Jerusalem only by thinking outside of the box and attacking via the water shaft. No one had attempted this before because military strategy centered around the siege and frontal assault. David had to get over the “this is the way we’ve always done it” mentality to try something new and different, and if we’re going to successfully minister to our community and culture, we must too.

Since this is a Monday edition of the Sunday Afternoon Ramblings, I would also like to touch on the men’s meeting (since the women wouldn’t let me attend theirs). We started something a little different last night by introducing Steve Farrar’s book, “Point Man: How a Man Can Lead His Family.” Over the next few months, we’re going to be diving into this book as a platform for exploring men’s role in the family, the church, and the culture. I think we’ll find our time helpful as Farrar gives some practical tips for dealing with things that men deal with on a regular basis and challenging as we consider how we men should be living and leading in the various segments of life. Perhaps just as important, though, I think we’ll find it refreshing because Farrar doesn’t treat men like the effeminate creatures our culture sees Christian men to be. I dare say that this world would be a much different (and better) place if Christian men would stand up and be the men that God has called us to be. Now, for those who fear that means men should dominate, please understand that this is not the case. Rather, it means that men would stand up and live lives worthy of respect, make such wise and right decisions that people will want to submit to them, and love their families in such a way that they are willing to lay their lives down to see them made holy.

Well, that’s enough for now. But let me close for the moment by saying that I am excited to see what God is doing in our church! And as I’m looking down the road, I am continuously reminded that He has even more exciting – even more amazing – things in store! Let’s make an impact on the world this week!

Acts 16: Challenges, Messages, and the Will of God

• Application
• Notes

Application

Acts 16 records the first leg of Paul’s second missionary journey. After parting from Barnabas and taking his leave from Antioch, Paul and company headed by land to Derbe and Lystra, on their way to revisit the churches they had established during his first expedition. While on the way, three things happened that I think noteworthy.

The first is that the team met Timothy. Timothy’s story is interesting for a couple of reasons. First, we learn here that he was the son of a Jewess and a Greek. In other words, he was neither Jew or Gentile. He was of mixed descent, and if you will remember the spite with which Samaritans were viewed because they had mixed blood, you can begin to imagine how Timothy must have felt in this world. The Jews hated him because he was Gentile, and the Gentiles hated him because he was Jew. Such a life must have been lonely and hard. Second, we can assume from comments made elsewhere in the Bible that Timothy was exceptionally young. In an era when age was directly related to the amount of respect one received in the family and community, Timothy was just a kid. And yet we read in verse 2 that he had a good reputation and all the brothers in both Lystra (his hometown) and Iconium spoke well of him. This is certainly impressive. And third, if we look ahead through Timothy’s life, we learn that he became a trusted and valued companion of Paul and eventually ended up becoming the pastor of the church at Ephesus. Two books of the Bible were addressed specifically to him, and six of Paul’s letters carry his name as well. Clearly, despite all that Timothy had going against him (e.g., unsaved father, mixed heritage, cultural ostracism, and youth), he nevertheless managed to become an upstanding and effective member of God’s family.

What do you have going against you? We all have reasons why we can’t do something amazing for God. Timothy shows us, though, that those are all merely invalid excuses for us to not let God do something amazing through us. Why not put all those excuses aside and get to work for God?

A second noteworthy thing that I see is what happened in verses 4 and 5. Here, we’re told that, as they went, Paul and co. conveyed the decision which had been made in Jerusalem regarding the circumcision of Gentile believers (i.e., that they didn’t have to be circumcised) and the directives that accompanied it: that they were “to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality” (Acts 15:29 NIV). Now, for most of us, these directives seem a little bit irrelevant. I don’t know too many people who eat food sacrificed to idols or blood, etc. But in those days, these things were all integral parts of the pagan religions that most Gentiles practiced. The directive from Jerusalem, then, was that Gentile believers must abandon all of the things that had made them pagan in the past. It would be akin, therefore, to us telling people today that they needed to stop drinking, gambling, swearing, and looking at pornography and having sex outside of marriage. Can you imagine how well these directives would go over? But wait! Verse five starts off with the word “so,” indicating that what was to come was a direct result of Paul and co. communicating these directives. And what was to come? “The churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.” Two essential things! The churches were strengthened by the realization that their lives were supposed to be dramatically different than they had been before the gospel. And they actually grew in numbers because they unapologetically told the people around them the same thing!

How often do we and our churches think that, to be effective in communicating the gospel message, we have to look a lot like the rest of the world? And how often do we believe that, to grow our churches, we have to tiptoe around “sensitive” subjects so that we don’t risk offending those who are involved with sinful behaviors and lifestyles? We think that we’re supposed to do anything but these things if the church is to be successful in this day and age, and still the North American Church is in catastrophic decline. You know, not only did Paul, Silas, and co. do exactly the opposite of what we would expect, but they saw success – tremendous success – in doing so. Perhaps we should rethink our ministry paradigms and realign ourselves with Acts 16:4-5.

And a final thing that I would point out about Acts 16 is what happens in verses 6-10. Here, we discover that Paul and his companions were prevented by the Holy Spirit from entering into Asia and Bithynia only to be compelled by the same Spirit to cross the Aegean Sea into Macedonia – completely uncharted territory for the church – to preach the gospel. Notice that we don’t see that the Spirit used visions or audible voices from God to bar the way. Since there would have been no visas or customs agents involved, I like to think the Spirit used godly people along the way to stand up and say, “Whoa. Wait a second.” And even when this advice was contrary to what Paul and co. had planned and, I dare say, wanted to do, they stopped and listened, believing that the Spirit which indwells all believers can choose to speak through those believers it indwells. Notice also that, when something completely different was involved, the Spirit did go out of its way to make itself absolutely clear. To call the expedition to Macedonia, a place where no believers had ever been before, the Spirit sent a vision which was almost impossible to misunderstand.

How many times have believers missed God’s will for their lives because they assumed that God wanted them to do what they wanted or intended to do? And how many times have believers gotten off on the wrong path because they thought God might want them to get off there? When trying to discern the will of the Lord, I would suggest that it is imperative to listen to fellow believers and wait for absolute clarity from the Holy Spirit before embarking on something new.

Acts 16 holds a lot of great stuff. Far more than we’ve discussed here. But I really do think that these three things are particularly noteworthy for us today. We must not count ourselves (or anyone else) out from accomplishing God’s will simply because we have things going against us. We must not compromise our lives or the gospel message in the name of “being relevant” or anything else; radical repentance and moral purity are essential parts of the gospel and must, therefore, be essential parts of our lives. And when seeking God’s will, we absolutely must pay attention to the Spirit-filled believers that God puts along our way and never jump into something dramatically different without having an undeniably clear message from the Lord. How would our churches – indeed, how would we ourselves – be affected if we actually put these things into practice!

 

Notes

• (1-3) I wonder what kind of a situation Timothy came out of. Luke tells us his mother was a Jewess and believer, and his father was a Greek. Greek here would have been used more of the secular worldview and mindset than of nationality or ethnic background. Later, we read that it was his mother and grandmother who conveyed to him the faith. So what was his dad up to?
• (1-3) It’s also important to realize that Timothy would have been outcast from both Jewish and Gentile communities because of his mixed blood. Indeed, if it hadn’t been for the Church, he probably would have lived a pretty lonely life.
• (4-5) The decisions reached in Jerusalem in chapter 15 indicated that the Gentile believers would not have to be circumcised, but did outline a number of things from which they would have to abstain. In other words, they involved a list of things people should and shouldn’t do. Rules. And yet we’re told that the churches were strengthened because of them and even grew daily in numbers! Maybe the key to growing the church isn’t telling people what they want to hear after all! (And yes, that was sarcasm.)
• (6-10) I wonder how it was that the Spirit kept Paul and co. from going through Asia and Bithynia. Was it a vision? A strong sense that this wasn’t the way to go? Or could it have been that the Spirit simply put a number of people and circumstances in place to block the way? Wouldn’t it be great if people would listen to the Spirit, even when it means not doing the things they think are important and/or want to do?
• (9-10) Wouldn’t it be great if people would listen to the Spirit, even when it means doing things they hadn’t planned on and/or didn’t want to do?
• (11) Suddenly, the perspective of the account changes from third-person to first, indicating that Luke joined the expedition at some point between verse 6 and here.
• (13-15) Although women were generally a marginalized segment of the population, we learn here that Paul and co. specifically preached to them. And at least one of them, a successful businesswoman (rare in those days) named Lydia believed. Her decision demonstrates that the gospel is for everyone from the least of these marginalized people to the greatest of these successful people.
• (15) I love how Lydia put Paul and co. over the barrel here. If they counted her salvation true, she expected them to join her. This is called real faith.
• (17) I suspect that this was probably more of a taunting thing than anything else.
• (19) This would be a classic worldly paradigm. These people didn’t care about the girl’s best interests; only the profit potential that she represented. Further, they thought that they were in control of the demon, when in reality, everything that they had was built on it.
• (20) Never forget that the world is not afraid to manufacture charges to level against people that challenge their worldview and/or lifestyle.
• (28) This is quite a change from when Peter was led out of the prison by an angel.
• (34) Keep in mind that this wasn’t some girly man. This was a hardened Roman prison guard. He was a man in every sense of the word!
• (37) At first, it might seem that Paul was being ornery. But I really think that this move was designed to vindicate Paul and Silas in the eyes of the community and the world. By coming down and personally escorting them out of jail, the officials were compelled to recognize that they – no Paul and Silas – had been the ones acting inappropriately. This saved the face of the gospel for Lydia and all who had heard it and made clear that the false charges and public outcry were out of line.
• (40) Isn’t this what meetings of the church are supposed to do: encourage the believers?

Sermon Insights: 2 Samuel 5:1-10

Saul’s reign had finally come to an end. With the Israelites’ defeat at Mt. Gilboa, the king and his heir Jonathan had been killed in battle, and in the wake of their deaths, the nation was divided. The tribe of Judah followed David, the popular general who, despite his lack of favor with the king, had grown in favor with the people by protecting them from and avenging them against the Philistines. And all the other tribes followed one of Saul’s other sons, Ish-Bosheth. But Ish-Bosheth was weak, and there were others who were vying for control, including his own military commander, Abner. Eventually, Abner made a play to usurp the throne by sleeping with one of Saul’s concubines, and when Ish-Bosheth called him on it, the general deserted and headed for David’s camp. The desertion was perceived as the penultimate sign of Ish-Bosheth’s weakness, and when Abner ended up dead at the hands of David’s general Joab, two of the northern king’s commanders orchestrated his demise.

With Saul’s second son dead, in 2 Samuel 5, the people of the eleven northern tribes sought peace with David, and the kingdom was consolidated with him as king. The man who had started out the youngest of eight, the leftover and shepherd of his family; threatened Saul to the point that the king tried to kill him a number of times; and ended up a fugitive hiding in the desert; had been raised to power by God Most High. It was an amazing turn of events, to say the least. A real climax to this young man’s life. But this wasn’t the end of David’s story. In fact, in many ways, it was just the beginning.

So often in this life, we have a tendency to think that, if we can just get to that point right there, we will have a real accomplishment under out belts. We will have reached the full extent of God’s blessing. We will have fulfilled God’s ideal for our lives, and all the rest of our time on earth will be ours to do with as we please. But while 2 Samuel 5 certainly marks a climax, it is certainly not the end of David’s account. And in many ways, it’s not even the biggest climax.

As followers of God, we must all recognize that He has something more for us to do, regardless of the great stuff we may have already accomplished for Him. After David became king, his job was just beginning. By the tenth verse of this fifth chapter, he had captured Jerusalem, the Jebusite fortress which had stood in the middle of Israelite territory since the time of Joshua, and started a massive construction project to transform the palace there into a capital fit for the people of the Lord. In chapter six, he would bring the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem and re-establish God in His rightful place at the heart of the kingdom. In chapter seven, he started preparations for a temple that his son would build. In chapter 8, he prosecuted a military campaign to expand and secure the nation’s borders. In chapter 9, he brought reconciliation to the kingdom when he sought out and showed kindness to Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s crippled son, as the last descendant of Saul. And in chapter 10, he defeated the Ammonites. There was the whole mess with Bathsheba which, although clearly not in God’s will at the outset, became a shining example of repentance and God’s grace by the end. The birth of Solomon, who would become king. And the establishment of a dynasty which would last generations and ultimately lead to the advent of the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus the Christ.

No, David wasn’t done just because he became king.

And we’re not done just because we attend church. Just because we were saved or sanctified. Just because we witnessed. Just because we taught a Sunday School class. Just because we…

We’re not done yet because God’s not done with us yet. And He won’t be done with us until we get to heaven.

Sunday Afternoon Ramblings, Monday edition

I just love being in our worship services. The spirit of unity and worship, I feel, is better in our services than just about anywhere else I’ve ever been. God has truly blessed us!

Yesterday’s service was wonderful, despite a number of hiccups for which I will take personal responsibility. Those included a mix-up with the slides at the beginning of the worship set. Somehow, the worship set was inserted out of order. And my own failure to add the sermon notes to the presentation. That was a simple act of stupidity. And you may have noticed that I used a pew Bible during the message. This was because I had set my own Bible down on the table at my house, walked off to church without it, and realized it only after the service had started. Talk about embarrassing. Ugh.

Even so, the service went relatively well. Adoration never fails to bring me into a spirit of worship right at the beginning of the service. Their choice of songs seems always appropriate. I also loved the hymns, which I suppose comes as no surprise since I picked them. Nevertheless, I never cease to be amazed that God saw fit to redeem me by the blood of His lamb!

You may have noticed that I struggled a bit during the message yesterday. Quite frankly, I had found it difficult through the week to nail the passage down. It just seemed as though there were so many different places I could focus, and I found it difficult to choose one approach until very late in the week. I really think, though, that the most important lesson that we could have taken out of the entire thing was that we need to choose to reject the ways of Nabal, which are essentially the same as those of the world in which we live, and pursue the mannerisms of Abigail and David. This means that we stop focusing on “me” and start focusing on others, choosing to engage the world with wisdom and godliness. Remember that, by the end of 1 Samuel 25, Nabal was dead. Abigail should have been destitute, but because of the impact she made on David when she lost no time to send him the bread and other supplies, he chose to marry her. And David, the guy who was living in the desert and had had his first wife given away to another, ended up with two wives out of the deal. We can argue the validity of having two wives some other time, but the point of the passage here was to show that God used what Saul and the world had intended to bring harm on David to instead bring blessing.

Since this is another Monday edition of the Sunday Afternoon Ramblings, I will also mention that I was extremely pleased with our small group discussion last night. If you’ve missed lately, we’ve been walking slowly through the book of Revelation. Last night, we covered the letter to the church at Laodicea, recorded in Revelation 3:14-22. The subject matter was extremely relevant, and the challenge very, very real. I absolutely cherish the opportunity to sit down with a handful of people and truly break the bread of life together. And I would encourage anyone and everyone to join it who possibly can!

Lastly for today, it seems strange to me that this is already November. It seems like only yesterday that 2009 started, and here we are almost at its end! That means that there are a number of great things coming up in the life of our church which I would remind you about. The first, of course, is the Harvest Dinner. This week, I will be creating cards that you will be able to hand out to your friends, families, coworkers, and perfect strangers to invite them to join us November 15. And the second is the start of the advent season, which is coming up on November 30. The theme for this year’s advent – at least for me – is going to be the Advent of Hope. We’ll be talking about how the incarnation of the Christ brings hope for us in a number of areas of life, a discussion which will take us up through the new year. Then, starting the third week in January, we’ll be returning to the theme for the year which I announced during the State of the Church Address, spiritual maturity, by tackling the tongue. James calls it a flame which can set the whole body ablaze if it’s not brought under control, and that means that it must be harnessed if we are to grow into the sons and daughters of God that we are designed to be. I am very much excited about all of these things, and I truly hope that you are, too! Why? Because I believe that God can and will use them to make an impact on each of us and the world!

Sermon Insights: 1 Samuel 25

1 Samuel 25 marks the end of an era for Israel. Samuel was dead, and the future of the nation was suddenly entirely in the hands of the king. The only problem with that was that the king, Saul, was somewhat less than mentally stable, and his God-appointed successor, David, was in hiding. As the chapter opens, we’re told that the entire nation assembled to mourn their spiritual leader, and then David rushed back into hiding in the Desert of Maon, where he ran across a man named Nabal.

Apparently, Nabal was a fairly rich man, but his wealth came largely from the fact that he was greedy and stingy. Even though his servants and property had been protected by David while the king-to-be and his men were in Carmel, when David sent men to ask that Nabal spare a portion of his bountiful harvest of wool and anything else he could, Nabal refused. Not only that, but he made a great show of the entire thing, making clear that he didn’t know David and didn’t owe him a dime.

Needless to say, this didn’t exactly impress David.

In fact, it didn’t impress Nabal’s servants, either. And when they told his wife about what he had said and done, Abigail knew that they were in trouble. So she wisely came up with a plan to put together a pile of supplies and meet David before he arrived in wrath.

The point of the chapter is obviously to contrast Abigail’s wisdom, generosity and grace against her husband’s lack thereof. Nabal was a greedy cheapskate in every sense of the phrase, and by the end of the chapter, he met his demise as a direct result of his lifestyle. Abigail, on the other hand, did not hesitate to prepare 200 loaves of bread, 2 skins of wine, 5 sheep ready to eat, a bunch of roasted grain, 100 raisin cakes 200 fig cakes and give them to David. She gave away a significant amount of supplies, and yet at the end of the account, it is she who not only survives but is guaranteed provision for the rest of her life: David asks her to marry him in the wake of her husband’s death.

I love this story because it shares a couple of interesting insights into wisdom. First, it’s not always the people that we would expect who are wise. Generally, in those days, men were supposed to be wise. In this case, Nabal was the idiot. Second, it usually works out better to be generous rather than stingy. I don’t think David ever expected this level of generosity, but she gave everything she could. And because of that, she gained a husband who would care for her for the rest of her life. And third, without spiritual leadership, things go wrong. Without Samuel around, there was no one around to hold Nabal accountable for his wickedness, and there was no one around to tell David that it was probably a good idea to stick to no more than one wife. Spiritual leadership was essential to the character of the people, and without it, things began to crumble immediately.

Acts 15: When you fight

• Application
• Notes

Application

When I was in college, one of our professors told the story of a town in which there were two virtually identical churches less than a block apart. In fact, both structures had the same basic design. Both properties sported the same basic sign. And in fact, both congregations belonged to the same denomination, so they had the same basic beliefs. One morning, when a guest walked into one of these churches, he asked someone why there would be two congregations with so many similarities so close together. The parishioner he asked explained matter-of-factly that that church up the street was the bumblebee church. Puzzled, the guest pressed for an explanation and was told this story:

“One Sunday several years ago – before the days of air conditioning – the windows were open during the service when a large insect flew into the sanctuary and started buzzing around. Some of the people thought it was a bumblebee, and others thought it was a horsefly. But before they could catch it to check whether it was a bee or a fly, the bug disappeared out the windows again, never to be seen or heard from again. Well, they wouldn’t admit that it was a horsefly, and we knew it was.”

We’ve all seen it. Arguments break out in the church and elsewhere, and bad things happen. Friendships have been torn to pieces. Families have been broken. Churches have split apart. And sadly, if we can even remember the cause of the rift, it was something utterly ridiculous.

In Acts 15, we see two debates which could have easily transformed into arguments which would have been devastating consequences for the church. The first arose over whether or not Gentile believers needed to be circumcised to get to heaven, which actually spoke to a significant point of doctrine. And the second arose over whether or not John Mark would accompany Paul and Barnabas on their second missionary journey. Both were legitimate debates. In both cases, all the parties involved had valid points and real passion. And both very well could have split the church down the middle. But neither did. And in an era when churches split quite literally over whether it was a bumblebee or a horsefly which invaded the worship service last Sunday morning, families break over nebulous “irreconcilable differences,” and friendships dissolve just because, I think it’s important to recognize how that was possible.

The keys are found in how the debates were handled from beginning to end.

In vs 1-3, when some men arrived in Antioch from Jerusalem and began teaching that the Gentiles had to be circumcised, we’re told that the teachings “brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them.” Considering that Paul and Barnabas had just returned at the end of chapter 14 from a missionary journey through undeniably Gentile regions, this was understandable. And to be perfectly frank, I suspect that Paul and Barnabas were thoroughly equipped to simply pronounce these men wrong. They could have easily won that argument. But instead, the church at Antioch appointed Paul and Barnabas, along with some other believers, to go to Jerusalem and ask the apostles. Rather than declare, “Thus sayeth the Lord!” Paul and Barnabas exercised humility. When we enter into a debate, even when we know that we’re absolutely, unquestionably right, we must enter with humility. This means that we don’t denounce or disrespect the other guy. In fact, I think a solid argument can be made to say that the “other believers” mentioned in verse 2 was a respectful reference to these men who were teaching the wrong thing. It means that we respect the opposing argument. Notice how they didn’t mock the notion that Gentile believers should be circumcised. And it means that both sides must be committed to finding the truth. See how, rather than going back and forth, back and forth, they went to Jerusalem to inquire of the apostles who had spiritual authority. Paul, Barnabas, and these men weren’t interested in winning the argument; they wanted to be right, even if that meant that they had to first acknowledge being wrong. When we fight, we must be humble.

In verses 4-5, when Paul, Barnabas, and co. reached Jerusalem, both sides presented their points of view. Paul and Barnabas did so by relating the experiences of their first missionary journey. The opposition did so by pointing to the Mosaic law as a precedent. Both arguments had credibility, and in verse 6, we’re told that the apostles and elders acknowledged this simply by meeting to consider the question. When we enter into a debate, we must acknowledge the validity of the opposing viewpoint. More often than not, they have some compelling arguments. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t believe what they do. And the first, simplest, and best way to do this is by listening. No, this isn’t simply letting them talk. Frankly, I think that’s what a lot of us think we’re supposed to do. But rather, it’s actually listening to what they have to say and weighing their argument for what it is. Like the apostles and elders, we must be prepared to truly consider the question, and the only way we can do that is if we know what both sides of the issue are.

Third, I think it’s important to recognize the decisions that were made. In the circumcision debate, the apostles and elders concluded that the Gentiles would not have to be circumcised; Jew and Gentile alike were saved by grace alone. This was a significant doctrinal statement. To compromise on this point would have fundamentally altered the nature of the gospel message. And so the apostles and elders made sure to take steps to make their decision clear and definitive. By the time they sent Paul, Barnabas, Judas, and Silas, as well as a pointed letter outlining the decision, there could be no question what the church believed and expected. This level of decisiveness was essential in this case because it dealt with a central tenet which had to be preserved. In the case of whether John Mark would accompany Paul and Barnabas or not, though, the decision was entirely different. In essence, Paul and Barnabas agreed to disagree, and each went their own way. What was the difference? Well, I think it was simple. The eternal consequences of whether John Mark stayed or went were negligible. The point? When we enter into a debate, make sure to keep it in perspective. Don’t push matters which are really inconsequential. But conversely, don’t fail to push matters that are of real import. Learn to discern between the two. And resolve even now that, however passionate you are about an issue, you will act in a manner appropriate to the situation.

Finally, consider what happened immediately after the decisions were made. In the John Mark debate, we find that Paul and Barnabas resolved to go their separate ways. Barnabas and John went to Crete and, I suspect, on to Pergo, revisiting the first churches that the missionaries had planted previously. Paul, on the other hand, went via land to Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch, revisiting the latter churches. They split up, but they were still committed to the same objectives. This type of unity is even more pronounced – and critical – in the case of the circumcision debate. In vs 22, we’re told that “the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch” to deliver the decision. Notice that phrase, “with the whole church.” This is amazing because, in verse 2, we were told that at least a few people had been strongly in favor of requiring circumcision, and in verse 5, a whole party of like-minded believers stood up and declared in no uncertain terms that they were, too. And yet, once the decision was made, even though it was very much contrary to what these believers had believed, the whole church was behind the decision. This is the true nature of unity. It’s not that we are all exactly the same. That would be conformity. Rather, it’s that we entertain all sorts of different viewpoints, but at the end of the day, we are resolved to pursue one objective, together. When we enter into a debate, we must commit from the beginning to stick together and support whatever decision is made, even if we strongly disagree with it. If we’re truly committed to this, we will be constantly mindful to not burn our proverbial bridges as we argue. We won’t gloat if we win. And we won’t haul off and pout or leave if we lose.

Disagreements are going to happen. As long as we’re human, there will inevitably be differences of opinion, understanding, and more. The world in which we live and its master would like nothing more than for believers to fight in such a way that our churches, families, friendships, and more are shattered. But as believers, we must commit ourselves to debating in a godly manner, as the first-century church demonstrated so well here in Acts 15.

 

Notes

• (1) In this case, it was circumcision, but it seems to me you can put any number of things in this slot. How many would say, “Unless you wear your hair a certain way…”; “Unless you attend a particular church…”; “Unless you have no body piercings, tattoos, or criminal record…”; “Unless you are married with 2.3 children and a dog…”?
• (2) I should hope that I would always be prepared to confront such false requirements, as did Paul and Barnabas.
• (4) It occurs to me that this was the first time that Paul and Barnabas reported back to the apostles in Jerusalem. They never worried about getting the blessing for their missions trip; they just reported on its results. What would the impact be if we started a truly grassroots missionary campaign (where missionary is read both foreign and domestic, local, regional, and national).
• (5) Sadly, there will always be support for defining holiness by some arbitrary, artificial means. You must do x, y, and z – and not do a, b, and c – to be saved. When in reality, the true measure is no more and no less than the word of God.
• (8-9) Peter cuts right to the heart of the matter, literally. He recognized that God was not nearly as interested in the physical as He was – and is – in the heart.
• (11) This should not be understood to discount the importance of a changed life, but it is a clear statement that grace is far more important than single acts of “faithfulness.”
• (20-21) The compromise struck here is interesting. The Gentiles are called to abstain from all the things which were related, directly or indirectly, to their former, pagan life. This is the true expectation of faith: that we abandon the things related to our old sinful ways.
• (22) The key here is the phrase “with the whole church.” Even though some has stood up and argued for a different approach, once the decision was made, they were all in this together. How many churches need to hear this lesson! Once a decision is made, we must get over whatever differences we may have and work toward the same goal!
• (22-23) I also think that it’s significant that the apostles didn’t just send Paul and Barnabas with the decision on their own. I suspect there would have been skepticism and even discord if they alone had brought the decision that went so dramatically in their favor. Yet with the inclusion of Judas and Silas, called here “two leaders among the brothers” and the letter, Paul and Barnabas were sent with an undeniable commission: the Gentiles did not need to be circumcised. To claim otherwise was contrary to the church and to the gospel message. End of story.
• (39-40) Here is a case where two faithful men agreed to disagree. Barnabas thought John Mark was prepared for a second chance, Paul did not think it wise. Apparently, Barnabas was ultimately proven correct; Mark went on to be highly esteemed by Paul and even write one of our four gospels. But for right now, the two were in disagreement.
• (39-40) I think it interesting how this disagreement played out. Neither Paul nor Barnabas questioned the others’ faith. Neither Paul nor Barnabas resorted to calling each other names or resorting to power plays to gain the upper hand. Neither Paul nor Barnabas tried to recruit teams and so risk splitting the church. Instead, they resolved to go in separate directions. Barnabas presumably went by boat to the churches established on Cyprus and Perga, and Paul went by land to the churches in Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch before continuing on up into Macedonia. Rather than tearing the church apart by their disagreement, Paul and Barnabas approach to this conflict resulted in an increased effectiveness. How we would do well to remember that when we argue!

Acts 14: Three things critical to the success of ministers and ministries everywhere

• Application
• Notes

Application

Acts 14 picks up Paul and Barnabas’ first missionary journey in Iconium and tells of the extraordinary events that happened in the latter half of their trip. Before, they had seen some light resistance to the gospel, the worst of which had sent them on their way from Pisidian Antioch to Iconium, but now, as their impact was increasing dramatically, the resistance increased exponentially. At Iconium, we’re told in vs 5 that there was a plot “to mistreat them and stone them.” And after healing a lame man in Lystra, the people tried to sacrifice to the men as gods, but when Paul and Barnabas declined, resistance mounted until Paul was actually stoned, drug outside town, and left for dead. Then, in vs 21, the team started back the way they had come on their way back home. As they went, they made sure to stop at each of the towns and churches they had started on the way, and we’re told starting in vs 22 that, in each of these venues, they did three things which I believe are key.

First, they strengthened the disciples. This was critical because, when we get right down to it, all the believers in these churches were still very new in their faith. Who knew when they would again have the opportunity to rub elbows with men who were spiritually established and mature? No, Paul, Barnabas, and these churches could not afford to take this chance for granted, but how often do we waste similar opportunities? We get together, pat each other on the back a couple of times, and talk about the latest football scores all the time. But when was the last time you met with someone, asked them pointedly how they were doing in their faith walk, and shared with them Scripture and a prayer so that they would be strengthened in the faith? I dare say that we would have far stronger and more effective churches if we would take seriously the opportunities that we have to strengthen each other in the faith. We could help each other, one-on-one, to become the strong, vibrant believers that God intended us to be. And we could help each other, corporately, to make a far greater impact on the world for Jesus. So the next time you meet a fellow brother or sister in Christ, make sure to take the time to strengthen him/her in the faith.

Second, they encouraged them to remain true to the faith. This was no ordinary pep talk, though. We’re told in verse 22 that Paul and Barnabas told them, explicitly, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” and this message was dramatically reinforced by the marks which had undoubtedly been left by their treatment in Iconium and Lystra. Clearly, these men didn’t think that hardship was something to be avoided or lamented; they thought it something which had to be confronted to be effective in our faith. And they truly believed that they had to be effective in their faith to enter the kingdom of God. What kind of impact would our churches have if we adopted a similar attitude? Instead of tolerating sin in our lives because it’s easier or fun, we would resolve to embrace the difficulty inherent in pursuing righteousness. Rather than complaining when our rights are restricted, someone mocked us, or the task became challenging, we would put our heads down and press on. Rather than retreat from the world when we were sued, had our tax-exempt status revoked, beaten, killed, or the world just didn’t go our way, we would keep ministering regardless. If we considered hardship a necessary part of the road to heaven, as Paul and Barnabas did, I would submit to you that there would be no stopping us!

And finally, we discover in vs 23 that “Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church.” The significance of this statement must not be underestimated, especially when it’s paired with the fact that the appointment process included committing these leaders to the Lord with prayer and fasting. I think this is all critical for a couple of reasons. First, the elders were going to provide leadership in the absence of these men who had founded the church. Choosing the right people was therefore essential because no one knew when Paul and Barnabas would be able to return this way again. These elders therefore had to be wise and relatively spiritually mature. They had to be prepared to teach the way of the Lord and cast the vision which He had for the church to pursue. And they had to be strong enough to resist the temptation to veer off this way or that on any given whim. Second, these elders weren’t working for the people. Paul and Barnabas committed them to the Lord. The people were to follow them, yes, but these leaders’ allegiance was first and foremost to God. How would our churches look if our leaders were more concerned about what God wanted than making sure that they were re-elected? And finally, the choosing of these leaders and the role to which they were committed was not taken lightly. Indeed, we’re told that they were chosen and committed with prayer and fasting, which implied a significant level of earnesty, urgency, and solemnity in the whole task. This was no trivial responsibility. These people were tasked with representing the Lord to the people and leading the people to accomplish the vision that He had for them. This task was far greater than any agenda that they might bring with them to the board meetings. It was far more important than any squabble they might have with the next guy. And it was absolutely too big for any one of them to go it alone. These teams of elders – note the plural there – in each church would be the essential to success of their congregation in the eyes of God. We would do well to consider the leadership of our churches in the same light.

So there you have it. Three things that Paul and Barnabas did which I think were essential to their success, as well as the success of the churches that they had started along the way. May we strive to do the same!

Notes

• (1) To a culture that valued words and ideas, a logical, spoken argument could be highly effective. I suspect that if Paul and Barnabas were ministering in twenty-first century America, Luke would record that they ministered so effectively because our culture values experience far more than words.
• (2) Effective ministry again meets resistance.
• (3) This is an interesting statement. They ministered effectively, which stirred up resistance. And so they spend considerable time there. How many of us would see the resistance as a door closing and move on to the next place?
• (5-6) Only when the resistance reached a point where Paul and Barnabas were in mortal danger did they flee. Really, how often do we flee when the resistance is a couple of stubbed toes and a bruised ego?
• (6-7) Even when Paul and Barnabas fled, they continued to preach the good news. I find this amazing because I find myself more like Elijah in these instances. When Jezebel went hunting for him after he defeated to 800 prophets of Baal, he retreated to a cave in the desert and pouted.
• (14-18) I must wonder if I would have had the presence of mind to respond as Paul and Barnabas did. It feels good when people are singing your praise, and I must admit that it would be tempting to let this continue!
• (20) So was Paul actually dead? I mean, these people weren’t stupid. They knew when someone was dead. Would that mean that he was resurrected?
• (20) Furthermore, if I was just stoned, left for dead, and then raised again, I really don’t know that I would have gone back into the city or left the next day on a walking journey of two or three days. The resolve is remarkable.
• (21-22) The lesson recorded here has dramatically more impact coming from Paul and Barnabas considering what they had gone through.
• (23) I think it amazing that Paul and Barnabas appointed elders on their way back through. They clearly recognized that it took time for spiritual leaders to develop. And even then, they didn’t approach this task lightly. They did so with prayer and fasting. What would happen in our churches if we approached the election or appointment of leaders in the same way?
• (27) I think there was a profound significance to this report. It showed the church at Antioch that the investment of their beloved leaders and hard-earned resources was not in vain. They had had an impact on the world because they had dared to invest sacrificially in the kingdom of God.

Acts 13: Four Lessons

• Application
• Notes

Application

Acts 13 marks the beginning of a new era for the church. Up until now, the spread of the gospel has been propelled by persecution. The result was a rather disconcerted, almost haphazard expansion. Now, though, the church at Antioch assumes a leadership role when it deliberately sends Barnabas and Saul, along with John Mark (writer of the gospel of Mark), to spread the gospel further than it had ever gone before. In the actions of the church and the ministry duo, we see four essential lessons on ministry and life.

First, let’s talk about the church. The church at Antioch has been mentioned before in the book of Acts. We learned in chapter 11 that it was the first place where the gospel was presented to pure Gentiles. Back then, the apostles had dispatched Barnabas to check things out, and Barnabas had eventually recruited Saul to help him lead this new congregation into spiritual maturity. Now, barely more than a chapter later, the church there moves to send their esteemed leaders on an absolutely unprecedented missionary journey. They sent Barnabas and Saul, rising superstars in the church, off to do some other ministry. From a human standpoint, this would have been akin to a highly successful company sending the CEO largely responsible for its success off to start a new company. In the business world, that would be suicide. But the church at Antioch recognized that, while the departure of Barnabas and Saul would be a loss to the local congregation, it would be a significant investment in the greater kingdom of God.

God’s kingdom does not advance without someone, somewhere, making some painful investments. Believers must be willing to sacrifice comfort and esteem to share the gospel. Churches must be willing to give up finances and people to plant new churches. What are you being asked to invest in the kingdom of God today?

Once Barnabas and Saul were on their way, they stopped in Paphos, a city on the island of Cyprus, and met with the Roman proconsul there. They then sailed on to Perga in what is now south-central Turkey, and it was there, as they were preparing to move on again, that there was a problem. In verse 13, we read that John Mark, who had set out with the team as a helper, left them to return to Jerusalem. In chapter 15, when Paul and Barnabas have a heated dispute about taking John on their second missionary journey, we discover that the circumstances of his departure were not exactly positive. So we know that this event, even though it’s recorded in just one sentence here in verse thirteen, was considered by the team to be a significant setback. And yet, look at what happened in the very next sentence: “From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch.” It seems simple, almost anticlimactic, but then again, maybe that’s the point. After John left, Barnabas and Saul didn’t just flop down on the ground and pout. They didn’t run back to Antioch with their tails in between their legs. They simply went on.

There will be setbacks in ministry. People will give up. Ministries will fail. Churches will fall by the wayside. If we’re going to accomplish our God-given objectives, though, we must not allow those setbacks to preclude us from pressing forward in faith. We must press on.

Third, take a look at what happened when Barnabas and Saul reached Pisidian Antioch. Luke, the author of the book of Acts, tells us, in short, that they went into the synagogue and proclaimed the good news of Jesus Christ to everyone who was there. In fact, that’s exactly what they called it: good news. In vs 32-33, Paul pronounced, “We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers he has fulfilled for us.” And then, in vs 38-39, “I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.” This was the one thing that the Jews at Pisidian Antioch knew they were missing! After years of following the law, they were keenly aware that they were unable to satisfy its very high standards in and of themselves. The promise that God would do that through Jesus Christ was indeed profoundly good news!

The gospel is supposed to be the good news of Jesus Christ. And yet how often do we present it because we have to? As though it hurts us? With fear and trepidation? How often do we just not present it at all? We need to start acting and ministering like the gospel message is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to us!

And finally, look at what happens at the end of the chapter here. After they proclaim this good news, controversy erupts, and the chief troublemakers end up stirring up the prominent women in town as well as the leading men. I suspect that the ordering of those events was far from coincidence or happenstance. The bad guys wanted to see Barnabas and Saul driven out of town, and it worked. In fact, we’re told in vs 50 that the opposition succeeded in stirring up persecution against the two ministers such that they were driven from the region, not just from town. And yet what happens in verse 52? We learn that “the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Barnabas, Paul, and the new disciples at Pisian Antioch were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit, even in the midst of persecution.

We must expect persecution if we’re going to truly make a difference for the Lord. But tough as it may be, persecution does not have to mean that we go through life with a long face or bitter spirit. In fact, we don’t even have to get by with a little joy or Holy Spirit. The believers here were filled! It means that there was absolutely no room for more. They were filled with joy! That is a stark contrast to happiness. And they were filled with the Holy Spirit! The very presence and power of God was poured out within them until they were completely full!

We can’t shy away from persecution. Rather, we must welcome it as an opportunity for God to peel back a little more of our outer armor so He can fill us with all the things that we’re going to need to carry on.

So there you have it. Four lessons from Acts 13. Be prepared to invest in the kingdom of God. Expect setbacks and resolve to get around them. Believe that the gospel message is truly good news for all who hear it. And welcome persecution as an opportunity for God to fill you that much more.

Notes

• (1-3) The sacrifice of the Antioch church is significant. Barnabas and Saul had become prominent leaders in the church since their arrival. Sending them off to be missionaries meant the loss of a tremendous asset to the church. Then again, you can’t invest for gain without first experiencing loss.
• (10-11) Saul’s response to Elymas/Bar-Jesus is astoundingly bold. How often do I shrink away from worldly resistance? Paul just turned and confronted it head-on!
• (11-12) Saul’s response – and God’s action against this sorcerer – served as evidence of the gospel which he preached.
• (13) John’s departure at Pamphylia was not exactly planned. Yet, for as much trouble as it would cause heading into the second missionary journey, it’s funny how little attention it gets here.
• (14) It’s also interesting how, even after John left to return to Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas continued. So often, we allow the first little hiccup along the way completely derail our pursuit of God’s will. We must resolve to be more resilient.
• (42-45) When the gospel is preached boldly and as good news, people will have an insatiable hunger for it. And they will be compelled to bring others to it, too!
• (46-48) Again, Paul and Barnabas didn’t shy away from the resistance to the gospel but engaged it directly. We must not fear engagement but pronounce the gospel boldly to those who will listen and be prepared to answer any challenge which confronts us.
• (52) This is an interesting statement. Persecution breaks out. Paul and Barnabas are driven out of town. “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” How often do we fear difficulties because they’re hard when, in reality, God uses them to pry open the lids of our lives so He can fill us completely and abundantly with joy and the Holy Spirit?
• (52) The choice of words here is interesting. Joy instead of happiness; joy is clearly independent of circumstance. Filled instead of given; filled implies that there was no room for more. They were absolutely overflowing with joy and the Holy Spirit. Disciples instead of believers, followers, or attenders; Jesus isn’t looking for people who will merely nod their heads. He wants people who will study His words and apply His teachings to their own lives.

Discussion Question: What will it take for our church to reach 60?

I’ve been thinking about this for some time, and I would love to hear what others have to say. What will it take for our church of 35-40 to reach an average primary worship attendance average of 60? The floor is open. I would love to hear any and everything that you have to say. If we need to change things about our service, our various ministries, how I pastor? It’s all open for discussion. Seriously. Respond in the comments section below.