To listen to the audio version, click here.
Friday, May 29
Acts 26:1-32
So Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: "I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
"My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
"I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
"In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles--to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
"Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles." And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind." But Paul said, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe."
And Agrippa said to Paul, "In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?" And Paul said, "Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am--except for these chains." Then the king rose, and the governor and Bernice and those who were sitting with them. And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, "This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment." And Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."
Several years ago I heard a pastor tell a story about a business executive in his church. The executive had recently made a very generous financial gift to some aspect of the church’s ministry and then had called the pastor for a lunch appointment.
When they sat down for lunch the pastor wanted to find out the purpose of the lunch invitation so he said, “Well, what’s up? Why the appointment for lunch?”
His friend said, “I think I just need you to tell me I’m not crazy!”
What he meant, of course, is that to many in our world today the gospel sounds crazy and it seems even crazier to invest one’s life and resources in gospel oriented endeavors.
Luke tells us that as Paul is explaining the death and resurrection of Jesus, Festus accuses Paul of being crazy.
And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.”
In other words, Festus is saying, “You’re crazy to believe a man rose from the dead; you’re crazy to believe that faith in that man can provide eternal life; you’re crazy to think there is one spiritual truth for both Jews and Romans!”
Have you ever felt like your faith in Jesus makes you look crazy to your friends or family? They might not say it out loud, but you can see it in their eyes and you can hear it in their tone. They think you’re taking this whole “Jesus thing” a little too seriously. They think you’ve been brainwashed by smooth talking preacher. They think it’s a little weird that you give so much time and money to the ministries of your church.
Here’s how Paul responded to being called crazy:
But Paul said, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe." And Agrippa said to Paul, "In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?" And Paul said, "Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am--except for these chains."
In other words Paul says,
“What I’m saying and what I believe is not crazy but makes perfect sense. Who Jesus is and what Jesus did is anchored in history and is there for anyone who cares to check it out. In fact, the gospel is so real, so true and so powerful that I believe you are crazy not to believe as I do!”
Paul is both gracious and bold. He doesn’t accuse, he doesn’t belittle, he cares about the eternal destiny of those who have imprisoned him. But neither does he apologize for what he believes to be true.
The gospel will always sound crazy to some; but Paul reminds us that to believe the gospel, to live in the resurrection power of Christ, is the most sane thing anyone could ever do.
Pastor Brian Coffey
Thursday, May 28th
To listen to the audio version, click here.
Thursday, May 28
Acts 26:1-21
So Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: "I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
"My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
"I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
"In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles--to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
"Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.
I recently had a conversation with a friend who had some questions about a particular religious group. He said the group appeared to be a Christian denomination but that he was unfamiliar with the group’s theological position. He was wondering if I knew anything about that particular group.
I didn’t know all that much about the organization or their theological positions, but I knew enough to ask one question: What do they teach about Jesus?
Christian churches and denominations can differ on many issues; styles of worship, church polity; mode of baptism or manner of observing communion, but they must believe certain things about Jesus.
Jesus must be understood as the Son of God; that is, Jesus is both fully God and fully man; one with God the Father.
Jesus must be understood as being eternally existent and not a created being.
Jesus must be understood as the final and perfect sacrifice for sin.
Jesus must be understood as having been crucified, buried and risen again.
In other words, eventually all Christian theology and experience comes down to Jesus.
That’s what Paul is saying as he addresses King Agrippa:
At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
For Paul it all came down to Jesus.
He didn’t just suddenly have a change of heart about throwing followers of Jesus in jail. He didn’t experience a mid-life crisis and decide to change professions. He had a personal encounter with Jesus himself.
The same is true for us.
Whatever your faith background might have been; whatever denomination or church tradition shaped your spiritual understanding; wherever the journey of your life has taken you; it all comes down to Jesus.
He meets you where you are; he confronts who you have been and who you are; he leads you from spiritual death to spiritual life through his grace and forgiveness; and he calls you to follow him into a new life.
Paul never forgot, and never stopped proclaiming, that it all comes down to Jesus.
Pastor Brian Coffey
Thursday, May 28
Acts 26:1-21
So Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: "I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
"My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
"I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
"In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles--to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
"Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.
I recently had a conversation with a friend who had some questions about a particular religious group. He said the group appeared to be a Christian denomination but that he was unfamiliar with the group’s theological position. He was wondering if I knew anything about that particular group.
I didn’t know all that much about the organization or their theological positions, but I knew enough to ask one question: What do they teach about Jesus?
Christian churches and denominations can differ on many issues; styles of worship, church polity; mode of baptism or manner of observing communion, but they must believe certain things about Jesus.
Jesus must be understood as the Son of God; that is, Jesus is both fully God and fully man; one with God the Father.
Jesus must be understood as being eternally existent and not a created being.
Jesus must be understood as the final and perfect sacrifice for sin.
Jesus must be understood as having been crucified, buried and risen again.
In other words, eventually all Christian theology and experience comes down to Jesus.
That’s what Paul is saying as he addresses King Agrippa:
At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
For Paul it all came down to Jesus.
He didn’t just suddenly have a change of heart about throwing followers of Jesus in jail. He didn’t experience a mid-life crisis and decide to change professions. He had a personal encounter with Jesus himself.
The same is true for us.
Whatever your faith background might have been; whatever denomination or church tradition shaped your spiritual understanding; wherever the journey of your life has taken you; it all comes down to Jesus.
He meets you where you are; he confronts who you have been and who you are; he leads you from spiritual death to spiritual life through his grace and forgiveness; and he calls you to follow him into a new life.
Paul never forgot, and never stopped proclaiming, that it all comes down to Jesus.
Pastor Brian Coffey
Wednesday, May 27th
To listen to the audio version, click here.
Wednesday, May 27
Acts 26:1-11
So Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: "I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
"My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
"I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
The doctor who helped my wife deliver three of our four sons is a friend of ours through our church. I will never forget that when our last son was born he looked up at me with tears in his eyes and said, “Every one is a miracle!” I remember being so touched and encouraged that a man who had seen thousands of babies come into the world still saw my son’s birth as a miracle!
Sometimes I think those of us who have been around the gospel or have been preaching the gospel for most of our lives can forget that the gospel really is a life and death issue. We can forget that every single person who comes to faith in Jesus is, indeed, a miracle.
In reading and studying the Book of Acts, I don’t think Paul ever forgot or took for granted the miracle of the gospel. Notice how he begins his defense before King Agrippa:
Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? "I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
Paul begins with a confession. He reminds his audience of the atrocities that he had gladly committed against the followers of Jesus. He does so for two reasons. First, Paul never forgot that he was a man of “raging fury” before he met the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. Although he had come to know the grace and forgiveness of Jesus in his own soul, he never forgot the depth of pride and hatred he had descended to in his misguided ambition.
But second, I think he begins with this confession because of the question he poses at the beginning of his statement.
Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
He is obviously referring to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead here; the very cornerstone of the Christian gospel. Paul knew that King Agrippa knew the claims of resurrection made by Jesus’ followers but, like many today, simply dismissed those claims as being “impossible.” But I also think that Paul is referring to the change in his own life as a kind of resurrection from the dead. I think he is saying there is a direct correlation between the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and the transformation in his own life.
Paul would later say it this way in his letter to the Ephesian church:
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
Ephesians 2:1-5 (selected)
Paul never forgot that the gospel was not about making him “a better person;” or about “getting a little religion into his life.” Paul knew the gospel is about making the spiritually dead live again. The gospel is about death and resurrection. The gospel is about spiritual rebirth.
And that’s why every single person who can say, “Jesus saved me” is a miracle!
Pastor Brian Coffey
Wednesday, May 27
Acts 26:1-11
So Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: "I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
"My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
"I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
The doctor who helped my wife deliver three of our four sons is a friend of ours through our church. I will never forget that when our last son was born he looked up at me with tears in his eyes and said, “Every one is a miracle!” I remember being so touched and encouraged that a man who had seen thousands of babies come into the world still saw my son’s birth as a miracle!
Sometimes I think those of us who have been around the gospel or have been preaching the gospel for most of our lives can forget that the gospel really is a life and death issue. We can forget that every single person who comes to faith in Jesus is, indeed, a miracle.
In reading and studying the Book of Acts, I don’t think Paul ever forgot or took for granted the miracle of the gospel. Notice how he begins his defense before King Agrippa:
Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? "I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
Paul begins with a confession. He reminds his audience of the atrocities that he had gladly committed against the followers of Jesus. He does so for two reasons. First, Paul never forgot that he was a man of “raging fury” before he met the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. Although he had come to know the grace and forgiveness of Jesus in his own soul, he never forgot the depth of pride and hatred he had descended to in his misguided ambition.
But second, I think he begins with this confession because of the question he poses at the beginning of his statement.
Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
He is obviously referring to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead here; the very cornerstone of the Christian gospel. Paul knew that King Agrippa knew the claims of resurrection made by Jesus’ followers but, like many today, simply dismissed those claims as being “impossible.” But I also think that Paul is referring to the change in his own life as a kind of resurrection from the dead. I think he is saying there is a direct correlation between the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and the transformation in his own life.
Paul would later say it this way in his letter to the Ephesian church:
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
Ephesians 2:1-5 (selected)
Paul never forgot that the gospel was not about making him “a better person;” or about “getting a little religion into his life.” Paul knew the gospel is about making the spiritually dead live again. The gospel is about death and resurrection. The gospel is about spiritual rebirth.
And that’s why every single person who can say, “Jesus saved me” is a miracle!
Pastor Brian Coffey
Tuesday, May 26th
To listen to the audio version, click here.
Tuesday, May 26
Acts 26:1-7
So Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: "I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
"My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!
I have often heard people describe the difficulty of sharing the message of the gospel with the people they grew up with; and especially with family. While this is certainly not always the case, many find their old friends and/or family members to be very resistant to conversations about faith.
Sometimes the response is skepticism: “Hey, you can’t fool me; I remember the things we used to do!”
Sometimes it’s resentment: “So now you think you’re better than me because you got a little religion?”
Paul is speaking before at least one man, King Agrippa, who was himself a Jew and knew all the traditions in which Paul had been raised. So that’s where Paul chooses to start:
"My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers... And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!
Paul wants to be clear about two things. First, he wants to make it clear that he was, and is, a Jew who loves and respects his nation as well as the teachings of the scriptures. Secondly, he wants to make it clear that he stands accused of nothing more than his hope in the promises of God; namely, the promise of the Messiah who would come to save his people from their sins.
Paul believed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah of God; the very son of God who allowed himself to be put to death as the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He believed the law and the prophets all pointed to Jesus, and that salvation was to be found in Jesus alone. For this hope and for this hope alone, he says, he has been beaten and is now on trial.
I think Paul takes this stance because he knows that both Festus (the Roman Procurator) and King Agrippa are political creatures. He knows they value two things; their own position and to keep the peace so that the Emperor is satisfied. Paul wants them to know that he has committed no crime; rather, he is accused of believing Jesus is the Messiah. He knew that neither Festus or Agrippa cared much for religious debate, so he shrewdly paints them into a corner where they have either send him to Rome as a “religious revolutionary,” which would not please the Emperor, or, they have to admit that he is not a criminal.
Paul was not afraid to die, but neither was he shy about using the great intellect God had given him to challenge to powers of this world for the purposes of the gospel.
As Paul would write to his young protege, Timothy:
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7
Where and how may you have been timid in your faith? Ask the Holy Spirit to embolden you with his power, love and self-discipline!
Pastor Brian Coffey
Tuesday, May 26
Acts 26:1-7
So Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: "I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
"My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!
I have often heard people describe the difficulty of sharing the message of the gospel with the people they grew up with; and especially with family. While this is certainly not always the case, many find their old friends and/or family members to be very resistant to conversations about faith.
Sometimes the response is skepticism: “Hey, you can’t fool me; I remember the things we used to do!”
Sometimes it’s resentment: “So now you think you’re better than me because you got a little religion?”
Paul is speaking before at least one man, King Agrippa, who was himself a Jew and knew all the traditions in which Paul had been raised. So that’s where Paul chooses to start:
"My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers... And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king!
Paul wants to be clear about two things. First, he wants to make it clear that he was, and is, a Jew who loves and respects his nation as well as the teachings of the scriptures. Secondly, he wants to make it clear that he stands accused of nothing more than his hope in the promises of God; namely, the promise of the Messiah who would come to save his people from their sins.
Paul believed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah of God; the very son of God who allowed himself to be put to death as the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He believed the law and the prophets all pointed to Jesus, and that salvation was to be found in Jesus alone. For this hope and for this hope alone, he says, he has been beaten and is now on trial.
I think Paul takes this stance because he knows that both Festus (the Roman Procurator) and King Agrippa are political creatures. He knows they value two things; their own position and to keep the peace so that the Emperor is satisfied. Paul wants them to know that he has committed no crime; rather, he is accused of believing Jesus is the Messiah. He knew that neither Festus or Agrippa cared much for religious debate, so he shrewdly paints them into a corner where they have either send him to Rome as a “religious revolutionary,” which would not please the Emperor, or, they have to admit that he is not a criminal.
Paul was not afraid to die, but neither was he shy about using the great intellect God had given him to challenge to powers of this world for the purposes of the gospel.
As Paul would write to his young protege, Timothy:
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7
Where and how may you have been timid in your faith? Ask the Holy Spirit to embolden you with his power, love and self-discipline!
Pastor Brian Coffey
Monday, May 25th
To listen to the audio version, click here.
Monday, May 25
Acts 26:1-3
So Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: "I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
The year was 1974; I was a freshman in college and my roommate had a lava lamp. The university I attended was not a Christian institution so I was exposed very quickly to a world that challenged much of what I had been taught growing up.
I had grown up in a Christian home and I had committed my life to Christ at a very young age. But as an 18 year old freshman away from home for the first time I was not terribly vocal or outward about my faith.
Late one night about two weeks into that first semester a bunch of guys on my floor were hanging out in the dorm when, out of nowhere, one guy turned to me as said, “So what makes you tick, Coffey?”
I said, “Uh, whaddaya mean?”
He said, “I mean - you don’t drink like the rest of us; you don’t swear like the rest of us; so, what makes you tick?”
I broke out in a cold sweat! No one had ever asked me something like that before. For most of my life I just assumed people knew what made me tick, because most of the people I knew were part of our church, or at least knew my Dad was a pastor. I had never been asked to explain myself before.
I remember mumbling something like, “Well, I’m a Christian and just don’t do those things.” It wasn’t exactly a moving or persuasive statement of faith in Christ!
As we begin chapter 26, Paul has been under a kind of house arrest for close to two years. He had been arrested in Jerusalem when his attempt to preach the gospel was met with a mob that tried to kill him. Paul then claimed his Roman citizenship which forced the authorities to guarantee a hearing before the Emperor. But the sitting Procurator, a man named Felix, had held Paul for two years hoping to receive a bribe from Paul’s friends. Now Festus has replaced Felix, and together with the Jewish King named Agrippa, offers Paul a hearing so he can justify to the Emperor why this man has been sent to him for examination.
Put yourself in Paul’s shoes for a moment. You have been beaten, stoned and imprisoned for preaching the gospel. You are now being held without bond and awaiting a possible court date before the Emperor of Rome. You are given permission to speak before men who have enormous power over what happens to you next. What will you say? What tone will you take?
Luke says,
Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense...
We can miss this because we are unfamiliar with ancient culture, but Paul assumes a posture here that was common among lawyers making their case or orators speaking before large crowds. To stretch out one’s hand meant to assume a posture of confidence and authority.
Even though Paul was, politically and economically speaking, the least powerful man in the room, when he stood to speak he took the posture of one speaking with both authority and truth.
That makes sense because Paul is the one who wrote to the believers in Rome:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. Romans 1:16
I wish I had “stretched out my hand” in that dorm room so long ago. Where might you stretch out your hand and share the gospel boldly today?
Pastor Brian Coffey
Monday, May 25
Acts 26:1-3
So Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense: "I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently.
The year was 1974; I was a freshman in college and my roommate had a lava lamp. The university I attended was not a Christian institution so I was exposed very quickly to a world that challenged much of what I had been taught growing up.
I had grown up in a Christian home and I had committed my life to Christ at a very young age. But as an 18 year old freshman away from home for the first time I was not terribly vocal or outward about my faith.
Late one night about two weeks into that first semester a bunch of guys on my floor were hanging out in the dorm when, out of nowhere, one guy turned to me as said, “So what makes you tick, Coffey?”
I said, “Uh, whaddaya mean?”
He said, “I mean - you don’t drink like the rest of us; you don’t swear like the rest of us; so, what makes you tick?”
I broke out in a cold sweat! No one had ever asked me something like that before. For most of my life I just assumed people knew what made me tick, because most of the people I knew were part of our church, or at least knew my Dad was a pastor. I had never been asked to explain myself before.
I remember mumbling something like, “Well, I’m a Christian and just don’t do those things.” It wasn’t exactly a moving or persuasive statement of faith in Christ!
As we begin chapter 26, Paul has been under a kind of house arrest for close to two years. He had been arrested in Jerusalem when his attempt to preach the gospel was met with a mob that tried to kill him. Paul then claimed his Roman citizenship which forced the authorities to guarantee a hearing before the Emperor. But the sitting Procurator, a man named Felix, had held Paul for two years hoping to receive a bribe from Paul’s friends. Now Festus has replaced Felix, and together with the Jewish King named Agrippa, offers Paul a hearing so he can justify to the Emperor why this man has been sent to him for examination.
Put yourself in Paul’s shoes for a moment. You have been beaten, stoned and imprisoned for preaching the gospel. You are now being held without bond and awaiting a possible court date before the Emperor of Rome. You are given permission to speak before men who have enormous power over what happens to you next. What will you say? What tone will you take?
Luke says,
Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense...
We can miss this because we are unfamiliar with ancient culture, but Paul assumes a posture here that was common among lawyers making their case or orators speaking before large crowds. To stretch out one’s hand meant to assume a posture of confidence and authority.
Even though Paul was, politically and economically speaking, the least powerful man in the room, when he stood to speak he took the posture of one speaking with both authority and truth.
That makes sense because Paul is the one who wrote to the believers in Rome:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. Romans 1:16
I wish I had “stretched out my hand” in that dorm room so long ago. Where might you stretch out your hand and share the gospel boldly today?
Pastor Brian Coffey
Tuesday, May 19
Tuesday
But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
- 1 Peter 3:14-17
In Acts 22, Paul had taken the opportunity to preach to the Jewish mob that had tried to kill him. They listened until he told them how the Lord told him to leave Jerusalem, which would not accept his witness, and go to the Gentiles. At the mention of the word “Gentiles,” the crowd went wild, like a pack of wolves trying to get to their prey.
Since Paul had been preaching in Aramaic, which the Roman commander probably did not understand very well, he didn’t know what had set the mob off again, but he was determined to find out. He brought Paul into the barracks and was going to examine him by torture to get it out of him. Scourging was a brutal punishment of beating a man on his bare back with a leather-thonged whip that had pieces of metal or bone attached to it. It would leave a man severely crippled and could result in death. This was the treatment that Pilate inflicted on Jesus just prior to the crucifixion. As the soldiers stretched Paul out to tie him for the beating, he asked the centurion, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?” (22:25). Paul was exercising his legal right to protect himself from persecution, and there is nothing wrong with doing that.
The centurion quickly informed the commander of the situation. Alarmed, the commander came to Paul and discovered that he was indeed a Roman citizen. In fact, Paul was born a citizen, whereas the commander had obtained his citizenship by paying a large sum of money. Since it could have cost him his position to scourge a Roman citizen without a trial, the commander quickly had Paul untied.
But since he was responsible to maintain peace in Jerusalem, the commander still wanted to find out what was going on between Paul and the Jews. So he called together the Jewish Sanhedrin and brought Paul in before them to get to the bottom of this conflict (so he thought). But it wasn’t long until the Council itself erupted in such an uproar among themselves in response to something that Paul had said, that the commander again had to rescue this troublesome man!
If we can say anything about the Apostle Paul, we can certainly say that he was a man who was willing to seize any and every opportunity that God gave him to share the gospel. Even after the Jews in Jerusalem had rioted and tried to kill him twice, he was still ready and willing to talk about Jesus!
While it is certainly true that there has only ever been one Apostle Paul, it is equally true that if you have trusted in Christ as Savior, then you are His witness. You may not always be a good witness, but His name is identified with you, so that by your actions, attitudes, and words, you are a witness for Him. As He gives you opportunities, you should bear verbal witness. As 1 Peter 3:15-16 challenges us, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”
Jeff Frazier
Monday, May 18
Monday
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” - Acts 23:11
Literally, what the Lord Jesus says as he appears to Paul here is, “Be of good cheer. Cheer up, Paul.” That is certainly a revelation of the state of Paul's heart at this time. He is anything but of good cheer. He is defeated and discouraged, but he is not abandoned. Isn't it wonderful that the Lord comes now to restore him to his ministry?
I am sure that Luke does not give us the full account of what transpired between Paul and his Lord on that night. But there is enough here that we can see what Jesus is after. He encourages Paul with His presence and He restores Paul to usefulness. He promises Paul success in the desire of his heart, which was second only to his desire to win his kinsmen, i.e., that he might bear witness for Christ at the heart of the empire, the capital of the Gentile world itself. You remember that Paul had announced that, after he went to Jerusalem, he must go to Rome. And his prayer as he wrote to the Roman Christians was that he might be allowed to come to them. The Lord Jesus now gives that back to him!
And yet the very form of the Lord’s encouragement contains a hint of what is to come, of how he will serve the Lord in Rome. Jesus puts it this way: “As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also in Rome.” In other words, the emphasis here is upon the manner in which this witness will take place. “In the way that you bore witness to me in Jerusalem, in that same way you must bear witness in Rome.” And how had he testified in Jerusalem? It was as a prisoner — chained, bound, limited.
This encounter with the Lord Jesus must have been a wonderful moment in Paul's experience. The Lord restored him to spiritual health, just as he often does with us. Have you ever been in this circumstance? Have you ever felt like the circumstances of your life were not working out the way you imagined? Have you ever wondered where God was in the midst of your frustration and disappointment? How amazing to have the Jesus come to restore us.
After this Paul seems to be his usual self again. From here on the things he says and does have that same wonderful infusion of the Spirit's power which makes unusual things happen. And from Rome he is to write some of his greatest letters — letters filled with power, which are still changing the history of the world.
Father, thank you for your restoring love, for the fact that you have never abandoned me, that you are near to me, especially when I am discouraged, and that you keep me and bring me back to you - Amen.
Jeff Frazier
Friday, May 15th
To listen to the audio version, click here.
Friday, May 15
1 Timothy 4:6-8 (NIV)
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
One of the most overused cliches in sports is when a coach or announcer refers to an athlete “leaving it all on the field.” But no matter how often it is used I still find something inspiring about watching an athlete give maximum effort in his or her endeavor.
This week we’ve followed Paul as he insists on going to Jerusalem even though he is warned repeatedly that trouble and hardship await him there. We have seen that Paul’s determination and courage are anchored in his experience with Christ. He knows that Jesus saved him from spiritual death and commissioned him to take the gospel to the Gentiles, to kings and to the children of Israel. He believes that the gospel of Jesus is a life and death issue and is therefore worth the sacrifice of everything, even his own life if need be.
In this soaring passage Paul is nearing the end of his life and is writing to Timothy, a younger man who he has mentored for a number of years. He paints a beautiful portrait of what it looks like for a follower of Jesus to “leave everything on the field.”
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
Throughout the Old Testament a “drink offering” is described as wine that is poured out together with the offering of meat or grain as a sacrifice to God. Many see the drink offering as a precursor to the sacrifice of Christ’s blood on the cross that was poured out for the forgiveness of sin. Paul is likely referring to what he believes is his own coming death at the hands of Nero, the Roman Emperor who is believed to have eventually ordered Paul’s execution. So Paul is saying that he has poured his life out as an offering to God in gratitude for the sacrifice of Christ.
He then uses two images that come from the realm of sports.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
He compares himself to a boxer or wrestler who has fought tooth and nail to the very end; and to a runner who has crossed the finish line. Both the fight and the race are images that communicate effort, struggle and even pain. But they also bring a sense of ultimate victory and triumph.
The fight Paul has fought is the fight of faith.
The race he has run is the race of his calling.
He has been faithful to the end. He has left it all on the field.
May we all, someday, be able to say the same.
Pastor Brian Coffey
Friday, May 15
1 Timothy 4:6-8 (NIV)
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
One of the most overused cliches in sports is when a coach or announcer refers to an athlete “leaving it all on the field.” But no matter how often it is used I still find something inspiring about watching an athlete give maximum effort in his or her endeavor.
This week we’ve followed Paul as he insists on going to Jerusalem even though he is warned repeatedly that trouble and hardship await him there. We have seen that Paul’s determination and courage are anchored in his experience with Christ. He knows that Jesus saved him from spiritual death and commissioned him to take the gospel to the Gentiles, to kings and to the children of Israel. He believes that the gospel of Jesus is a life and death issue and is therefore worth the sacrifice of everything, even his own life if need be.
In this soaring passage Paul is nearing the end of his life and is writing to Timothy, a younger man who he has mentored for a number of years. He paints a beautiful portrait of what it looks like for a follower of Jesus to “leave everything on the field.”
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
Throughout the Old Testament a “drink offering” is described as wine that is poured out together with the offering of meat or grain as a sacrifice to God. Many see the drink offering as a precursor to the sacrifice of Christ’s blood on the cross that was poured out for the forgiveness of sin. Paul is likely referring to what he believes is his own coming death at the hands of Nero, the Roman Emperor who is believed to have eventually ordered Paul’s execution. So Paul is saying that he has poured his life out as an offering to God in gratitude for the sacrifice of Christ.
He then uses two images that come from the realm of sports.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
He compares himself to a boxer or wrestler who has fought tooth and nail to the very end; and to a runner who has crossed the finish line. Both the fight and the race are images that communicate effort, struggle and even pain. But they also bring a sense of ultimate victory and triumph.
The fight Paul has fought is the fight of faith.
The race he has run is the race of his calling.
He has been faithful to the end. He has left it all on the field.
May we all, someday, be able to say the same.
Pastor Brian Coffey
Thursday, May 14th
To listen to the audio version, click here.
Thursday, May 14
Acts 22
And he said to me, 'Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'” Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, "Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live." And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this. But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?" When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen." So the tribune came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" And he said, "Yes." The tribune answered, "I bought this citizenship for a large sum." Paul said, "But I am a citizen by birth." So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.
So why would Paul willingly walk into the hornets nest that was Jerusalem? Why would Paul even mention his call to the Gentiles in front of a mob that was ready to riot just at the sight of a Gentile?
Let’s go back to Paul’s conversion and call in Acts 9. After Paul meets Jesus on the road to Damascus, the Lord asks a man named Ananias to help Paul. Ananias has his doubts because he knows Paul to have been a very dangerous man. Luke then writes:
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
Notice there are three parts to Paul’s call. He is to carry the name of Jesus, the gospel, “before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.”
Paul has spent most of the past 20 years traveling the world and preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. But he has not yet preached extensively to kings or to the children of Israel.
I think he is so determined to go to Jerusalem because he wants to fulfill that part of the call the Lord gave him; He wants to preach the gospel to the children of Israel.
But what about “kings?”
In Paul’s time when people thought about “kings” they thought about Rome and the Roman Emperor, who was the most powerful man in the world. How in the world was Paul going to get to Rome and how could he possibly preach the gospel before kings?
Let’s read a portion of the story again.
But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?" When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen." So the tribune came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" And he said, "Yes." The tribune answered, "I bought this citizenship for a large sum." Paul said, "But I am a citizen by birth." So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.
We can miss the significance of this interaction because we are unfamiliar with the culture. Roman citizenship was everything in the ancient world. To be a Roman citizen meant a person was protected by the rights and privileges of Roman law. There three ways to receive citizenship:
This was Paul’s trump card!
I think Paul knew what would likely happen in Jerusalem. I think he suspected that when he attempted to preach the gospel there he would face vicious and perhaps violent opposition. I think he may even have anticipated that Roman soldiers would eventually intervene to restore order. And I even think Paul anticipated using his citizenship to accomplish the final phase of his call to bring the name of Jesus before kings.
Paul knew that when he mentioned his citizenship that the Roman soldiers would be obligated to protect him, and, ultimately, to send him to Rome to be judged by the Emperor himself.
Here we see the intersection of the courage of Paul and the sovereignty of God. Paul is absolutely determined to fulfill his call, even at the risk of his own life. God makes sure Paul has the resources he needs, including Roman citizenship, to fulfill his calling.
I believe the same thing is true in our own lives.
Jesus has saved us. Jesus has called us to his purpose. And God has given us everything we need to fulfill that purpose.
Pastor Brian Coffey
Thursday, May 14
Acts 22
And he said to me, 'Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'” Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, "Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live." And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this. But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?" When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen." So the tribune came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" And he said, "Yes." The tribune answered, "I bought this citizenship for a large sum." Paul said, "But I am a citizen by birth." So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.
So why would Paul willingly walk into the hornets nest that was Jerusalem? Why would Paul even mention his call to the Gentiles in front of a mob that was ready to riot just at the sight of a Gentile?
Let’s go back to Paul’s conversion and call in Acts 9. After Paul meets Jesus on the road to Damascus, the Lord asks a man named Ananias to help Paul. Ananias has his doubts because he knows Paul to have been a very dangerous man. Luke then writes:
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
Notice there are three parts to Paul’s call. He is to carry the name of Jesus, the gospel, “before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.”
Paul has spent most of the past 20 years traveling the world and preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. But he has not yet preached extensively to kings or to the children of Israel.
I think he is so determined to go to Jerusalem because he wants to fulfill that part of the call the Lord gave him; He wants to preach the gospel to the children of Israel.
But what about “kings?”
In Paul’s time when people thought about “kings” they thought about Rome and the Roman Emperor, who was the most powerful man in the world. How in the world was Paul going to get to Rome and how could he possibly preach the gospel before kings?
Let’s read a portion of the story again.
But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?" When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen." So the tribune came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" And he said, "Yes." The tribune answered, "I bought this citizenship for a large sum." Paul said, "But I am a citizen by birth." So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.
We can miss the significance of this interaction because we are unfamiliar with the culture. Roman citizenship was everything in the ancient world. To be a Roman citizen meant a person was protected by the rights and privileges of Roman law. There three ways to receive citizenship:
- A person could be born into citizenship
- A person could purchase their citizenship
- A person could receive citizenship as a reward for serving in the Roman military for at least 25 years
This was Paul’s trump card!
I think Paul knew what would likely happen in Jerusalem. I think he suspected that when he attempted to preach the gospel there he would face vicious and perhaps violent opposition. I think he may even have anticipated that Roman soldiers would eventually intervene to restore order. And I even think Paul anticipated using his citizenship to accomplish the final phase of his call to bring the name of Jesus before kings.
Paul knew that when he mentioned his citizenship that the Roman soldiers would be obligated to protect him, and, ultimately, to send him to Rome to be judged by the Emperor himself.
Here we see the intersection of the courage of Paul and the sovereignty of God. Paul is absolutely determined to fulfill his call, even at the risk of his own life. God makes sure Paul has the resources he needs, including Roman citizenship, to fulfill his calling.
I believe the same thing is true in our own lives.
Jesus has saved us. Jesus has called us to his purpose. And God has given us everything we need to fulfill that purpose.
Pastor Brian Coffey
Wednesday, May 13th
To listen to the audio version, click here.
Wednesday, May 13
Acts 21:37 - Acts 22:21
As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, "May I say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek? Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?" Paul replied, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people." And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying:
"Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you." And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said: "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished. 6 "As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' And I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' And he said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.' Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. And I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.' And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus. "And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me, and standing by me said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. And he said, 'The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.' "When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance and saw him saying to me, 'Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.' And I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.' And he said to me, 'Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"
Several of us were in a leadership meeting a few days ago and the question was asked: “If you knew you only had 30 days left to accomplish your mission, how would your ministries change?”
The question, while hypothetical, prompted some good discussion. We fairly quickly came to the conclusion that if we only had 30 days left as a church, we probably wouldn’t try to start any new programs, or build any more buildings, or do any planning at all. Instead, we thought we would probably just mobilize as many people as we could to go out and share the gospel of Jesus with as many people in as many ways as we could. If we had 30 days, we agreed, we would proclaim the transforming power of the gospel with every resource at our disposal.
What, then, if we reduced the time remaining to 30 minutes instead of 30 days? Or, perhaps even to 3 minutes! What would you say in 3 minutes that could change the world?
This is what Paul does: he tells his story. In about 3 minutes Paul explains who and what he was before meeting Christ; then how he met Christ; and finally how Christ turned his life in a completely new direction.
He doesn’t start with insisting that his listeners believe certain doctrines. He doesn’t start by telling them they are sinners and need to repent. He just tells his story.
I think we can learn something from Paul.
While there is a time and a place for sound theology and doctrine; and a time to address sinful or destructive attitudes and behavior; the best place to start is with a personal story of life change.
Have you ever tried to write out your own story so that you could share it with someone in three minutes?
Here’s an outline:
I. This is who I was, what I believed, how I lived before meeting Jesus.
II. This is how I met Jesus; how I came to understand who he is and what he did for me.
III. This is the difference he has made in my life.
I like to call this a “faith-story” or a “gospel-story.” I have heard hundreds of these stories over the years and have noticed two things. First, every story is different. Gospel stories are like fingerprints, each story is different and God is infinitely creative in how he draws people to himself. Second, each story is ultimately the same. That is, sooner or later every gospel-story is about Jesus; who he is and what he has done.
Take some time this week to sit down and write out your own gospel-story. You never know when it might come in handy!
Pastor Brian Coffey
Wednesday, May 13
Acts 21:37 - Acts 22:21
As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the tribune, "May I say something to you?" And he said, "Do you know Greek? Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?" Paul replied, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no obscure city. I beg you, permit me to speak to the people." And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the steps, motioned with his hand to the people. And when there was a great hush, he addressed them in the Hebrew language, saying:
"Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you." And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said: "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished. 6 "As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' And I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' And he said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.' Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. And I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.' And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus. "And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me, and standing by me said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. And he said, 'The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.' "When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance and saw him saying to me, 'Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.' And I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.' And he said to me, 'Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"
Several of us were in a leadership meeting a few days ago and the question was asked: “If you knew you only had 30 days left to accomplish your mission, how would your ministries change?”
The question, while hypothetical, prompted some good discussion. We fairly quickly came to the conclusion that if we only had 30 days left as a church, we probably wouldn’t try to start any new programs, or build any more buildings, or do any planning at all. Instead, we thought we would probably just mobilize as many people as we could to go out and share the gospel of Jesus with as many people in as many ways as we could. If we had 30 days, we agreed, we would proclaim the transforming power of the gospel with every resource at our disposal.
What, then, if we reduced the time remaining to 30 minutes instead of 30 days? Or, perhaps even to 3 minutes! What would you say in 3 minutes that could change the world?
This is what Paul does: he tells his story. In about 3 minutes Paul explains who and what he was before meeting Christ; then how he met Christ; and finally how Christ turned his life in a completely new direction.
He doesn’t start with insisting that his listeners believe certain doctrines. He doesn’t start by telling them they are sinners and need to repent. He just tells his story.
I think we can learn something from Paul.
While there is a time and a place for sound theology and doctrine; and a time to address sinful or destructive attitudes and behavior; the best place to start is with a personal story of life change.
Have you ever tried to write out your own story so that you could share it with someone in three minutes?
Here’s an outline:
I. This is who I was, what I believed, how I lived before meeting Jesus.
II. This is how I met Jesus; how I came to understand who he is and what he did for me.
III. This is the difference he has made in my life.
I like to call this a “faith-story” or a “gospel-story.” I have heard hundreds of these stories over the years and have noticed two things. First, every story is different. Gospel stories are like fingerprints, each story is different and God is infinitely creative in how he draws people to himself. Second, each story is ultimately the same. That is, sooner or later every gospel-story is about Jesus; who he is and what he has done.
Take some time this week to sit down and write out your own gospel-story. You never know when it might come in handy!
Pastor Brian Coffey
Tuesday, May 12th
To listen to the audio version, click here.
Tuesday, May 12
Acts 21: 27-36
When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place." For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, for the mob of the people followed, crying out, "Away with him!"
Years ago a concerned member of FBCG approached me on a Sunday morning. She said that when she parked her car in the church parking lot that morning she noticed that the area where she parked was littered with cigarette butts. I explained that we had hosted an outreach event for high school students the night before and that some of them had evidently hung around the parking lot long after the event was over.
She said something like, “Young people today are just so disrespectful; I’d like to give them a piece of my mind!”
I said something like, “Well, actually, those are the kids that we are trying to reach. I want them to keep coming!”
She seemed slightly offended and said, “But they’re filling our parking lot with cigarette butts!”
I said, “I know but I think we should be happy that they are smoking in our parking lot and not somewhere else!”
I remembered that little story when I read through this story in Acts 21. Paul has returned to Jerusalem against the advice of his friends. Within a few days after arriving he goes to visit the great temple and the result is an uproar. He is accused of bringing Gentiles into the temple, which would have been an egregious offense in the eyes of the Jews. But, the truth is, Paul has done no such thing! Yet because of his reputation of having Gentile friends which, of course, he did, the crowds just assumed he was taking them into the temple.
What seems to have driven their rage against Paul was his insistence, through the gospel, that God’s grace was as available to the Gentile as it was to the Jew. In their minds religion was all about “us” and “them.” There were insiders and outsiders.
But the gospel confronts that kind of thinking. The gospel tells us God loves the outsider as much as he loves the insider; the Gentile as much as the Jew; the cigarette smoking teenager as much as the church lady.
The gospel destroyed their self-righteous assumptions and that’s why they wanted to destroy Paul.
Here’s the question: Are we more concerned that the kids are leaving cigarette butts in the parking lot, or that they know how much Jesus loves them?
Pastor Brian Coffey
Tuesday, May 12
Acts 21: 27-36
When the seven days were almost completed, the Jews from Asia, seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, "Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place." For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. Then all the city was stirred up, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, and at once the gates were shut. And as they were seeking to kill him, word came to the tribune of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. He at once took soldiers and centurions and ran down to them. And when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. Then the tribune came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He inquired who he was and what he had done. Some in the crowd were shouting one thing, some another. And as he could not learn the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks. And when he came to the steps, he was actually carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, for the mob of the people followed, crying out, "Away with him!"
Years ago a concerned member of FBCG approached me on a Sunday morning. She said that when she parked her car in the church parking lot that morning she noticed that the area where she parked was littered with cigarette butts. I explained that we had hosted an outreach event for high school students the night before and that some of them had evidently hung around the parking lot long after the event was over.
She said something like, “Young people today are just so disrespectful; I’d like to give them a piece of my mind!”
I said something like, “Well, actually, those are the kids that we are trying to reach. I want them to keep coming!”
She seemed slightly offended and said, “But they’re filling our parking lot with cigarette butts!”
I said, “I know but I think we should be happy that they are smoking in our parking lot and not somewhere else!”
I remembered that little story when I read through this story in Acts 21. Paul has returned to Jerusalem against the advice of his friends. Within a few days after arriving he goes to visit the great temple and the result is an uproar. He is accused of bringing Gentiles into the temple, which would have been an egregious offense in the eyes of the Jews. But, the truth is, Paul has done no such thing! Yet because of his reputation of having Gentile friends which, of course, he did, the crowds just assumed he was taking them into the temple.
What seems to have driven their rage against Paul was his insistence, through the gospel, that God’s grace was as available to the Gentile as it was to the Jew. In their minds religion was all about “us” and “them.” There were insiders and outsiders.
But the gospel confronts that kind of thinking. The gospel tells us God loves the outsider as much as he loves the insider; the Gentile as much as the Jew; the cigarette smoking teenager as much as the church lady.
The gospel destroyed their self-righteous assumptions and that’s why they wanted to destroy Paul.
Here’s the question: Are we more concerned that the kids are leaving cigarette butts in the parking lot, or that they know how much Jesus loves them?
Pastor Brian Coffey
Monday, May 11th
To listen to the audio version, click here.
Monday, May 11
Acts 21:10-14
While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, "Let the will of the Lord be done."
Every so often I hear someone say, or I say myself, “That’s not a hill I’m ready to die on.” What is meant, of course, is that a certain issue or debate is not significant enough to warrant the investment of time, energy or resources it would take to solve the issue or win the debate. For example, if one of my sons decided to get a mohawk haircut on his 16th birthday because he thought it was “cool,” I hope I would have said, “That’s a hill I’m not ready to die on,” because a haircut is just not worth the risk of a relationship! The I would have just taken lots of pictures to show at his wedding someday.
But the flip side of that is, “What hill is worth dying on?” What issue or debate is so significant that it is worth everything, even life itself, to resolve or get right?
Here we see that Paul believes Jerusalem is a hill worth dying on. On two different occasions in Acts 21 Luke tells us Paul’s friends urge him not to continue on to Jerusalem.
Paul stops first in the city of Tyre, where he spends a week with the believers there. Luke writes:
And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. Acts 21:4
But Paul continues on to Caesaria, where he is met by a prophet named Agabus:
And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem.
So why are Paul’s friends so concerned about Jerusalem? And why, if the Holy Spirit seems to be warning him, is Paul so determined to continue to the great city?
Paul’s friends are concerned because they know that Paul will not be welcomed in Jerusalem. There are still many people in high places who regard Paul as a traitor to their faith and want to see him dead.
Paul knows all of this yet is determined to go to Jerusalem because wants to fulfill the call Jesus gave to him at his conversion. In Acts 9 when the Lord asks Ananias to help Paul, we read:
But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." Acts 9:15-16
Paul has spent 20 years or more taking the gospel to the Gentile world, but he has not yet preached extensively in Jerusalem. I think he wants to go to Jerusalem because he believes that is part of what the Lord has called him to do.
Some think that Paul is ignoring or disregarding the guidance of the Holy Spirit in this story. While that’s possible, for no human being hears and follows the Spirit perfectly, I think there’s a better explanation.
I think Paul’s friends are genuinely concerned. But I think the Holy Spirit is simply using their concern to make sure Paul knows exactly what lies ahead of him. I think Paul believed the Spirit was leading him to Jerusalem because that’s how he understood his call from the Lord.
I think Paul was determined to go to Jerusalem because, even if arrest, imprisonment or death awaited, the gospel was still worth it. For Paul the gospel was a life and death issue!
Later, in his letter to the Philippian church, he would write:
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Philippians 1:21
He believed the gospel brought life to the spiritually dead and therefore was worthy of everything, even his life.
Pastor Brian Coffey
Monday, May 11
Acts 21:10-14
While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, "Let the will of the Lord be done."
Every so often I hear someone say, or I say myself, “That’s not a hill I’m ready to die on.” What is meant, of course, is that a certain issue or debate is not significant enough to warrant the investment of time, energy or resources it would take to solve the issue or win the debate. For example, if one of my sons decided to get a mohawk haircut on his 16th birthday because he thought it was “cool,” I hope I would have said, “That’s a hill I’m not ready to die on,” because a haircut is just not worth the risk of a relationship! The I would have just taken lots of pictures to show at his wedding someday.
But the flip side of that is, “What hill is worth dying on?” What issue or debate is so significant that it is worth everything, even life itself, to resolve or get right?
Here we see that Paul believes Jerusalem is a hill worth dying on. On two different occasions in Acts 21 Luke tells us Paul’s friends urge him not to continue on to Jerusalem.
Paul stops first in the city of Tyre, where he spends a week with the believers there. Luke writes:
And having sought out the disciples, we stayed there for seven days. And through the Spirit they were telling Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. Acts 21:4
But Paul continues on to Caesaria, where he is met by a prophet named Agabus:
And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem.
So why are Paul’s friends so concerned about Jerusalem? And why, if the Holy Spirit seems to be warning him, is Paul so determined to continue to the great city?
Paul’s friends are concerned because they know that Paul will not be welcomed in Jerusalem. There are still many people in high places who regard Paul as a traitor to their faith and want to see him dead.
Paul knows all of this yet is determined to go to Jerusalem because wants to fulfill the call Jesus gave to him at his conversion. In Acts 9 when the Lord asks Ananias to help Paul, we read:
But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name." Acts 9:15-16
Paul has spent 20 years or more taking the gospel to the Gentile world, but he has not yet preached extensively in Jerusalem. I think he wants to go to Jerusalem because he believes that is part of what the Lord has called him to do.
Some think that Paul is ignoring or disregarding the guidance of the Holy Spirit in this story. While that’s possible, for no human being hears and follows the Spirit perfectly, I think there’s a better explanation.
I think Paul’s friends are genuinely concerned. But I think the Holy Spirit is simply using their concern to make sure Paul knows exactly what lies ahead of him. I think Paul believed the Spirit was leading him to Jerusalem because that’s how he understood his call from the Lord.
I think Paul was determined to go to Jerusalem because, even if arrest, imprisonment or death awaited, the gospel was still worth it. For Paul the gospel was a life and death issue!
Later, in his letter to the Philippian church, he would write:
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Philippians 1:21
He believed the gospel brought life to the spiritually dead and therefore was worthy of everything, even his life.
Pastor Brian Coffey
Wednesday, May 6
Wednesday
From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. - Acts 20:17-21
Here in Acts 20, the Apostle Paul reminds the leaders of the Ephesian church of his mission and his humble example while he was with them. Clearly the Christians in Ephesus knew Paul personally and had shared many things with him. But can you imagine the criticisms that could be brought against the apostle Paul if he were a modern missionary candidate! Here is how the mission board might respond to his application (I have modified this from several sources):
Dear Dr. Paul,
We have received your application to serve with our mission. Unfortunately, the board was unanimous in deciding not to accept you as a candidate with our mission. We want to be as honest as possible, so that you can address what we see as some serious deficiencies in your character and past service.
First, we understand that you have never had sufficient financial support in your missionary labors. Working on the side to support yourself is unacceptable to this board. If a man does not have the faith to trust God for full support, we think that he is not qualified to serve on the mission field.
Second, we have heard that you have been brash and out- spoken about your own views. Specifically, we heard that you publicly criticized Dr. Simon Peter and that you contended so strongly with some of our ministers that a special council had to be convened at Jerusalem to prevent a church split. We cannot condone such radicalism. We are enclosing a copy of Darius Carnegie’s book, “How to Win Jews and Influence Greeks.” We encourage you to read it.
Third, in our background check, we discovered that you used to be a violent man to the point of persecuting the church. Even since your conversion, you have been in jail on more than one occasion. You caused so much trouble for the businessmen of Ephesus that it led to a riot. If it were an isolated incident, that might be one thing. But a pattern of causing enough trouble to lead to your being beaten on several occasions and even being stoned once shows an underlying problem on your part. We would advise a counseling program where you could learn some basic relational skills.
We have become aware that you have numerous critics and enemies, even in some of the churches that you supposedly founded. We also learned the details about your falling out with the fine young minister, John Mark, and your refusal to cooperate with Barnabas. We believe that such extreme measures are uncalled for! A more tolerant and less judgmental approach would be more in the spirit of our gentle Savior.
Apart from these serious flaws, we have heard that you are prone to preach too long, not being sensitive to your audience. We heard that one young man actually fell to his death while you droned on and on! You need to get in tune with the younger generation. We advise you to use more stories and less doctrine in your messages.
Your resume also shows that you have never ministered in one place longer than three years. This pattern of moving on to new works shows that you lack perseverance. Our staff psychologist also suggests that it may reflect a pattern of running from your problems rather than a commitment to work through them.
We share all of these things out of love and concern for you. We want you to succeed in whatever the Lord has for you. But we strongly believe that you would do best in something other than missions.
Sincerely,
The Antioch Mission Board
Jeff Frazier
Tuesday, May 5
Tuesday
From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. - Acts 20:17-19
You have probably heard it said that as soon as you think that you’ve attained humility, you’ve lost it. I mean it would sound a bit strange to hear someone bragging about how humble they have become. However, Paul here mentions his own humility. In fact, Jesus described Himself as gentle and humble in heart (Matt. 11:29). Moses described himself as the most humble man on the face of the earth (Num. 12:3)! So apparently, you can know when you are humble without being proud of it. What does it mean to be humble?
In a nutshell, biblical humility is a conscious awareness of your utter dependence on Jesus Christ. We see it in Paul when he explains, “Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider any- thing as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God” (2 Cor. 3:5).
We see it when he says, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves” (2 Cor. 4:4).
He confronts the pride of the Corinthians when he asks, “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” (1 Cor. 4:7).
A humble person is continually aware that all that he is stems from God’s grace. His confidence is not in himself, but in the Lord, so that he is quick to give the glory to God in every situation.
Not long ago, I received a promotional e-mail from a well known the growth conference. The e-mail included a link to a brief video clip of a group of pastors of large churches discussing their similarities and differences as leaders. Theses pastors all agreed that although they were all different and pastoring in different contexts, they shared critical factor that all successful leaders have in common—self-confidence! Having concluded that self-confidence is an essential quality for successful leaders, they proceeded to develop a tool that would help pastors develop confidence in themselves (I’m not making this up!).
Now I am not opposed to people growing in their personal confidence, but in the context of warning us about the deceitfulness of the heart, the Bible strongly warns against self-confidence.
This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who draws strength from mere flesh
and whose heart turns away from the Lord.
That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
in a salt land where no one lives.
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
Jeremiah 17:5-9
This the essence of biblical humility!
Jeff Frazier
Jeff
Monday, May 4
Monday
From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. - Acts 20:17-21
Our text records Paul’s last encounter with the Ephesian elders. He wanted to get to Jerusalem by the Day of Pentecost, so he did not stop in Ephesus, which would have delayed him too long. So he sent and had the Ephesian elders come to him while his ship was in port at Miletus, about 20 miles south as the crow flies, but longer on the road.
The elders were probably the pastors of the numerous house churches that met all over Ephesus. Probably many of them were the original twelve men that he met with in the school of Tyrannus (19:1-10) The title “elder” describes the maturity required for the office. In 20:28, Paul calls these same men “overseers” (bishops), which focuses on their main task, to super- intend matters in the church.
This is our only example in Acts of a sermon addressed to Christians, or more specifically, to church leaders. Apparently, some of Paul’s critics had been at work in Ephesus, trying to undermine him as a man of God and leader. This comes through in his repeatedly saying, “you yourselves know” (20:18, 34), and his reminding them of his character and way of life when he had been with them. He is clearly defending himself and at the same time showing us some qualities of godly church leadership.
Paul’s servant attitude flavors this entire message, but he mentions specifically that he was “serving the Lord” (20:19). The word “serving” is the verb related to the noun “bond-servant” or slave. Paul often referred to himself as a bond-servant of Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:1 - Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God.
Galatians 1:10 - Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Titus 1:1 - Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness.
This was the way Paul viewed himself, and the way that every Christian should view himself. I think it all too common for Christians today to slip into thinking that God exists to serve them and to meet their needs. How many of us think about our relationship to God in terms of what He is doing for us? How often do we unconsciously evaluate our faith based on answers to prayer and blessings in our lives? We do not belong to ourselves; we are slaves of Jesus Christ. We should do all that we do to please Him!
Jeff Frazier
Friday, May 1st
To listen to the audio version, click here.
Friday, May 1
Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Back in the mid 1980‘s my brother and I co-led a short term mission team to Bolivia. We had a team of 12 former college basketball players, along with several wives and children - a total group of about 20 people. We spent 6 weeks traveling the length and breadth of Bolivia to play exhibition basketball games and share the gospel with those who came to watch.
Most of our travel was by bus; old school buses that looked like they had been driven for 20 years then left on the bottom of a lake for 10 years then put back into service.
We had to make several very long drives through the mountains on narrow dirt and gravel roads without guardrails overlooking steep valleys. We could often see small white crosses at the bottom that marked where other travelers had driven off the road!
We were on just such a mountain road, chugging our way up a steep and narrow passage when our Bolivian driver suddenly began yelling. “Mira, mira!” which means “Look, look!” When we looked up he was holding the gear shifter up in the air like a sword. It had come completely out of the floor, out of the gearbox, and the bus was still rumbling up the mountain.
We had a problem!
My brother and I were sitting in the front because we were the leaders but we had no idea what to do except prepare for certain death.
Then a 19 year old kid named Curtis, who was on our team and had grown up on the mission field in South America, came running up to the front of the bus and said, “You guys mind if I help?”
We said, “Uhhhhh...sure.” What else were we going to say? Seriously.
Curtis then grabbed the shifter and shoved it back down into the gear box until it ground into place. Then he held it there until the driver found tiny village where he could pull off the road and stop.
We were relieved, and alive, but now we were stuck.
The driver and Curtis were talking in Spanish while my brother and I tried to look calm and in control. Then Curtis turned to us and said, “We’re going into the village.” We said, “What for?” He said, “To find a welder to fix the gear box.”
“A welder?” we said as if that was the dumbest thing we’d ever heard. I mean, we were in a tiny mountain village in the second poorest country in the Western hemisphere surrounded by chickens and llamas, and you’re going to find a welder?
A couple minutes later Curtis came back and said, “We found a welder, but it’s his day off.”
We said, “Day off? He lives in Bolivia - how can he take a day off? Tell him we’ll pay double! Just get him out here.”
A few minutes after that Curtis came back with a Bolivian man wearing a welding helmet and carrying an acetylene torch. He fixed our bus in about 10 minutes.
We started this week talking about adventure. An adventure is an unusual or exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity. I pointed out that the Book of Acts could really be called “The Adventure of the Gospel.”
I think the Apostle Paul knew a thing or two about both the gospel and adventure. He knew that the gospel adventure begins with the love of Christ:
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge...
He knew the adventure of following Jesus is powered by the Holy Spirit...
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And he knew that the gospel adventure takes us to places we would never imagine in our wildest dreams!
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Some people think the life of a Christian sounds boring. Some think that all Christians do is go to church and sit around reading their Bible all day. While those certainly aren’t bad things to do, following Jesus is about a whole lot more than that!
Following Jesus is the great adventure of reaching the world with the gospel! It’s a thrilling journey of faith, love, hope and courage that includes joys, sorrows, dangers and triumphs.
I think this is what Jesus meant when he said,
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)
I’m pretty sure the Apostle Paul would agree!
Pastor Brian Coffey
Friday, May 1
Ephesians 3:14-21
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Back in the mid 1980‘s my brother and I co-led a short term mission team to Bolivia. We had a team of 12 former college basketball players, along with several wives and children - a total group of about 20 people. We spent 6 weeks traveling the length and breadth of Bolivia to play exhibition basketball games and share the gospel with those who came to watch.
Most of our travel was by bus; old school buses that looked like they had been driven for 20 years then left on the bottom of a lake for 10 years then put back into service.
We had to make several very long drives through the mountains on narrow dirt and gravel roads without guardrails overlooking steep valleys. We could often see small white crosses at the bottom that marked where other travelers had driven off the road!
We were on just such a mountain road, chugging our way up a steep and narrow passage when our Bolivian driver suddenly began yelling. “Mira, mira!” which means “Look, look!” When we looked up he was holding the gear shifter up in the air like a sword. It had come completely out of the floor, out of the gearbox, and the bus was still rumbling up the mountain.
We had a problem!
My brother and I were sitting in the front because we were the leaders but we had no idea what to do except prepare for certain death.
Then a 19 year old kid named Curtis, who was on our team and had grown up on the mission field in South America, came running up to the front of the bus and said, “You guys mind if I help?”
We said, “Uhhhhh...sure.” What else were we going to say? Seriously.
Curtis then grabbed the shifter and shoved it back down into the gear box until it ground into place. Then he held it there until the driver found tiny village where he could pull off the road and stop.
We were relieved, and alive, but now we were stuck.
The driver and Curtis were talking in Spanish while my brother and I tried to look calm and in control. Then Curtis turned to us and said, “We’re going into the village.” We said, “What for?” He said, “To find a welder to fix the gear box.”
“A welder?” we said as if that was the dumbest thing we’d ever heard. I mean, we were in a tiny mountain village in the second poorest country in the Western hemisphere surrounded by chickens and llamas, and you’re going to find a welder?
A couple minutes later Curtis came back and said, “We found a welder, but it’s his day off.”
We said, “Day off? He lives in Bolivia - how can he take a day off? Tell him we’ll pay double! Just get him out here.”
A few minutes after that Curtis came back with a Bolivian man wearing a welding helmet and carrying an acetylene torch. He fixed our bus in about 10 minutes.
We started this week talking about adventure. An adventure is an unusual or exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity. I pointed out that the Book of Acts could really be called “The Adventure of the Gospel.”
I think the Apostle Paul knew a thing or two about both the gospel and adventure. He knew that the gospel adventure begins with the love of Christ:
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge...
He knew the adventure of following Jesus is powered by the Holy Spirit...
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
And he knew that the gospel adventure takes us to places we would never imagine in our wildest dreams!
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Some people think the life of a Christian sounds boring. Some think that all Christians do is go to church and sit around reading their Bible all day. While those certainly aren’t bad things to do, following Jesus is about a whole lot more than that!
Following Jesus is the great adventure of reaching the world with the gospel! It’s a thrilling journey of faith, love, hope and courage that includes joys, sorrows, dangers and triumphs.
I think this is what Jesus meant when he said,
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)
I’m pretty sure the Apostle Paul would agree!
Pastor Brian Coffey
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