Acts 15-16
December 1, 2014


I just saw for the first time that some of the Pharisees were Christians.  (15:5) I wonder why I hadn't seen that before?   They were the ones who protested that the Gentiles weren't obeying the law, and therefore couldn't be saved.  I completely understand their position, even though it was clearly incorrect.  These men were steeped in law and tradition, and would have an extremely difficult time releasing that.

Clearly God used the dispute between Paul and Barnabus to allow both Timothy and John Mark to be discipled by these two great men.   I wonder if it was God's perfect plan, though.  At other times when the apostles have gone separate ways it was cordially, and always involved time in prayer.  This time neither is mentioned.  Too many times a disagreement between two believers creates a ripple in the church that eventually becomes a wave that breaks apart the fellowship.   I hope that didn't occur here.  We really aren't told one way or the other.

Paul had in mind to travel over land, and in a clockwise direction.  God took him over the Med, and in a counter clockwise direction.   I'll bet the miles he traveled were more than he originally expected as well.

Paul's vision is of a man from Macedonia, but there's no record that he actually met such a man.  Instead the vision served to get him into the area, where by the way of normal devotions and prayer he encounters Lydia.   Only after leading Lydia and her family to the Lord does he have a connection to the town...and that is about a week or so later.    Then, as soon as the ministry begins really taking off in town the townspeople riot because a girl is delivered from demon possession.   If it weren't so sad, you would almost want to laugh.  No one seems to care if the girl was actually possessed by a demon, they only want to make money off of her.  Her spiritual health seems to be a pretty low priority.   Paul and Silas are beaten for doing the right thing (I think there's a sermon in there somewhere about suffering).   Their reaction to the persecution has been the topic of sermons for centuries.  I doubt they had any idea that what they did in prison after being flogged would be talked about by the church for several thousand years.   I wonder if our behavior will be worth talking about in 100 years...let alone 2 thousand.
It takes a special maturity and presence of the Holy Spirit to sing songs and praises after being abused.  And it takes the same to remain in your jail cell when God has opened not only the door to your cell, but has caused the stocks to fall off your feet.    Unless God was with me, I think I would have been clear out of town before the jailer knew what was going on.

Sometimes I guess we have to be spiritual enough to stay put even when there appears to be a way out...    hey, that sounds like a good topic for another sermon...


hope your christmas season is starting off blessed..


PR