Acts Chapter 27

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Acts 27:1

Paul, the most seasoned of travellers never spoke or wrote of the many places he had seen. These included Athens, Ephesus and all points between. Now he was on his way to Rome, the political and economic centre of the then known world.

We pick up our account in Acts 27:1.

“And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus’ band.”

Were we to look ahead to see all the adventuresome experiences of this trip across the Mediterranean Sea it would be a best selling book. But Paul never once even mentioned it. It simply didn’t matter. His concern in His letters was the spiritual state of his readers. His personal activities were of little value.

Isn’t it ironic that in our letters we speak of the weather, local events, interesting geography and human-interest stories regarding people we meet? Why do we fill up our letters with such idle words? Because that is what our readers want to know. But to Paul that was not what his readers needed to know. Their need was the revelation of the grace of God and that, which would lead them out of sin into the righteous relationship with Jesus Christ.

When missionaries come home from the foreign field they tell of the exotic culture of their field. They show pictures and videos of the scenery, the geography and the people that inhabit that part of the world. They know that is what interests the audience. But is that the needful thing?

But Paul’s letters were not written to please the people or to raise money for his travels. He never succumbed to human pressure but wrote concerning divine admonitions and Biblical expositions. He told them what they (and we) needed to know.

Now he was going to Rome after many years of longing and praying. When he wrote his letter to them he said in Romans 1:15, “So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.” Then, again, in Romans 15:29, “And I am sure that, when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.”

Imagine the thrill in his heart as he boarded that ship headed for Rome. His heart would be full of praise for He served a great God, a caring, loving, providing God; yes, a prayer answering God.

From our verse we see that Paul was still classed as a prisoner. But he was not a prisoner ofRome.  He was, as we see in Ephesians 3:1, “a prisoner of Jesus Christ.” It was by the work of man that put him there, but it was by the will of God that he was going to Rome.

One wonders if it was normal procedure to put a centurion in charge of mere prisoners. I say, “mere” for most, if not all of them were murderers, arch enemies of Roman society. They were going to Rome, not for trial, but to be used in the arenas, to fight the lions, to be sport for the Roman citizenry. No one would really care if they made it there or not. It would be no great loss if they fell overboard or were lost at sea.

Not only is there a centurion in command but also he is mentioned by name and identified as of Augustus’ band, a member of the Praetorian Guard. So why is he identified? Paul was one noteworthy prisoner as we have seen in his preparation to be sent to Caesar. It was the governor Festus of Caesarea who arranged for the Roman provision.

Let’s now take a look at the boat. It was large, having the furnishings for 276 passengers made up of soldiers, sailors and prisoners along with a few (at least two) passengers. We know from the context that Luke and Aristarchus accompanied Paul on the trip.

This boat was made of wood suggesting some degree of vulnerability. Add to this that the main sail was in the middle, putting the strain on each end in rough weather. The apostle had some experience on such boats as we see in 2 Corinthians 11:25 that he had already had three shipwrecks by the time he wrote that letter about four years earlier. This would mean that the sinking of this boat would be his fourth.

Even then, he was thrilled to board the vessel being assured of God that he would be able to witness His saving grace in Rome. Of course the Lord didn’t promise an event free trip but Paul rested in the hope that God was in full control of the situation.

I have already mentioned that Paul was numbered with the other prisoners headed for Rome. This is akin to Jesus Christ as He hung on the cross between two thieves. If the Lord had to suffer such infamy we certainly aren’t immune from it.

Today, two thousand years later, the average believer would be ashamed to be in such company. Would that be a reason why Paul would not relate the events of that trip? Assuredly not. Rather he counted it all joy. Wouldn’t you count it joy if you had the assurance that God was behind the whole thing?

To him this trip, as a prisoner, was a source of strength. You have no doubt heard the saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Only in this case as the going gets tough God’s grace was proving to be sufficient. This indicates the more reason why Paul would write about the Lord for he was continually experiencing the victory that was in Christ Jesus.

That is why he could write in Galatians 6:17, “From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” The Lord didn’t put them there but it was because of his faithful stand in the faith that the marks appeared. Evil men were responsible but he didn’t write about them all that much either. Rather he continually gave the Lord the glory, praising him that He “counted him faithful, putting him into the ministry,” (1 Timothy1:12).

If the apostle really felt that way he would not relate the physical things that happened to him, the earthly scenes he had witnessed, the exotic travels he experienced, for it was the Lord that was pre-eminent in his thoughts and work. So it is to be with us for we read in Colossians 1:18. “That in all things he might have the pre-eminence.”

Is it better to glory in the Creator or in His creation? Aren’t we told to set our affection on things above and not on the things on this earth? Assuredly yes, for so we read in Colossians 3:2. Sure, Paul was going to have a rough time in getting to Rome but his real citizenship was in heaven. The trials in the flesh are as nothing if we truly believe that next verse, Colossians 3:3. “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

David wrote in Psalm 56:4, “In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.” If David could testify of that, living under the precarious state of the law, how much more for us who live by the faith of Jesus Christ.

If you claim Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Saviour you are to experience that constant relationship. The things of earth do grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. Then with the apostle you will say, “God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians6:14.

 

Acts 27:2

If you do God’s work in God’s way, God will provide. The apostle was experiencing the providence of Jesus Christ as we pick up the account in Acts 27:2.

“And entering into a ship of Adramytium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.”

Paul was experiencing this provision as he was setting out for Rome. This had been foremost in his mind ever since he started his ministry as the apostle of the Gentiles. Now it was coming to pass.

When he wrote his letter to the Philippians he commended them for their faithfulness in the things of the Lord. Then in response to that he penned in 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

What are your thoughts on that divine promise? I suspect that most people, including believers, limit that provision to financial or at best, physical. I feel that is an injustice to the grace of God.

For the apostle to get to this point of time all of his need had to be supplied. Finance was not once mentioned. He faced death often and the Lord delivered him from that, supplying his need. He was confined for years in prison and the Lord supplied him patience. He had ample reason to lose heart and become discouraged. God provided him encouragement. He had ample reason to feel forsaken by Jesus Christ but the Lord provided divine companionship.

Indeed I could go on listing God’s providence proving that it was the grace of God in his all-sufficiency. He could have languished during those two years in the Caesarean prison but rather, all things indicate that he flourished. He was doing God’s work in God’s way and God was providing.

God sensed the needs of Paul just as he does for all of us who put faith and trust in Him. The need was fellowship and we see in today’s text that he had two faithful companions. With the use of the word “we,” Luke was accompanying him, for he was the human writer of this book of Acts. Another companion was Aristarchus who was a member of thechurchofThessalonica.

This man is first mentioned in Acts 19:29 as one who bore physical punishment in Paul’s behalf. “And the whole city was filled with confusion; and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.”

It seems this man was continually with Paul for he is mentioned once again in Acts 20:4 with the party in Greece. Although his name is not mentioned it is safe to say that he was in Paul’s company as mentioned in Acts 21:8. It seems that this faithful man stayed with the apostle all the way for while in the Roman prison, as seen in Colossians 4:10, Aristarchus was with him.

The Lord knows the needs of His own and lovingly cares for those needs. This may not have been Paul’s means of getting toRomebut he was assured that it was the best way for it was God’s way. He could not have worked out the necessary details but could be content that the Lord was taking care of all of them

He could not foresee the problems and events that lay ahead. God, the eternal One was already there and could work out all of those minute details to perfection. Remember the words of Psalm 37:7? “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.” Are you able to do that?

Returning now to our text in Acts 27:2; they “entered into a ship of Adramytium.” That was not the name of the boat but rather the proposed destination being a town inAsia Minor. That would be the first leg of the journey.

Today we are accustomed to timetables and schedules. Such things did not exist in those early days of 62 AD. In fact, looking ahead to verse 12 it was likely to be many months for they would stay the winter in a safe port. It would be difficult, if not impossible to make many plans for the voyage and just to take things as they come.

For one of the world that would be quite disconcerting. For this reason most of the sailors were single, disowned, orphaned, having only themselves to think about. On the other hand, Paul was vitally concerned about getting toRomeand being able to continue his ministry. But whose ministry was it? It was that of Jesus Christ and it was the Lord who was pulling all the strings. He could rest in that fact.

So it should be with you and me as we belong to Him. I remind you of 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

If you know that you belong to Him is it wise to try to work out the details of your own life? Is it right to leave the Lord out of your plans? Paul would not think of doing such a thing for this Roman trip was only of the Lord. He would rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.

How could Paul expect God to bless this trip and his stay in Rome if he did it in the flesh? It had to be God’s work and it had to be God’s way. Otherwise he could not expect God to provide. Furthermore if the apostle had prayed for the Lord to work it all out and then went about to make his own plans it would grieve the Holy Spirit.

Similarly we expect God to provide our every need when we do it all our way. It is like saying to God, “This is what I am going to do and I want you to bless it.” Aren’t many of man’s prayers just like that?

Paul had learned during his three apostolic journeys that it must be the will of God if he expected God to bless. That is why in all those discomforts and set backs he took it as of the Lord. If God be for us, who can be against us?

We quote that verse from Romans 8:31.  Just a few sentences before that, God informs each believer that the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us with groanings, which cannot be uttered by human voice or mind. How helpless we are in our own right and when are we ever going to wake up to that fact?

It was this same apostle Paul who penned those words. He was also experiencing those things and learning how to rejoice in what God was doing in and through him.

It was Jesus Christ who told him in 2 Corinthians 12:9, ”My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” All too often we have to come absolutely to the end of our tether before we will submit to the sovereignty of God.

Paul was going to learn more of this as this trip to Rome unfolded. Are you experiencing the hand of God at work in your life? Are you in the place God wants you to be at this point of time? Or are you still trying to work things out in your own strength? You cannot claim the blessings of God and answered prayer unless you are doing His work in His way.

 

Acts 27:3

The apostle Paul often received better treatment from the Pagan Gentiles than he did from his own people, the Jews. This is indeed strange for the Gentiles either were atheistic or they worshipped strange gods, whereas the Jews worshipped the same God, as did Paul.

Today we are looking at an example of this in Acts 27:3.

“And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself.”

This was no isolated case for back in Acts 24:23 we see how another Gentile, Felix, treated him. “And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.”

The apostle Paul was not a threat to the Romans. Rather the Jews thought he was to them for he preached another gospel. We must understand that the one gospel for the world is that Christ died for our sins. In order to satisfy the divine payment for sin Jesus Christ must be the Son of God, holy and righteous. The Jews, of course denied that fact which prompted them to have him crucified.

The Romans were more political than they were religious. On the other hand the Jews prided themselves in their religion. This is seen in Galatians 1:13 as Paul gave his own testimony as a religious unbeliever. “For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it.”

Religion has been extremely dangerous from day one. Both Cain and Abel were religious. They both worshipped God but in different ways. Cain brought his offering to God, the fruit of the ground, and was not accepted. Abel brought his sacrifice, a lamb, thus shedding blood, and was accepted. This angered Cain and in Genesis 4:8, “Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.”

One would have to be totally blind not to see that religion is the cause of the wars, terrorism, bombings and bloodshed in our modern day world. It is easy to see the similarity with Paul’s encounter with the worshippers of Diana inEphesus. We read of this in Acts 19. In verse 20 the Word of God grew and prevailed and stirred up the followers of the Goddess Diana. They rose up in dramatic opposition and for two hours formed an uncontrollable mob shouting, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” (v 34)

Throughout history we have witnessed so-called holy wars. In such conflicts we like to choose sides. So which side is right? I will say, “neither”, and I do so with this illustration. Suppose someone ridicules and speaks against the Bible. They want to destroy it. Do we fight physically in its defence? No! We use it as the weapon for according to Ephesians 6:17 it is the “sword of the Spirit.”

When the Jews confronted the Lord Jesus Christ He merely quoted Scripture. For example in Luke10:25, “A certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And he said unto him, what is written in the law? How readest thou? He let God’s word solve the situation, and so should we.

Unfortunately appropriate scripture verses do not come to mind when they are the most needed. For this reason the holy Word must be read, studied, memorized so that we would be able to give an answer to those who would withstand the truth. I cite these two verses from Colossians. First it is 3:16. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another.” Then in 4:6, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

There will be opposition. They will come to your door seeking to challenge your faith. You will notice that all challengers are religious people. Should those of a religious sect gain the majority such opposition will become more dramatic and dangerous.

The true blood bought Christian is not a danger to others. The constraining force, according to 2 Corinthians 5:14 is love. In Luke 6:27the Lord gave this command. “Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you. Bless them that curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you.”

Jesus Christ did this, even from the cross when He prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” He was not praying for the Gentiles but for His own people, the Jews. They were the ones who were despitefully using Him.

Interestingly enough the apostle Paul had the same temperament as we see in Romans 10:1. “Brethren, my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.” But they were the very ones who withstood him at every turn.

Oh, there were Gentiles who also withstood him, as we already mentioned in Ephesus. But these were religious Gentiles, worshippers of Diana. The cause of the tumult was the fear that the craft of the silversmiths would be ruined and those who were making money out of religion would be out of a job and money.

Have you noticed that one of the earmarks of religion is money? Christ told His disciples in Matthew 10:8, “Freely ye have received, freely give.” Several times the apostle gave this quality of a believer as in 1 Timothy 3:8, “Not given to filthy lucre.” Years ago a missionary once said to me, “You know what all the cults have in common; they are all rich.” Why are they rich? They make merchandise of the people.

When the Lord spoke against this in John 2:16, they hated Him for it. He said, “Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.”   In the same manner Paul’s preaching inEphesushad the same effect. In Acts19:19the believers were convicted of their religious practises, “brought their books together and burned them before all men; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.” That is the equivalent of about 7 million dollars.

Religious practises were being threatened. So what did they do? They start a demonstration, cause a riot, incite violence and seek to eliminate the perpetrator, in this case, the apostle Paul.  But Julius, the Roman centurion saw no threat in Paul. This was also true with Festus, Felix and Lysias before him. The Jews sought his life and the Romans sought to spare him.

Paul had a rapport with the Gentiles and for very good reason. God had made him the apostle of the Gentiles for in Romans 11:13 he wrote, “For I speak to you Gentiles inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office.” God had preserved him from the hatred of the Jews so that he might finish his course, his apostolic ministry inRome.

I will conclude with this observation. Even today, the Gentiles are more likely to accept the gospel of the grace of God than the Jews. They remain antagonistic to God’s grace preferring rather the Law of Moses. Two thousand years have passed but their concept of Jesus Christ remains much the same.

This is true for the gospel of the grace of God remains a threat to all religions just as it did when Paul first began to preach it. It is as stated in Ephesians 2:8-9. “For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, Not of works lest any man should boast.” Jesus Christ remains the only Saviour.

 

Acts 27:4, Part 1

Oftentimes God authorizes activity contrary to human reason. We see something of this in the trip God planned for the apostle Paul toRome. For this we look at Acts 27:4.

“And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.”

The winds were contrary for winter was approaching. Whose decision was it to do this? Certainly not Paul’s and yet he contentedly went along with it. Well, he had no choice in that he was a prisoner but also he knew full well that God was working all things after the counsel of His own will.

The wind was against them and that is why they had to change course. That word “contrary” also means adverse. But God was still on the throne and he was allowing this to happen to show that He was still on the throne.

I want to remind you of Elijah competing with the 400 prophets of Baal on Mt.Carmel. For this I turn to 1 Kings 18:33 as preparation was made for the sacrifice.

“And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. And he said. Do it the second time, and they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time, and they did it the third time. And the water ran down round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.”

How could such a sacrifice burn? It was in the hands of God and after Elijah prayed in verse 37, “the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.” The end result is seen in verse 39. “And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, The Lord, he is the God: the Lord, he is the God.” This was done to manifest the power of God.

God knew what He was doing and Elijah trusted His working. God also knew the events that surrounded that trip toRomeand Paul trusted His working as well. It may have been adverse at the time but it was all in the hands of God.

I recall Joseph, Jacob’s favourite son, being sold to the Midianites and then put into slavery in Egypt. Things went from bad to worse as he languished for years in the royal prison. Yet years later we read God’s purpose in it all in Genesis 50:20. Joseph speaks to his guilt-ridden brothers. “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”

How many times have you seen what seemed to be calamity turn out for good? How do we know what is good for us. We may even pray for a thing that God knows we surely don’t need. He withholds the thing for it doesn’t fit into the big picture. The carnal Christian complains and blames God for being unfaithful.

Need we be reminded of two verses in Romans 8? In verse 26, “We know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us.” Then in verse 28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” It is much easier to quote that verse than to put it into practice. We will not experience the truth of that verse until there is adversity.

God sees eternity in our daily lives and works out His eternal purpose in our behalf. For example one misses the flight at the airport and questions the Lord in it. The plane crashes; killing all aboard and he then praises the Lord for sparing his life.

On the same plane another Christian is killed being immediately translated into the presence of the Lord. It worked out for good for both for, as true believers our goal is to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. “All things work together for good.”

The apostle Paul was spared in Lystra for so we see in Acts 14:19-20. “Having stoned Paul, (they) drew him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up.” God spared him then, but inRomehe was martyred. “All things worked together for good.”

It was contrary to human reasoning that Jesus would die the death of the cursed. But it was God’s plan of redemption as we see in Galatians 3:13. “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree.”

It was the Father’s plan for this to happen for, according to Acts 2:23, He was “delivered by the determinate counsel of God.” That is virtually what Paul said in Romans 4:25. “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

Men question why a sinless perfect man would have to die such a horrible death and experience all the degradations man could manifest. It should be the guilty bearing that death. But then, there could be no salvation; no eternal life. Were we to pay for our sin we would all end up in the lake of fire. There would be no one saved for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

 “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities.” (Isaiah 53:4-5)

It was adversity to the full and yet it was all to the Father’s good pleasure. Referring to the cross in Romans 15:3, Paul said: “For even Christ pleased not himself.” Who did Christ please? In John8:29He said, “I do always those things that please Him.”

Sure, the winds were contrary, adverse. It would cause the natural man to complain. The proverbial winds of adversity blew as Paul and Silas were literally thrown into the Philippian dungeon but were there complaints? Unbeknown to the apostle, God was working all things for good for He had the keeper of the prison and his family ready to receive the gospel.

Years ago I heard of a pastor in New York walking through Central Park knowing that he was chosen of God to bare Him witness. But this man had a rotten attitude. Sure enough, a young man came right up to him and he knew this was the man the Lord had brought to him. His bad attitude took over. He gave him the gospel and told him to get down on his knees right in front of scores of passers-by. He did it and poured out his heart verbally for all to hear. The pastor was at first embarrassed but it quickly turned to shame. He had let his attitude get in the way of his testimony.

How many times do we let our attitude get in the way of God’s purpose in our lives? Yes, the wind was contrary, but it was God Who was upholding all things by the word of His power.

The apostle had gone through these adversities on many occasions and had experienced the sovereignty of God in his life. So when he came to the end in Romewe read this in his last letter to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:16-17. “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me…Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me.”

That should be our experience when the winds of adversity blow. The Lord will stand with us and strengthen us for He does make all things work together for good to those who love Him and who are the called according to His purpose.

 

Acts 27:4, Part 2

What is an act of God? How often it has been said as a cyclone, flood or earthquake occurs, “It was an act of God. The term is frequently used in insurance policies. Are they really acts of God?

Today we are looking once again at Acts 27:4. “And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.” Previously, we discovered that the word contrary meant adverse, or the work of an adversary. Need we guess as to who is the Adversary? Peter answers that question in 1 Peter 5:8. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

We have also seen that the apostle Paul had the blessing of Jesus Christ in going to Rome. But whenever God is doing a work Satan serves as an adversary seeking to disrupt the divine plan. I draw your attention to 1 Corinthians 16:9. “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.”

If Satan is the adversary, who are the adversaries? Paul answers that question in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15.

“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness.”

From day one of Paul’s ministry the devil sought his life. We have an example of this in Acts 9.  He preached Christ, the Son of God in the synagogues and in verse 23, “The Jews took counsel to kill him.” He escaped at night over the city wall in a basket.

The sea had always been a threat to him as we see in 2 Corinthians 11:25. “Thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep” All of this happened during his first two apostolic journeys. Now he is going through another storm at sea.

Wouldn’t one think that he would be afraid to go on another seafaring venture? Not in this case for he knew that God was with him. This trip was in actuality an answer to Paul’s prayers.

According to our text, they had to alter their course and sail on the leeward side of Crete for so is the word “under”. So we are asking the question, “Was it the work of God or the work of Satan to have them alter their course?” The adversary was at work.

What was the adversity? It was the wind. In Ephesians 2:2 Satan is called the “prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” We consider those two words, “air” and “spirit”. We don’t need to define air but we do “spirit”. It is from the Greek word PNEUMA which also means wind, breath, and yes, spirit. The devil is a spirit creature.

He is also called in 2 Corinthians 4:4, “the god of this world.” If it weren’t for the restraining hand of God this earth would be destroyed. In fact in Psalm 17:4 he is called “the destroyer.” David said that it was the word of God that kept him safe. “By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.”

We see a classic example of this in Luke 8:24. The Lord, along with his disciples, was on the Sea of Galileeseeking to cross to the other side. He was asleep and while sleeping a storm came up. It was one of the many attempts of the prince of the power of the air to destroy Jesus Christ and keep the world subject to him. We see the climax in verse 24. “And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was calm.”

So the raging of the storm was not an act of God but rather an activity of the adversary, the devil. The storms do exist but only as God permits them. He can stop them and He will if it fits into His long-term plan.

We will look at another example of an evil wind in action. In Job 1:12, “The Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. Now skipping down to verse 19, “There came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead.”

It definitely was not an act of God although God permitted it. CycloneTracywas not an act of God but God allowed it to happen. The hurricane Katrina was not an act of God but he allowed it. The Tsunami inIndonesiawas not an act of God but He allowed it to take place.  We are prone to ask why and the only possible answer is, “sin”. Ever since Adam and Eve disobeyed God, the adversary, the devil, has contributed to the destruction of the human race.

Can you not see the logic of this for man was created in the image of God? So he will do all he can using his arsenal of weaponry to destroy the work of the God. This would be especially true were one the apostle of the Gentiles. For that reason Paul could envisage what he said in Acts 27:10. “Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.”

Wind can be very advantageous. How we enjoy that ocean breeze on a hot summer day! A twenty-knot tail wind is much appreciated in a yacht race. The farmer is thankful for the soft wind to turn the fans of his windmill. The young boy relishes the breeze so that he can fly his kite. All of this is wind under control.

If the typhoon is not an act of God, why does He allow it? We have already stated that it is the by-product of sin.  The fact that God allows satanic activity also shows that God is in control or as stated in Colossians 1:17, “By Him all things consist”. Jesus Christ holds all things together.

Why did God allow Pharaoh to get away with so much prior to the exodus? The answer is in Exodus 9:16. “And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.” Looking back we see that it was indeed so. Even as Satan attacks God’s people we can say that we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ.

Paul had a thorn in the flesh which he called in 2 Corinthians 12:7, a messenger of Satan. God allowed it. In fact He permitted it to continue throughout his life and for what reason? It was to show His grace as all-sufficient. To use the words of God in verse 9, “My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”

On that voyage to Rome, the wind was contrary. Satan the adversary was driving them off course. God was allowing it and the apostle never questioned it.  He did not say, “Why me,” for he knew. Even in times of deep distress Jesus Christ was there all the time.

The winds of adversity may blow in your life and you, too, may despair even of life itself but if you are in Christ there is assured hope from 1 John 4:4. “Greater is he that is you than he that is in the world.” I will paraphrase it this way. The Christ that is in you is greater than the devil that is in the world.

 

Acts 27:5-8

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord” (Psalm 37:23).   Do you believe what God has said in His Word? Then why do so many righteous people suffer? Why did the apostle Paul suffer? Why did the Lord Jesus Christ suffer?

Today we are looking at Acts 27:5-8. The apostle is on his way toRomeand it was proving to be a slow tedious trip.

“And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra a city of Lycia. And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein. And we sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone; and hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called the fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.”

This was proving to be slow going and for the impatient one it would be difficult ult. But Paul had just spent over two years doing nothing inCaesarea. Were his steps ordered by the Lord?  If they weren’t he would have reason to question as so many do.

So let’s see if Paul was a good man. He was justified as a believer; declared righteous by the grace and in the sight of God. His steps were ordered, that is prepared by the Lord. He had prayed much for this trip toRome. God had indeed promised him that he would be inRomehaving the ability to witness the grace of Christ there. He didn’t doubt for a minute that his steps were ordered by the Lord.

We must remember that Paul was a student of Old Testament Scriptures. He could cite numerous examples of how the Lord ordered the steps of His people. The children ofIsraelspent 400 years inEgypt, most of that time as slaves. They were His people; His chosen race. And yet this time was needed to develop as a nation numerically, physically and emotionally.

From Biblical history he knew something of the workings of God. He knew of Daniel and the three Hebrews who were isolated inBabylon. He knew of Mordecai and Esther away from their homeland in Shushan the palace. He knew of Jeremiah being thrown into the pit and Joseph, the patriarch sold into slavery. He learned not to question God.

Now the apostle was on board ship limping towards Rome. He was in familiar territory. He had gone over this region during his three apostolic journeys. He could look towards land and envisage his preaching in those cities such asLyciaand Pamphylia. Now as he had time on his hands he would thank God for the memories.

As we grow older we have more memories. Isn’t it wonderful that we have so many good and pleasant memories to help calm us during those idle moments? For Paul he would think of those believers in Pamphylia and the like. Now he was constrained to pray for them. His spiritual ministry goes on even in isolation.

This indeed would be of great comfort to him. As he no doubt was drawing nearer to the close of his life he remembered many others looking for that blessed hope as well. The comfort intensifies as he anticipates a great reunion in heavenly places.

Then he would comprehend more of the big picture, for God was already in Rome ordering his steps when he would arrive. God was inGalatia, that land off to the north, caring for the believers, those near and dear to Paul. He certainly could no longer minister unto them as the apostle of the Gentiles but he could intercede for them and God could do that ministering spiritually.

Just as Paul had travelled those three journeys he touched countless thousands of lives. Now he was able to touch hundreds more such as those 276 men on board that ship. He didn’t know it then but the Lord was preparing the way to reach countless people in Melita. We can look ahead to chapter 28 and see how this all worked out.

God knows those people whose lives you will be touching one way or another. Of course you don’t for you cannot see the future as God can. In some cases it will require hospitalisation to witness to that nurse or doctor. It could be, as with Paul inPhilippi, an imprisonment to reach those behind bars or the warders.

Looking back in Paul’s recent days, he could not have presented the gospel to King Agrippa had he not been illegally detained in Caesarea. He would not have been inCaesareahad the Roman Captain Lysius not sent him there. He would not have been in Lysius’ care had that howling Jewish mob not attacked him. It all required a preparation. Who among us has the ability to order our own steps? They would indeed be carnal, fleshly. We cannot see what the next hour holds for things can change in the twinkling of an eye. But God does know. His omniscience incorporates eternity future as well as eternity past. He has an eternal purpose which involves you and me.

I like to think that God knows what tomorrow holds for He is already there. He knows how He wants us to fit into His big picture. This is what we see in James 4:13-15.

“Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain. Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this or that.”

How foolish it is for us to go about making our own plans, doing our own thing and expecting God to fit into our schedule. How do you think Paul would have planned that trip toRome? How do you suppose he could have controlled that wind, the weather or the current of the sea? For this reason many Christians end up with wasted lives.

How often do we complain when health fails? We question the working of God when things just don’t go right. We know we’re saved for we are bought with the price. We understand His purpose of grace for this dispensation. We prayerfully press toward that mark. We commit all things to Him as a living sacrifice. Even then, things just don’t seem to go right and I ask you, “in whose eyes?” His grace is sufficient even if don’t claim it.

Didn’t God say, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord?” Don’t you believe what God has said? The Lord doesn’t make any mistakes. We certainly do. Do we dare to complain when those steps aren’t according to our preparation?

This one thing I notice in Paul’s testimony. He never complained. Rather it was a simple, “Yes Lord. Whatever you say. Whatever you want.” Like Samuel of old, “Speak Lord for Thy servant heareth.” Or is it like Saul of Tarsus; “What wouldst Thou have me to do?”

Do you claim to be a Christian? If you are, don’t you know that you are bought with a price? Don’t you know that you are not your own? Don’t you know that you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ as a member of His body? Don’t you know that in this holy, perfect arrangement He is ordering your steps?

I conclude by reading Ephesians 4:1. Paul writes, “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.” Walk in those steps and experience the joy and contentment in doing it.

 

Acts 27:9-10

Could it be that a Spirit led believer has more insight into real life than the best-trained mind of this world? It not only is true but demonstrated many times over in the world’s history. One of these demonstrations is in our text for today, Acts 27:9-10.

“Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.”

In our text the apostle had opportunity to admonish all concerned but no one would listen. That word “admonish” means to warn. They might have considered him a mere pessimist. After all, he was but a prisoner and usually prisoners have a hidden agenda – like escape. What they might not have realized was that Paul had a greater desire to go toRomethan any of them.

This admonition or warning was that based on insight and thus would carry with it a certain authority. But what authority does a prisoner have? We could naively say that God gave him the insight but there is more to it than that.

We could rightly say that the apostle was one of the more seasoned travellers of the empire. He had already completed three apostolic journeys, much of which was done by sea. We can understand this from 2 Corinthians 11:25. “Thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep.” That means that he spent 24 hours in the water. He well knew what it was to have disaster strike at sea.

But he did not get his authority solely from experience. To rely only upon that would be to rely upon ones own self. Everyone has human experiences but only the believer has spiritual, God-given experiences.

Several years ago while in Adelaide, I administered a Christian Education seminar for teachers and teacher’s aids in SA Christian schools. Upon completion a lady who had completed her tertiary training told me, “I’ve learned more in these two days than I did all three years at the university.” I knew what she meant.

The apostle Paul had been raised in Tarsus, a city of Cilicia but trained in Jerusalem. He knew the seasons, the weather patterns and was able to discern the dangers that lay ahead. But he was also a man of prayer having the Spirit of God dwelling in his spirit and soul. He had a Godly communication the world would call nonsense.

We must remember that God made the earth and all that is in it. In Genesis 1:16, “God made two lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.” So we see the moon as the cause of tides on the sea. In verse 14, “let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years”

My father was a farmer before the time of weather forecasting. He knew well those weather patterns and planted his crops, cut his hay and planned his harvesting accordingly. Many a time I heard him say, “a storm is coming” or, “we’re in for a dry spell.” As I recall, he was usually right. By the way, he, too, was a Christian.

I pick up another bit of information in Acts 27:9. “The fast was now already past.” This “fast” was a Jewish holy day, the Day of Atonement pinpointed in Leviticus 16:29. “In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls.” It was a time of fasting and praying. This time was already past which meant that winter was approaching, a change of seasons.

What happens with a change of seasons? There will be erratic weather with unpredictable wind and who could tell from which direction. The spring and autumn seasons often generate cyclones, tornados, hurricanes and the like. So add spiritual insight to the common sense factor and right decisions should result.

In looking at the context of Acts 27, verses 7-9 the warnings were already present. They had sailed slowly many days, and scarce come over againstCnidus. The wind was not allowing them to make progress and had difficulty-passingCreteand now in our text, “much time was spent and the sailing was now dangerous.”

So when Paul gave his warning it was not an unbelievable thing. We would think that they should have heeded his admonition. Similarly we speak to the unbelievers giving them the gospel of God’s grace. We warn them of the wrath to come and it seems the natural thing for unbelievers to believe the vicarious death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Death is all about us in every form manifesting the wages of sin. That should be simply believable. The only way for man to save himself from eternal damnation is to die for his sin. “The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23) But then no one would ever be saved unless God stepped in, and that He did. He sent His only begotten Son into the world, taking upon Himself our sinful flesh and died in our behalf. “God commendeth His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

The warning goes out to the lost with the only possible solution. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” (Acts16:31) Simple, isn’t it? It has to be simple for every man, woman, and yes, even child, to understand. It has to be simple for every strata of intellect to comprehend it. The way of salvation must be easy to make it possible for those of every culture and race to accept.

Paul had been a believer and an apostle for nearly 30 years and his experience in Christ gave him unbounded confidence. Wouldn’t you think they would heed his advice? I have been saved for over 60 years and have over 45 years in the ministry of grace. Shouldn’t people believe me? But they don’t. As one man told me, “Let me make my own mistakes.”

The sailors on that ship to Rome no doubt felt that to sail at that time of the year would be risky. But it seems to be human nature to gamble. They would take their chances. They certainly weren’t expecting a shipwreck. Isn’t it a common expression among Australians, “She’ll be right”?

How many expect to go to hell? The preacher says, “By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves.” The sinner replies, “I’m not all that bad. I’m good enough to make heaven. God will let me in.”

But the preacher is quoting God’s Word. He has the authority of Jesus Christ. He knows what he is talking about. His warning is not mere common sense; it is spiritual wisdom because it is from the Lord.

Except for Paul’s two travelling companions, Luke and Aristarchus, no one knew of his apostolic authority. But we don’t have that problem for we do not speak the wisdom of this world that comes to naught but the wisdom that is of God.

The world is not able to see beyond the grave and so there is nothing for which to prepare except the funeral. But we know of the life beyond whether it is the glories of heaven or the sufferings in the lake of fire. Because of that insight we are able to make decisions looking at the big picture rather than living but for the day.

So where will you spend eternity? There are but two alternatives. By his very nature man is lost and hell-bound, condemned and facing eternal suffering. But God, by His grace, has worked out His eternal purpose, salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. My admonition to you is to put your faith and trust in Him and experience His life.

 

Acts 27:11

The natural man, otherwise known as an unbeliever, is more prone to believe a lie than the truth. We know this is true but we also have God’s word on it. In 2 Thessalonians 2:12, they “believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” Then in Romans1:25they “changed the truth of God into a lie.” That was intentional for they preferred that.

Today we are looking at Acts 27:11. The apostle Paul had warned all concerned that were they to pursue the trip to Romeby ship there would be “hurt and much damage.” “Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.”

Normally that which we take for the truth is our choice. We have been educated by the world so truth lies in the world system. The god of this world, Satan, governs that system. If a lie is told often enough it will be believed, especially if the initiator of that lie is charismatic in his communication skills. Satan is and his followers follow his example.

One will believe what his mind tells him to believe. If one is spiritually minded he will believe the things of the Lord. But if he is carnally or fleshly minded; he will believe the things of this world. So we see in Galatians 5:16, “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” It is more clearly stated in Romans 8:5. “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” Who governs your mind?

One would think if there was doubt as to the success of that trip by boat they would at least consider the warnings from the apostle. The cargo was just a minor part of the responsibility. There were 276 human beings on board. Were a pilot of a 747 with 276 passengers on board told of a malfunction in the mechanics of the airplane, he would not take off. If the mechanic said, “You might make it” he would not proceed. But in this case the owner and the master of the ship were the supreme authority. They sailed.

To the world life is cheap. We can illustrate that by looking at the happenings inIraq,Kenya,Zimbabwe, and innumerable other places. It all started when Cain killed Abel. Life was cheap. Life was especially cheap on that boat for most of those passengers were prisoners heading forRometo serve as gladiators, entertainment for the Roman citizenry.

I can see why Paul worded his admonition the way he did. There “will be hurt and much damage…of our lives.” He added the centurion and master of the ship to those who were in danger. Were they not concerned for themselves?

It seems in our text that the weight of the decision rested on the centurion’s shoulders. He believed the captain of the vessel rather than Paul.

Let’s look at that word believe. It is to have faith. All believe something. All are religious even though they may deny it. They may not believe in God but there are gods many and lords many.

How many who claim not to be religious study and follow the leading of the horoscope? They worship their star. How many, who deny being religious, put their faith in money, worrying about it, striving to obtain it? How many, who rebel against religion, heed the advice of those around them?

Just because one claims to be a believer does not make him immune from these temptations. Let us consider 1 Corinthians 6:1. “Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?” Rather than looking into God’s Word for solutions to human differences, one goes to the world, exchanging the truth of God for a lie. Remember,”Let God be true and every man a liar.”(Romans 3:4)

It is natural to be intimidated by the world. The teacher in school belittles Christianity citing evolution as truth. By your silence do you condone it and, in so doing, witness it to also be true? A work mate takes the Lord’s name in vain. Do you admonish him or, by your silence, identify yourself with his sin? Your religious neighbour denies the gospel of God’s grace by rejecting the preaching of the cross. By your silence, do you show him that you agree?

Would you testify of Jesus Christ knowing you are the only believer present? The apostle Paul did it time and again, oftentimes facing severe opposition. He sincerely believed what he wrote in Romans 8:31. “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

I will illustrate this by reading his testimony in 2 Timothy 4:16-17.

“At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear.”

As it turned out, the owner of the ship, who insisted on making the trip, suffered the most loss. The ship with all its cargo was a total loss according to verse 41. Through it all, no lives were lost however. Isn’t it ironic that the world, thinking it has all the answers, is headed for destruction?

This is a perfect illustration of a disobedient human race even though good intentions reign. Remember Proverbs 14:12. “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” The modern man is ultra-confident knowing that he can solve global warming, aids, poverty, and all social malfunctions. From Psalm 2:4, “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision.”

Does man ever learn? Not without the preaching of the Word of the Lord. He will not learn until the Holy Spirit is allowed to convict him of his wayward ways. He who believes a lie lives in a sphere of lies.

John 8:44 shows why the unbeliever shuns the truth of Jesus Christ. By being born into the human race he is by nature the son of his father the devil.

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

Now I think we have proven the point. The natural man is more prone to believe a lie than the truth and is more easily convinced of a falsehood than when the word of truth is proclaimed. I am now going to the next verse, John 8:45. “And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.”

While in Fair Havens, Paul warned all of the dangers of sailing. You can readily see Satan’s plan. A shipwreck was on the horizon, literally. His influence persuaded the organizers to go ahead with the plans and sail. Satan had tried innumerable times to eliminate the apostle from the land of the living but up until now, had failed. Here was yet another attempt and as always God overruled.

While on planet earth, the evangelist warns the wicked of the consequence of sin. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God. But you can also see Satan’s plan. He is the god of this world and wants to retain power of his subjects, the unsaved. In working through his followers they are convinced of his lie and reject the truth of the gospel.

That truth of the gospel is that Christ died for your sins, was buried and rose again for you. Believe on Him, His completed work of redemption on the cross and by grace you are saved, not of works lest any man should boast. Have you embraced that truth?

 

Acts 27:12

Whose advice would you follow? How often do we get ourselves into a situation because we followed the wrong advice? Today we are looking at Acts 27:12.

“And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also; if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the southwest and northwest.”

All of us can look back and kick ourselves for not doing what we were told. Or on the other hand we can do the same because we did obey the wrong person. We find the same thing in secular history. But today we are looking at some examples in Biblical history, which to me are more profound.

The dying king David gave excellent advice to his son Solomon, the next king, in 1 Kings 2:3.

“And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself.”

But what happened? In 1 Kings 11:6, “Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did his father David.” Then in verse 11, “Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.”

His son Rehoboam did no better. In 1 Kings 12:6, he “consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer the people?” They advised wisely that he would be kind and serve his people, “and they will be thy servant forever.” But rather, he called the young men, his own age seeking their advice.

Their advice is seen in 1 Kings 12:14. He “spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, my father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke; my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.”

The result was complete disaster. The kingdom was divided as ten tribes of the twelve departed from Rehoboam, following rather Jeroboam forming the northern kingdom ofIsrael. I wonder if he ever had any remorse? The Biblical record does not say so. Rather he sought to make war against them.

He did not seek out a prophet to enquire of God. He did not go to the high priest seeking divine guidance. Rather he acted much like people do today; looking to other people for direction.

Can you imagine the kind of ministry Paul would have had had he sought advice from others. He certainly would not have gone to Jerusalemfor no one thought he should do so. He would not have preached the gospel of the grace of God for no one knew it. That is seen in Ephesians 3:5. “Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men.”

The gospel Paul preached, according to Galatians 1:11-12 was “not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Had he followed the advice of others, as for example the twelve apostles, he would have preached the law as they did. He would have preached the earthly kingdom as they did. He would have preached the coming King as they did.

Rather than doing that he made known in Colossians 2:14 that God took the law “out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” Rather he taught that all believers today “have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” (2 Corinthians 5:1) Rather he preached that all true believers today are looking for the blessed hope, to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, not here on earth.

It seems quite logical that if one gets his life right with the Lord, his life here on earth will also be right. The apostle Paul was in a position to give the right advice to those in charge of the ship for he was walking in the Holy Spirit and not in the flesh. He had divine insight, which far surpasses human discernment.

The unbelievers of the world have no access to divine insight. Oh, they may pray, calling upon God but who is their god? Who is the god of this world? Who is the god of the unbeliever? Jesus Christ gave the answer in John 8:44. “Ye are of your father, the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.”

Getting back to our text for the day, Acts 27:12, “The more part advised to depart thence.” That sounds quite democratic. The majority ruled but was the majority right?

We pride ourselves in being a democratic nation. We stage elections at given intervals. We accept the decision of the masses. But is that decision always right? All of us will have the same answer: No. The majority wanted them to set sail and leave fair havens. Seemingly it wasn’t the kind of place where they wanted to stay. It wasn’t commodious. That word literally means well placed. What was the problem? The majority voted to go. Was it God’s will? I don’t think so for God’s spokesman, Paul admonished them not to. But God didn’t stop them. He knew of the dangers that were ahead. He knows the dangers of electing a bad government. But it falls into His permissive will. It may indeed mean harm to His own, as in this case, Paul, Timothy and Aristarchus. But He still allowed it.

Jesus Christ died for the sins of the whole world, all six billion inhabitants. But the vast majority rejects that gospel and in all too many cases inflicts suffering upon the believers. God sends out His ambassadors, missionaries, pastors and Bible teachers to warn the wicked of their evil says. Who listens? In some countries these faithful men and women of God are imprisoned, punished, and in some cases, beheaded for their faith and faithfulness. The majority demands or at least condones this action.

Living in a world that is overwhelmingly evil the temptation is to accept the leading of the majority. Your thirteen-year-old daughter has had an affair with a fifteen year old at school. You go to the principal who advises you to provide her with a supply of condoms. That is not the solution. Rather you go to your pastor who has a much better solution; “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

The advice from the word of God differs profoundly from the advice given by the world. So whose advice would you follow? In Psalm 118:8 we see that “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.”

You will not put your trust in the Lord if you go to one of the world for advice. Rather it demands a heeding of Colossians 3:16-17. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another…And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

 

Acts 27:13

Do you trust circumstances as a guidance in making decisions in your life? Today we are looking at Acts 27:13. The apostle Paul had duly warned all concerned of the danger ahead. Now we read their response in verse 13.

“And when the south wind blew softly, supposing they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.”

From all appearances it was good for sailing, but all is not as it appears. I am reminded of Proverbs 14:12. “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death.”

Do you not remember the controversy between Abram andLotin Genesis 13:11-12? Abram gave Lot first choice. “Then Lot chose all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east; and they separated themselves one from the other. Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.” For Lot, the days ahead were nothing but tragedy. It seemed right to him but death and destruction followed.

This has always been the fault of man ever since Adam and Eve decided to partake of the forbidden fruit. Without God man has only his own sinful mind as a guide to discernment. All through history, from Adam to now, Man has made detrimental decisions and the result is clearly seen every time we listen to the news and commentaries on that news.

There was a soft south wind. It felt good. It seemed good. It was indeed favourable. It was a false security. Indeed it was the calm before the storm. You can read ahead in Acts 27 and find that to be indeed true.

Australia is blessed with affluence. We have one of the highest standards of living in the world. Many call it the “lucky country”. So were Sodom and Gomorrah and look what happened to them. Lot and his family had to flee for their lives. As we see in Genesis 19:22-24, the Lord holds the key to the future.

It is the nature of man to count physical blessings as of the Lord. We pray to the Lord for physical deliverance and we thank the Lord for physical blessings, failing to see the truth of Ephesians 1:3. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”

Otherwise the rich of this world are blessed of God and the poor are cursed. Consider, if you will, the Lords’ appraisal in Mark 12:42-44. “And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites…and he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury; For all they did cast in of their abundance, but she of her want did cast in all she had, even all her living.”

Then there was the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man in hell and Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom. Then the rich young ruler, religious as he was went away sorrowful from the presence of the Lord. Truly it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

Indeed blessings are not measured by the human eye for man looks upon the outward appearance. Using this criteria man will insist on solving his own problems, This is known today as humanism.

Consider Luke 12:19-20. “And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be, which thou has provided?”

Earthly life is so short, temporal, and fragile. This life is but a stepping-stone to eternity and God is eternal. He views our lives from the eternal perspective seeing the very big picture. He knows all the circumstances and characteristics and sets the rules and standards to that eternal end. If it is not done His way, you have made the wrong choice.

Cain made the wrong choice in Genesis 4:3,5. “In the process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord…But unto Cain and to his offering God had not respect.” He truly believed in God and he worshipped Him. He did what he thought was right and acceptable in the Lord’s sight.

When he was caught out there was no remorse. He still thought he was right and thought God was wrong. In fact in the last part of verse 5: “Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.” So sure was he that he was right even when God offered to provide a sacrifice for him.

He was sincere. He worshipped the right God. He was keenly religious but he rejected the offer God made for him. Cain is a true example of many today; sincere, keen, religious and worshipping the right God but rejecting the offer God made for sin through the blood of Jesus Christ. Man still tries to do it his way.

The owner and master of the boat got together, having heard the warning of Paul. They considered the circumstances and found it to be favourable. They looked to the sea and it was good for sailing. They looked to the west and there was not a cloud in the sky. As far as man could tell, all was well.

Parliament, the senate and the cabinet get together with the prime minister. They look to the economy. They look to the industry. They look to the resources. All is well. They promise to us a bright future. “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man.”  They, likeLot, make peace with the enemies of God. They meet with the various leaders of world cultures and religions seeking mutual understanding and cooperation. There is a way that seemeth right unto a man.

 

Acts 27:14

How often have you wished you had heeded the advice given you? The apostle Paul and 275 other men were on the ship heading forRome. He had warned them of pending danger but they went anyway.

I am now reading Acts 27:14. “But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.” Pardon the pun: “it took them by storm”: all except the apostle.

As this wind began to blow do you suppose that the centurion and the master of the ship remembered the words Paul had spoken to them? He said in verse 10, “Sirs, I perceive that this voyage with be with hurt and much damage.”

I am reminded of Noah. For 120 years he and his sons laboured in building the ark on dry ground. For 120 years he preached as we see in Hebrews 11:7. “Noah, being warned of God…prepared an ark…by the which he condemned the world.”

No one believed Noah. Of all who lived at the time, only the eight immediate members of his family followed him in this. God was going to send rain. It never had rained. What was that? There was going to be a universal flood. That also was strange to them. It never had happened, no not in the history of the world. To them it was foolishness.

What is the preaching of Jesus Christ today? In 1 Corinthians1:18, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. Let me illustrate.

One of the best selling books today is A Course of Miracles. From it I quote; “There is no sin. A slain Christ has no meaning. The journey to the cross should be the last ‘useless journey’. Do not make the pathetic error of “clinging to the Old Rugged Cross.” The name of Jesus Christ is but a symbol…it is a symbol that is safely used as a replacement for the names of all the gods to which you pray.” It is a best seller.

Those on the way toRomelooked around and all was well. “She’s right,” no worries; she’ll be right.” They had been sailing for years. They had a sound ship and more than ample gear. “We know how to take care of ourselves. Furthermore what does this Paul know about sailing? He’s only a preacher.”

Now let’s go back to Noah. After 120 years the ark was completed. In Genesis 7:1 Noah and his house went into the ark and stayed there. It is part of human nature to be curious and one can visualize a crowd of people gathered around that boat. Still they mocked and jeered; foolishness. Animals of every description began to go into the ark. Wouldn’t that cause some to think? This had never happened before. There were two of every kind and seven of some. They were blind to the workings of God.

According to Genesis 7:10 the gracious God gave them 7 more days to think about it. “And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth. I can imagine Noah standing at the door giving one final appeal; “Repent of your evil ways and come into the ark or you will perish.”

I wonder what they thought when the door shut by itself. Noah did not close the door to the unbelievers. God did. In verse 16, “the Lord shut them in.” Up to this point it was foolishness; laughable. Then it started to rain; not just a shower nor even a thunderstorm. It was even more than a deluge. At this point I think they all believed.

Today “the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness.” They laugh at the gospel of God’s grace. They say, “Christ died for our sins, Have you ever heard of such folly?” But God’s Word is true and from it we read this eventuality from Philippians 2:10. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth: and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Did you notice that those who bow before the Lord Jesus Christ include those under the earth? Even those in hell will recognize the person of Jesus Christ, and at the name belonging to Him, they will bow. And what is His name? LORD. They will not bow to be saved but bow in the humiliation of knowing Him as their Judge.

Those in charge of that ship to Rome had it all figured out. They were experienced in the things of this world. After all, who was Paul? They had the wisdom of this world to go on. Remember the words of 1 Corinthians 1:20: “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”

What did Paul know about sailing? Those men in charge of that vessel were master seamen. They had the history of the sea at their disposal. They had the knowledge of man to draw upon. Ah yes, but Paul had the Word of God; and it was God who made that sea and also had control over the weather. Don’t you think the Creator has more authority over such matters than the creature?

They scoffed at Peter who preached the second coming of Christ. In 2 Peter 3:4, “Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” Peter’s answer is in verse 9. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is longsuffering.”

He certainly is longsuffering for nearly 2,000 years have passed, 2,000 years of His grace. But that too will end and according to Jude 14-15, “The Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints to execute judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly.”

Fortunately for those on the boat, God was giving them time to think, to consider and to remember. The tempestuous wind was just beginning to blow. This whole thing would last for over two weeks for we read in verse 27, “But when the fourteenth night was come.” Two weeks to remember, to think, to consider. They would think, “Paul was right in that. Is he right in other things as well?”

They would think, “Where did he get his insight? How did he know? Who is this man?” If they had heeded his warning in the first place they would not be in this position. But things were going to get worse; much worse.

Isn’t that true with every unbeliever and this sinful world? As one continues in unbelief the conditions of evil increase. This truth is borne out in 2 Timothy 3:13. “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

That will be true with the world in general; but it need not be true in your life. You need not fall into the trap as told us in 1 Timothy 4:1. “Some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.”

Why didn’t they believe Paul? They didn’t know that he was the apostle of the Gentiles. It is virtually the same reason people do not believe him and his letters today. They don’t know his position in Holy Scripture. Romans 1:1 says it all. “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.”

In his office of apostleship he wrote in Romans 5:8 “Christ died for us” (in our place, paying the price for our sins). If you don’t embrace that truth you face a fate far worse than going down with the ship. You will have part, eternally, in the lake of fire.

But because of God’s love and consequent grace He has provided the way of escape by means of His shed blood. As Acts16:31invites, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”

 

Acts 27:15

When a person comes to the end of self, then will he seek help or simply give up?  Today we are looking at Acts 27:15 as the apostle Paul and his sailing companions are ca7ught in a violent storm.  “And when the ship was caught and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.”

The ship was caught, a word for a forceful seizure being impossible to stand up against such a win.  They had no alternative or option but to take down the sails and let it go where it would.  They let it drive or be borne by the elements.  To do otherwise would cause the wooden structure to break up and that would spell certain death to all.

How do you save a drowning person?  Lifeguards experience this when someone is floundering in the water.  Sometimes they wait, observing the victim and when all strength is gone, and they are unable to fight back, they jump in to the rescue. At such a stage the drowning person gives up and the rescuer takes over.

Such is the case of every person born into this world.  Religious man tries to save himself, trying all forms of religions, churches, faiths or denominations.  He is lost in si but does not know it.  He is “condemned already” according to John3:18but does not know it.  He flounders spiritually vainly trying to save himself but only when he comes to the end of himself is he willing to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ by faith ad be saved.

But today we have a much worse scenario.  Circumstances overwhelm many people.  There is no where to turn and so a person may give up and take his own life.  Committing suicide is not the best option.

It is for this kind of person; Christ Jesus came into the world.  Here is what we read in Hebrews 2:18, “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour (help) them that are tempted.”  Later in Hebrews 4:15 we read that He “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”  Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye maybe able to bear it.”

As Christians we are admonished to bear up under the circumstances claiming the power of the Lord. In Ephesians we are told to be “strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  Then again in Romans 8:37 it says, “We are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

After an evangelistic meeting a lady approached D.L. Moody with this question, “If you were threatened with death unless you denied Jesus Christ could you continue to praise Him?”  His surprising answer was “No, but when the time comes He will give me the strength to do so.”  You cannot know the magnitude of Hi grace until you have to or want to claim it.

Paul and his two believing companions certainly were not fearing for their lives for they trusted in the living God.  Paul had the divine assurance that he would “bear witness also atRome.”  He had confidence in the promise of God for all things.

It must be the same for you and me.  If you put your faith in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross for your personal salvation, you should have the confidence that He lives in you.  If that is true, you are able to claim everything else – His love, His power, and His care for you.

Not only will you not buckle under adverse circumstances, you will rejoice in them knowing that His grace is sufficient.  Because of that trust Paul could write to the Romans in 5:2-3: “We have access by faith into the grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hoe of the glory of God.  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also.”

I am reminded of an incident that happened during the great San Francisco earthquake in the early 20^th century.  Rescuers saw an elderly lady calmly sitting in her rocker on her front porch quite contented, whereas everyone else was frantic with fear.  I suppose they thought she was a mental case but her reply was, “I’m so happy that I serve a God Who is powerful enough to shake the whole world.”

We can understand why the unbelieving sailors were fearfu7l as their ship was at the mercy of that terrible storm.  The apostle Paul was not afraid.

Isn’t it ironic that we expect such great things from someone like the apostle Paul but we excuse ourselves because we are only human?  Paul was human too.  He had the same frailties, the same shortcomings, the same sinful nature as you and me.  He had the same weaknesses and the same thorns in the flesh as everyone else but he put his trust in the God of all grace, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The sailors on bord that stricken vessel were learning one important lesson.  Man-made devices are unable to stand against the elements of God’s creation.  Just look at the plight of the Titanic.  Consider the folly of climate control.

I must repeat Psalm 2:4.  “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall have them in derision.”  They tried to exalt themselves at thetowerofBabeland look what happened in Genesis 11:8, “So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth.”

 

Acts 27:16

Even when things are at their worst, God is still in control. Otherwise He would not be God. Looking at Acts 27:16; things are going from bad to worse. They have lost control of the ship in the violent storm.

“And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat.” The storm, called Euroclydon, drove the ship to the south side of theisland ofClauda. Now Clauda is west and a bit south of Fair Havens. That we had mentioned in verse 8. Phoenice orPhoenix was mentioned in verse 12 and Clauda is almost directly south of that city on the isle ofCrete.

Now with that bit of geography in mind we return to our text. The wind had blown them under or south of Clauda. Perhaps the pagan sailors would thank their lucky stars, (if they could see them) but Paul would continue to thank the Lord. Geographically, they were safe from the rocky reefs ofCrete; well out to sea and with the wind blowing them westward toward their destination,Rome. God was still in control whether they realised it or not.

The common clichés are the likes of “look on the bright side; every cloud has a silver lining; think positive.” But without Jesus Christ, that is impossible. The god of this world is a destroyer, seeking to ruin God’s creation as well as negate the power of the Almighty. For the unbeliever, there is no bright side but as Hebrews 10:27has it, “A certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.”

Who is in control of your life? If you say, “Jesus Christ” you would do well to let Him do it. Acknowledge the sovereignty of God in your life and claim either His directive or permissive will in action. Either God is directing the steps in your life or allowing Satan to have a bit of space so that the power of Jesus Christ can be manifest in His overruling action. In either case, God is still in control.

God allowed the storm so that He might show Himself in His protection of His servants, namely Paul, Luke and Aristarchus.

Now, returning to our text in Acts 27:16. “We had much work to come by the boat.” First, let’s consider the word “we”. This included the writer, Luke and without doubt, Paul. Everyone, passenger, prisoner, sailor and captain was involved in the attempt of saving the ship and, of course, their lives.

Remember that Paul was not a young man, but he was fit. He had travelled on three apostolic journeys, mostly on foot, fromJerusalem, on the southeast, all the way toAthensandCorinth, which we know today asGreece; three trips. He was fit for he cared for his body as we see in 1 Corinthians 9:27. “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection.”

He knew that his body was a temple of the Holy Spirit and he had to have it in good condition to withstand all the punishment and work that he would encounter along the way. If you are a believer, you also are to take care of that body of yours as God’s temple so that He can use you as He did the apostle Paul.

Then, Paul was in good condition because of his occupation, a tent maker. They didn’t have the nylon fabric as we have today but they used the hides of animals.  Such skins were tanned or cured so that could be fashioned into a tent. I remember Acts 9:43 that Peter lodged in the home of Simon a tanner, or one who would prepare animal skins for domestic use such as the making of tents.

So Paul made tents and how would it be done in those days? All by hand. The cutting was manually done with knives and they had to be sewn together, again, by hand. If you have ever had anything to do with cowhides, you know that it is exhausting work.

What was that boat? The Greek word is SKAPHE from which we get our English SKIFF. It has the meaning of being dug or scooped out, a trough or tub. It could be likened to the old American Indian canoe, which was a tree trunk, fashioned into a small boat by chopping out the insides of the trunk and sculpturing the ends for ease of sailing.

This was a form of lifeboat which is also mentioned in Acts 27:30. “And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea.” This was the same boat they were seeking to rescue. That skiff was being towed but now with the storm they were faced with two dangers. One was to lose it having it come loose. And the other was to have it ram the ship causing additional damage. They had to get it on board.

There is a developing philosophy that as one gets older he has served society and now it owes him a decent retirement. If anyone could claim that it would be Paul but as long as God gives life and breath He still has a task to be done. Remember Moses was 80 years old before his life’s work began, that of leadingIsraelout ofEgypt.

Looking at the life of Caleb in Joshua 14:7 he was forty years old whenIsraelspied out the land. Then in verse10 forty-five years have past and Caleb wants his inheritance, which means to conquer the Anakims, the giants, the town ofHebron. Remember, he was now 85 yrs old. As you read Joshua chapter 15 you can see the result of his labours, total success as the Lord blessed him.

Paul knew that the Lord still had work for him to do as we saw back in Acts 23:11. “For as thou hast testified of me inJerusalem, so must thou bear witness also atRome.” God gave him the reason why he was being sent toRomeand the reason why he was going to spare his life on this dangerous ocean voyage.

I remind you of Martin Luther’s statement. “As long as God has a work for me to do I am immortal.” In other words, “When God is finished with me here on earth; He will take me to be with Him.” The bottom line is to take care of your body so that God can use you.

This is virtually what God said in Romans 12:1. The divine command is to “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” This would necessitate our abstaining from all appearances of evil, those things, which do harm to our bodies such as drugs, tobacco or any form of excess.

How can we expect Him to do His work in us if we don’t claim His sovereignty in us? That is why we have this in Ephesians 6:10. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” Notice that the strength is in the Lord.

On that boat and in that storm, human strength failed. About six years earlier Paul wrote this to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 12:10. “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

Humanly speaking, things were getting rough out there on the Mediterranean Sea. But Paul’s faith was neither in the seamanship of the sailors nor in the sailing expertise of the captain. His faith was in God. From Psalm 118:8, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.”

No matter what the circumstance, God is still there. He has not moved. The question is, “Are you there with Him?”

 

Acts 27:17

Can the human race solve its own problems? We have about 6,000 years of experience and there is but one thing we learn from history; and what is that? We do not learn anything from history.

Today we are looking at Acts 27:17. This horrendous sea voyage toRomeis worsening by the hour. They just can’t sit back and let nature take its course. They have to do something: anything. So here is what they were doing.

Referring to the small boat in the previous verse, “Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.”

The Roman sailors did all they knew to do. Sailing in 64AD was quite primitive, especially as compared to today. They had little, if any, navigational equipment. We have already seen that they had no way of forecasting the weather. But they did all they knew to do. They undergirded the ship. Today we call that frapping.

So what is frapping? It is to take up the slack, to secure, especially by lashing. It would take a seasoned sailor to do that and that is why Luke used “they” and not “we” as he did in verse 16.

Well, they did all they could think of but they could not beat Euroclydon. The weather was in control of them and not the other way around. Man is spending millions of dollars worldwide in seeking to control the climate. We’ve had floods ever since Noah. We’ve had droughts ever since Joseph in Egypt. We continue to have bushfires, killing frosts, earthquakes, cyclones, blizzards, and hailstorms and blame it on El Nino or El Nina or global warming.

I have an observation. As man tries to outdo God, man becomes the loser. Take for example the account of the tower of Babel in Genesis 11:6-7. “And the Lord said, Behold the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Let us go down and confound their language.”

Has man changed? Have we learned from history? Do men even learn when God seeks to instruct them? The human race continues to make the same mistakes over and over again. Sure, they had a climate change in Noah’s day and there wasn’t a thing anyone could do about it. And it wasn’t caused by an overabundance of gas pollution either.

Oh, we’ve come a long way since Bible times. Now, man says, “We know what causes global warming.” Then they say, “We can stop it.” I am reminded of Revelation 8:7 and remember this is prophetic to be fulfilled during the coming great tribulation. Given the advancing technology of man, this should not happen.

Let’s look at the verse. “The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and a third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.” It was a worldwide catastrophe. Man won’t be able to do a thing about it.

With the new age mentality man can do anything given enough time, enough money, enough technological advances. One thing humanity is forgetting: God is still on the throne. Remember the words of Psalm 2:4. “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.”

Man, by his very nature thinks that he doesn’t need God. Nimrod felt that way reading Genesis 10:8. “He began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord.” That term “before the Lord” means that he was thought to be better than God. Reading the last part of verse 9, “Wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.”

This is the mentality of the devil himself for we see in Isaiah 14:14 Satan said, “I will be like the most high.” This is the mentality of the Antichrist for so we read of him in 2 Thessalonians 2:4. “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”

What is man saying today? “We don’t need God. We can do anything God does.” Am I unduly criticising the sailors on that endangered boat? I think not. They were leaving God out of the equation. They were approaching it all from a humanistic standpoint.

However they were no different than the 21^st century citizen. Man forms a subcommittee; calls a summit meeting, seeking human solutions. What is happening to the world economy? A few financial geniuses are nominated to be in control of the financial sectors and we can see the results.

The United Nations was formed to force the nations of the world to solve their differences aside from bloodshed. Our newspapers daily inform us that they are failing and they will fail. How do I know? I am reading Matthew 24:6. “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.”

The problem with the sailors facing the wrath of Euroclydon was that they did not know the Lord. They did not know the One Who controls the weather. We have an example of this in Mark 4:33. “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace be still, and the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”

Elijah knew the One Who had control of the weather for so we see in James 5:17.”Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.”

Had those sailors on that stricken boat known the One in charge of all things they would have first gone to Him and many of the problems would have been solved.

Let us keep Colossians 1:17 in mind. Referring to Jesus Christ, “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” That word “consist” means to be held together. He holds all things together but if one denies Him there is no restraint. He tries to be his own restraint but that is why things fall apart and things were literally falling apart on that Rome-bound boat.

When Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 1:19, he quoted from Isaiah 29:14. “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” To this he adds in verse 20, “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”

He certainly made Nimrod look foolish. He will make the Antichrist and the devil look foolish. That is why Psalm 14:1 says, “The fool hath said in his heart there is no God.”

Do you understand that you cannot solve your own problems; nor can any man or man-made government. Only the Lord Jesus Christ can and will. “It is better to trust the Lord than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8).

 

Acts 27:18

What will a man give in exchange for his own soul? Today we are looking at Acts 27:18. The situation is becoming desperate, as the ship has encountered the storm Euroclydon. “And we being exceedingly tossed with the tempest, the next day they lightened the ship.”

The 276 men on board that ship now began to realise that death was a great possibility. The Creator has given every person born into this world, the will to survive. By nature, man fears death. Even the will to make money is nothing compared to the will to live.

The Lord put it this way in Matthew 16:26. “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

The purpose of the trip toRomewas to make money.Romewas paying them to transport the slaves and prisoners to be used for sport in the Roman arenas. Add to this, there was a certain amount of cargo as for example, we see in verse 38.

When one faces death he begins to realise what is truly important and necessary. Earthly possessions really aren’t that important for, as they say, “you can’t take it with you.” There were certain things on that boat they could do without. They were now seeing that those physical things were becoming a hindrance rather than a necessity. That, no doubt, is true with many who are now hearing this message.

This is where the proverbial rubber meets the road. What really counts in your life? Is it a person or a thing or is it Jesus Christ. We remember the immortal words of Jesus Christ; “Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6:24) This has been the problem throughout history. In Romans 1:25, they “worshipped and served the creature more than the creator.”

That creature includes much more than fellow man. It includes all that is contained in this universe. It could be that dream home, that new car or long awaited caravan. We can do without those things for of what value will they be when you stand before the judgment seat of Christ?

Compared to the things on this earth, how valuable is the human life? It is measured by God the Father sending His only begotten Son into the world to give His life a ransom for all. Were you the only person on earth, Jesus Christ would still have come to pay for your sin.

In Luke 12:16, Christ told the parable of a rich farmer who had the problem of where to store his goods. He decided to tear down his barns and build bigger. The Lord’s verdict is in verse 20. “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided.”

Man is valuable in the sight of God but those things man possesses surely are not. Well, they could be if given over to the Lord to be used in the work of the Lord. I said earlier that you can’t take it with you but you can send it on ahead. By investing your money in missions, for the cause of evangelism, for the work of the Lord, you will be rewarded at the judgment seat of Christ. “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past; only what’s done in Christ will last.”

If God considers your life valuable, how much value do you place upon it? The value of your life depends upon how much glory you give to Him. If you place your value on the world, the flesh or the devil, you will suffer the consequences before Him at the judgment. On the other hand if your testimony is “for me to live is Christ” you will reap the gain that goes along with it.

Why does God place in all men, believers and unbelievers the will to live? The answer is in 2 Peter 3:9. He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” But nearly all those 276 men were unbelievers. Well, yes, so far but give them another opportunity to live and hear the gospel. Perhaps given more time they would heed the gospel Paul preached and be saved.

But what of those who want to die? There are growing numbers who commit suicide. There is a growing emphasis on so-called mercy killing for the elderly, infirmed or those who are just tired of life. Then there are those terrorists who deem themselves as martyrs for the sake of taking other lives. Do they have a will to live? Seemingly not; and why not?

If God is not willing that any should perish who is? John 1:4 states that in Christ was life; “and the life was the light of men.” Who is the god of death? John 8:44answers this. To the unbelievers Christ said, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning.”

Now we see why death is a developing catastrophe in this world. The god of death is the god of this world. This is confirmed in Romans 5:12. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned.”  Are we going to blame the devil?  No, man is responsible as we read in 1 Corinthians 15:21, “Since by man came death.”

Adam and Eve could have resisted the tempter and obeyed God.  But they chose death to life and we have been fighting death ever since.  It is normal for one to cling to life.  But Hebrews9:27tells us that it is appointed unto man oncer to die, but after that the judgment.

Let us consider that judgment.  There is something far worse than physical death?  If you die without the salvation of Jesus Christ you will face that fiery indignation, which is the judgment of God.

Those unbelieving sailors and prisoners had an advantage.  The apostle Paul was on board the ship.  God had a plan in mind and it involved everyone staying live.  Were they to die they would have no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or believing it.  Satan wanted them dead for that very reason.  God had plans to spare their life and Paul told them that no one of them would die but the ship would be destroyed.  Only Paul knew that God was working all things together for good.  Paul would be spared.  As long as God had a job for him to do he was immortal.

Have you considered this in your own life? Your life is being spared as a believer so you can serve Him.  If you are an unbeliever and want nothing to do with God, He is sparing you to give you more opportunities to hear the gospel until you realise that Christ died for your sins, was buried and rose again for you.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and when death comes you will be spared the judgment.  He gave His life so that you can have eternal life in Heaven.  Have you made that decision today?

 

Acts 27:19-20

What would be your feelings if you were facing death today? Today we are looking at Acts 27:19-20. The account pictures a ship at sea, a violent storm engulfing it and 276 people on board fearful of their lives.

“And the third day we cast out with our own hands that tackling of the ship. And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.”

We are concentrating on that last phrase; “all hope that we should be saved was taken away.” It seemed futile but still they were fighting for their lives; doing all possible to lighten the ship, making it more buoyant. They were casting overboard chests, tables, chairs, and even sails, ropes and other necessary tackling. They were desperate.

I feel confident that Paul would not be included in the number of desperate ones even though the wording indicates he was helping to lighten the ship. He had been assured by the Lord in Acts 23:11 that he would live to seeRomeand to preach the gospel there.

There were at least two other believers on board. They were Luke, the human penman of this book of Acts and Aristarchus. They too would be helping in the effort as indicated by the use of the word “we”. “We cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

In such a desperate physical dilemma what would be in a believers’ mind? It would be the imminent prospect of being in heaven. That should not seem so strange for here is what we have promised in 2 Corinthians 5:8. “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

In such a situation the worst thing that could happen which is death actually becomes the best thing that could happen. We remember the words of 1 Corinthians 15:54; “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

But this hope is good only for the believer, the member of Christ’s body. For those who do not know the Lord as personal Saviour, it is a different picture. I am referring to the likes of 1 Thessalonians 4:13. “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope.”

That is why the 275 sailors, prisoners and soldiers were desperate. They had no hope and they were given a God-given premonition of that which was to come; to fall into the hands of a living God. We read in Hebrews 10:31 that “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God.”

A few verses earlier, verse 27, this is more fully explained. It is “a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries.”

Let’s look at the situation. In verse 15 they let her drive. They were adrift at sea. The storm was called Euroclydon which meant a nor’ eastern. There was an added fear that they would be headed for the quicksands of northernAfrica. Then there was the total uncertainty of their location for they were without human control.

All semblance of navigation was gone. There was no sun, moon or stars by which to determine position. The boat was not only adrift but was tossed like a cork on a troubled sea, which made footing well nigh unto impossible with a wet slippery deck as well. Then there was the constant danger of being blown or washed overboard. “All hope that we should be saved was taken away.”

The apostle would think in his mind, now is the time to preach the gospel. That is, except that we are all extremely busy with the urgency of life. So this would become a prayer. He would ask Jesus Christ to spare the lives of all these men and give him the opportunity to witness to them of the Saviour.

Looking ahead to verses 23-25 this prayer was answered for he could relate a message from God that lives would be spared and thus, bearing that testimony of the Lord.

The majority of men on board were very wicked. Many were murderers, prisoners heading for the Roman arenas as gladiators or worse. Many were sailors and such men are known for their wicked manners of life. Why would God want to spare them for, according to John 3:18, they were “condemned already?”

Rather than pointing the finger back to them why not look around us today? The human race has become exceeding sinful. 2 Timothy 3:2-4 is being fulfilled before our very eyes. “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.” It reads like our daily newspaper doesn’t it?

So why doesn’t God step in and put a stop to all of this in judgment? Well, He will but not until this age of grace has run its course. Souls are still being saved in spite of the wickedness of man. God’s grace is still active. We see in 2 Corinthians 6:2 that “Now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation.”

God’s wrath could have been poured out then and there with the ship being broken up by the storm. But for the sake of Paul many lives were spared. But for the sake of the Spirit indwelt Body of Christ today the world is being spared judgment. This is seen in 2 Thessalonians 2:7. “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work; only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

Can you not imagine how conditions would be here on earth were it not for the Body of Christ? It is only the true Christian who hinders the satanic activity of the world. “Only he who now hinders will hinder until he be taken out of the way,” and this will occur in the rapture or the catching away of the church in the air.

The ship in question was doomed except for God. The world today is doomed except for Jesus Christ as seen in Colossians 1:17. “He is before all things, and by him all things consist.” He is holding things together, yes, even in your life whether you know it or not.

God has a plan for your life and you will not die until that plan is fulfilled. Jesus Christ’s earthly work was completed as He said from the cross, “It is finished.” Paul’s work was not done until he wrote in 2 Timothy 4:6, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.”

Think back in your life. How many times have you come within a breath of leaving this earthly life? Why are you still here? There is but one answer. God still has a plan for you. If you are a believer He has a work for you to do as an ambassador of Christ. On the other hand if you are as yet an unbeliever God is giving you more time, more grace, another opportunity to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour.

In either case you go to the doctor, you take your medication, you do all you can and know how to prolong your life for that is the will of God for you. He has given you life and the command from Ephesians5:16is to redeem, buy up the time.

Be that as it may, when the time of our departure comes we must all be ready to meet Him

Acts 27:21

What will be the words of Jesus Christ to you when you face Him after death? They will either be words of commendation or words of condemnation; depending on what you did with His gospel.

Today we are looking at Acts 27:21. “But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not loosed fromCrete, and to have gained this harm and loss.” In my words, “I told you so.”

Imagine standing before the Lord Jesus Christ when He says, “You should have hearkened unto me. I sent my apostle, I gave my Word, and I sent the Holy Spirit to convict you of your sin.” It will do no good to bow before Him then. Oh, I know what Philippians2:10says, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.” They will confess that He is Lord but then it will be too late. They will have suffered the extreme loss and spend eternity in the lake of fire.

“You should have listened unto me.” These could have been the words of Noah as he stood in the ark looking out to the rest of the human race. For 120 years they had the opportunity to believe but then on that fateful day, according to Genesis7:16, “The Lord shut him in.” For all that were outside, it was too late.

Consider the apostle preaching on Mars Hill in Acts 17:32. “And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter…Howbeit certain men clave unto him.” To those mockers and procrastinators Paul could well have said, “Ye should have hearkened unto me.”

This reminds me of Proverbs 14:9. “Fools make a mock at sin.” Paul confirms this in Colossians 1:18. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness.” If Paul is present when the Lord pronounces judgment upon the unbelievers, he can truly say, “Ye should have hearkened unto me.”

On the more positive note we look at the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:13. As the twelve began to manifest the gift of tongues some of that great crowd mocked saying, “These men are full of new wine.” But as the gospel of the kingdom was preached they “were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

According to Acts 2:41 about 3,000 souls were added to the kingdom church that day. They did hearken to the words of the apostles. We don’t believe everyone did for there were doubtless more than 3,000 present inJerusalemthat day, being the day of Pentecost. To those who did not believe they could well have said, “Ye should have hearkened unto us.”

Then there are the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 23:37. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not.”

These are the people to whom the Lord could one day say, “Ye should have hearkened unto me.” Rather He will say what it says in Matthew 25:41. “Depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.”

Now getting back to the occupants of that stricken vessel, they were still alive. Where there is life there is hope. Obviously Paul was right. He had insight from somewhere. If he was right in that would he not be right in other things as well. In their minds they should be thinking, “We would do well to hear what he is saying.”

They had come to the first step in conversion. That is to respect the authority of the preacher. But who was this Jew named Paul? He was but one of the prisoners heading forRome. “We don’t listen to prisoners.” But he was right as they were seeing firsthand just as he had warned.

I stood before a man in Forrest Chase in Perth. He declared that there was no God. I asked what he would say when standing before Him in judgment. Those in Noah’s day said much the same thing as the rain began to fall. The gentleman said, “That is only a fairy tale.” Arguing is useless and as I turned to leave I quoted Hebrews 9:27. “It is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment.”

Paul did not dwell on the subject or rub it in. He didn’t belittle them by pointing out their shame for not following his advice. He remembered that for years he, also, had doubted the truth. But for the grace of God he would be just like them.

The past is history. We cannot go back. They could not return toCrete. They were in the middle of theMediterranean Sea. A violent storm had overcome them. They could do nothing about it but they could heed the ongoing advice of this strange man, Paul. Now that they could see their mistake what could they do about it?

For those at Pentecost the answer was to repent and be baptised according to Acts 2:38. But for the Philippian gaoler it was to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. That is the gospel of God’s grace.

There is nothing we can do to undo the past and all its sin and rejection. But we are called upon to claim the work of Jesus Christ and by faith inherit His life, eternal life. So when we believe on Him as Acts 16:31 commands, He forgives, forgets, justifies, sanctifies, regenerates, seals and so much more, all by grace through faith.

The future may indeed seem bleak. It certainly did on that ship. But Jesus Christ, the creator was in control.  Where you are in your life today, is Jesus Christ in control?

As long as one is alive, hope remains. The soul is yet in the body. You can still be saved. As Paul spoke to the seamen he knew they still had hope. They may have been despairing but God is still there and is still in control.

It sounds so much like today. Inflation cannot be stopped. Prices are getting out of hand. Housing is a great problem. Recession is a threat. Health is an unsolvable issue. People are losing control of their own emotions. Bloodshed is a daily occurrence; Strikes, riots and demonstrations depict our social behaviour. Many are in despair. To all of this the Lord shouts, “Ye should have hearkened unto me.”

God warns in Numbers 32:23, “Be sure your sin will find you out.” The first mistake was to disobey the messenger and leave the safeportofCrete. Now, they had no human way of stopping this continuing disobedient act. With man it was impossible, but with God all things are possible. (Mark10:27)

How many warnings does one need before he obeys? How many times have you been warned? If you haven’t heeded the gospel of the grace of God, there is a pending shipwreck in your life. As long as life remains in you there is still hope; still a chance to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.

This could well be a final warning from 2 Corinthians 6:2. “Now is the day of salvation.” We don’t know about tomorrow.

 

Acts 27:22

There is good news for everyone but only if you obey the demands of God. Today we are looking at Acts 27:22 as the apostle Paul shouts above the storm seeking to cheer the despondency of those aboard the stricken vessel.

“And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.”

This was indeed good news but they had to believe the message and the messenger. Some evidently did not for in verse 30 some of the seamen sought to jump ship. In the next verse “Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.”

Christians speak a great deal about the gospel. That word means “good news.” But it is good news only to those who believe. We see this in Romans 1:16. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

The gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone but it must be believed. So I repeat, “There is good news for everyone but only if you obey the demands of God.”

At this stage of the Roman voyage total discouragement had set in. From verse 20 we read, “All hope that we should be saved was then taken away.” Isn’t that true when you confront your need of salvation? Before you accepted the gospel, the good news, you had to have the bad news impressed upon your mind. You were a sinner and condemned to eternal damnation in the lake of fire. You had to obey the gospel of Jesus Christ and be saved.

God does not joy in man’s sadness. “He is not willing that any should perish.” For that very reason He gave His only begotten Son to pay the only acceptable price for our sin, His shed blood. So we see in Ephesians 1:7, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”

So in our text, Paul uses the word “exhort.” “I exhort you to be of good cheer.” This means to urge. He was emphatic. Just as God takes no delight in our sadness, neither do God’s people. Paul had a great burden for his shipmates. He was urging them to believe the good news.

He told the man to be of good cheer. From where does that good cheer come? Looking down to verse 25 we have the answer. “Be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.”

When God tells us in His Word to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved,” do you believe it?   If you don’t believe that message from God through the apostle Paul, you are yet in your sin and you are not saved.

When Paul told all aboard to be of good cheer, he gave them full reason for the joy. None of them would be killed. The very reason for their despondency was the fear of being killed in the shipwreck. But now there was hope. But it was more than a supposed hope; it was a confident expectation. If you believe God, it will come to pass. God cannot lie.

So what is the foundation of our “good cheer?” Take a look at 2 Corinthians 5:8. “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”

We have an added reason for this confidence. It is not based merely on the Word of God but by the experience, the revelation of this hope. Paul went to heaven and was an eyewitness of the blessed hope. We see this in 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 as he relates his experience:

“I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell, God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”

I am persuaded the apostle was speaking of himself for he referred to this as a revelation in verse 1. In Ephesians 3:3 he wrote, “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery.” He had heard unspeakable words, words that were unlawful for man to utter.

I remember the words addressed to the stricken occupants on board that ship. “I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.” If you believe God there is good news. If you doubt what He has said in His Word are lost and without hope.

Consider with me the plight of the Philippian jailer in Acts 16. He was about to take his own life as all hope was gone. It would be better to commit suicide than to die at the hands of the Roman government. Neither God nor Paul took any pleasure in his demise and the command came out of the darkness, “Do thyself no harm.”

Here was a man in desperate straits. All hope was gone. The only way out, or so he thought, was to end it all. So the all-important question; “What must I do to be saved?”

The seamen on that fated vessel didn’t verbalise their heart’s cry. But God heard that silent plea. “What must I do to be saved?” Paul, as God’s spokesman gave the answer. “Be of good cheer, for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you.”

Jesus Christ died for the sins of the whole world. In 1 Corinthians 15:22“For as in Adam all die, (there’s the bad news) even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” There is good news but only to those who believe. In 2 Corinthians 5:14, Christ died for all because all were dead in trespasses and sins. There is hope for everyone for He will have all men to be saved.

But every sinner must accept that offer of salvation through Jesus Christ. Again in Romans5:18we have the bad news followed by the good. “Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation.” That’s the bad news. Then came the good; “even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”

The next verse limits the saved ones only to those who believe. “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” All have the possibility to receive the good news but only those who believe will enjoy the good cheer.

Did the men on board that ship have a better idea? They did all they could and their fate was doomed. There was no way out.   Then Paul shouted out, “I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me.”

There was no hint of ridicule here.  No one said he was crazy or mad.  If he were wrong they would be no worse off. However, if he was right they had everything to gain.  If you read the context of Acts 27 you will see this was the turning point.  From then on there was hope, encouragement and good cheer.

So how is it with you?  Are you in “good cheer” or are you still without hope and without God.  The good news is the same: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”

 

Acts 27:23, Part 1

To whom do you belong? The apostle Paul said to the sailors in Acts 27:23, “For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve.” Paul confessed that he belonged to God.

I’m rather sure that his audience did not get the meaning of that statement but you and I should understand it if we belong to God. For in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 we read, “…ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

That price, as mentioned, is the blood of Jesus Christ. In Ephesians 1:7 we see, referring to the Lord Christ, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” I think that word redemption is clear enough. It is to be bought or more literally from the original, “to be bought out of the slave market.”

Everyone born into this human race was born a slave, in bondage to sin. We see in Romans 6:17 that we were “the servants of sin.” This explains what the Lord meant when He said, in John 8:44, “Ye are of your father, the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.” From this we conclude that every unbeliever belongs to Satan and is in bondage to him.

We say he is in bondage for he cannot free himself from sin or the wages of sin. The alcoholic is bound to his drinking habit. The smoker is in bondage to tobacco. The drug addict cannot free himself from his addiction. The kleptomaniac continues to steal even though he may spend much time in court and gaol. He is in bondage.

The apostle writes of such a situation in Romans 7:24. “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” There is only one answer and one hope and we see it in the next verse, Romans 7:25. “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  It is for this very same purpose Christ Jesus came into the world. In John 8:36 He said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

Sadly, the unbeliever thinks he is free and in one way he is; free from God; free from righteousness as we see in Romans 6:20. But in being free from God he is bound by the devil. Back in Romans 6:16, Paul penned, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.”

The unbeliever has no choice. By nature he obeys the dictates of Satan.  He belongs to him and performs his bidding thinking he is free. Yes he is free to sin not knowing that the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23)

But for those of us who know the Lord as personal Saviour we are free from sin because of the gift of God. “Sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

Paul professed to all his listeners that he belonged to God. He had experienced a change of ownership. He had recognised that the purpose of the cross was to purchase a lost human race from the bondage of evil. No one could do it but Jesus Christ. Hear these words from Romans 8:2-3.

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.”

Did you get that? No man could redeem himself from the wages of sin.  But God sent His own Son, Jesus Christ to pay that price.   He bought me out of the slave market.

Now that you and I and every other blood-bought believer belong to God through the blood of Jesus Christ, what are we to do about it? Let’s go back to Romans 6:11 and see. “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin. But alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

We have been set free from the bondage of sin and because of His love for us and our love for Him we will do all that He asks of us. An example of this is in Exodus 21:2. “If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve; and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.”

Paul was confined to the boat, surrounded by men of the world.  He was a prisoner ofRome, a captive with little or no hope for physical deliverance.  He did not belong toRome.  He belonged to Jesus Christ.  He would serve Jesus Christ by relaying God’s message to those on board the stricken vessel.  He was proclaiming that he belonged to God.

To whom do you belong?  If it is the Lord Jesus Christ then are you glorifying Him in your body and in your spirit.  All too many professing believers are trying to have their cake and eat it too.  They are content to be bought with that price but want to continue living according to the course of this world.

Satan, the god of this world will try to retain his claim on you.  He will tempt you and throw all kinds of things at you.  But “l John 4:4 tells us, “Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.”

 

Acts 27:23, Part 2

When you speak is it with any degree of authority? When you submit an affidavit or prepare a document it is only as good as your name or perhaps as good as the person you are quoting.

Today we are looking at Acts 27:23. Paul is speaking to those aboard the ill-fated ship seeking to go to Rome. He informs them, “For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve.”

Would they believe that? The truth need not be believed to be the truth. It remains the truth. We know, for we have learned that the apostle Paul belonged to the Lord and He served the One to Whom he belonged.

Paul could, and did speak with full authority for he spoke the words of Jesus Christ. I will support that statement by quoting his words from 2 Corinthians 13:3. “Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me.” Add to this 1 Thessalonians 4:15 where we read, “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord.”

From this we can conclude that the letters penned by Paul are just as much the Word of God as the words penned by David in the Psalms. No one questions the authority of Moses in Exodus 20 where we have listed the Ten Commandments. Why, then, would one question the words of Paul in Ephesians where we have the revelation of the mystery?

To Whom did Paul belong and Whom did he serve? One might well say God, but more specifically, it would be Jesus Christ. Let’s confirm this in our verse for the day. “There stood by me the angel of the Lord.” It wasn’t just any ordinary angel but one of a kind, “the angel of the Lord.” We have before shown that this was Jesus Christ. Paul did not belong to an angel nor did he serve an angel, but God and Jesus Christ.

So what Paul had heard was the literal Word of God and what he was telling his shipmates was nothing less than the Word of the Lord.

What is the “Word of the Lord”? From John 1:1 we see, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” The “word” is from the Greek LOGOS, which is defined as the expression of the will of God. It is the declaration or the revelation of God.

This revelation began with the apostle Paul in Acts 9 at the point of his conversion. We read this account of it in Acts 26:16, as the Lord speaks to him. “But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee.”

Did you notice the words “seen” and “appear?” He not only received a revelation from the Lord but, according to Galatians 1: 12, it was “the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Could his audience comprehend that? For that matter, can you? I understand that many today are much like Festus as recorded in Acts 26:24. “And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning hath made thee mad.”

Can you not see the blasphemy of this statement? To say that Paul was crazy for saying the things he did is the same as saying that Jesus Christ is crazy as well for Paul’s words was the Word of the Lord.

When the apostle mentioned the Word of the Lord, as he did in 2 Thessalonians 3:1, he did not mean that of the Old Testament nor even the so-called four gospels. He meant assuredly the Word, which the Lord gave him, the revelation of Jesus Christ. He told the Thessalonians, “Pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you.” He was referring to the gospel of the grace of God committed to him to be preached unto the Gentiles.

Paul said, in our text, that the angel of God spoke with him. Couldn’t we all have such a visit from an angel? Couldn’t we all receive a revelation or a prophecy? Don’t forget the words of Christ concerning Paul in Acts 9:15. “He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.”

Moses was a chosen vessel of God and see what happened when they questioned his authority as we see in Numbers 12:2. “And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it.” You can see God’s reaction in verse 9. “And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed.”

If God called Moses as His chosen vessel and reacted that way to those who doubted, is it any different with the apostle Paul today?

Consider Moses in Numbers 12:8. God said, ”With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches: and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold.” Is this not the equivalent to our text verse in Acts 27:23 “For there stood by me the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve.”

Paul spoke with authority for what he said was the Word of the Lord. We can use the Word of God; the Bible, with authority for it is just that, the Word of God. In the Bible we read over 3,000 times the phrase “Thus saith the Lord.” Using our own words it carries no weight but quoting God’s Word it is supreme authority.

When the prophets spoke it was not their own fabrications. In Isaiah 1:24, “Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty one of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries.” If those were merely Isaiah’s words they would be of no authority and there would be no truth in them.

The religious world is greatly fragmented and becoming more so as the days pass. Many will say that they have received a revelation. They may have a new idea about God’s Word. Some churches encourage the gift of prophecy and prophets are coming out of the proverbial woodwork. A new cult is born. A new church is founded. A new doctrine is spawned.

To do all this one must in some way deny the supreme authority of God’s Word by saying that it is either incomplete or wrong. The Bible is not to be added to nor annulled.

If those sailors had known Paul’s office of apostleship, they would have listened to him. Is it not the same with man today? If one recognizes Paul’s unique apostleship he will heed that which he has written.

Put yourself to the test. Do you have a red-letter edition of the Bible? Which parts are the most authoritative? In your mind is it not those verses that are written in red? Are the words of Jesus more important than those of other human writers? If you say yes to this, you are rejecting the revelation of the Lord for this age of grace.

So what do we call the Bible? Is it not the Word of God? Is it not as we read in Ephesians 6:17 “the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.” It is the sword of the Spirit for Peter wrote in 2 Peter 1:21, “Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

Peter pointed out the Pauline authority in 2 Peter 3:15-16. “Even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”

If there was ever a time when the world needs an authority, it is now. That authority is Jesus Christ as revealed to and through the apostle Paul. Do you recognise and accept that authority?

 

Acts 27:23, Part 3

Whom do you serve? The natural man, the unbeliever, says, “no one.” But that is not true. Here are the words of Christ in John 8:34. “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is a servant of sin.”

Today we are again looking at Acts 27:23. The apostle Paul is addressing the men aboard the stricken vessel and testifies, “For there stood by me this night the angel of the Lord, whose I am and whom I serve.”

He professed that he served the Lord Jesus Christ. When you and I say such a thing we had better be sincere. The world is watching and determining if we are true to our word. The determining factor is, “Whom do you obey?” In Romans6:16we read,

“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey. Whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.”

Can you give yourself an honest answer? You will say with your lips, “I serve God.” How consistent are you in that service? Do you not often yield to the lust of the flesh or the temptations of the world?

You may remember the words of that atheistic poem, Invictus. “I am the captain of my soul; I am the master of my fate.” The writer of the poem, and anyone who shares that philosophy has missed the point of truth completely. First of all there is no one who is a servant of self. The Lord said in John 8:44, “Ye are of your father, the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.”

Secondly, your fate has been predetermined by God for so we see in John 3:18. “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already. Because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Consider this simple experiment. Many of you have had children and all of you were, in time past, children. At what stage do you have to teach your child to disobey? When do you teach them to lie; to cheat; to steal, or fight? It comes naturally, does it not? Rather you have to teach them to obey, to tell the truth, and to be honest with one another.

How do you teach them? It is done by example. It is done by instruction and quite often by discipline. There has to be some kind of constraint, be it punishment, direction, or correction. When that child lies, whom is he obeying? Let’s look further into John 8:44. “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He…abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

Need I ask, “Whom does that child obey; whom does he serve? By his very nature as a sinner, he obeys sin and the father of it. The unfortunate thing is that few know it. They do not understand the source of sin or the gravity of it.

In some cultures it is not wrong to lie if you are saving face. We have already seen that lying in all forms is of the devil and sin. In other cultures stealing is not wrong if you really need it. If God says, “Thou shalt not steal” He means just that.

Others will say that cheating is not wrong if no one is hurt by it. In a recent survey nine out of ten medical doctors admitted to cheating on exams while in medical school. We trust our doctor, considering him to be proficient in his field.

One cannot change masters at will. The lying child grows into manhood and continues to lie. The thief as a child becomes a thief as an adult. The murderer cannot be cured by being placed in gaol. The cheater continues to cheat through life because he has a cheating heart. In other words, to change servitude, one must have a change of heart. He must be a new creature.

That’s what happened to Paul when the Lord Jesus Christ got a hold of him. He became a new creature and not him only for we read in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.”

When you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour He comes into your heart; into your life. He recreates you and according to Ephesians 2:10, “We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” You have a new master.

Paul testified in Acts 27:23 that he served God. I find this enlightening that the word “serve” is not from DIAKONO or in English “deacon.” Nor is it DOULOS meaning “slave”, but rather LATREUO, a worshipper. Therefore, as we go to church on a given Sunday morning we are in a worship service.

Paul didn’t serve the Lord because he had to, but because he wanted to. His life now belonged to the Lord and by God’s grace; the love of the Lord was shed abroad in his heart, according to Romans 5:5. He served the Lord because he loved the Lord. He loved the Lord because God gave to him His love. This is summed up in 2 Corinthians 5:14. “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge that if one died for all, then were all dead.”

So our verse, Acts 27:23 takes on a new shade of meaning. “For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve (and worship).”

Many of those men to whom Paul spoke no doubt worshipped some sort of god. But their worship was quite different than Paul’s. They worshipped out of convenience. They worshipped, seeking self-gain. They worshipped ignorantly not knowing what.  I am reminded of the many on Mars Hill in Acts 17:23. Paul began, “For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD, Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.”

We may be living 1944 years later but mankind is much the same. Many will say they serve God but are merely giving Him lip service. To them it is a kind of obligation, or it may be out of fear. Do they really know the Lord, or is He in reality, an unknown god?

Paul warned his readers (and that includes us) of this, as for example, in Galatians 6:12. “As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh,” or in 2 Timothy 3:5, “Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.”

The Lord gave such a warning in Matthew 23:2-26.

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisees, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.”

The problem is that no man could do or can do it. It must be a work from within, a new heart; a new creation. Only God, the creator can do that and that only by grace. That’s why Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians1`5:10,

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

Paul worshipped the Lord because he knew by personal experience what He had done in his life. Jesus Christ saved him by His grace. He revealed Himself and His grace to and through him. He sustained him through three horrendous apostolic journeys. He directed his life to the fulfilment of that apostleship, all by grace.

He served the Lord as a means of worship. He worshipped the Lord in every aspect of his human life. Who of us could say that? So I ask you again. “Whom do you serve?”

 

Acts 27:24

To the believer God always imparts tidings of comfort.  There is nothing to fear for the one who walks after the Spirit.  Keep this in mind the next time disaster strikes, as for example the death of a loved one.

Today we are looking at Acts 27:24.  Paul is telling those who were in charge of the boat, his communication with the Lord.  “Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar; and lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.”

Humanly speaking there was ample reason to fear for back in verse 20 we read that, “all hope that we should be saved was taken away.”  But wasn’t the apostle Paul spiritually minded?  We could not say he wasn’t but he was not filled with the Spirit. No one is for then he would be sinless as was the Lord Himself, totally in the hands of God.  For the Lord to tell him to “fear not,” we consider the original Greek tense.  It is to “stop fearing.” There was very good reason for this admonition. He was afraid.  He was human.  He had to be reminded that God was in control of the situation.

I would like to go back to an example I used in the beginning, the tragic loss of a loved one.  Consider with me two verses from the 4^th chapter of 1 Thessalonians. In verse 13, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as those which have no hope.”  In reality, for the believer, this is rather a time of rejoicing for the deceased is “absent from the body, and present with the Lord.”

The second verse in this passage is 1 Thessalonians 4:18.  “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”  Why would we have to do that to fellow believers?  Don’t they also have the indwelling Holy Spirit?  Of course, but all too often, especially in times of distress, one is prone to think according to the flesh and not the Spirit.

Paul was in a time of distress and surrounded with over many men walking in the flesh.  It was indeed a daunting situation.  God knew His apostle had to be reminded of the things that would sustain him and that was the Word of God.

This is why we are reminded in Acts 17:11 to daily search the Scriptures.  It certainly is not that if one is saved he has attained.  Paul knew this as he gave this testimony in 1 Corinthians 15:31.  “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.”  He had to reckon himself to be dead unto sin and alive in Christ every day.  He needed a continual reminder.

The world imposes its voices, teachings, and propaganda upon each of us.  There is so much uncertainty in all of that, as doubts and fears arise.  Without doubt this is a tool of Satan as illustrated in the Garden of Eden as seen in Genesis 3:1.  “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.  And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”   He is sowing seeds of doubt in a most subtle way, not unlike his work today.

Was Paul beginning to doubt the truth of God?  We don’t want to think so but it seems so.  It was the divine voice that said, “Stop being afraid.”  The flesh would say, “Do you really think you can get out of this alive?”

Consider this in your own life.  You think, “Am I really saved?  Would a true Christian do what I have done?  Can God forgive that sort of thing?  How can I be sure I’m saved?”  Let God answer it from Romans 8:16.  “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”

But what if we quench the Holy Spirit?  Take a look at 1 Thessalonians 5:19.  Here we have the same Greek construction. Our Bibles read, “Quench not the Spirit.”  With this same tense it is, “Stop quenching the Spirit.”   How often do you stifle the ministry of the Holy Spirit?  Would that not account for why so many Christians walk after the flesh?

How can God encourage us if we feed upon that produced by the world through the various forms of media?  If there is a steady diet of T.V., movies, DVDs, Video games, periodicals, yes, and even the daily newspaper, how is God going to have His input into our lives?  The sailors had no means of encouragement.  This is true with every unbeliever, for the world offers nothing of lasting value.  The ultimate goal of such a person is seen in Hebrews 9:27.  “And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”  They may not have known the verse but there is this implanted truth in every unbelieving mind for all, by nature, are afraid of death.

How often have you doubted the presence of God in your life?  You may have even said, “Where was God when I needed Him?”  He isn’t the One Who has moved.  If you have trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour this is for you from Ephesians 4:30.  “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

One might well ask, “Why would Paul doubt? Didn’t God tell him in Acts 23:11 that he would seeRome?” Of course he did.  But that was over two years before?  God hadn’t changed His promise just as He hasn’t moved away from the believer. But man has, through the course of time, forgotten many of the things of God unless he daily feeds upon His Word.

God not only observed the happenings on that boat but knew fully the thoughts and intents of the heart of Paul.  Paul didn’t have to cry out to God for help. He was always there especially in those darkest hours.  The Lord never forsakes His own.

In fact, God pre-empted Paul’s need for encouragement.  Have you ever sensed an answer to prayer even before you prayed for it?  If you are anything like me you will say, “Yes.”  God knows the needs of His own.   This is the very reason for the indwelling Spirit, that, according to Romans 8:26, “maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

How many times have you been fearful, discouraged, or despondent?  We may be afraid to admit it but God knows, and is doing everything to lift us out of those times of doubting.  Don’t allow Satan to have an advantage over you for he is already defeated.  We know this from Colossians 2:15 which refers to the Lord Jesus Christ, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it” –  that is His cross.

It is for that reason we are able to say, with the apostle, in Romans 8:37, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”  He has not promised an easy life but he has promised spiritual victory for, as believers, we are already ”blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3)  Then, to repeat 1 Thessalonians 4:18, “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

 

Acts 27:25

Joy is contagious but the world, by its very nature, is pessimistic. Today we are looking at Acts 27:25.  The apostle Paul is addressing those on board the stricken vessel in the middle of theMediterranean Sea.  They are in great trouble and here is what he says.

              “Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.”

In time past there was the popular cliché, “Smile, God loves you,” but how many really took that to heart?   Did such lapel buttons and bumper stickers do any good?  Doom and gloom still permeates the world’s news and the world’s thinking.

Paul was of good cheer for he believed God.  On the other hand we can understand why the unbeliever demonstrates a gloomy outlook, for Satan is the god of this world.  He, according to John8:44, is of his father, the devil and the lusts of his father he does.

I want to show you the striking contrast by reading Galatians 5:19-23.  “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings and such like.”

To see the contrast I continue in verse 22.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith meekness and temperance.”

Except for Paul and his two travelling companions, Luke and Aristarchus, all on board that ship were unbelievers and were anticipating the worst physical death and after that the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). All of the passengers were fighting for their lives and they feared death.  But Paul knew the Lord and he believed Him.

He was encouraged by the words of Jesus Christ and was now passing on that calm assurance to all who could hear.  Do you think they were encouraged?  They would be only insofar as they believed the source of that joy, the Lord Himself.

That is not unlike the world today.  I can even include many so-called Christians.  They say they “love Jesus” but in works they deny Him.  I know for from their lips and lives are the cares of this life and world.  They worry and fret about the price of oil, interest rates and the growing cost of living.

All of this is temporal, having to do with the things of this life.  But what is the hope of the believer?  It is certainly not this world or the things of this world.  How many Christians heed the admonition of Colossians 3:1-2?  “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

But Paul was addressing unbelievers and he knew it.  How could they be of good cheer?  I give you the same answer as before. They could be of good cheer only as they too believed God, Who is the only source of joy?  What is your joy and where does it come from?

 

Acts 27:26

If one seeks the blessings of the Lord he must accept the will & leading of the Lord.  It is a sad state when one who lives in sin suddenly prays out of need and expects God to answer that prayer.  He then has the audacity so as to say, “God does not care for him”, or worse yet, “there is no God.”

Today we are looking at Acts 27:26.  The apostle Paul is seeking to encourage those on board the stricken ship telling them that none would die.  But they would have to accept God’s way.  “Howbeit we must be cast on a certain island.”

We see from Acts 28:1 that the “certain island” was Melita or modern day Malta. It was, and is, a major island on the south ofSicily.  Incidentally, on the north side of present dayMaltathere is a bay, an inlet of water called, of all things,St. Paul’s Bay.  Can you guess why such a name?

Deliverance was not by chance for all was in the hands and plans of God.  If that were the case can you not see the futility of trying to do it their own way?  It is clear that God provided deliverance from the wages of sin but man still tries to do it another way.  Those on that ill-fated vessel could wonder how such could be accomplished for they were lost at sea, tossed to and fro, totally at the mercy of wind and waves.  Now comes the report that they will be cast upon a certain island.  They would be cast; they would be castaways; marooned.

Now the question is, “Would they accept this as the gospel truth or would they still try it their own way?”  To experience the blessings of God, obedience is required.  They would have to take Paul at his word.  He said he was delivering the message received of the Lord.  They would have to take that to be true.

The apostle wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:3,4, “I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”  That’s what he said he received from the Lord. Do you wholeheartedly believe that or are you still seeking another payment for your sins?

The occupants of that ship were told that they would not die but that they would be castaways. We, who trust the blood of Jesus Christ for our salvation, are promised and given eternal life but meanwhile we are castaways on earth.  Why do we have to spend an undetermined length of time here when we might as well be enjoying the bliss of heaven?

The simple answer is that all believers have a ministry to perform.  2 Corinthians5:18shows us that we have been reconciled to God by Jesus Christ and have been given the ministry of reconciliation.  Then in verse 20 it says, “We are ambassadors for Christ.”   We are here on earth to fulfil His ministry of grace.

Similarly, all those on board that vessel were to be marooned on Melita for a reason. We will see more of that when we get to chapter 28.  It is never wise for anyone to question the motives and actions of God.  Remember Romans 28:28.  “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Keep that word “called” in mind as we turn to Ephesians 4:1.  “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.”  To walk worthy one must accept the will, the leading of the Lord in one’s life.  Don’t question Him.  Don’t change it.  Just do it.

We are assured by God’s grace that all who claim Christ’s blood as full payment for sin will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17).  As believers we are doing what Titus2:13says, “Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.”  That is as sure as God is sure.

What we don’t know is when.  While on earth we can say that we face an uncertain future.  For those who would be cast on thatIslandthey, too, would face an uncertain future. They did not know who lived there, friend or foe. What language would they speak?  How long would they have to stay there?  Would they have accommodation and food?  How would they be rescued?

They didn’t have to know the answers to those questions for God was planning it all the way.  How often do you worry about the trivialities of the day?  You’ve heard the expression, “Why worry when you can pray?”  I cannot imagine Paul worrying about the future and the reason; He knew it was all in the hands of God for it was at His direction.

But he knew it wouldn’t be easy.  God has not promised a life of ease or luxury for any of His own.  In 2 Timothy 3:12we read, “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”  Then we have this in Romans 8:17.  “And if children, then heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

There is something in that verse that I want you to see and it comes from that phrase “suffer with him.”  Jesus Christ did not send Paul and company to Melita alone.  He was not only with him but He was already there awaiting their arrival.  We understand this from these two infallible characteristics of Christ, His omniscience and His omnipresence.  He knows all things, the end from the beginning and He is also everywhere present at the same time.

God knew what was in store for all, when they went ashore and Paul could rest assured that it would all work together for good.  As he wrote in 2 Timothy 1:12, “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto him against that day.”  What God wills, He is able to perform.

But some of those sailors did not believe as we see in verse 30.  “And as the shipmen were about to flee the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea…” There are so many who have heard the good news, the gospel of their salvation and still think that their way is better.  Or they may try to add a bit of their own work to the work of Jesus Christ, just to make sure, not knowing that work nullifies grace.  This is seen in Romans 11:6.  “And if by grace, then is it no more works; otherwise grace is no more grace.”

It was contrary to human reason to believe Paul. How could he know such a thing?  Who ever heard of a god who could lay out the future?  All the gods they knew were only a pretence.  But this Jew spoke of a total deliverance if they would but believe.  How did he know the island was there?  It was a divine revelation just as the gospel committed to him was a divine revelation.

That’s exactly what he wrote in Galatians 1:11-12. “But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man…but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

If all this is true, Paul’s God must be sovereign, all knowing, all-powerful, all controlling.  This should have raised their spirits.  Besides, what other options did they have?  They had laboured tirelessly and unceasingly for two weeks and accomplished nothing. Now there is hope offered if they believe.

Mankind is offered the good news of salvation, Christ died for our sins. Believe and be saved.  There is no other option.  There is no other way.  Otherwise all are doomed.  Still many will try it their own way.  They will take their chances on eternity and in doing so they believe a lie.  They are actually trying to save themselves.  If you want to have eternal life you are going to have to do it God’s way.

 

Acts 27:27

God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform. That’s what the hymn writer wrote and today we are seeing an example of it as we look at Acts 27:27.

The apostle had just delivered the message from the Lord to all those on that ill-fated vessel and reported that none of them would die but that they would be cast upon a designated island, that of God’s own choice.  Now look at verse 27:  “But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down the Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country.”

It takes time for God to do what He wants to do but it is not because God is slow. He made the sun, moon and stars inone twenty fourhour day.  The reason for time to be required is that man is not ready to receive the workings of the Lord.

More than once I have been told, “If you had been here twenty years ago it would have made a huge difference in my life and the lives of my family.”  Not to defend myself I asked, “Would you have believed twenty years ago?”  The answer was always the same; “No.”

It took those on that ship two weeks to be ready to believe what Paul was telling them.  They, like so many doomed sinners, had to get to rock bottom; to the end of themselves, much like the Philippian gaoler in Acts 16:27, 30.  He drew his sword and would have fallen on it when Paul told him not to harm himself. Then he asked that all-important question, “What must I do to be saved?”

He wasn’t ready to receive the gospel until he realized he couldn’t save himself.  Those sailors were not ready to obey the Word of the Lord through Paul until they had exhausted both the possibilities and themselves during that 14-day period.

The evangelist is preaching to a group of people.  He tells them that all have sinned.   He proves it from the Word of God and gives practical illustrations to which listeners can relate.  He tells them of the consequences if sin which is eternal death in the lake of fire.  The people are becoming concerned and even agitated.  They are ready to believe the gospel of God’s grace when they hear the words:  “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts16:31).

Man does not have to wait for the Lord to act but God has to wait for men to be ready.  In Matthew 8:5 a centurion came to Christ to have his servant healed.  Looking ahead to verse 13, “And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way, and as thou hast believed, so shall it be done unto thee.  And his servant was healed in the self same hour.”

It is even more profound with salvation by grace.  It is true that the Lord shed His blood nearly 2,000 years ago but it is not until you accept that payment for your sin that you are saved.  Then in the twinkling of an eye something happens.  God had to wait for you to be ready and believe.

That certainly was not the case in the Old Testament, under the Mosaic Law.  They had the promises of God but not the fulfilment of those promises.  They, according to Psalm 37:7, were to “rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him.”  Jesus Christ told those under law in Matthew 24:13, “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

It took time for God to bring Israel out of Egypt.  They had to experience the plagues, and other judgments uponEgypt.  He could have brought them out with a high hand as soon as Moses had gone back toEgyptbut that wasn’t the way God was going to do it.  We see in Exodus 9:16 that all those plagues, judgments, and miracles performed were to “show in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth,” and in Exodus 10:2, “that ye may know that I am the Lord.”

It has been asked many times why the believer is not taken to heaven as soon as he believes.  It would be so much easier than to suffer years on earth.  Were we, as a church, taken to heaven, God’s eternal purpose would be thrown into chaos.  There would be no one left on earth to witness His saving grace.  There would be no ministers of reconciliation; no missionaries or pastors.

But worse than that; there would be no more Godly influence, no one to hinder the work of Satan.  In 2 Thessalonians 2:7, “The mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” That word “let” is from the Greek KATECHON meaning to hinder, restrain, or hold back. It is used in Galatians 5:7, “Who did hinder you.”  The Spirit led body of Christ is to be hindering the work of Satan and when the church is taken out of the way, the Devil will proceed, unrestrained into the great Tribulation.

Indeed God has many reasons for the church, the body of Christ to be on earth for truly He is working in mysterious ways, working out the administration of His secret purpose.

Then, again, one could ask why a Christian must suffer physical ailments when the unbeliever seemingly enjoys perfect health.  Paul gives us the appropriate answer in 2 Corinthians 12 as he reports as to his thorn in the flesh; the messenger of Satan sent to buffet him.  He prayed three times, perhaps telling God that it just wasn’t fair.  The reply came to him in verse 9.  “And he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”

You and I pray and at times it may seem that God is not hearing.  Nothing happens, or so we think.  It may well be that there is a lesson in patience to learn.  The power of God is not dependent upon our human strength.  We must learn to trust Him and not our physical ability.  How else would we learn to be content in whatever state we are in?

You may pray for a vital issue and you think God does not hear.   He hears, especially if He knows you through His Son Jesus Christ.  But He is viewing that thing through eternal eyes with His church and His eternal purpose in mind.  So that prayer may not be appropriate even though you may think so.  The timing may be off so it is put on hold for a while.  But then, again, it may be answered on the spot for He was just waiting for you to pray.  He works in mysterious ways.

Those seamen were becoming desperate on that boat.  Some may have come to the very point of death and at such a time, one’s life passes before him.  They could see their past sin, wickedness and evil behaviour.  When facing eternity they could see the futility of their pagan religion, the impotence of their false gods.

The folly of religion is seen in 1 Kings 18:28.  The prophets of Baal were having a prayer meeting.  “And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.”  God gave them time to manifest their pure folly then Elijah had his turn.

It was all done according to God’s plan and the result is seen in verse 39.  “And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.”

God gives enough time for conviction and knows when the time is right.  It took those who demanded the death of Christ 40 days to be ready for the day of Pentecost.   Then at Pentecost when the twelve apostles preached, many were ready to receive and in Acts 2:41, “there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”

How long did it take you to say “yes” to Christ?  Or is He still working on you?  You have heard the good news and it is now up to you.  Will you be ready when your life here ends?  Remember the words of 2 Corinthians 6:2; “Behold now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.”

 

Acts 27:28

In God’s eternal purpose, where are you?  Today we are going to use Acts 27:28 to illustrate the several positions occupied by those who name the name of Christ, or in other words, call themselves Christians.

The apostle Paul assured all on board the stricken vessel that they would all be cast upon a certain island.  In verse 27 they perceived they were near some country.  Being sailors they did what we read in verse 28.  “And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms.”

So what is fathom?  It was a rough measurement of the distance of the outstretched arms or about two metres or six feet on the old scale. That means they had about forty metres of water beneath them and then the second time it was but thirty metres.

Now how did they do the sounding?  It was done by letting down the lead weight on a rope and when the weight hit the bottom they could feel the slack. It was a primitive way but also quite effective.  In this way they knew they were fairly near some shore.  Safety was at hand.

All of us are at some stage on the road to eternity.  As believers we are assured of it.  There are some who are content to remain at the starting point; content to live as they have been living all their life.  Such a person truly is not even trying to fulfil God’s eternal purpose.  Then there are those who haven’t even started out on that journey to heaven.  They have rejected the idea that all are sinners even though Romans 3:23clearly states that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  Having rejected that God-given fact, they also reject Romans 6:23, where it says, “The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life.”

Then there are those who truly are blood bought, born again believers but are reluctant to leave this world for they are having too much fun, or so they say.   This reminds me of one of the companions of the apostle Paul, Demas by name, who is mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:10.  “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world.” 

But, praise God, there are others of us who have had enough of this world system.  We are seeing the wickedness of this earth as exceeding sinful.  Some of us are saying, “Stop the world. I want to get off.”  We are more than eager to get to our eternal home, heaven.  But we have to await the Lord’s timing.

We have to wait on the Lord for He has us here on earth for His own purpose.  We are plainly told in 1 Corinthians 12:27 that we “are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”  The Lord Jesus Christ is exalted in heavenly places and has His church, the body of Christ, here to do His work and to bring glory to Himself.

We are on our way but there is still work to do.

We asked the question at the outset, “Where are you in God’s eternal purpose?”  How can we tell?  The Corinthians had been saved for several years but they were still babes in Christ.  Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 3:1-2:  “And I brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.”

Is that where you are?  How much of God’s Word are you able to comprehend and apprehend?  Can you bear the meat of God’s Word?  I have observed there are a great number of Christians who are content with salvation.  A pastor once told me, “In our church we do not worry about doctrine; we jut love Jesus.”  I was grieved with that statement.  If you love Christ you would naturally want to know al you could of Him, wouldn’t you?  That would necessitate the study of Biblical doctrine.  How else can you grow up in the Lord?

Those sailors in our text were ready for their eyes were now set on that designated island.  They were making preparations.  The first thing to do was see how far from land they were located.  It was night.  The previous verse said it wasmidnight– the darkest hour.  They were not there yet.  Before reaching land there was more work to do.  They had to determine their position.  They had to get everyone ashore.  They had to guard the prisoners.  They were going to land in uncharted territory.

Paul had a burden to know more of the Lord.  He cried out in Philippians 3:10, “That I may know Him.”  How fully do you want to know Him?  Once you have received His salvation you want to know more of Him.  That is where doctrine comes into the picture.  Don’t you want to know God’s eternal purpose for you?

The seamen had to know their position lest they fall into destruction on the rocks.  We ought also to know our position in Christ, lest Satan should get an advantage over us for we are not ignorant of his devices as we read in 2 Corinthians 23:11.  You will only learn of Satan’s devices through the Word of God. Otherwise he can bewitch you as he did the Galatians in 3:1.

If the sailors did nothing they could crash upon the rocks and be killed.  If you and I do nothing we, too, will suffer loss at the judgment seat of Christ (1 Corinthians3:15).

Their task was not done until they reached land.  Our task is not done until we leave this life and are forever with the Lord.  Meanwhile we are told in 1 Corinthians 15:58 to be “steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.”

At the close of his life, Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”  That testimony could and should be yours at the close of your life.

It all depends upon you heeding God’s direction in your life and how well you guard yourself from demonic attacks.  According to Ephesians chapter 6 we are to put on the whole armour of God so we can stand against the wiles of the devil. God, through Paul, has given us ample warning as well as complete spiritual instruction.  Seek His will in your life and get to work!

 

Acts 27:29

As we believers look for the blessed hope we must not be complacent.  There are physical and spiritual dangers in the world for every true Christian.  The god of this world, Satan, sees to that.

Today we are looking at Acts 27:29 as everyone aboard that stricken ship were beginning to see the promise of God being activated.  “And fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.”

They could have said, “The Lord’s going to save us.  Let’s just sit back and see how He does it.”  I was discussing medical insurance with a fellow believer and this reply came to me.  “I don’t have any insurance; I just trust the Lord.”

Is the Christian life one of ease?  Is it a bed of roses that has been promised us?  If it is so why does the Word of God tell us in 2 Timothy 2:3 to “endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ”?  In 2 Timothy 3:12 we have the assurance that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”  It may well be at the hands of man or more specifically, the work of Satan as was the case here with Paul and his travelling companions.

At this stage of the journey the leadership seems to have fallen upon the apostle Paul.  From our vantage point this was a good thing.  But Paul, by his own experiences over three apostolic journeys, he knew of the hardships they would yet encounter.  Few of us have encountered such hardships.  This is true because few of us have served the Lord like Paul.  This shipwreck was nothing but another attempt of the devil to be rid of the apostle and Paul was not ignorant of his devices.

In 1 Timothy 1:18-19, the apostle gave his young understudy this advice, “This charge I commit unto thee son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck.”

There is that work “shipwreck.”  It is defined as “to be broken up.”  By rejecting the gospel committed to and though the apostle Paul, one’s faith is broken up or ruined.  Christians can also experience shipwreck.

God gave His promise to Paul that no lives would be lost.  We saw that in verse 24.  But looking ahead to verse 31, they had to obey certain rules.  There we read, “Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.”

Paul had already set the example.  He knew from the Lord that he would see Rome.  But he did not simply rest on that promise but worked and helped and used common sense.  They were in strife and we read, “We cast with our own hands the tackling of the ship.”

Paul had become a servant to that shipload of men.  We learned earlier that he was a “servant of Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:1).  He also used that title in Philippians 1:1 and Titus 1:1.  A servant carries on the work that is assigned him.  Paul was doing that as he served man and also served the living God.  We are also servants of Jesus Christ, to do the will of the father.  We cannot just sit back and do night but we must be physically active in the work of the Lord.

Remember Noah.  Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.  God could have spared him in an easier way but instead God commanded Noah to spend 120 years building the ark.  Would he have been spared if he had not obeyed God and built the ark?  No, he had to follow the rules.

In Genesis 42, God could have provided food for the children of Israel as he did the manna or quail some 400 years later.  But He wanted them to go toEgyptand there He used Joseph to provide everything for them.

There are many cases in the Bible where people had to do something in order to receive blessing from God.  In Timothy’s case he had a stomach disorder and instead of telling Timothy to trust God to heal him, Paul told him to “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.”  There would be healing but first came obedience to instruction.

Let’s return to our stricken vessel off the coast of Malta.  Why did they cast four anchors out of the stern?  Remember it was night time.  They were approaching an unknown shore.  No one knew if there were rocks along that shore that would break up the ship.  They were seeing the words of Paul coming true.  They had a choice to simply obey or try and get themselves out of the danger.  As we go through life we continually must make choices and this is what they had to do.  Paul knew the end result of the journey and God was working all things out.  It had to be this way so that God’s power could be revealed.  God had to show them that His grace was sufficient and all things would work together for good.

We, as Christians, know that heaven is there for us.  But meanwhile we live according to the will, plan and purpose of God.  We seek to obey and to do of His good pleasure (Philippians2:13).

Are you fulfilling His good pleasure by doing that which He desires of you?  I close by using Titus 2:12-13.  The grace of God teaches us to live “soberly, righteously and Godly in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”  As we wait for heaven we are to comply with His will and walk in obedience to the Word of God.

Acts 27:30

How strong is one’s faith when he tries to do it himself?  Today we are looking at Acts 27:30.  The apostle had just announced that no lives would be lost and that they were to be cast ashore at a designated island.  The alternative is to either trust what Paul had guaranteed or to try to make it ashore by their own effort.

I am reminded of one who has heard the gospel.  He knows that Jesus Christ died for his sin.  He shed His blood as payment and he is to put his trust in that gift of God.  Yes, he believes that to be true but still he has to do something to show that he is good enough to enter heaven.  The natural religious thing to do is to keep the Ten Commandments for didn’t God give them for that purpose?

Another common belief is to regularly partake of the so-called Holy Communion.  This, to many, is called an ordinance, a sacrament, or a means of grace. They say it is commanded, so we are under distinct obligation.  Again there is disagreement for some reject the wine in favour of unfermented grape juice.  There is disagreement as to the frequency of it.  Still others limit its partaking to members of the local assembly only.

Man has always searched for a way to get to heaven through physical effort.  It seems quite clear in Titus 3:5 that our salvation is “Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us.”  Ephesians 2:8-9 emphasizes this by saying, “For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”  Add to this Romans 11:6, “And if by grace, then is it no more of works.”

The word is clear and of that fact we all agree.  Jesus Christ is the Saviour, the only Saviour.  Romans 3:24confirms it.  “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” 

The shipmen, according to our verse today, knew that they were nearing some shore.  It was that “certain island” Paul spoke of in verse 26.  They could now see the truth in what apostle had spoken.  So what were they trying to prove?

From this verse we understand that they knew they were wrong for they sought to escape by the only boat available under the guise that they were going to cast anchors out of the front.  Like so many religious cults of today, they were cunning and deceitful. They thought they could make land by their own effort and in their own way.

How many religious groups do you know who enforce tithing; the giving of ten percent of one’s income to the church?  If you don’t you will either run the risk of losing your salvation, or you will not be fully qualified as a bona-fide member in the assembly.  In actuality this is so the local assembly can function financially and it may be so that the so-called spiritual leader can live more comfortably.  Tithing, too, is a work.  Simply going to worship services may be a work for some if they think that, by going, they will be more likely to get to heaven.

The sailors were demonstrating that they didn’t fully believe Paul.  What did they need to be convinced?  I don’t think they really wanted to be convinced.  They had their own humanistic way of thinking.  They would be saying, “The others can follow Paul if they want to.  We have our own religion and we are going to do it our way.”

Their efforts were purely physical.  They were concerned about themselves.  They were seeking to save their own skins, not mindful of the others on that boat.  We remember that this boat was the only lifeboat they had.  If they took it, it would leave all others stranded.    They had no compassion for any of the passengers.

These sailors were now showing their true mentality.  They did not really believe what Paul had told them.  In reality, they did not believe that the words Paul spoke were the words of God.  Look back to verse 25.  Paul said, “For I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me,” and who was the One Who told Paul?  It was, according to verse 23 “the angel of God”, who, we have determined, was Jesus Christ Himself.

Isn’t it interesting that great importance is placed on the words of Jesus, as the minister of the circumcision, (the Jews),  as recorded in the four gospel narratives, but when the same Lord Jesus Christ spoke through Paul in all his letters, it is of secondary importance?  Ephesians 2:8-9 is just as authoritative as is John 3:16. In fact it is the more for Ephesians contains the gospel of the grace of God and is written specifically for and to us.

Some people add Matthew 6:14-15 to the grace of God.  If you add works to grace then that grace is null and void.  Remember, before I read this, that these were the words of Jesus Christ in His ministry to the Jews only.  “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Let me ask you, “Does your forgiveness depend on such things as forgiving others their trespasses?  If it does, what has happened to the blood of Christ?  What has happened to the grace of God?  Without God’s grace such would be the case, but remember, according to Romans 6:14, “We are not under the law but under grace.”

Let’s look at it another way.  One says he trusts the Lord for his salvation but then finds the Ten Commandments mandatory for Christian living.  What if you fail to keep those Ten Commandments?  Does failing to keep the commandments mean that he has loses his salvation?   Man is more comfortable with the thought of physical obedience to the Ten Commandments then to simply trusting.

It all boils down to trying to be your own Saviour.  .  If one does what God wants of him he will be accepted.  That is pure religion.    If you were able to keep the entire Law of Moses perfectly (including sacrifices etc.) then you could work your way to heaven.  Know now that it is absolutely not possible!  God gives us a way of salvation and it is simply believing Jesus Christ died for your sin, was buried and rose again.

God gave all aboard the ship a way of salvation by staying on the boat; by trusting God and His spoken word through Paul.  To do anything else would be disobedience and disobedience is sin.

In what are you placing your faith?  If it is Jesus Christ let it be only Jesus Christ.  If it be in your own self-effort then you have no Saviour.  If you claim Jesus Christ as your Saviour and still trust any kind of work to please God, Christ is not your Saviour.  We read this final statement in Acts 4:12.  “Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”

 

Acts 27:31

The only way to be saved; to go to heaven; to have eternal life is to do it God’s way.  Today we are looking at Acts 27:31.  The apostle Paul caught the sailors of that ill-stricken vessel seeking to flee the ship to save their own lives.  “Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.”

God doesn’t give rules and conditions just to see how close we can come to obeying them.  Nor does He have a set of rules for one and a different rule for another.  If all aboard that ship were to be spared they had to do what God demanded of them.  In other words there is no such thing as half a Christian.

Man, by his own inborn sinful nature, thinks he can please God his own way.  What that person must come to know is that the promise of God for salvation is based on but one principle; the gospel.  We are commanded to observe that of 1 Corinthians 3:10.  “According to the grace of God which is given unto me as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.  But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.”

How is one saved?  It depends what one does with that gospel given to and through the apostle Paul.  This, the Bible calls the gospel of the grace of God.  Rejection of that gospel will result in eternal damnation.  Acceptance of that gospel will produce eternal life with the Lord in the heavenlies.

All of those on board that ship heard that they would all be spared.  Paul gave that God-given announcement back in verse 24.  “God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.”  They were not yet safely on shore so we will say, this salvation was potential.

It is something like the fact that Christ died for the sins of every man, woman, and child of the entire world.  That does not mean that every man, woman, and child is saved.  It is potential and dependent upon them believing.   But if they reject the gift it is not a gift.  Grace is not grace if it is rejected.

Those sailors still had their own ideas of deliverance and it didn’t involve the God of Paul.  Their natural minds were fixed on the physical and they thought they were the masters of their own fate.

God does not allow for disobedience.  Saul was king of Israel and in 1 Samuel 15:3 he was told by God to “Go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.”  Did he obey the Lord?  That answer is in verse 9.  “But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and of the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them; but everything that was vile and refuse, that they utterly destroyed.”

Saul heard the rules and the conditions laid out by God through the prophet Samuel.  But he took matters in his own hands and thought only of the physical benefits.  He saw it through his own eyes and not those of the Lord.  God again spoke through the prophet Samuel in verse 23.  “Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.”  God does not play games or condone partial obedience.  It’s either God’s way or it is not God’s way.  Have you made up your mind which way you are going?

Another striking example of disobedience is with Sarah, the wife of Abraham.  God told him that from him would come a great nation. (Genesis 12:2)  He was 85 years old and had no children. Sarah convinced him to take her handmaid, Hagar and obtain seed through her.  It worked and Ishmael was born, but it was not the will of God.  Abraham did it his way and not God’s way.   It was the beginning of many problems that continue to exist even in today’s world.

Both Biblical and secular history is full of examples of men trying to help God do His will.  God warned against this in Judges 7:2.  Gideon was called to raise up an army to fight against the Midianites, who according to Genesis 37:27-38 were closely associated with the Ishmaelites.  In Judge 7:2 it tells us: “And the Lord said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too may for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own had hath saved me.”

Human nature has not changed from the beginning of time, for Cain sought to worship God in his own way.  He brought an offering as he was told to do but he brought the fruit of the ground and it was not acceptable.  God rejected that offering.

Even to this day man seeks to show God how he is good, strong and intelligent.   How many churches glory in numbers?  It is of the flesh to boast in the size of the building, number of baptisms, size of the budget or any other things.   1 Corinthians 1:31warns us as Paul quotes from Jeremiah 9:24, “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”  None of these things will make any difference to God when it comes to judgment.  Salvation is of the Lord.  The believer’s life is to be of the Lord.  Man was created to glorify the Creator.

These seamen who sought to reach land another way were disobeying Paul and in so doing, they were disobeying God.  If they did not believe Paul, they did not believe God.  This fact has not changed.

You can check out the religions of the world.  Their gospel is not the simple gospel that Christ died for our sins.  It is a mixture of demands from the Law of Moses.  When they add one or more works to the preaching of the cross it nullifies that message of the cross and grace is no more grace.

Those sailors sought to escape physical death, not knowing that the end would be total disaster.  people also today seek physical deliverance in their religion.  It does not matter what wonderful phenomena is seen or felt, it falls short of what grace and salvation is all about.

Don’t make the same mistake as those seamen.  They tried to be saved in their own way and were forbidden to do so.  Today also man cannot save himself.  There is no salvation apart from it being a gift of God.  Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.”  Are you trying to be saved today?  Don’t try as it is impossible.  Instead, simply trust God and His finished work for your salvation.

 

Acts 27:32

Faith and human reason are often contradictory.  Today we are looking at Acts 27:32.  All on board the storm battered ship were told they would be spared and be cast on theislandofMalta.  Now they were sure that they were near land for they had sounded and found it to be true.  The sailors were going to jump ship by using the only lifeboat available but were discovered in their activity.

Now in verse 32 our story continues.  “Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.”  They foiled the plan of the shipmen having believed the words of Paul, “Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.”  It was a drastic measure, cutting away the only lifeboat, but the centurion believed the words of Paul.

All too often we believe God and the promises He makes to us.  So we ask ourselves, “How is He going to carry out those promises?”  We continue by telling ourselves, “If He is going to do it we must do our part.”  After all, haven’t you heard that God helps those who help themselves?  That is not exactly true.  God helps those who put their trust in Him.

Out of desperation we cry out to the Lord.  The Lord hears our prayer and begins to work things out.  We see that light at the end of the tunnel and seeing the way out we say, “Thank you Lord, we can do it from here on.”  We trust Him up to a point and then we put our trust in our own weakness.  How often we grieve the Holy Spirit by going the way of the flesh.

We have a perfect example of this with Abraham.  In Genesis 15: God told Abraham that he would have a son.  His wife Sarah thought this impossible so she thought up a plan which we see in Genesis 16:2.  And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her.  And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.”

This plan indeed backfired for it was not according to the will of God.  The product of this ill planned union was Ishmael and to this day the nations that sprang from Ishmael have been at war withIsrael.  You see how much trouble the world would have been spared had Abraham and Sarah waited for the Lord rather than doing it their own way.

There are many who hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and believe.  They rightfully praise the Lord and rejoice in so great salvation.  But that’s where it ends.  Being saved by grace they have the mistaken idea that they can now live just as they have always done.  Verbally they look for the blessed hope but in reality they continue to live according to the course of this world.

If one is saved today it is by the grace of God.  Every saved person is a new creature according to 2 Corinthians 5:17.  Ephesians2:10terms this “his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.”  But what are those good works?

The apostle Paul never once advises us to keep the Ten Commandments or the Law of Moses.  So what are those good works?  I am finding them in Galatians 2:20.  “Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God.”

No believer is to live his life by his own human reasoning.  This is the problem with the so-called Christian church today.  Each assembly, denomination or sect has developed their own principles of Christianity.  It is rather Churchianity.  Every man (or church) does that which is right in his own eyes.

God does not save us so that we might have the liberty to go our own way.  Rather He has saved us to walk in newness of life.  We see this in Romans 6:4.  “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Yes, there is now light at the end of the tunnel for there is coming a day when all believers will be absent from the body and present with the Lord.  The question is, “How do we then live as we look for that blessed hope”?  In Titus 2:11-12 the grace of God teaches us that by “denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.”

We said at the beginning that faith and human reasoning are often contradictory.  The Scriptural answer to this is in 2 Corinthians 5:7 – For we walk by faith, not by sight.  “Sight” would be according to human understanding.

In our text today, the soldiers, led by the centurion, whose name, by the way was Julius (27:1), had a more correct discernment for they believed Paul.  They believed that his words were of the Lord and if that be so it would be disaster to lean to man’s own understanding.

Human reasoning is walking according to the flesh.  How does the Lord look upon this in Galatians 5:16-17? “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

Matthew 6:24 tells us as we read the words of the Lord: “No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

The events of the previous 13 days changed the way of thinking for Julius.  In Acts 27:16-17, they “had much work to come by the boat, which when they had taken up, they used helps.”  At that stage it was of supreme importance to save that skiff, but now they cut it loose entrusting themselves to the sea and a severely damaged boat.  They had a totally new perspective of the situation.  They were now obeying what the Lord told them through Paul.

They had tried every possible way to save the ship and in verse 20, they had given up.  It says, “All hope that we should be saved was taken away.”  But now they perceived that out there, not too distant was land.  They could not see it for it was night time but because of Paul’s words and their human understanding they knew it to be true.  They sought to make a dash for it but that was not God’s way.

How do we know God’s way?  It is in the Word of God.  The apostle Paul has given to us God’s way or this dispensation of grace.  The centurion, Julius, was finding out that this prisoner, Paul, was entirely trustworthy.  Paul said he got information from the Lord and now the centurion believed him.

Human reasoning cannot be trusted for it is according to the flesh.  The wisdom of Proverbs 3:5 is appropriate here: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”  You may think you have it all figured out, but is it your direction or God’s?

We need to have faith.  Faith is forsaking all I trust Him.  These men finally had faith in Paul and God directing them through Paul.  Our faith must be in the one Lord God who created us and provided salvation for the world through His Son.  Where do you place your faith?

Acts Chapter 17

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Acts 17:1-2, Part 1

If Paul was the apostle of the Gentiles (he said he was in Romans 11:13) why did he continue to go to the synagogues of the Jews wherever he went? He was separated in Acts 13:2 and in Acts 15 it was decided that Paul and company would go to the Gentiles whereas Peter, James and John would limit their ministry to the Jews. We read about this in Galatians 2:9 where Peter, James and John gave to Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that they should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision or the Jews. But now, as we read Acts 17:1,2 things don’t seem to be going according to plan. It says,

“Now when hey had passed through Amphipolis and Apolonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews; And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures.”

Here we can ask the question why? When Paul went to Berea in verse 10 he also went into the synagogue of the Jews. Why? The first and easiest answer is that there was a ready-made audience who knew the Old Testament scriptures. This audience was made up of Jews, devout or religious Greeks who were proselyte Jews or non-Jews who embraced the Jews religion. He met with these people for three weeks, which indicates their interest in scriptural things.

Then, we learn from Acts 13:46 that, “It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you.” Paul spoke to the Jews in Antioch. But during that transition period it still remained necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to the Jews, that is up to the point that God completely left off dealing with them and we draw that line in Rome of which we read in Acts 28:28,29:

“Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. And when he had said these words, the Jews departed. . .”

In the meantime, Paul wrote such things as in Romans 1:16,

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

Such a thing would not be said today but during the time when Romans was written, during the transition period, it was true.

The same thought appears throughout the book of Romans as in 2:9,

“Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile: But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.”

Nationally, Israel judged themselves unworthy of everlasting life. But scattered throughout the Gentile world were dispersed Jews. They were those who had been scattered abroad ever since the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities dating back to the 7th century BC. That number was augmented by the scattering of the Jews during the great persecution of Acts 8:1.

“And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.”

The great persecutor became the great apostle. Being well learned in the law and the prophets, Paul had an ever greater burden for his kinsmen in the flesh, fellow-Jews. This was no secret for he wrote to the Romans in 9:2,3;

“That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.”

Add to that testimony Romans 10:1 which says,

“Brethren, my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.”

It is no small wonder that Paul went to the synagogues in every city where there was one for he had this God-given burden. We would not expect him to have a burden for the Gentiles if he did not first of all have a burden for his own people.

In like manner, if one aspires to be a missionary today, he will only fool himself if he as a burden only for those in a foreign country. First of all he must have a burden for those who are lost among his own countrymen. Paul and Silas were going to their own countrymen in the Gentile cities, telling them of Jesus Christ and removing any excuse they might have had. Thus Paul could say, as he did in Acts 20:26, “I am pure from the blood of all men.” So the Jews dwelling in Thessalonica now have no excuse.

There is another reason why Paul and Silas had to go to the Jews first and that is seen in Romans 11:13-14.

“For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office; If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.”

What is the meaning of that word emulation? It is from the Greek word zelos from which we get our English word, “jealousy.” He was saying, “If by any means I may provoke to jealousy them which are my flesh.” He wanted the Jews to be saved. He wanted them to envy Paul and Silas for what they enjoyed – mainly salvation, forgiveness and eternal life. It worked, for in every city when they went to the synagogue, there were some who believed. It worked, for in every city when they went to the synagogue, there were some who believed. There in Thessalonica, according to verse 4,

“And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women, not a few.”

They were provoked to jealousy and joined themselves with the apostles.

It was no different in Thessalonica. Look at Isaiah 55:11;

“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

Who is preaching the Word? In our text today it is the apostle of the Gentiles and from this point on in the book of Acts we hear or read nothing of the disciples of Israel. The ministry of Peter, James, and John and the others is waning as the nation of Israel goes into abeyance until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. In writing to the Thessalonians some time later, Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 1:5,

“For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance, as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.”

As Paul went from city to city under the commission and direction of the Lord, he was led to those who were ready to hear that gospel of salvation. It was the gospel of Jesus Christ and from this beginning there developed the church of the Thessalonians which is being written to in the book of Thessalonians that says it is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. You cannot be in God the Father unless you are in the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are not in Him as I speak to you today, do as Paul commanded in Acts 16:31 and that is to

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”

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Acts 17:2, Part 2

What authority is found in human reasoning? Today we are looking at Acts 17:2 which says:

“And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures.”

This word, reasoned means to think on two things or to dispute or pit your arguments against the arguments of another or to debate. This word seems to appear whenever Paul went to the Jews as in verse 17,

“Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews. . .”

Or in 18:4,

“And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath. . .”

My question is, “Why didn’t he preach?”. The simple answer is that the Jews were not his authority. He was not an apostle to the Jews. He wrote to the Romans in 11:13,

“I speak to you Gentiles inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles. . .”

Then in Ephesians 3:1 he said,

“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles.”

This is not to say that Paul was ignorant of the Jews religion. His education in Judaism would compare favourably to a Doctor’s Degree in our modern system. His credentials were that he studied at the feet of the great Gamaliel, as we see in Acts 22:3, and Gamaliel was probably the most respected lawyer of the day. Gamaliel was the expert on the Law of Moses and Paul was his most prestigious student. I can say this for he wrote in Galatians 1:14: “And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation.” The word profited means that he was well advanced or struck forward. He was not ignorant of the Old Testament scriptures but that was not his apostleship. Even those in Jerusalem agreed that he was to go to the Gentiles for unto them he was called. Galatians 2:7 shows us that those who seemed to be somewhat saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed to him.

In order to preach one has to do it with authority. Paul certainly was the authority as the Lord personally ordained him. I read in 1 Timothy 2:7,

“Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.”

Paul was not an apostle to the Jews.

In Paul’s second letter to Timothy he emphasises this point,

“Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.” (2 Timothy 1:11).

Concerning the Gentiles, Paul was a preacher who had the authority of God. But to the Jews he was a teacher trying to persuade them to turn to the Messiah.

In Thessalonica Paul went to the synagogue of the Jews. So what could he do and what did he reason to them. It is true that he did this out of the scriptures and that was the Old Testament. The Old Testament was the authority but it was open to discussion. Paul used his arguments to prove that Christ, the Messiah came in the flesh and in the person of Jesus. His audience was made up of predominantly Jews and they had their own views on the subject. So there was open discussion on the matter and it continued on for three weeks or three Sabbath days. We need to take into consideration here also that the dispensation of the Kingdom had been put into abeyance. If Paul were to have preached from the Law of Moses he would have been outside the will of God because Israel, as a nation, had proved themselves unworthy of everlasting life and the Kingdom had been postponed.

Now I want to compare the reasoning in verse 2 with the preaching in verse 3: “This Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.” The apostle saw the Lord, as one born out of due time, and had received the revelation of Jesus Christ. He was not only able to preach Christ with authority but was also commanded to do so. So he could only reason out of the Old Testament but he preached the risen Christ, as was his distinct revelation.

Consequently, when Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2, he admonished, “Preach the word.” He did not say reason out of the word and compare your thoughts with those thoughts of other people. In so doing you are leaving open the subconscious possibility that you could be wrong. You know you are right but others don’t know that for sure. In 2 Timothy 4:2, we see the firm persuasion to be shown by the preacher,

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

You could not do that in simple reasoning or dialogue. There had to be authority and that is why Paul commanded Timothy to preach the word. That Word is the authority. The preacher does not say what he thinks but he acts as the human agent for God to speak to people through the Word of God. There is no authority in human reasoning but there is supreme authority in the Word of God. The Word of God will not return void. This is why Paul wrote to the Thessalonians in 1 Thessalonians 4:15, “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord. . .” That is power. That is authority. It did not allow for human reasoning because there is no rebuttal.

When the Word of God is proclaimed, you do not have to apologise for stepping on toes, offending the hearer or making them feel hurt. If that happens then their argument is with God and not with you as long as you are preaching only the Word of God.

Paul was given a message to preach, a message that was hid in God from before the foundation of the world, but now after Israel is set aside is made known. That is what he wrote in Titus 1:2-3,

“In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching. . .”

Notice it does not say “through human reasoning.”

If I am to involve myself in reasoning, then I leave the door open for various and sundry ideas. Paul told Titus in 1:9,

“Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.”

People can argue and refute me but they cannot argue with God.

The cults and all heretical doctrine comes from reasoning. Authority was given to more eloquent ones or the ones who had charisma. All of these will fail because they cannot stand against the judgment of God. Romans 1:16 assures us that the “Gospel of Christ. . . is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” In 1 Corinthians 1:24, Christ is “The power of God and the wisdom of God.” Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians was that they might know by experience,

“What is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.”

Paul preached Christ for He alone is the power of God. But Paul could not preach Christ until that Gospel of the Grace of God was revealed to him.

Jesus Christ was Paul’s driving force:

“To make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ; In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.” (Ephesians 1:9,12).

There is but one gospel. I do not care what other theologians say in using human reason. There is only one Saviour and only one Way to get to heaven and that is by faith in that Saviour.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”

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Acts 17:3

The philosophies of this world pale into insignificance when compared to the importance of the Word of God. Today we are looking at Acts 17:3 as Paul is speaking to those in the Synagogue in Thessalonica. Remember last week I told you that Paul reasoned in the Synagogue with the Jews. Now in 17:3, it tells us that he not only reasoned with the Jews but that he also preached Christ. He could not preach Christ from the Old Testament but reasoned convincing the Jews that the Messiah promised in the Old Testament was the Christ Whom they had crucified. Now let us read our text today in context with verse 2 of our last study.

“And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ.”

He had to prove from the Old Testament Scriptures that Jesus was the promised Messiah and that He had to suffer and die and rise again. Then he also could tell them of the revelation that he had received from the risen Christ. Many of those people in that synagogue then believed and were saved through that time of reasoning and then preaching Christ.

It is increasingly common for today’s churches to involve themselves with social and economic and even political issues. These issues are passing occasions with no real or lasting value. It could be likened to applying a band-aid on a broken leg. The cause of every problem in our world today, social, political, economical or whatever is sin and cannot be removed by reasoning. Paul did not waste time preaching a social gospel for he knew the needs of the people. Those needs were eternal needs, caused by sin and a cleansing was in order. This cleansing could only come through faith in the Saviour and His death, burial and resurrection.

The natural man cannot see beyond the day. He plans for this life and sometimes even that is not a good plan. The philosophy of the world today is “eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.” But what happens after death?

If this life were all there is to living then why did Jesus Christ have to suffer, die and be raised from the dead? Paul opened and alleged that Christ had to suffer and be risen again. Opening means ” he opened a book and obtained the facts. ” What did Paul open? In verse 2 he opened the Scriptures which is the only real authority and the only real proof of the reality of God and eternity. So he used the Old Testament Scriptures to teach those at Thessalonica the reality of God and alleged or proved to them the facts about Jesus Christ.

If you want to be forgiven of your sins and be assured of the reality of God in your life on earth and in eternity then where do you go? Some may try an image, prayer, a bead, a candle, a picture. Paul had only one source and that was the Word of God. Romans 10:17 tells us, “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” Paul could reason and prove the Messiah from the Old Testament but then he had to preach the Gospel of the grace of God, which had been revealed, to him. It had not yet been written but Paul was the God-given authority.

How about the Jews of Thessalonica? Could they see the person and purpose of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament writings? There needed first to be an openness of mind and a willingness to understand. Even for Christians there needs to be that willingness and wanting to understand. Look at Ephesians 1:17-19.

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.”

You may know that Jesus died for your sins. You may know that He was buried. You may know that He rose again from the dead but what does that knowledge do for your life? How does it affect the stress and anxieties, which burden you? To whom do you turn when you are faced with emotional and stressful problems? It s the Word of God that should give you knowledge, understanding, purpose and comfort. Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica to proclaim the gospel of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. There was no other source of information in the synagogue except the Old Testament. So Paul reasoned with the Jews from the Old Testament Scriptures to prove Jesus Christ and then he could go on and preach to them the revelation of Christ that he had received after his awesome experience on the road to Damascus.

The Word of God is the final authority. Some may try to replace it with philosophies of Karl Marx or prophecies of Nostradomis or Jeanne Dixon. Whatever any man may say the infallibility of the Bible is not changed. The Bible stands.

Paul took the Scriptures, not the works of Aristotle or Homer. When Paul reasoned it was from the Scriptures. When he preached it was the Word of God. He began preaching the gospel as he went from synagogue to synagogue reasoning with the Jews. The gospel he preached was that written in 1 Corinthians 15:3,4.

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

In 1 Corinthians 9:16-17 he goes on to say,

“For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel. For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.”

Paul never sought to persuade men apart from the Word of God, whether it be the Old Testament Scripture or the revelation which God gave to him. His one purpose in life was to convince people that Jesus Christ died, was buried and rose again for one purpose and that is so that people might have faith to believe and be prepared for eternity.

Hebrews 4:12 tells us that:

“The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

My friend, if you are trying to convince others of their need for a Saviour, lean not upon your own words, or the words of any man. The Word of God is the only instrument used by the Holy Spirit to convince men and women of their need of the Saviour. Your words will fall on unhearing ears but God’s Word can change a life.

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Acts 17:4

Only when the Word of God is preached is God able to work in the heart of man. In Acts 17:4, the result of preaching Christ was that “some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.”

In verse two we find Paul reasoning with the Jews in the synagogue but here, probably on the final Sabbath, he was preaching to them. What was he preaching? He was preaching Christ, crucified, buried and risen again and the revelation that God gave to Paul after his conversion on the road to Damascus. These things had not yet been written but Paul was preaching from his revelation and experience. So we find here that some of the Jews believed. They were convinced and then convicted of their sin and yielded to the working of the Holy Spirit. In verse 4 we find a great number believing but then later in verse 5 we see some did not believe and became violent.

We live in a free country and every day I am thankful for the liberty and freedom we experience in this great land of Australia. But it appears politically incorrect to preach the wages of sin and the blood of Jesus Christ even in this free country. Mystics, Spiritists or Evolutionists can rant and rave and get recognition and publicity. If you do not believe me then read the daily letters to the Editor in the newspapers.

Paul knew there would be opposition in Thessalonica for in every Gentile city he visited, violence followed his preaching. But that did not deter him from continuing on his preaching campaign. Today we are too swayed by the multitude and we want to please the population. Paul was never popular but he did not stop preaching Christ.

Christians are persecuted in many countries and more than any other single group of people. Why is it against the law to preach Christianity in many countries of the world? There are Australians being held prisoners right now in Afghanistan today because it is alleged that they preached Christianity. In John 15:18-19 Jesus said,

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

We know that He spoke those words to the Kingdom believers but anyone who claims Jesus Christ and preaches Him will be hated by the god of this world. Satan maintains his violent opposition to the Lord and the Word of God.

Paul learned the cost of preaching Christ. He suffered for the sake of the gospel. Some of the people in Thessalonica believed and consorted with Paul and Silas. The word consort is a strong term that means “to join.” They cast in their lot with the apostles. It would be a true measure of their conviction but God had worked His spiritual work in their hearts and they were new creatures in Christ. Before perhaps they feared but they no longer were afraid.

Who were these people who consorted with Paul? It looks like there were three groups of people. Some of them would be the Jews who frequented the synagogue on those Sabbath days. Then there were devout or religious Greeks. These religious Greeks would be Gentiles who were Jewish proselytes. They were those mentioned in his first letter to the Thessalonians in 1:9 where it says “. . .how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” Little else is mentioned in his two letters to the Thessalonians. But this passage in Acts 17 takes on added meaning when we read in 1 Thessalonians 1:5-6,

“For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.”

Reading on in 1 Thessalonians Paul continues to refer back to his ministry of Acts 17. He says,

“For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain; But even after that we suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.”

The people of Thessalonica would not have considered the Gospel of Christ of any importance if Paul had given up. But seeing Paul’s dedication they knew it must be worth dying for. If it is worth dying for then indeed it would be worth living for.

There is another group mentioned in the text in Acts 17:4 and it s those “chief women, not a few.” Chief is from the Greek word protos meaning first, either in time or place. It could be older women, being first in time or it could mean a ruling number of local women, being first in place. In either case, the Lord gave them special mention. Often it is the women who keep the local church going and they evidently were very important to this new church in Thessalonica.

What made these Thessalonian believers so noteworthy? To them, Paul later wrote,

“For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.” (1 Thessalonians 1:8).

Those people experienced true conversions. Their faith meant something to them. It was not just a convenient thing to do or a yielding to peer pressure, but it was a life-changing experience. Why do some have an immediate change of life and habits whereas others seemingly show little difference in their manner of living? It must be for the same reason why one believer is a faithful and fruitful ambassador for Christ and another struggles in carnality and the lust of the flesh. One reckons himself to be dead indeed unto sin and alive unto Christ while the other fails to allow himself to be controlled by the Holy Spirit.

How long have you been a Christian? Are you feeding upon God’s Word and hiding it in your heart? Is your affection set on things above or are you still in love with this world and the things in it? Since you trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour the things of this earth should be diminishing as Jesus Christ takes over the thoughts and intents of your heart.

I would have you notice what the Thessalonian believers did and in this they obtained victory. For this I am reading from 2 Thessalonians 1:9 where it tells us,

“. . .And how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.”

They did not turn from their idols to God for man cannot do that. You can not rid yourself of your sinful habits and then put on Christ. The power to live His life is in Him.

Finally from 1 Thessalonians 2:12, Paul told these new believers to walk worthy of God, because He had called them unto His kingdom and glory. If you know Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, then He has also called you into His glory and wants you to walk worthy of God. If you have not trusted Him as your personal Saviour then perhaps like those believers in Thessalonica you want to now turn to God from your sinful idols and passions. He will receive you and make you His child.

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Acts 17:5, Part 1 & 17:6

How much will God allow His people to suffer? Paul and Silas certainly suffered everywhere they went preaching the Gospel of the Grace of God. Look at Acts 17:5-6.

“But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason and sought to bring them out tot he people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;”

The rebellious Jews of Thessalonica sought to silence Paul and Silas and sought to bring them to the people to incite the masses against them. This looked like it was going to be a repeat of the events of Philippi. God was fulfilling His Word from Acts 9:16 for He was allowing Paul to suffer many things for His Name’s sake. Never once did Paul think that he was forsaken of God. Even in the darkest moments, God is always there. God is willing and able to show His love and care for His own.

They were looking for Paul and Silas but it says in verse 6, “they found them not.” It was common knowledge that Paul and Silas were staying in the home of Jason but they were not there. Perhaps they were out preaching to some of the people of the city. Maybe they were hiding but I don’t think so because it would not be like Paul and Silas to allow Jason to take an assault in their stead. Perhaps God simply blinded the eyes of their accusers. That happened to Jesus in John 8:59:

“Then took they up stones to cast at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”

The thing we do know is that they did not find Paul and Silas.

In such situations I think of 1 Corinthians 10:13 which tells us,

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

I know this is God assurance for us but Paul could have penned this from his own experiences. God knows how much we are able to bear. We have to admit that we are tempted and sometimes tried but God is not the instigator of those temptations. James 1:13 says,

“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.”

Satan is the tempter but take heart because we are assured in Romans 8:37,

“We are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

Jesus Christ was tempted in all ways like as we are and suffered the ultimate temptation when He was forsaken of God as he suffered on the cross for our sins and yet He was without sin.

God still limits Satan when he attacks the children of God. We remember this with the story of Job,

“And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.”

The Lord only allowed the devil to go so far. This was emphasized in Job 2:4-6:

“And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.”

God will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able and that was the situation with Paul and Silas in Thessalonica.

As Paul journeyed throughout the then known world he experienced the ever-present communion with the Lord Jesus Christ. He proclaimed the Gospel of the Grace of God and also lived the Gospel that he preached. He said in Colossians 3:3,

“I am dead, and my life is hid with Christ in God.”

This was his testimony in Philippi and again in Thessalonica and many more times throughout his life and ministry. God spared his life in Thessalonica. Paul and Silas were hunted men but were faithful to God and God also was faithful to them.

God allowed Paul and Silas to go through trials. He also allows you, at times, to suffer and endure trials. Can you say with Paul in Philippians 4:13,

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

You can never claim that truth until you have experienced it. If you really want to experience the power of God, the fellowship of Christ in your daily living, then embrace the trials and afflictions and endure them in His strength. Don’t complain when things seem to be going badly as the Lord may be allowing those things to happen so that He can demonstrate His grace in your life.

The Jews were stirred up. They were angry. They wanted the blood of Paul and Silas. When they could not find the preachers they assaulted Jason, with whom Paul and Silas lodged in Thessalonica. Jason was guilty for associating with Paul and Silas. He was guilty for showing them love and hospitality. Sometimes the world misinterprets our service for Christ. When we do good we are condemned for evil. Just remember that God keeps the record

You may be called upon to suffer greatly for Christ. You can only suffer for Christ if you are living the Christ life. You may suffer loss of reputation by those who do not agree with you. You may suffer loneliness as friends forsake you because of your witness for Jesus Christ. You may be shunned by friends and family for His sake. But, my friend, be of good heart. Jesus Christ endured the cross for our sake. Paul suffered at the hands of evil men and through many attacks on his life. There is a way of escape. God has provided it. Claim His promises and draw close to Him. I am sure that through his suffering Paul enjoyed wonderful comfort and beautiful communion with the Lord. That can be yours too.

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Acts 17:5, Part 2

Envy keeps a Christian void of God’s grace in their daily living. In Acts 17:5 it says,

“But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company. . .”

The unbelieving Jews were moved with envy.

First, let’s define that word envy. It comes from the Greek word zeloo and is the “desire to have the same or the same sort of thing for oneself.” Paul and Silas had gained a following in Thessalonica for in verse 4 “some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude and of the chief women not a few.” These people came from the synagogue, the citadel of Judaism in Thessalonica, thus the Jews were envious.

I am reminded of someone else who was moved with envy and for this I am reading Matthew 2:1-3:

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.”

This was the first Herod. He heard of the birth of Jesus and those words, “King of the Jews” posed a threat to him. Jesus was a newborn, a baby. Nevertheless his throne was threatened, his dynasty could be toppled if what the wise men said was true. The account in Matthew 2 continues to unveil the intent of Herod as we read verse 16:

“Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.”

We can see how far envy can motivate one to do wickedness. The same word, zeloo is seen in Acts 7:9 where it says,

“And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt; but God was with him.”

The account of Joseph in Genesis 37 shows that the ten brothers of Joseph were jealous of him for he obviously was their father’s favourite son, having received that coat of many colours. They were lacking their father’s attention and thus were moved with envy.

This was Herod’s problem, for another King would take away his followers, his throne, position, wealth and his lifestyle. He was Idumaean in race, a Jew in religion, but a heathen in practice and a monster in character. He had nine or ten wives and on the merest suspicion would have one put to death. On his deathbed he ordered his own son, Antipater, to be put to death. All of this indicates how jealous he was of his throne. Caesar Augustus said of him, “It is better to be Herod’s hog than to be his son.” So you can see it is to be a small thing for him to order all Hebrew children below the age of two to be put to death. Most people were ignorant of the birth of Jesus and they were accustomed to such cruel behaviour from King Herod.

Pontius Pilate also faced an aroused mob of Jews during the trial of Jesus in Matthew 27:18. He truly sought to have this innocent man released and even gave the crowd a choice between a murderer, Barabbas, or Jesus, called the Christ. It says,

“For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.”

This is the same word and temperament that characterized the unbelieving Jews of Thessalonica.. In Pilate’s hall the chief priests and rulers of the Jews were jealous for many were following this Jesus of Nazareth and they feared losing their following. It was but four days earlier that multitudes sang praises to Him during the so-called triumphal entry saying, “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” What wickedness envy generates. John 1:11 is true where it tells us,

“He came unto his own and his own received him not.”

It s also true that by the time Paul and Silas reached Thessalonica the new Dispensation of the Grace of God was being established. Even though God had ushered in the new economy the Jews maintained their religious pride. They were God’s chosen people of prophecy and refused to give it up. They were ignorant of the revelation of the Grace of God.

Once when I was distributing Gospel tracts I was confronted with a person who did not believe in heaven. I told him about the hope of the church, the body of Christ. Then I asked him, “Should you be wrong, and God would take you to heaven in the rapture of the Body of Christ, would you go? This was assuming the man was saved but doctrinally confused. His quick and shocking answer came back, “No.” He thought that he would do it his way, regardless of the Almighty God and His plan.

I think it is fair to say that Herod was looking at the situation politically and not spiritually. It was the King of the Jews with which he was concerned and not the fact that He would save His people from their sin.

There are many like Herod and the unbelieving Jews. In their religion there is great concern about entering the Kingdom. Efforts are all directed to that end. But in all those efforts they neglect the most important thing. The Bible tells us,

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. . .”

I am going to read from Romans 2:17-18 and there we can see why the Jews were envious.

“Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;”

They not only thought they were right; They knew they were right. What they did not know was that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Herod did not know that Christ the Saviour was born. He was thinking only of his own earthly kingdom.

It would be easy for us to point our finger at the Jews of old and echo the words of Paul in Romans 10:3,

“For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”

The resultant envy made havoc of the world.

Two thousand years have passed since these demonstrations of jealousy. Human nature has not changed. Politics, pride and position continue to keep many away from embracing the Christian life. At the start of Christ’s earthly life envy stirred Herod to seek the child’s life. He was protected by God. In the fullness of time, the Jews moved with envy sought and obtained His death on the cross. But again God intervened and this death was full payment for our sin.

Then when Paul was preaching the message of the cross and the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the Jews were moved with envy to stop the ministry of Paul and Silas. Envy caused all of these problems. Today envy causes problems in every walk of life especially among the unbelievers who seek power, fame and riches. However it is a sin that should not be named among those who believe in Jesus Christ and are members of the Body of Christ. Romans 13:13 says,

“Let us walk honestly in the day. . . not in strife and envying.”

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Acts 17:6

What kind of reputation do you have? Does everyone know you to be a Christian? Today we are looking at Acts 17:6 and the scene in Thessalonica. The Jews were causing strife and sought to lay hold of Paul and Silas.

“And when they found them now, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also.”

Had Paul and Silas really turned the world upside down? That was the reputation that went before them. We know that the world in 58 A.D. did not include such lands as Australia and the so-called New World. It would have referred to the then known world. According to Esther 1:1 the known world included land all the way to India for Ahasuerus reigned from India to Ethiopia and it was a mighty empire. But Paul did not come close to getting into India. He had not even reached the centre of the then known world which was Rome. He planned to go to Rome as we read in Romans 1:10-11 and also as far as Spain, which was the end of the world at that time.

Did Paul and Silas turn the world upside down? It was an exaggeration but it would give credence to their argument. All of the people knew that Caesar ruled the empire. So the thrust of the argument was that these missionaries were preaching another king that would overthrow the empire. Thus they said that Paul and Silas turned the world upside down? They were fearful of losing the empire in an overthrow.

The world included both Jews and Gentiles. The trouble making Jews, in order to achieve their own purpose, had to bring the Gentiles into it. But what they did not know or understand, was that Paul’s ministry included both Jews and Gentiles and we read that in Ephesians 3:9 where it tells us,

“And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.”

The unbelieving Jews felt threatened by the advances of the Gospel of the Grace of God. No doubt, news traveled from Jewish Synagogue to Jewish synagogue that Paul had won converts in many of the major cities. In their mind, they could think that if this man were not stopped, the entire world would be turned upside down.

That is exactly what the Gospel of Jesus Christ does.

“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new” ( 2 Corinthians 5:17).

The world was not being turned upside down but the lives of individual sinners had been changed and the Body of Christ was being enlarged everywhere.

What was the reputation of Paul and Silas? They were Christians; outspoken exponents of Jesus Christ; preachers of the one gospel. They were powerful and influential and had a reputation of superhuman ability. We know that it was the power of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Word of God. Whatever, Paul and Silas did in their preaching they could not be accused of a crime against society. They did not break any Roman Law but the Jews fabricated a falsehood. Even while facing such opposition, Paul could shout,

“I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16).

With such opposition wouldn’t we think that Paul and Silas would make their preaching a bit more low key? They knew what they would encounter. Paul even wrote to Timothy and said,

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.”

Yes, things were rough and they are going to get worse. This is all the more reason why we should redeem the time and make full proof of the ministry.

The reputation of Paul was contagious. Jason and certain brethren were numbered with the apostles. The word brethren is interesting for it mans “out of the same womb.” In this case it would mean having the same parentage and that was as the children of God. Through the blood of Christ they could say they were brothers and they shared the same convictions and persuasions of Paul.

In this passage there is no hint of anyone recanting. They drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers, the magistrates of Thessalonica. This means they were dragged violently. It is used in Scripture of drawing in a net full of fish. It is the same action that Saul of Tarsus did when he haled men and women and dragged them into prisons.

Three weeks earlier Jason and his brothers in Christ were not even Christians and they lived in peace in the city. Now he was being dragged before the magistrates. Do you think he was sorry that he had believed and became a Christian? I am sure they did not regret it and according to 1 Thessalonians 1:6 says,

“Ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.”

Could it be that there is a lack of joy in the Body of Christ today because we have not suffered enough for Him? Through trials and tribulation, the Lord is drawn closer. Paul knew what it was to suffer for Christ’s sake and he also knew what it was to have the joy of the Lord. The epitome of this would be in Philippians 2:17,

“Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.”

Jason was not afraid to be dragged into the trial for he also knew there was joy unspeakable and full of glory in store for him. The reputation of Paul was contagious to those in Thessalonica. How is it in your life? What about your reputation for the Lord?

Paul’s prayer in Philippians 3:10 was,

“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”

Is this your prayer? Would you dare to make this your prayer?

Paul had a reputation for he knew by experience what it was to walk with the Lord and to glory in tribulation. If Jason and company could take such a stand being only converted for three weeks what can we say about ourselves? I am sure some of you listening to me right now have been a Christian for many, many years. How many people have you led to the Saviour? Would people say that you have turned your neighbourhood upside down for the Lord?

The Word of God says,

“And he gave some apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

If we have not matured in the faith then we cannot have much of a reputation for the Lord. Somewhere along the timeline of maturity you can place yourself. You cannot have a Godly reputation if you have not been living a Godly life. If you fit in easily with the world system then you do not have a Godly reputation. Make a decision in your life that you want to be counted for Christ.

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Acts 17:7

Is it your habit to always demand your rights? Do you sometimes suffer wrongfully for the sake of the gospel, the church or your friends? Today we are looking at a man named Jason, a new believer in Thessalonica. The Jews were stirring up trouble in that city and found that Paul and Silas were staying with Jason. In the accusation against the apostles Jason is singled out and we read Acts 17:7:

“Whom Jason, hath received; and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.”

Poor Jason, he was saved for, at the most, three weeks but willing to be identified with Paul and Silas. Does he not have rights as a Roman to be protected? What crime did he commit? Did he break any of the laws of the Roman Empire?

In verse 6, the Jewish antagonists were unable to find Paul and Silas and this Jason was singled out to take the punishment for them. Jesus Christ was singled out by God to take the punishment for sin for all of us. Romans 5:8 tells us,

“God commendeth His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

In Acts 17:7 notice the word “all.” It says, “These all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar.” It is a blanket statement which would be impossible to prove and of course, the Jews would not bother trying to prove anything. It reminds us of the mock trial of Jesus Christ before Pilate. There was no accusation that had been proved, the Jews demanded, with one voice, His crucifixion.

1 Peter 2:19-21 says,

“For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, I, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.”

Jesus was charged with being another king. Remember the Jews said this. It was a total rejection of their Messiah. In this they were admitting that the Roman Emperor was all he claimed to be and must be explicitly obeyed.

Just what did Paul preach anyway? Look at Romans chapter 13. He says,

“Render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.”

This is similar to what Jesus said in Matthew 22:21:

“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”

In John 19:11, speaking to Pilate,

“Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above; therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.”

This reminds us that any world leader is powerless except that God give the power to him or as Paul writes it in Romans 13:1:

“For there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God.”

As Jason heard his accusation, I wonder what went through his mind. It may have seemed to him that the venomous Jews were blind to the truth of Jesus Christ and in that he was right. Romans 11:25 says, “Blindness in part is happened to Israel. . .” Why did they pick on Jason? He simply happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He invited Paul and Silas into his home and so he was a likely suspect. Now for that act he willingly took upon himself the punishment, thus freeing the two missionaries. He was showing the love of Christ. John 15:13 says,

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

As Jesus Christ was willing to go to the cross so ought us who belong to Him be willing to suffer for others. Paul set the example of this for fellow members of the Body of Christ in Colossians 1:24 where he writes,

“Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for his body’s sake, which s the church.”

When we think about the suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross we know it was unjust. It was accomplished because He loved you and me. Without His death on the cross we would have no hope for salvation.

By means of the Holy Spirit baptism all believers are identified with Jesus Christ. We can say it while in the safety of Australia where it is relatively easy to testify to such identification with Christianity when it is widely accepted. But what if you lived in Afghanistan? Then could you feel free to identify yourself with Jesus Christ or with other Christians?

Jason was in the minority for Christianity just came into Thessalonica. The ministry of Paul and Silas brought him into the knowledge of Christ and salvation. There was severe opposition from the Jews who sought to make it illegal to be a Christian. There are places in the world today where it is illegal to be a Christian.

There are times when our faith may be put to the test. Will you deny the faith? Many do and many will. I read to you from 2 Timothy 4:3 where Paul writes,

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of they ministry.”

When Paul wrote those words he was in the Roman prison testifying to his own unjustified suffering. He also says in 2 Timothy 4:16,17,

“At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me, I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.”

It was unjustified suffering but Paul joyed in it. He also wrote,

“Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me” (Philippians 2:17,18).

From this I conclude that if you refuse to take a stand when faced with unjustified tribulation there is no joy and there is no reward. Do you stand up to be counted for the faith in your daily life?

We talk about faith and we know it is not natural in our flesh. 2 Corinthians 3:5 says,

“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.”

Also in 2 Corinthians 9:8 the apostle assures us that

“God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.”

How strong is your faith and your confidence in the Lord? Can it stand the tests when they come? You will never know until it is tested. Jason stood firm, taking the blame upon himself and bearing the punishment on behalf of Paul and Silas. Would you do that?

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Acts 17:8

It is very easy to upset people with religion. As a child I heard, many times, that you don’t discuss religion or politics. In our text today Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica and in the midst of a tempest. Look at Acts 17:8.

“And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.”

Let’s revise this a little. The “they” of verse 8 refer to the “Jews which believed not” that were mentioned in verse 5. The things that were spoken in verse 8 is the accusation of verse 7, “saying that there is another king, one Jesus.” With this saying they troubled the people. The word “troubled” is to agitate, disturb or stir up. They, first of all, went to the people, the crowd that frequented the market place, the mob if idlers who were always looking for entertainment, excitement or drama. It is not much different than it is today when people power is used to sway officials or politicians. They sought to create a riot or demonstration before the rulers of the city.

Next they took this accusation to the politarches, which literally means “rulers of the city.” It is the same word used for magistrates in Philippi. They needed a bigger voice before these rulers and it would help to sway their thinking to go along with the demonstrators.

What was their accusation? It was insurrection or treason. They said there was another king other than Caesar. Was it a false accusation? Not really, for Jesus was born to be “King of the Jews.” But the amazing thing is that these were Jews who were making this accusation and proving that they were continuing to reject their own Messiah.

We must take note that Paul did not preach Jesus as King. Read through his letters and he always preached Christ as the Head of the Body. An example of this is Ephesians 1:22,23, referring to the Christ of verse 20,

“And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”

Then again in Colossians 1:18,

“And he is the head of the body, the church; who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence.”

Paul did not go around preaching Jesus as the King but look at 1 Corinthians 1:23,24 where he says,

“But we peach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

So it is Christ, not Jesus, that Paul proclaimed and yet the Jews twisted it so that they could charge that Paul and Silas proclaimed “another king, one Jesus.”

These were Jews, those to whom the law was given and we read in Exodus 20:16, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” Their witness was false, for Paul did not preach the Kingship of Jesus. That was the ministry of the circumcision. Paul had been separated by God to proclaim the Gospel of the Uncircumcision. He was the apostle of the Gentiles (Romans 11:13). These unbelieving Jews were uninformed as to the message and ministry of Paul. They probably had not even listened to his message.

Why did this charge trouble the people and the rulers? They felt under threat as did the rulers in Matthew 2:2,3 where we read about the wise men who came from the east,

“Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him.”

We need to stop and remember now that Satan was and is the god of this world. He was the god of Herod and the unbelieving Jews of Jerusalem. Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem and was a threat to Herod’s dominion. They wise men did not cause the agitation but Satan caused it by working in the unbelieving mind of Herod.

Satan was the god of this world as Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica. It would have been easy for him to turn the minds of the unbelieving population against the preaching of the truth and to him it did not matter how many lies were necessary to accomplish his purpose.

Satan did not understand the distinctive ministry of Paul. To him the Kingdom gospel was still the one gospel being preached. I say this with confidence because of 1 Corinthians 2:7 where Paul writes,

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory; Which none of the princes of this world knew; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

The unbelieving Jews in Thessalonica were similar to the accusers of Jesus in Luke 23:1-5.

“And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.”

To the unbelieving Jews, this was blasphemy. According to their law, He must be stoned. An intense hatred was produced in their hearts as they rejected Jesus, their Messiah. This was further illustrated by Saul of Tarsus who in Acts 9:1, “breathed out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord.” It was this same Saul, whose name was changed to Paul, who now stood on the receiving end of this hatred. He could understand why the people were so easily agitated.

All unbelievers are enemies of righteousness. Paul wrote about some of them in Philippians 3:18-19:

“For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ; whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.”

Those trouble makers in Thessalonica were enemies of the cross of Christ.

The unbelieving Jews wanted only to silence the preaching of Paul whatever the cost. They were in a Gentile city and had to do it according to Roman law. They would kill him if it were possible. In Acts 7 they killed Stephen. They also were part of the mob who demanded Jesus be killed. Twenty years had passed since the cross but the evil minds of the unbelieving Jews was the same. Jesus Christ was a curse and not their salvation. In John 8:44 Jesus told them,

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. . .”

In spite of opposition, the Gospel of the Grace of God has endured the tests of time. It has been maligned and thousands have given their lives defending it. The accusers are gone and forgotten but God’s Word lives on. 1 Peter 1:24,25 says,

“All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away; but the word of the Lord endureth forever.”

God’s Word is not bound. The opposition could trouble the people and influence the rulers of the city but they could not and never will stop the preaching of the Word of God.

Satan may inspire his devotees to agitate the people but the “Word of God is quick and powerful.” It is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.” Do you believe that? Or are you still in Satan’s family. Acts 16:31 says to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.

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Acts 17:9, Part 1

Would you take the punishment of another? You would probably reply that it would depend upon who the other person was and how much you loved them. The bodyguard of the President of the United States is paid and trained to lay down his life for the Chief Executive. These thoughts lead us to our text in Acts 17:9.

“And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.”

In verse six we learned that the Jewish troublemakers had apprehended Jason and others taking them before the magistrates. They were not the ones they wanted as it was Paul and Silas who had “turned the world upside down.” But they could not find the apostles. We have nothing in the records indicating that Jason argued his case before the magistrates but he accepted the situation as of the Lord and took whatever punishment was given to them. Why would they take the punishment of another?

Remember that Jason was a new convert as were the others, whoever they were. Verse 6 calls them brethren so we know from that they were believers. This caused them to have a new attitude and a new outlook on life. There was a love for one another. John 15:13 tells us,

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Jesus Christ laid down His life and as Romans 5:8 says, He did it for His enemies.

“But God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Why did He do it? He did it because He loved us. Why did Jason take the punishment for Paul and Silas? It was because he loved them. Where were Paul and Silas? In verse six we are told, “They found them not.” There could have been a logical reason why they were not found but I would like to believe that seeing eyes were made blind as in the case with Jesus. John 7:10-11 gives us the story:

“But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?”

He was there but they could not find Him. Also in John 8:59, Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees and

“Then took they up stones to cast at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”

He made Himself invisible to them. Jesus did it to Himself and He could have done it for Paul and Silas as well.

Paul and Silas may have been protected but at the cost of Jason and other brethren. In Philippians 2:2-4 we find an example of the mind of Christ:

“Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

Jason had that love of Christ constraining him. He esteemed others better than himself and so took the punishment for the two preachers. He knew that it was important that Paul and Silas be free and able to teach and preach God’s Word. How long did it take for you to come to that place of selflessness where you would take the punishment for another? Or perhaps I should ask if you have yet come to that place? I think you and I would first question what the punishment would be and how much it would cost and whose punishment we were bearing.

Jason had only been a Christian for three weeks. It is not age but maturity that counts in the Christian life. Perhaps our immaturity is due to not having to endure hardness. God allowed Jason to be taken into custody because He knew Jason could bear it. How much can God allow you to endure? Jason showed maturity early in his Christian life whereas many do not, even after many years of being a Christian. This is probably due to the lack of commitment and the flesh ruling rather than the Spirit. I would like to think that Jason had the same convictions as Paul when he wrote in Acts 20:24,

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy. . .”

How often, when you think of someone in trouble, you say, “That is their problem.” Is that showing the mind of Christ? It is the typical reply of the ungodly person but my friend it ought not to be the reply from the Child of God. The Body of Christ is made up of many members and if one member suffers then all members suffer with him. Thus another’s problems become our problems and it is our responsibility to help them in their time of need.

Jason knew that the opposition in Thessalonica was not the fault of Paul and Silas. The Jews were angered at the preaching of the cross and the Bible calls that a stumbling block. In 1 Corinthians 1:23 we read,

“But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”

Jason and his companions were called of God and they experienced the preaching of the cross as the power and wisdom of God.

Having embraced the cross of Christ for salvation, Jason also embraced the mentality of the cross which is demonstrated in Galatians 6:2,

“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Isn’t this what the physical body does and also should be done by the Body of Christ.

“And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26).

Jason was of great help to Paul by accepting his suffering and taking his place before the magistrates. He did not know what would happen to him. He had probably heard about the troubles Paul and Silas had endured in other cities. He knew they had suffered beatings, imprisonments, pain and suffering. I don’t think that made any difference to him. He was willing to bear their burdens even to the point of death. I began by asking you if you would take the punishment of another? 1 Corinthians 6:19,20 tells us

“. . .Ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

I trust that as you surrender your life to Jesus Christ and desire to walk with Him that you would be willing to bear the uttermost sacrifice for a friend, an enemy and most of all for Jesus Christ. Then you could say that you truly are experiencing the power and wisdom of God and you will also be manifesting the mind of Christ. God bless you as you give your life to Him.

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Acts 17:9, Part 2

If we are to obey God rather than men how can we also obey the rulers of the secular world? There are occasions when God uses the world, and even the devil himself to bring about His eternal purpose. Satan brought about the death of Christ on the cross not knowing that it was the shed blood that was to save the world from its sin.

The rulers of Thessalonica had apprehended some of the new believers and we now consider some developments in Acts 17:9.

“And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.”

This “security” does not refer to their imprisonment as it might appear but being from the Greek word hikanon. It refers to a bond, a payment of money. Then the condition imposed upon them was that Paul and Silas leave town immediately.

The rulers were solving the problem. If the apostles could not be found and put to death or imprisoned, the next best thing was to get rid of them. This security was not bail as we know it in court procedures today, as Jason was not the one they were after. They really had no charge against him except that he was an accomplice to the ministry of Paul and Silas.

Would Jason and the others submit to this authority? To pay the security admitted guilt and there was no guilt. As Christians we are required to obey government authorities. The question was asked of Jesus in Matthew 22:17, “Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?” The inter-dispensational answer was given in reply to verse 21,

“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”

Now I said, “inter-dispensational” for Paul wrote in Romans 13:7,

“Render therefore to all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.”

Jesus spoke in Matthew to those who were under the kingdom program but they were not in the Kingdom. The Kingdom was “at hand.” They were under the Dispensation of Human Government and thus were bound by human law. Today we are under the Dispensation of the Grace of God and certainly not in the Kingdom. The establishment of the Kingdom is yet future and meanwhile we remain under the Dispensation of Human Government and bound by the laws of the land and government.

The magistrates of Thessalonica exacted a bond of Jason. Would he pay it? Yes he would pay it for it was God’s will, for the safety of Paul and Silas was at stake. If they refused payment they would not only be detained in custody but the lives of the preachers would be in danger.

The church in Thessalonica was now established. 1 Thessalonians 1:1 says,

“Paul and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. . .”

Paul and Silas had come to Thessalonica to win souls and to start an assembly and it was done. God’s work had been accomplished and they were now free to go. God spared them another imprisonment such as they had experienced in Philippi. They did not have to endure the humiliation and pain of being beaten as common criminals. They could go in peace and safety.

There were other conditions to this security. Paul and Silas were not allowed to return to Thessalonica for we read in 1 Thessalonians 2:18,

“Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.”

The work of the rulers in Thessalonica was the work of Satan. Paul would not let that bother him as there were many other cities to which he could go and preach. He was the “apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13) and the world was his mission field. This fact is illustrated in Acts 17:10 for the next stop was Berea.

I wonder if Paul thought he had failed as he left Thessalonica. Somehow I doubt that would have been his feeling since he knew that God was in charge of his life and ministry. God never does anything that is a failure. Paul and Silas did what they were called upon to do. They had been there for over three weeks, the saw some souls saved and established in the faith. Jason’s testimony would have encouraged them that the saints in Thessalonica were able to stand against the wiles of the devil. They witnessed a quick growth among the men and women who became Christians in Thessalonica. In 1 Thessalonians 2:19, Paul writes,

“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy.”

Standing before the rulers of the city, Jason had a decision to make. His hearts’ desire was to do the will of God. There is no record of any hesitation or discussion with the other members of his party. They knew the will of God and if you and I have the mind of Christ then we also will know the will of God. If we are spiritually minded our actions should be automatically the will of God.

It did not take time for Paul and Silas to respond to this development. They had not settled into a life in Thessalonica. They were ready, at a moment’s notice, to move on if God so directed and in this case they knew He was directing. As soon as Jason and associates were let go, Paul and Silas left Thessalonica. The verse reads,

“They let them go. And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea.”

If you know the will of God, it does not take time to agonise in prayer and indecision. To be spiritually minded eliminates much stress and every Christian should realise that.

This trouble in Thessalonica worked rather to the glory of God by making them strong in the faith and instilling in the local believers the need to reach out with the grace of God. I see this in 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7,

“And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost; so that we were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.”

What a wonderful testimony and that from the young church in tribulation bound Thessalonica.

When Jason submitted to the rulers of the city he was in reality submitting to God. Romans 13:1 tells us,

“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power of God; the powers that be are ordained of God.”

Jesus said the same thing to Pilate in John 19:11,

“Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above.”

If God gives the power and authority to human rulers and magistrates, He is able to use them in working out His plan and purpose. He did this in Thessalonica in protecting Paul from further harm and directing him to the next centre of service.

Spiritually minded people know when to obey man and when to obey God and there is the total elimination of indecisive stress.

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Acts 17:10

Many spiritual leaders doggedly hold on to a ministry when God really wants them to move on. There is some kind of heroic claim if a pastor can hold the same church for 30 or more years. While that may be a wonderful feat there are times when God wants us to move on to new or other ministries. In Acts 17:10 Paul and Silas had no end of trouble with the unbelieving Jews. The verse reads:

“And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea; who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.”

In 1 Corinthians 16:13 Paul exhorts us to “stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” But that somewhat contradicts the fact that he fled from Thessalonica at night. Paul was not a man to run from danger. We saw an example of that in Iconium for there, according to Acts 14:2,3, the “unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren. Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord.” They did not run away from persecution. Then in Lystra, according to Acts 14:19,

“And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.”

In the following verses, he rose up and went right back into the city. Then more recently in Philippi, Paul endured the state of imprisonment as in Acts 16:28,

“But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying Do thyself no harm; for we are all here.”

Later in Ephesus the city was in riot and we read in Acts 19:30,

“And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.”

His spiritual temperament is seen in Acts 20:22 as he speaks,

“And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there; Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.”

Paul never ran away from danger or persecution and took no thought for himself. In Acts 20:24,

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy.”

But, under the cover of night, he fled Thessalonica. It was not for security purposes. He had to go because that was the agreement Jason made with the magistrates of the city. There was a financial agreement under that act which stipulated that Paul and Silas were to leave the city.

The word immediately in verse 10 is a key to our thinking. If he had remained in Thessalonica it would have been similar to what we call contempt of court. It would not only be dangerous for the two preachers but it would have endangered all the brethren who had only recently become Christians. Our text tells us that the brethren sent them away. It was for the sake of peace, for the same of the church and for the testimony of those who remained behind. Paul and Silas had to leave town.

Had Paul and Silas refused to go it would have spelled disaster for all the brethren. Matthew 22:21 says to “render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” In this case, Paul had more than himself to consider. The text does not say they stopped for a time of prayer. They did not have to seek the will of God for they already knew it. Philippians 2:4 records Paul’s attitude toward others when he says,

“Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

Paul knew the will of God because he walked with God.

Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica was completed. 1Thessalonians 1:5,6 tells us,

“For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.”

Paul and Silas were there only three weeks but the Lord did a might work in that short time. Both of the letters Paul wrote to the Thessalonians contain no mention of sin, carnality or disobedience to God but rather the hope of eternal life and confidence in the Lord. Paul did not correct the Thessalonians.

I would say that the Thessalonians formed and evangelistic, Bible studying church because I read from 1 Thessalonians 1:8,9,

“For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak anything. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.”

What a testimony! No wonder Paul and Silas felt safe to leave them in the hands of the Lord.

There were some places where Paul remained up to eighteen months, as in Corinth and in Acts 20:31 we learn that he spent three years in Ephesus. In Thessalonica it took just three weeks to get people saved and grounded in the Word of God. This proves it was the work of the Lord and He had prepared those people for Paul’s message. It was God’s will for them to move on. Standing fast does not necessarily mean to be in one place, or at one job, but to be ready to do whatever the Lord has in mind for you.

Paul and Silas had to move on to the city of Berea as there were people there, prepared of the Lord, for the Gospel of the Grace of God. We are told, “They received the word with all readiness of mind.” Paul did not have to wait to see how the Bereans responded to know if it was God’s will. He already knew that. We must not assume the leading of the Lord by what seems to be right in our own eyes. We need to discern the will of God from the Scriptures and from the Holy Spirit that lives in us.

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Acts 17:11

What does it mean to be a noble Christian? Look at Acts 17:11.

“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”

Paul and Silas were forced to flee Thessalonica and arrived in Berea. As was their method of operation, they went first into the synagogue of the Jews. There they spoke the Word of God. The Bereans received that Word and it was a favourable reception for the two missionaries. They did not blindly swallow all the message and they did not blatantly reject the Word. They had an open mind and set about to checking out what Paul and Silas were telling them.

They had access to the Scripture as they were in the synagogue. The Scripture at that time was the Old Testament. The New Testament had not yet been written. They knew the authority for spiritual things and that was the Scriptures.

Human nature is easily taken in by the eloquence of a speaker, a salesman or a preacher. It can be the tone of his voice, the power of his persuasion, his fluency of speech or the fact that he is good looking and well mannered. We all enjoy listening and being in the presence of someone with “charisma.” Sometimes this can also lead us astray.

The Bereans had respect for Paul and Silas for they received the spoken word. The Bible says they were noble. Noble means literally, “well-born.” They were strong enough to think for themselves and were not blind followers.

So they searched and this word comes from the Greek anakrino which means to examine, investigate, enquire and check it out. What was the authority they were using to check it out? It was the authority of the Scriptures.

The Sadducees came to Jesus in Matthew 22 asking Him concerning the resurrection. In verse 29, He said,

“Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.”

Anyone who blindly believes everything a preacher says is in error. If a person flippantly joins your assembly, he will just as flippantly leave your assemble when someone else comes along and tells him something different. This shows that a scriptural foundation is not there and he is tossed about with every wind of doctrine.

During the three days when the Lord was in the grave, the disciples were sorrowful. Even after the report of Mary Magdalene they would not believe He had really risen from the dead. Why not? John 20:9 says,

“For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.”

To search out something to find the truth requires mental and spiritual energy which few Christians want to expend. Usually if you ask most church members why they believe a particular doctrine they will reply, “Because that is what our pastor (or church) teaches.” God forbid. There is no nobility in a reply like that. Instead we should be able to say, “Because the Bible says so.”

The Bereans were noble because “they searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” They searched the Scriptures, not books and writings about the Scriptures. Many well meaning Christians will sit for hours reading. They read novels, biographies, study helps and topical treatises about the Word of God but they do not open their Bible and search the Scriptures. It is not wrong to read man-written books provided you “search the Scriptures daily to see if those things be so.”

To understand the Word of God we need the Holy Spirit to teach us. To understand what an ordinary man has written does not require the Holy Spirit. If you merely believe what a man has written about the Word of God it is a physical and carnal belief. Such writings are not inspired. The Christian Church is divided because man has followed man rather than taking the time to search the Scriptures.

In John 5:39, Jesus told his listeners to “Search the scriptures.” It is a command. Paul also tells us to “Study to show yourselves approved unto God.” What are we to study? There are many paraphrases of Scripture available to the Christian public. They are mini-commentaries and is what a person thinks the Bible should mean. Often the truth of the Word of God has been lost in the paraphrase. Romans 1:25 says, “Who changed the truth of God into a lie. . .” There are also numerous Bible study Bibles and other books that contain the ideas of man. I only condemn these when readers take them as the final authority instead of studying them along with the Holy Bible to see if they contain truth or lies. Even though Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles and had a direct revelation from God, the noble Bereans did not take his word as the final authority. They searched out the Scriptures to see if what he said was true.

There is another mark of nobility in the Bereans. They searched daily. It was important for they wanted to be absolutely sure of the truth. It was not merely devotions. It was a matter of life and death. A mistake could be eternally fatal. This searching has the meaning or is demonstrated by taking an object in hand, holding it, examining it, comparing it with the infallible authority, until you come to a God-given conclusion either accepting or rejecting it. It was a mandatory and exhaustive investigation.

They heard the Word of God from Paul and Silas. How could they know for sure it was the Word of God? They had to compare it with the authority which was the Scriptures of the Old Testament. They heard things they had never heard previously. It sounded good and they received it with all readiness of mind. Paul preached to them salvation by grace through faith. The Holy Spirit was at work in their hearts and the received the message. Paul preached to them Jesus, the Messiah and His crucifixion and burial and resurrection. The Old Testament supported Paul’s teachings about Jesus Christ and they could go on to believe the new revelation that God gave to Paul.

Too often the Jews of other cities flatly rejected the word of Paul and refused to listen or search to see if he was telling the truth. Those Jews refused Paul’s word but listened, without question, to what their orthodox leaders taught them. That was the case in Thessalonica where the unbelieving Jews refused to hear what Paul and Silas had to say but were quick to listen to the dissenters. They were not noble.

The Bereans were noble. It has to do with being wise, fair and not quick to pass judgment. We may not have been born into noble ranks but we can be noble in our behaviour. When you hear a preacher or read a book do you search, examine and study the Scriptures daily to seek out the truth? Only by doing that can you acquire confidence in the knowledge of the Word of God. You can be like the noble Bereans.

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Acts 17:12

“Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

This means that if anyone receives Jesus Christ as Saviour and obtains eternal life through Him then it must be the result of the Word of God. Paul and Silas were in Berea having escaped from Thessalonica. They preached the gospel in the synagogue in Berea and in Acts 17:12 we read the result of that preaching:

“Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.”

We are not told the number of believers but what we do learn is that there were both Jews and Gentiles and they believed because they searched and studied and found that what Paul preached was true.

“Many of them believed.” The converts included Jews as it was in the synagogue and it also included “honourable women which were Greeks.” In verse 11 they were called noble and here they are called honourable. Let’s compare the results of the ministry in Thessalonica with that of Berea. In verse 4 we are told that “some of them believed” and that was in Thessalonica. Here we are told that “many of them believed.” Why the difference? Obviously, it is because the Bereans were open minded, more noble than those in Thessalonica. That was because they searched the Scriptures to see if Paul was telling them the truth.

In Thessalonica the converts were Jews and they did not go to the trouble of searching for truth. Is it not ironic that those who know the least about the word of God are the greatest skeptics? Thomas Paine was one of those infamous agnostics and wrote in his Age of Reason,

“I had neither Bible nor Testament to refer to, though I was writing against both, nor could I procure any.”

The unbelieving Jews of Thessalonica were of that type of people. They did not bother to check it out to see if what Paul was preaching was compatible with the Word of God. Had they done that, they might well have come to the same conclusion as the Jews of Berea who became believers. The fact that those in Berea searched the Scriptures does not mean that Paul did not preach the Gospel of the Grace of God to them. He did preach that message that God revealed to him. His “revelation of the mystery” (Romans 16:25) could not be found in the Scriptures which were available in the synagogue but surely the reading of the Scriptures would confirm what Paul taught them of the Lord Jesus Christ. The gap found in prophecy would indicate or confirm a parenthetical time. One example of this is the gap between Daniel’s 69th and 70th week. Daniel 9:24 portrays a total of 70 weeks of years.

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity.”

In Daniel 9:25 there are 69 weeks. It says,

“Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks. . .”

That is a total of 69 weeks. There is yet one week remaining and we read about that in verse 27 of that chapter. This prophesies the Great Tribulation and the work of the Antichrist.

“And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week. . .and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate.”

The Lord knew of what Daniel wrote for in Matthew 24:15 He said,

“When ye therefore shall see the Abomination of Desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet stand in the holy place.”

He spoke of the Antichrist standing in the Holy place and making it desolate of God.

There is an obvious gap of an undetermined length of time for the world has yet to see the manifestation of the Antichrist and the start of the Great Tribulation. Sixty nine years of Daniel’s prophecy is history and the seventieth is yet to come. So what was that gap? That is what Paul spoke about in Berea as that gap was the revelation of the mystery, that which is not found in prophecy but now revealed or made known. Check it out. It is not found in the Old Testament. It is not found under the Dispensation of the Law. It is not found in any of the Kingdom material but Paul was

“. . . Made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery, which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints.” (Colossians 1:25-26).

Search the Old Testament and you will not find the Gospel of the Grace of God. Hosea, in chapter one, wrote of the great sin of God’s chosen people and he said in verse 9,

“Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi; for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.”

Judgment, exile, scattering, lost and in the same breath in verse 10 he says,

“. . .It shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.”

But that has not happened. Did prophecy fail? Was God a liar? Didn’t God know what was going to happen with Israel’s rejection of the Son and the Holy Spirit? God knew but He kept the Gospel of the Grace of God a secret.

The Bereans searched the Scriptures to see if what Paul was preaching was right and actually found it in the Old Testament. Another avenue of confirmation is in 1 Peter 1:11, the Kingdom apostle wrote concerning the Old Testament prophets. He said,

“Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you; Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.”

Jesus Christ suffered according to prophecy. In Isaiah 53:5 we read,

“He was wounded for our transgressions.”

After the suffering there was to be glory to follow, but where is that glory? What is happening in the meantime? There is a gap and it is an unprophesied gap.

Paul preached the Word of God at Berea and the Bereans searched the Scriptures daily to find out that it was the Word of God. They found the gaps. They found the Word of God incomplete. There had to be something to fill the gap. Look again at Colossians 1:25. Paul writes,

“Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God.”

Paul had the task to fill full or complete the revelation of God. The word fulfill is pleroo in the Greek which means “to complete” in English. God’s revelation was not complete. There was a gap and to Paul was given the dispensation to complete it. The Bereans found that to be true.

Ephesians 2:4,5,8 says,

“But God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. . .For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.”

That is the word of God but not according to prophecy. But you and I know it is the Word of God and it is the only gospel that saves during this age of grace. Have you believed that gospel?

“Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” You have heard it even as did the Bereans of old. What is your response? Will you search the Scriptures daily to see if I am telling you the truth?

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Acts 17:13

Sin produces sin. Unbelief generates more unbelief. Gossip, laziness and waywardness are contagious. All of these things were evident in the life of the Thessalonian Jews and motivated them to agitate the Jewish compatriots of Berea. Today we are reading Acts 17:13:

“But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.”

According to verse 12 there were a number of Jews in Berea who believed. They believed because they searched the Scriptures to see whether those things spoken by Paul and Silas were true and they found they were true. These Bereans were called “noble” because they took the time to go into the Old Testament and check it out. But the stirrers of Thessalonica could not be bothered. They only knew that Paul was different and preached something they had not heard about and that was enough for them to condemn him.

Imagine with me this story. A family comes home from church and the father says he has heard some new things from the lips of the visiting preacher. Taking his Bible he begins an intensive search. The rest of the day he is buried in thought over the Word of God. Not only that day but each day when he returns from work he forgets to watch the news and is found studying the Word of God. Rising early in the morning he spends some time studying it before he goes off to work. Untiringly he continues studying until he is sure that what the preacher said was truly the Word of God and the truth of that Word. I long for many in my congregation to be like that man studying to see if I preach to them the truth of God’s Word. He is like the noble Bereans in the city of Berea. A man like that would not soon be shaken in his faith. It is not wrong to be open-minded if you are open minded to the truth. But so many people take what the preacher says and don’t bother studying the Word of God. The Psalmist said,

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” (Psalm 1:1,2).

The Thessalonian Jews were of a contrasting character. They were content in their traditions even though it could lead to violence, imprisonments and bloodshed. In Thessalonica they invited people into riotous behaviour. They were about to do the same thing in Berea for “they came thither also, and stirred up the people.” The word stir means to shake or to agitate and according to the next verse it led to the brethren sending Paul away.

These troublemaking Jews sought to do in Berea what they did in Thessalonica. They were tools in the hands of Satan to hinder the spread of the Gospel of the Grace of God. They were obviously unemployed busybodies, full of unbelief and we know that kind of behaviour is contagious. Their behaviour evidently affected the church in Thessalonica because Paul had to write to the Thessalonians in 2 Thessalonians 3:11 and say,

“For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.”

Where did they get this manner of idleness, this desire to meddle in other people’s affairs? It was from the stirrers who sought to disrupt the work of God.

As long as the Bereans delved into the Scriptures they were classified as noble, in direct contrast to the visiting Thessalonians. I think it well to note that these visitors sought to stir up the people and did not face up to Paul themselves.

In Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonian believers, he referred to them as busybodies and in this activity gossip plays a big part and so it did in Berea. They were bearing false witness. The teller of tales does not have to face the person himself but rather can hide behind and propagate mischief. Their only desire was to hinder the spread of the gospel and keep people from receiving Paul’s message. Paul referred to them as idle. There is no excuse for idleness among believers. If a person is unemployed he can spend time in the Word of God, pray for others and find things to do where he can further the spread of the Gospel.

It is easy for a Christian to be led astray by well meaning unbelieving individuals. I am sure that these unbelieving Jews from Thessalonica had no trouble finding some in Berea whom they could lead astray. If a believer does not spend time studying the Word of God and talking to God then he can easily be led astray. The Bereans were studying the Scriptures and desiring to learn but there probably were some who were influenced by those who came from Thessalonica and sought to lead them astray. They would have no difficulty getting a following, either in their own city or in Berea.

We know that unbelievers will readily follow other unbelievers. After all, they all have the same father s it says in John 8:44,

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there was no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

From this we see that it would not have been a problem for them to put Paul to death even though their own Law said, “Thou shalt not kill.” Of what constraint is religion when it is not of the truth. They were doing the lusts of their father, the devil.

The sin of unbelief, the spirit of gossip, laziness or waywardness is contagious. There were easy listeners in Berea and there are many easy listeners today in our society. The world finds easy prey among Christians. There were those in the Thessalonian Church who walked disorderly and were classified by Paul as busybodies. There were those in the Ephesian Church who were tattlers, busybodies and evil speakers. Let it not be found in our churches. We need to guard against it. We need to be noble Bereans and search the Scriptures daily and then obey those things that we learn from it. The word of God will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from the Word of God. The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:11,

“Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

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Acts 17:14

If miracles and wonders were still to be performed in Acts 17, why did Paul have to flee for his life? Chapter seventeen of Acts verse fourteen tells us:

“And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea; but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.”

The scene was Berea and militant Jews came from Thessalonica stirring up the people of Berea against Paul. Knowing what could happen, the believers of Berea took the initiative to send Paul away for fear of his life. They had heard what happened in Lystra where he was stoned and left for dead. They knew what happened in Philippi where Paul was beaten and put into prison. They did not want Paul to suffer in Berea as well.

Why couldn’t they claim the likes of Matthew 7:7-8?

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”

Jesus Christ also said in Matthew 18:19,

“Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven.”

Was the Lord making promises He could not keep? Was he just encouraging His disciples to follow Him regardless of what could happen? Keep in mind here that no blood was shed until after Israel, as a nation, rejected the Godhead. The first follower of the Lord to be martyred was Stephen and this followed his Spirit-ordained message that was rejected by the Sanhedrin in Acts seven. The next one to be killed was James, the brother of John, and this happened in Acts twelve. What happened to the promises of Christ? Those promises depended upon the nation accepting their Messiah and shall certainly be applicable in the Kingdom. At that time all Israel will be saved according to Romans 11:26 and Israel will be a nation of priests. At that time they will be given whatever they request.

The apostle Paul found himself in numerous difficult situations where he could easily have said that the Lord had forsaken him. Was his fleeing from Berea due to his lack of faith? Was Stephen short of faith when he was stoned to death? Was James lacking in faith when he was killed with the sword? In all of these questions the answer is definitely negative.

Was Paul out of God’s will for even going to Berea? The world would find many excuses for his departure from Berea. Acts 9:16 says,

“For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

Many weak Christians give up in the ministry of the Lord. Things get a bit rough and they see that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. But remember what Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:12,

“Yes, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

We are seeing much of that today but is it any worse now than it was during the early years of the reformation? I do not think it is much different.

So why can’t we call upon the Lord for deliverance from persecution? We have the message to proclaim. We have in our heart and mind the only gospel that will save man from the wages of sin. Shouldn’t God give us protection? Shouldn’t He keep His word as in Matthew? Should we be able to get together with a companion in the faith and pray for something and know that it will be done? Can’t we claim Matthew 18:19 today?

Remember that Paul had three Godly companions in Berea. Silas, Timothy and Luke were all there. It would not change things if they claimed the promises of Matthew. The dispensation of God had changed. No longer were they operating under the administration of the Law. No longer were they under the Kingdom program, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom. Paul, according to Romans 11:13, was the apostle of the Gentiles and had been given the Dispensation of the Grace of God as we read in Ephesians 3:2.

There would have been ample opportunity for Paul to put Matthew 7:7 to the test with his “thorn in the flesh” for which thing he besought the Lord three times that it might depart from him. “Ask and it shall be given you.” That is what Jesus said. But under this new Dispensation we find the answer different. Look at 2 Corinthians 12:9:

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”

So what does Paul do in Berea? He uses prayer and common sense and the brethren send him away. It was God’s will for Paul to go on to Athens and leave behind, in Berea, his three companions.

Why did he go alone? The focus of the opposition was on Paul, according to the previous verse. He was the preacher, the apostle, the one through whom God was working to make known this new Gospel of the Grace of God. It was Paul who was the satanic opposition. It was Paul whom they had to protect.

Satan’s plan was to silence Paul and maintain his evil control in the world. 2 Corinthians 4:4 tells us that he is the “god of this world.” Paul was attacking his domain and the battle was raging. The seed was sown in Berea and Silas and Timothy would carry on the teaching ministry and Paul could move on to another area where the Gospel of the Grace of God was unknown. He went to Athens, which was the cultural capitol of the world.

What if Paul had said he did not want to leave and remained behind in Berea? He could have called upon God to show them miracles to protect him. Paul knew that changes were going on in God’s dealings with the world. God did not spare Paul and his workers trouble in the Gentile cities. He had to manifest His grace. He left Philippi for another work in Thessalonica. He was driven out of Thessalonica and then had to do a noble work in Berea. Now God is arranging Paul’s departure from Berea for the work to be done in Athens. Philippians 2:14 tells us,

“It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”

It might not be the way we like or think it should be. We may even pray for something different but God’s grace is sufficient for all our need. God does answer prayer but not necessarily how we want it to be answered. That is why Paul could write in 1 Corinthians 15:10,

“But by the grace of God I am what I am.”

In referring back to such hardships, he wrote to the Philippians in 1:12,

“But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened to me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel.”

That is why God did not overrule physically the Satanic opposition and persecution but instead overruled spiritually so that Paul could prove His grace sufficient and so that the Gospel of the Grace of God might be made known.

Rather than praying fervently for a miracle, let us look for a full experiencing of all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus and prove that His grace is sufficient for every need.

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Acts 17:15

How important was the ministry of the apostle Paul to the new believers at Berea? Acts 17:15 reads

“And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens; and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.”

What was the distance they had to travel to take Paul to Athens? From Berea to Athens is about 480 km one way so they would have traveled over one thousand kilometers accompanying Paul. In today’s travel not many would be willing to do it but then it was a dangerous trip. The believers in Berea did not want any mischief to befall him as his ministry was vital to the world at that time.

According to verse 14, the trip was made mainly by sea. This would be easier than walking but it would mean having to pay for passage and spending time away from family and occupation. It was a sacrifice but also a measure of their love and gratitude to the apostle.

Unfortunately, not all believers feel that way. Look at John 6:66-68:

“From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.”

Family, occupation, or friends could not draw them away from the Lord for they knew that He alone gave them eternal life.

The Bereans were Gentiles. Jesus Christ did not have the words of eternal life for them for He was the minister of the circumcision and was sent to the Jews, not the uncircumcision or Gentiles. Romans 15:8 tells us,

“Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers.”

He was the fulfillment of prophecy.

How, then, did the Bereans have eternal life? Assuredly they had it through the ministry of Paul and the preaching of the Gospel of the Grace of God. Paul told his audiences to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. Paul had the words of eternal life for the Gentile world for he was the apostle to the Gentiles sent by God.

How important are the words of eternal life to you? Could it be that the physical life you enjoy is so interesting, so full of pleasure, and so comfortable that you place little or no value on the life that is to follow? That could have been the problem with some of the believers in Colosse for Paul wrote to them in Colossians 3:2 and told them to set their affection on things above, not on things on the earth. When you do that you appreciate eternal life and you will also appreciate more the messenger of those words.

Whatever you find important in this world will determine the object of your affection. If your heart is set on wealth and possessions, you will be focused on the things of this earth. With that priority you will not seek the fellowship of the Word of God, fellow believers or the person of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, if your heart is set on Christ then He will be your priority. According to Galatians 1:16, Jesus Christ is revealed through Paul. The believers of Berea found this out for themselves as they listened to what Paul said and searched the Scriptures to find out if it was true.

Not only were they accompanying Paul for his personal safety. They sought his fellowship and more of his teachings in the things of the Lord and Grace. They had obtained salvation but now they had a hunger to know more so that trip was also a learning experience for them. They could have remained in Berea under the ministry of Silas and Timothy but that would not have been the same. Remember, they did not have Scripture to study regarding this new dispensation. The only authority was Paul so they wanted to spend as much time with him and under his teaching as possible. What is our authority today? It is the Word of God. The current trend among Christians is to read books written by men about the Lord Jesus Christ or the Word of God. That is not the way it ought to be. We should desire to know more of Jesus Christ and the revelation given by Paul and we need to learn it through the Word of God. Do you search the Scriptures daily to grow closer to the Lord and to learn more about His program for the Body of Christ?

As believers, it must be our goal to be established in the faith. Romans 16:25 tells us this can only happen through the ministry of Paul. It says,

“Now unto him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began.”

The Bereans wanted to be established in the faith so followed or accompanied Paul to Athens so they could continue learning from him.

We can know Christ in His glorified position only through the ministry and letters of Paul. How important is that to you? In Philippians 1:21, Paul wrote his own testimony; “For me to live is Christ.” That was His priority.

So could we say that those who love the Lord love Paul? It would be like asking if the Children of Israel loved Moses as they did God. In Exodus 18:14-15 we will read about Moses and his relationship with the Children of Israel.

“And when Moses’ father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing tat thou doest to the people? Why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God.”

We might similarly apply this to ourselves under the administration of grace. We go to Paul to enquire of God.

In Exodus 18:25,

“Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And they judged the people at all seasons; the hard cases they brought to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.”

In that way men like Silas and Timothy were appointed to be helpers of Paul to ease the burden. As Moses was the authority for Israel, Paul became the authority for all men under grace.

It would have been wrong for Israel to take Moses for granted, evading him in matters that pertained to God. It is just as wrong for us today to take Paul for granted in our affairs that pertain to God. The Bereans recognised his authority. For them, the message God committed to Paul was a matter of life and death. For us today it is also a matter of life and death. Reject it and the wages of sin is death. Embrace and believe it and experience all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

How important is Paul and the message given to him by God. Look at Romans 2:16. He is speaking of the judgment of God against those who reject and it says,

“In the day when God shall judge the secrets of man by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”

Whose gospel?

Paul said it was his gospel. The Bereans searched the Scriptures to see if these things be so and found them to be so. They deemed Paul, his ministry and his message to be of utmost importance. What about you? 1 Corinthians 11:1 says,

“Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”

You need to make that choice today. Who will you follow?

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Acts 17:16

Can culture, refinement, intellect and religion provide peace with God?  Athens was the cultural and intellectual center of the world.  It was also full of idols.  Paul was in Athens waiting for Silas and Timothy to join him and in Acts 17:16 I read,

“Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.”

This was the normal way of life to the unbelieving people of Athens.  Notice how this environment affected the apostle Paul, “His spirit was stirred in him.”  The word stirred comes from the Greek paroxusmon from which we get our English “Paroxysm” which is the word commonly used for a fit.  It is defined as a sudden outburst of emotion, irritation, or provocation. Paul, being led of the Holy Spirit, could see what the ordinary citizens of Athens could not see.  He saw evil.

The people were worshipping the work of their own hands. In Isaiah 44:13-17 we read,

“The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.  He heweth down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest; he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.  Then shall it be for a man to burn; for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he maketh a god and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.  He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied; yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha; I am warm, I have seen the fire; And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image; he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith , deliver me; for thou art my god.”

Those verses describe the kind of religion found in Athens.  They had, according to Pliny, 3,000 public idols plus countless individual idols.  It was jokingly said of Athens that it was easier to find a god than a man in Athens.  Even in this great diversity, there was an ecumenism, a unity of purpose for they worshipped so many.  There was no true faith.  In all of their intelligence, culture and religious fervor, they were ignorant of the truth for in verse 23 Paul voiced what he had earlier detected,

“For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.”

This scene in Athens sickened the apostle and well it should, especially as we also note that the great city of Athens was “wholly given to idolatry.”  Paul found religion but it was an evil religion and it gave him a “spiritual fit.”  It irritated him because it also irritated God.  We are admonished to think as God thinks.  Philippians 2:5 tells us,

 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” 

Any true believer should have felt the same way as Paul felt that day.  Any true believer today should also feel that way when he observes satanic orgies or drunken parties.  Paul’s response to the philosophies and religions of the world should also be our response to them today.

We know the people of Athens were searching because of the great number of devotions.  If they were sure they would have settled with one god.  Having so many gods and spending all their time in nothing else shows us that they were not satisfied with their ecumenism.  They did have the peace which passeth all understanding for all of their gods were man made.  Nor could they solve their problems, otherwise they would not have had to keep searching.

These were intelligent people and we learn that from history.  Who does not give the Greek philosophers a special place in history?  Plato’s Republic is still being used in political science. They were very intelligent people but also ignorant of the truth.

They had not learned much from history.  Look at what happened at the tower of Babel when men delved into astrology.  But do not only blame those of history but the people of today are just as guilty.  In our New Age, humanistic philosophies man is again turning to the stars, developing man made reflective crystals in an effort to harness the force of the universe.  Would Paul feel the same today were he to walk down the streets of many of our own Australian cities?

It is time to stop now and ask,  “What is idolatry?”  For an answer we turn to Colossians 3:5.  Paul says, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”  A covetous city is also an idolatrous city.  An intelligent city, a cultural city or a city of refinement can also be idolatrous cities.  Look at 1 Corinthians 1:21:

“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” 

The world by wisdom knows not God and this is as true in the 21^st century as it was the lst century far away in Athens.

You cannot find God in culture, refinement, intelligence or religion.  The Bible says in Romans 10:17,

“So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” 

Those living in Athens grew accustomed to the social and religious conditions of the time.  Looking ahead in chapter 17, this culture included the Jews religion for they were also part of the population of Athens.  When in Athens Paul disputed in the synagogue of the Jews.  What did the Jews do for those seeking God in Athens?  They did the same thing that religion does for the seeking population of the world today.  They added to the confusion and the spiritual unrest of the citizens.

Do you sometimes feel sick at heart when you look upon the distorted spiritual condition of the world today?  Is your spirit ever stirred within you?    Try looking about with prayer in your heart.  Our text in Acts 17:16 tells us that Paul “saw the city wholly given to idolatry.”  The word saw is from the Greek theoreo from which we get our English word “theatre.”  Paul gazed and continued with a prolonged gaze as looking at some spectacle.  He was not filled with wonder at this great city with its magnificent architecture.  He saw behind those scenes; He saw what God saw because he had the mind of Christ.

I am reminded of Matthew 24:1,2,

“And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple.  And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? Verily, I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” 

We may look at the magnificence of things man has made.  We may see a city wholly given over to idolatry.  But God looks upon the hearts of the people and sees sin.  God is sick at heart as he looks at mankind seeking for His peace.

How does the sin of this world affect you?  The Holy Spirit wants to make us sensitive to sin in the same way that Paul was sensitive to sin.  The Church, the Body of Christ, needs to stop looking at beautiful buildings, wealth, possessions and entertainment and start looking to God and the Word of God.  We need to see the world through God’s eyes and we can only do that if we have the mind of Christ.

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Acts 17:17

How do we react to the sin around us? How should we react to the sin around us? We know that in 2 Timothy 3:13 we are told

“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

Does that mean it is inevitable and we can do nothing about it? The apostle Paul was in Athens, the cultural centre of the known world and in verse 16 we read

“His spirit was stirred in him when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.”

What did he do about it?  Acts 17:17 says,

“Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.”

He was not complacent with sin and idolatry. He could have found himself a peaceful room and waited for Silas and Timothy. That does not sound like Paul to me. Because he was stirred he therefore took action. He launched a three pronged attack. He went to the synagogue of the Jews; He went to the religious leaders and he went into the market to meet with the general public.

I do not need to tell you that we live in a degenerating world. The people of our country are becoming more and more sinful. When I was a youth the word “homosexual” was a word we did not use. Four letter words were not allowed in the media, radio, movies, magazines or books. In school the most serious problem was talking or chewing gum in class. Those things that were really bad in the forties and fifties are the norm today.

Paul saw the sin and attacked the problem. He sought support by going to the synagogue of the Jews, those who knew God. They had the ten commandments which began,

“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them. . .” (Exodus 20:4-5).

Why would these Jews be involved in such idolatry as that in Athens? Keep in mind that we are dealing with Gentiles and there was no power in the Law of Moses to apply it to them. It would do no good to tell the idol worshipping Gentiles that God was displeased with their idolatry because that was their religion as Gentiles. The law, even though it was holy, just and good, was also weak. The Jews had no ability to withstand the sin of the Gentiles.

Paul did have this ability and this is why he went to the synagogue. There he disputed with the Jews; and presented to them Jesus Christ, the end of the law for righteousness sake (Romans 10:4). He reasoned with them showing them that the law was not the answer to the needs of the people but that Jesus Christ was the answer.

Then he went to the devout persons, those who worshipped and here it does not say what or whom they worshipped so we take it to be those he mentioned in verse 22, they were “too superstitious.” He confronted them on their own level and presented to them Jesus Christ. This group of people would probably have included the thinkers, the philosophers, the cultural leaders and prominent citizens of the community. They were the ones who later invited him to speak to the public on Mars Hill.

Then, leaving no stone unturned, Paul also went into the marketplace. There was always a crowd there for that is where the idlers hung around killing time. Others went there to meet friends and looking for something to happen. Our text tells us that this was his daily activity. Paul did not await help from Silas and Timothy but immediately began preaching to the people.

Perhaps Paul remembered this incident when he penned Ephesians 5:15-17.

“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”

Evil gives us a motivation for buying up the time. Paul did not merely shake his head in disbelief. He did not merely voice his disapproval of the idolatry. He immediately launched out in a one-man crusade to stop it and teach the people a better way.

The love of Christ that constrained Paul was in direct opposition to the constraining force of the superstitious Athenians. Many of them were devout and sincere in their religion. Sincerity does not give eternal life or even the conviction of being right.

Paul’s burden for the people of Athens was a result of his calling to preach Christ. He wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:16,

“For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid upon me, yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel.”

His calling was decided by the Father and it was the cross of Jesus Christ that could bring peace to the idol worshippers of Athens.

Paul was not thinking of his own comfort or life when he began his preaching in Thessalonica and Berea and certainly not in Athens. He testified in Acts 20:24;

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”

He would not idly stand by while the people of Athens headed for eternal damnation.

Paul always went first into the synagogues. This is because he had a great burden for his own people, the Jews. He wrote in Romans 9:3,

“For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.”

He was compelled to go to the Gentiles and preach to them that Israel had been set aside and God had opened the way of salvation to the Gentiles by grace through faith.

He would waste no time and so we believe that he immediately began preaching to the Jews, in the marketplace and to the prominent citizens of Athens. He exhorts us along this line as well as he wrote in 2 Timothy 4:2,

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

He set us a wonderful example to follow.

Years later he could write to Timothy and say,

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”

He set the example for others to follow and that includes you and me. He also told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:5,

“But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”

He tells that to us today in the Word of God and it is up to us to redeem the time for the days are evil. Can you do anything about the evil that is overtaking our world today? Perhaps you cannot stop the evil by yourself but you can be faithful in telling others of the peace and victory that is available in Jesus Christ. If you cannot leave your home today then you can pray for those who are preaching the Gospel of the Grace of God.

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Acts 17:18

Do philosophers, scientists, educators and politicians intimidate you? They did not intimidate the apostle Paul for he knew that he had the answers to their problems. He also knew that God was on his side. Today we are looking at Acts 17:18 as our text.

“Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics encountered him, And some said, What will this babbler say? Other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods; because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.”

These philosophers were deep thinkers, honoured and revered by the Greeks. But Paul knew their need. They were looking to human thought to answer all the problems of the world. That alone was enough to show that they needed authoritative answers.

But they thought they had the authority. Who could possible criticise the thinking and the writings of Plato and Aristotles, whom they quoted freely? There were others named Sophicles and Aristophanes. The philosophers had a history and heritage of which they were proud. But along came a vagabond preacher by the name of Paul. He was preaching of One they knew nothing about. Many would have scoffed at the name of Jesus. To them, no one could top Plato and no writing could be higher than his Republic upon which governments were built. They referred to Paul as “This babbler.”

I would like to explain the word “babbler” to you. It literally means a seed-picker and is best illustrated by a chicken out in the paddocks looking for food. It scratches the ground pecking here and there and at times finding a seed, which is edible. This indicates that Paul had traveled the known world picking up items of religion or philosophy, some of which he would have retained as useful and other bits he would have discarded as untruth. So they were saying among themselves, “Let’s see what this itinerate philosopher has picked up in his sojourning. Perhaps he can give us something new, that we have not previously known.”

One of the teachings that attracted their attention was the resurrection. A prominent teaching of philosophy was that of the Epicureans. This philosophy is summed up with the phrase, “Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.” Paul, in writing to the Corinthians quoted from Isaiah 22:13 in 1 Corinthians 15:32 and said,

“If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die.”

This same Epicurean philosophy is prevalent today in the world as humanity seeks temporal pleasure. There are nightclubs, theatres, sports arenas, casinos and all are vying for the time and money of people. Eat, drink and be merry and then what? Tomorrow we die; and then what? Paul knew the answer. Hebrews 9:27 tells us that “it is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgment.” The Epicureans of old and their modern counterparts have their part in the perilous times mentioned in 2 Timothy 2:1-4 who are “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.”

Then there were the Stoics, those who were indifferent to pain and pleasure, uncomplaining. This I term as the Australian “She’ll be right, mate” philosophy. These people are indifferent to external influences and this is a growing philosophy of this century. If you deny something, it ceases to exist.

No wonder Paul had a burden for these people of Athens. These philosophers were sort of the religious leaders of the day and they were leading the people down the path of destruction. He had to give them the truth and he had to get to Mars Hill to do it. That could only be by invitation so he began by preaching in the market place making Jesus Christ and the resurrection known. This was one philosophy they had not heard and they knew nothing about the resurrection of the dead.

The resurrection is the ultimate answer for it is the final destination of all mankind. All earthly philosophies end at death. The evolutionist may develop all kinds of theories of how man began and where he came from but none can determine where man is going except to the grave. No wonder that these philosophers of Greece were intrigued. They wanted to know more.

Science cannot allow for the physical resurrection for it is contrary to human understanding. The unbeliever can comprehend out of the body experiences, floating away into space while the body remains on a table or a bed. Paul preached a physical resurrection and it was proven because Jesus died and rose physically from among the dead.

According to our text in Acts 17:18, some of those philosophers were making Jesus like their own gods of mythology. Their gods came down from such places as Jupiter, Mercury or even Mars and mythologically took on human form. Was this not similar to this Jesus Whom Paul was talking about? They wanted to hear more about this strange god.

When Paul was called to Mars Hill he did not intend to quote from human writings to prove his point. Rather, he tactfully avoided any reference to them. He did what he later told Timothy to do, “Preach the word.”(2 Timothy 4:2).

We cannot win the world to Christ by using the doctrine, authority and writings of the world. That would be like trying to extinguish a fire with a match or saving a drowning man with a stream of water from the hose. This is what the religious world is trying to do today. By inspiration Paul wrote in Colossians 2:8 this warning,

“Beware lest any man should spoil you through philosophy or vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

The thinkers of Athens did not want to hear what Paul thought of the Greek philosophers. They wanted to know about Jesus and the resurrection. Of course, this is what Paul wanted to tell them for this was and is the gospel.

The Corinthian church was also in Greece. To them, Paul wrote,

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

How important was that resurrection? I quote from Romans 4:24,25:

“. . . If we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

The door was wide open there on Mars Hill and Paul could have been crucified or imprisoned for saying the things he told them. The authority of Athens was present but Paul was not afraid. Romans 8:31 says, “If God be for us who can be against us.”

The Greek philosophers were armed with the flesh and their own wisdom but Paul was armed with the whole armour of God. They had human resources but Paul had divine resources. I am sure that Paul also had faithful believers in other churches who were praying for him as he preached the Gospel in Athens. There were many who came to know the Lord after the sermon on Mars Hill. May we have the same courage to stand fast in the faith and may we have the same desire to preach the Gospel of the Grace of God.

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Acts 17:19-20

When the Gospel of the Grace of God is proclaimed many are surprised because they have not heard about it before, even though they may have come from a religious background. Why is that? We see that happening in Athens during the book of Acts where we read about the Greek philosophers and the apostle Paul in Acts 17:19-20.

“And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest is? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.”

These Epicureans and Stoics made it a point to learn and to know every philosophy, every religious belief that was being taught in the known world. There was a Jewish synagogue in Athens as we learned in verse seventeen. So we can safely assume that these thinkers knew about Jehovah and the religion of the Jews but took it as merely one of the many religions being propagated in that day. What they did not know or had not learned from the Jews was of the person of Jesus Christ and the hope of the resurrection. In verse 18, they heard Paul teach of those things. To them it was a new doctrine and something they knew nothing about.

What made Jesus so different? It was not His teaching even though he taught as one having authority (Matthew 7:29). It was not His miracles for there have always been sorcerers and wizards working the supernatural. Nor was it that Jesus had a following for they were wise enough to know that the majority was not always right. It was the resurrection that made Jesus different from any other Person in the world.

All religions have a founder; a leader, or an authority. Buddha is dead. Mohammed is dead. Confucius is dead. Christianity is the only religion in the history of the world that has a living, a resurrected authority and Head. It was unique for Paul to tell the Athenians that Jesus Christ is alive because He rose from among the dead. He died like all humans. But the grave could not contain the Creator and Redeemer. None of the philosophies and religions they had studied and heard could boast a resurrected Saviour. This captured their attention.

They were open-minded in that they knew they did not have a corner on all truth. The fact that they had a shrine entitled “To The Unknown God” indicated they were a searching group. They heard this strange doctrine from Paul so he was the one they wanted to hear. They insisted on hearing from Paul. The word brought is stronger in the original. They compelled him to go up to Areopagus, also called Mars Hill in verse 22. Areopagus is from a compound Greek word: Ares was the Greek god of war, and pagon the word for hill. The Roman name for their god of war was Mars and thus it was called Mars Hill. Two names meaning the same thing in two languages. This was the customary meeting place of the Epicureans and Stoics to hear and discuss the various philosophies. So far, they had not classified Paul’s teaching as a religion but merely called it, in verse 19,a new doctrine.

What made this doctrine so enticing was that Paul taught life after death. Whoever heard of such a thing? Had Paul taught a spiritual resurrection like reincarnation, they could have understood that. Had he taught that the spirit of man would live on in some non-physical state, that could be accepted and understood. But Paul taught a physical resurrection based on the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Epicureans had a problem here in that their hope was the grave: “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” Death was the end of it all as with an animal. They compelled Paul to tell them more and this showed they were not satisfied with their limited knowledge.

They referred to Paul’s teaching as a “new doctrine.” It was new to them and also new to the world. It had not been made known and they had not heard of it. In Ephesians 3:5 we read,

“Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.”

We mentioned earlier that there were Jews in the town who had the Law of Moses committed unto them. Being so far removed from Jerusalem, they had no knowledge of Jesus, their prophesied Messiah. Having no knowledge of Jesus, they could not have mentioned the resurrection. Jesus was the Resurrection and the Life but these Jews knew nothing about it.

Paul had a new doctrine and it was not found in the Old Testament and the Law of Moses nor even in the prophets of Israel. Concerning the resurrection, Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 15:51,

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.”

What new doctrine or teaching is this? Paul called it a “Mystery,” that had been kept secret but was now made known to him.

In verse 20, the Athenian philosophers referred to the preaching and teaching of Paul as strange. They said,

“For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears.”

This means foreign or alien things. That adds weight to the fact that the Jews had no knowledge of it and it was called alien.

Even as the Bereans, in verse eleven, these Athenians were eager to hear what Paul had to say. They said, “We would know therefore what these things mean.” They did not just want to know what the new and strange doctrines were but they wanted to know the meaning, purpose or what they would be. They wanted to know the result, or all the ramifications of all things connected to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Paul’s message was not that of the Law of Moses. It was not that of the Jews. The Epicureans and Stoics heard what the Jews knew and discounted it as another religion. But with Jesus and His resurrection they realised that it was something real and meaningful.

We know why the Law of Moses did not satisfy the people. It was but a shadow of things to come. Colossians 2:17 refers to it by saying concerning the handwriting of ordinances,

“Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”

Then referring to Christ in Colossians 2:10,

“And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.”

The Holy Spirit brought Paul to Athens. He prepared this influential audience for Paul. He was preparing the philosophers to listen to that which Paul would relate to them in this sermon on Mars Hill. They were seeking because they were doubting their own philosophies and mental perceptions.

I am convinced there are thousands of people just like that here in Australia today. There are people who are religious. There are people who know about the religions and philosophies of the world. These people go from church to church, religion to religion. Why? They are waiting for someone like Paul to come along with the truth of Jesus Christ and the resurrection.

There are many who have knowledge of the Law of Moses, of the Ten Commandments, about Jesus, Who was a teacher, healer and miracle worker. They have knowledge of the King of the Jews and the minister of the circumcision. But the big question remains. Have they heard of the redemption through His blood? Do they know that we can now have forgiveness of sins and be seated in heavenly places in Christ? Do they realise that every believer is complete in Christ, baptised by the Holy Spirit into Christ and blessed with all spiritual blessings the heavenlies?

These were all new doctrines and God revealed them to Paul. He wrote them down for us today. To many, they may still be foreign and alien. Follow the example of the Athenians and seek to know the real meaning of God’s Word to us during this Dispensation of the Grace of God.

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Acts 17:21

Man is incurably religious. This is proven throughout society whether we are talking about the most uncivilised tribes of remote areas or of the deep thinkers of Athens. This should not surprise us for man was created in the image of God as we read in Genesis 1:27.

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

One may be taught that there is no God but regardless of that teaching there is a seed of God-consciousness in every person and he will search for the truth throughout his life. This was certainly the case in first century Athens as we read our text for today in Acts 17:21,

“(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)”

If they had the truth they could have stopped seeking and would have been satisfied. They would not have needed to seek to hear of all new philosophies that were thought up by man. Instead they would develop the doctrine that had given them peace. We know they did not have peace because they did not have Jesus Christ and there is no peace without God. What did they believe? They believed anything and everything. They worshipped every god they could think up and just in case there was one they had overlooked they constructed a shrine that was named, “To The Unknown God” (verse 23).

Some will argue that the Athenians were philosophers and not religious people. Philosophy is religion. A philosopher is seeking to think through that which is right and true. Of course he is doing it from the wrong standpoint. They were developing their own gods. Did they not learn from history? Two thousand years before that time, God judged the world for doing the very same thing. Look at Romans 1:22-25,

“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. . .Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”

This passage from Romans is referring to mankind at the tower of Babel who sought their own godhood, their own super race, their own new world order. In verse 28 because “they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind. . .” God did not approve of them and cast them away. He gave up on them.

They were religious. From the human standpoint, they were wise. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 1:21, “. . .the world by wisdom knew not God. . .” Rather than claiming the truth of God, they by their depraved wisdom sought to develop their own God. What did God think about it? The last part of 1 Corinthians 1:20 asks a rhetorical question,

“Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”

God looked down on the Athenian philosophers in pity. Here were people for whom Christ died and they did not know. That was why Paul was there. Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 1:23

“We preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

The Jews were also religious but they rejected the truth of Christ. The Greeks were religious but sought truth humanistically. For us who claim Christ, He is the Truth and becomes our wisdom. Paul also admonishes us that our faith “should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:5). Many people have told me, “I am very religious.” I think they expect me to commend them for being religious.

Using the Athenians as an example, religion is the antagonist of Godliness. Religion is man’s attempt at pleasing God. Those in Athens were seeking ways in which their god or gods would approve of them. The faith of Christ is just the opposite. We accept what God has done in our behalf and by His grace we are accepted in the Beloved.

The Athenians had a good excuse. They had not been told about Jesus Christ. There was a Jewish Synagogue in Athens but even the Jews did not know about their Messiah. Even had the Jews known it would not have made any difference because Israel was being set aside and the one gospel was that one preached by the apostle Paul. He was the apostle of the Gentiles.

But still they had to be told. Religion was all they had and it was no help because there was no truth in it. Romans 10:17 tells us,

“Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”

Paul had the Word of God and it was commendable that these Grecian philosophers were eager to hear it.

Now, two thousand years later man remains the same, incurably religious and seeking the truth, but not in the right place. With conferences, synods, and churches catechisms are produced by the vote of present members at the meetings. Had this been the case on Mars Hill, the one true gospel would have run a poor last with Paul as the only follower. Truth is absolute and no man can change it. They will try to change the truth of God into a lie, but that does not make the truth of God of no effect. God is still the one and only Judge and He will judge according to that one gospel Paul preached.

“In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men according to my gospel” (Romans 2:16).

Hope is indeed dismal for those who are like the Athenians. They blindly tell and hear any and every new thing. I am reminded of the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 15:14–

“. . .They be blind leaders of the blind, And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”

There is but one thing we learn from history and that is that we do not learn anything from history. Religion has proven to be blind to the truth and no wonder. The Athenians and religion, in general, falls under the headship of Satan. The philosophers were idol worshippers as they had many physical objects of worship. They were classified as lost. We read in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4:

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Satan, who is called in Ephesians 2:2, “The prince of the power of the air” is still the god of this world and is blinding those who do not or will not believe. Man has not changed either over the last two thousand years. He still prefers to “worship and serve the creature more than the creator” (Romans 1:25). Paul then speaks of the last days of this Dispensation of Grace when men will be “lovers of pleasure more then lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:4).

How then could these religious philosophers of Athens come to know the truth? They could know it by listening to the Word of God as was preached by Paul when he ascended Mars Hill.

The only way the power of the evil one could be broken is by the Spirit inspired Word of God. Thus the greater power could overcome the lesser power with Paul, the instrument kin the hands of God.

This has not changed over the last 2,000 years. Man remains incurably religious. Man needs to allow the Holy Spirit to overcome Satan’s hold upon him and heed the Gospel of Christ which is the power of God until salvation.

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Acts 17:22

One of the spiritual problems of the world is that it is too superstitious. Paul said that on Mars Hill as he spoke to the Athenian philosophers. Read with me Acts 17:22:

“Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars Hill and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.”

He stood in the midst, in the middle of the group of philosophers who were gathered there. His desire was to get them all to hear for he knew he had the answer to their problem. The problem was that they were “too superstitious.” The word superstition is also used in Acts 25:19 where Festus reported on Paul before King Agrippa. In referring to the accusing Jews, they “had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.” The religion of the Jews was referred to as a superstition.

The word superstition comes from the Greek word deisdaimon which means “afraid of a demon.” If one is afraid, he looks for protection. Thus the word takes on the meaning of being reverent to a deity. The Greeks certainly were that for they had thousands of deities or gods which, according to Acts 17:23, they “ignorantly worshipped.”

Now Paul said they were too superstitious or too religious? Can one be overly religious? That is not exactly what it means. In some countries the word “too” is the same as using the word “very.” In the Philippines I often heard the word “too” when referring to music. “It is too loud,” actually meant it is “very loud.” Or it was “too good” meaning it was “very good.” That is how it is used in our passage today. Paul was saying to the Athenians that he perceived that in all things they were very devout. By saying this he positively attracted their attention and told the truth about them. This was a masterful introduction for he not only made them feel good but he prepared them for his main thrust which was that their devotions were wayward.

An example of this kind of devotion or superstition can be seen in Mark 7:3,4 where we read:

“The Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not, And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brazen vessels and of tables.”

Then the Lord’s words in verse seven is compatible with those people in Athens,

“Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”

They were religious and we can see they were also superstitious.

As the apostle looked over his audience, understanding their religious fervour, he probably thought of himself in his pre-Christian state. We see something of this in Galatians 1:13-14.

“For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it; And profited in the Jews religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the tradition of my fathers.”

This exemplifies the Athenians for they were devout above their peers. We could say that they led the world in religion or superstition.

The word superstition is not such a bad translation. If one practises a religion, he performs certain rituals or acts of worship for a two-fold purpose. He endeavours to please a deity. For the Jews, it was Jehovah, but for the Athenians, they massed all the deities they could dream up, yes, even one who to them was unknown, just in case they overlooked one. In trying to please their gods they could only appease their wrath. In the Jews religion this was the purpose of the mercy seat, a place of propitiation. In their worship they sought to turn away the wrath of God from themselves.

Do you not see in this the religions of the world today? They do what they do superstitiously, thinking that in so doing, the wrath of God will not be upon them. If they perform sacrificially, God will surely take pity on their suffering and shield them from the wrath to come. That is what superstition is all about.

Rather than performing religious rituals God commands that we accept that He has provided salvation by grace and I read now from Romans 3:25.

“Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.”

There is that word propitiation which means a “turning away of the wrath of God.” That is what the Athenians wanted because they were very superstitious or afraid of demons as we remember the Greek word for superstitious. No wonder the apostle Paul was so eager to make as many as possible hear the truth of the one true God.

If you have received the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart as your personal Lord and Saviour there is no need to fear, no need to be superstitious. Paul comforts us in 2 Timothy 1:7–

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

How can it be that one who is religious is also afraid? Being religious is the reason for being afraid. Trying to please God in your own strength is part of being religious. In so doing you forsake the gift of God. That was the plight of the Athenians as they were very devout but still did not know the one true God and the gift of salvation He provided through the Lord Jesus Christ. To be devout, sincere and fervent is good only if that devotion is directed to the right God. The Athenians knew they were lacking for they were seeking. They knew they were lacking for they had a devotion to the unknown god. Yet, they were very devout, probably more than many others Paul had encountered. But no matter how devout one might be, if it is misdirected, it profits nothing.

Paul gives his testimony in Philippians chapter three as he spoke of his own religious heritage.

“Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee.”

Now that all sounds good and could well relate itself to those on Mars Hill. Paul realised he had a spiritual problem. He felt he was not only right, but the best above his equals. But then he met Jesus Christ and suddenly realised his failure. He had sinned and come short of the glory of God. So he wrote in Philipians 3:7-8:

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ, Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”

Like the Athenians of old, there are many today who are too superstitious. You may be religious and devoted to your religion. You may fervently adhere to even the minute demands set forth for you because you are afraid of what might happen if you do not obey. Like those on Mars Hill there is a fear of missing the mark so you have to be very careful. 2 Corinthians 4:4 says,

“The god of this world has blinded the minds of those that believe not lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Paul knew the answer. Romans 10:17 says,

“Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”

That is your command. Get their attention. Get their ear. Win their respect. Then preach the gospel of Christ and it will not return void. There was victory on Mars Hill for we read in verse 34, “Certain men clave unto him, and believed.”

The spiritual problem was solved when they got rid of their religion and accepted the gift of salvation through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Is your spiritual problem solved or are you too religious or superstitious?

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Acts 17:23

The majority of people worship an unknown god. Therefore people today can relate to the Athenians. We read about them in Acts 17:23:

“For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.”

According to Pliny, a first century Romans writer, there were 3,000 public altars in Athens at the time and this did not include the multitude of private centres for devotions. The Greek word used here is bomon, which means a pagan place of sacrifice. If it were a divinely appointed altar it would be thusiasterion as was used for example in Matthew 5:23,

“Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar. . .”

The apostle Paul was beginning his sermon and sought not to condemn them but rather to get their attention and instruct them in those things they needed and wanted, namely, to know who was the “Unknown God.” He beheld their devotions, the objects of their worship. They were not worshipping gods but images or fabrications impersonating a god that did not exist in reality.

Did their philosophy determine their objects of worship or did their religion determine their philosophies? Being from the word bomon we learn that these altars were humanly appointed. Every object of worship, be it celestial such as the moon or the sun or terrestrial as some created being or thing, they then constructed a shrine in its honour. They were merely guessing. It was as if they were saying, “I hope I am right.” The methodology was to worship all the gods they could think of or that came to their hearing as we read in verse 21:

“(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)”

If we were to think of it in more modern terms we would think of joining all religions to make sure you were doing the right thing. If Islam or Hinduism or Buddhism were right then you would be safe. Then there are the many forms of the Christian church. Join them all to be safe. I know you are thinking, “How silly.” But those in Athens were doing just that to make sure. It is no small wonder that Paul was most concerned over this form of religion. It was imperative that he give to them the truth.

There are those of our generation who claim that it does not make any difference what you believe, just so you are sincere and believe something. Don’t you think those Athenians were sincere in their devotions? Paul saw through the folly of their worship and sought to set them straight in their thinking. Sincerity can never make up for untruth. You can be persuaded in your own mind that your religion is true and yet in a short time give it away in favour of another. Some people go through life this way. They change so many times they don’t know what they believe, But when that person stands before God, the righteous judge, he will see how wrong he was all the time

The Athenians had 3,000 various and sundry gods whom they could choose to worship but they were all false. In the back of their minds they feared that they might be false and it was for this reason they constructed an altar to the “Unknown God.” In like manner there is a fear in the mind of some today that perchance they could be wrong and then what. The Word of God says in Hebrews 9:27–

“It is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgment.”

Jesus Christ bore the judgment for our sin on the Cross of Calvary. Hebrews 10:27 tells us–

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God.”

How wonderful instead to rest in the hands of a loving God.

The Athenians believed. They had faith but it was faith based on error. Paul’s task on Mars Hill was to preach Jesus Christ but his listeners did not even know there was a one true God. They were raw pagans even though they were the most educated and the greatest thinkers on earth. I am reminded of the words Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:20–

“Where is the wise? where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”

Faith in an unknown god is no faith at all. Faith is only as good as the object on which that faith is grounded. That is why Paul limits true faith to one. In Ephesians 4:5 he wrote, “One Lord, one faith.” There are no alternatives, no other choices and no guesswork. The Athenians did not know this and unfortunately there are many today in that same position.

Paul’s audience did manifest their faith in their faith even though it was out of ignorance. Remember what we read in Acts 17:23, the apostle told them,

“Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.”

The word ignorance means “did not know.” Can you worship one of whom you have no knowledge? Many do that today. They worship, or at least pretend to worship, God but without a personal knowledge and relationship with Jesus Christ. It was the Lord who said in John 14:6,

“I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Then He goes on to say in the next verse:

“If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.”

Then He adds in verse nine:

“. . .He that hath seen me hath seen the Father. . ..”

You cannot know God without having a personal, intimate knowledge of Christ. The Athenians did not even know there was a person called Jesus Christ. Instead they developed their own system of worship and that is always dangerous.

In Matthew 15:9, Jesus spoke to the scribes and Pharisees and said:

“In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”

The worship of the Athenians was vain and useless without the personal knowledge and relationship with the Son of God. You cannot worship what you do not know and so Paul’s goal in his sermon on Mars Hill was to declare Him as he says, “Him declare I unto you.” The word declare is to report or to preach or in other words to make Christ known to them.

With this, he got their attention for they did want to know who was the “Unknown God.” They were confused for they did not know who or what to worship. They wanted to be free of confusion and stable in their thinking and worship.

A quick survey of all the religions, sects and cults of man will show that each one has knowledge about God, or that which they call God, but they fall short of knowing Him. You cannot know God if you deny or reject the one Saviour, the Son of God. Jesus Christ is the way to God. He is the mediator between God and man.

Galatians 4:9 tells us:

“But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements. . .”

There is a peace, an assurance that the world cannot comprehend and that religion cannot provide. God is not only to be worshipped but He is to be experienced as a new and living way of life. When you know Him by experience you have the assurance of Romans 8:16,

“God’s Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”

What blessed assurance is ours and that was foreign to the philosophers of Athens.

My prayer is that the truth of Jesus Christ is not foreign to you today. Put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and know the one true God Whom to know is eternal life.

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Acts 17:24, Part 1

Evangelism begins with creation. The apostle Paul masterfully got the attention of those gathered on Mars Hills and in Acts 17:24 got into the meat of his message,

“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands.”

He began by introducing God, the Creator, to the Athenian philosophers.

We can dogmatically say that you cannot be a Christian without believing in God the Creator. Hebrews 11:6 says,

“He that cometh to God must believe that he is. . .”

The Bible, God’s revelation, begins with that fact, “In the beginning God. . .” Did Paul have to prove the existence of God? They knew there was a god; they just did not know the one true God.

Paul introduced God to them with the simple fact of creation. How else could they explain their existence. The atheistic evolutionist cannot explain things that exist. They do not even agree among themselves when it comes to their origins.

These philosophers knew of God and they were smart enough to know that they did not know how it all came into being. Evolutionary evidence changes with every scientist. Each generation reveals a new concept demonstrating that they do not know anything at all. But we know that “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Creation demands a Creator. The world demonstrates design and that necessitates a designer. The perfect example of design is the human being, so fearfully and wonderfully made. No thinking person would be able to say it just happened. The Athenian philosophers certainly were not atheists. Their problem was they did not know the true God and so had made themselves many gods.

Our text establishes the fact that God made the world and all that is in it. We know that He created all things by Jesus Christ. John 1:1-3 says–

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.”

There is no argument but that “the Word” was Jesus Christ for in verse 14 it says, “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” Paul enlarges on this in Colossians 1:15-17 referring to Jesus Christ,

“Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature; For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers; all things were created by him, and for him; And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”

The word consist means “held together. Not only is God the Creator but He is the Sustainer as well. How else could we account for the order of the universe.

Time is determined by the stars and planets. There is such perfect order that their rotation is the same day in and day out. It can be determined to the smallest detail, even to a part of a second because when God created the sun, moon and stars, it was “good.” There is nothing but perfection with God. Mariners determine their position on the vast oceans by viewing the stars. A friend of mine flew a single engine aeroplane from Los Angeles to Manila with only a sexton to guide his route. He did not wander off course and dared not risk it because he had a limited amount of fuel. We can trust the authenticity of the Creator because by Him all things consist.

The Athenians were asking the question, “Who was this unknown God?” The Psalmist writes in Psalm 14:1–

“The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.”

The fool prefers to yield to the conflicting and confusing evolutionary principles than to admit the truth and reality of God. They became as those mentioned in Romans 1:25–

“Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the creator.”

Those on Mars Hill had studied, thought about and perceived as much as possible of the science known to man at that time. It did not satisfy for it did not answer their questions. They still had an unknown god. The modern evolutionist has gone as far as he can go in knowledge but there are still unanswerable questions because to him God remains unknown. But the Athenians had one thing going for them. They admitted that they did not know everything. They were open-minded to that which was unknown. That distinguishes them from those of our New Age world today. The trend is that man is able to solve all his problems if he is given enough time and cooperation. The cry is, “Let us unite, pool our intellectual resources and we will solve all problems and become a perfect society.” Leaving God out of the equation, man only proves the truth of God’s Word that says,

“Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” (1 Corinthians 1:20).

What is the end of such foolishness? God gives the answer in the previous verse.

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

Paul was thankful that the Athenians were open to the truth. He was grateful because he would know they were not atheistic. Instead they were agnostics who did not know if there was one true God. They were teachable. The Holy Spirit was able to work convicting them of their sin.

The first step in evangelism is to acknowledge the sovereignty of God as the Creator of all things in heaven and earth. Paul established that fact in Athens and then set out to build upon it, showing the inability of any creature to please God by self-effort.

We, like the men of Athens, are unable to please the holy and righteous God and there is no hope for us outside of His love and grace. Ephesians 2:4-5 tells us:

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).”

Are you searching for God as were the philosophers on Mars Hill or can you say with Paul as he wrote to Timothy:

“I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”

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Acts 17:24, Part 2

If God does not dwell in temples made with hands, then where does God dwell? Our text today is the last part of verse 24 of Acts chapter seventeen.

“Seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;”

As a child I went to church every Sunday and the beginning of every service heard, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.” It was much later that I learned that was from the Bible (Psalm 122:1). With that training I thought that God was only in that building. I wondered about the other church buildings in our town. Then I wondered if I could only talk to God in that building.

There was a time when that was true. The Psalmist was right under the dispensation of the Law. The center of legal worship was the tabernacle and later became Solomon’s temple. It was God’s will and plan to dwell with His people, Israel, and so we read in Psalm 76:2

“In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.”

Where is Salem? It is God’s city, Jerusalem, also known in Scripture as the City of David. This truth appears innumerable times in the Old Testament and in prophecy as in Isaiah 8:18,

“Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in Mount Zion.”

The word dwelleth appears in all these verses and means to be settled in a dwelling, to be fixed in a place. This action is demonstrated in 1 Kings 8:10-13–

“And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord. Then spake Solomon, The Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in forever.”

God chose to dwell with His people in the Holy Place where dwelt the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat on top of it. So the temple was called the house of the Lord. It had to be because everyone who went there for sacrifice and for worship would be glad to go into the house of the Lord.

But where is the house of the Lord today? There is no tabernacle or dwelling place. There is no temple, in which to worship. Certain churches may call a building a temple but that does not make it necessarily the dwelling place of God. Today’s temples are not built after the specifications set down by God to Moses. There is no tabernacle or temple on earth that is in obedience to such divine specifications as seen in Hebrews 8:5–

“. . .As Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle; for See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.”

There was only one tabernacle and that served as a pattern for the temple in Jerusalem. When that temple was destroyed by the Roman General Titus in 70 A.D. there was never a replacement. God chose to dwell with His people in the Holy Temple. But then, God changed His program and plans. He chose to dwell with His people in the person of Jesus Christ. God was made flesh and according to John 1:14, “dwelt among His people Israel.” John 1:11 says, “He came unto His own. . .” God chose to dwell with His people in the Holy Place, behind the veil. Matthew 27:51 tells us that the veil was rent from the top to the bottom proving that it was supernaturally rent for no man could do it from the top. Why was it rent or torn in two? God was rejected by His own and ceased to dwell with them. Because of that rejection God was no longer present. Later the call came in Acts 3:19-20 for Israel to:

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.”

Until the Lord returns as promised, God does not dwell in temples made with hands. Stephen said in Acts 7:48,

“Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet.”

Paul emphasises this truth in our text in Acts 17:24,

“. . .the Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands.”

Physically, the King is in exile and does not dwell on earth. God has instead revealed a way whereby He is able to dwell with man today and that is within man. To those who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour, Paul wrote,

“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.” (Romans 8:9).

It would not be possible for us to pray or communicate with God if the Holy Spirit did not dwell in us.

To the Corinthians Paul wrote,

“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which s in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own.” (1 Corinthians 6:19).

Earlier in this same letter in 3:16,17 he wrote,

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”

I said earlier that this new abode of God was not part of God’s prophetic program. It was a truth hid in God for as long as God was dealing with Israel according to the Law. But now, God has revealed this gospel of the grace of God to and through the apostle Paul and it is this Paul who wrote in Colossians 1:27–

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

Not until the writings of Paul do we see this truth about the indwelling Godhead.

Jesus Christ is physically absent and will be until His Second Coming to establish His earthly Kingdom. But that does not mean He is absent from the affairs of this world for by indwelling every believer, He is at work constraining and using each willing Christian to do His bidding.

Paul was right in saying that the most high does not dwell in temples made with hands. Actually, he was saying that God does not dwell in any of those objects of devotion that were found in the city of Athens. If He chose to depart from His own temple it would be impossible for Him to take up residence in any pagan altar.

It would be also unjust to leave this earth, go back to Heaven and watch to see how many people can do the right thing alone. No, He has chosen to involve Himself with every Christian by living within that person. Romans 8:16 tells us that:

“God’s Spirit bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”

Because of this we are able to worship God anywhere, pray to God anywhere and praise God anywhere. This is right and acceptable in His sight.

Where is Jesus Christ in relation to you? Is He a remote God Whom you try to reach in prayer? Is He one Whom you meet in church? Or as a Bible-believing Christian do you know by faith that He dwells in you? If you have received Him as your Saviour then you are always in His presence and He is in you.

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Acts 17:25

Who is God? I don’t think we can satisfactorily answer that question with words. That is where faith comes in for Hebrews 11:6 tells us

“He that cometh to God must believe that he is. . .”

Paul was speaking to pagans on Mars Hill in Athens and was introducing them to God. Referring to God, he said in Acts 17:25,

“Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath and all things.”

A distinguishing mark of paganism is a physical activity or something done with men’s hands.

God was displeased with the children of Israel in the wilderness. In the absence of Moses, they made a golden calf. It was something they could see to worship. According to Exodus 32:17 and 19, their method of worship was to shout and dance around the calf. They were behaving like the Egyptians from whom they had been freed from slavery. They were acting like the Gentile or pagan idol worshippers of the day.

Yes, I said, “of the day.” Paganism in 2000 B.C. was not much different than that of this day. It is still a mark of paganism to indulge in some kind of physical activity. Some may build a temple and for others it is the need for some kind of charm, amulet, or relic that they think will form a bridge between them and their god. Just as paganism found its way into the Israelite camp, it finds its way into the professing Christian church in the form of candles, crosses, robes and many other objects thought necessary for worship. One of the needful things for the Athenians to know was that the one true God could not be worshipped with men’s hands.

Why couldn’t God be worshipped with men’s hands? Verse 25 continues, “as though he needed anything.” When God introduced Himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14, we read,

“And God said unto Moses, ‘I AM THAT I AM;’ and he said, ‘Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.'”

The name for God is I AM and that means the self-existing One. We can prove this by the fact that He created all things and by Him all things hold together.

He does not need anything but everything needs Him. Without God nothing or no one could exist. Why did Paul tell this to the Athenians? They had thousands of items of devotion scattered throughout the city in the vain attempt to reach and please God. He does not need these works of men’s hands but more importantly He looks at them as abominations. Our very existence proves the existence and personality of God. I say this for man was created in His imagine, having a God-consciousness. In speaking to those who knew not God, Paul said that God gives to all life, and breath and all things.

The very fact that those pagans on Mars Hill had a god-consciousness proves the divine creation. Paul was introducing them to the one true God, the One who created them and everything else. The human race is the only part of creation that is created in God’s image. In Genesis 2:7, God breathed into Adam’s nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. He did not do this with any of the animals for they were not created in His image. Man alone became a living soul. The soul of man is the mind, the ability to reason, the seat of affections. Without a soul, the men of Athens would not be philosophers for they would be unable to reason. Paul was able to present arguments, facts of life, and they could respond to that message.

The philosophers could look around, consider the likes of Mount Olympus and wonder how it got there. Now for the first time they were told of the One Who made it. Instead of worshipping the sun, the moon or the stars they now could worship the One Who created it all. It may well have been that this was beyond their comprehension as it is with so many today. They were given a logical answer for the existence of all things. They were told there is a Master Designer and He put the stars into place. He maintains the seasons year after year.

With this introduction to this great sermon on Mars Hill, the apostle Paul was leading these Grecian philosophers in their thinking, for the very first time, to the reality of the Supreme Creator. Paul was causing them to think of the immensity of God. He was telling them that only a super intelligence, or Someone Who was omniscient could create such an organised universe in all of its complexity. Up until this time, these great thinkers were faced with many mysteries. Where did man come from? Where did life begin? How did the stars get into the sky? What keeps all things in order? Even today evolutionists haggle over those questions. The apostle gave them the simple answer. It was God and “Him, declare I unto you.”

So what is this newly acquired knowledge going to do for them? The goal is salvation. God did not create all things without a reason or purpose. In Isaiah 43:7 we see the reason for creation,

“Yea every one that is called by my name; for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.”

How foolish to think that the Creator of all things would have had nothing in mind – no purpose, no direction, no goal. Ephesians 3:11 tells us,

“According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

In this great eternal plan of God, Jesus Christ is central. Why? It is because God is Christ and Christ is God. In Genesis 1:1 we read, “In the beginning God. . .” and in John 1:1 we read, “In the beginning was the Word.. . and the Word was God.” Therefore we can safely say that if you do not know Jesus Christ, you do not know God. It was the Lord Who said, “No man cometh unto the Father but by me.” John 17:3 says,

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

All functions of Deity are performed by the will of the Father, the work of the Son, and the witness of the Holy Spirit as 1 John 5:7 tells us, “these three are One.” Therefore as we know God in creation, likewise, we can know Him in re-creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says,

“Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. . .”

Ephesians 2:10 also tells us,

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. . .”

Can you answer the question, “Who is God?” Is He your Creator, your Redeemer, your Intercessor, your Hope of eternal life? If you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then you know God.

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Acts 17:26

There is sense in the statement that all men are created equal. We see this in our text today. Read with me from Acts 17:26:

“And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.”

Obviously this is not speaking of the universal fatherhood of God, for the atheists and pagans would not accept it. However, all mankind came from Adam, who, in Luke 3:38, was called: “the son of God.” Because someone does not believe it does not make it untrue. The Athenian philosophers of Mars Hill were seeking answers to the questions that have been asked, by their kind, throughout the ages. They are questions like, “Where did we come from?” and “Why are we here?”

In one statement, Paul puts forth the foundation of life. It is both medically and spiritually correct to say that the life of the flesh is in the blood. God made this point in Leviticus 17:11,

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood. . .”

But more than that; the blood comes from the father, not the mother. For this reason all of the genealogies of the Bible list contain only the fathers, not the mothers. Look at Luke 3:34,

“Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor.”

Thus our test reads,

“And hath made of one blood all nations of men. . .”

There would have been a definite unity of humanity had it not been for sin, which came as a result of the disobedience of Adam and Eve. Division leapt into the human race immediately for as early as Genesis 4:12, God told the first murderer, Cain: “. . .a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.” Later, as the tower of Babel was constructed we see in Genesis 11:8,

“So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth; and they left off to build the city.”

Then in verse 9,

“. . .The Lord did there confound the language of all the earth; and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.”

The nations came from one blood but were scattered at the hand of God.

When God does something it is not done by accident or haphazardly. God always has a method and purpose in what he does. He scattered them purposefully and again we look at our text in Acts 17:26. He “hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.” It is true that they were scattered but they were not left on their own. God determined the times. This is from the Greek word kairos, a season distinguishable by certain characteristics. I am reminded of creation itself in reading Genesis 1:14:

“And God said. Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.”

God has determined the times even before they were appointed by Him.

In the history of the human race, God has had His hand in the progression. We study the Bible dispensationally, meaning that God has changed or altered His methods of dealing with man. Before the fall in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were innocent. They were without sin and were not ashamed. But with taking of the forbidden fruit they were given knowledge of good and evil or a conscience. Through human history God dealt with man in differing methodology through human government, promise and law right up to this Dispensation of the Grace of God in which we are living at the present time.

We can look to secular human history to see such times demonstrated. There were the dark ages and the medieval period. Man was kept for many years in ignorance and then there was an awakening and the Renaissance was ushered in and that ironically coincided with the work of the many Reformers such as Luther, Zwingli and Wyclif. I feel strongly that God had His hand in those changes. He has determined the times before appointed.

This is obviously correct for the world must of necessity be brought to a place politically, economically and spiritually for the Great Tribulation and the activity of the Antichrist. There is much in Biblical prophecy concerning this man, especially in Daniel and Revelation. To have such fulfilled in detail, the times must be determined by none other than the Almighty God.

It is foolish for anyone to think that he can control his own destiny. There are too many unknown factors. James points this out in 4:13-15.

“Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain; Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow, For what is your life It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this or that.”

There are too many factors to be taken into account that can change ones life. Such things as earthquakes, floods, fire, accidents, diseases and the like can in a moment alter ones way of life. Our times truly are not in our hands, but in the hands of the One Who determines all things. But Paul is driving yet another point home to the Athenian philosophers. This God he is introducing to them also sets the bounds of man’s habitation.

In recent years much time, effort and money has been spent exploring outer space. This is a waste. The earth was made for man and man was made for the earth as we read in Isaiah 45:18,

“For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited; I am the Lord; and there is none else.”

He has set the bounds of habitation.

On this earth He has done the same thing. He did not create man and then let him shift for himself. He kept His hand upon man so those things would and could not get out of hand. It is true that He scattered man upon the face of the earth but He also kept a tight rein upon the goings forth of man. In Deuteronomy 32:8 we read,

“When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.”

It says, “He set the bounds of the people.” So much trouble, and bloodshed has resulted from man’s failure to accept what God has done.

Had Israel believed God and accepted His provision, they would not be in the continual mess they are in today. But man never learns. God has set the bounds but man tries to improve on His appointments. This has been the folly of man from the Garden of Eden. Man continually tries to replace God’s way with his own way.

Man has a history of rebelling against the determination of God. God will have all men to be saved and has provided the way through the blood of Jesus Christ. If all men are made of one blood as our verse in Acts 17:26 tells us, then all men have the possibility to be saved by means of the blood of Jesus Christ. God has determined that but man rejects it.

Do not make the mistake man has been making throughout history by casting aside the will of God in favour of your own will. Only what is appointed of God does succeed and we are required to walk in that will. You need to trust His provision on the cross for your eternal life. Your own way will lead to unhappiness and hell but God’s way through the blood of Jesus Christ will lead to eternal life in Heaven.

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Acts 17:27

What constrains one to seek the Lord while others try to blot Him out of their minds? Today we are looking at Acts 17:27. It says,

“That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.”

The apostle was addressing the Athenian philosophers on Mars Hill. It was a group of people who, up to this point, admitted that the one true God was unknown to them. Recall in verse 23 where Paul reminds them of the

“. . .Altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.”

Now in verse 27 he gets to the point that they should feel after Him. Think of yourself, blind or in darkness groping for the door or a light switch. You know it is there and long to put your hands on it. In Paul’s message thus far he has proven that God is there and they should be longing to lay hold of Him. How could he assume this? He could think that because of the previous verse. There he provided information concerning God as Creator and Provider and Sustainer. Anyone who knows this should seek Him. But we read from Romans 3:11-12,

“There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, They are together become unprofitable; There is none that doeth good, no not one.”

In Isaiah 55:6, the prophet said,

“Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.”

That was spoken to Israel, God’s chosen people, while they were in a covenant relationship with God. But as a nation they rejected God. They, as a people, forsook all of the agreements God made with them and prompted Paul to write in Romans 11:32,

“For God hath concluded them all in unbelief.”

Israel joined Gentile in unbelief thus prompting the statement;

“There is none that seeketh after God.”

But in Athens, Paul is telling Gentiles, “if haply they might feel after him, and find him.” In other words if they were seeking the Lord, they might find him. He adds one more curious thought in that verse when he says; “Though he be not far from every one of us.” At one time, when God was dealing with Israel, the Gentiles were far off. We see that from Ephesians 2:13. The apostle is writing to an assembly of believing Gentiles and says,

“But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”

Before the administration of grace was ushered in, through the ministry of Paul, all Gentiles were far off. But now they (and that means we) have the ability to feel after Him for He is “not far from every one of us.”

Lets look again at Romans 11:32.

“For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.”

Until Paul, those in Athens would not have any access to God for salvation was of the Jews. Only be becoming Jewish proselytes could they have access to Him. We can also read that in prophecy in Zechariah 8:23,

“Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you; for we have heard that God is with you.”

Gentiles were far off and could have access to God only through the nation of priests, the Jews. That all had changed. Paul was now addressing his audience, the Gentiles of Athens, on new ground. They were not far from God because of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:13 tells us,

“But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”

It has been said that God is only a prayer away. As Christians we know that because we read in Romans 5:2,

“By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand.”

But for the non- Christian, he is also able to approach God through the person and work of Jesus Christ on the cross. This truth is emphasised in Ephesians 2:18,

“For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.”

Through Jesus Christ, both Jew and Gentile have access by the Holy Spirit unto God the Father. All three persons of the Godhead are involved in salvation.

In order for one to take this step of faith and trust Jesus Christ as Saviour, he must see the need. Why would anyone seek the Lord? From our text in Acts chapter seventeen we see that we were created by God and our existence depends upon Him. Romans 1:20 explains this truth. It says,

“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.”

God had a purpose in creation. That purpose is seen in Isaiah 43:7 and that is to glorify Him.

“Even every one that is called by my name; for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him: yea, I have made him.”

So what if you do not bring glory to Him? They you are rebelling. Man, left on his own has no hope of bringing glory to God. So God provided the way through Jesus Christ and His shed blood. It was not just the fact that he became a man but that He became the penalty for sin. He took your place, your punishment. He took my punishment and died in my place. Romans 6:23 tells us,

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

In the sermon on Mars Hill, Paul revealed to the philosophers and onlookers that there was one true God and He was the God of creation. He created the universe but, more importantly, He breathed into man the breath of life. He also controls the bounds of our habitation. We live only by His good pleasure. Were it not for His grace we would all be condemned.

I can visualise the Athenian standing there on Mars Hill listening to this newcomer in town. He is teaching them profound truth. He is teaching them that there is a supreme God, the Creator, the One Who holds the world in His hands. He is showing to them the God Who has sovereign ability to move man, bless man and punish man as it pleases Him. Surely the philosopher would say in his heart, “Sir, what must I do to be saved?” Paul is directing their thoughts to repentance and we see this in verse 30 where it says,

“But now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.”

In acts 2:37, Peter was speaking to Jews, who had knowledge of God, when he called upon the people to repent. The audience in Acts chapter two was not pagan as we find in Athens in chapter seventeen. So it was not so surprising for them to be pricked in their hearts,

“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles; Men and brethren, what shall we do?” In Athens Paul did not have a God-fearing audience. This is what makes the sermon on Mars Hill so amazing. Paul had to, in a very short time, prove the existence of God, prove the work of God in creation, prove the sovereignty of God and then offer salvation through Jesus Christ.

For the first time in their lives the Athenians were introduced to a God who is a living person; One with Whom man could communicate, One Who was accessible. How strange it must have seemed to those pagans. Does it seem strange to you today as well? What are your feelings towards God? Does your knowledge of Him constrain you to seek His face and favour? Do you have a personal relationship with God, through Jesus Christ or are you still groping after Him? The only answer is the answer Paul gave to the Philippian jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”

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Acts 17:28

How big is God? I do not mean how big do you think God is for that is not the issue. Everyone has varying definitions and thoughts of God. One may think of Him as a figment of the imagination, others think He is a myth or a fairytale. More and more people are trying to deny His very existence. Paul, in speaking to the Greek philosophers in Athens, is proving the veritable magnitude of God and the necessity of a personal relationship with Him. We are now looking at Acts 17:28:

“For in him we live, and move and have our being; as certain of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.”

If God did not breathe into man the breath of life, then man would not be a living soul. Genesis 2:7 tells us,

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

So we are creatures of God. Paul rightly stated in 2 Corinthians 4:7,

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”

Paul rightly told his audience on Mars Hill, “in him we live.” But he also said, “in him we move.” The word “move” is from the Greek kineo that means to set in motion. We get our English “kinetics,” and thus the word “cinema” from it. This refers to the general activity of a human being. Consider the dexterity of the human body in sports, dance, musicianship and the varying abilities to perform any number of feats. No animal is able to perform operations as does a surgeon, nor could an animal construct a building or play a violin. Truly we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). I will read that verse:

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”

We praise God because in Him we move.

Then the apostle says, “in him we have our being.” Literally, “in him we are.” If it were not for God we would not be. If it were not for the mercy and grace of God we would not exist because God has had ample reasons to exterminate the human race as it has rebelled and rejected Him. God even gave life to the person who angrily shakes his fit at Him. When Jesus died on the cross there were those who demanded His death standing at the foot of the cross blaspheming and ridiculing. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

In like manner, God looks down from heaven on a sinful human race and says, “I have forgiven you. Will you accept my forgiveness?” What man is there on this earth who does not deserve to be cut off from life forever. But God allows sinful man to live, move and exist. We know why. God loves His creation and wants the glory from it. Remember that verse in Isaiah 43:7,

“. . .For I have created him for my glory. . .”

God allows man to live and gives him the opportunity to believe. Romans 5:8 says,

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

We are reminded that Paul is speaking entirely to unbelievers there on Mars Hill. As believers, we could readily understand that in God we live and move and have our being. But they were pagans, enemies of God. They did not have the Holy Spirit but Paul still told them that in Him they had their being or in Him they lived. Romans 8:9 tells us,

“Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

These men did not move and live in God spiritually, but physically because He created them. We must not forget that you and I were just like the Athenians before we trusted Jesus Christ for salvation and became Christians. We also were enemies of God and deserved condemnation. Paul wrote to the Colossians in 1:21:

“And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.”

God could not have allowed the gospel to reach us when we walked in unbelief if we did not move and have our being in God. We had a God-consciousness. The image, in which man was created, was marred by sin but man is still incurably religious and seeks something beyond himself. This statement is proven by Paul’s next statement in Acts 17:28 where he goes on to say, “. . .as certain also of your poets have said, For we are also his offspring.” This quotation comes from a work by Aratus, a Third Century B.C. Greek poet. He was pagan, a stranger from the covenants God gave to Israel. He was writing 250 years before the birth of Christ, yet he had a perception that man was the offspring of God. I am confident that he did not know God but he knew there was a god, a Supreme Being with limited understanding. He said that man was the offspring of God. Offspring is from the Greek genos from where we get our English word, “generation.” We can also see from this that man in an unsaved state has an innate knowledge of a supreme being and seeks to worship something or someone. Like Paul, it becomes our task and objective to direct such people to the one true God as Paul said it on Mars Hill, “Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.”

In our present world of religions there are many gods that man worships. The gods may be called Allah, Krishna or any number of names. I am reminded of what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 11:4,

“For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted . . .”

In these days of ecumenism, there is a growing number of religions differing from one another and confusing the multitudes. They are not of God for again in 1 Corinthians 14:33 we read,

“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace as in all churches of the saints.”

Paul sought to introduce the Athenians to the one true God and lead them to the saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, it falls upon you and me to do the same thing.

We have been commissioned, as Christians, to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who know not the one true God. We get this command in 2 Corinthians 5:20,21,

“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

There is only one gospel that brings salvation to man and it has nothing to do with sincerity but is totally dependent upon believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He died, was buried and rose again to pay the penalty for sin.

God loves His creation. He is longsuffering and continues to give life to every person. Because of His mercy He also wants to give eternal life to every person. But every person needs to hear the message. Are you doing your part today to declare the unknown God to the world?

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Acts 17:29

The Creator is always greater than His creation. We also see the Creator in His creation. Considering this we look at Acts 17:29:

“Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s devices.”

Being the offspring of God depicts a relationship. We were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). The Creator always has jurisdiction and supremacy over His creatures. Romans 9:20-21 tells us,

“Nay, but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?”

The inventor has power over his invention. Wouldn’t it be extremely foolish if God made man and then worshipped man? This is exactly what those intelligent, cultured philosophers of Athens were doing and they were encouraging others to do the same. They had a God-consciousness but they did not know anything about God. To them He was unknown as we read back in verse twenty-three.

God warned the Jews of the danger of worshipping graven images when He gave them the Law. Exodus 20:3,4 says,

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.”

But these Athenians were Gentiles. They were not given the Law and did not know the Law. They were making their own laws and fabricating their own religions and gods. Among other things, in his sermon on Mars Hill, Paul was seeking to teach them the folly and dangers of idol worship.

In Acts 17:28 it says they were all the offspring, the creation, the generation of the one true God. How foolish and offensive it would be to replace Him with works of their own hands. We are His offspring so we have a God-consciousness. It would be foolish to make a doll and then expect the doll to fall down and worship the one who made it. It would be even more foolish to make a doll and then honour it as your god when there is no life in it. This may sound ridiculous but that was what the Athenians were doing. They were worshipping the works of their own hands.

Their warped view of God did not make Him any less God. They faced judgment at His hands but they did not know it. It was Paul’s mission to warn them of future condemnation. To illustrate this, let’s go back to 1 Kings 18 where the prophet, Elijah, contested with the prophets of Baal. In verse 21, Elijah called this to a head by challenging 450 prophets of this pagan religion. There were two bullocks chosen, one to be offered to Baal and then one to be offered to Jehovah. The expectation was that fire would come down from heaven and burn up the animal sacrifice and this would prove who was the true God. The prophets of Baal were first and Elijah was confident because he knew there was no power among the false gods. As was expected, nothing happened. The false prophets prayed, danced, shouted, performed self-mutilation for almost all of the daylight hours. Looking at verse 30, Elijah disregarded the 450 tired and injured prophets of Baal and called the people to himself. He prepared his own altar with 12 stones to sustain the bullock. He dug a trench about the place of sacrifice. They brought four barrels of water and poured it over the sacrifice and repeated this making a total of 12 barrels. Then he uttered this simple prayer:

“Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.”

Then we see some action. 1 Kings 18:39 tells us,

“The fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.”

What did the people do? They shouted,

“The Lord He is God, the Lord, He is God.”

The people in Athens did not know that historical event. It shows the futility of worshipping anyone or anything other than the one true God. To worship or honour or praise anyone or anything else is sin and will lead to judgment at the hand of God. Why would educated people make idols or images out of gold, silver or stone? They were making statues, carvings, molten images and then worshipping them. Why did they do it? They sensed a need for a god. Because they knew not the true God, the best they could do was to make some of their own.

We can expect such actions from the unlearned barbarians. We expect it from the uncivilised. But Athens was the centre of civilisation, education and culture. It was the epitome of society. In their ignorance they changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature and his creation more than God.

We might think that is not happening in the world today. We know better. To the majority of Australians God is still unknown. In Matthew 10:33, Jesus says,

“But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”

Many claim to worship God but deny the Deity of Jesus Christ or deny the completed work of the cross, the shedding of His holy blood and the bodily resurrection. How much more do the people of Perth know God in the 21st century than did the people of Athens in the first century?

Take this test. What disturbs you more: your Bible unopened or the newspaper unread; missing the midweek Bible class or missing our favourite TV program; the church’s lack of growth or your garden not growing as it should; a lost soul bound for hell or a scratch on your new car?

How did you do on that test? Do you still scoff at those on Mars Hill? In their ignorance they worshipped things they made instead of the one true God. They did not know Him. Are you in need of getting your spiritual focus aimed correctly?

Jesus Christ is our Creator and by His grace He is able to make us new creatures in Christ. Paul wrote in Colossians 1:18-19,

“And he is the head of the body, the church; who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell.”

Is your life dwelling in Christ Jesus or are you worshipping and serving the creature more than the Creator?

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Acts 17:30

Can God overlook sin? We probably would say “No” but look at Acts 17:30:

“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.”

Before continuing I want to remind you of the four elements necessary for understanding the Bible. We need to ask ourselves the following four questions: (1) Who is speaking? (2) To whom is he speaking? (3) What is the occasion? (4) What is he saying?

In Acts 17, Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles, is speaking to those who are ignorant of God and His purpose for mankind. I say this because of verse 23 that says,

“. . .I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom ignorantly ye worship, him declare I unto you.”

They were ignorant, at least up to this time on Mars Hill.

Why were they ignorant? They were Gentiles. Up to now God was not dealing with them. We read in Romans 3:1,

“What advantage then hath the Jew? Much every way, chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.”

They were the Israelites and according to Romans 9:4,

“To whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises.”

So what about the Gentiles? They were:

“Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12).

God could not give to the Gentiles the promises of Deuteronomy 11:26-27. Here He told Israel through Moses,

“Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God. . .And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God.”

The promise was not given to the Gentiles for they were not given the Law. Why was the Law given?

“. . .For by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20).

Does this mean that the Gentiles who were not under the Law were not guilty? No indeed. I am reminded of Romans 5:14. Death reigned from Adam to Moses, through whom the Law was given. Then reading verse 13,

“For until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law.”

The Gentiles did not have the law nor the covenants but they were still condemned by being in Adam. 1 Corinthians 15:22 tells us,

“For as in Adam all die.” But God winked at their ignorance. He overlooked or passed over their ignorance. This certainly does not mean that He forgave them because of their ignorance; He merely was not dealing with them. But given the opportunity, they could be saved from condemnation because “salvation was of the Jews” (John 4:22).

An example of this is Saul of Tarsus. Read some of his testimony in 1 Timothy 1:13,

“Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious; but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”

God did not strike Saul down as he went about doing his evil works against the followers of Christ. Rather He had mercy on him when once Paul knew the truth. 1 Timothy 1:15 says,

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”

Ignorance is not bliss but one must be wise. 2 Timothy 3:15 we find Paul’s testimony concerning Timothy,

“And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

What about those who were not wise unto salvation such as the Gentile philosophers on Mars Hill? What was their hope? According to Ephesians 2:12 they were

“Without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.”

They were in this condemned position because of Romans 1:24,

“Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts.”

And in verse 26,

“For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections”

And most appropriately, Romans 1:28,

“Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind.”

All of these verses refer to the Gentile world before God called out Abraham and made of him a great nation, Israel. The Gentiles did not like to retain God in their knowledge. They were willingly ignorant. This is the terminology Peter used in 2 Peter 3:5, “of this they willingly are ignorant. . .” Of what were they ignorant? The answer is found in verse 2,

“That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandments of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour.”

The Athenians, representatives of the Gentile world, did not know God because they did not want to know Him. Does that sound like the world today?

Do you blame God for this ignorance? God has made Himself known. He has done it through creation. Romans 1:20 tells us,

“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”

Hebrews 1:1 tells us that God as made Himself known through the Old Testament prophets.

“God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets.””

Noting that all prophecy was given to and for Israel alone, these Gentiles remained ignorant of the truth of God. Then God revealed Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ, Who, according to John 1:18, “hath declared him” meaning God did it. But even in this, the Son was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:24).

Unless a Gentile became a Jewish proselyte he was by his very nature ignorant of both the person and purpose of God. The Gentiles had to be taught by the Jews and that was part of the so-called great commission. Matthew 28:19,20 says,

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations. . . teaching them observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. . .”

Israel could not fulfil that commission because of rejection. Therefore, the Gentiles remained ignorant of the one true God.

But now, with Paul’s ministry as the apostle of the Gentiles (Romans 11:13), the Gentiles are being taught. Look at Titus 2:11,

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us. . .”

I would have you notice that this grace of God has appeared to all men, including Gentiles. The word appeared comes from the Greek ephiphaino and means it shined forth or was brought to light. The salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, not by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ.

According to Titus 2:12, what is being taught? It says,

“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.”

This involves a change of your manner of life, a change of your inner motivations, or a change of heart.

Back to our text in Acts 17:30,

“. ..But now commandeth all men everywhere to repent.”

It says “all men” and that includes Gentiles and they need to have a change of heart. It cannot be done by the deeds of the Law but by means of the grace of God, the message committed to Paul and that he preached to the Gentiles in Athens.

God was no longer winking at the Gentiles because now they have the Gospel of the Grace of God. Now all men are responsible to receive Christ. God issues a command and the onus is on man to respond privately and positively to this command. What if man does not respond? Hebrews 10:31 tells us the answer,

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

God has provided the remedy through Jesus Christ and His work of death, burial and resurrection. His blood was shed to provide the perfect sacrifice through which man can approach the living God. The answer is to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

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Acts 17:31, Part 1

What is the penalty of unbelief? This question has always been the bottom line of evangelism, and it was with Paul on Mars Hill. Today we are looking at Acts 17:31. God commands all men every where to repent,

“Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”

What does the judgment of God mean to you? In Acts 24:25, Paul was speaking to Felix, the governor, and it says,

“. . . And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”

What did the judgment of God mean to Felix? It caused him to tremble. We don’t need to ask why for Hebrews 10:31 tells us,

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living God.”

Even the angels face the judgment of God. Go far back in history to the time when Lucifer, the beautiful angel, fell. He took away many other angels with him. Jude 6 calls them “Angels which kept not their first estate.” Peter also talks about them in 2 Peter 2:4 where he says, “For if God spared not the angels that sinned.” According to Revelation 12:4, one-third of all the angels followed Lucifer in his rebellion. These angels became the devils or demons, also known as evil spirits. Because of the terrible judgment created for them the other two-thirds of the angels did not follow Lucifer. In Matthew 25:41 we read,

“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

I like to think that God showed what He had prepared for the rebellious ones and so many of the holy angels did not leave their first estate. According to Mark 9:46 the judgment is in a place,

“Where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched.”

There are many who make of joke of hell but if they could get a preview of it they would be most serious and tremble at the thought of it. Do you remember when Saul of Tarsus was on the road to Damascus determined to persecute the followers of Jesus Christ? The voice of the Lord came to him from heaven. We see his reaction in Acts 9:6,

“And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”

Paul trembled, as did Felix, when he thought of the judgment to come.

Do you think the Lord was telling the truth in Matthew 24:51 when He spoke of the eternal condition of the unfaithful servant? What did he say about him?

“And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Can you see a word picture?

John 16:8 gives us the words of the Lord as He refers to the Holy Spirit,

“And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”

If the Prince of this world (Satan) is judged and condemned, what about his followers? Christ said in John 8:44,

“Ye are of your father, the devil. . .”

Look also at Revelation 20:12-14 to answer that question,

“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”

The lake of fire was prepared for the devil and his angels, a terrible punishment for those who rebelled against God. We see that all unbelievers are to meet the same fate.

What did the Athenian Gentiles know about judgment? They were religious and every religion has a form of judgment, whose severity depends on the judge. Most religions have a system of works by which they seek to appease the wrath of the judge. Perhaps many people live in fear wondering if they have been good enough to escape that judgment.

Go back to Acts 17:31, the God Paul is speaking about will judge the world in righteousness. He will demand perfection. Who could measure up to that level of righteousness? No one could measure up to God’s standards. Romans 3:23 tells us,

“All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death.” No wonder the Philippian jailer trembled. No wonder Felix trembled.

During the Great Awakening of the 17th century, Jonathan Edwards, a Congregational minister, preached his famous sermon entitled Sinners in the Hands of an angry God. He used as his text a verse in Deuteronomy 32:35.

“To me belongeth vengeance, and recompense; their foot shall slide in due time; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.”

In the crowded room where Jonathan Edwards preached there were no seats. People who were there testified that his message was so vivid that the people felt the floor tip and they saw themselves sliding into hell. They cried out to the Lord for salvation.

Words, on their own, can do little to convince anyone of sin and the need for the Saviour. But the Holy Spirit is the convicting power as He reproves sin and judgment. To receive the Saviour and be saved a person must first be convicted of his sin. There must be a heartfelt need before you would cry out, “What must I do to be saved?” as did the Philippian jailer.

I cannot say or do anything that would make you want to trust Jesus Christ as your Saviour. Romans 10:17 says,

“Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”

That is why Paul told Timothy to “preach the word.”

The Judge is Jesus Christ. God will judge, according to our text in Acts 17:31,

“By that man whom he hath ordained. . . in that he raised him from the dead.”

That can only refer to Jesus Christ and He is the righteous Judge. Note that He was the ordained, the appointed One and that is the definition of His name, CHRIST. Jesus Christ is the Saviour. Jesus Christ is the Judge. He cannot be both to the same person. If you call upon Him and claim His offer of salvation and hope of eternal life with Him in Heaven then He is your Saviour. If you do not do that then He will be your Judge. Is He your Saviour today? Romans 8:1 tells us that

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”

Let Him be your Saviour today.

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Acts 17:31, Part 2

There is a judgment to come and the resurrection of Jesus Christ proves it. Every message of salvation must include the resurrection for without it there is no nope and no eternal life. Many today deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without that there is nothing to offer and no hope for life after death.

Today I want to present to you Jesus Christ, as Paul presented Him to the Corinthians:

“Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4).

There is victory in the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ. If you deny the physical resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, you also have to deny the judgment. Our text today is Acts 17:31. I read,

“Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.”

The resurrection of Christ is assurance to all men. It is the assurance that there is life after death and I might add it is physical life. We will have a body as Philippians 3:21 tells us,

“Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”

Jesus said to the disciples in John 14:19, “because I live, ye shall live also.” If Jesus did not raise from the dead then no one would live; there would be no such thing as eternal life. It is even stronger in 1 Corinthians 15:17,

“And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”

Our eternal hope rests and centres upon His physical resurrection.

There is another reason why there is assurance because of His resurrection. It is because it shows to us that God the Father approved of Jesus and the sacrificial work of redemption on the cross. Had it not been good enough He would not have been raised from the dead and would have suffered for His own sin. But Jesus was holy, just and good. Twice, the voice of the Father came from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” The resurrection also gives evidence to that approval. In Acts 17:31 the word is ordained. It says, “That man whom he hath ordained.” The only other time this word, horizo in the Greek, is used is in Acts 10:42 and refers again to the judgment. It says,

“And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead.”

It means He was appointed by determined counsel. In John 5:22, the Father committed all judgment to the Son and put His stamp of approval on this appointment by raising Him from the dead. He had to righteous and holy to be approved of the Father. Now He is able to judge the world in righteousness just as our text states;

“In the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained.”

We must not forget that the apostle Paul was speaking to an audience of unbelievers. He had proven the existence and the person of God; their relationship to Him in creation and now he is proving their responsibility to believe. It was necessary for them to believe and embrace salvation because one day Jesus Christ was going to judge the world. Look at Revelation 21:5-6:

“And he that sat upon the throne said. . .it is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.”

Going back to Revelation 1:7-8 we see that the Alpha and Omega is none other than Jesus Christ. It says,

“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him. . .I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was and which is to come, the Almighty.”

That has to refer to the Lord Jesus Christ as He was the one pierced by a sword.

Paul is showing the Grecian philosophers that there is to be a judgment and he is revealing the authority of the Judge; the righteous One, the resurrected One. Were the philosophers convinced? It would have depended upon their acceptance of the person of God: His creation and holiness and also recognising that they fell far short of His holiness.

Finally, the apostle is presenting the fact that God provided a means to escape the judgment. We see this in Hebrews 2:3.

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation. . .”

Because God is holy, He cannot tolerate sin and disobedience. Paul, in this sermon on Mars Hill is introducing the Saviour as the One who has the power to forgive the condemned. He is either the Saviour or He is the Judge.

Paul found it necessary to present Christ as the Judge to the unbelieving Athenians. But to us who know Him by faith, He is our Saviour and not our Judge. Romans 8:1 says,

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.”

We are in Christ Jesus and there is no condemnation NOW or EVER because we have claimed Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Saviour and we have been baptised into Him by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13).

To the same people, at Corinth, Paul later wrote that “if any man be in Christ he is a new creature.” Note that he did not say that we will one day be a new creature but that, by the grace of God, we are NOW new creatures in Christ. We are in Christ by means of the Holy Spirit identifying us with Him.

You need to remember that if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, his death, burial and resurrection then you will not face the judgment. You belong to Him. Romans 8:9 tells us,

“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

If you are a child of God today, what motivated you to accept the Lord as your Saviour? Was it the thought of escaping the judgment? That was what Paul was trying to get the Athenians to understand on Mars Hill. He wanted them to know about the righteous judgment of God. That was the bad news. But Paul also wanted them to know the good news, that Jesus Christ provided a means of escape, that they could be free from condemnation and judgment. How could this come about? The answer was given to the Philippian jailer when Paul said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”

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Acts 17:32

Why do some people strongly object to the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ? There have always been those who doubted the resurrection of the Lord. It was no different on Mars Hill. Our text today is Acts 17:32. Paul continues his sermon on Mars Hill:

“And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.”

If what Paul meant was that it was a spiritual resurrection none would have objected. Even those who believe in reincarnation could understand and accept that as they believe the spirit of man lives on. But the philosophers of Athens knew that Paul meant a physical resurrection and that is why some of them mocked. This means they ridiculed him as, to them, this was an outlandish concept.

Our verse says,

“When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked.”

It was unbelievable to them. When a person dies he stays dead and this is the law of nature. It also struck at the very core of their philosophies and religions.

All non-Christian religions have one thing in common; they have a dead founder. Their deity has died. Christianity is the only system of beliefs that embraces a living, resurrected Founder and Saviour. That is one of the unique elements of Christianity. If Christ had only been spiritually resurrected then our faith would not be any different from the pagans of Mars Hill. Paul was knocking the props from under all that these Athenians held dear. It was a blow to their religions. It meant that all they believed was gone.

Paul spoke to them of creation back in verse 24 and I read,

“God that made the world and all things therein. . .”

And in verse 26,

“And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth. . .”

They did not make any comment or opposition. They could accept that. It was easier for them to accept that God made something out of nothing than to believe that the soul and body could be reunited. However we can see some examples of this happening. Look at 1 Kings 17:21-22.

“And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again. And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again.”

God recorded that as actually happening. In John 19:30, the spirit of Jesus departed from Him. It says,

“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished; and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

He gave up the spirit. The spirit departed from Him. This is what happens in every case when a person dies. The spirit and soul depart from him. That is why we can say, as Paul said, in 2 Corinthians 5:8, “absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

Would it not be an easy thing for the Creator to bring a soul back into the body? He created the universe out of nothing. Those who deny the physical resurrection must also deny the creation and replace it with a man-made theory. They refuse to accept anything by faith and trust only human reasoning.

Paul warned against this unbelief in Colossians 2:8.

“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

This explains the audience on Mars Hill very well. They could only offer the citizens of Athens and the cultural nation of Greece an empty deception called philosophy. They spoiled the people. It was customary in those days for an enemy to attack and defeat and then take all the goods and sometimes carry away the people. It was called taking the spoils or spoiling the people. What was true in the first century is also true in the twenty first century. Those who deny the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ have nothing to offer but an empty philosophy. Be not deceived for the physical resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is basic and essential to life for if Christ is dead so are all His followers as 1 Corinthians 15:17 says,

“And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”

Read the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

This is similar to Romans 10:9 that says,

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

So you see the importance of the resurrection of Christ in the Christian faith.

Why did those on Mars Hill mock what Paul said to them? John 8:44 tells us,

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. . .He is a liar and the father of it.”

In Romans 3:4 it is written

“. . . Let God be true but every man a liar. . .”

What lies are told about the resurrection? It has been said that Christ did not die but was in a swoon, having an out of the body experience. Another was that the disciples stole the body and spread the story of a resurrection. We know that was impossible as the Roman seal was on the tomb and the disciples were hiding in fear. Another idea was that he was raised spiritually and if that were the case our faith is most vain.

It takes more faith to believe in the man made explanations than it does in the simple fact that He rose again from the dead. Man does not want to believe the Bible and Satan does not want man to believe the Bible especially when it talks about the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ. Acts 5:3 tells us,

“But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?”

Without a spiritual mind, you would have difficulty understanding spiritual truths.

We live in an age of enlightenment. It is an age when human reason supposedly answers all the problems of mankind. Through the sciences we can solve emotional, political, medical and economical problems and even make attempts at solving spiritual ones. The truth is that our age of enlightenment is enroute to thrusting us into dark ages where Satan rules through the occult.

Those who mocked at Mars Hill refused to believe and it was to their undoing. But whether or not they believed did not change the truth. Jesus Christ remains the risen, glorified Saviour, the Lord of glory. He alone can save you from your sins and give you the hope of eternal life in Heaven. Is He your Saviour today?

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Acts 17:33-34

When the gospel is preached, why is it that not all accept it? The apostle Paul was not even allowed to complete his message on Mars Hill. He was interrupted when the subject of the physical resurrection was mentioned. Consequently, there was a division of the house. It was split three ways. There were those who mocked. Others manifested indecision. Thirdly, some believed. Why didn’t they all believe?

Pick up the account in Acts 17:33,

“So Paul departed from among them. Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed; among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.”

There were those who outwardly mocked or ridiculed Paul at the thought of a physical resurrection. They could not and would not understand it. They would not even allow Paul to explain it. This is not unlike our present generation. We are being filled by the media and can only see the shortcomings of Christianity. The mind is already set and no further consideration can be given.

Then there were those who simply procrastinated.

“We will hear thee again of this matter.”

They are non-committal, afraid of making a fatal mistake and need more time to consider it. There was such a man in the Philippines. I witnessed to him many times. He confessed that he knew I was right but he kept insisting that there was something he had to do first. I never found out what this thing was that he had to do and he never had the opportunity to trust Christ. While delivering a truckload of furniture to a neighbouring town, he was blinded by the sun and ran head on into a bus. He died instantly. It was very sad to think that he missed out on heaven because he procrastinated.

Consider the group who “clave unto him.” Even though Paul was not allowed to finish his message, not even able to give the invitation, yet they believed. Adhesive, glue or cement demonstrates the word clave. It means to be really associated with the person as in Matthew 19:5 where it tells us,

“For this cause shall a man leave father and mother and shall cleave to his wife.”

What did they believe? Remember Paul was not permitted to finish his message. They had not been told about the cross or the blood. Paul departed physically from Mars Hill and some of the crowd followed and stuck with him, desiring to hear more. We can know that Paul did not disappoint them. It was probably at this stage that they believed.

When Paul was on Mars Hill, he introduced them to the one true God, the Creator, the One Who maintained creation and had desired a relationship with all mankind. He showed them that man was by nature sinful and salvation was needed. In this short time he was able to introduce Christ to the point that those who followed him down from Mars Hill had a hunger to know more of the resurrected One.

They came down from Mars Hill for this was at a height of 113 metres overlooking the Acropolis, or citadel of the city of Athens. It corresponded with the high place of the religious world. We do not know how many took this stand and followed Paul but we have two mentioned by name: Dionysius and Damaris. Dionysius is classified as an Areopagite and that is the Greek name for Mars Hill. With such a title, he was undoubtedly a member of the court, one of the philosophers or leaders of the establishment. To have him cleave to Paul would have made a great impression on the common followers.

The only other person mentioned by name was Damaris. She was undoubtedly an important person because she was mentioned by name. From the mentioning of her name we conclude that there were women present on Mars Hill along with the men so we assume it was a public meeting and not just open to the Athenian philosophers.

Remember what Paul did before he came to Mars Hill. He went to the synagogue and to the market place preaching. Those who were interested would have followed him to the next meeting and that was on Mars Hill. The seeds of the gospel were being sown. Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7,

“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”

Paul could take no credit for himself as God was drawing men and women to hear the message.

There were others who clave unto Paul following his Mars Hill ministry. Acts 17:34 closes with the words, “and others with them.” That is the plural meaning two or more. Now Paul had a group who wanted to know more of this previously “unknown God.” Hey wanted to hear more about the resurrection. If there was a resurrection there first would have had to been a death. They wanted to know who died and why? Some clave to Paul whereas others mocked him. Some believed, some did not believe. We know the Word of God teaches that the Holy Spirit convicts a person of sin. Why did the Holy Spirit convict some and others were not convicted of sin? The answer is in the fact that the Holy Spirit was being quenched. Some were withstanding the truth. They were not ready to commit themselves to it. According to John 16:8, the Holy Spirit reproves the world of sin, but many deny, resist or reject His person and ministry. Thus 1 Corinthians 1:18 is true,

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God.”

That verse seems to sum up the conditions following Mars Hill. For those who mocked, they thought Paul’s message nothing but foolishness. But we also observed the power of God for certain of those present followed or clave to the apostle knowing he had the key to what they needed. We are not told about those who were undecided and said, “We will hear thee again of this matter.” We do not know if they ever got around to it. It reminds me of Felix in Acts 24:25-26. Felix said to Paul,

“Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. He hoped also that money should have given him of Paul, that he might loose him.”

He then left Paul bound or in prison for two long years.

Those who put off making such a decision rarely ever make it. It becomes easier to reject the gospel the second time then it was the first. I am sure Paul took no pleasure with those who neither mocked or clave to him; nor did God for he wrote to the Laodicean church in Revelation 3:15-16,

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would thou were cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

We can learn a lesson from the ministry of Paul on Mars Hill. How many of you, who are listening to this broadcast this morning, are cleaving unto the Lord Jesus Christ? How many of you are in between, as yet undecided? You are neither hot nor cold. You want to serve God and man at the same time. You need to make a decision. As we live in an unsettled world you do not know when you might be ushered into eternity. Are you ready to meet God?

–Pastor John Shriver 

Acts Chapter 5

Read Chapter 5 in KJV

Acts 5:1-10

How serious is sin?  Are there minor sins, white sins, grey sins or sins that are only half wrong?  Today we are going to look at these questions as the Word of God answers them.  For our Scripture we will consider the first ten verses of Acts chapter five.  The people involved in this story are Ananias and his wife, Sapphira.

From chapter four we learned that the requirement for the Kingdom Church was to sell all their property, put all monies into a common store and distribution would be made according to the needs of the believers.  In keeping with this command, Ananias and Sapphira did just that.  They had no choice but to sell.  In verse one we read that they sold their possessions. But as we read verse two it says;

“And [they] kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” 

The fact that they sold their possessions proves to us that they were members of the Jerusalem Church.  But perhaps there was a lack of faith or the fear that one day they would be in need or perhaps there were a few worldly goods which they desired to keep rather than to go into this so called “vow of poverty.”  For whatever reason, the Bible does not tell us, but simply says they brought only part of it to the apostles.

Perhaps we could argue that it was only half wrong.  At least they brought most of it to the apostles so there should not have been a problem with it.  God always demands total obedience and never partial obedience.  James wrote that if one offends in but one point of the law, he is guilty of offending in the entire law (James 2:10).  There are many examples in the Old Testament where God judged immediately and some might say, cruelly with those who did not obey His commands. Remember what happened to Achan when he stole some gold and garments after the battle of Jericho.  Not only was he killed, but his entire family and every animal of his flocks.

In Acts 5:3 see how God considered the sin of Ananias and his wife. “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?”  How did Peter know?  Only Ananias and his wife knew the truth of how much they had received for the land.

Keep in mind that here in Acts 5, the law of Moses was still in operation.  The Jews were experiencing a foretaste of the Millennial Kingdom.  Jesus Christ had told them in Matthew 6:19 not to lay up treasures on the earth.

No man can fool God.  A familiar verse is Numbers 32:23 which says, “Be sure your sin will find you out.”  The Bible is full of examples of people who thought God was not looking.  Jonah, the prophet, sought to escape from God by going the opposite direction to what God had instructed him.  But he was confronted by a severe storm and ended up swallowed alive by a huge fish.  King David thought he had everything planned perfectly in his adulterous affair with Bathsheba until God sent His prophet, Nathan, to confront David with his sin.  Now Ananias and Sapphira had conceived a plan to keep part of the proceeds for themselves.

Sin is always sin.  I know we are not under the law of Moses today.  We are under the administration of the Grace of God.  But God has not changed His views of sin.  Disobedience is wrong, has always been wrong and will always be wrong.  Today, however, God’s judgment is not immediate because He is operating by mercy and grace and wants us to have every opportunity possible to acknowledge our sin and receive His forgiveness.  Were we living under the law of Moses it could well be that we would all end up like Ananias and Sapphira.  What happened to them?

Read on in Acts 5 verses 4 and 5 where Peter says,

“Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart?  Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.” 

That same passage goes on to say,

“And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost; and great fear came on all them that heard these things.” 

God would not allow such blatant disobedience.  James 4:17 tells us,

“Now to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” 

Surely Ananias knew this was wrong.  This was not ignorance but a planned action. They forgot to reckon with the all-knowing mind of God.

Several hours passed and then Sapphira appeared.  She did not know her husband was dead and Peter said to her:

“How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?  Behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.” 

Then she also died and they took her out and buried her beside her husband.

So we are under Grace.  Does God look more kindly on our sin and wrongdoing?  The answer is no.  God holds us accountable for our every thought, word and deed, especially if you are a believer.  We have an advantage over those who lived in the days of Ananias.  The Holy Spirit indwells you and me today and gives us the power to live a life pleasing to God.  That same Holy Spirit also gives us insight into God’s Word, the Holy Bible.  Romans 5:5 says that God’s love is shed abroad in our hearts.  Thus if we disobey the Word of God, we are the more responsible.  At no other time in history has man had so much spiritual understanding.  We have the complete Word of God, nothing to ever be added.  We have the Holy Spirit indwelling.  We are complete in Christ and blessed with all spiritual blessings.  So much has been given to us by His Grace but God tells us that we must also stand before the judgment seat of Christ.  Now I must point out, this is not the judgment of the unbeliever at the Great White Throne.  We stand before the Bema Seat where Christ will judge according to what we have done after receiving Jesus Christ as our Saviour.  The reference for that is 1 Corinthians 3: and it says in verse 13 that “Every man’s work shall be made manifest;. . . and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.”

With all the Grace of God we have enough spiritual motivation to abstain from all appearance of evil ( 1 Thessalonians 5:22).  Even though we are saved by grace and are new creatures in Christ we still have the old nature conflicting with the new.  Galatians 5:17 says,

“The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh, so that ye can not do the things that ye would.” 

We have the power to choose but we, like Ananias, often choose to disobey God.  As Ananias was responsible for what he did we are also responsible but the grace of God gives us Godly sorrow and the power to change.

Can you see the purpose of God’s Grace?  Rather than striking us dead the moment we sin, He allows us to acknowledge our disobedience and allow His mind to take over our mind.  It is up to you and me to judge ourselves or fully expect His judgment.  In 1 Corinthians 11:31 we read,

“For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.”

God hates sin just as much as He ever did and we are responsible for our own sin or wrongdoing.  To the unbeliever the wages of sin is still death but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  To the believer, Paul commands in Ephesians 5:14:

“Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light.”

Be assured, my friends, that living in sin is direct disobedience to God.  God will one day deal with it.

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Acts 5:11-16

Does the world view the Church and Christians today in fear, toleration or disdain?  We are looking at the fifth chapter of   Acts.  The church  in  Jerusalem  had  just  witnessed  the  death  of two of their good   members, Ananias and Sapphira.  They had lied to God.  Peter merely pointed out that their sin was known and their punishment was then administered by the Holy Spirit.  What did the people think about the Jerusalem church after that incident?

Perhaps people were wondering “Who is next?”  What an object lesson; one false step and you experience the wrath of God.  In Acts 5:11 we read,

“Great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.”

They had to tread carefully lest they end up like Ananias and Sapphira. Keep in mind they did not have the books written by the Apostle Paul. Today we know that nothing – not even distress,  peril or sword can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus but that revelation came later by Paul and was written to the Romans in chapter eight.

Not only were members of that church in great fear; so were all who heard about it.  Such news would spread quickly.  Of course this was the intended purpose.  The power and work of the Holy Spirit was being manifest and the twelve disciples were witnessing as they were commanded to do in  Acts 1:8.  The work continues as we go on in verse 12,

“And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people.”

These signs were for the purpose of convincing the Jews of the authority of the twelve and the validity of the message they preached.  That message was simply that Jesus Christ was alive, He rose from the dead, and was proven to be the long awaited Messiah.

We read also that these signs and wonders were wrought or worked out among the people.  Who are the people?  Israel is called in the Bible the people of God.  When the children of Israel were in Egypt, God through Moses commanded the Pharoah,  “Let my people go.”  These signs and miracles were not designed for the Gentiles because it was the Jews who required a sign (1 Corinthians 1:22).  In Acts five, God was not in any way dealing with the Gentiles.  He did not deal with the Gentiles at all until Israel manifest unbelief and rejected the offer of the Kingdom and they were set aside.  If there were any Gentiles involved in Acts chapter five it was only because they were proselytes such as Nicolas, the proselyte of Antioch (Acts 6:5).  The signs and wonders were so prevalent that we read in verse 15 that they “brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.”  It must be noted that ALL were healed as verse 16 says, “and they were healed every one.”  It did not depend upon faith or circumstances and there was no failure for which to seek an excuse.  They were healed everyone!

Now let us go back to the parenthesis of verses 12-14; We read;

“. . .and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch.  And of the rest durst no man join himself to them; but the people magnified them.  And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.” 

The world stood in awe of them. They dared not join them for they were afraid.  They dared not arrest them because they were afraid.  So they had to attack in another way.  They left the twelve and concentrated on Stephen in chapter six and we will come to that in a few weeks.

Nevertheless there were many Jews who did believe and we read that multitudes (an unknown number) believed and were added to the church at Jerusalem.  The ministry of the twelve was effective to the population but those that really counted (the chief priests, Sanhedrin, Council of the Jews) were even more antagonistic.

Notice something else in verse 13; “The people magnified them.”  Who was being magnified?  The disciples were being magnified.  Was this right?  Remember here that the twelve were given all power and authority by God.  They were to sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel in the Kingdom (Matthew 19:28).  They were given the power to forgive sin (John 20:23). They were acting on behalf of Jesus Christ.  He had given to them the task of offering the Kingdom of Heaven to Israel.  They were not being magnified by the Gentiles or the world but by the people, the Jews.  How long did this last?  We have to look and see what happened to the authority of the twelve.  Israel rejected the ministry of the Holy Spirit and God set them aside.  Then God raised up the Apostle Paul who was to be the Apostle to the Gentiles.  Looking ahead to the  Paul’s testimony which is recorded in Galatians 2:6 we read,

“But of these who seemed to be somewhat (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me; God accepteth no man’s person;) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me.” 

Who is he speaking about as “somewhat?”  He is talking about the disciples. The same twelve who were magnified in the fifth and sixth chapters of Acts were of no account by Acts chapter fifteen and the remainder of Acts is taken up with an account of the actions and preaching of the Apostle Paul.  Remember now that Israel was set aside.  The gospel of the Kingdom was put in abeyance and a new Apostle began to proclaim the Gospel of the Grace of God.

Now, how does the world view the Christian Church today?  It would be blasphemous for man to seek to be magnified as the twelve were in our text.  Colossians 1:18 says;

“And he is the head of the body, the church; who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” 

This is talking of Jesus Christ.  All glory and honour today belongs to Him alone.

It must be a joke to people today to see the church so divided, behaving in the same manner as the Corinthians did.  First Corinthians 1:11-17 tells us about them:

“For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren. . .that there are contentions among you.  Now this I say, that everyone of you saith, I am of Paul; and I am of Apollos, and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.  Is Christ divided?  Was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptised in the name of Paul?. . .for Christ sent me not to baptise but to preach the gospel. . .lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.”

Such deplorable behaviour as was being manifest by the Christians at Corinth but do you know any Christians today that act in the same way and say the same things?   Ephesians 4:5 tells us that there is “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.”  But many gospels are being preached today under the name of Jesus Christ?  The strange gospels began to pop up even before Paul had finished writing about the one Gospel of the Grace of God.  Galatians 1:67 tells us

“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.” 

How much more today almost 2000 years later?

The world can only look in derision as they see the church fragmented. God is not the author of  confusion  nor of  the many strange gospels and requirements imposed upon the people in the name of Christianity and the Christian Church.  Galatians 1:8 says,

“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” 

What was that gospel Paul preached and is talking about?  We know already.  It is called in Acts 20:24, the Gospel of the Grace of God.  This Gospel tells us in Ephesians 2:8,9

“For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again.  This is the essence of the Gospel. 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us;

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God  in him.”  

Any other Gospel is a false gospel.  Religion has replaced   Christianity.  The teaching of man has replaced the Word of God.

By claiming the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross for your salvation, you are identified with Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit and the Bible is clear that you are then “complete in him” (Colossians 2:10).  The Grace of God makes you and I what we are today and all glory belongs to Jesus Christ.

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Acts 5:17-20

Will the human race ever learn that it is impossible to fight against God? There is only one thing man ever learns from history and that is that he never learns from history.  Today we pick up the story of the twelve disciples in Acts 5:17.  Thus far they had shown great success in using the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit.  All who came to them to be healed were healed and they were giving all the credit to Jesus Christ This made the religious leaders fighting mad.  So we read in verse 17,

“Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him (which is the sect called Sadducees), and were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.”

This indeed shows that they denied the power that was working through the disciples.  Had they understood the power of the Holy Spirit they would not have touched those men.  But they arrested them, and put them in the public prison that belonged to the people.  Thus, the disciples were treated as social outcasts or enemies of the people or common prisoners if you please.  The strange thing is that there was no charge. It was a personal vendetta, an act of vengeance fostered by those who were politically installed in the religious offices of the land.  The vendetta was against those who had been commissioned by Jesus Christ, as leaders in the offer of His Kingdom to Israel.

We read earlier that great fear came upon all the church as well as upon all those who had heard the story.  Had the Sanhedrin heard of the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira? I am sure they did not believe God had anything to do with those deaths.

It is hard for us to imagine how these religious leaders had knowledge of this mighty power of God and still shook their fist at Him?  Did they not realize they would always be the losers?  The religious bigots of that day had a lesson to learn and I am sure that many of you listening this morning have also to learn that you cannot fight against God and be the winner.

We read on in verses 19-20,

“But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”

Wow!  You cannot fight against God.  He will always be the winner.  The chief priests knew well the history  of the nation of Israel.  They knew the stories of those people who murmured against Moses and were bitten by snakes.  They also remembered another time when the ground opened and swallowed 3,000 of those who were disobedient.  They knew of the gainsayings of Core and the false doctrine of Balaam.  They knew of the sins of the northern ten tribes under wicked kings and queens.  The Sanhedrin knew well how prophets were slaughtered and kings were sent into exile.  The could read the prophets and see why Judah was besieged, captured and enslaved by the Babylonians.  What did the chief priests and religious leaders learn from Israel’s history? Absolutely nothing.

Stephen was right when he, preaching to the same Sanhedrin, said in Acts 7:51:

“Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did so do ye.” 

It is easy for us to sit in judgment of the Jews, to see their faults, to criticise them for being so blind to the truth.  How much better are you?  How much better am  I?  Do we dare condemn the religious leaders of Acts five for their sin?

The Bible clearly states that we, as believers, are new creations in Christ.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

Do you and I really believe that?  Of course we do because the Bible says it and we believe the Bible.  Then let me ask you a question.  How does that truth affect your life?  Has anything changed in your lifestyle since you claimed Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour?

In Colossians 3:2 we are told to

“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” 

We are positioned in heaven, seated in heavenly places with Christ (Ephesians 2:6).  Do you believe it?  Of course we believe it because the Bible says so and we believe the Bible.  But how does it affect the way you live?  How does it affect the way I live?  Let’s face it, we are no more righteous than the Sanhedrin who lived during the Acts period.  Deep down in our hearts we have inner rebellion against the commands of the Word of God.  We have the same kind of human nature as did the religious leaders in the day when Peter preached his message.

Let us look at another truth from the Word of God.  In 1 Corinthians 6:19 we are told that our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.  Did you know that?  How does that fact affect your daily walk?  Do you live the same way as if the Holy Spirit does not dwell in you?  Why can we not obey the commands given to us in the Bible?  We are locked into planet earth.  We have to work here and live here in the midst of many people who do not even believe there is a God, much less desire to live for Him.  If we are in trouble or are in need we go to someone who can help us whether it be for medical, financial or legal reasons.  We do not stop to find out if that person believes in God. We are educated in a worldly system and our minds, like our feet are set on this earth.

Paul’s letters are filled with commands for the Christian today.  How about

“Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1)

Or go on to the next verse which says,

“And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed. . .that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God.” 

These are commands which are to be obeyed as surely as that which was given to Moses, namely “Thou shalt not kill” and others.

Now you might be saying in your heart,

“I don’t go along with the sin of this world and I am not involved in it.” 

I am not saying that you do but are you rebuking the sin around you?  Do others know you stand against it?  Are you active in doing something about it?

We can look at the religious leaders of Jerusalem in 34 AD and accuse them of rebellion against God.  We can accuse them of unbelief.  But here we need to stop and look at our own lives.  You know it is always easier to see the faults of others than to see our own faults.  In this regard we are our own worst enemy.  But sometimes when we look around at others (especially those who name Christ as their Lord) we need to stop and look at ourselves.

Keep in mind also that there is a day of reckoning coming.  2 Corinthians 5:10 tells us,

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 

The sin of unbelief and disobedience and self righteousness are still sin today as much as they were during the Acts period.  God wants us to have our lives centered upon Godly, spiritual things and not on the world around us.  Put away the self righteous attitude and desire to know Christ and the life He wants you to live.  For those who are listening today who do not know what I am talking about, look into your hearts to see if you have put your faith and trust in the living Saviour.  He died for you, was buried and rose again that by faith you may receive His eternal life.

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Acts 5:21-24

The world does not understand the things of God.  That is why it is impossible for the elements of humanism to dictate and control the concepts of godliness.  Today we are looking at Acts 5:21-24.  You remember that Peter and John had been arrested by the religious leaders of the Jews, the Sanhedrin, for preaching Jesus as Israel’s Messiah.  They were placed in the lockup overnight but the angel of God released them and commanded them to go back to the temple to preach.  I now read,

“And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught.  But the high priest came and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.  But when the officers came and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told, saying, the prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors; but when we had opened, we found no man within.  Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted (or were perplexed) concerning them, how this would grow.”

A man who takes on God takes on more than he can handle.  The Bible and human history are full of examples of men who withstood God and they all lost the battle.  Hell will be full of those people who were religious but denied the person, the deity, the saving work of Jesus Christ.

God has revealed Himself so that man is without excuse.  Jesus Christ presented ample evidence of His Deity but they would not hear. Colossians 2:9 says that “In him dwelleth the fullness of the godhead bodily.”  The wise of this world would twist that obvious truth and deny God.

Now the Sanhedrin were seeing the power of God first hand. Did they stop to think how the apostles, Peter and John, had escaped from the prison without the doors being unlocked nor the guards disturbed?  They continued to refuse to admit that these men could be of God and perhaps, they, the priests, might be wrong.  The Bible says that the priests doubted.  The word has the meaning of “leading to despair.”  They were becoming desperate.  When a person is in a desperate condition he might do things of which later he would be ashamed.  It looks like these religious men were coming to the same state as that when they demanded the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.  Now instead of facing one lone man they had twelve spirit filled apostles.  Now they were worried how they would handle so many and how much would the group grow if they could not get it stopped.

Is it surprising that Jesus Christ told these same apostles while He was on earth, that this sort of thing would happen.  I am reading to you from John 16:2 where it tells us,

“They shall put you out of the synagogues; yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God a service.” 

The priests were absolutely sure they were on God’s side, and that they were doing God a favour by persecuting and threatening Peter and John.  They were driven by that religious fervor to finish the job for in verse 33 we read,

“They were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.”

The law which the priests preached and sought to uphold forbade killing for we know the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.”  But their religious fervor, by this time, was taking precedence over the Word of God.

How many people today, who call themselves religious, uphold to the letter the dictates of their beliefs and in so doing reject and deny the revelation of God in His Word.  Remember the words of Christ when He said to the Pharisees of His day,

“This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.  However, in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men as the washing of pots and cups, and many other such things ye do.  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your tradition.”  (Mark 7:6b-9).

Augustine said, “If you accept  only what you want of the gospel and reject what you don’t want of the gospel, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.”

The apostles were preaching the gospel of the Kingdom and Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah, the Anointed One.  What were the Sanhedrin believing?  They were not believing what Peter and John taught.  They were not believing the Gospel of the Kingdom that was being taught.  So they were believing only themselves, and their own commandments which were those of men.  Where was it getting them?  It was getting them into a state of desperation, a state of doubt, and perplexity.

The history of the human race is a history of religion.  Ever since the fall of Adam, man has been seeking the help of someone or something.  Religion without Jesus Christ is meaningless as far as God is concerned.  But remember there is a god who impersonates and counterfeits the one true God.  He is called the god of this world and the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2).  Man, in his religious fervor is convinced that he is serving and worshipping the God of the universe when in reality he might be at enmity with God and serving the god of this world. In 2 Corinthians 4:3,4 we read,

“But if our gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Satan was working through the Sanhedrin to stop the preaching of the Messiah through the twelve.  Satan is working in the lives of similar people today hindering the preaching of the cross and the gospel of the grace of God.  Remember Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:12,

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Whenever the truth of God’s Word is proclaimed there is opposition.  This is spiritual opposition.  It takes the form of humanity just as the Sanhedrin withstood the witness of the twelve apostles.  But the ultimate enemy was Satan, the god of this world.  At this time when Peter and John were preaching, Saul of Tarsus would have been a member of that Sanhedrin and he was present when they killed Stephen (Acts 81).  Yet when the Lord revealed Himself to Saul he was convicted of his evil life and acknowledged Jesus Christ as Lord.

I said earlier that without Jesus Christ all religion is empty, vain, useless.  Satan, who is the god of all unbelievers wants desperately to keep mankind that way.  But who is the god of this world in comparison to the God of creation.  No wonder John wrote in his first letter, 1 John 4:4,

“Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” 

That should be of great comfort to all of you that believe.  We have a formidable enemy in this world as the devil works in and among his own. But we have living in us the power of the Godhead Who is able to cast down all strongholds, all imaginations, and all the affairs of the god of this world.  Romans 8:37 says, “We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”

Peter had to face such opposition during all his preaching life.  The very same Peter writes in 1 Peter 3:15:

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” 

Paul puts it another way when he says,

“Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” 

It may very well be that your testimony of Christ will be the only true gospel the world will hear.  This makes it imperative that you and I stand fast in the Lord Jesus Christ and the truth of His Holy Word.

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Acts 5:25-28

It must be very frustrating for the devil to watch a Christian who will not give in to the arsenal of temptations that are placed before him.  An example of such confusion is seen in the fifth chapter of Acts. The Sanhedrin had imprisoned the two apostles, Peter and John.  The next morning they were going to further threaten them in their effort to stop their ministry.  But when morning came they were not in the prison.  Rather we read about their activities in verse 25:

“Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.” 

Surprise?

The Sanhedrin were angry.  How dare these men blatantly reject their commands to stop preaching?  They were also   perplexed and wondered how far the news had traveled and how it would affect them.  They didn’t want to lose their following.  Read on in Acts 5:26:

“Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence; for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.” 

Now we see the religious leaders fearing for their own lives.  They were afraid of the people in the temple.  They were fearful because they didn’t know how the apostles got out of their prison. They were afraid as they did not know how far such doctrine had spread.  The apostles were using their temple, under their jurisdiction as a meeting place to preach the Messiahship of Jesus of Nazareth whom they killed.  The leaders had no alternative but to take the apostles into custody again.

Now we will pick up the story in verse 27:

 “And when they had brought them, they set them before the council; and the high priest asked them, saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name?  And behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 

The last statement shows just how confused and frustrated they were.  Obviously, they did not remember what they had said at the trial of Jesus in Matthew 27:25,

“Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.” 

They were then accepting full responsibility for the death of Jesus of Nazareth.  Now they were accusing the apostles of blaming them for His death.

In reality the apostles were doing just the opposite.  They were wanting the Sanhedrin to realize that forgiveness was available.  The blood was upon the Sanhedrin but they were offering to them forgiveness.  The plea was to repent and be baptised (Acts 2:38) or repent and be converted (Acts 3:19).  They were being given another chance but they would not acknowledge it or receive this forgiveness.

Then they accused the apostles, Peter and John, of filling all Jerusalem with their doctrine. Was this doctrine the invention or fabrication of these humble fishermen?  Were they saying that such preaching and miracles were in man’s power and authority? It was a great exaggeration to give Peter and John the credit for filling the whole great city of Jerusalem with their teaching. They were still in the minority as proven by the fact that after Stephen was stoned in Acts 7, they could be driven from Jerusalem by persecution.

Here we can see what fear will do.  It causes the truth to be distorted and the facts to be exaggerated.  We can see the bitterness of the High Priest when he refers to Jesus Christ as “This man”.  They were not even willing to give Him a name. This is the first example of the Jews avoiding the name of Christ.  Later it became common practice for them to refer to Him as peloni which by interpretation means “so and so”.  By not giving Jesus Christ His rightful position they were guilty and their guilt was convicting them.  Now conviction can do two things.  It will do like it did at Pentecost when 3,000 acknowledged Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah.  Secondly it can anger so intensely that there will be a fight.  The Sanhedrin made up their minds that they would not acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Messiah.  So instead they had to do battle with the witnesses of Christ.  At this stage it was verbal with some physical persuasion.  Notice that not once did they quote from the Old Testament Scriptures.  Had they done so they would have entrapped themselves for the Lord said in John 5:39 concerning the Old Testament, “These are they which testify of me.”  Whenever a person is angry the last place he wants to go is to the Scriptures because then he would be convicted of his ungodly behaviour.

By this time you realise how the devil was using the religious leaders of the Jews to stop the ministry of the Holy Spirit inspired witnesses of Jesus Christ.  The battle was heating up.  But how can one do battle with preachers who are totally yielded and empowered from God Himself?  Let me give you an example.

Chrysostom, the ancient church father, was a beautiful example of true Christian courage. When he stood before the Roman Emperor, he was threatened with banishment if he remained a Christian. 

Chrysostom replied, “You cannot, for the world is my Father’s house: you cannot banish me.”

Then the Emperor said: “But I will slay you.”

“No, but you cannot,” said the noble champion of the  faith, “for my life is hid with Christ in God.”

“I will take away your treasurers” came the Emperor’s reply.

“No, you cannot,” was the retort. “In the first place, I have nothing you know anything about. My treasure is in heaven, and my heart is there.”

“But I will drive you away from man, and you shall have no friend left,” the Emperor continued.

“No, and that you cannot,” once more said the faithful witness, “for I have a Friend in heaven from Whom you shall not separate me.  I defy you; there is nothing you can do to hurt me.”

What power can be used against a Christian who is totally yielded to the Lord Jesus Christ?  The apostles had Godly courage and they were spiritually and mentally prepared for opposition.  Satan trembles when you and I take a firm stand for the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Oh, Satan may want to scare you into submission, for he might cause you to be quiet instead of testifying of the Lord in your life.  The truth is that he is afraid you will open your mouth.   James 2:19 adds clarity as it tells us that the demons tremble with fear in light of the knowledge that there is one God.  They, no doubt, have a fuller understanding of the awesome power of God than most believers. It is the devil’s desire to keep us ignorant of God’s power in our life.

Imagine the devil as a roaring lion instilling fear into the tender heart of the Christian.  By knowing that at the cross the Lord of Glory made a spoil of all principalities and powers. We can take a closer look at the evil one. He has no teeth, and no claws.

The story is told of a man who was afraid to walk down a path for a lion was there roaring.  Another came along and without hesitation continued walking down the path.  Later the two met and the first man asked the second how it was he was so brave when he met the roaring lion.  The second man replied, “Didn’t you know that the lion was tied up?  He could not reach the path on which I walked.”

What made the apostles so confident?  They believed the Lord.  They believed that He had truly given them power and authority.  They took God at His Word.  He gave to them His peace as we read in John 14:27,

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” 

No wonder they had such courage, having heard such truth directly from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul wrote,

“Being confident of this very thing, that he who hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6).

We ought not to tremble at the thought of the devil as a “roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8) or as an “angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).  Ephesians 4:12 tells us to

“Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” 

Do not be afraid of famine, nakedness or sword  because our confidence is in the Lord.  Stand fast in the faith!

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Acts 5:29-32

Who runs your life?  If you are a headstrong individual you may reply, “I do”.  Do not be deceived.  There is not one of us who runs his own life.  We do the things we do because of exterior influence.  We might call it “peer pressure” or social stigma.  It may be the influence of an employer or employee.  We are always trying to please someone.  It might be to keep our job or our status in society or the peace in our family or community.  We are governed by those around us and those with whom we live.

In our text today Peter and John and some of the other apostles are back before the Sanhedrin.  Remember the Sanhedrin were the religious leaders of the Jews.  The apostles had been before them previously.  Now they had threatened them again and “Peter and the other apostles answered, and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”  That reminds me of what Peter said in 4:19:

“Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.” 

Now Peter was more dogmatic and did not allow them to make the decision.  He knew what they were thinking and he took the initiative, “We ought to obey God rather than men.”

That is an obvious truth.  But we choose to obey men rather than God.  Instead of going to the Bible, the Word of God, for our counsel and wisdom we go to men and they give us man’s views of God.  Augustine had it right when he wrote, “If you accept  what you like of the gospel and reject what you don’t like of the gospel, you don’t believe the gospel but yourself.”  Thus man becomes his own God.

That is what the Sanhedrin were doing.  They had become a law unto themselves.  In their unholy unity they stood against truth with a passion. Peter had thrust the spiritual knife into their consciences.  Now in Acts 5:30 he gave it a twist,

“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree, Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.”

Did those apostles know to whom they spoke?  They were talking to the supreme ruling body of the people.  This was high power.  The Sanhedrin had the power of life and death over the Jews.  They could order an execution right on the spot.  The next verse says that:

“When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them.” 

Were the disciples afraid?

Paul wrote in Romans 8:31: “If God be for us, who can be against us.”  This came from the very heart of the apostles: “We ought to obey God rather than men.”  The implication was that the Sanhedrin were not Godly.  That is obvious for Peter said in verse 30 that they were guilty of killing Jesus of whom God approved by means of the resurrection.

That spiritual knife twisted in their consciences and bore its intended conviction.  They were cut to the heart. That means it was beyond their minds, beyond their souls and into their spirits. It was more than a mental conviction.  Now they were spiritually irrational. In Acts 7:54 when this same group was cut to the heart it resulted in the stoning of the preacher, Stephen.  It really means they were being controlled by their evil hearts.  Conviction will cause you to do one of two things.  It will either cause you to seek the remedy, confessing your faults and seeking reconciliation,  or it will do as it did here, hardening the heart and arousing such anger that they were beside themselves with rage.

It is true that no man will ever come to Jesus Christ for salvation unless he has been duly convicted of his sin.  Before man responds to the Good News, the gospel of salvation, he must be confronted with the bad news which is knowledge of his own sin and guilt and the penalty for that sin.  Romans 3:23,24 says:

“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. . . being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

First comes the condemnation and then the promise of forgiveness or redemption.

The Sanhedrin heard words of condemnation,

“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.” 

They were so guilty. Then came the hope for the hopeless as preached to the evil Sanhedrin,

“Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” 

The hope of Israel was Jesus Christ.  The leaders of Israel were the Sanhedrin.  God had brought the apostles to them so that they might be convicted and converted.  But the conviction did not lead them to repentance but instead to intense rage.  Now we know who was running their lives and it was not God.

Who runs your life?  Why did Judas sell the Lord for 30 pieces of silver?  In John 13:2 we find the answer to that question,

“And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him.” 

Who was running the life of Judas Iscariot?  Why did King Saul seek to kill David, who was a man after God’s own heart?  In 1 Samuel 18:10 we see the answer,

“And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house; and David played with his hand as at other times and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand.  And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it.”

Who was running Saul’s life?  Who was running Peter’s life to cause him boldness of speech before the Sanhedrin.  We read that the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh.

Paul wrote in Romans 6:16:

“Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of  obedience unto righteousness.”

I think we can see from all this that no person runs his own life. We yield to someone or something. Even as believers we can and often do yield to the god of this world. If this were not a problem then God would not have had to give us so many commands, as Christians, to yield to Him.  Who do you want to run your life?  Of course we all want God to run our lives.  We know if the evil one runs our lives we shall be most miserable, if not in the present, then surely in the end.  In Romans 6:11-13 we find some help.  Paul writes,

“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in its lusts.  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God, as those what are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

As members of Christ’s body, we are crucified with Him, “buried with him by baptism into death.”  (Romans 6:4).  It goes on to say:

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin”  (Romans 6:6.

Knowing what God has done for you, then who should run your life?  As a Christian you are totally identified with Jesus Christ through His death, burial and resurrection.  The power of the resurrection belongs to us and that power enables us to allow Him to control our lives.  He has bought us with His blood, paid the price to set us free from the wages and power of sin.  Thus we belong to Him and we are not our own.

Who runs your life?  To whom you yield yourselves servants to obey.  It must be Christ for He is the rightful owner and master.  Colossians 1:18 says “That in all things He might have the pre-eminence.”  Whose servant are you?  Can you say with the apostle Peter, “We ought to obey God rather than men.”

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Acts 5:34-39

Does right always prevail and does wrong always fail?  This is the premise used by the famed Dr. Gamaliel as he reasoned with the Sanhedrin.  For our study this morning we take up the account in Acts 5:34-39.  I read:

“Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, held in reputation among all the people and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; And said unto them Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.  For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody, to whom a number of men, about 400, joined themselves; who was slain, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.  After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew much people after him; he also perished, and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.  And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone; for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought; But if it be of God, ye can not overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.”

Now, that is a lengthy quotation from the Bible but we needed to have the entire story.  Gamaliel was probably the greatest teacher of the Jews religion, an eminent doctor of the law of Moses.  He had respect from all the people as an authority and, in spite of their raging tempers, they all stopped to listen to what he had to say.

What kind of logic did he use?  He caused them to remember two examples of recent Jewish history, that of Theudas and Judas, both leaders of religious sects.  They were equal in that way.  When the leaders died their followers scattered and the sects disintegrated.  The logic is that whatever is not of God will fail.  Is that true?  Perhaps it is true if we look to the end of all things with the Great White Throne Judgment.  But meanwhile, who is the god of this world?  Satan has liberty to do what he will. He can tempt, deceive, blind, hinder, prosper or do other things to the citizens of this earth.  He has been doing that ever since the Garden of Eden.  Gamaliel certainly should have known this.  He was learned in the law, and the first five books of the Scriptures.

If it were true that the right always wins then why do the righteous suffer and wicked people prosper in the things of the world?  If right always wins, why are there so many opposing religions prospering numerically and financially in the world today?  If right always prospers numerically, as Gamaliel pointed out to the Sanhedrin, why was the Jewish nation a colony of Rome at that very moment?  The advice seems good.  If a religion is right it should be accepted by the majority.  Democracy tells us the majority is right so therefore the choice of the majority would always be right.  The advice of Gamaliel seems to be right according to Humanism and the New Age, but obviously it was not right.  There are too many unanswerable questions to believe that he was right.

A few years after this incident recorded in Acts 5, the apostle Paul traveled into many Gentile countries.  He was alone. He had no following except for perhaps one or two who travelled with him, such as Luke or Timothy.  He would go into a city, enter the Synagogue of the Jews, and tell them that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah.  They, invariably, rejected his teaching.  Then in Acts 13:46 and in Acts 18:6 he would tell the assembled Jews: “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean, From now on I will go unto the Gentiles.”  Bear in mind, he was alone.  Was he failing?  Was he wrong?  Was his doctrine wrong?  According to the philosophy of Gamaliel we would have to say “yes”.  Or perhaps Gamaliel would have said, “Let’s wait and see if it does not grow, then we will know for sure.”

Was Paul numbered with the masses?  Let’s look at him when he was in Rome and for this we read 2 Timothy 4:16; “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me; I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.”  Does this prove that he had the wrong doctrine?  Does this prove that when he died the gospel he preached died with him?

Obviously, it is wrong to judge a church by its attendance.  It is equally wrong to judge a doctrine or teaching by the number of followers it attracts.  But what of Gamaliel?  Why did he say that?  He must have known the big holes in his logic and argument.  Why did he speak in the disciples defense with such reasoning?

Don’t forget who this man was; the great Gamaliel, a teacher of the Old Testament. He knew of the many prophecies concerning the coming Messiah, the deliverer of the Jews.  He was also a member of reputation of the Sanhedrin, a council of 71 prominent Jews, most of them of the family of the chief priests, many of them having held office of High Priest at some time.

On this particular occasion Gamaliel was reasoning also with himself.  He was thinking, “What if this Jesus was the Messiah?  Could it be that we of the Sanhedrin are mistaken? If He is the prophesied Messiah, I will find myself in great strife at the judgment. Let us not be rash in making a hot-headed judgment against these disciples.”  With this rationale in mind let us go back and look at Acts 5:39.  This was from the very heart of Gamaliel as well as from his lips when he said,

“But if it be of God, ye can not overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.”

Knowing the Old Testament,  he knew of the many occasions when his forefathers fought against God and lost.  He knew that when God judged it was a bitter judgment.  Many times Israel had sinned against God and God in righteous anger inflicted punishment upon them.  For example look at Numbers 11:1,

“And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; and the Lord heard it; and his anger was kindled and the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed those who were in the uttermost part of the camp.” 

Gamaliel knew full well that it was a fearful thing to fall into the hands of a living and angry God.

He was trying to save his own skin and he was partially successful.  In verse 40, it says; “To them they agreed.”  It was poor and irresponsible logic so why would they agree to it?  It did work.  We also must understand that the disciples were in the hands of God.  No man could touch them unless God permitted it to be done.

God was still offering the new earthly Kingdom to Israel.  As long as this offer was in effect all twelve disciples had to be alive and able to preach and judge.  Should even one of them be eliminated God could no longer offer the Kingdom.  In Acts chapter five the nation had not yet committed the unpardonable sin.

God was using Gamaliel, himself an unbeliever, to save the disciples from pending death.  In verse 33, they had taken counsel to slay them.  Gamaliel stepped in and delayed that plan.

Now the offer of the earthly Kingdom of Heaven could continue but for how much longer?  The enemy was gaining strength and intensity.  Persecution was increasing.  The leaders of the people were more determined than ever to put a stop to the preaching of the Messiah.  With such opposition it was becoming increasingly difficult.  But for a time, at least, they were free and according to verse 42, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

Today you and I are also in the minority, but take heart.  True Christianity has always been in the minority.  Numbers and statistics do not measure truth.  The only true measure is the Word of God.  The only Saviour is Jesus Christ.  The only way to have favour with God is by God’s grace through faith.  We are told in Acts 16:31 to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.

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Acts 5:40-42

Why must the righteous suffer?  Ever since the fall of man through Adam and Eve there has been suffering. It began with the slaying of Abel by his brother.  Today we are looking at some righteous men suffering as we continue our study of Acts.  We are in chapter five and verses forty through forty two.

The apostles had been defended by the learned Gamaliel and the Sanhedrin agreed that he was  probably right.  However their anger and prejudice ruled over common sense and they beat them and commanded them not to speak in the name of Jesus.  Only then did they exercise kindness and let them go.

Let us pick up the account in Acts 5:41:

“And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.” 

They anticipated such treatment for the Lord had told them in Matthew 24:9,10

“Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall kill you; and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another and shall hate one another.” 

He told them they would be hated by the Gentiles, and the nations but what about their own country-men?  From Luke 21:12 we read this bit of prophecy,

“But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake and it shall turn to you for a testimony.”

They were told it would happen.  Were they prepared for it?

The apostles knew why Christ came.  They knew He was the King of the Jews.  He was the Messiah, the Son of God.  He was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Now they were commanded and empowered to be witnesses unto Jesus Christ in Jerusalem.  They knew they were also to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature but the first task was to convince the Jews of their horrendous mistake of rejecting their Messiah.  The key to Israel’s repentance was the Sanhedrin but, as a group, they rejected with anger.  They called the apostles and beat them.  Now with their backs stinging from the whipping, the disciples rejoiced.  Why did they rejoice?  They rejoiced that for His name they were counted worthy to be dishonoured and suffer shame.  Ironically, this proved Christ to be right for He had said it would happen.  It was further confirmation of the truth as spoken by the true Messiah.

Now they had a greater incentive to preach and teach Jesus Christ.  Israel had to receive Jesus as their Deliverer.  If they didn’t receive Him there would not be a Kingdom on earth.  At this time there was no knowledge of God’s plan to set Israel aside and usher in the Dispensation of Grace.  The Dispensation of Grace was not prophesied and was known only in the mind of God because He knew the heart of Israel.  All the apostles and others knew, at that time, was what they read in the Old Testament and what Jesus Christ had told and taught them of the coming tribulation and millennial kingdom.  So, as far as they were concerned, they were going through the great tribulation accepting with joy the sufferings of Christ and looking to the glory that should follow (1 Peter 1:11). This is similar to what Peter said in 1 Peter 4:13:

“But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s suffering that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” 

Even at that late writing, Peter offered no hint of a period in between known as the Dispensation of the Grace of God.  To them, they were suffering for a time and then would enter into the earthly, millennial Kingdom.

Suffering was not new to the human race.  You can read in the Bible of the sufferings of Joseph in the Egyptian prison and at the hand of his brothers; of Jeremiah being placed in the slimy pit; of Elijah forced to flee for his life and it goes on right through history.  Why do the righteous suffer at the hands of ungodly people?

Let us take a look at the apostle Paul and his experiences and advice on suffering.  From Philippians 1:28-30 we read,

“And in nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.  For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake, Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.” 

Paul suffered and assures us, as believers that we will also suffer.

The disciples accepted suffering for they saw the end of it in the coming Kingdom.  But what about Paul?  Consider Romans 5:1-5,

“Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. . . and not only so, but we glory in tribulation also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience, and experience hope; And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.” 

Paul not only experienced tribulation and suffered through it but also gloried in it.  You recall his infirmity and how he prayed to God that it might be removed.  We read about it in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 where he says,

“For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness.  Most gladly therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak then am I strong.”

You may have heard someone say, “I can stand this bit of suffering for I know that it is going to be better tomorrow.”  But what if you had no hope of ever getting better?  By misunderstanding the grace of God some might complain to Him when the going gets tough. Fanny Crosby, that great hymn writer, was made blind by a mistake of the medical profession when she was very young.  She could have been bitter but she took it as from the Lord Who gave her great spiritual insight.  She would not have had such grace in her life and accomplished so much had she not had a severe handicap.  It was more than just learning to live with it.  It was rejoicing in it.  God knew what He was doing.  He also knows what is best in your life.

The apostle Paul is the greatest example of both suffering and joy.  When he was in prison he did not complain for He learned to trust the Lord. He wrote while facing death, in Philippians 2:17;

“Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.  For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.”

Satan has been given the position as the god of this world.  Since before the creation of the earth, he has sought to discredit, disprove and defeat the almighty God.  The evil one is active today trying to discredit, disprove and defeat the righteous Christian.  Sin causes much suffering in the world today but without that suffering we would not experience the all sufficient grace of God.  To appreciate God’s grace we have to experience it.  Paul also wrote that in whatsoever state he was in he would be content.  He said in Philippians 4:12,

“I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound; everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” 

He continues on in a triumphant cry of grace;

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” 

Paul said that he had learned, or been instructed.  Who taught him?  Jesus Christ taught him as he allowed the afflictions to be heaped upon Paul and then said to him,

“My grace is sufficient for thee.”

Beloved, let us not look for release from tribulation and sufferings.  Let us look for that grace which God is going to give us through it.  Instead of crying out, “Lord relieve me of this burden,” let us cry out, “Lord, give me the strength to bear it.”

Why do the righteous suffer?  Because sin came into the world and a curse was put upon all creation.  With sin rampant and Satan in control suffering was everywhere – amongst the just and the unjust.

The question we should instead ask is, “How can the righteous stand up under suffering?  Paul never sought release from it but in Colossians 1:24 writes; “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the Church.”  The Lord has a purpose in allowing  suffering and that is to show the world His grace and to glorify the Lord.  God knows His methods.  He also knows our need and promises in Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need.”  Perhaps you think your need is an end to suffering.  God may see it as you needing to claim His all sufficient grace and glorify Him.  Claim His grace.  He not only knows your plight but He loves you more than you could possibly understand.  He promises in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that He “will with the temptation, also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”  Look not at the sufferings of this present life but look to the glory that shall follow.

 –Pastor John Shriver