[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (SSEU) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]
ACTS
1:4
"And
being assembled together with them, He COMMANDED them not to depart from
Jerusalem, but TO WAIT for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, ‘you
have heard from Me.’”
Waiting
is difficult. But God wants Christians to be people who wait. We wait for
Christ's return till today. Jesus could have sent the Holy Spirit on His death
to strengthen His timid disciples, or on His ascension, but He delayed.
Abraham
waited 25 years for Isaac after God's promise. Paul waited 13 years for His first
missionary journey after his Damascus experience. God rejected Saul because He
didn't learn to wait. Isaiah 40:31 promises the eagle's strength and glory for
those who wait. David became King decades later after His anointment. Our God
himself is waiting patiently for all to turn to Him.
Lord,
forbid me to be impatient. Help me to learn and to delight in waiting on You!
Amen!
ACTS
2:13
"Others
MOCKING said, "They are full of new wine."
Scoffers
are always everywhere at any time. If they had mocked Christ, our Lord (also
the Apostles), why would we be exempted? There are those who make fun of
Christian virtues, ethics, and principles.
When
I was in a Seminary, we had a visiting professor who would come twice a year.
He would usually preach powerful sermons. Most of us were convicted (like Acts 2:37-38).
But when we walked out of the chapel, there was one guy who would deride him
and scoff at his teaching, and it almost took away our convictions. Woe to him
that makes others stumble (Luke17:1-2)
Indeed
Psalm1:1 says, "Blessed is a man who does not associate with a
scoffer."
Help
me to stay away from the scoffers, Lord. Help me to be bold like Peter to
confront the scoffers. May Your Holy Spirit soften my heart to heed You and
strengthen me to stand firm against scoffers, Amen!
ACTS
3:6-8
“Then
Peter said, ‘Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In
the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.’”
The
modern church is chided, "Nowadays, the church has the silver and the
gold, and does not have the power of God to transform lives." Actually,
the criticism is true and false.
Well,
the greatest transformation in an individual or society anywhere, anytime is
the conversion of a soul to God. The church may not have the miraculous gifts
to heal people, but we have the living word of God to transform lives.
Even
with the wealth the church has accumulated righteously or unrighteously, we may
use them to rescue sinners that they too may worship God.
What's
the state of my (our/ your) church?
ACTS
4
v13
"when they saw the boldness of Peter . . ."
v29
". . .grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your
word"
v31
" . . .and they spoke the word of God with boldness"
As
I grow older, I realize boldness does not come easy. Sure, one can be bold
because one is foolish as the proverb says, "Fools rush in where angels
fear to tread."
To
be bold based on strong convictions and demonstrated by a righteous life, which
of course is a spirit-filled life.
Apostle
Paul also asked Ephesians to pray for him that he will be bold to proclaim the gospel
(Eph.6:19). If the Apostles needed boldness and asked for prayers, and if the
Lord granted them, how much more do we need to ask and pray for boldness for
our preachers!?
Let's
pray for all the pastors and preachers that the Lord will grant them boldness
to preach His word! 🙏
ACTS
5: TWO CONTRASTING REACTIONS
Many
people say that God of OT is an angry God, and God of NT is a loving God. Is it
true? Well, in the first book of NT, we see Jesus taking a whip, overturning
tables of businessmen, and driving them away. In Acts 5, God killed a couple
just because they didn't bring all their money. (Hmm, I will be glad if a
church member sold his lands and give even 5% for a church mission program. 🙃) In the last book of NT, we see Jesus with a sharp
two-edged sword. His eyes were like a flame of fire. His garments dipped in
blood. He is coming back to slaughter.
v1-16: GODLY RESPONSE: Fear God
v5
"so great fear came upon them"
v11
"so great fear came upon all the church"
v17-42: SINFUL RESPONSE: Rebel against God
v17
"they are filled with indignation. . . put them in prison"
v33
"they were furious and plotted to kill them"
Lord,
increase in me the fear of You, Amen!
ACTS
6:4
"But
we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
What
stands out (for me) in ACTS 6 has always been v4. And what stands out (for me)
in verse 4 is the word "continually". This adverb
"continually" is for both prayer and the ministry of the word.
(And
for me): Hmmmn! I have received a lot of comments for my devotion to the word,
but haven't received much on my prayer life. Not that I want or care about people's
comments, but I also know that great men of God are not only deep in their
theology but also deep in prayer!
BTW,
I put the phrase "for me" in parenthesis and italicized it because
prayer is not the primary theme of this passage exegetically, but it strikes me
hard, always!
ACTS
7
The
longest chapter of the Acts of the Apostles is chapter 7. And it is a sermon.
So, preach a long sermon 😝😆
Joke
aside, Jesus was confrontational in His preaching and it led Him to death. Stephen's
confrontation in v51-53 led him to death. John the Baptist confronted Herod and
led him to death.
On
the softer side, Jesus still confronted Nicodemus, the woman on the well, the paralytic
man, His mother, His disciples, and everyone who wanted to follow Him.
The
Gospel is indeed good news but it offends everybody too! The problem with us
(preachers) today is that nobody wants to kill us anymore! Not that we want to
die, but that we are not valiant for the truth!