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Sunday, November 27, 2022

Bible Reading Reflection from Acts 15-21

[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (SSEU) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible] 

ACTS 15

Thinking through Paul and Barnabas splitting over John Mark

It so happened oftentimes in the pages of the Bible that a great fall or great trial happened after a great success or a great battle.

Paul and Barnabas had just won a great battle against the Judaizers in the Jerusalem Council regarding the Gentile Christians (v1-2). And in the last scene of this chapter, we see Paul and Barnabas in a heated disagreement and separated (v39).

The great baptism of Jesus, confirmed by the Holy Spirit and the voice from Heaven was followed by the great temptation in the wilderness for 40 days.

The great confrontation of Elijah against the 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah at Mount Carmel was followed by Elijah fleeing in fear of Jezebel into the cave of Mount Horeb.

The great confession of Peter regarding the person of Jesus Christ was followed by a great rebuke of Christ against Peter.

Hmm! Never be complacent. Never let our guard down. Always recall God's faithfulness in immediate trials. Never enjoy success as if accomplished by self!

 

ACTS 16

Wow! Whatever Paul did in this chapter looks very unlikely of him, but when I think carefully, everything he did was right.

Paul compromised in circumcising Timothy [Why, oh why, would he?], stopped the true proclamation of the slave girl [Why, oh why, would he?] sang songs unto God in pain in prison [Really?], and challenged the magistrates! [Inviting troubles? 🙀]

I love the wisdom, godliness, and courage of Paul! 😇

 

ACTS 17

v3 "This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ"

Preacher, is your Jesus the Christ of the Bible? Surely Joel Osteen's Jesus is not the Christ of the Bible, BTW.

v11 "These [Bereans] were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they recieved the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so"

Church Members, are you a passive listener, or do you search the Scripture like the Bereans to confirm it from the Scripture? If they dared to evaluate Paul's doctrine, and if Paul commended them for it, won't it be necessary for you to evaluate anyone's teaching?

I have been preaching for 15 years, and have been listening to sermons for over 30 years. It is easier to preach Christ plus or anything than to preach only Christ. And it's easier to believe what the preacher says than to find out for ourselves and develop a conviction of our own!

[22:28, 4/4/2021] S.R: BTW, a few weeks ago, I was listening to Jonathan Osteen, son of Joel Osteen on YouTube. His audience were applauding him for almost every sentence he spoke. The YouTube comment section was full of praises. I saw even my respected school teacher praising the sermon and invoking God's blessing for Osteen Empire.

Unfortunately, Osteen's God is Not the God of the Bible!

 

ACTS 18

v4 "And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks."

v13 “This fellow persuades men to worship God contrary to the law.”

I will never, never, never be like Paul [inability], but he called me to imitate him just as he imitated Christ. As a minister of the gospel, my calling is to persuade men to worship God. It is not just to inform or to suggest, or to enforce, but also to persuade...

When was the last time I beg a non-Christian to come to God? When was the last time I beg a Christian brother or sister to mend their way before God?

To scold, to teach, to confront is easier than to beg!

 

ACTS 19:9

"But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus."

Indeed, it is so difficult to preach to anyone whose heart is hardened. But it takes wisdom to discern when to withdraw and when to endure!

God gave up on mankind and sent the flood. Jesus often withdrew himself from the crowd. Jesus commanded His disciples to withdraw themselves from those who didn't receive them. Paul and Barnabas withdrew themselves from the Jews of Antioch. And here Paul withdrew the disciples from the hardened people.

Lord, wherever I am, give me the wisdom to discern when to endure and when to leave, Amen

 

ACTS 20:19

"serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews"

Is my life a demonstration of all humility? Is my life of many tears? Is my life of many trials? Certainly, I don't enjoy trials, and often have I responded to trials in complaints and even grumbling. But church history has revealed that all great men of God faced many great trials.

How often. . .

crying because of desperation, weeping because of compassion, mourning with those who suffer...?

God, would you stir up my soul to follow my Lord, and the great Apostle Paul, and all the faithful saints of God to walk in humility with many tears and rejoicing in all trials!

 

ACTS 21 particularly v1-15

Well, today I just want to leave a few observation questions to think through:

v4 They told Paul through the Spirit not to go up to Jerusalem.

v14 “The will of the Lord be done.”

v15 "And after those days we packed and went up to Jerusalem"

Q1. So, Paul went up to Jerusalem. Was Paul being disobedient? 😬😉

Q2. If the Spirit of God warned him not to go, how could Paul's decision be the will of the Lord? 😬 Is Trinity (Jesus and Spirit) in conflict?😉

Q3. Was it unwise of Paul to go up to Jerusalem in spite of several warnings from many: Spirit, disciples, prophet Agabus, (and possibly even the wives and children of v5, Philip the evangelist and his 4 daughters, and perhaps even Luke suggested him not to go)?

I think there are good implications for how we answer these questions!