[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!