Posts by reachchurch

Read This Week: Acts 19

When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way, the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. – Acts 19:17-20 NIV

The society and environments that we exist in are full of variance, shiftiness, and fluctuation. Nothing is ever as it seems, and reliability on the people, circumstances, and institutions is at an all-time low. Doubt and uncertainty permeate our lives when it comes to everything from national events to relationships to daily activity. We all need and clamor for the things that leave no doubt and that we can base our lives on.

Uncertainty, confusion, and doubt seemed to be the order of the day in Ephesus. There was competing religious thought, Jewish and Greek influence, and even witchcraft and the dark arts. But Paul’s ministry was powerful in this region, and God was giving him opportunities to share the truth and the gospel. Everyone knew what Paul was saying and doing to the point that even his enemies had to admit it (19:26).

The ministry foundation laid by Paul in Ephesus led to some unbelievable events in Acts 19. God enabled him to perform special miracles, demonstrating His authority and power through the apostle in a place that the Enemy had gained a foothold. In this chapter, we see people practicing sorcery, a violent attack by a demon-possessed man, and others trying to perform exorcisms in Paul’s name. It was chaos and confusion caused by evil spirits and opposition to the Holy Spirit and the gospel message. 

If these people had succeeded and continued in their ways, it would have damaged the movement of Christianity and the name of Jesus. But God used His power to turn their own evil schemes around on them and not only defeat these forces but leave no doubt in who was supreme. Verses 17-18 say:

The name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done.

Many of the believers who had been deceived by sorcery were convicted and confessed their involvement in it. The name of Jesus and the Word of God was held up in high esteem and because of this, it spread more rapidly and powerfully. Verses 19-20 say:

A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way, the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

This is an incredible example to the modern-day believer and follower of Jesus. There can’t be any variance in our devotion to God and His word; no room for indecision, noncommitment, and experimenting with the things of this world. In a society gone mad, the Christian must leave no doubt about who they base their life on, put their faith in, and give their allegiance to.     

Read This Week: Acts 18

Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria came to Ephesus. He was a learned man with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. – Acts 18:24-26 NIV

Teachability is the one human characteristic that seems to separate those who thrive and those who struggle in every walk of life. Those who are teachable, and stay in that frame throughout their journey, usually succeed in whatever they are attempting. By contrast, the unteachable usually fail.

It doesn’t matter how much talent a person has, when they are, or become, unteachable, they will never reach their full potential in their career, relationships, or calling from God. The author David Murray once said, “Teachability gets people to the top. But if they lose teachability at the top, they won’t be at the top for long.”

Acts 18 captures a tremendous story and example of teachability and the impact it can have, not only on the individual being teachable but on those around them. It centers on Apollos, an exceptional man from Alexandria, a place of education and philosophy in the Roman Empire. Verse 24 tells us this about who he was and his ministry in Ephesus:

Apollos was a learned man with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue.

Apollos knew the Old Testament and was able to teach it with power, authority, and boldness but, he was preaching an incomplete gospel. He was stopping at the baptism of John the Baptist. He taught nothing of the cross, the resurrection, or the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. He had passion but seriously lacked the spiritual knowledge to proclaim the whole gospel of Jesus Christ. When Paul’s friends, Aquila and Priscilla, heard Apollos teach, they decided to intervene and help him. Verse 26 says: When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

Aquila and Priscilla didn’t rebuke him or embarrass him in public. They invited him to eat, have a conversation, and explain the gospel to him in the privacy of their home. They told him about Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit. They instructed him to incorporate these important things into his teaching and impart it to the people. We don’t know all the ins and outs of their talk but we know Apollos listened and responded. Verses 27-28 shows us what happens when a talented, passionate person is teachable:

When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.

The outflow of Apollos’ teachability was of great help to others and a powerful instrument in the advancement of the gospel message. None of us are above instruction, correction, and exhortation. Not in our relationships, parenting, jobs, and especially not in our walks with God. When we are teachable and submissive to the Lord and people, things can happen for God’s glory and the good of others. When we have a teachable spirit, we find success in life, and others around us benefit. 

Read This Week: Acts 17

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. – Acts 17:22-25 NIV

Religious pluralism and how one regards truth through their religion is not just a modern idea. It is an ancient concept and reality. The attempt to have different and even conflicting religious views and still live in harmony is something Paul encountered in the 1st century as he took his missionary trips to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. There is evidence of his challenge of religious pluralism and subjective truth in Acts 17.

Paul entered Athens, a city once known as the center of culture and education, but had now declined in its influence. It had descended into cultural paganism, idolatry, confusing philosophical thought that had divided the society (17: 16, 21). Paul notices this and addresses their pluralism and confusing philosophies in verse 23:

As I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship.

Paul then puts on a masterful display of communication and presentation of the gospel by helping the council on Mars Hill understand the one, true God. The One they were confused about and missing right in front of them. He refers to their altar to “the unknown god” and uses it as an opportunity to explain who God is. Paul outlines the greatness of God as Creator (v.24), the goodness of God as Provider (v.25), the transcendence of God as Ruler (vv.26-29), and the grace of God as the Savior (vv.30-34). 

In this seminal moment, Paul points to the foundational and epistemic elements of a Christian worldview and where faith and belief are formed on a philosophical level. It is crucial to identify these things as we live, make decisions, and express our faith in a chaotic and confusing world of moral relativism and religious pluralism. God is the known God, and He is ever knowable through Jesus and the Holy Spirit guiding us into all truth when we need it most. Verses 27-28 illustrates this point:

God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being.

Furthermore, what we believe and why is rooted in an empirical, historical, rational, and spiritual bedrock. It is a reasonable faith that is based on the truth of the known God. As followers of Jesus, we must understand that it is logical and soundly philosophical to base our worldview on the historicity, authority, and veracity of the Scriptures and other sources that point to a greater truth.

The Bible reveals the known God and erases all confusion about who He is and what He has done for us. And just because someone does not accept the Bible as true, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t still say, reference, or back up our assertions with it especially when it is the very thing that we base our lives and beliefs on. The Scriptures, although argued and contested by some, are still empirical and are still the authority on which we base our faith. Therefore, we can reference it as Paul did in Athens. It is worth stating and we should never withhold where and on what we base our beliefs so that others may know the Lord.

Read This Week: Acts 16

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. – Acts 16:25-26 NIV

Music is a universal language. It is something that God created that transcends time, space, circumstances, and cultural barriers. Music can alter moods, uplift spirits, unite hearts, and communicate deep truths and meaning like nothing else. Music and songs are also an expression of worship to God that cannot be stopped by anything on earth. In any situation, the songs of our hearts can offer praise and adoration to our Savior no matter where we are or what we’re going through. Worship is a powerful thing. 

The story of Paul and Silas praying and singing hymns to God in their imprisonment and suffering in Acts 16 is as poignant and gripping as it comes in the Scriptures. Charles Spurgeon once said about this passage, “It is easy to sing when we can read the notes by daylight; but the real singer is he who can sing when there is not a ray of light to read by. Songs of the night come only from God; they are not in the power of men.”

Paul and Silas found themselves persecuted and wrongfully imprisoned but instead of complaining or asking God to judge, rebuke, and destroy their captors, they worshipped and sang to Him. The Lord gave them the song of their heart that set them free and eternally impacted those who witnessed it. Verses 26-31 tell us this about the jailer in charge of their imprisonment:

Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” The jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 

The salvation of the jailer and his whole family is touching and an incredible demonstration of God’s glory revealed through our worship in intense challenges and amid the attempted suppression of the gospel. What we often view as a dead end, God views as an instance to reveal His glory, make himself known and do something unexplainable. 

Our worship cannot be confined to human spaces or subjected to time frames that we deem appropriate or necessary. But our faith in God and his capacity can be way too small. We want Him to show up and make it better when in reality, He has the power and capability to show up and change everything.

God’s glory is revealed in the entirety of the universe and in the lives and circumstances of human beings that worship Him. It can transform what is seemingly hopeless, mundane, beyond repair, or turbulent. It can reveal Jesus’ power and glory in his perfect timing. And when that power and authority are on display, joyful songs of gratitude break out, chains fall off, and people walk free. Sometimes all it takes is a song before we go.

Read This Week: Acts 15

Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. – Acts 15:1 & 7-9 NIV

Acceptance is a universal human desire. It transcends culture, race, background, personality, and experience. The need to be accepted and the longing we all have is innate in us from birth, and we navigate our way through life with that same need for approval, receptivity, and favor. It is something we yearn for and maintain a pursuit of throughout our journeys.

When we find acceptance, it improves our quality of life, reduces negative experiences, and can bring a heightened awareness of gratitude, joy, and contentment. Conversely, when we experience rejection or confronted with a relationship, community, or situations that make us feel unaccepted, we are prone to self-deprecation, depression, loss of happiness, and feelings of sorrow.

The ever-present and important subject of acceptance is central to Acts 15. It starts with some teachers coming to Antioch and teaching the Gentiles that they had to adopt Jewish traditions and obey the law of Moses to be saved and accepted by God. They were mixing law and grace and putting conditions on salvation for those who were not Jews. These teachers were presenting a dangerous message regarding acceptance by God of all people through Christ.     

Paul and his associates combat these teachings at the Jerusalem conference some 20 years after the events of Pentecost. They do this with a revelation about the true gospel of Jesus. Peter says in verses 7 through 9:

Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.

Here, the record is set straight about the work of Christ and what it means for all people regardless of nationality and creed. Any teaching outside of salvation by faith through grace adds to the gospel and what is necessary to be made right with God. Paul makes it clear that the Judaizers’ instruction is meant to trouble the mind and is not the teaching of justification by faith in Jesus Christ that is effective for all who believe.  

The finished work of Christ on the cross ensures no difference between all people on earth when it comes to sin, salvation, and acceptance. And there is no greater truth to know and absorb than for us to realize that we are accepted by God through Jesus no matter who we are. We don’t have to do anything, achieve anything, look a certain way, or have the right family. We are accepted. 

The Lord’s acceptance of us brings indescribable joy and fulfillment that can’t be satisfied through anything or anyone on this earth. His unconditional love improves life at an eternal level and changes the way we view ourselves and other people that we otherwise could not see on our own.

Read This Week: Acts 14

But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: “Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. In the past, he let all nations go their own way. Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them. – Acts 14:14-18 NIV

The famed American evangelist, Dwight L. Moody once said, “Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at something that doesn’t really matter.” When we look at the content of our lives and activities, are the things we care about temporal or important? What do we worship? Are we devoted to eternal things or the things that don’t really matter?

These are the questions that Paul answers at Lystra and Derbe. While visiting these cities with Barnabas, Paul heals a man with crippled feet. When he does, the people perceive him to be the Greek god, Hermes, and they even think that Barnabas is Zeus. The crowd then begins to gather bulls and flowers for sacrifice to the two apostles. This attempted pagan worship righteously angers Paul and he says to them:

Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.

Paul and Barnabas would not accept human praise or worship for something that God did. They opposed that thinking and practice by telling the people the truth about the one true God. Paul also took the opportunity to communicate that putting their faith in man and the creations of the world was putting their hope and confidence in worthless things. They were focused on and devoted to things that didn’t matter while missing the beauty, power, transcendence, and relationship with Jesus that would mean everything for their lives.

Paul makes it clear to them and us that there is only one thing worthy of our worship, time, energy, passion, and desire. It is the living God who is loving, forgiving, and good. It is the God of the Ages who has been patient, gracious, and faithful to us even when we forsake Him and run after the temporary things.

We have to be careful not to be like the mobs of people in this passage and constantly look for signs and wonders from worthless things that this world has to offer. We should avoid putting our trust in and worshipping unseen gods that make empty promises about meaning and purpose. We should not forsake the eternal for the momentary. We should live our lives for the One who created us for an eternal purpose instead of for the things that, at the end of our lives, don’t really matter.

Read This Week: Acts 13

“We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: “’You are my son; today I have become your father.’” God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said, “’I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.” – Acts 13:32-34 NIV

The descriptor an oldie but goodie is often used to describe something that came about or originated long ago but is still relevant, useful, and excellent in the modern era. It can be a lesson, book, song, or event that happened or was created years previously but remains likable, reliable, and helpful to those who came long after it started. Things that are considered old but still good have staying power for all time.

The premise behind an oldie but a goodie was the crux of Paul’s sermon to the people of Pisidian Antioch in Acts 13. He gives them a history lesson about God’s providence for and covenant with Israel that culminates in the promise and fulfillment of Jesus Christ. He says in verse 23: From this man’s descendants, God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised. He tells them about God’s plan for the redemption of mankind that originated in ages past and is the best news and truth they could ever receive in the present.

Sixteen times in verses 17-30, Paul emphasizes the eternality and supremacy of God throughout history. He wants his audience to know that the Lord is the central figure in all of history and his will for all predates even time and space, but is and will be relevant to the end of days. The Apostle then brings this section of his message to the communication of the gospel. He points to the arrival of David’s greater Son, Jesus, the promised Messiah, and Savior of the world. The reason for and fulfillment of it all.

The gospel of Jesus Christ and the salvation it holds for the world is the greatest oldie but goodie there is. It never wanes in its veracity or flickers in its illumination. It never becomes obsolete or outdated no matter how advanced or sophisticated we become as a people. It never loses its power or diminishes its effectiveness. It still changes lives, reshapes communities, transforms cities, and brings glory to God in the twenty-first century just as it did among the people listening to the sound of Paul’s voice when he said:

We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors he has fulfilled for us, by raising Jesus.  

The gospel is the story that never gets old. It is one that a weary world should never be tired of hearing and one those who claim it should never be tired of sharing. It will never go away and will remain the transcendent message of this day and all those to come. It is an oldie but quite certainly an unparalleled goodie.

Read This Week: Acts 12

The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches.” – Acts 12:6-7 & 11 NIV

We are all captivated by stories of escape. When we watch, read, or hear narratives involving people escaping from danger, oppression, and difficulty, it inspires and evokes in us an innate sense of freedom. Our hearts find exhilaration in miraculous stories of survival and perseverance.

Acts chapter 12 captures such a story of a great escape. Peter was in prison for the third time, waiting on a trial, and facing certain death for the proclamation of Jesus Christ. Then, in an unforeseen miracle, his cell is lit up by a heavenly light; an angel of the Lord appears to him, and the chains fall off of his wrists. Peter then gets up and walks out of the prison to freedom. He had made his great escape by the hand of God to continue his mission for the gospel.

This amazing story points to the assurances and promises of God for us in our daily lives. It shows that God acknowledges and see us in our trials. He saw the persecution of His church and intervened in His transcendent power to help and preserve them. It is good to know that no matter how difficult the challenges, disappointments, and suffering we encounter, the Lord sees us and has everything under control. He provides a way to escape for His children.

Peter’s account also demonstrates that God hears our cries and prayers in our time of deep need. While the Apostle sat in prison, the people of God were interceding on his behalf, and God heard their petitions and acted. Verse 5 says, So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 

Right after this, the angel appears, and Peter is saved and makes his escape. He had confidence and peace because he believed Jesus’ promise that he would not be killed at this time. But, he also had many believers praying for him that God responded to with the provision of safety and preservation. That’s what he does for us. He cares and hears our cries for help, and in His power, delivers us. 

At the beginning of Acts 12, the vile and brutal King Herod seemed to be in control of the church’s fate as he tormented and persecuted them. However, by the end of the chapter, Herod was dead and verse 24 tells us that the word of God continued to spread and flourish. The movement of God had made a great escape from the wrath of violent people who sought to destroy it. The same is still true today. The gospel will always persevere and God’s people will continue to walk out of the chains of oppression to proclaim it. 

Read This Week: Acts 11

Men from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year, Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. – Acts 11:20-21 & 25-26 NIV

What’s in a name? The marker and power of a name and its value has long been significant in civilization, society, families, and social circles. Often the first piece of information we have about someone is their name because everyone (even groups of people) recognizes themselves by name. It is important in our identity and our understanding of who we are. It can even indicate our values, mission, and purpose.

Acts 11 is about a name. But, it is mostly about what that name represented to the first followers of Jesus and to all those who would come after them for generations. This chapter describes the coming together of the Jews and Gentiles under the banner of Christ and His gospel. The followers of The Way would come to be known as Christians. All believers now had a name. It would be inclusive to anyone who places their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord regardless of their heritage, background, race, or culture.

The name Christian would also be established as an indicator of the characteristics that God desires for His followers. Tradition said that the Gentiles had to become Jews to be accepted as God’s people, but now Jews and Gentiles were united through faith in Jesus. Verses 1 through 18 show us this acceptance that should be an earmark of Christians for all time:

When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.” 

Verses 19 through 26 tell us that encouragement was an early expression of the church as united people. There was rampant persecution and growing pains as the Jews and Gentiles began to do life and worship together. But when they heard that the gospel was being preached and spread among both people groups by God’s grace, they were greatly encouraged. This section communicates this:

News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord.

Lastly, the newly named Christians helped each other out of love. The needs among all the people were great, and the foundation of generosity in the Christian community was laid by the apostles in the early days. It set the tone for the desired movement of the church and what it should always be about. Verses 27-30 says:

During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

This name change was not just a label or a syllabic representation of a group of people. It came with the explicit identity of those who walked with God and served Jesus. The Church at Antioch is an amazing example and establishment that being a Christian is more than evoking a name. It is indicative of what is in the heart; of life-change and of Christ Himself. The name means that we are a people who accept others, encourage and build up, serve Jesus and people out of love, and help those in need. That is what is in this name Christian.