The More You See, the Better You Look

December 1, 2009 at 10:42 am | In Acts | Leave a Comment
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In Acts Chapter 22 the Apostle Paul is telling the story of how he went from being the lost, hell-bound Saul of Tarsus, to being the saved, Heaven-bound man of God. Having been struck blind on the road to the Damascus by the overwhelming glory of Christ Jesus Himself, Paul is taken to a devout Jewish man named Ananias. We pick up the story in Verse 13:

…Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

Acts 22:13-15 (emphasis added)

In these three verses there are five references to the gift of sight. Saul had received a great gift from the Lord – the ability to see again. However, that gift was not given just for the purpose of being a gift. It was a gift given for a reason. The reason was so that Saul could see the Just One, Jesus Christ, and then tell others about Him, and so that others might see Him, too.

Eyesight is one of the greatest earthly gifts of God there is. However, we have an amazing ability to receive earthly gifts from God, and then make those gifts, rather the Giver of those gifts, the objects of our attention, affection, and even adoration.

The same can be said of spiritual gifts. Have you been given the gift of being able to be forgiving? Then, rejoice! But do not think of yourself as an expert on forgiveness, and revel in pride over how forgiving you can be. Think of forgiveness as a gift given to help you understand how much it cost God, and how much He must have loved you, to forgive you. Forgiveness is a gift that removes a barrier so that you can see God better!

Have you been given the gift of victory over sin to the extent where you are able to live a more pure and holy life? Then, rejoice! But do not think of yourself as an authority on personal purity and holy living. Think of purity and holiness as a gift which allows you into the intimate presence of the Pure and Holy God, so that you may see Him better! (Matthew 5:8)

Have you been given the gift of spiritual insight? Then, rejoice! But do not rejoice that you have become the person that people seek out when they have spiritual questions or problems, and do not expect the praise or compensation of men, when you are able to help them. Instead, think of spiritual insight as a way to better know God!

Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah 9:23-24

Conscious of the Conscience

November 12, 2009 at 4:54 pm | In Acts | Leave a Comment
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Acts Chapter 20 is the beginning of the farewell section of Acts. The Apostle Paul had a genuine love for the churches the Lord had used him to start, and he wanted to visit them one last time. It was while he was in Corinth that the Holy Ghost gave him the Book of Romans.

When Paul, Luke, Timothy, and Titus meet at Troas, we get a picture of their church services: they met on the Lord’s Day, at night, at someone’s house. They shared a meal. Then they observed the Lord’s Supper, and they declared the Word of God. The Holy Spirit gives us the account of Eutychus – the man who fell out of church (literally!)

Paul went to report to the Ephesian elders. His report is written as more of an address than a sermon. It is not what we would consider “evangelistic.”

In this report Paul describes the past (Acts 20:18-21), and he highlights his faithfulness. He describes the present (Acts 20:22-27), and explains how he had no interest in doing anything other than serving the Lord. He describes the future (Acts 20:28-35) as being a time of coming dangers.

In Acts 21 we find that a large part of Paul’s third missionary journey was spent collecting a love offering from the gentile churches to send to the Jerusalem church. He was also occupied battling the Judaizers, who were very determined.

It was Paul’s desire not to see Christianity defiled with a mixture of Judaism. This desire for the purity of the Gospel message drove him to Jerusalem despite of all the warnings not to go there. When Paul reported about his trip, the Judaizers were ready right away with their rumors. Paul tried to cooperate by not giving offense, but he could not compromise the message of salvation by grace alone through faith alone, and he could not compromise in the area of undivided fellowship with the Gentiles.

Paul was arrested wrongfully when a riot broke out. The riot was caused by Jews who claimed he had brought his gentile friends into the temple. The Roman authorities kept him from being killed. They thought he was someone else at first, but he spoke Greek to them, so they let him speak to the Jews, and he then spoke Aramaic.

Paul declared what he had personally seen and been involved in:

And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

Acts 21:19

He was impressing the Jews with this testimony until he mentioned the word “gentiles.” That word almost started another riot.

Claudius was going to have Paul scourged, but then Paul revealed that he was a Roman citizen. Roman citizens were not to be bound or scourged. Claudius had obtained his Roman citizenship by bribery. Paul had inherited his Roman citizenship from his father – he was “born free.”

It had been preordained that Paul was going to Rome – it’s just that God was making it so that Rome would foot the bill for the journey: Paul was going as a prisoner.

There is no Acts 12:5 in Acts Chapter 22.

Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

Acts 12:5

Paul was in prison. The Judaizers were probably influencing the church in Jerusalem. And Satan was probably influencing the Judaizers. We must never let Satan stop our prayers.

In Acts Chapter 23 Paul is taken by the Roman captain before the Sanhedrin. He testified as a defendant, but his testimony was really preaching.

And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

Acts 23:1

When the Bible uses the Word “conscience” in this Verse, the Holy Ghost is telling us that our conscience applies the standard for our behavior, not that it sets the standard. You may have seen the stereotypical movie tough guy who lives by a “code.” He will rob, kill, and extort, but he won’t allow a lady to be insulted, or maybe he won’t shoot somebody in the back. That is the world’s idea of “conscience,” in which each person determines his own behavior by whatever happens to offend him or her. It is not the Bible’s idea of conscience.

We do not know if the Apostle Paul wrote the Book of Hebrews, but we do know that one reason it was written was to explain the difference between being a Jewish Christian and a Jew who wants to be called a Christian. Hebrews explains the seared and the evil conscience. The Apostle Paul used the word “conscience” 21 times in his letters.

Paul didn’t particularly enjoy being slapped in the face as a petty raging insult by Ananias the high priest, and he called him a “whited wall.” Then he brought up the Resurrection – which he knew would divide the council. The Sanhedrin had now officially rejected Jesus, Peter, and Paul.

Paul’s sister and nephew warned Claudius of a plot to kill Paul, so Claudius knew he had to get him out of Jerusalem. He had Paul taken to Caesarea and turned over to Felix the Roman governor and imprisoned in the palace.

Character and Integrity Part 6

October 13, 2009 at 10:49 am | In character and integrity | Leave a Comment
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Our three main enemies are the devil, the world, and our flesh. The devil wants to lie to us and deceive us. Our flesh wants us to please ourselves, and not God. The world wants us to be fake – something we’re not – in order to get money.

We must not fool ourselves into thinking we can control your own bodies. We must not let people tell us that we have a built-in excuse: our nature. God has the power to control everything. He controls the wind, waves, earthquakes, and atoms. We should not be the one thing that God created that rebels against Him.

What? 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.

I Corinthians 6:19-20

God can control our bodies – the desires of our flesh – if we surrender to Him. But we have to surrender every day. Our minds are not going to be blank. We have to replace bad thoughts with good thoughts.

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Colossians 3:2

In this ongoing series of lessons, I have made comparisons between the character and integrity of material objects and the character and integrity of Christians. Continuing in this vein, I submit that a straight wall has better character and integrity than a crooked wall.

Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand. And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:

Amos 7:7-8

For a wall to stand, it must be in balance. Jesus Christ was the most balanced Person of all time.

And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

Luke 2:48

When the Lord Jesus, as a boy, went to the temple without checking in with his earthly parents, they probably thought He had lost His mind. He had not, but here in the story of the Prodigal Son, we see someone who had lost mind, evidenced by the expression, “he came to himself.”

And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

Luke 15:17

Paul was accused of being “beside himself,” another term for having lost his mind.

And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

Acts 26:24

There was a belief in Bible times that the mind could be separated from the body. The symptoms were that the person’s body was doing something that was out of balance with what the mind would have dictated.

The Lord Jesus, even at age 12, was completely in balance, despite some of the so-called disadvantages which we use as excuses for being out of balance today.

Jesus’s earthly family was not wealthy.

And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

Luke 2:24

His brothers did not believe in Him.

For neither did his brethren believe in him.

John 7:5

His mother did not always understand Him.

There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?

Mark 3:31-33

Joseph, his earthly foster father, did not always understand Him.

And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.

Luke 2:50

Whenever you feel frustrated because you think nobody understands you, remember that Jesus was misunderstood His whole earthly life!

And yet, look at the balance in His life.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

Luke 2:52 (emphasis added)

The Lord Jesus spent His teenage years preparing for His ministry mentally. When Jewish boys turn 13 they celebrate a “Bar Mitzvah,” which means “son of the law.”

Each of us has different degrees of intellectual ability, but no matter how smart we are, it is important to do our best. If we do well in every part of our lives except our intellectual studies, we are going to be out of balance.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

Luke 2:52 (emphasis added)

“Stature” can refer to size and age. This Verse leads us to believe that Jesus was healthy, but He did not give unbalanced attention to His outward physical appearance. He was probably ordinary looking.

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

Isaiah 53:2

We need to eat right, get enough sleep, exercise.

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

I Corinthians 9:27

Our outward appearance is not as important as the spiritual condition of our heart, but it is important. We need to be guided by the example of Jesus. He stood out because of His Words, manner, and actions, not because of His physical appearance. As Christians, we should sometimes stand out, but we should not stand out for the wrong reasons: tattoos, body piercings, facial piercings, ridiculously long hair on boys and men. Remember, Jesus was a Nazarene, not a Nazarite. There is no warrant in Scripture for portraying Him with the long girlish hair seen in most artwork. A common objection to the admonition not to have an attention-seeking physical appearance is, “I’m just expressing myself.” But the truth is, God doesn’t want us expressing ourselves – He want us to express Him!

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Romans 15:1

A good question to ask about my physical appearance is whether I am exalting God, or exalting me? If my “stature,” my body, is not surrendered to God, then I am out of balance.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

Luke 2:52 (emphasis added)

If anybody had the right to really think He was Somebody special, it was Jesus. But even though He was the “Lord,” He didn’t “lord” it over everyone.

But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.

Luke 2:44

Notice that Jesus’s earthly family could go a day without worrying about how people treated Him. They knew that people like someone who is a servant, and who is obedient and respectful. As a man, the Lord Jesus was invited to weddings and parties. If you’re not socially acceptable, or if you’re acceptable only around people who love sin, you are out of balance.

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and Man.

Luke 2:52 (emphasis added)

Jesus was and is God, but in Jesus’s humanity it is also true that God “was with” Jesus. Jesus had favor with God.

And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.

Luke 2:46

When Jesus went to the temple, He did not slump down in the back row. He did not pass notes. None of the teachers got frustrated because He wasn’t paying attention. Jesus was not only asking questions, but He was “hearing them.”

Jesus prayed often. He even taught lessons on how to pray. He quoted Scripture when He was tempted by Satan and challenged by the Pharisees. He always knew the right Verse for the occasion. If you are not right spiritually, you are out of balance.

Jesus was perfect mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually, and He is our our model.

Don’t Get Caught Up the Creek Without Your Oars

September 14, 2009 at 8:22 am | In Acts | 1 Comment
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The first Christian church in Thessalonica was in many ways an exemplary church. The Holy Ghost, through the Apostle Paul, commended their faith and zeal for the Gospel in I 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 any thing. 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;”

The church members in Thessalonica had been converted by the method of preaching and teaching which had been taught to Paul by Christ Himself. It is outlined in Acts 17:1-3: “Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, 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, 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.”

I have capitalized four words in the above passage of Scripture, and devised an acrostic (O.A.R.S.) to help remember the Biblical means for telling people about Christ Jesus.

O.pening – The Apostle Paul opened the Word of God, and it is of great importance that all our teaching about Jesus be straight from the Bible.

A.lleging – To “allege” means to take two ideas and lay them alongside each other for comparison or contrast. Paul showed his listeners that what He was claiming about Jesus matched up to what the Bible said.

R.easoning – Reasoning, in an evangelistic setting, involves a back-and-forth dialogue. Paul encouraged questions from his listeners, and he endeavored to answer them according to the Scriptures.

S.peaking – Actually, “speaking” is probably too tame a word for the “preaching” that Paul did. I just couldn’t make “preach,” “proclaim,” or “announce” fit the acrostic. But, the fact is, the Gospel is shared by the bold verbal proclamation of the truth about Christ Jesus. (“…faith cometh by hearing…” Romans 10:17)

Christians often speak of “flowing in the Spirit,” but there is a danger in floating blindly downstream. A limp body carried on the current can be washed into dangerous coves, or dashed against a protruding rock. We want to flow in the River of Life, but we must remember to use our “oars” to guide us toward those who are floundering, so that the Lord might use us to rescue them.

The One that Didn’t Get Away

September 2, 2009 at 9:47 am | In Biblical Violence | Leave a Comment
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My grandfather, Leslie Cassels, was 94 years old when he went home to be with the Lord. Although I never had a chance to personally witness it, he used to fascinate me with stories of how he and his father, uncles, and brothers would go fishing when he was a boy.

Not having fishing rods or poles, they would wade into shallow, murky pits or ponds with relatively steep embankments. In the sides of the banks, well below the surface of the water, they could feel holes. Reaching into the holes, every so often, they would find a huge catfish lurking. Their technique was to suddenly seize hold of the fish, and attempt to wrestle it onto the shore bare-handed. The seizing was important, but it was only the beginning of the battle.

When the Apostle Paul wrote to his apprentice, Timothy, whom he had left to fulfill the office of evangelist at the church in Ephesus, he had greater concerns than catching catfish. But it seems that some of the same principles applied.

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

I Timothy 6:12

The Holy Spirit, speaking through Paul, was concerned about the battle for the faith. In this battle, Timothy was to “lay hold” on the doctrine of eternal life. In other words, he was to seize it and hold on tight. But, as with the prize of a big catfish, the laying hold was only the beginning of the fight.

Timothy would have to struggle with three main types of enemies in his battle: (1) those who saw the freedom of the Gospel as a chance to rebel against the social order (I Timothy 6:1-2); (2) those that loved money (I Timothy 6:9-10); and (3) those who were proud of what they thought was their own knowledge, and who called it “science” (I Timothy 6:20).

When my grandfather heaved a wriggling fish onto shore, it meant his Depression-era family would eat well that night. When we, like Timothy, emerge victorious in the good fight of faith, we will feast at the eternal table of Lord, and receive a crown of righteousness. (II Timothy 4:7-8)

Preaching, Pressing, and Pushing On

August 4, 2009 at 11:48 am | In A Little Alliteration, Acts | Leave a Comment
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Acts Chapter 12 starts off by telling us that Herod the king killed John’s brother, James, and had Peter arrested. This Herod is the third Herod – Herod Agrippa I. Herod the Great was the one who had killed the babies in Bethlehem right after Jesus was born. The Herod in Acts 12 is that Herod’s grandson.

King Herod the Great had killed his own son, Aristobulus, who was Herod Agrippa I’s father. Herod Agrippa I (the Herod of Acts 12) had an uncle named Herod Antipas who had beheaded John the Baptist.

As you can see, the Herods were evil, and they practiced nepotism. Warren Wiersbe says nepotism is when a father, being evil, knows how to give good gifts to his children. (Luke 11:13)

Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

Acts 12:5-6

Peter was so dangerous that they put two guards on him, but God freed him anyway.

And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

Acts 12:7

We meet two other important characters in Acts 12: John Mark, who would write the Book of Mark, and James (not the same one killed in Verse 2), the sort of “half-brother” of Jesus.

But he [PETER], beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.

Acts 12:17

This is the same James who wrote the Book of James. It seems that he was also the pastor or the leader of the church in Jerusalem.

And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country. And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

Acts 12:20-23

Herod’s last days seem to foreshadow the Antichrist.

In Acts Chapter 13 God called missionaries when His followers were seeking to glorify Him.

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

Acts 13:1-4

Six men, including John Mark in Verse 6, were ministering in Antioch: Barnabus; Simeon (who was probably from Africa because his nickname was “black”); Lucius (whose name meant “light”); Manen (a friend, or maybe the adopted brother of, Herod Antipas who killed John the Baptist); and Saul/Paul. These men were prophets and teachers. At times they did foretell the future, but primarily they were prophets in the sense that they proclaimed God’s Word. We need this type of prophetic ministry today more than we need seers into the future or “words of knowledge” or “fresh revelation.” We need men who will stand up, as an elder prophet, and say, “This is what the Bible has to say about that…”

Antioch was in Syria, and from this point in the narrative of Acts, Antioch and Paul replace Jerusalem and Peter as the focal points.

Barnabas and Paul are sent, and they take Barnabas’s cousin, John Mark, with them. They go to six different cities in Chapters 13 and 14. Satan packed up his bag of evil tricks and went after them, or, actually, it appears that he may have gone before them in some instances.

They went to Paphos.

And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,

Acts13:6-9

In Paphos, Satan had sown tares among the wheat. The devil is a planter of counterfeits. (Matthew 13:24-25)

Next they went to Perga.

Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

Acts 13:13

In Perga the attack came by way of backsliding. We do not know what caused John Mark to turn back, but he was restored later. It could have been his discomfort with the Gentiles. It could have been a fear of danger in these new areas. Maybe he was jealous concerning Paul’s leadership over his cousin, Barnabas. (Note Verse 13 where it says, “Paul and his company…”)

The first sermon of the Apostle Paul which is recorded in the Bible begins in Acts 13:16, and it was preached in in Pisidia. His method was to proclaim the Gospel (Acts 13:28-30), and to press hard for a decision (Acts 13:38-41). This method has come under attack lately by those who claim that pressing for a decision means that men are being deceived into trusting a “decision” rather than trusting Christ. Indeed, it may well be that the method has been abused, twisted, warped, or incorrectly worded, but the fact is that the preaching and pressing which Paul did was inspired by the Holy Spirit, and therefore, it is the Bible way of evangelizing.

At first Paul and Barnabas were invited back to the synagogue.

And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

Read 13:42-44

But the Jews stirred up a desire to have them thrown out. They stirred up the leading men and women of high society.

But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

Acts 13:50

Here is a brief rundown of Paul’s first recorded sermon:
1. He reviews the history of Israel.
2. He accuses his listeners of killing the Messiah.
3. He proclaims the Resurrection.
4. He reminds them of the promise of a King on the Throne of David. (Habakkuk 1:5; Isaiah 49:6)

In the Old Testament, God used Gentiles to punish the Jews. At the beginning of the Church in the New Testament, the salvation of the Gentiles is coming through the Jews.

Some people think that the restoration of Davidic worship is the sign of Christ coming back to reign on the Throne of David. I tend to disagree because the Jews were used by God in early Christianity, but for the most part, as a people, they have rejected the message. So now the message has gone primarily among the Gentiles. I do not think that the sign of the coming of Christ will be enthusiastic worship. I think it will be false worship and apostasy and falling away. (II Thessalonians 2:3)

And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

Acts 13:48

This shows the sovereignty of God.

And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.

Acts 13:49

This shows the responsibility of man.

The sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man always go together.

In Acts Chapter 14 the Christian missionaries leave Pisidia and go to Iconium. There, Satan opposed them by stirring up Jews. There were signs and wonders along the trip through the different cities, but, despite the signs and wonders, they preached the Gospel (Acts 14:7), and went down into Attalia (Acts 14:25), and:

… when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many,

Acts 14:21

They never ceased to preach the Word.

They went from Iconium to Lystra (home town of Timothy). I suppose they would be called divisive and insulting in today’s politically correct climate for what they did when people wanted to worship them and call them false gods.

And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

Acts 14:12-15

Paul didn’t preach from the Old Testament this time because these people were mostly pagans. Instead he preached the God of creation.

Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

Acts 14:17

The devil and his followers from Iconium and Antioch kept showing up.

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. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

Acts 14:19-20

They stoned Paul, but either he survived, or God raised him from the dead. He and his fellow-servants went right back to Antioch, through some of the same places they had been thrown out of. They not only evangelized, but they trained new believers and established churches. Paul’s first missionary journey (there would be two more) lasted about one year.

Quarterback Commandment No. 11

July 29, 2009 at 10:04 am | In Quarterback Commandments | Leave a Comment
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The year following Bill Parcells’s departure as Head Coach for the Cowboys, Dallas defeated Buffalo in a Monday night game. During the broadcast, Parcells appeared on camera and read the list of “Eleven Quarterback Commandments” he had given to Tony Romo to help him understand his job, and to further his development. I have been posting the 11 Quarterback Commandments, one at a time, and have tried to draw a spiritual, Biblical application for each one. Today, I have reached No. 11.

Quarterback Commandment No. 11: Don’t be a celebrity quarterback. We don’t need any of those. We need battlefield commanders that are willing to fight it out, every day, every week, and every season, and lead their team to win after win after win.

Spiritual Application: Christian ministers are not to seek glory for themselves. The Christian life is a race and battle and a pilgrimage, not a parade or an awards banquet.

When the Dallas Cowboys win a game, I like to watch the post-game festivities. One feature I try to catch is the press conference. The head coach and different players will often take the podium, and answer questions, and bask in the spotlight. The main attraction of the post-game press conference, however, is usually the winning team’s quarterback. A team’s quarterback, especially if he is considered a “franchise quarterback” (one around which the rest of the team is built, and on whom the future success of the team is largely staked), is said to be “the face of the team.”

Parcells is rightfully wary of this. Celebrities tend to be famous for how they look. Heroes are famous for what they have done.

King David was a hero. His son, Absalom, was celebrity. Christian ministers would do well to model their lives and ministries on Biblical heroes such as David, Stephen, and Paul.

Take the Apostle Paul. He was a “battlefield commander” who was willing to “fight it out” every day.

But even after that we had 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.

I Thessalonians 2:2

However, he did not do this to gain a celebrity status, nor to make himself recognizable or famous among men.

Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

I Thessalonians 2:6

An NFL quarterback should know the responsibility that comes with being recognizable. However, he must beware of having a “prima donna” attitude that would take his focus off his job, or engender jealousy in his teammates.

A Christian minister must be mindful that, while he leads, he will receive honor according to the victories the Lord uses him to win. However, this honor must not be allowed to stray into the area of celebrity. A Christian minister may be a leading soldier in the battle of the Christian life, but He still serves a Commander Who is over him. This Commander reminds us not to get ourselves enmeshed in this world’s false ideas of leadership, to the point where we forget to serve, and expect to be served.

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

II Timothy 2:3-4

Quarterback Commandment No. 10

July 13, 2009 at 5:39 pm | In Quarterback Commandments | 1 Comment
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Only two more to go… We are nearing the end of the list of 11 Quarterback Commandments which Bill Parcells gave to Tony Romo during their time together with the Dallas Cowboys.

Quarterback Commandment No. 10: Don’t panic. When all around you is in chaos, you must be the hand that steers the ship. If you have a panic button, so will everyone else. Our ship can’t have a panic button.

Spiritual Application: In the heat of spiritual battle, when things seem as though they are getting out of control, God’s leaders must be thermostats, not thermometers.

We’ve all been there. You have been planning some event or occasion in detail. Maybe for hours, maybe for days, or even weeks, you have pictured in your mind just how it will go. You finally arrive and nothing is the way you expected it. Things are in disarray and people are panicking. What will you do?

A good quarterback knows that even the best gameplan does not contain a solution to every possible predicament. Sometimes your star receiver is injured in pre-game warmups. Sometimes, the opposing defense has concocted a blitz package you’ve never seen in your life. Once in a while, you find yourself trailing by three touchdowns halfway through the fourth quarter, and there is no play in the playbook for making a first down when it’s third and 29 to go.

When 10 anxious faces gathered around a huddle stare pensively at their leader, there’s only one right response: calm collected confidence tempered with firm determination. If the quarterback loses control, everyone else is going to lose control.

On the football field, leaders need a steady hand and a positive demeanor. Christian quarterbacks need the same attitude and posture during regular counseling sessions, church services, hospital visits, and in all types of spiritual calamities and unforeseen chaos.

When God prepared his people for battles in the land of Canaan, He told His priestly quarterback to tell the troops to:

…approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;

Deuteronomy 20:3

Peter hit the panic button when Jesus was arrested, and almost interfered with the plan of redemption:

Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.

John 18:10

But Jesus, the greatest Spiritual Quarterback of all time, stayed cool:

Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

John 18:11

Read Acts 27:41-44 for the account of a shipwreck, and the Apostle Paul’s great response, and you will almost be tempted to think Parcells was reading his Bible when he said, “Don’t panic. When all around you is in chaos, you must be the hand that steers the ship. If you have a panic button, so will everyone else. Our ship can’t have a panic button.”

As a Christian quarterback, when I walk into a chaotic situation, I must ask God to help me not to be a thermometer. A thermometer just reflects the temperature of a room. When things get hot, the mercury goes up. When things are cold and dead, the mercury dies down, too. I must instead ask God to make me a thermostat. A thermostat is not controlled by the temperature; it does the controlling. When I walk into a room of spiritually cold people, I need to warm things up in the Spirit of God. And when I walk into a room of hot-headed chaos or knee-knocking panic, I need be calm, and help to cool things down.

Quarterback Commandment No. 9

June 11, 2009 at 11:30 am | In Quarterback Commandments | Leave a Comment
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Bill Parcells, like him or not, has a passion for one thing above all else: Winning. Ultimately, in terms of their career, that is how football coaches are judged. In our ongoing series of Quarterback Commandments, which Parcells (then Head Coach of the Dallas Cowboys) gave to Tony Romo, the same criteria applies to quarterbacks.

Quarterback Commandment No. 9: Get your team in the end zone. Passing stats and TD passes are not how you’re going to be judged. Your job is to get your team in the end zone and that is how you will be judged.

Spiritual Application: A Christian minister will be judged, not for how popular he is, and not for the number of followers, converts, or students he claims, but for his obedience to the Lord, and for how well he managed the resources God gave him.

Since the Super Bowl era began in the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys have had many quarterbacks, but only four really elite ones: Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, Danny White, and Tony Romo. All four can boast impressive statistics: quarterback rating; completion percentage, yards passing, touchdown passes, etc. However, to date, only two of those four are considered to be truly “great:” Staubach and Aikman. And that is not because they had the most impressive statistics. It is because they consistently got their team in the end zone, and won games. They are the only 2 on the list with Super Bowl victories – 2 for Staubach and 3 for Aikman.

Bottom line: Quarterback is a glamorous position. Quarterbacks are lauded for performing well. But statistics don’t mean much, if your team doesn’t win the game.

Christian ministers are not playing a game. We will ultimately be “winners,” but even that victory will not be credited to us – it will be because of, and redound to the glory of, our great Lord.

However, Christian ministers, like NFL quarterbacks, will be judged. Romans 14:10 tells us that “we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” Unbelievers will stand before God’s Great White Throne in judgment, and then be cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15) Believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

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.

II Corinthians 5:10

I don’t understand everything there is to know about the judgment seat of Christ, but it does seem to me that we who are counted righteous, and whose sins have been washed away by the blood of Jesus, will be judged based on our works. After this judgment, which is for true Christians only, we will go into the presence of the Lord with fullness of joy, and live with Him forevermore.

As Christian quarterbacks, I am afraid that, on that day, some of our passing statistics will be burned and counted as loss.

Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

I Corinthians 3:13-15

Here are examples of some Biblical “quarterbacks” who would have never been in the top echelon of “success” by worldly standards, but who definitely knew how to find the “end zone” of obedience:

Noah – the Old Testament preacher of righteousness, preached, and built the ark, for 120 years while the fools around him scoffed, laughed, enjoyed their lives, and ignored his call for repentance. When God poured water from the sky, and brought it forth from beneath the earth, the “crazy man” who was building a boat in the desert suddenly didn’t seem so crazy after all. Noah’s stats were awful: 120 years of preaching, with no converts except his own family – yet judged by God as a smashing success!

Jeremiah – the “weeping prophet,” despised and rejected throughout his ministry. He was beaten, imprisoned, put into stocks, and reviled. It appears that, during his ministry, no one was converted through his prophecies or preaching. However, he was vindicated by God, who fulfilled each and every one of Jeremiah’s prophecies to the letter. Jeremiah reached the end zone of obedience and faithfulness when everyone around him threw in the towel, phoned it in, or pandered to the crowd.

Paul the Apostle – Here’s what Paul thought of his “statistics:”

Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 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; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 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,

Philippians 3:4-8

It was as if Paul told the Judaizers, “If you want to talk stats, I have thrown more completions, had fewer interceptions, had a higher passer rating, and more yards per attempt than all of you! And I consider all that to be excrement, compared to being called a ‘winner’ by Jesus!”

How will you be judged at the end of your life on earth? Were you popular? Wealthy? Influential? Attractive? God will not be impressed. Or will you be able to say that you obeyed the Lord with all your heart, working hard to score touchdowns for His team – and His team only – with every ounce of energy and every material resource He graciously entrusted to you?

Quarterback Commandment No. 7

May 19, 2009 at 12:12 pm | In Quarterback Commandments | Leave a Comment
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This is a continuation of the series of Quarterback Commandments given by Bill Parcells to Tony Romo, quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.

Quarterback Commandment No. 7: Throwing the ball away is a good play. Sacks, interceptions, and fumbles are bad plays. Protect against those.

For those whose football parlance is somewhat lacking:

“Throwing the ball away” is when the quarterback intentionally throws a pass that no one can catch. This ends the play, and the next play starts where the previous one started, without any loss of yardage. The reason for doing this is that, among the possible outcomes of a pass play – sack (the quarterback is tackled before throwing the ball); interception (the pass is caught by someone on the other team); and incomplete pass (described above) – the incomplete pass is the least harmful.

A “fumble” is when someone carrying the football during a play drops the ball. Fumbles often occur during sacks, and often result in the other team grabbing the loose ball, which is disastrous.

The gist of Parcells’s commandment is: Rather than trying to force the best result out of every play, quarterbacks, when faced with a possible disaster, have to learn when to settle for a less-than-stellar result, so their team can have another chance on the next play.

Spiritual application: Christian ministers must learn to avoid strife over non-essential issues which will ultimately hurt the cause of Christ.

As you minister for Christ Jesus you will find yourself opposed. You will also find yourself having to decide where to draw the line as far as with whom you will minister and fellowship. A Christian minister often finds himself in the POSITION of encountering OPPOSITION, much the same way a quarterback faces defenders who want to keep him from moving the ball downfield.

Thus, like a quarterback, a Christian minister must learn that there are times when it is better to salvage what he can from a bad situation, than to try and make a bad situation into a good one. “Live to fight another day” is the military slogan.

The Holy Spirit, through the Apostle Paul, instructed Timothy to be a very aggressive Christian quarterback:

Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

II Timothy 2:1

But He also let him know that it’s good, once in a while, to throw the ball into the first row of spectators:

But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

II Timothy 2:23

Titus got similar instructions: Play hard, and keep trying to win the game until the final whistle blows:

This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

Titus 3:8

But do not get bogged down by forcing the issue when the game is not on the line:

But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

Titus 3:9

So, as a Christian quarterback, I would like for everyone to use the King James Version of the Bible, but if you want me to go with you to visit your lost cousin in the hospital, and you insist on taking along your New King James, or even your NIV, I’m not going to refuse to go.

I believe that Jesus Christ is going to rapture His Church out of this world before the Tribulation starts, but if you don’t believe that’s precisely the order of the end-times events, I still want you to faithfully attend my Sunday School class.

When R.G. Lee, one of the best preachers of all time, pastored the First Baptist Church of New Orleans, he was allowed to go, once a week, and speak on the campus of Tulane University. He would answer questions from students, many of whom were skeptical about the truth of the Bible. On a particular occasion, a young lady raised her hand and asked, “Well, if what it says in Genesis is the literal truth, would you mind telling me just where Cain got his wife?”

Dr. Lee, not taken aback at all, responded, “Ma’am, I don’t know and I don’t care. If she was good enough for Cain, she’s good enough for me.”

Clearly, this was a good example of avoiding foolish contention, strife, and unlearned questions.

If I’m playing quarterback, and it’s fourth and long with no time left on the clock, with my team trailing by six points, I’m going to stand in the pocket, ignore the rushing linemen, and do my best to throw the ball to my receiver in the end zone even if he’s surrounded by defenders, because giving up on that play is not an option. In the same way, you and I are not going to be able to minister together if you do not believe that men are saved by grace through faith, and not of works, or if you believe that the Bible is errant and fallible, or if you believe that Jesus of Nazareth wasn’t really the Son of God. Again, in military language, although it is good to live to fight again another day, the slogan “there are SOME hills worth dying on” is also true.

It is against a good quarterback’s nature to slack up, to give up on a play, or to admit that he can not improvise his way out of a bad situation. In other words, quarterbacks are not, by nature, meek. However, Parcells must believe that, to be successful, a quarterback’s natural boldness must be tempered by meekness in some situations, as part of the overall effort to win a game.

Did not Jesus Himself give us a similar example for the Christian life? Never giving up in accomplishing His ultimate objective, He nevertheless knew when to walk away from strife and contention:

He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.

Matthew 12:19

During His boldest pronouncements, He sometimes invited peaceful submission rather than forcing His will upon His enemies:

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Matthew 11:29

He even taught His disciples that sometimes it was better to throw an incompletion than to take a sack, give up an interception, or fumble the ball:

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

Matthew 10:14

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