Something About Religion – February 18, 2009

Something About Religion

Acts 25:17-19

Jim Stephens

02-18-09

 

Scripture:

 

17 “When his accusers came here for the trial, I didn’t delay. I called the case the very next day and ordered Paul brought in. 18 But the accusations made against him weren’t any of the crimes I expected. 19 Instead, it was something about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who Paul insists is alive. (Acts 25:17-19 NLT)

 

Observation:

 

The Roman governor Festus didn’t know the Jewish culture like his predecessor Felix.  When he came into office the Jews demanded he sentence Paul to death and he responded quickly, thinking that Paul must be a terrible criminal.  When he met Paul and heard the charges against him, it didn’t make sense.  What he heard was, to his inexperienced ear, “Something about their religion and a dead man named Jesus.”

 

Application:

 

It’s difficult for non-Christians to understand why different Christian denominations have such a hard time getting along with each other.  We divide over all sorts of issues:  Worship styles, Church government, How to baptize, Dress codes, Women in ministry, Which Bible translation to use, and all sorts of doctrinal points.  To the outsider, it all seems so pointless.  It’s “something about their religion and a dead man named Jesus.”

 

Jesus prayed for our unity and said that the world would know we are his followers by the way we love each other.  I keep remembering the saying first attributed to Augustine and used by many others since his time, “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, and in all things charity.”

 

Is there a way we can get back to the point the church reached in Acts 15 where they said, “It seems good to the Holy Spirit and to us”?

 

Prayer:

 

Father, I know this isn’t easy, but please help me to know what things need to be issues and which don’t.  Help me to be at peace with others who see things differently and to be a bringer of peace in relationships.  Amen.

The Trouble – February 15, 2009

The Trouble

Acts 22:30

Jim Stephens

02-15-09

 

Scripture:

 

The next day the commander ordered the leading priests into session with the Jewish high council. He wanted to find out what the trouble was all about, so he released Paul to have him stand before them.  (Acts 22:30 NLT)

 

Observation:

 

This wasn’t the first time a Roman official had been curious and confused over the hatred the Jews had for Paul.  Once again they listened to his Jesus story until he told the part about Jesus sending him to the Gentiles, and then they went ballistic!

 

Application:

 

It’s hard for normal people to understand why Christians fight each other over what seem to be minor points of doctrine.  We understand it of course, because we think our particular set of beliefs and do’s and don’ts are right and everyone else’s are wrong (If they differ from ours).  I guess that’s the nature of believing that you have the only revealed truth – anyone who doesn’t agree precisely with every point has to be wrong.

 

I don’t know how the Father will answer Jesus’ prayer in John 17:  “My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father—that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me.” (John 17:21 NLT), but I believe he will.

 

I believe that my part in the process is to look for the common ground of agreement rather than focusing on the often minor points of difference.  A good approach might be that in the essentials we should have unity, in the non-essentials there is liberty with harmony, but in all things there must be love.

 

Prayer:

 

Father, please give me courage to stand for my convictions and wisdom to know which convictions to stand for.  And please give me love for those whose convictions intersect mine at an odd angle.  Amen.

 

Grace Was On Them – January 28, 2009

Grace Was On Them

Acts 4:32-33

Jim Stephens

01-28-09

 

Scripture:

 

32 All the believers were of one heart and mind, and they felt that what they owned was not their own; they shared everything they had. 33 And the apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s grace was upon them all. (Acts 4:32-33 NLT)

 

Observation:

 

In this account of the early days of the life in common the Jerusalem church was living out, several things are listed that either contribute to or grow out of the grace that was on them:

 

·        They were united in heart and mind.

·        They felt that what they owned was not their own. (Did you catch that?  They felt it.  It wasn’t imposed on them!)

·        They freely shared what they had with each other.

·        The resurrection of the Lord Jesus was powerfully declared.

·        There was an expression of God’s grace and favor upon them, among them, and through them.

 

Application:

 

I guess it doesn’t really matter which is cause and which is effect.  Did the “Life In Common” they were living make an altar for God to pour his grace on or did the outpouring of God’s grace create their one-heart – one mind life together?  I think both are true.  Can we experience that level of grace-filled living?

 

Prayer:

 

Father, I know there are groups of believers around the world who are experiencing powerful expressions of your grace – some like the pastor from Saudi Arabia I heard from this week, who are living under the threat of persecution and with little in the way of resources, but filled with joy and love.  Help us in the midst of our freedoms and abundance to live lives full of unity and grace.  Amen.

 

It Seemed Good – October 22, 2008

It Seemed Good

Acts 15:28

Jim Stephens

10-22-08

 

Scripture:

 

“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements…” (Acts 15:28 NLT)

 

Observation:

 

Acts 15 has some great clues to how the developing church learned to make decisions and govern itself.  In this instance, some Jewish Christ-followers from Judea had visited Antioch and were shocked that the Gentile converts to faith in Christ weren’t required to be circumcised and keep the Jewish ceremonial laws.  The dispute got so heated that the Antioch church sent Paul and Barnabas and some brothers to Jerusalem to talk to the apostles and elders.

 

After intense discussion, Peter told his story of how God changed his heart toward Gentiles and then Paul and Barnabas told stories of how God has used them among the Gentiles.

 

Finally James, Jesus’ brother, took the floor and spoke a decision that focused and summed up the arguments, applied scripture to the discussion, and brought the group to agreement.  Then they crafted a letter to send back to the Antioch church and to other Gentile churches.

 

After a gracious greeting and acknowledgment of the issue, the letter stated the basis for their conclusion in these words, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…”

 

Application:

 

There will always be differences of opinion, won’t there?  I mean as long as people have different personalities, different strengths, different experiences – there will be different ways of looking at issues and different opinions about what should be done.

 

What a great example of how strongly opinionated Christ-followers can come to agreement and unity.  Also a good example of a leader’s role in bringing people into agreement.  And a powerful example of the Holy Spirit’s role in revealing a truth in the midst of ideas and opinions.  “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…”

 

Prayer:

 

Father, in seasons of transition, change, and challenge, please give us grace to pursue the truth until it “seems good to the Holy Spirit and to us.”  We love your ways.  Amen.

We Are Partners – August 27, 2008

We Are Partners

Revelation 1:4, 9

Jim Stephens

08-27-08

 

Scripture:

 

4 This letter is from John to the seven churches in the province of Asia. Grace and peace to you from the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come; from the sevenfold Spirit before his throne; and from Jesus Christ… 9 I am John, your brother.  In Jesus we are partners in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the word of God and for my testimony about Jesus. (Revelation 1:4, 9 NLT)

 

Observation:

 

John was writing at a specific time, from a specific place, to a specific group of churches in the Roman province of Asia (Corresponds generally to modern-day Turkey).  His letter was a Revelation given him by the risen Lord Jesus Christ, addressed to the churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.  All these churches were experiencing persecution for their faith in Jesus Christ.  Some of the persecution was due to the established religion in their cities, some came from Jews, some from Rome itself.  They suffered economically, politically, socially, and personally – some persecuted even to imprisonment, torture, and death.

 

John identified himself as their brother (even though he was a Jew and they were Gentile Christ-followers) and their partner in suffering, in God’s Kingdom, and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us.

 

Application:

 

I put my name in verse 9 and it read, “I am Jim, your brother.  In Jesus we are partners in suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us.”   This made me think about the Christ-followers in Turkey and in many other parts of the world – the world of the 21^st century.  Many of my brothers and sisters are experiencing the same kinds of suffering that John’s first readers experienced.  They suffer economically, politically, socially, and physically – for their faith in Jesus Christ.

 

This brought to mind three questions:

 

·        Am I their partner in suffering?  I’m blessed beyond measure to live in a democratic republic where people of every faith can believe, worship, and practice their religion without persecution.  Do I partner with those who don’t have these freedoms through awareness, prayer, and pro-active involvement?

 

·        Am I their partner in God’s Kingdom?  God’s Kingdom includes all believers of all generations.  Do I acknowledge that Christ-followers whose expression of their faith differs from mine are part of the same Kingdom?  Do I fellowship and partner in ministry beyond my own national and organizational borders?  Am I living the life of a Kingdom of God citizen?

·        Am I their partner in patient endurance?  My life is so easy and so convenient.  As a 21^st century American, I wait for fewer things than most anyone on the planet.  And when I do have to wait, to endure, do I endure patiently?

 

This is my meditation on God’s Word today.

 

Prayer:

 

Father, Please help me to be a partner with my brothers and sisters in Christ.  In Spirit and in Truth.  Amen.

 

Jesus Prayed For Me – August 15, 2008

Jesus Prayed For Me

John 17:20-21

Jim Stephens

08-15-08

 

Scripture:

 

20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.”  (John 17:20-21 NLT)

 

Observation and Application:

 

Jesus prayed for me.  He prayed that night for the disciples who had followed him and learned from him for the past few years.  But he also prayed for me (“for all who will ever believe in me through their message”).  Jesus prayed for me.

 

I looked for what he was praying for me and he prayed that the Father would not take me out of the world but keep me from the evil one and that I would be part of a unified body of Christ-followers just as he and his Father were in perfect unity.

 

Later, in his letters to churches, Paul exhorts us to be unified and to live in harmony with each other.  Here, Jesus asks the Father to make us one.  So there’s God’s part of bringing unity and there’s my part of bringing unity.

 

Prayer:

 

Father, I purpose to contribute my part of the unity equation.  I purpose to show respect for my fellow believers, to bless and not criticize, to pray for them rather than talk about them.  Jesus prayed for unity.  I know you’re doing your part.  Please help me to do my part.  Amen.