Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Opening: What was your conversion moment, the realization that without God, you cannot live?

Scripture: Read Acts 16:16-40.

Insights:

• Can you imagine it: using a demon-possessed slave girl for profit? That’s what was happening in Philippi. At the time, she was what was called a Pytho (sounds like our word “psycho”!) She was a person who could give oracles to guide people about the future. Like a fortune teller, but the source of her information was demonic. She was undoubtedly mad. The ancient world had a strange respect for mad people because, they said, the gods had taken away their wits in order to put the mind of the gods into them.  
• The demon within the girl correctly identified Paul and Silas as servants of God. The same was true for Jesus; see Matthew 8:29, Mark 1:24, Mark 3:11, and Luke 4:41.  
• When the jailor awoke after the earthquake and saw the open prison doors, it was an easy assumption that all of his prisoners were long gone. He believed his fate was sealed, for jailers were responsible for their prisoners and would be held accountable if they escaped. Paul saved the man’s life, and then his soul!  
• Verse 33 is another “the entire household was baptized” passage, like with Lydia’s household in verse 15.  
• Paul was not going to leave Philippi without giving the officials of Philippi a piece of his mind. He and Silas informed them they are Roman citizens, but just some traveling Jews. Roman citizenship carried with it certain privileges. It was illegal to whip a Roman citizen, and every citizen had the right to a fair trial, which Paul and Silas had not been given. The Philippian authorities apologized and begged them to leave Philippi.  
• If you haven’t figured it out by now, Luke has joined Paul’s group. We know Luke was a physician, probably from Troas, where he was converted, and from there joined the group on its way to Philippi. He witnessed the events in Philippi, but was not imprisoned. Luke stayed in Philippi (see Acts 17:1). On Paul’s third visit to Philippi (see Acts 20:5, 6), we again meet with Luke, who probably had spent all the intervening time in that city, a period of seven or eight years. After this, Luke was Paul’s constant companion during his journey to Jerusalem (see Acts 20:6-21:18). He again disappears from view during Paul’s imprisonment at Jerusalem and Caesarea, and only reappears when Paul sets out for Rome (see Acts 27:1), where he accompanies him (see Acts 28:2, 12-16), and where he remains with him till the close of his first imprisonment (see Philemon1:24; Colossians 4:14). The last notice of the “beloved physician” is in 2 Timothy4:11.[1]

Life Questions:

• The irony of this passage is that Paul and Silas were beaten and arrested for a good deed – releasing the slave girl from exploitation. Has that ever happened to you – treated poorly for doing good?  
• In Philippi, Paul’s ministry is to everyone. Lydia was an influential businesswoman (see Acts 16:14). The demon-possessed slave girl was at the bottom of the social strata of the city. And the jailer was one of the sturdy middle class who made up the Roman civil service. The Good News was reaching everyone, just as it does today.  
• Imagine the scene in the jail. Despite their wounds, chains, and circumstances, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. What a testimony to all who listened. How is your faith borne out to others when you are in a difficult situation? Might it be possible that God will use your “praying and singing” in your difficult time to bring about the conversion of a wayward soul?  
• The jailer’s question is every person’s life question, whether they have asked it or not: “What must I do to be saved?” The only real and eternal answer is, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.” Have you responded? Do you believe?

Prayer Focus: That everyone would be saved.

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[1] Illustrated Bible Dictionary: And Treasury of Biblical History, Biography, Geography, Doctrine, and Literature. “Luke”

Tuesday, October 09, 2012

Opening: When was the last time (or maybe the most important time) you needed to make a significant decision? There was no middle decision, either go left or go right. How did you make the decision?

Scripture: Read Acts 16:6-15.

Insights:

• We don’t know how the Holy Spirit told Paul that he and his companions should not go into Asia. It may have been through a prophet, a vision, an inner conviction, or some other circumstance. However the Spirit communicated His intentions, Paul was obedient, though it may be been a little frustrating for him, because he wanted get the message of Jesus to as many people as he could. Fortunately, by following the lead of the Holy Spirit, Paul did just that. 
• Here is the famous “Macedonian Man” vision. The vision was of a man from Macedonia; that is, the northern part of Greece. Within this area are the cities of Philippi and Thessalonica, where churches would be established, and later, letters would be written to by Paul. (See your Bible’s map or go to http://www.keyway.ca/htm2002/paulsec.htm.) 
• There is a very subtle, yet important clue in today’s passage. Note the pronoun in verse 8, then in verse 10? See the difference? Who is it? (Be sure to note future pronouns; they will change again.)  
• In Philippi, Paul leads Lydia to Christ. Being a merchant of purple cloth, which was very valuable, expensive, and purchased by nobility or royalty, she was probably wealthy.  
• Acts16:15 is one of the New Testament verses that seems to support infant baptism. The text indicates that Lydia and her household were baptized. Since she was wealthy, there would be many people connected with her household: family, servants, and friends she helped. The assumption is that there must have been babies who were baptized as well. What do you think?

Life Questions:

• To know God’s will does not mean we must hear his voice. He leads in different ways. When you are seeking God’s will:

1.    Make sure your plan is in harmony with God’s Word. This requires continual, methodical, and prayerful study.

2.    Ask mature Christians for their advice. Just as you would ask advice from an expert in auto mechanics or finance or health services, you can go to mature believers who have walked the Christian life in such a way and for such a time that they have learned the principles of the faith and have the sensitivity to the presence and leading of the Holy Spirit.

3.    Check your own motives to see if you are seeking to do what you want or what you think God wants. This may be the hardest one to do. Plenty of decisions in history have been made that at the time were attributed to God, but were really the desires of the individuals involved.

4.    Pray for God to open and close the doors as He desires. If God wants you to do something, the door will open. If it doesn’t, certainly don’t try to force it open!

• Lydia’s household was baptized after she responded in faith to the Good News. Baptism was a public sign of identification with Christ and the Christian community. She has now indicated that her home is a Christian home. How is your home identified as a home of Christ-followers?  
• Lydia was a woman of hospitality. Later, when Paul described the Christian character, he wrote that the Christian should be “eager to practice hospitality” (see Romans 12:13). Likewise, when Peter urges Christian duty, he writes, “Be hospitable to one another without complaining.”[1]

Prayer Focus: That our lives, our homes, and our hospitality would be led by the Holy Spirit.

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[1] 1 Peter 4:9 (NRSV)

Monday, October 08, 2012

Opening: Who were the most influential persons in your life? Parent? Coach? Teacher? Pastor? What did they instill in you that is still part of your character, values, makeup?

Scripture: Read Acts 15:36-16:5.

Insights:

• Following the Jerusalem Council, Paul is ready to get back on the evangelism road. So is Barnabas, but he wants to bring his nephew John Mark again, as they did when they began the First Missionary Journey. But Paul will have none of it, so the two split up. Barnabas and John Mark held to Cyprus, Barnabas’ home island. Paul takes Silas with him towards the new churches in Galatia. Look in your Bible to see a map of this Second Missionary Journey or go to http://www.keyway.ca/htm2002/paulsec.htm.  
• Barnabas’ patient encouragement was a huge boost for the effectiveness of Mark’s eventual ministry. Paul and Mark were later reunited in missionary efforts (see Colossians4:10 and Philemon 1:24).  
• It was five years since Paul had preached in Derbe and Lystra, but when he returned, his heart must have been gladdened to find a young man who would become very dear to him. Timothy and his mother Eunice were from Lystra. They probably heard Paul’s preaching when he was there during his First Missionary Journey (see Acts 14:6-18). Timothy was the son of a Jewish mother and Greek father – to the Jews, a half-breed like a Samaritan. So Paul asked Timothy to be circumcised to remove some of the stigma he may have had with Jewish believers. Timothy was not required to be circumcised (the Jerusalem council had decided that – see Acts 15), but he voluntarily did this to overcome any barriers to his witness for Christ.[1]

Life Questions:

• It is hard when church leaders disagree, especially when they decide to go their separate ways. However, if both leaders continue to follow the will of God in their lives, then the work of God is doubled. Paul and Mark had a falling out, but they reconciled later. Is there anyone in your life that, while you may disagree on something, you can still accomplish the will of God together?  
• Timothy becomes Paul’s spiritual son. Paul writes two very personal letters to him, encouraging, advising, and strengthening his faith and leadership. Is there a Timothy in your life, someone you are helping along in the faith? Read 2Timothy 2:2 and discover your responsibility.

Prayer Focus: That God would bring a Timothy into our lives, one we will pour our spiritual lives into.

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[1] Life Application Study Bible, Acts 16:2-3

Sunday, October 07, 2012

Opening: Have you ever been in a courtroom during a trial, or is “Law and Order” your only courtroom experience? Do you like the confrontation that comes from two opposing sides, or would you prefer that everyone “just get along?”

Scripture: Read Acts 15:1-35.

Insights:

• The agitators are at it again. The group that wanted circumcision for the Gentile believers are called the Judaizers. They criticized Peter back in Acts 11 about preaching the Gospel to Gentiles. Now, they are attacking Paul and Barnabas, first in Antioch, and then in Jerusalem. It becomes a full-fledged brouhaha. It also becomes the defining moment for the new Church: will it be a Jewish sect or a new religion? The decision made at the Jerusalem Council set the course for the rest of history.  
• Peter comes to the defense of Barnabas and Paul (note the name order here – interesting). These three share their stories of converting Gentiles to the faith and the work of the Holy Spirit in their midst.  
• James has become the leader of the Jerusalem Church. It is only natural. He was Jesus’ half-brother, son of Mary and Joseph. He uses the term “judgment” in verse 19 which further indicates his prestige. He would later write the Book of James, which has a strong Jewish influence.  
• Following the conflict and the ruling sanctioning Gentile evangelism, the church at Antioch in Syria continues to thrive (see Acts 15:35). It would become the birth place of the famous Christian father John Chrysostom (347-407 A.D). He estimated that the Christian population was about 100,000 people by the late 300’s A.D.

Life Questions:

• The Judaizers wanted to force Gentiles who became Christians to adhere to the Mosaic Law, including circumcision. They wanted to make it harder and put up barriers to becoming a believer. Were there any barriers for you to become a believer? The Gospel brings freedom and life, not rules and ceremonies.

Prayer Focus: That we can be clear on the essentials of the faith, and not let incidentals keep us from serving together the Kingdom of God.