Germantown UMC Devotionals

Friday, October 12, 2012

Opening: Are you someone who can discuss opposing viewpoints with others in a calm, orderly, and convincing way? Or are you someone who feels threatened by debate and seems to never know the right thing to say?

Scripture: Read Acts 17:16-33.

Insights:

By this time, Athens had lost its political power, but it was still the greatest university town in the world. It was also a city of many gods. It was said that there were more statues of the gods in Athens than in all the rest of Greece put together, and that in Athens, it was easier to meet a god than a man.
Though Paul is alone in Athens (see Acts 17:14-16), he doesn’t stop preaching the Gospel. Luke records two groups with vastly different philosophies who debated him:

The Epicureans believed that everything happened by chance and that death was the end of all. They believed that the gods were remote from the world and did not care. They believed that a pleasant and smooth life was the goal of humanity. Their thoughts on death would not accept the resurrection (see Acts 17:18,32)
The Stoics believed that everything was God. They held that god was fiery spirit, but that spirit grew dull in physical matter but it was in everything (sounds like Star Wars’ “Force”). They believed that everything that happened was the will of God and therefore must be accepted without resentment. Materialism, pantheism, fatalism, and pride were the leading features of this philosophy. Human life began with that little spark of that spirit, and when people died, it returned to god, so they could not accept the resurrection either.

This passage is called the “Mars’ Hill Discourse.” They took Paul to the Areopagus (Greek for Mars’ Hill). It was the name both of the hill and the court that met on it. The court was very select, perhaps only thirty members. Paul used their interest in religion as well as their acknowledgment of the possibility of yet another “unknown” god to explain to them Who this God really is and what He has done for humanity.
Paul was not as fruitful in Athens as in other cities. However, Luke names two persons who are converted:

Dionysius was a member of the Areopagus Council. Nothing else is said of him in the New Testament. According to one tradition, he was the first bishop of the church at Athens; according to another he suffered martyrdom in that city under Domitian (81-96 A.D.) We are even told that he migrated to Rome and was sent to Paris, where he was beheaded on Montmartre (Mount of the Martyr). The patron saint of France is Denys; compare the French “Denys d’Halicarnasse” (Dionysius of Halicarnassus).[1]
Luke also lists a woman named Damaris. Again, no other information is available on her in Scripture. There are two views on why Luke lists her. Either she was listed after Dionysius because she was his wife, or that she was a prominent woman in Athens.

Life Questions:

Many Christians think there is only one type of evangelism – CONFRONTATION. Yet God has designed everyone as unique individuals to share the Good News and communicate the message of grace. Paul was a Christian Apologist, someone who could debate the virtues and truth of the Christian faith while shedding light on the falsehood and futility of non-Christian views. And according to Mark Middleberg in his book “Becoming a Contagious Christian,” there are seven different evangelism styles. You might be an apologist, a story-teller, a servant, or one of the others. The point is: you don’t have to be like Paul; be the evangelist God made you to be.

Prayer Focus: That we would be faithful witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

[1] The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, “Dionysius.”

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Opening: Is there something in your life that causes frustration? Something that constantly causes trouble as home, like a temperamental washing machine or a car that continually breaks down? Maybe a difficult neighbor or disruptive family member? How do you deal with adversity?

Scripture: Read Acts 17:1-15.

Insights:

Philippi was 33 Roman miles from Amphipolis; Amphipolis was 30 miles from Apollonia; and Apollonia was 37 miles from Thessalonica. Thus, a journey of over 100 miles is briefly covered in one verse!
Nothing else in Christian tradition and history is said about Amphipolis and Apollonia. It might be there no Jewish synagogues in these towns, which Paul preferred as a place to begin his evangelistic outreach.
Thessalonica was one of the wealthiest and most influential cities in Macedonia. Through the center of town passed the Roman road from the Adriatic Sea to the Middle East called the Egnatian Way. If Christianity was firmly founded in Thessalonica, it could spread both east and west along that road until it became an important highway for the progress of Christianity. The church Paul planted grew quickly while he was there, from A.D. 50 to 51. Paul later sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to see how the Christians were doing, as well as writing the two letters we call 1 & 2 Thessalonians.
Paul and Silas spend three weeks at the Thessalonian synagogue. Note the adjectives used to describe the response: some Jews, many Greek men, and quite a few prominent women.
The Jews in Thessalonica were a troublesome bunch. They had Jason arrested, sent the city into a tizzy, led the Thessalonian believers to send Paul and Silas to Berea, and then made so much trouble in Berea that they forced Paul to go to Athens.

Life Questions:

Verse 6 in the NRSV records the jealous Jews shouting to the city authorities, “These people have been turning the world upside down.”[1] Could it be said any better? Christianity seeks to turn the world upside down. Or maybe, turn it right side up again!
In this single passage, Paul is kicked out of two towns. Did it discourage him or cause him the question his mission or God? Not in the least. All the troubles he had – the stonings, the beatings, the hostilities, being shipwrecked, and the rejections – were what he called “light and momentary.”[2] How do you look at your troubles in comparison to the “glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever”?[3]

Prayer Focus: That we would persevere in our mission no matter the result.

[1] Acts 17:6 (NRSV)

[2] 2 Corinthians 4:17 (NIV)

[3] 2 Corinthians 4:17 (NLT)

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.

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

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

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.

[1] 1 Peter 4:9 (NRSV)