Germantown UMC Devotionals

Friday, October 19, 2012

Opening: Ever been to a “Going Away” party? For a service man or woman? For a retiring co-worker? For a pastor or church family that is moving away? What is it like?

Scripture: Read Acts 20:17-38.

Insights:

Verse 16 indicates that Paul was once again in a hurry to get back to Jerusalem for the Festival of Pentecost (the birthday of the Church). But he could not pass by without stopping to share one last time with his beloved congregation at Ephesus.
Back in Acts 18:9-10, the Lord spoke to Paul, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.”[1] Now in Acts 20:22-23, he has received a different message: go to Jerusalem and face incarceration. But Paul was undeterred. His single-minded purpose was to tell others about Christ (see Philippians 3:7-13). It is no wonder that Paul was the greatest missionary who ever lived.
Paul’s solemn charge to the people of Ephesus in verse 28 was this:

1. Be alert. Spiritual leaders need first of all to guard their own spiritual and moral purity.

2. They had a duty to shepherd God’s flock. Care for them, love them, teach them, protect them – just as Paul had done.

3. This duty came from the Holy Spirit, and was purchased by Jesus’ very blood. It is a big deal!

Life Questions:

Paul has absolutely clear about his purpose: evangelism. God is looking for more men and women who will focus on that one great task God has given them to do. Do you know what your task is? If not, have you prayed about it, studied and meditated on Scripture, talked with mature believers, learned everything you can to find out? If not, why?
What would you say to your Christian mentor, pastor, teacher, if you knew that you would never see them again?

Prayer Focus: That we would clearly know God’s purposes for our lives and our church.

[1] Acts 18:9-10 (NLT)

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Opening: What you ever pulled an all-nighter, either in college or on the job? Maybe waiting up for news or just couldn’t go to sleep?

Scripture: Read Acts 20:1-16.

Insights:

After sending Timothy and Erastus ahead to Macedonia (see Acts 19:22), Paul followed.
Verse 4 is the first time we know who was with Paul on this Third Missionary Journey. In the first journey, it was Paul and Barnabas; in the second, it was Paul and Silas. Now Luke lists seven men (he omits Erastus) from various cities of previous missionary journeys. Most are mentioned only here, except for:

1. We know that Trophimus eventually went to Jerusalem, where he was the innocent cause of the tumult in which Paul was apprehended. Certain Jews from the district of Asia saw the two missionaries together and supposed that Paul had taken Trophimus into the Temple (see Acts 21:27-29). In 2 Timothy 4:20, Paul writes that he had left Trophimus in ill health in Miletus.

2. While Trophimus went with Paul to Jerusalem, Tychicus was left behind in Asia, probably at Miletus (see Acts 20:15,38). Tychicus was with Paul during his first imprisonment (Colossians 4:7-8; Ephesians 6:21-22). The next reference to him is in Titus 3:12, where Paul (possibly writing from Ephesus) says he may send Tychicus to Crete while he goes to Nicopolis. In 2 Timothy 4:12 (written at Rome during the second imprisonment), he says, “I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.” Tychicus probably was associated with Titus (2 Corinthians 8:16-24) in conducting the business of the collection for the poor Christians in Judea.

Note that Luke has rejoined Paul’s team in verse 5.
Wow, you thought Gary preached long! The story has a touch of humor with a happy ending.

1. All this happened at night. That is probably because it was only at night, when the day’s work was done, that slaves could come to the Christian fellowship. That also explains the case of Eutychus.

2. In the low upper room it was hot because of the “many lamps.” Eutychus, no doubt, had done a hard day’s work before ever he came and his body was tired. He was sitting by a window to get the cool night air. The windows were not made of glass. They were either lattice or solid wood and opened like doors, coming right down almost to the floor and projecting over the courtyard below.

3. The etymology of the name Eutychus is “lucky, fortunate.” He was probably between the ages of 8 to 14 years old (the age of a “young man”).

4. The tired Eutychus, overpowered by the stuffy atmosphere, succumbed to sleep and fell to the courtyard below. But it was his “luck” that Paul was there to raise him from the dead.

Life Questions:

Twice in this passage is mentioned that the people meet to “break bread”: on the first day of the week (Sunday), and then the next day. This could have been a church potluck, but most probably means Holy Communion. Clearly it was important to the early believers. Likewise, John Wesley encouraged his followers to take communion as often as possible. What do you think when you come to worship and the bulletin says, “Holy Communion?” Long service? Paul told the Corinthians, “Every time you eat this bread and drink this cup you are telling others about the Lord’s death until he comes.”[1] That is something to celebrate!

Prayer Focus: Lord, keep us awake (physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually) to hear Your message for us.

[1] 1 Corinthians 11:26 (NCV)

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Opening: What is the strangest thing you have ever seen? An odd animal behavior? An unexplainable sighting? An unbelievable act?

Scripture: Read Acts 19:11-41.

Insights:

There are three fascinating events in today’s passage:

1. Luke records Paul’s unusual miraculous power. Unusual is an understatement! If you ever wondered why some TV “evangelists” sell specially blessed handkerchiefs with promises of healing, here it is in the Bible (there is no other occasion of this happening in the Bible). Of course, it is God who did these things.

2. There are records of extensive ceremonies and spoken formulas that Jewish people in the 1^st century used to try to free themselves from the influence of evil spirits, but it is unlikely that these were very effective, since the people were astounded when Jesus was able to cast out demons with “authority and power” (see Luke 4:36). Here in Acts, it is clear that true faith in Jesus is required, not just uttering His name. And here, a “reverse exorcism” occurred, with the demon driving out the exorcists. Their nudity enhanced their humiliation.

3. The backlash in Ephesus was about economics, patriotism, and religious loyalty. Demetrius gathers merchants and argues that Paul is bad for business. The people of Ephesus were also very proud of their temple to Artemis, which was one of the wonders of the ancient world. Artemis was a goddess of fertility. She was represented by a carved female figure with many breasts. The festival of Artemis involved wild orgies and carousing. Obviously the religious and commercial life of Ephesus reflected the city’s worship of this pagan deity.

Even the account of the botched exorcism was a positive for the church in Ephesus, just as had happened in Jerusalem (see Acts 5:11). As a result, there was a sorcery book burning. The value of the books was estimated at several million dollars of today’s money.

Life Questions:

The evil spirit says, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”[1] Once again, demons know Jesus. This one says he knows about Paul. What about you? Do demons know about you because of your work for the Kingdom of God?
For the third time in the book of Acts, Luke tells us that the “name of the Lord Jesus was praised.”[2] The actions, attitudes, and activities of believers can produce both praise and derision of Jesus. It is an awesome responsibility to represent Christ.

Prayer Focus: That our witness would bring honor and praise to our Lord Jesus Christ.

[1] Acts 19:15 (NIV), my emphasis

[2] Acts 19:17 (NRSV). Also see Acts 6:7; 12:24.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Opening: What is it like to return to your former school, a previous church, or the house you grew up in? What is it about familiar faces and places to touches our souls so?

Scripture: Read Acts 18:23-19:10.

Insights:

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey begins with Paul returning through Asia Minor (current Turkey) visiting churches he established in his First Missionary Journey. Look in your Bible to see a map of this Third Missionary Journey or go to http://www.keyway.ca/htm2002/paulthir.htm. · You may remember that it was in Antioch that the believers were first called “Christians” (see Acts 11:26). However, we find that in other places, the movement was called “The Way” (see Acts 18:25 plus 9:2; 19:9,23; 22:4; 24:14, 22).
We are introduced in this passage to Apollos. We are told that he knew only the baptism of John, which suggests that he had not heard about the baptism that Jesus commanded after his resurrection (see Matthew 28:19), and which began to be administered to all believers in Christ on and after the day of Pentecost (see Acts 2; 8:12; etc.). Therefore Apollos’ knowledge of the Christian gospel must have been deficient in some ways, though he taught accurately the things concerning Jesus as far as he knew them. He certainly knew about Jesus’ life and teachings, but he may not have known about Jesus’ death and resurrection, or about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Apollos would become a powerful evangelist for the Lord (see 1 Corinthians 3:4; 16:12).
Ephesus was a Roman capital for Asia (Turkey). It was colonized principally from Athens. In the time of the Romans, it bore the title of “the first and greatest metropolis of Asia.” It was distinguished for the Temple of Diana, and for its theatre, which was the largest in the world and capable of containing 50,000 spectators (Great American Ball Park has 42,319 seats).[1] Paul spent three years as the pastor of this church, and would later write a letter to the Ephesians while he was in a Roman prison.
It is notable that the four occasions in Acts when the Holy Spirit was given in a spectacular manner had to do with the entrance of different groups into the Church: the original Jewish believers (Acts 2), the Samaritans (Acts 8), the Gentiles (Acts 10), and now the half-taught men in Ephesus (Acts 19:6). God indicated His approval of each group by special manifestation of His Spirit.

Life Questions:

Apollos and some in Ephesus only knew the “baptism of John.” They did not have the full Gospel. Has there been something in your faith journey that you were unaware of until later? The Holy Spirit? Grace? Spiritual Gifts? Is there some tenet of the Christian faith you still are not too certain you understand? Maybe you should attend the November 4 “FirstSunday” class, when the topic will be “Christianity 101.”

Prayer Focus: That we would “reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”[2]

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

[2] Ephesians 4:13 (NIV)