Author: Peter Loeffelbein

When is God worthy of praise? If he is who he says he is? Always. All of the time.

One of the many reasons I am still in love with my wife Mary is that she is an encourager. She is actively looking for the positive in people and in our life. With God you don’t have to search long to find something to praise. He is THE God. The almighty, the wise one, the one who knows, the one who loves, the one who forgives. It’s like looking at a diamond and trying to decide which facet is my favorite. It’s all good. It’s all beautiful. He is all good. He is all beautiful.

Life isn’t always a great place to be. Sometimes it’s hard. Sometimes it hurts. Sometimes it’s hard to keep going anticipating more of the same. But God is always good. He is always just. He is always loving. He is always compassionate. He is always all of the things he is. Like the sun is always shining, even on a cloudy day. Someday the sun will burn out but God will still be there being who he is and has been.

Psalm 86 is a plea for help but is dripping with praise for this God we worship. Why? Because he’s worth it.

“1 Hear me, Lord, and answer me,

for I am poor and needy.

2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;

save your servant who trusts in you.

You are my God; 3 have mercy on me, Lord,

for I call to you all day long.

4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord,

for I put my trust in you.

5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good,

abounding in love to all who call to you.

6 Hear my prayer, Lord;

listen to my cry for mercy.

7 When I am in distress, I call to you,

because you answer me.

8 Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;

no deeds can compare with yours.

9 All the nations you have made

will come and worship before you, Lord;

they will bring glory to your name.

10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds;

you alone are God.

11 Teach me your way, Lord,

that I may rely on your faithfulness;

give me an undivided heart,

that I may fear your name.

12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;

I will glorify your name forever.

13 For great is your love toward me;

you have delivered me from the depths,

from the realm of the dead.

14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;

ruthless people are trying to kill me—

they have no regard for you.

15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,

slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

16 Turn to me and have mercy on me;

show your strength in behalf of your servant;

save me, because I serve you

just as my mother did.

17 Give me a sign of your goodness,

that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,

for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.”

I hope for us all that no matter what situation we are in today that we can pause just a moment and look at God and tell Him what we see in Him. Be honest. He can take it. An honest prayer of frustration is better than a fake prayer of praise. I believe He is worthy of praise, but I also know there is pain and hurt that we don’t understand and it can filter our view of Him like the clouds block the sun and make everything look shadowy and sad. I know he loves us. I know he loves me. I know he loves you.

How do I know that? Jesus.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, (Jesus) that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Perfection, his name is Jesus.

I usually focus what I post on the grace of God. That quality he has of unmerited favor toward us.

Today I am brought back to the law, THE law, the 10 commandments. As I’m reading through the psalms they refer to them over and over. The law, the 10 commandments were to be the framework of life. They were to be on the wrists and forehead. (As Willy Nelson said, “you were always on my mind…”)They were to be written on door posts and gates. They were to always Be out there to remind the people of God what the rules to life are.

“6 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

7 “You shall have no other gods before[b] me.

8 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 10 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

11 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

12 “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. 13 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 14 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. 15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

16 “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

17 “You shall not murder.

18 “You shall not commit adultery.

19 “You shall not steal.

20 “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

21 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

(If you feel like you are doing okay with the list let me add 2 addendums. Jesus said if you lust after another person, you’ve already done the deed in your heart. If you hate someone, you have already murdered them in your heart. )

As a Christian I use the list to remind myself how I should live but do not live. What is the point? The point is I am reminded that I cannot live a perfect life. I need Jesus death to pay for my mistakes. In order to be in Gods presence I need to be not just good, but I need to be perfect. The only way a sinner like me can be perfect is be covered in a coating of someone else’s perfection. Who will loan me a covering of perfection? I only know one person both willing and able. His name is Jesus.

Sometimes when I’m hurt or angry I don’t go to Jesus first. I know what he will say, forgive as you have been forgiven. I don’t want to forgive, I was wronged or damaged or disappointed and it hurts. I want to be coddled and soothed and petted and sided with. I have unmet expectations and the world is not serving me like it should.

That’s a dangerous place to be. There is someone who will cuddle me and soothe me and take my side. He is no friend. He is the enemy of my soul. He wants me to build a case, build a wall, build my resentment, build my anger all the while he wants to tear me down, tear me away, tear me apart. He will do anything it takes to keep me from remembering Jesus’ words, “12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Matthew 6:12,14-15

If he succeeds in getting me to stumble, then he has a wedge between God and me. Now not only am I angry but now I am also ashamed. I want to cleanse myself before I approach God but there is no way to pre-rinse the stain of sin.

Jesus always meets me where I am. Meets me in my need.

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:6-8

If you who are reading this and are stuck in the hurt/anger/sin/shame cycle too, let us both jump off of this not-so-merry-go-round and ask forgiveness and also be forgiven. I also want to go back up the path of my life and see where I can begin to apply God’s word in my life so I can avoid this Nauseating cycle.

Jesus forgive me. I also forgive those who’ve hurt me. Help me avoid this cycle Jesus, show me in your word how to live better. Amen?

Psalm 77 written by Asaph.

He was suffering from insomnia and here is what he did.

““Will the Lord reject forever?

Will he never show his favor again?

8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever?

Has his promise failed for all time?

9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?

Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:

the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.

11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;

yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

12 I will consider all your works

and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

13 Your ways, God, are holy.

What god is as great as our God?

14 You are the God who performs miracles;

you display your power among the peoples.

15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,

the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.”

There is much trouble today. I need to remember that God remains the same. The same God that rescued the Israelites through (not around) the Red Sea, brought them through, the wilderness, brought them through,(not around) the flood swollen Jordan river is working in my world today.

I’m not feeling strong or brave or even awake yet but I have this growing hope that God will be with me today.

I was wondering what I should add to this and that verse, God graciously giving us all things, if God is for us etc. I couldn’t remember where it was. Romans 8:28? I opened my bible randomly to start to find it and opened to the page. So here it is:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

More Than Conquerors

31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[j]

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Sometimes my faith feels like a month old get well balloon. It barely has enough gas to stay afloat. I need a refill. Theses verses help fill me back up. I hope they do the same for you.

Acts 19

Paul is in Ephesus.

Jesus can change lives. When he changes lives cultures begin to change.

“On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues[a] and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

8 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.”

Paul preached, the people believed, then started living life in a new way. It started to change the culture, even shifting the economy.

“24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. 25 He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. 26 And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. 27 There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”’

What businesses will we change as Jesus becomes our master and our behavior becomes less selfish, more caring, more forgiving, more loving? Can we change divorce court? Can we share so much that we don’t need welfare? The goal is not to change the world but to share Jesus’ love with each person. As He changes hearts and lives our world and our culture will change.

Demetrius caused a riot because Christianity had changed the world around him and he didn’t like it or understand it. I wonder if anyone ever shared Jesus with him? Are there influential people in my life that I can talk to about how Jesus has changed me?

Jesus use me. Keep me clean. Help me tell the people around me about you.

In my estimation the next section of Matthew 27 records the second most important thing to ever happen in human history.

“On their way out of the city they met a man called Simon, a native of Cyrene in Africa, and they compelled him to carry Jesus’ cross. Then when they came to a place called Golgotha they offered him a drink of wine mixed with some bitter drug (or vinegar mixed with gall or myrrh in other versions of the New Testament), but when he had tasted it he refused to drink. And when they had nailed him to the cross they shared out his clothes by drawing lots. Then they sat down to keep guard over him. And over his head they put a placard with the charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Now two bandits were crucified with Jesus at the same time, one on either side of him. The passers-by nodded knowingly and called out to him, in mockery, “Hi, you who could pull down the Temple and build it up again in three days—why don’t you save yourself? If you are the Son of God, step down from the cross!” The chief priests also joined the scribes and elders in jeering at him, saying, “He saved others, but he can’t save himself! If this is the king of Israel, why doesn’t he come down from the cross now, and we’ll believe him! He trusted in God… let God rescue him if He will have anything to do with him! For he said, ‘I am God’s son’.” Even the bandits who were crucified with him hurled abuse at him. Then from midday until three o’clock darkness spread over the whole countryside, and then Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ Some of those who were standing there heard these words which Jesus spoke in Aramaic—Eli (or Eloi), Eli lama sabachthani?, and said, “This man is calling for Elijah!” And one of them ran off and fetched a sponge, soaked it in vinegar and put it on a long stick and held it up for him to drink. But the others said, “Let him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come and save him.” But Jesus gave one more great cry, and died. And the sanctuary curtain in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The ground shook, rocks split and graves were opened. (A number of bodies of holy men who were asleep in death rose again. They left their graves after Jesus’ resurrection and entered the holy city and appeared to many people.) When the centurion and his company who were keeping guard over Jesus saw the earthquake and all that was happening they were terrified. “Indeed he was the son of God!” they said. There were many women at the scene watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to minister to his needs. Among them was Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.”

Matthew 27:32-33,36,38,45,47,51,54-55

It is the second most important because without THE most important thing, the second doesn’t matter at all. Jesus was a good man. Many good men have died. Jesus was an innocent man. Many innocent men have died. Jesus died for a cause. Many men have died for a cause.

The second most important and miraculous thing Jesus did was die.

The upper most important miraculous thing Jesus did? Jesus rose from the dead. One act without the other makes both unspectacular. You can’t rise from the dead without dying first so the two events are inseparable.

Without Jesus dying, our sins are unforgiven. Without Jesus rising from the dead there is no power at work and he was just a nice guy who came to an unfortunate end.

He did die. He died not for his crimes or sins, he died for my sins, for our sins, for all sin for all time.

Paul says in his second letter to the Corinthians, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 –

In his letter to the Romans Paul says this, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

Romans 5:6-11

When Jesus died, he became our sin. His death wiped away all of it. When Jesus died he showed how much he loves us, how far he is willing to go to provide forgiveness for us. When Jesus died, he took our punishment away.

When Jesus rose from the grave he showed his great power and his defeat of death.

Jesus has defeated our two greatest enemies, sin and death and he has bridged the gap between us and God so that we can be welcomed back into God’s presence again.

It is all a conversation (some would say a prayer) away. God has arranged it all, we just need to accept and show up.

This morning I received an email with a confirmation of my travel to Dalian China for our company. It’s all paid for, I just have to show up at the gate and show my passport. This Jesus thing is like that. All paid for. Just show up.

Sent from my iPhone

Acts 17

Paul Timothy and Silas travel to Thessalonica and preach and teach about Jesus and many people believe but opposition soon lands some new converts, Jason and friends in Jail. They post bond and that night the team is sent to Berea.

“11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.”

Soon the rabble rousers in Thessalonica came and stirred up trouble. Paul was sent to Athens, Timothy and Silas stayed on in Berea.

Athens wasn’t the next town over. It was 250 miles away, a 3 day sea journey or 12 day land journey.

While there he was asked to tell his story. He said this, it’s long but I’m going to post the entire message,

“Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you.

24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[a] As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’[b]

29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”’

Today We don’t have idols we worship. Mostly We have ideas and philosophies.

Here is what I need to know. Gods plan to save all the people on planet earth is Jesus. Jesus’ death paid the cost of my sin, the fact that he rose from the dead and then went from here to heaven gives me hope of a life beyond death. All of my mistakes are covered by that one act. Those things that I’m too ashamed to even mention, all of that, of those things. All covered and forgiven. And that forgiveness is available to all people.

Acts 18

The homespun chapter.

There is still much travel. We start out in Athens and then travel to Corinth, Ephesus, Caesarea and Antioch. How can this be the homespun chapter?

The chapter talks about making new friends, meeting Priscilla and Aquila, meeting Apollos. And old friends reunited- Timothy and Silas rejoin the team. Then it also talks about just living life, making tents.

“2 There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4 Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

5 When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 6 But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

7 Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. 8 Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.

9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11 So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.”

I like this chapter. Maybe because it shows real life. Maybe because it shows friendship and fellowship, maybe because it shows discipleship and inclusion,maybe because God speaks encouragement. But I think mostly because it shows that Christianity isn’t a destination, it’s a journey. It’s a part of a life, a real life.

I know I haven’t arrived. I’m not done learning, growing or failing. I haven’t outgrown the need for grace and forgiveness. Thank you Jesus that you know me and love me and forgive me. Forgive me.

Save, heal, protect and bless my friends and family. Become more real to us Jesus.

Today.

I’ve been wondering if what I say about Jesus is enough. I simplify the gospel and tell people that Jesus died for our sins. All of us and all of it. I often leave out the part, the important part that he rose from the dead and now lives forever. Death has no hold on him and if I accept his gift of forgiveness, death will not hold me either.

In Jesus we have the promise of forgiveness and eternal life.

All the rest our human heroes of the past have a grave we can visit. A grave where our heroes body is turning back into dust. Not so with Jesus. There is a grave but it’s empty. He was physically raised from the dead, body and spirit.

I want to make sure that I’m sharing the whole story.

Psalm 69 says this: “5 You, God, know my folly;

my guilt is not hidden from you.

6 Lord, the Lord Almighty,

may those who hope in you

not be disgraced because of me;

God of Israel,

may those who seek you

not be put to shame because of me.

7 For I endure scorn for your sake,

and shame covers my face.”

I am not perfect. In fact I was a sinner from birth and even after God met me in my need as a 20 year old, I still stumble and fall. Jesus continues, is continuing to forgive me even now. I expect more of myself. He continues to forgive. I fail and shrivel and hide from him but when I confess and repent there is a fresh supply of grace and mercy waiting for me. Like fresh muffins in the morning his mercies are new at every place I need Him.

Today. It’s the only day we can count on. Today. Consider the offer Jesus is making to all of us; forgiveness and eternal life. Today.

Acts 16

We meet Timothy.

Paul is told where not to preach(?)

Paul is told where to preach. (Macedonia)

We meet the lovely (of heart) and gracious Lydia.

Paul is joined by the author, Dr Luke, (“We” & “us”).

Households come to know Jesus.

“15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.”

“33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.”

Paul and Silas are stripped and beaten and still do a prison worship service. “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”’

The question still gets asked today, what must I do to be saved? To be free of my sin, all of my mistakes that I drag around with me, like a cesspool on wheels.

The message of Paul is still the same today. Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.

That is some good news.

Acts 15

One very joyous thing happens and one very sad thing happens. But the sad thing has good results.

Back in Acts 13:13 there is an event mentioned that I didn’t talk about. The helper and assistant to Paul and Barnabas left the mission trip to go back home. His name was John, also called Mark.

Now here in chapter 15 Barnabas wants to let john Mark rejoin the team but Paul refuses.

“37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord.”

It’s hard to see partnerships break up. When I was 14 I discovered the dynamic duo of Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon. It was 1974. The group quit singing together in 1970. I was so sad to find out this new thing I found was already over. There would be no new material.

I hate breakups. In show biz Frequently one party continues upward and onward and the other lapses into obscurity. After this split Barnabas is not heard of again in scripture although John Mark goes on to write the first of the four Gospels, The gospel of Mark. We hear of him later in a letter written by Paul.

If fame and notoriety were the goal then Barnabas blew it. He disappeared. But his protege continued in the faith. Fame was not his goal. Telling people about Jesus and encouraging young believers was what he was all about. Barnabas’ name was actually Joseph, but he had been given the nickname Barnabas because of the way he acted towards people. Barnabas means “son of encouragement “. What we see in the later life of John Mark is a sign that he probably continued doing just that. He was an encourager. Without his encouraging Saul the converted persecutor of the church, we may not have had most of the New Testament. Without his encouragement of John Mark, we may not have had the Gospel of Mark.

Change isn’t bad. The end of one thing in this case is the beginning of two new things. Instead of 1 group of 3 there were 2 groups of 2. Jesus would be preached in 2 areas at the same time.

The joyous thing in this section of Acts is that the church leadership got together to discuss what the rules are for gentile believers, (that’s me) and the list of rules are:

“28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things.”

The christian life is simple but it isn’t easy.

Acts 14

The cities change but the message never changes. It is the good news that all of our sins are forgiven through the sacrificial death of Jesus.

Jews and Gentiles (we are one or the other) all have the same gift from God. Jesus is the savior for everyone, for every one.

This chapter is encouraging to me. Not just because a great number believed in every town they went, and not just because miracles followed them.

“8 In Lystra there sat a man who was lame. He had been that way from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.”

Not just that but also because not everyone accepted the good news, in fact Paul was stoned and left for dead by a crowd who opposed the message of good news.

“19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.”

They just kept preaching. I sometimes determine whether or not I’m doing the will of God with the opposition test. None to little opposition means I am in Gods will, opposition means try something else but that isn’t what we see here. When opposition came they changed locations but not vocations and message stays the same. Jesus came to save sinners.

“21 They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. 23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders[a] for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. 24 After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, 25 and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.”

I don’t think that God is asking me to travel and share his message for a vocation. I think God is saying through this text that the opposition test is not a valid test.

Share the good news everywhere I go and don’t be deterred by opposition.

That’s what I’m hearing.

Acts 13

What did Paul look like? I’d like to think that he looked Tom Hanks, medium build, handsome, friendly, approachable. But what if he looked like Woody, not the doll, but the actor writer, director Woody Allen? It’s more likely. He was Jewish. What about Barnabus?who did Barnabus look like? I think of Patrick Warburton. The voice of Kronk in the emperors new groove.

Now with that picture in mind read the chapter.

“Acts 13:2-5New International Version (NIV)

2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

On Cyprus

4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5 When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.”

Saul changes his name to Paul. And he begins to do what he was created for, build and build up the Church.

“9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 10 “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? 11 Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12 When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.”

“15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a word of exhortation for the people, please speak.”

16 Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me!”

Paul then goes onto do a very thorough explanation of the person and mission of Jesus.

The Jewish people would reject him and so he immediately began to speak to the gentile population.

I think that Paul was a small man in stature but a giant in intellect, in passion and in purpose.

He jumped into the new role of traveling evangelist with everything he had and everything that he was.

So a guy who looked like Woody Allen and a guy who looked like Patrick Warburton walked into a synagogue….and the world would never be the same.

“49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51 So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus use me to change the part of the world that you have set me in.

Acts 11

Can a leopard Change its spots?

I don’t think so. But that is what is usually asked when there is a question about some person changing their mind or heart or character or position. Can a person really change or is our die cast at birth and we are just living life the way we are designed?

Just two chapters ago this is how Saul is described, “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.”

Can people change? I don’t think we can change ourselves. But that isn’t really the situation here. The real question is, can God change a person once Jesus is their savior? Can people be rehabilitated by Gods spirit living in them?

“19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

22 News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

27 During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) 29 The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. 30 This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul. ”

Can God change a person? From the evidence here in this chapter the answer is YES. From the evidence in my own life and my experience of other people who have received Jesus the answer is YES.

God through the living in us spirit can change us. Saul started pastoring here in Antioch. It’s here that we get the name Christian. It means little Christ. An imitator or clone of Jesus. I like it. It doesn’t always apply to me, I am not always Christlike but I bear the name as something to grow into.

Saul who will soon change his name to Paul and go on to write most of the New Testament is brought into the ministry by Barnabas. Son of encouragement, that’s what his name means. That’s what I want to be. That’s what I need in my life. That’s what role my wife Mary has played in my life. Encouragers, the world needs more of those.

I sum up. Jesus is for everyone. Jesus can and will change people. Jesus is changing me. Jesus can and will change anyone who admits they need forgiveness and accepts Jesus death as payment for their mistakes. Persecutors can become pastors and bible writers. I want to be a little Christ (Christian) who encourages people.

Acts 10

And the rest…..

Here is where we come in.

Up to this point in the story Christianity was as a sect of Judaism. God had other plans. God had bigger plans. God had plans that would eventually include me, not exclude me.

“34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”

Jesus had said that they would be witnesses in Jerusalem, the city, Judea, the area, Samaria, the area next door, and the utter most parts of the world, and the rest. I think that they were thinking geographically. That they would travel and tell their story to the Jews in the utter most parts of the world but God wasn’t talking about land masses. He didn’t come to save the land masses. He didn’t come to just save Jewish people. Jesus came to save the masses. Jesus came to save the masses that are messes. I am one one. I am one of the mass that is a mess. I am a sinner. I’ve done things. but more than that, I still, even after accepting Jesus as my savior want to stray away. My heart is self centered and bent on wanting what it wants. Jesus knew all that and he died for me.

Because of Cornelius and his family, and Peters obedience I can be welcomed into the family of God without becoming a Jew first. I don’t know all of the details but The process was not easy and would leave a convert always on the outside.

The show Gilligan’s isle in the theme song there were two unnamed characters, “and the rest”, Bob Denver wanted equal billing for all of the characters on Gilligans Isle. Again I don’t know all the details but after the first season we get to sing, “the professor and Maryanne,”. Because God so loved the world, the masses of people not the masses of land, he gave his only Son that whosoever would believe in Him, would not perish but have everlasting life.

Good news for ALL of us. In Gods song of salvation our names can be included.

Acts 9

Saul/Paul’s conversion.

“9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.”

The word ‘tool’ has gotten a new use. We now say someone is a tool and it means something bad. Not in my garage, not in my daily life, (I’m an electrician by trade), not in my vocabulary. A tool is what you use to get things done. I have one tool called an 11 in 1, which is a screw driver with 8 bits a 3 sizes of nut drivers. As an electrician It is indispensable.

Chapter 9 has stories of 4 men who were tools in Gods hands. Each used in specific ways for specific tasks.

Ananias, used to minister to death threatening Saul. To heal him, baptize him and teach him. To accept him and bring him into fellowship.

Saul, who’s heart was changed on the road to Damascus. He immediately began to teach that Jesus was exactly who he said he was, the messiah and there was no turning back for Saul or for anyone Saul would encounter.

There was Barnabas, his name means “son of encouragement”. He was used to befriend Saul and bring him into fellowship in Jerusalem. I imagine him as a Yukon Cornelius type who brought the bumble into Christmas castle just in time to put up the star. An encourager, an includer, a bold and fearless follower of Jesus who knew that Jesus can change the heart of a man.

And then we have Peter. Everywhere he goes miracles happen. The sick are healed, the lame walk and even the dead are raised to life.

I hope that I am a tool. Only in the best sense. Jesus use me to tell about you. You have forgiven all of my sins. You have changed me so much already but I am still in process. Continue the process you started in me and use me.

I want to be a Christian 11 in 1.

“Del, It’s a gift…. ”

That’s what Neal Page tells his friend Del Griffith when Del frets about repaying a debt. (Planes, Trains and Automobiles)

Being indebted to someone or something is a terrible place to be. I got money from the US. Government to go to college. I don’t have to ever pay it back because it was a grant. That’s what you do when you give something of value to a person when you know they can’t repay you. It’s a gift. It’s a grant. No payments, no interest, free. A gift.

That is what God has done for us in Jesus. He has gifted, granted, graced us with forgiveness. It’s a debt we cannot pay. Our sin is a stain that we are powerless to wash away. We can’t pay for it. We cannot clean it up or cover it with a pile of good deeds.

Do you know what God calls our good deeds? He calls them filthy rags (think used feminine protection). Our good deeds look like used tampons to God. How can we ever expect to pay for our sins with used tampons?

The good news is we don’t have to. “Though our sins be as scarlet, he will wash them whiter than snow”.

We cannot pay for a gift. If a gift is a gift then it is free.

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:4-10

We are forgiven by the grace of God.

(your name, my name here)It’s a gift.

Acts 8

“On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.”

Back in Acts chapter 1 Jesus had told his disciples, that they would receive power to be witnesses in Judea, Samaria and to utter most parts of the earth.

The persecution that broke out served to accomplish Just that. Philip went to Samaria and started proclaiming Jesus, healing and teaching. People there began to believe in Jesus.

Philip did two things really well. First, he shared about Jesus wherever he went, praying for people’s needs as he encountered them. Second, he went wherever he was sent.

” Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[a] eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake…”

Philip goes on to bring this man to Jesus and then is literally spirited away. “When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.”

I can’t explain this. It happened.

Am I available? Am I ready to share the good news that Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost? I have a lot of “but what about..?” Things floating around in my head.

Acts 7

Stephen preaches.

His sermon is long and filled with history, Jewish history, Israel’s history. His words point out that the plan all along was Jesus. Gods role in the history of Israel was all to bring out Jesus. All the patriarchs and prophets and people were providing a path to Jesus.

Jesus is THE plan and path for our salvation.

What is salvation? It is having all of our sins washed away because one perfect man who was in fact God in the flesh, willingly died in our place. He willingly took on all of our sins. All of us. All of it. And he died. And then he came back to life. All we have to do is confess that we need forgiveness and then accept the forgiveness God offers us in Jesus.

The surprise of this chapter is that after preaching eloquently, and passionately the crowd doesn’t receive what Stephen said. Instead they pound him with rocks until he is dead.

He didn’t go out fighting, he went out contending, contending for the faith. He went out like Jesus did, he went out forgiving. I hope I follow his example.

“59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.”

And we meet Saul, Professional Christian hater. Little did he know how this Jesus would change his life.

Acts 6

Some of the widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

The apostles were concerned and decided to divide the labor of ministry. It’s like when a human is formed from two cells, the egg and sperm. They quickly begin to multiply and as they do they cluster into groups. Theses groups begin to develop into the various organs and tissues that will make up this little person. No group is more important than any other because they are after all just specialized copies of the original two cells.

The church, this living organism is a multifaceted organization with millions of people. We all, all Christians, have a part play in the function, health and growth of the church, which is also called the body of Christ.

Stephan was chosen not to preach and teach, “3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

And yet he served. And the church continued to grow.

“7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

Stephen Seized

8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.”

My body has a lot of different parts and pieces. I need them all to work, to work well, to work hard, to work at their jobs when I don’t even recognize what they are doing. It’s a team effort and all victories and defeats affect my entire body. Every part of me is working together to feed, encourage, bless, protect, aid, and serve every other part. When a part is sick or hurting all parts suffer.

We are like that. Us Christians. We all part of one body. One body of Christ. We need to work together. We need to be connected to each other. We need to aid and support each other. One body, one goal: witness to the miraculous work that Jesus is doing in us. We have a mission to go into the whole world and make disciples and to be witnesses to what Jesus is doing in our lives.

The good news is Jesus loves us and has forgiven all of our sin. He wants to have a relationship with us. There are people, really every person, that Jesus is, no, that Jesus did, die to meet, and now he lives forever waiting and watching, hoping and encouraging us to to share the good news with the people in the world that don’t know about him yet.