HOW TO BE OUTSTANDING. Galatians 1:15; Acts 9:20-22.

You know who is outstanding? The Apostle Paul. He wrote more books of the Bible than anyone. His understanding of law and grace is unmatched. He is the intellectual of intellectuals, a genius who used his gifts with total dedication. His secret? Two things. First, his passion was unrivaled.

“I advanced in Judaism beyond my peers because I was EXTREMELY ZEALOUS for the traditions of my ancestors.” Galatians 1:14.

He studied, he memorized, and he put in the hours required of a Pharisee. But Saul was not some head-in-the-clouds ascetic, a bookish man who never got his hands dirty. He was an “enforcer,” traveling from city to city rounding up believers and putting them in prison. “Saul was still breathing threats and MURDER against the disciples of the Lord….” Acts 9:1.

The Greek here implies Saul was “living off his anger,” inhaling hatred like oxygen. He explains, “I locked up many of the saints in prison… when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.” Acts 26:10. Thus, Saul participated in the persecution and murder of believers. Saul was wrong—but he was committed.

Second, Paul relied on GRACE.

Saul’s life was changed when he met Christ. God touched Saul with His grace:

“God, who from my birth set me apart and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son to me” Galatians 1:15.

Suddenly this brilliant student of the scriptures discovers that his life of dedication to the law was never going to earn him salvation. He discovers we are saved by grace, not works—not even a lifetime of sincere works. Paul begins preaching grace and is even more dedicated than before:

“Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus… But all who heard him were ASTOUNDED…. But Saul grew more and more capable, CONFOUNDING the Jews by PROVING that this One is the Messiah” Acts 9:20-22.

Be passionate about the Lord. Be ZEALOUS. But remember that it is grace that changes lives, grace that gets you into heaven—not your works or your passion. May your dedication to the Lord exceed everyone else’s—and then remember that you remain wholly dependent on God’s grace.

Dear God, make us as dedicated to Your work as Saul and as dedicated to GRACE as Paul.

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 Peter and Paul: BOTH MEN OF ACTION. Acts 10:10-16; Galatians 2:11-14.

The early church had two great leaders. Peter was the first to step up and lead. A number of years later, Paul became the leader, or perhaps a co-leader. The powerful men were close and worked together in spite of the vast differences between them. Christians have long believed they were even martyred together in Rome.

Would you rather be a Peter or a Paul?[1]

Simon, whom Jesus re-named “Peter” was Joe Cool, right? Peter was a MAN OF ACTION.

Peter is down-to-earth. We can relate to him: he is not an intellectual genius, but a simple fisherman. He is impulsive, he talks too much and often says the wrong thing. But he is enthusiastic. He was so full of faith that he walked to Jesus on the water (no one else has EVER done that). He preached the sermon at Pentecost and led 3,000 people to faith in Christ. Incredible!

Peter was the leader of the church in the early chapters of the Book of Acts. Even today, the Catholic church considers Peter the first pope. After all, when Peter said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God,” Jesus responded by saying that God had revealed that deep truth to Peter and “thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” Matthew 16:16-18.

Standing in contrast is the Apostle Paul, the leader of the church in the later chapters of the Book of Acts. Saul, whom Jesus re-named “Paul” was not so much Joe Cool as Joe School.

I don’t think we relate to Paul as easily. People remember Paul for his intellectual heft. Even the Roman Procurator Festus spoke of Paul’s “great learning” Acts 26:24. He had an education that far exceeded that of Peter and the other disciples.

Paul was more professor than fisherman.

Paul had been trained as a Pharisee by the respected member of the Sanhedrin, Gamaliel (a teacher so famous, he is mentioned outside scripture in the Jewish Talmud). Paul was so smart, his letters require serious study if they are to be understood. In fact, Peter himself comments on Paul’s writing: “Some parts of his letters are hard to understand,” 2 Peter 3:16. (My uncle Bill loved this verse because it made him feel better about the difficulty of the Pauline epistles. These short, dense books are no joke!)

Paul’s words and concepts can be tough. This is not a Sunday school flannel-graph with colorful animals making their way to the ark. Paul deals in heavy topics. But without Paul’s clear statements and numerous step-by-step arguments, the early church would never have come to a proper understanding of grace vs. law. Only Paul could have teased out the distinction between legalistic Judaism for-Jews-only and a  grace-oriented, faith-based church offering forgiveness and fellowship to Jews and Gentiles. It is true that Peter led the way in the acceptance of non-Jews following Peter’s vision in Acts 10:10-16. However, Peter later fell back into old habits and began associating with Jews only. But Paul was having none of it and “opposed him to his face” Galatians 2:11-14.

Paul is a study in contrasts. Just as King David not only wrote poetry and cuddled lambs but also destroyed Goliath and led thousands into battle, so also there is more than one side to the Apostle Paul. Don’t let Paul’s brains overshadow his brawn.

Just like Peter, Paul is a MAN OF ACTION.

When we meet him in Acts, he is watching, arguably facilitating, the stoning of Stephen. Then he becomes a persecutor himself, traveling about with a security detail and arresting everyone who believes in Jesus. He threw them in jail, probably beat them, and argued for their execution. This is not a quiet man sitting at a desk with a quill pen. Paul was a man of action. Many scholars are content to WRITE about what they believe in, but not Paul. Paul was out there rounding up his enemies and throwing them in jail. Then after he became a believer, Paul traveled an estimated 10,000 miles (much of it on foot) preaching the gospel and risking persecution and death. Consequently, the one-time persecutor endured tremendous persecution himself:

“I have worked harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was pelted with stones. Three times I was shipwrecked. A night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been in danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from my fellow Jews, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the country, danger at sea, in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, there is the daily pressure of concern for all the churches….” 2 Corinthians 11:23-28.

Peter and Paul are two great MEN OF ACTION. These are not Christians who watch sports all weekend. They are doers. Paul is a thinker, of course. But he is a thinker who is out there hustling every day, outworking everybody. And Peter too was always busy, leading the young church for years. If you are a Peter, perhaps with a fisherman’s education like my grandfather (who had to leave school after third grade), God can use you. Your wisdom, common sense, and encouragement can build the faith of Christians around you every day.

And if you are a Paul, with a scholar’s gifts, God can use you. Your training will serve you well, provided you are not afraid to get your hands dirty.

God calls us to be men and women of ACTION.

The Christian life is not primarily an intellectual pursuit. It is serving as a soldier in a battle for souls. God is looking for people who are ready to go to war. Whether you are a Peter or a Paul, Jesus can use you in His kingdom!

Read Acts 10.

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[1] Recently I wrote that given a choice of characters in the Prodigal Son story, it would be better to be the older brother than the younger. Assuming both repent of sins and are restored by grace to a proper relationship with their father (and each other), the younger brother will nevertheless reap the consequences of years of hard living, while the older brother will reap the consequences of “hard thoughts.” Both types of consequences matter, but most understand that hard living is the more damaging of the two.

CAN YOU YIELD? Acts 9:1-6.

Saul was committed. As a Pharisee, he was wholly committed to the law. He was brilliant but faith was not an academic pursuit for him—he LIVED it. When Stephen was stoned, Saul did not shy from bloody death. Saul may have felt like a benchwarmer holding everyone’s cloaks (was he the youngest?), but he “heartily agreed with putting him to death” Acts 8:1.

Then Saul seems to have felt he had something to prove: “Saul began ravaging the church. He would enter house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison” 8:3. When he ran out of locals to persecute, Saul took to the road.

“Saul was still breathing threats and murder…. He went to the high priest and requested letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women belonging to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem” Acts 9:1-2.

Saul was as dedicated!

Then Jesus spoke.

“As he traveled, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’

‘Who are you, Lord?’

‘I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting’” Acts 9:3-6.

What did Saul do? Did he ignore the voice from heaven? Persist in his wrong path? No.

PAUL YIELDED.

How hard was that? This brilliant man who had dedicated his life to God, and to always being right about the law, suddenly has to admit he has been wrong ALL ALONG. That an uneducated outsider—that blaspheming carpenter from Nazareth—is actually the Messiah, in fact, He is God in the flesh! What a staggering admission for Saul.

Can you YIELD? Can you admit when you are wrong? Are you open to the Lord—if God needs to revolutionize your entire life, will you accept it? In this world of fake news (from both sides), the ONLY voice you can fully trust is the voice of God.

Ask for His wisdom about EVERYTHING.

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God Sends Philip to the Ethiopian Eunuch. Acts 8:26-40.

Read Acts 8:26-40. An angel (from the Greek “angelos” meaning “messenger”) tells Philip to go to the Ethiopian eunuch who is in a chariot heading back to Africa after worshipping in Jerusalem. Philip finds the eunuch—a high ranking royal servant—reading the scroll of Isaiah and struggling to understand the prophecies in chapter 53 (“He was led like a lamb to the slaughter…”).

Philip explains everything to the eunuch, and the African official repents and is baptized. Then the Holy Spirit sends Philip elsewhere.

Two key thoughts: First, God obviously loves the Ethiopian. He loves this black man and has prepared Him well with knowledge of the scriptures so that He can take the gospel with him back to Africa.

God loves people of all colors, all races, all nations.

“He is not willing that ANY should perish, but that ALL should come to the knowledge of repentance,” 2 Peter 3:9. The Bible does not support racism in any form. (In addition, this 2,000 year-old story also disproves the claim that Christianity is a “white man’s religion” and that being black means being Muslim (as Malcolm X and others once claimed). Islam did not even exist until nearly 1,000 years after God sent the Ethiopian eunuch home to Africa to share the gospel.)

A second point: God can use anyone! He can use you. The eunuch is one more among dozens of people in the Bible who cannot have children. He would never be anyone’s Daddy. But God made him the spiritual father to thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands. Imagine that. Here’s a man who thought the only value his life would ever have was as a royal servant. But now he will also be serving King Jesus, and his life will bear so much fruit for God. The new joy and hope and sense of purpose will bless him more than being a father ever could. Once again, God brings so much hope and joy and fulfillment to those who have nothing, but who give their nothing to Him.

Pray. Give God your hurts, your emptiness, your “barrenness.” Ask Him to help you bear fruit for His kingdom. Ask God to give you purpose, to fill you with the gospel message and the skill to explain it to others. Ask Him to take away your self-centered mindset and help you think of others first, to have an outward focus, to be a servant to others. Ask God to fill you with His message of hope and grace and to give you a passion to share that with others. Thank God for loving all people and all races and ask Him to help you love all people too. Finally, ask Him to give you a love for His Word, to make you curious like the Ethiopian eunuch, and to make you want to study it. Ask Him to help you love His Word.

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FORGIVENESS, GRACE, & CONSEQUENCES. Acts 5:1-11.

Some think they can sin all they want because God will always forgive. What’s the harm in a “white lie,” right? So I cheat a little on homework or taxes, so what?

Well, God may forgive, but what about CONSEQUENCES? Even in this AGE OF GRACE, we reap what we sow. The worse your sin, the more severe the consequences.

There was a time in the early church when everyone was making large donations, selling properties and giving the money to Peter and the apostles to help those in need. And one couple got a little greedy.

“A man named Ananias and his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, but kept back some of the proceeds. He brought a portion of the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the proceeds from the field? Wasn’t it yours to do with as you pleased? Why did you plan this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God!’ When Ananias heard these words, he DROPPED DEAD, and a GREAT FEAR came on all who heard.”

Three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened, and told the same lie.

“Then Peter said, ‘Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they will bury you as well!’ Immediately she DROPPED DEAD at his feet…. Then a GREAT FEAR came on the whole church and on all who heard these things” Acts 5:1-11.

Talk about CONSEQUENCES! Some would call what Ananias and Sapphira did a “white lie.” But this so-called white lie caused them both to be struck dead. God took this lie seriously. And He takes our sin seriously. He is a forgiving God. But consequences remain. Seek Him and do better!

Dear God, fill us with a HOLY FEAR and help us to love You more and seek You every day!

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Don’t Commit Simony. Acts 8:18-24

Simony, n. The buying or selling of church positions, spiritual power, or miracles. Putting a temporal (finite) value on something spiritual (infinite) in nature.

If a priest was promoted to bishop after paying a bribe, the priest committed simony. The name comes from Acts 8:18-24. A man named Simon wanted to buy a gift only God could give. (Imagine having a SIN named after you!):

“When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me this power too, so that anyone I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.’ But Peter told him, ‘May your silver be destroyed with you, because you thought the gift of God could be obtained with money! You have no part in this, because your heart is not right before God. Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity’” Acts 8:18-23.

But simony? Could anything be less relevant? When was the last time you heard of anyone offering money for a church staff position or a promotion to lead pastor, or maybe money in exchange for the ability to work miracles? Simony does not come up every day.

But simony DOES come up. What did Simon do wrong? He saw a miracle and offered to buy the power to perform the miracle himself. Peter rebuked him:

“You thought the gift of God could be obtained with money! … Your heart is not right before God” Acts 8:20-21.

Americans fall for this every day. When a TV preacher offers healing in exchange for money, he is tempting you to commit simony. When a TV preacher says ‘send us $5.00 and God will send you $50.00,” I believe he is tempting you to commit simony. And of course, such comments do not come only from television preachers.

If anyone presents you with an offer that equates to: give us money and your prayers will be answered, then you are being offered a chance to commit simony.

Do you need a healing? Have you sent money to a ministry because a smooth talker convinced you that you had to send in some “seed money” in order to reap that miraculous harvest? Did it work? Did you receive the healing?

I would NEVER discourage appropriate giving to the work of God. “The Lord loves a cheerful giver” 2 Corinthians 9:7. We are called to give, and God will bless us for giving. The notion of sowing and reaping is Biblical and I do not wish to undermine that. But there are silver-tongued speakers in this world that we must watch out for, wolves in sheeps’ clothing that can speak so skillfully that the naked deceit of their plea is all but hidden. It can be hard to get past the music and emotionalism and drama of great oratory. But if, when boiled down to simple terms, the message is: give us money and God will grant your wish, then you may be looking at simony. Watch out for those who encourage you to believe, as Simon did, that “the gift of God can be obtained with money” Acts 8:20.

Instead, give, expecting nothing in return (Luke 6:35), or at least nothing SPECIFIC. Bless God and let Him decide how He may bless you in return.

Yes, give with an expectant faith, knowing that “he who sows bountifully, will reap bountifully” 2 Corinthians 9:6. But never give as though you are in some heavenly market, purchasing some specific miracle, or healing, or financial blessing from God.

God is not a Genie, granting wishes for a price (if He were, you could afford NOTHING). He is your Heavenly Father who loves His children and “GIVES to His beloved, even while they are sleeping” Proverbs 127:2.

God freely gives to His children. There is no price.  We should freely give to Him.

A final thought: those who offer miracles for sale are bringing a marketplace mentality into the church. Do you remember what Jesus did when the marketplace began to invade the temple? John 2:14-16.

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REFRESHING. Acts 3:19.

Advertisers do violence to some of our best words. “Refreshing” is one such word. According to those who draft ad copy, you can be refreshed by snacks, drinks, soap, coffee, and a dozen more things—but the meaning is so poor, the so-called “refreshing” so brief.

To be truly refreshed is to “be made fresh again.” Imagine that—being made new and fresh when you are anything but. We get old, we get tired, we grow weary of living in a world of evil and pain. And what about the depressions, the addictions, the psychoses and neuroses? It is hard walking in the darkness of sin—and even harder to be lost in that darkness and have no hope of a way out. How many lost people would give anything for a fresh start? Who wouldn’t want a do-over? Everyone in prison would like a do-over, right? A second chance? And what about all the broken marriages, parents whose children want nothing to do with them, or lonely old people who lived lives of pride and selfishness for decades and have nothing to show for it but empty rooms and empty hearts?

Jesus offers a way out.

And if you’re a hurting believer, He offers it to you even more so. Go to Him with your sins and the ugly weariness of living in a broken world. Give Him your baggage, your burdens, and He will give you a do-over. He will refresh your weary, hurting soul.

“Repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, and seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” Acts 3:19.

Dear God, remind us to REPENT, to confess our sins and turn away from them. Call us out of this world’s filth and ugliness and the sour stink of sin and death and decay. Call us to You, our great Savior who cleanses us, restores us, and refreshes our hearts with supernatural love and joy and hope! Remind us to confess and do right so we can be REFRESHED.

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WHAT DOES GOD FEEL LIKE? Acts 2:41-43.

Here’s a touchy-feely topic—but what does it feel like to encounter God? My first response is joy—so much JOY. Add to that PEACE, ACCEPTANCE, and a sense of RIGHTNESS.

My experiences with God have never resulted in one Biblical emotion: FEAR. If I did not know better, I might argue fear is an Old Testament emotion, or maybe it only happens to certain people.

But many in the New Testament experienced fear in God’s presence.

In Acts chapter 2, the Holy Spirit descended on believers, they spoke in the tongues of the nations, and…

“That day about 3,000 people were added to the church. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayers. Then FEAR came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles” Acts 2:41-43.

Have you felt FEAR in God’s presence?

I have not. But it is common throughout scripture. Israel was filled with fear after God punished the disobedient such as through earthquakes that opened up and swallowed rebellious Israelites in Numbers 16:32. The nation was also terrified when they heard God’s voice in Deuteronomy 5:25, and they begged God to speak to Moses alone and let Moses speak to the nation. Then they were afraid when Moses came back from time with God and his face glowed from God’s glory in Exodus 34:30.

And in the Book of Acts, people in the middle of what looks like a ‘happy’ experience of God’s miracles began to feel FEAR. It seems the closer people get to actually seeing or touching God’s glory, the more they feel fear. Perhaps standing close to the Lord is like getting close to something dangerous—a lion, a cliff, a tornado. I’m not sure. But I’m intrigued by the fact that believers felt FEAR on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:43. Isn’t that the last emotion you would expect?

God, draw us close to You. We want to see You and know You more. A little fear never hurt anybody, right? Move us by Your presence.

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You Think Change is Hard? Consider the Biggest Change in History. Luke 24:45.

Change is hard.

They say the most stressful times are times of change. Moving, graduating, beginning a new job, getting married, having children—no matter how wonderful, each of these changes is stressful. If they all happen within a short period of time, the stress may become anxiety.

Losing a spouse is an even more difficult transition because of the grief involved. Not only have your circumstances changed dramatically, but you have the emotional loss of that person’s presence. Losing a dream can be equally significant if that dream was closely related to your hope or sense of purpose.

The famous poem by Langston Hughes asks “What happens to a dream deferred?” and the answer is—that dream will be grieved like the loss of a loved one.

Change is hard.

Change is not only hard for individuals, but for groups, nations, and cultures. Imagine changing from rule by kings to rule by elected officials. Or the change from a free market to a market where every price and paycheck is strictly controlled by Communist officials. Or the change from a nation of idol-worshippers to Bible readers. Even that change would present challenges. (How do we teach everyone to read?)

The most incredible change in history happened between the Resurrection and Pentecost.

Have you ever thought about that? Jesus rose again on Easter Sunday. He remained on earth teaching for another 40 days until His ascension, and Peter preached the first Christian sermon ten days after that, on the day of Pentecost. History’s greatest paradigm shift (a change in underlying assumptions about the world) happened in only fifty days.

So what changed?

When Jesus rose again, He returned to a Jewish culture where the Mosaic law reigned supreme. The followers of Jesus still looked to the law for salvation. On top of that, the disciples had spent three years fanning the flames of their dream that Jesus would overthrow the Romans, establish an earthly kingdom, and sit down on a throne with the disciples alongside Him.

All of that was about to change. Jesus had seven weeks to convert the disciples from fishermen following a legalistic brand of Judaism for Jews-only, to Fishers-of-Men leading a movement with a message of Grace and forgiveness for ALL people through the blood of Christ, the slain and now-risen Passover Lamb.

Jesus would accomplish this change using two tools: (1) Solid teaching, and (2) TIME.

First, Jesus showed up and showed mercy: “Reach here your finger and touch My hands, and reach here your hand and touch My side, and be not unbelieving, but believing” John 20:27. And there was the amazing teaching on the walk to Emmaus “Then He opened their minds to understand the scriptures” Luke 24:45. Jesus explained all the prophecies to a pair of His unnamed disciples, explained His death, explained that there would be a first coming and a second coming, and probably talked a great deal about grace. Jesus did a great deal of similar teaching throughout the forty days. 

But He did not spend all His time with the twelve best-known disciples. He moved around, leaving Peter and the others alone for days at a time (eight days passed in John 20:26). He gave them time. Sometimes His closest companions simply went fishing, John 21:3. They returned to their old lives. They saw old friends. I don’t know everything they did—the Bible does not say. But Jesus gave them seven weeks to adapt. Seven weeks to process the change. Seven weeks to pull loose from the old wineskin of legalistic first-century Judaism. Seven weeks to think about the meaning of a crucified and resurrected Messiah. Jesus gave them time to absorb the loss of their old way of thinking, and time to begin to think and see the world differently.  After forty days, He left them—though He promised to send the Holy Spirit—and they spent ten days in intense prayer. Those ten days must have been critical to the transition.

Finally, on the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came on the disciples and Peter preached the first sermon of salvation by grace (not works). “And that day 3,000 people were added” Acts 2:41.

If you are facing change, give yourself time to adjust.  And spend the time filling your mind with solid teaching. The Book of Proverbs is a great place to start.

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MYSTERIES. John 21:25.

The Bible is massive, filled with answers to life’s questions—but NOT to every question. Many interesting things are left out. Here are three:

The Transfiguration.

Before His arrest, Elijah and Moses met with Jesus and talked to Him about his death. What did they say? Did they encourage Him? Remind Him of His purpose? Remind Him how amazing Heaven would be after a little more suffering on Earth? The disciples knew it was Elijah and Moses; they knew what was being discussed. But no one wrote it down.

The Song After the Last Supper.

Matthew writes that after the Last Supper, “they sang a hymn and went out.” What hymn? Maybe Psalm 22 which prophecies the crucifixion? Some religions do not sing. But as Billy Graham said, “We have a singing faith.” Why do we sing? Why did God give us the gift of worship through music? I wonder what Jesus and the disciples sounded like? Did anyone sing harmony? Was Jesus a bass or a tenor? Wouldn’t it be amazing to know.

The Road to Emmaus.

After Jesus was resurrected, He appeared to a pair of believers who were walking to Emmaus. He pretended not to know the news about the crucifixion, they filled Him in, and He spent the rest of the walk explaining that everything in the scriptures prophesied that the Messiah would die for the people. It sounds like these two got the best explanation ever—but it was not written down. What did Jesus say?! It would be amazing to know.[1]

The Bible—even with its 2000 pages, 66 books and 35 authors—is filled with mysteries. John concludes his gospel:

“And there were many other things Jesus did, which, if they were written in detail, I suppose even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” John 21:25.

(What?! What are we not being told?)

Praise God for the amazing stories, and the abundance of answers to life’s questions. And praise Him too for the mysteries He will reveal only in Heaven.

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[1] After his arduous trip to Rome—including a shipwreck—Paul preached to the Jews “from dawn to dusk… trying to persuade them from the law and the prophets” Acts 28:23. I would love to hear that!