For this Sunday’s message, I want to share with you all what happened at the Church where I play keyboards every Sunday morning. In case this raises any questions, let me explain why I’m a musician in one church while leading an online church all at once. I have been preaching and teaching online since 2015. I’m on three different blogs under two different organizational names, I’ve been all over social media, and readership and subscribers have been slowly ramping up to the point that I now have over 8,000 people reading or watching my stuff.
Why I Can’t Do Any Live Broadcasts or Podcasts Yet
But I’m not doing any live events yet for my Sunday service online. My reason is I play keyboards (digital piano or Hammond organ) at Atlanta’s Prayer of Faith Church of God in Christ every Sunday morning at 10:00 AM. Some might say that my interests are divided by doing things as I do, but I remind them that I am serving Jesus Christ, my Savior and Kinsman Redeemer, in two places under two different capacities. I’m a pastor and Bible teacher online, but I’m just a musician at the brick-and-mortar church I attend, and I’m perfectly OK with that.
Setting the Stage
Last Sunday at church was a lot different than the usual morning service. As I took my seat at the keyboard I noticed a younger man, Caucasian, probably in his 30s or maybe his 40s who I had never seen before. Apparently homeless, he was seated in the second row of pews from the front, fairly close to one of the windows. On this particular Sunday it was the pastor’s wife, evangelist Teresa A. Norris who began to deliver the Lord’s Word. Within 5 minutes of the start of her delivery, I noticed the new guest begin acting rather strangely. He was muttering things that made no sense, just to himself at first, but then he gradually became more vocal as the first few minutes wore on.
Here’s Where the Prayers Began
Finally after 6 or 7 minutes of this, Mrs. Norris stopped her delivery and told the guest that she or any of the other leaders would be happy to discuss that with him after the service was over. By this time the man was becoming noticeably agitated and his interruptions escalated. As this was happening, the pastor’s wife (‘first lady Norris’), together with himself and quite a lot of other members who were there that day including myself, immediately launched a group prayer that went all the way to the moon. When that happened, the ‘guest’ began streaming all kinds of unintelligible stuff, and profanity began to flow from the mouth of our ‘guest’.
Prayers Really Do Work
The more unruly the ‘guest’ became, the louder the prayers became. Finally, and very abruptly, the ‘guest’ grabbed his stuff and went storming out the front door. Some would just dismiss it all as the rantings of a madman, but I saw that differently because I was there. What happened at my part-time church last Sunday morning was a clear-cut case of demonic possession. The serious and threatening nature of demonic possession should never be underestimated. That man could have pulled out a weapon and opened fire, killing many of us including myself. But that didn’t happen because a vastly superior force was already present by the time our unruly guest arrived. And it was the combination of the presence of the Spirit of the Risen Lord and our fervent prayers that ultimately drove that man away.
Never underestimate the power of prayer because of its authenticity. Never overestimate the power of evil and of deranged individuals, you never know what might happen. And when you pray, do so expecting an answer. Provided, that what you seek is in your own best interests, as well as those around you, and especially to God, you should pray as often as you can with everything you’ve got. Never ket up until you begin to see a good result
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It has been my observation for quite some time now that there seems to be a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding about water and Holy Spirit baptism. The reason this concerns me so much is that the topic of baptism seems to be getting misinterpreted in many modern churches and the various denominations thereof. Each denomination continues to insist that their methods of worship and their sets of beliefs are the only correct way to interpret the Scriptures. The problem I have with this train of thought is that if everybody thinks everyone else is wrong, then no one is truly correct in any of their custom made interpretations. So to get started with this explanation, here are the original verses from which water and Holy Spirit baptism are derived.
Some Pertinent Bible Verses Spoken By Jesus Himself
1) “Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2) He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3) Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” 4) “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5) Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6) Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7) You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8) The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:1-8)
The Two Definitions of Baptism
First, we have water baptism. This is usually done as a condition of being a Christ follower. Normally, water baptism comes first, followed by Holy Spirit baptism. But, that isn’t necessarily true all the time. Saul, who became Paul the apostle, actually received his Holy Spirit baptism first on the road to Damascus (see Acts chapter 9) prior to receiving water baptism, which happened shortly after Paul arrived at his destination. Back when I first converted to Christianity, I was water baptized in 1992, but I did not receive my Holy Spirit baptism until 2008. But hey, that’s just me, so that won’t work the same way every time. Others may experience something altogether different.
Some Additional Verses for Your Digestion
Further down in that same passage of Scripture, the Bible further explains by spelling out the context of this teaching. As before, these are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I quote: “16) For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18) Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” (John 3: 16-18)
Spiritual Gifts as They Apply to Holy Spirit Baptism
Some churches, and even whole denominations, take Holy Spirit baptism to extremes. I think it’s important to use the Scriptures to define this Spiritual phenomenon before taking any sides with all the various teaching and Biblical interpretation that currently exists. And there is a whole lot out there to choose from. But here in black and white is the explanation straight from the apostle Paul, and I quote:
4) “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5) There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6)There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7) Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8) To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9) to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10) to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11) All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (1st Corinthians chapter 12, verses 4-11)
The True Meaning of These Verses
OK, now let’s examine this one example at a time. Starting at verse 7, our text reads, “7) Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8) To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit….” Knowledge, gained through the studying of new information, consists of a rich storage of information. Wisdom, on the other hand, has to do more with insight, understanding and accepting of the fundamental ‘nature’ of things in life.
Moving along to verse 9, it says, “to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit…” To have a gift of faith gets manifested in the form of encouragement and exhortation to those who are losing heart because of discouragement and all the hassles of everyday living. On the other hand, be very careful when encountering those with gifts of healing. Not all of them are genuine, and such people have the potential to do great harm to your mind and spirit. To avoid being judgmental, that’s as far as I will take this topic for now.
Some Additional Spiritual Gifts That Bear Examination
The Word as composed by the apostle Paul continues to list the various kinds of Spiritual gifts, and I quote from verse 10, “to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits…” As before in verse 8, be very careful when encountering those with gifts of healing. Not all of them are the real deal. I cannot overemphasize how critically important this is. Prophecy is different, however. Prophecy is my only Spiritual gift besides teaching, and two are plenty for myself. In fact, they are more than enough for me to handle. Prophecy means to be able to speak the Word of the Lord and apply it to any given situation. Prophecy can be an application of the Word of God in the form of teaching, preaching or the proclamation of any serious event. To clarify a popular misconception, prophecy does not include the ability to foretell the future. That would be a fortune teller, which is derived from the occult.
Pray for Those Who Are Missing the Mark
Paul’s explanation finishes up at verses 10 and 11, and I quote, “to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.” The gift of discerning spirits is given by the Holy Spirit, who disperses these gifts to believers for service in the body of Christ. Every believer has a spiritual ability for a specific service, but there is no room for self-choosing. If you meet someone who claims to have received any Spiritual gift entirely on their own, be wary of such people. They are living in a state of apostasy and they are delusional, which is a sign of possible mental illness. But instead of judging anyone, pray for such people instead.
Speaking and Praying in Tongues
The last two examples cited by the apostle Paul have been the subject to a lot of misinterpretation and misunderstanding. ‘Speaking in tongues’ means having the supernatural ability to proclaim, teach and preach the Word in another language without the benefit of any prior knowledge of that particular language. It is done solely for the benefit of the recipients of the message. For instance, if an American who knows only English as a language begins to preach in Spanish, French, Russian or any other language to Spanish, French or Russian audiences, that would qualify as a good example of speaking in tongues. The same applies to anyone who prays in other languages for an individual or a group who speak that language, and for their benefit.
One Final Word on Praying In Tongues and Spiritual Gifts
However, as the apostle Paul pointed out in 1st Corinthians chapter 14 verse 5, if anyone prays in another language (or tongue, the two words mean the same thing) and there is no one there to interpret, that person should remain silent. Let me add one other thing, and that is those who pray in tongues that are unintelligible. Although I have prayed in tongues myself, I pray a certain little pray of praise and thanks to God, and acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as Lord over all the earth. But, I pray this little prayer in Hebrew, which is a language that I normally don’t speak. So I mostly pray this certain prayer in silence, since there is no one there to interpret.
There are also those who pray in tongues out loud even though no one is there to interpret. Sometimes the person praying doesn’t know what they just prayed for because they are praying Spiritually. I will decline to take sides in this controversial issue. As to those who pray this way, that is ultimately between the Lord and the person praying. Be sure and check your inboxes on Wednesdays at 7PM for my ongoing weekly Biblical study series, and Sunday mornings at 6AM for my weekly messages. Thank you all for your time and attention. You are all very much appreciated. Try to enjoy the rest of your day.
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Last week when we completed part one of Acts 19, the apostle Paul had amassed an enormous amount of healing power through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. He was actively accessing this implanted power – power that he did not possess himself, but which had been imparted by his baptism with the Holy Spirit of the risen Lord Christ Jesus. Untold scores had been healed of various diseases or medical conditions, possibly hundreds or even thousands. All this was occurring in the city of Ephesus, in what is now western Turkey. It was to the church there that the Book of Ephesians in the New Testament was written. There were also some other disciples who were driving demons out of victims of demonic possession, and that is where we will begin this week’s lesson. So let’s all start off together at verse 13.
Part One of This Week’s Verses for Study and Memorization
“13) Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, ‘In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.’ 14) Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15) One day the evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?’ 16) Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.” (Acts 19, verses 13-16)
One Necessary Ingredient
Demonic possession is very real, and it is not something that can be trifled around with. The 1970’s movie, “The Exorcist” barely scratched the surface when it comes to something as serious and scary as demonic possession. These 7 sons of Sceva, as the apostle Luke related, evidently thought they could drive out demons by a human combination of determination, focus and faith. While all three are certainly worthy of consideration as it applies to our topic, there is one missing ingredient that is vitally important to ministry – the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Remember last week’s study when Paul asked in verse 2 of chapter 19 if the brothers at Ephesus had received Holy Spirit baptism? They had no knowledge of the Holy Spirit, meaning they also had no understanding of Christ’s resurrection. When asked whose baptism they had, they replied, “John’s”, meaning John the Baptist. John the Baptist, you will recall from our study of Luke’s gospel, had been executed decades previously by King Herod. No one knows the exact date of his execution, but it was probably in the years 28-29 AD (Matthew 14:1-12; Mark 6:14-27; Luke 9:9) after Herod the Tetrarch imprisoned John the Baptist in 27 AD (Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14) at the behest of Herodias his brother’s wife whom he took as his mistress. (Matthew 14:3-5; Mark 6:17-20)
Solid Objects and Spiritual Ones are Exact Opposites
It is likely that, like the believers Paul found at Ephesus, the 7 sons of Sceva had John’s water baptism but not that of the Holy Spirit. Why is this significant? Because no one can drive out demons except by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Things that are solid cannot drive out spiritual things any more than one can mix oil and water. In that instance, neither can drive out the other, nor can they be mixed together. In the same way, it is not possible for someone without the baptism of the Holy Spirit to drive out demons, let alone be effective at it (see John’s gospel chapter 3 for the meaning of Holy Spirit baptism).
Real Demons Are Nothing to Play Around With
So, when Sceva’s sons tried to drive the demon out of their ‘customer’ in verse 16, “…. the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.” That’s what you get for playing around with real demons, like Sceva’s sons were doing. You’ll be lucky to survive such an encounter as that, and that’s no joke either. And now let’s move on to part 2 of this week’s ongoing lesson.
Part Two of This Week’s Study Verses
“17) All the people in Ephesus – Jews and Greeks – learned about this and were filled with fear and gave great honor to the Lord Jesus. 18) Many of the believers began to confess openly and tell all the evil things they had done. 19) Some of them who had used magic brought their magic books and burned them before everyone. Those books were worth about fifty thousand silver coins. 20) So in a powerful way the word of the Lord kept spreading and growing. 21) After these things, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, planning to go through the countries of Macedonia and southern Greece and then on to Jerusalem. He said, ‘After I have been to Jerusalem, I must also visit Rome.’ 22) Paul sent Timothy and Erastus, two of his helpers, ahead to Macedonia, but he himself stayed in Asia for a while.” (Acts 19, verses 17-22)
Confession and Repentance
So the incident with the 7 sons of Sceva caused quite a sensation throughout that part of the world. People everywhere, “…. were filled with fear and gave great honor to the Lord Jesus. Many of the believers began to confess openly and tell all the evil things they had done.” Confession, as you just read, is an integral part of practicing Christianity. In fact, Christianity in the absence of confession and repentance is really not Christianity at all. The Bible tells us to confess our sins, errors, imperfections and faults, first to God and then to each other. Openness with one another is a requirement of Christianity, and keeping our relationships honest and open is vital to living Christianity as a lifestyle rather than merely as a set of beliefs. Moreover, nobody can fool God. They would only be kidding themselves.
The Real Thing
“19) Some of them who had used magic brought their magic books and burned them before everyone. Those books were worth about fifty thousand silver coins. 20) So in a powerful way the Word of the Lord kept spreading and growing.” This occurrence in verse 19, where fifty thousand silver coins would equal roughly $750,000 in today’s money (assuming one ounce of silver per coin), is what I would call an example of true repentance. Any time you have a group of people willing to throw away what could have amounted to their life’s savings for their newfound belief in a blessed Savior and Redeemer, I’d call that genuine faith and repentance any day of the year.
Paul Takes a Break
Following all these things, Paul stayed in various places in the province of Asia (not the continent), vowing to visit Jerusalem and his old enemies there before working his way towards Rome. “He said, ‘After I have been to Jerusalem, I must also visit Rome.’ Paul sent Timothy and Erastus, two of his helpers, ahead to Macedonia, but he himself stayed in Asia for a while.” Now Macedonia is fairly close to where the country is situated today, although the borders no longer correspond exactly.
Back to Work for the Apostle Paul
The province of Asia, as it was known back then, comprises the western half of modern Turkey, and that is where Paul remained as he preached, taught and planted churches. He had no itinerary, no schedule, and no paycheck. Yet he was in his element because he was doing what God had called him to do, and he did so with great fervor and devoted purpose. He was living his life to the fullest, which is precisely what we all need to be doing, if we’re not doing so already. Never worrying about money, where he would spend that night, what he would have to eat, or whether his sandals would wear out, Paul was called to be an apostle because Paul was a man who knew how to get his priorities straight.
Closing Remarks
Few people are like the apostle Paul. So few know how to get their priorities straight. They don’t know what truly matters in life. Their lives are filled with social media skimming, TV show and movie streaming, video games, virtual reality, and pornography. All some people want to do is have fun all the time. Unfortunately, life simply doesn’t work like that, nor was it ever designed to. So for this week, your assignment is to find out what really matters to you the most. If it’s any of the above things, or if it’s an addiction, you’re on the wrong track. But please don’t get mad at me for writing this. I’m just a guy who really cares and who really wants to help. But, if you are already doing these things, then keep up the good work. And next week we’ll move on to part 3 of Acts 19.
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Last week as we left off at verse 13, the apostle Paul had once again found himself dragged before a judge by Jewish temple authorities, this time in Corinth. He was accused of, to quote verse 13, “persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.” This was followed, as I wrote last week, by the Jewish ruling council’s presentation of their case for prosecution against Paul. As we start part 2 of our analysis of Acts 18 today, it is Paul’s turn to speak in his own defense as was customary. Our own court system here in the US is modeled after that of the Roman Empire, which is why it is so riddled with problems. But before Paul gets a chance to defend himself, the Proconsul Gallio has a few words of his own, and that’s where we’ll begin part 2 of Acts chapter 18, starting at verse 14.
Part One of This Week’s Verses for Study and Memorization
“14) Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, ‘If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. 15) But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law – settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.’ 16) So he drove them off. 17) Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.” (Acts 18, verses 14-17)
The Lord Uses Gallio, a Nonbeliever
Do you see here how the Lord took a man who could have sentenced Paul to whatever, and turned him into an ally who viewed Paul as a hapless victim of the Jews? Gallio could have had Paul flogged, but he ordered him released instead. Chalk up another victory for the Spirit of the risen Lord. But there is much more here in between the lines of Luke’s account of Paul at Corinth. Gallio, the proconsul and head authority of that region, was fully aware of Christianity’s existence, and he knew who Jesus was and how he had been killed. He was also well aware of who had been responsible for his ‘demise’, and likely was not a believer. Gallio was, however, clearly a man who made it his business to know as much as he could learn about current events, as well as the people he worked with and dealt with on a daily basis. To sum it up, Gallio was a shrewd politician and ruthless governor who had no time for religious people and their beliefs.
The Depravity of the Roman Empire
That, based on what I’m reading in my Bible from which I’m taking this text, is why Gallio acted as he did. It’s also why he said to the Jews who were Paul’s accusers, “’….since it involves questions about words and names and your own law – settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.’ So he drove them off.” In other words, Gallio threw them all out. Gallio was aware of the circumstances surrounding the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, and how they had handed Christ over to the Romans to be crucified. Gallio had made up his mind that he was going to refuse to do for the Jews at Corinth what Pontius Pilate had done for the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem.
Once the Jews saw that their plan to have Paul killed had failed – let’s face it, that’s what they really wanted – they turned on their leader, as verse 17 recounts: “Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul….” Imagine a group of people beating up an elderly man, and you get an idea of the depravity of the “religious” Jews there at Corinth, as well as in Jerusalem. It’s always the most religious people who do this kind of stuff. Now let’s move on to part 2 of this week’s study.
Part Two of This Week’s Study Verses
“18) Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. 19) They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20) When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21) But as he left, he promised, ‘I will come back if it is God’s will.’ Then he set sail from Ephesus.” Paul’s specific reason for deciding to leave Corinth when he did is not shared in Luke’s account, but evidently he felt like he had spent enough time there. So he left that church he had planted to go and plant another, leaving the other two apostles in charge. He started the next one at Ephesus, together with the couple who helped him found that church. By this time they were old friends and long-time co-workers, and I’m sure they relished the opportunity to plant another church, which is exactly what they did.
Strengthening All of the Churches and Disciples
Once the church was on firm footing there, Paul left Priscilla and Aquila behind to be elders and overseers there. So he went back to Antioch and Caesaria to visit the churches he had planted there as we see in verses 22-23. “When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch. After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.” If you have a map of Paul’s missionary journeys, or if you can display it on your screen, you will see that Paul sailed across the Aegean Sea from Corinth in Greece to Antioch in Syria, a combined distance of 390 miles, if we include Paul’s stop-over in Cenchreae. This could have taken up to several weeks back in those days. It was out of this 2nd missionary journey of Paul’s that the Book of Galatians and several others were ultimately written.
Part Three of This Week’s Study Verses
“24) Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25) He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26) He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. 27) When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28) For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.” (Acts 18, verses 24-28)
Short On Knowledge, Long On Zeal
Into the picture comes Apollos, a Jewish Egyptian who had embraced Christ as Messiah and Lord. That, in and of itself, bears testimony to the power of the risen Savior. The Jews had been slaves in Egypt for 400 years, and yet nearly 2,000 years afterwards they were not only back in Egypt and prospering, they were converting to Christianity. Apollos was evidently a man who sought the heart of God, and he had found it in the risen Lord Christ Jesus. And, he was a very astute individual, as it is written in verse 24: “He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25) He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.” Apollos only had part of the picture when it came to his faith, but he made up for it with his zeal.
The Right Way to Respond to Correction
But it is evident that the meeting of Apollos, Aquila and Priscilla was not a coincidence. God meant for it to occur, as Luke recounted, “When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him.” Two things are noteworthy here. First, Apollos received the correction of Aquila and Priscilla with the greatest of enthusiasm. This is the hallmark of every good Christian – that first and foremost we need to be teachable individuals, willing to listen to sound instruction. But, that instruction also needs to be delivered in a loving and inspirational way so that people are drawn in rather than driven away. This is exactly what Aquila and Priscilla did. Otherwise, why did Apollos respond to their correction so readily?
See You Back Very Soon
The best part of all this from the standpoint of the greater Church is that Apollos put his newly expanded and enriched knowledge about his faith right to work, as it says in verse 28: “For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.” Time after time Apollos proved that Jesus was the risen Lord, to the complete consternation of the Jewish ‘religious leaders’ of that time period. Every time he and Paul, together with the other 12 apostles, preached the message of the risen Savior, the Jews, together with their Roman benefactors, were reminded once again of the horrible mistake they had made by putting Jesus to death. Yet it was still necessary to do so, so that He could rise from the dead on the morning of the third day. There, that’s my version of a happy ending. So that concludes our lesson for this week. Next week we’ll move on to part 1 of Acts chapter 19. If the Lord is willing, I will see you then….
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Before I begin my remarks, I wish to start by thanking everyone for taking time out to read this article. You are not here by accident. In some way, God has directed you here because you are probably searching for answers to life’s daily dilemmas. Whether we realize it or not, to one extent or another, we sense there has got to be more solutions to living better, if only we could locate the answers we seek. Our minds and thoughts need stimulus because we have this vision of something out there that’s far greater than ourselves. We can’t see it, but we know it’s there all the same. So we go out and begin looking everywhere we can think of. Invariably, we wind up in a church. But then we find out sooner or later that it’s God who we are searching for, and He’s not in any man-made churches.
Does Anybody Really Know Where God Lives?
I had arrived at that same conclusion by the mid-twenty-teens. So in 2015 I started my first on-line church. Since I’m a disabled retiree, launching the Blog, plus a website that I had at the time, is a natural fit. There is, however, one ongoing problem with this type of church. That problem is finances. I have no way to pass a collection basket around like regular churches do. So why do I spend money out of my own pocket and donate my time free of charge? The simple answer is to reach out to people who are hungry and thirsty for some real truth. My primary intent is to be able to help other people. Moreover, I have discovered that the Bible – minus all the religious interpretations – together with the internet, remain the best tools to use to accomplish such a goal. That’s why I’m out here.
Building an Audience the Right Way
The first group of people that I want to reach are those who are disenfranchised by traditional religion. I am one such person myself, having had some strongly negative experiences with churches in the past. Never mind the details, they’re no longer important. Perhaps you are a former Catholic who was molested by a priest, or you know someone who was. There are also numerous cases of people actually getting ripped off by other church members, and I have witnessed this behavior once or twice in the past. I have also seen churches where there was a lot of internal politics going on, churches with memberships divided up into cliques, and sometimes with much financial impropriety at the top. I can only tell you that, based on my own experiences, if you run into one of these churches or any members thereof, turn and run like crazy for the nearest exit.
Why People are Fed Up With Organized Religion
Due to examples such as these, organized religion in the early 21st century has a huge credibility problem. Is it any wonder that so many people have stopped going to church? The TV preachers, who are little more than well-dressed con artists, only exacerbate the problem. I hope to address this problem, plus reach out to those who no longer attend church, by launching this blog, and its video channel. There is a real God, and I’m writing this to confirm what you already suspect – which is that God is not usually found in brick-and-mortar churches. Mainstream churches today, by and large, have slid into apostasy.
If Everybody Else Is Wrong, Then Nobody’s Right
If I had to think up one phrase to describe this blog, it would nonreligious. I back away from organized religion because each denomination thinks that their interpretation of the Bible is the only correct one. Well, to that I say that if everybody else is wrong besides yourself or your church, then nobody’s right. Except, of course, for Jesus Christ, who is and who remains the Son of God.
On the other hand, there are so many moral and upright people who do not go to church due to their own lack of confidence in organized religion in general. But those who do so really try to practice their faith as best they can, and try to live by the golden rule, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The simple solution for me is to emulate Christ as He would have me to do. I will embrace all people of all denominations as the Bible commands me to do.
A Few Verses of Scripture
“Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I become like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I become like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I become like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but I am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I become weak to win the weak.I have become all things to all men (and women) so that by all possible means I might save some. I do this for the sake of the Gospel, that I might share in its blessings.” (I Cor. 9: 19-23)
I Have Found a Better Way
This exquisite quote is from the New Testament, composed by the apostle Paul, and it sums up what my own goal is with this new online faith-based community. I want to reach out to everyone and say, ‘That bad contact you had with that brick-and-mortar church did not represent the true Church. Why not meet online instead? You can come any time, it’s always free, and I don’t demand 10% of what you earn’.
The problem with church denominations is they all have a separate core of beliefs that all members are expected to pledge allegiance to. No two churches are alike. One denomination preaches against the other, and all insist that they are the only ones whose teachings are correct. Various churches openly compete against each other, and they do this because they have lost their focus, which is Christ Jesus crucified, resurrected, and ascended into heaven. For me, these three things are the central focus of my faith, and it is a faith that I gladly share with others.
Why is Your Blog Called the “Social Gospel Blog”
The term “social gospel” is usually used to describe a Protestant Christian intellectual movement that first came to prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Those who adhere to the social gospel seek to apply Christian ethics to their faith and becoming part of the solution. We live our faith as a lifestyle to contribute towards the answers to social problems such as poverty, slums, poor nutrition and education, alcoholism, crime, and war. Advocates of our movement interpret the Kingdom of God as requiring social as well as individual salvation, seeking the betterment of society through application of the Biblical principles of charity and justice.
Today, the Social Gospel is especially promulgated among liberal Protestant ministers and nondenominational churches. It has been revived in the southeastern US and elsewhere across North America as something that can benefit a lot of sick and hurting people, as it paves a way forward to ending poverty and hunger while reestablishing social and economic equality. God doesn’t reside in structures of brick and mortar. God dwells in the hearts of every true believer. He is more than willing to come and live within your own heart too.
No More Brick and Mortar
This brings me to the second and equally good reason for founding this online faith-based community, and that is to make God available to casual Web surfers who have no church background at all. I want to tell each of them that God is real, and that Jesus is not a fairy-tale. He is the only sure thing in this temporal world we live in. Everything else is merely a distraction at best, or a fatal attraction at worst. That’s why Jesus Christ is the one person we can all rely on in our times of need. Our lives are a free gift from God, and He wants us to be able to use this gift to the best of our abilities so we can have as good a life as possible while glorifying Him for the outcome.
What Isaiah Said
That’s His will for our lives. The Bible tells us that God seeks people’s hearts whether they realize it or not, as it is written: “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me” (Isaiah 65: 1) This verse is addressed to all who read it, regardless of who you are, what you’ve done (or not), or where you’ve been. Your past no longer matters, so simply let it all go. The founding of this community and this Christian blog have this same intent. It is my hope and my prayer that someone who reads this message will realize that God may be closer to them (and vice versa) than they thought.
One More Thing
In closing, this blog and the above links and its website are available 24×7 to anyone who wants to use them as a mentoring, life coaching, self-help or spiritual resource. The main point is that God is available 24×7 as well. He loves you whether you think so or not, and he cares about what happens to you. Trust God and He will prove himself trustworthy to you. Give your life to Him and He will give himself completely over to you. In the process, He will love you unconditionally and eternally. The key to life and successful living are summed up right here. Until next time then, keep Jesus in your heart and thank Him daily for the supreme Sacrifice He made for each of us. Each new day is a gift from God, so treat it as such. May the peace of Christ be with you all. Shalom….
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Last week when we left off in our chronological study of the writings of the apostle Luke, we completed the remainder of Acts chapter 17, where the apostle Paul had just finished evangelizing many of the Jews and Greeks in the Synagogue in Athens. His message that Sabbath morning had been none other than their souls being saved by the shed blood of Christ, who was slain and yet lives! He had made some remarks about one of the idols in the Aereopagus, which had the inscription, “To an unknown god”. That “unknown god”, Paul argued, was none other than the risen Christ, and he then used the Bible – our Old Testament, since that was the entire Bible at the time – to prove his point and so persuade as many as he could to place their faith in Christ alone. Some believed him, but others “sneered” at him, as I wrote last week.
Part One of This Week’s Verses For Study and Memorization
This week as we begin part one of chapter 18, we discover the apostle Paul has left Athens for Corinth, a Grecian town roughly 100 Km west of Athens. It is at this point that Paul begins the process of founding a church in that city. So let’s begin at verse one of Acts 18. (1) “After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 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 tent maker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4) Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.” (Acts 18, verses 1-4)
No Qualms About Doing Some Work
Although the apostle Luke did not specify Paul’s reasons why he left Athens for Corinth, it may have been because of the significant amount of resistance from the native Greeks, particularly those whose livelihoods were tied to the idol-making industry that flourished at that time. Although Christian churches exist in Greece today, they are primarily of the Greek Orthodox faith, which is an entirely separate branch of Christendom. So Paul arrived in Corinth, and soon after befriends Aquila and his wife, and he gets an opportunity to earn some extra money as a worker in their tent making ‘enterprise’.
Contrast the difference between the way Paul approached his ministry back then, and the way certain TV evangelists do today. In point of fact, they all want – even demand – 10% of your income, but Paul simply went to work when he needed money. But, he also honored the Sabbath by spending his single day off each week trying his best to persuade the local Jewish and Greek Corinthians that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The apostle Paul never asked any of them for a single dollar.
Part Two of This Week’s Study Verses
“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.” (Acts 18, verses 5-8)
Paul Segues From Tent Making Back to Full Time Ministry
You will recall from 2 lessons ago when Timothy and Silas had stayed at Berea to finish planting the church that they had founded together there with Paul. So evidently Timothy and Silas had traveled from Berea to Athens and, discovering that Paul had moved on to Corinth, caught up with him there. It was evidently at that point that Paul ceased his tent-making employment with Aquila and began once again to devote his full time occupation to that of itinerant preacher, especially since his 2 co-workers had arrived. When Luke wrote these words, he did not specify how much time had elapsed from the time of Silas and Timothy’s arrival to the time of Paul’s leaving the synagogue in protest, as he did in verse 6.
An Example of Determination
And so it was at this time in the history of the early Church that a major turning point occurred. Paul leaves the synagogue in disgust, vowing never to return, and he made good on that vow for the rest of his life everywhere he went. Without actually planning to do so, Paul left the synagogue and went to the first house he saw. Paul was so filled with frustration at this point that he began going door to door, and I find Paul’s passion and zeal very noteworthy here. Most other preachers, if faced with such a situation where they were compelled to leave as Paul was, might well throw up their hands and quit. Seriously, they might simply walk away thinking to themselves, “I’ve had just about enough of this”. But not the apostle Paul, who was overwhelmed with determination.
Seek and You Will Find
And so Paul moved on “….to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.” Paul’s fortunes changed immediately upon his stepping away from the synagogues and taking his message straight to the people. The very first door he knocked on was opened to him by Titius Justus, just as Jesus taught in Matthew 7, verses 7-8: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” On that note, let’s finish up with this week’s lesson.
Part Three of This Week’s Study Verses
“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. 12) While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment. 13) ‘This man,’ they charged, ‘is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.‘” (Acts chapter 18, verses 9-13)
The Churches Move From the Synagogues to Private Residences
So now we are at the point where the early Church, at least from Paul’s point of view, had moved from the synagogues to private homes. As my long-time readers know, the churches in Paul’s letters were all located in private homes, especially when they were first planted. This was done to follow the teachings of Christ (see Matt. 10, verses 11-15). And now that Silas and Timothy were with him, Paul gained the time and resources he needed to preach, teach and evangelize the Good News of Jesus Christ.
It was at approximately this point in his ministry there at Corinth that Paul got the message of great encouragement that is documented in verses 9 and 10. I can only imagine my own joy at receiving a message audibly from the Lord, but I get plenty of Spiritual encouragement from him already, and it serves me very well for the most part. If I ever get anything more than that, such as a vision like Paul’s, I will consider it to be a bonus.
From Christian-Haters to Hateful ‘Conservative Christians’
And yet upon getting that encouragement through the vision he received, it was soon after that Paul found himself dragged before Junius Gallio, the Roman proconsul of Achaia (the apostle Paul was at Corinth circa A.D. 53) under the emperor Claudius. So this guy Gallio was our modern equivalent of a governor. The accusations leveled against him must have sounded very familiar to Paul by now: “‘This man,’ they charged, ‘is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law’”. The similarities between the early church’s hecklers and the modern-day “conservative Christians” are striking.
Be Sure and Return Next Lesson For Part Two of Acts Chapter 18
And so the Jews and their allies, not to mention their financial backers, are all seated on one side of the aisle, and Paul – with Silas, Timothy, and Titius Justus likely close by – and a numbers of other individuals – are seated on the other. Like our modern-day court system in at least some ways, the prosecution comes prepared to present their case to Proconsul Gallio. What did they say and how did they say it? More importantly, what does Paul say in response? To find out, come on back next week for part 2 of Acts chapter 18. Enjoy the rest of your day, and don’t forget to pray at least 2-3 times per day (grace before meals not included).
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All across America these days, we have several things in turmoil all at once. First, we have rampant discrimination, where women, people of color, minorities and immigrants still only earn two thirds as much as Caucasian men do. Moreover, institutionalized racism still exists where there should be none, and especially not in the 21st century.
Welcome College Students! Here’s Your Payment Book….
Second, we have institutionalized unfairness, where only the kids from the wealthiest families get a chance to obtain a college degree. Everybody else has to take out predatory student loan(s) that can never be fully repaid. These fresh college graduates face a lifetime of indebtedness. They have all simply wanted to better themselves, and this is what they get? Financial slavery?
Inequality Everywhere
Then, there is the scourge of inequality, where only those who can afford private medical insurance have full access to treatment. As a result, we have an entire country that is chronically sick. The sickest ones are those who are uninsured due to low wages, which is prevalent in the American workplace. This does not include the fact that there is a mental health epidemic going on in the US today, where at least one out of every four citizens is in need of treatment of one kind or another. It seems that life in America today will drive you crazy if you let it.
The State of America vs State of our Military
OK, everybody hold that thought while I point out how drastically out of balance life in America is today. As I write this, congress is spending $858 billion dollars on weapons and war for fiscal year 2023—the largest Pentagon budget in history. President Biden is expected to request even more for next year. How is all this money being spent? Here’s two examples:
The newest US aircraft carrier is the USS Gerald R. Ford. Ordered in 2008 and commissioned in 2017, the USS Gerald R.Ford embarked on its maiden deployment in October 2022, years behind schedule and billions over budget. The Gerald R. Ford class is a class of nuclear poweredaircraft carriers currently being constructed for the United States Navy. The class, with a planned total of ten ships, will replace the Navy’s current carriers on a one-for-one basis, starting with the lead ship, Gerald R. Ford, replacing Enterprise (CVN-65), and then eventually taking the place of the existing Nimitz-class carriers. The new vessels have a hull similar to the Nimitz-class, but introduce technologies since developed with the CVN(X)/CVN-21 program, such as the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), as well as other design features intended to improve efficiency and reduce operating costs, including sailing with smaller crews. This class of aircraft carriers is named after former US President Gerald R. Ford. The first ship of the class, CVN-78, was procured in 2008 and commissioned into service on 22 July 2017. The second ship of the class, John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), is expected to be commissioned into service in 2024. They cost $13 billion dollars apiece! Read the full article at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_R._Ford-class_aircraft_carrier
How Does the US Military Intend to Use These Weapons?
So what is the Pentagon going to spend that $868 billion on, and why do we need so much of it? Let’s list our enemies and their potential harm to America. First is, or was, Russia. The US has literally thousands of nuclear-tipped missiles of all types aimed at the former USSR. But Russia’s invasion and takeover bid of Ukraine have proven Russia to be a paper tiger. If Russia’s ICBM’s (intercontinental ballistic missiles) that are aimed at the US don’t work any better than the rest of Russia’s army has in Ukraine, I don’t think America has very much to worry about.
What About China?
Then there is China, the world’s most inhabited country. I call them ‘copycat China’ because many of the weapons possessed by the Chinese military appear to be nearly identical to their US counterparts. Their jet fighters, bombers, and most of their ballistic missiles all look just like ours. China engages in a great deal of corporate espionage that spans the entire globe. China has even imitated the US space program by landing a robot on the far side of the moon. Unfortunately for the Chinese, the craft stopped working after only a few weeks. America has already been there, and we will be sending a manned flight to the moon later this year. So China isn’t much of a threat, provided that America remains vigilant against China’s espionage apparatus.
There Is a Better Way
Contrast that $868 million with a quote from my newest book release, “What We Want and Why We Want It” by this author. In it there is an analogy of one day’s military expenditures that could be redirected to far better education, free medicare for all, and ending homelessness. “If America took all the money for one day’s military expenditures, such as maintaining over 700 military bases worldwide, and devoted those funds to education instead of waging war, there would be enough money to finance the educations of every student in the entire country, starting at pre-K and ending with the first 4 years of college. It’s time to put down the guns and download some books instead.
In another example, if America took all the money I just wrote about and used those funds for housing the homeless, there would be enough money to move every homeless family in America into a basic, 3-bedroom 2 bath house fully stocked with groceries, and with all the utilities paid up for the first year. Those are just two examples, hence the title to this piece.
Enough Is Enough
Don’t you agree that endless money fuels endless war, often at the expense of human needs at home and abroad? Everybody except for a tiny minority is sick and tired of all the wars that benefit only a select few. Jesus said it best, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called ‘the sons of God’”, and again it is written, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth”. (Matthew chapter 5, verses 5-9) Your voice is needed at the ballot box, or in the streets when necessary, to convince Congress to rein in military spending and make a meaningful investment in sustainable peace, and preventing violent conflict around the world.
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The celebration of the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible was back in 2011, and Bible publishers are still ostentatiously commemorating that landmark by producing an abundance of gorgeous hand-bound versions complete with illustrations – for a premium price, of course. The hoopla is entirely justified, since the King James Bible revolutionized Bible reading, bringing Scripture into a common vernacular for the first time for the English-speaking world. Although I personally use other versions (NIV, NLT, & Amplified), it is not too much to say that the King James Bible – mass produced as it was – democratized religion by taking it out of the hands of the clerical few and giving it to the many, thanks to a cutting edge technology from back then known as the printing press.
Using Technology to Spread the Gospel
Today, another much bigger revolution in church as we have known it is underway. Today’s technology goes a giant step further, making Scripture – in any language and any translation – accessible to anyone on earth with a decent mobile phone. It need not be a hard-wired connection any more, just a basic smart phone is all you need. Just like the 500-year-old Protestant Reformation, which was aided by the advent of the printing press and which helped give birth to the King James Bible, changes wrought by new Web-based technology have the ability to expand the reach and scope of the gospel of Jesus Christ like we previously never have. In the face of church leaders who claimed that only they could interpret the Bible for the common people, Reformation leaders like Martin Luther taught that nothing supersedes the authority of the Word itself. “A simple layman armed with Scripture,” Luther wrote, “is greater than the mightiest pope without it.”
The Internet Has Made Traditional Churches Obsolete
In that vein, today’s digital technology gives users the text, plain and simple, without the interpretive lens of established authorities. And it lets users share interpretations with other non-authorities, like family members, friends and coworkers. With the Bible on iPhone’s, iPad’s and ‘tablets’ of various kinds, believers can bypass constraining religious structures – otherwise known as denominations and brick-and-mortar churches – in favor of a more individualized connection with God. We can’t see God, and we can’t see the internet visually, yet people who have a hunger and a thirst for God – or at the very least some power greater than themselves – connect with God this way.
This blog and online community is based on that fact, that there is an emerging new power outlet that we can plug in to that is like a direct link to God. Churches are getting on the Web in droves because they are discovering the same thing. There is an intensity now, a burning desire to bring ourselves as close as we can get to God, because millions of Christians all over the world are beginning to recognize that we are living in the Last Days. There is now a growing sense of urgency to get as many souls into God’s kingdom as can be because we are all running out of time. The more ways we can find to do this, the better. I cannot overemphasize the urgency of our situation.
Hungry and Thirsty for Real Truth
This helps solve a problem that Christian leaders are increasingly articulating; that even among people who say that Jesus Christ is their personal Lord and Savior, too many folks don’t read their Bibles. Here in the 21st century, more than a third of those who self-identify as born-again Christians rarely or never read the Bible. Many don’t even own one. Among ‘unaffiliated’ people – that is, Americans who don’t belong to a religious congregation – more than two thirds say they don’t read the Bible. Especially among 18-to-29 year old’s, Bible reading has come to feel like homework, associated with “right” or “wrong” interpretations, and accompanied by stern lectures from the pulpit.
Today’s young Christians, or millenials if you like, have come to expect experiences that appear unscripted and interactive, which allows them to be open and honest with their questions. To put it simply, they are hungry and thirsty for an authenticity that can only be found by reading the Bible. The majority of today’s churches lack this certain authenticity. If anyone reading this does not own a Bible because they can’t afford it, please send me your email addresses in the responses below, or contact me directly from this link.
Aching for a Fresh Connection
This yearning for a more directly connected faith – including Bible readings and verses to inspire or console wherever and whenever they’re needed – is being met with an enthusiastic embrace. For growing numbers of young people, a leather-bound Bible sitting like an artifact on a stand in the family living room has no allure. It’s not an invitation for exploration or questioning. Young people want to absorb their spirituality the way they do their news or their music. They want to browse for Jesus on Facebook, Tweet on Twitter, link up on Linked In, and Google whatever is left. They are also streaming Christian content on their various digital devices directly off the Web, bypassing cable TV and printed media completely.
You Can Even Visit Church On Your Phone
Thus we now have products such as “Youversion” (not a paid endorsement), a digital Bible available for free on iTunes and developed by a 34-year-old technology buff and Christian pastor from Oklahoma named Bobby Grunewald. In an interview on a Christian TV channel recently, he said he conceived of it while on a layover at Chicago O’Hara International Airport, wishing he had a Bible to read. “What we’re really trying to address is, how do we increase engagement in the Bible?” he said. Now available in 113 versions and 41 languages, including Arabic, “Youversion” has a community component that allows users to share thoughts and insights on Bible verses with friends. It has been installed on more than 20 million Smart-phones since 2008.
How to Spot Phony Pastors
Traditionalists (and I’m definitely not one of those) worry that technology allows young believers to practice religion without committing to what many churches call “a church home” – and they’re right. But, what they are really afraid of is that donations will falter as a result of this development. The very idea of not having the church participants right there with them so these hired-hand pastors can pass around a collection basket (or two) completely unnerves these types of ‘leaders’ and ‘teachers’. That’s how you can tell if a pastor is in the ministry for the right reasons, or not.
Christianity’s Evolution
Let me give you an example. I once watched a Michigan pastor named Rob Bell on a Christian video that I streamed off the Web. It was the eve of the publication of his then-new bestseller “Love Wins” (not a paid endorsement). It was said on the show that after the book-signing, many of Pastor Bell’s acolytes said they felt they knew Rob through his sermons, which they regularly downloaded off the internet, even though they had never met him. They hailed from places like Australia, South Africa and New Jersey. They listen to Bell while they’re working out, or commuting to work. They get their religion – like their meals – on the run. Pastor Bell is going about this in the right way, and traditional churches with their comparatively high overhead are being left behind in the dust of history.
The Large Carbon Footprint of Bible Printing
The family Bible has long been given as a gift on graduation day or other big occasions and inscribed with special dates such as births, marriages, or deaths. Some of these Bibles would go on to become collector’s items that are treasured, protected and preserved. I can see a world in the not-too-distant future when the Bible may exist primarily online, or on a ‘thumb-drive’, especially due to the number of trees we must otherwise cut down to make the paper on which to print them.
People Are Changing, and Churches Will Have to Change With Them
For right now, worship services and Bible studies are still done almost exclusively as public gatherings in a house of worship, or sometimes in a “home church”, which is exactly as the name implies. But more and more people are beginning to trend towards Web-based churches such as this one that offers a more personalized one-on-one experience. As a result for a rapidly growing minority, the necessity of physically gathering each week in the same place with the same people becomes a traditional form of worship that has begun to fade into the past. Moreover, more and more people are getting by without the expense of owning and insuring (and fixing!) a motor vehicle. Without a doubt, these two trends represent new twin crises for organized religion. If church as we have known it has difficulty adapting to these new technologies that can reach audiences that number in the millions, they will cease to exist soon after.
“Whenever Two or More Are Gathered, There I Am in Their Midst”
This question already has organized religion seeking to redefine what it means to be a body of believers. Besides, with all this new technology, the faithful can now have church as little or as often as they want (but often is definitely better, even if it’s for only 5 minutes each time). Just remember to make sure your worship is as authentic as the Lord and Savior you worship. Search your hearts for the answer to this question. God sees all and He knows all. Above all, never stop praying and praising Jesus, because he’s coming back sooner than you might expect.
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Last week when we concluded Acts 16, Paul and Silas had just left Philippi, where they had been imprisoned for the previous 24 hours, and where they had been beaten with whips. But for Paul and Silas it was worth it all, considering how many people had been led to the Lord there. Moreover, the people of Philippi were so deeply moved and inspired by the two apostles’ resolute courage that they founded a church there. It was this very church to who Paul later wrote his letter to them, which ultimately was turned into the Book of Philippians, one of the most inspiring reads in all the New Testament. Having completed the first portion of their journey, they traveled east to Thessalonica, and then still further to Berea in the area around the border between Greece and Turkey today. And so as we begin part one of this week’s in-depth study of Acts 17, we find Paul and Silas arriving at Thessalonica.
Part One of This Week’s Study and Memorization Verses
“1) When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2) As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3) explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. ‘This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,’ he said. 4) Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.
“5) But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6) But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: ‘These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7) and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus. 8) When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9) Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.” (Acts 17, verses 1-9)
Pure Heart Preaching
Into the synagogue at Thessalonica went Paul and Silas to preach the Word. Evidently, they were well received, otherwise they would not have been invited a total of three times. They were also quite effective in their testimony and their instruction, as we see in verses 3 and 4: “….explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. ‘This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah,’ he said. 4) Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.” So here we have the apostle Paul, sometimes called “the 13th apostle” in some theological circles today, telling it like it truly is to those in attendance at the synagogue at Thessalonica. Jesus is the risen Lord and Savior, Paul told them, making him Messiah, and the entire Hebrew nation had missed it, not realizing who Christ was. Notice once again that there were at least as many non-Jews in attendance in the synagogue as there were Jews.
The Apostles Had the Divine Protection of Christ
“5) But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6) But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials….” Things were much the same back then as they are today – those in positions of power and authority will inevitably abuse their authority every chance they get.
So it was with the synagogue leadership there in Thessalonica, who organized a mob for the sole express purpose of forcibly removing Paul and Silas from Jason’s house, presumably to take them outside the city gates and to kill them both. But the Lord was with them, I am sure, because they both knew to stay elsewhere that night. There is no way that Paul’s and Silas’ absence from Jason’s house was a mere coincidence. This, everyone, is just one example of multitudes regarding what great lengths God will go to in order to protect preachers of and believers in his Word.
Resistance to Change Is a Fact of Life
“They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus. 8) When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9) Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.” This, ladies and gentlemen, is how change is thwarted by the status quo. This is how resistance to change for the better is stopped in its tracks – unless, of course, the change is ordained by God. In this case, it most certainly was. Jason and the other believers with him were made to post bond like criminals, because Christianity was still criminalized at that time, and it continued to be for about 250 more years.
Part Two of This Week’s Verses for Study and Memorization
The posting of bail by Jason and company brings us to part 2 of this week’s lesson: “10) As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 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.” (Acts 17, verses 10-12)
The True Holy Spirit Does Not Discriminate
After nightfall that same day, Paul and Silas were quietly escorted out of town by a few of the brothers, escaping any further persecution there. They traveled further to the east to Berea, a city in Macedonia that is actually in northern Greece today. Arriving in the synagogue there, Paul began to preach the Word with great effect, “….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.” Notice, as I have pointed out before, that the Gospel of Christ is freely and equally available to Jew and Gentile or to men and women, and all at once. That is true Christianity as it was meant to be taught, and to be lived as a lifestyle. Human equality, my dear readers, is Scriptural.
It Was All About the Money, Just Like Today
The people of Berea did more than merely express belief in the risen Redeemer, they embraced him as the Son of God. This embrace means maintaining a personal relationship with the risen Lord, a one-on-one relationship, not unlike a marriage. This concept of a personal relationship between Jesus and his followers could never be allowed by the Jews at Thessalonica – or in any other synagogue – because it would have made their own functions at the Temple obsolete. In other words, they all would have been out of a job.
This is the main difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament: In the old one, God is far away and aloof. He cannot be looked at directly or touched in any way, but in the New Testament, God has come in the form of his Son, and has dwelt among us. The apostles all saw him and touched his wounds, and He remains with us in Spirit and in Truth. Next week when we move on to part 2, we’ll see what happens next in Berea as the Pharisees in Thessalonica are informed of the location of Paul and Silas. See you then.…
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You are about to read a brief excerpt from my Christian nonfiction book, “The Social Gospel Teaching Series Vol. 2: the Acts of the Apostles” by Rev. Paul J. Bern (c) copyright 2022 by Rev. Paul J. Bern, all rights reserved
Last week when we left off at verse 28 of Acts chapter 16, Paul and Silas were in a bad way. After driving an evil spirit out of a young slave girl, it turned out that spirit gave her the power to foretell the future. This rare, and unnatural, ability was Satanic in nature. Paul and Silas clearly perceived this. The slave girl’s captors – I won’t call them ‘owners’ since I think humans owning other humans is immoral – were milking her for all she was worth, and they were undoubtedly making a hefty profit from her strange and unnatural abilities. But the salvation of her soul had an unintended effect – the slave girl’s “owners” pressed charges against the two apostles. And so Paul and Silas had been thrown in jail and severely flogged.
Paul Saves the Lives of His Captors
Late that night there was a severe earthquake that damaged the jail in which Paul and Silas were being held. The doors were thrown open and the shackles Paul and Silas were chained to miraculously came undone. As the story is told in verse 27, next “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.” Fortunately, Paul immediately spoke up because he was a Roman citizen and was well versed in the ways of the Roman Empire. He knew the jailer would have fallen on his sword, and stopped him from doing so, saving his captor’s life. And so this week, as we move on to part 3 of Acts chapter 16, we find Paul and Silas’ formerly authoritative jailer coming to verify what Paul has told him, and the jailer is now a nervous wreck. So let’s take up where we last left off, beginning at verse 29.
Part One of This Week’s Verses for Study and Memorization
“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.’ 32) Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33) At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34) The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God — he and his whole household. 35) When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: ‘Release those men.’ 36) The jailer told Paul, ‘The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.‘” (Acts 16, verses 29-36)
That Age-Old Question
That jailer had been thoroughly shaken from top to bottom by what he just experienced. Although the earthquake was an unusual occurrence, it was much more than just that. The rest of the prisoners in there with Paul and Silas would have taken advantage of the situation. But thanks to them, the remainder of the prisoners had stayed put when the quake struck. Evidently this was something outside the jailer’s scope of experience, and so he found himself totally blown away by the surprising (for the jailer) behavior of the two apostles. So compelling was that particular experience that the jailer “….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?’”
Paul and Silas Bear Witness of the Risen Lord
The jailer was keenly aware that something supernatural had just taken place. From his viewpoint, it must have seemed like the earthquake had occurred so the shackles could fall off the two men, and the jailer must have seen it as some kind of supernatural sign directed at himself. How else, he must have thought, could this have occurred? But Paul answered his question directly and to the point: “31) They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your household.’ 32) Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33) At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized.”
The Source of Their Power
The Power behind the quake, Paul told the jailer and his household, was indeed the same power that caused their chains to fall off while they were in maximum security. It was also, Paul explained to them all, the power that caused himself, Silas and the remaining prisoners to remain in their places after the quake occurred. And, Paul further taught, it was that same Power that had raised Jesus Christ from the dead on the morning of the third day after he died on the cross for us all. Amen!
A Story With a Happy Ending, Part One
We can also see here that the jailer was a compassionate man at heart. As the Word says, before Paul and Silas baptized them, the jailer personally washed their wounds to lessen the shock of the cold water they were about to be immersed in. Only then would the jailer allow the two men to baptize himself and his entire household. Like the young slave girl’s owners, the jailer also had slaves. He likely reasoned that if the young slave girl could be delivered of demonic possession, then his slaves could be saved too. This was the opposite reaction of the slave girl’s owner at the beginning of this story, who had Paul and Silas prosecuted and beaten for ruining their former source of income.
A Meal of Thanks, Followed by Release
“The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God — he and his whole household.” And so they all had themselves a nice little feast in the middle of the night, and it was an event thanks to the saving power of the risen Lord. The next morning the magistrate ordered the two apostles to be released. “Now you can leave. Go in peace,” the jailer told them.
Part Two of This Week’s Study and Memorization Verses
But in the following verses, the jailer gets a surprise he hadn’t counted on, starting at verse 37: “But Paul said to the officers: ‘They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out. 38) The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. 39) They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. 40) After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.”
Happy Ending Part Two
Paul and Silas were both citizens of the Roman Empire. The people who had pressed charges against them were not. Those who had pressed charges against the two apostles had them severely flogged, and they likely weren’t Roman citizens either. They feared prosecution by the Romans because it could mean an end to their lives. The magistrates were employees of the Empire, like a civilian contractor for the military in modern times. Paul and Silas wanted to be protected on their way out of town, and understandably so. They feared being attacked again by the same people who had them flogged and jailed previously. So, “They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them.”
Paul and Silas Get Everything They asked For
So Paul and Silas got a security detail to escort them safely to Lydia’s house prior to leaving town. Under any other circumstances, the outcome of their adventure in Philippi could have been much different. But within minutes the two apostles were back at Lydia’s house. Without a doubt, everyone there had been quite worried about Paul and Silas, having only second-hand information as to their fate. But the two apostles, unmindful of their painful wounds, reassured them all with words of encouragement and exhortation. Then, says verse 40, they left.
Where did Paul and Silas go next in their quest to spread the Gospel? What or who would they find waiting for them there? The answer can be found in part one of chapter 17, which is where we’ll move on to for next week’s Biblical teaching. Be sure and come back then, and many thanks to all of you for reading these weekly postings, you are all very much appreciated.
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