I Was Blind . . .

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Have you ever blindly hated people who are different from you?  

Saul was a Jew, originally from the Turkish town of Tarsus, and several years younger than Jesus (253).  He was raised as a devout Pharisee — a scholarly & rule-bound Jewish denomination. He had even been sent to study in Jerusalem under Gamaliel, the most famous Pharisee teacher of that day.

Saul viewed followers of Jesus as pagans or heretics, because they didn’t understand God exactly as he did.  So great was Saul’s hatred of these Christ-followers, that he had consented to the murder of Stephen, while he stood by & watched, holding the coats of those who had killed him!

Devout followers of Jesus had buried Stephen & mourned his death.  But that awful event was only the beginning of an extended persecution of the body of Christ in Jerusalem.  As a result of this persecution, believers were forced to scatter to various other regions of Judea & Samaria.  However, the original 12 witnesses continued public ministry in Jerusalem, under the protection of the Holy Spirit.

God used the persecution to spread the good news about Jesus, as the believers shared the gospel in every place to which they were scattered.

Saul fully endorsed & took part in the persecution.  By the age of 30, he was known for dragging Christian men & women from their homes and having them imprisoned.  He also seems to have encouraged the murder of some of the believers in Jerusalem.

In his abiding hatred for the Christ-followers, Saul obtained permission from the Jewish elders to round up believers in the Syrian city of Damascus, over 100 miles away, so they could be brought to Jerusalem for punishment.

LORD, please help us to love You, even when we’re hated for that love.

Have you ever blindly hated people who are different from you?  

(253) Acts 8:1-4 & 9:1-2

The Spirit Works In Gaza

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How has the Holy Spirit recently helped you tell someone about Jesus?

While Philip was in Samaria, an angel of God told him, “Get ready & go south to the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza.”  So Philip got ready & went (252).

An important official, in charge of the treasury of the queen of Ethiopia, was on his way home from Jerusalem, where he had been to worship God.  As he rode along in his carriage, he was reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

The Holy Spirit told Philip, “Go over to that carriage.” Philip went over & heard the man reading from the inspired scriptures. He asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The Ethiopian official replied, “How can I understand unless someone explains it to me?”  And he invited Philip to climb into the carriage with him & help him understand.

The Ethiopian official was reading this passage of the inspired Jewish scriptures: “He was like a sheep heading for slaughter & like a lamb that makes no sound when its wool is sheared. He didn’t say a word the whole time that he was humiliated & condemned unjustly.”

The official asked Philip: “Is the prophet talking about himself?  Or is he talking about someone else?”  Then Philip, starting from that very passage, began telling him the good news about Jesus (illustrating for us that we can quickly get to Jesus from anywhere in the Bible).

After they had traveled & talked for a while, they came to a place where there was some water.  The Ethiopian official said, “Here is water; what is to keep me from being baptized?”

Philip replied, “If you believe with all your heart, you should definitely be baptized.”  His companion answered, “I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God!”  Then he ordered his carriage to stop.  Both Philip and the official went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

After they had come up out of the water, the Holy Spirit of God took Philip away! Yet, even though the Ethiopian official didn’t see Philip again, he was full of joy as he continued on his way.

As for Philip, he next found himself in the town of Azotus.  He went on to the town of Caesarea, and on the way he preached the good news about Jesus in every town in that area.

LORD, please help us to love telling people about Jesus.

How has the Holy Spirit recently helped you tell someone about Jesus?

(252) Acts 8:26-40

The Spirit Works In Samaria

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How has the Holy Spirit recently worked in your life?  

Philip went to a large city in Samaria & preached to the people there (251); he told them that Jesus was the Messiah promised by God!   God used Philip to bring healing to many paralyzed & lame people, and to expel evil spirits from many other people. So there was great joy in that city.  And when they saw the miracles that were done there, crowds of people began paying closer attention to what Philip said.

A man named Simon lived in that same city; for a long time he had astounded the Samaritans with his magic tricks. He claimed that he was someone great, and everyone in the city, from every class of society, had been paying close attention to him.  “Simon has the great power of God,” they had said.

But when Philip came, many people believed his message about the good news of God’s kingdom & about Jesus Christ.  Many men & women were baptized to demonstrate their new allegiance to Jesus.

Even Simon the magician was baptized.  From then on, Simon stayed close to Philip; he was astounded when he saw the great wonders & miracles done by God through Philip.

The believers in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had received the word of God, so they sent Peter & John to them.  When the two chosen witnesses arrived, they found that the new believers in Samaria had been baptized with water for the forgiveness of their sins.  But they had not yet been filled with the Holy Spirit.  So Peter & John laid hands on them & prayed that they would receive the Holy Spirit.

And as they prayed, so it happened! God’s Spirit invaded & took over the lives of the new Samaritan believers!

Simon the magician saw that the believers had received the Holy Spirit when John & Peter placed their hands on them.   So he offered money to Peter & John, saying, “Give me this power, too, so that anyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.”

But Peter rebuked Simon: “You are in danger of going to hell, for thinking that you can buy God’s gift with money!  You can have no part in our work, as long as your heart is not right with God. Your sinful envy is obvious.  You must repent & pray that God will forgive you for even thinking of such an evil plan.”

Then Simon said to Peter & John, “Please pray to God for me, so that I may not be condemned to hell.”

After they had shared their testimony about Jesus and proclaimed God’s message, Peter & John went back to Jerusalem. Along the way, they preached the good news about Jesus in many villages of Samaria.

LORD, please help us to love the unexpected works of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

How has the Holy Spirit recently worked in your life?  

(251) Acts 8:5-25

Stephen Murdered!

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How has God turned apparent defeat into victory, in your life?

When the council of Jewish religious authorities heard Stephen’s accusation against them, they became furious with Stephen, grinding their teeth in anger (250)!

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, was simply looking up to heaven.  He proclaimed, “I see heaven opened & Jesus standing at the right hand of God!”

With a loud cry the council members covered their ears with their hands, so as not to hear what they considered Stephen’s blasphemy!  In a moment, they all rushed at Stephen, dragged him outside the city of Jerusalem, knocked him to the ground, and began throwing large, heavy stones at him! (Some of the executioners took off their cloaks & left them in the care of a young man named Saul.)

As the religious elders kept on stoning Stephen, he called out, “Jesus, receive my spirit!” Then Stephen prayed in a loud voice, “God, please do not remember this sin against them!”  And after saying this, Stephen died.

Devout Christians buried Stephen & lamented his death.  But that event was only the beginning of an extended persecution of the followers of Jesus living in Jerusalem.

As a result of this persecution, Jewish believers were scattered to various regions of Israel, as illustrated by the ministry of Philip in Samaria, Gaza, Azotus & Caesarea.

However, the original 12 chosen witnesses continued public ministry in Jerusalem.

Believers shared the good news about Jesus in every place to which they were scattered.  So God used this persecution — not to silence the gospel, but to proclaim it to more people in more places!

LORD, please help us to love trusting You to turn defeat into victory.

How has God turned apparent defeat into victory, in your life?

(250) Acts 7:54-8:4

Stephen’s Message: Accusation!

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Do your friends learn what God expects, from seeing how you live?

Stephen concluded addressing the council of Jewish elders (249).

“Despite their repeated rebellions against God, our ancestors had the tent of God’s presence with them in the desert. It had been made according to the pattern that Moses had been shown by God.

“After Moses died, our ancestors carried this tent with them, as Joshua led their successful invasion & settlement of the promised land.  This tent stayed among the people of Israel until the time of King David.

“David asked to be allowed to replace the tent with a special temple for the God of Israel. But God had planned for David’s son Solomon to build this temple.

“However, we know that God does not live in temples built by men.  A prophet wrote that God once said: ‘Heaven is my throne & the earth is my footstool. What kind of temple could you possibly build for me?  Did not I myself make all things?'”

Suddenly, Stephen was moved by the Holy Spirit to accuse the religious leaders of Israel. “How stubborn you all are!  How deaf you are to God’s message! You are just like your stubborn ancestors; you also rebel against the Holy Spirit of God!

“Was there any prophet that your ancestors didn’t persecute? They killed all God’s messengers, including the ones who long ago announced the coming of his servant Jesus.  And now, you have betrayed & murdered Jesus, too!

“You have received the inspired scriptures from God, yet you have refused to obey them!”

LORD, please help us to love living as You command.

Do your friends learn what God expects, from seeing how you live?

(249) Acts 7:44-53

Stephen’s Message: Moses, The Prophet

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How do you overcome the temptation to rebel against God?

Stephen continued addressing the council of Jewish elders in Jerusalem (248).

“After 40 more years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the Arabian desert near Mount Sinai. Moses was amazed & went near the bush to get a better look.  Then he heard God’s voice: ‘I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob.’  Moses trembled with fear & didn’t dare look up. God said, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.

“‘I have seen the cruel suffering of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groans, and I have come down to set them free. Now, I will send you to Egypt.’

“Moses was initially rejected by the people of Israel: ‘Who made you ruler & judge over us?’ they kept asking. But Moses was the one whom God sent to lead the people to freedom from slavery.

“As he led them out of Egypt, Moses was used by God to do miracles & wonders — first in Egypt, then at the Red Sea, and then for 40 more years in the desert between Egypt & Israel.

“Moses was also the one who said to the people of Israel, ‘God will send you a prophet, just as he sent me, and he will be one of your own people.’

Stephen continued: “Moses received God’s living messages to pass on to us. But, repeatedly, our ancestors refused to obey him; they pushed him aside and wished that they could go back to Egypt!

“Once, while Moses was talking with God on a mountain-top, the Israelites said to his brother Aaron, ‘Make us some gods who will lead us. We do not know what has happened to your brother, Moses, who brought us out of Egypt.’  It was then that they made an idol in the shape of a calf, offered sacrifice to it, and had a feast in honor of what they themselves had made!

“So God turned away from the children of Israel & gave them over to worship the stars of heaven.  God’s response was later written in the book of the prophets: ‘People of Israel, it was not to me that you sacrificed animals for 40 years in the desert. Instead, you worshiped idols like Molech & Rephan, your star god.  For this rebellion, I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.'”

LORD, please help us to love serving You, as we wander through our lives.

How do you overcome the temptation to rebel against God?

(248) Acts 7:30-43

Stephen’s Message: Moses, The Prince

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How has God kept you on His timetable, instead of your own?

Stephen continued reminding the Jewish elders of God’s constant care for his chosen people (247).

“When the time drew near for God to keep the promise he had made to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt had grown much larger.  At that time, a king who had not known Joseph began to rule in Egypt. This king was very cruel, even forcing our ancestors to kill their baby boys!

“Also at that time, Moses was born, a very beautiful child. He was cared for at home for three months, and then the king’s daughter adopted him & brought him up as her own son.

“Moses was taught all the wisdom of the Egyptians and became a man great in words and deeds.

“When Moses was 40 years old, he saw one of his fellow Israelites being beaten by an Egyptian.

“Moses intervened & took revenge on the Egyptian by killing him! He thought that surely his own people would understand that God was going to use him to set them free.  But they did not understand.

“The very next day, Moses saw two Israelites fighting, and he tried to make peace between them.  ‘Listen, men,’ he said, ‘you are fellow Israelites; why are you fighting like this?’  But one of them pushed Moses aside. ‘Who made you ruler & judge over us?’ he asked. ‘Do you want to kill me, just as you killed that Egyptian yesterday?’

“When Moses heard this, he knew he had to flee from Egypt, or face possible execution by the king for killing the Egyptian guard.  So, Moses went to live for the next 40 years in Saudi Arabia, where he married & had two sons.”

LORD, please help us to love waiting for Your perfect timing.

How has God kept you on His timetable, instead of your own?

(247) Acts 7:17-29

Stephen’s Message: Abraham, Isaac & Jacob

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How has God fed you during times of spiritual starvation?

To begin their investigation into the charges against Stephen, the High Priest asked him if the charges were true.  The Holy Spirit inspired Stephen to respond — first, by turning their focus toward God & all that he had done for the children of Israel (246).

“Brothers, please, hear me. God told our ancestor Abraham to leave his relatives & his residence in Iraq, saying, ‘Go to the land that I will show you.’  So Abraham moved as  God led him, eventually arriving here in Israel.

“But at that time, God didn’t give Abraham any part of Israel as his own, not even one square foot of ground.  However, God did promise eventually to give all of Israel, and the surrounding lands, to Abraham & his descendants — even though Abraham then had no children!

“God told Abraham: ‘Your descendants will live in a foreign country for 400 years, where they will be slaves & will be treated badly. But then I will judge & punish the people who enslave them, and your descendants will come out of that country & will return to worship me in this place.’

“God also gave to Abraham the ceremony of circumcision, as a sign of this covenant promise. So Abraham circumcised Isaac a week after he was born; Isaac circumcised his son Jacob; and Jacob circumcised his twelve sons — the famous ancestors of our race.”

“In time, Jacob’s older ten sons became jealous of their younger brother, Joseph, and  secretly sold him to be a slave in Egypt!

“But God was with Joseph and brought him safely through all his troubles.  When he eventually appeared before the king of Egypt, God gave Joseph a pleasing manner & wisdom, so that the king made him governor over the entire country & the royal household!

“Then there was a famine all over Egypt & Israel, and our ancestors couldn’t find any food.  When Jacob heard that there were stores of food in Egypt, he sent his ten older sons there on their first visit.  On their second visit, Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and the king of Egypt came to know about Joseph’s family.  Joseph then sent a message to his father, Jacob, telling him & his whole family, 75 people in all, to come to live in Egypt, for the duration of the famine.

“So Jacob moved to Egypt, where he & his sons lived the rest of their lives.  After Jacob died, Joseph took his  body back to Israel, where he was buried in the place originally established by our ancestor Abraham.”

LORD, please help us to love trusting You to feed us, when we are starving.

How has God fed you during times of spiritual starvation?

(246) Acts 7:1-16

Stephen

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When you’re rejected, how do you recover the peace of God?

As the community of followers of Jesus in Jerusalem continued to increase in number, there were some growing pains.  Once, for example, there was a quarrel between some Jewish & Gentile believers (245).  The Gentiles claimed that Gentile widows were being neglected in the body’s daily distribution of resources.

To address this issue, the 12 witnesses prayed & then called the whole body of believers together.  The Holy Spirit led them to offer this proposal: “God has chosen us to continue praying & preaching his word.  Through you, God will now choose seven members of the body — full of the Holy Spirit & godly wisdom — to be in charge of the daily distribution.”

The whole body was pleased with this proposal, so they chose Stephen (a man full of faith & the Holy Spirit), Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, & Nicolaus (a Gentile from Antioch, who had first been converted to Judaism & then to faith in Jesus). These 7 men were presented to the 12 witnesses, who placed their hands on them & prayed for their ministry.

In this way, the word of God continued to spread, and the body of Christ in Jerusalem continued increasing in number – eventually even including a great number of Jewish priests who placed their faith in Jesus.

As he was full of the Spirit’s power, Stephen was used by God to do great miracles & wonders among the people. But he was opposed by certain Jewish men, who would frequently start arguing with him about matters of faith.  However, the Spirit gave Stephen such wisdom that, when he spoke, they never could overcome him.

So these jealous Jews bribed some men to say, “We heard Stephen speaking against Moses & against God!” This false accusation stirred up the people, the Jewish elders & the teachers of the law of Moses.

Stephen was seized & taken before the council of Jewish religious authorities. More false witnesses were brought in to tell lies about him. “This man,” they said, “is always talking against our sacred temple & the law of Moses. We heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will tear down the temple & change all the customs which have come down to us from Moses!”

Then, all those sitting in the council fixed their eyes on Stephen, whose peaceful face seemed like the face of an angel . . .

LORD, please help us to love keeping our eyes on You, even when others reject us.

When you’re rejected, how do you recover the peace of God?

(245) Acts 6:1-15

Faith On Trial

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What helps you stand strong for Jesus, in trying circumstances?

When the council — of chief priests & other Jewish religious authorities — learned that the 12 witnesses for Jesus were not found in the jail, they wondered what had happened to them (244). Then a man came to them with this report: “We have found those men you put in jail; they’re in the temple, teaching the people again!”

So the guards went and brought the witnesses back from the temple, quickly & quietly. The High Priest confronted them, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in the name of this man Jesus.  But you have defied these orders & taught the people that we are responsible for his death!”

But Peter and the other witnesses never wavered in their answer.  “We must obey God, not men! God raised Jesus from death, after you had him killed by nailing him to a cross. God sent Jesus to be our savior, to give the people of Israel the opportunity to repent & have their sins forgiven. We are witnesses to these things, thanks to the Holy Spirit, who is given by God as a gift to those who obey him.”

When the members of the council heard these bold claims, they were so furious that they wanted to have the 12 witnesses put to death on the spot!

Then Gamaliel intervened; he was a Pharisee & a teacher of the law, who was highly respected by all the members of the council.  He stood up & ordered the 12 witnesses to be taken out, so he could address the council privately.

“Fellow Israelites, be careful what you do to these men.  Remember Theudas & Judas the Galilean?  They were popular for a while, but their movements soon faded away.

“So I advise you not to take any action against these followers of Jesus. If their ministry is of human origin, it will also fade away.   But if their ministry comes from God, you can’t possibly defeat them.  You don’t want to find yourselves fighting against God!”

The council members considered this counsel & decided to defer to Gamaliel.  The 12 witnesses were then called back in. The guards were ordered to beat them  with whips.  The council again ordered them never to speak in the name of Jesus.  But then, all the witnesses were set free!

As they left the council, the witnesses were joyful because God had considered them worthy to suffer for the sake of Jesus!

And every day, in the temple & in people’s homes, they continued to teach & preach the good news about Jesus the Messiah.

LORD, please help us to love being faithful witnesses for Jesus, in any kind of trial.

What helps you stand strong for Jesus, in trying circumstances?

(244) Acts 5:24-42