Shout it from the Mountaintops

Acts 17:18-21

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

¹⁸ A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.  ¹⁹ Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus,  where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? ²⁰ You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.” ²¹ (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2017:18%20-21&version=NIV1984)

Have you ever not said anything at all because you wanted to avoid a debate?  I am not one that likes to sit and listen to people debate over religious matters and I really don’t like to debate.  I remember a time when I had a debate with a religious leader of a religion that I do not agree with.  I had scriptures to dispute everything that he said.  It was really cool, I had my Bible opened and when he would say something contradicting the Bible, I would find the verse and read it to him.  I know the Holy Spirit was there with me because the verses came to mind so quickly.  My oldest daughter was there witnessing this conversation as he had called her trying to convince her that his religion was the route to take.  She quickly brought the phone to me to talk to him.  He never took the words that I was saying to heart.  I finally told him that he would NEVER convince me that I was wrong and it was apparent that he would not accept the faith that I had and I ended the conversation with him.  That religious group never has bothered us again. 

Most times, I avoid such debates.  Telling those who knock on my door that I have a church home and that I am not interested in what they have to present.  I am not one that enjoys confrontation and I get very discouraged when people don’t listen to the Good News that I have to share.  So, I simply and politely (usually) turn them away.  Is that what we are supposed to do?

 It certainly is not what Paul did.  He talked even when his words seemed like babble to the people. Paul’s actions in these verses convinces me that he was so excited about this new found faith that he wanted to shout it from the mountain-tops.  He talked while people sneered at him and continued talking until some came to know the Lord.  Even when opposition stared him in the face, he was not afraid to speak the truth. 

As you seek Him today, ask for strength to share the Word with those who might think you are crazy, may laugh at your words, or who may actually hear the Good News and take it to heart.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila

The Urgency of the Message

Acts 17:13-17

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

¹³ When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. ¹⁴ The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. ¹⁵ The men who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2017:%2013%20-%2017&version=NIV1984)

The Thessalonians could not mind their own business.  They were jealous people and did not want the message of Christ to spread.  I would have thought the Bereans would have been wise enough to see right through the Thessalonians but some of them listened anyway which caused Paul to have to leave the city.  He was escorted out of the city, probably because they had to hide in somehow in order to sneak him out.  Since he was probably the one doing most of the talking he was the one that had to leave.  I believe the other two stayed back to quietly mentor and guide those who had received the Word of God with joy. 

As Paul looked over the city of Athens he saw all the falseness that these people had been living around.  He could not help but want to let them know the truth.  There was no way he was going to wait for his fellow helpers to share the Gospel but rather began speaking in the Synagogue and the marketplace regarding the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

Note that Paul spoke not only in the Synagogue but went to the marketplace.  It is our responsibility to not only share in the church but also in the marketplace.  Today our churches are filled more with those who claim to believe in the resurrection of Christ but our marketplace is full of those who do not practice what they learned on Sunday or they were not in church at all.  Yet where do we put most of our emphasis in ministry?

As you Seek Him today, ask Him to use you wherever He places you in this world.  Do not wait for others to come beside you; all that you need is the guidance of the Lord.  It is urgent that we get the message of Jesus Christ out to all people just as much today as it was in the time of Paul.  Do not wait on others but spread the word but observe and share where He has called you, the Church or the marketplace.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila

Noble Character

Acts 17:10-12

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

¹⁰ As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea.  On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.   ¹¹ Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians,  for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.  ¹² Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2017:10%20-%2012&version=NIV1984)

Noble, outstanding qualities; that is how the Bereans were described.  How is it that they were more noble?  If we read on we will see the characteristics that set them apart.  In Thessalonica Paul and his companions went into the Synagogue three different Sabbaths and persuaded several Greeks and prominent women but not so many Jews.  In this passage we see that many Jews believed.  It sounds to me like the Jews were the ones lacking noble character when you compare these two passages.  What I found most interesting though regarding the noble character was the statement “examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true”.  How often do we listen to a sermon and just expect that it is true without examining it?  Often times we put the person in the pulpit as the “holy one” and forget it is up to us to examine the scriptures for ourselves and make sure what others are telling us is the truth.  Many people have been deceived, even to death, by cults that proclaimed to be of the Lord but was really about control.  The Bereans didn’t just go out and bring people to Paul, it does not even mention them doing so as it has in previous scriptures.  These were the people who examined the words of Paul and made sure what he said was the truth and did it daily not just on the Sabbath.

Years ago we had a Sunday school class in our church called “Bereans.”  Many of those who attended were faithful followers of Christ and they chose their name based on this scripture.  They wanted to study the Word of God and not just in Sunday School, but throughout the week, like the Bereans. This too is how we should approach anything that we are told, we should examine it with scripture to make sure it is the truth and we should do so daily.

As you seek Him it is important to listen to Him through the Scriptures and this should be done daily.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila 

Equipping

Acts 17:1-9

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

17 When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. ² As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue,  and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,  ³ explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead.  “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,”  he said. ⁴ Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.

⁵ But the 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 brothers 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^(P) and the others post bond and let them go.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2017:1%20-%209&version=NIV1984)

I find it interesting that in our scriptures we see that Paul, Silas, and Timothy went to the Synagogue every time they went into a new city and Thessalonica was no exceptions.  Notice they didn’t just go once but three times proclaiming Jesus as the Christ.  Just yesterday our youth pastor mentioned that statics show that 75% of the youth in our churches today leave the church once they leave the home.  It makes you wonder how much our churches are truly proclaiming the Gospel of Christ.  That is a harsh statement but one that I think we need to examine.  If our youth are leaving the church because they don’t have a solid foundation of their beliefs, then maybe we are not explaining and proving enough evidence to them, in order for them to form a solid belief in Christ. So that when they do go out into the world, they know what they believe and why they believe it.  Or maybe, they are like the Jews who were given the truth and have chosen to reject it.  Either way, we like Paul, Silas, and Timothy are commissioned to share with them the truth, no matter the cost. 

Notice in this passage who believed.  Some of the Jews, a large number of God-fearing Greeks, and not a few prominent women were the ones that listened and received the Word of God.  It seems that those who believed were those who had been outcast in the past.  Only a few of God’s chosen people chose to believe.  How sad is that?  And even sadder, the old game of jealousy swelled up in these Jews and they begin to cause trouble.  They couldn’t get involved directly but they chose other outcast, the mob, the gangsters of the day to go and straighten these men out.  When they couldn’t find who they were looking for they took the ones that welcomed their message and tried to put some fear into them.  I found it interesting that Jason and his group just had to pay some money and they were released. 

As I read this today, I had to remember that the purpose of the Church is to equip the saints to spread the Word.  Are we equipping? Are we spreading?  As you seek Him today ask Him to reveal to you how He would have you serve Him.  Then, go out there and do it!   Easy words to write but now to go and apply it.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila 

Joy in Times of Trouble

Acts 16:16-40

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

¹⁶ Once when we were going to the place of prayer,  we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God,  who are telling you the way to be saved.” ¹⁸ She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

¹⁹ When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. ²⁰ They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar  ²¹ by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”

²² The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. ²³ After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. ²⁴ Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

²⁵ About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns  to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.  At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.  ²⁷ The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped.  ²⁸ But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

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

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

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.”

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 encouraged them. Then they left.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2016:%2016-%2040&version=NIV1984)

This was a really long passage today but I could not break this story up! This is what I have learned from this passage:

First of all, Paul was annoyed and he called upon the Lord to take action.  It is always best to put things in God’s hands but we must realize that when things do not go our way, God is in control and His ways are not always the ways that we would choose.

I am sure that Paul and Silas really did not want to be flogged severely and thrown in prison but take note of what they did in prison, they SANG!  If I were in their position I might have sulked and cried out to the Lord, WHY?!  Somehow I get the impression that if I serve Him then everything will be great but that is not a realistic view of life.  Things will be great only if I put my full trust in Him and let Him guide me even through the rough times of life.  That is what Paul and Silas exemplified a pure since of joy even in pain. 

Then the earthquake, an obvious chance to leave the prison, a sign from God that they are freed, but no, they stay in the prison because they are trusting that God has another plan.  I have sometimes felt like I was in prison and wanted an escape path, have you?  I was different from Paul and Silas though because I looked for the escape and maybe even made the escape on my own power rather than waiting on the Lord and depending on Him to see me through.  They remained though and because of their faithfulness, the guard was not only spared his life, he was given the opportunity to have eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Not only him, but also his entire household.  I think that is so amazing!  Sometimes when we are in prison we start looking for the escape path when maybe it is not time for us to escape.  Rather we should be looking for opportunities to share the Gospel in hopes that God will use us to spread His Good News.

I think the ending is rather funny. Paul and Silas are then told they can leave and they say, no!  We are not leaving unless these men come and face us themselves because they were wrong in punishing us without a trial!  When they were finally released they were told to leave the city, but no, they had one more stop to make!  They went to the home of Lydia, remember her?  She was the woman with influence who was baptized, her and her household.  They knew they would find their brothers in Christ there and went to encourage them.  Now if I had just gone through a flogging and imprisonment I would have been the one needing encouragement!  Yet Paul and Silas allowed the Lord to guide them through this difficult time, they didn’t turn their backs on Him but rather praised Him through their trial.  Because of that, they were able to encourage others.  Now that is a lesson that I need to learn!!!!!

As you seek Him today, remember that He is the one in control, His plans are better than anything we could ever imagine and we need to hold near to the joy that only He can give us.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila 

The Perfect Guide

Acts 16:6-10

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

⁶ Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia,  having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.  ⁷ When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. ⁸ So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.   ⁹ During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia  standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. 

¹¹ From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day on to Neapolis. ¹² From there we traveled to Philippi,  a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia.  And we stayed there several days.  ¹³ On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. ¹⁴ One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira,  who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. ¹⁵ When she and the members of her household were baptized,  she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2016:%206%20-%2015&version=NIV1984)

Have you ever wondered what God’s will was for your life?  Have you ever asked the Lord to guide you in the direction He would have you go?  How many times after you asked for this guidance did you question where God was leading you?  As we read this scripture today we see that Paul, Silas, and Timothy had a plan.  Their plan was to go into Asia and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Sounds like a good plan and one that the Lord would bless, but wait, something told them not to go there.  I have to wonder just how the Spirit of the Lord let them know that they should not go there.  Was it through a gut feeling or a stop by the border patrol or was it a still small voice within each of them saying, “This is not where you are to go”?  Whichever scenario it was, these men recognized that it was not circumstance but rather it was a direction from the Lord.  They did not question it but simply turned away and waited for what would come next. 

Paul then had a dream and that dream gave him direction for his next move.  He was to go to Macedonia because a man was begging him to come and help them.  I found it interesting that when they arrived and went to pray, they found a group of women to minister to.  Amongst the woman was a woman by the name of Lydia who believed Paul’s teaching and she responded to it.  Christ worked through a woman even though Paul was called by a man in his dream.  Some people who would have had a dream such as this would have gone looking for a man.  I myself would have probably  missed an opportunity to witness to the women because I would have been too busy trying to find the man I was to help!  Yet because Paul was led by the Spirit and not by his own intuition, Lydia and her entire household believed and were baptized.  Sometimes it is through woman that man believes and this must have been the case in this situation.  This was a woman of great influence not only on her family but on her community and God placed these men in her pathway in perfect timing so God could speak to her heart.

The lesson I learned today is to wait upon the Lord.  Follow His ways and know that whatever the situation, it is not coincidence but is the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  If we let go of our ideas and let God guide, His good and perfect will is going to be completed.  Trust in Him to guide you and do not  let circumstances lead you to doubt His will but simply wait upon Him in order that His will be fulfilled through you.

Seek Him and know that His ways are the best ways.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila 

Appearances

Acts 16:1-5

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

16 He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer,  but whose father was a Greek. ² The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. ³ Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.  ⁴ As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey.  ⁵ So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

Appearances, are they important in the ministry?  It seems that Paul thought so.  In our previous chapter we looked at how Paul spoke and supported those Gentiles who were not circumcised yet here we read how he circumcised Timothy just because of the Jews.  Why didn’t he just explain to these Jews as he did the others that circumcision was not necessary to be used by God ?  What makes this situation any different?  We are all ministers of Christ and we can all be used by Him so if a minister needs to be circumcised so shouldn’t any other person?  You would think so but there is something about the ministry, being set apart for the service of the Lord, that may require some things that otherwise would not be required of most people.  It was not the Lord that required this action but people.  It is not any more of a requirement for Timothy to be a Christian than for any other Christian but if he was going to minister, the people needed physical evidence of his conversion and his desire to do whatever it took to serve the Lord.  It doesn’t see right but we must do what we are called to do in order to bring glory and honor to the Lord.

It has been said that ministers and deacons live in glass homes.  People will watch how you conduct your business, how you raise your family, and how you treat your spouse.  They will be quick to note if you partake of things such as alcohol, smoking, or even overeating.  In their eyes, it is okay for them to do these things but a minister of the Lord should not.  I was raised by a deacon who happened to be a preacher’s son.  I know that ministers are not perfect, that sin crouches at their door just like anyone else’s but I also know that when they depend on the Lord’s strength to resist temptations, and they truly seek the Lord, their ministry for Him is well rewarded.

We should all consider ourselves ministers and we should all do everything we can to exemplify Him.  Not all of us are called to standup in front of the church and preach or to teach Sunday School or even call on the sick and shut-ins but we are all called to pick up our cross daily and follow Him. If we would consider ourselves as a tool to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we depended on Him to live our lives worthy of that calling our churches would be full.  Yet we have people who do not come to church because the church is full of hypocrites.  The unbeliever is watching us just like the people in the church are watching the minister and the deacon.  If our actions don’t match our words, if we act differently at church than we act in public, if we are not living the Word, only hearing it, there will be someone out there that will reject the Gospel because of our actions. 

As you seek Him today, I hope that you will check your life.  Are you living a worthy life, one that exemplifies Christ or are you living a life that is only a convenient life for following Him, say, Sunday morning from 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM?  Seek Him and His ways and then follow Him faithfully.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila 

Parting Ways

Acts 15:30-36

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

³⁰ The men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. ³¹ The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. ³² Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers. ³³ After spending some time there, they were sent off by the brothers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. ³⁵ But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.

³⁶ Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.”   ³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, ³⁸ but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. ³⁹ They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹ He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2015:%2030%20-%2041&version=NIV1984)

As we look at these scriptures today we see first of all the importance of discipleship.  Paul and Barnabas didn’t just go to the city and share a letter, they went and lived with these people, nourished them, and help them grow in their faith.  In contrast we see that Paul and Barnabas had a strong disagreement over taking John with them on their next journey to check on the churches.  Often times today we avoid disagreements and I have to wonder about when John left them the first time.  Maybe there was some disagreement then that was not talked about.  We don’t read about a disagreement or disappointment in him leaving, just that he left.  The passage today makes it clear that there was more to the story than what we might have realized and Paul was not quite sure John was ready or that he was ready to minister with John.

At first glance you may say that Paul was a little unreasonable and unforgiving because he didn’t want to take John because of something in the past.  However if you think about what they were going to do, the task at hand, maybe Paul felt that John would need more attention than the people they were going to minister to.  We really don’t know why John left them but whatever the reason, Paul was not quite sure he was ready to minister again.  At one time Paul must have had a lot of trust in John but now after a hurt, it was very difficult to trust him again.  As it turns out, they parted ways and all were able to minister to even more people.  Each of these men took someone else with them and they divided yet remained faithful in the Lord.

I have thought of this verse quite often over the past year.  My husband and I have recently left a ministry that we had been a part of for our entire married life.  Raised our children in this ministry and served our Lord faithfully there.  However, sharp disagreements in ministry style and vision caused us to seek another ministry to be a part of.  I don’t believe it was too much different than the scenario above, lack of trust, different ministry styles and a desire to do the Lord’s will that seemed very different than the other party.  I can’t really say that anyone was necessarily wrong but just different approaches to spreading the Word of God and because of that we parted ways.  I am sure it was not easy for Paul or Barnabas to come to this decision nor was it easy for my husband and me.  However, like the two of them, we felt it was the will of the Father and parted ways.   

Disagreements come and sometimes you need to stick it out and figure it out, such as in a marriage.  But when the Lord is telling you one thing and someone else something very different, be sure to seek the Lord’s will and desires for your own ministry.  Don’t just stop and give up but continue to realize that He has a plan for each of us.  Even though they may look very different, they are His way of spreading the Gospel.  Stay in touch with Him and His desire for your life and then obey.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila

What Comes Out of the Mouth?

Acts 15:12-21

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

¹² The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.  ¹³ When they finished, James spoke up: “Brothers, listen to me.¹⁴ Simon has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself.  ¹⁵ The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:

¹⁶ “‘After this I will return
    and rebuild David’s fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
    and I will restore it,
¹⁷ that the remnant of men may seek the Lord,
    and all the Gentiles who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things’
¹⁸     that have been known for ages.

¹⁹ “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. ²⁰ Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols,  from sexual immorality,  from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.  ²¹ For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%20%2015:%2012%20-%2021&version=NIV1984)

I am a little confused by this passage. The Council at Jerusalem listened to Peter as he addressed the council.  Remember, Peter is the one that had the vision regarding food.  He was convinced that it was okay to eat with the Gentiles whatever was served to him.  He spoke of how God had opened the doors for anyone to receive Him through Jesus Christ our Lord.  The council agreed that this went along with the scriptures and decided that this meant the Gentile men did not have to be circumcised to be a part of the family of God yet they put on some stipulations.  What confuses me is that Peter did not bring up his experience with the dream but let the council write their letter the way they wanted. 

I found it very interesting that they began by having them abstain, once again, to a tradition, what types of meat they could and could not eat and then they went to the sin of sexual immorality.  I guess to them sins of the flesh included what you ate.  I would not classify my food choices in the same category as sexual immorality yet that is what these Christians had done.  They thought by only having these few rules the Gentiles would have an easier time in the faith.  What?  Have you ever been on a diet?  All the food that you are not to have is the food that you crave the most!  I have never been to a foreign country for an extended amount of time but I would imagine that I would be craving some good American food if I did.  This was going to be a tough one for these Gentiles.  I have to wonder if they would have just been circumcised if they could have eaten their food. 

Even more amazing is that abstaining from sexual immorality was the last abstention mentioned.  Sexual immorality, another sin of the body almost seemed like an afterthought.  If eating meat sacrificed to idols was actually a part of worshipping idols, I would understand why they should not eat that meat but there is not mention of abstaining from the worship of idols.  Sexual immorality is a sin that Jesus spoke of as a sin that comes out of the heart in Matthew 15:19 and just previous to that in Matthew 15:17 He tells us that it is not what goes into the mouth that is bad because it eventually comes out of the body but it is what comes out of the mouth that is from the heart.  It appears to me that these men were still holding on to tradition, they were still trying to “do” things, to sacrifice for the forgiveness of their sins.  There is not anything wrong with doing things to please God but we must remember that is not what earns us our salvation.  I am not sure why Paul and Barnabas chose to deliver the letter.  Although I think they resolved one issue they caused several others to pop up.  The Jewish Christians were still holding on to their traditions.  They were not looking at heart issues rather acts of self-righteousness.  Although we need to set ourselves apart from the world, we need to be people of integrity but having a list of do’s and don’ts that are from us and not from God is something that we need to be cautious about.  This is where judging comes in, thinking we are better than the next guy because we don’t practice what they do. 

What is most important is that we put our trust in our Lord Jesus Christ and live our life to meet His approval, not man’s approval.  If you can honestly say that you would be perfectly fine if Jesus walked into your home, sat at your table, and you were able to offer Him anything on your table and not feel guilty, then you are eating and drinking what is allowable.   If He walked through closed doors into your bedroom and saw you with a partner would you be ashamed?  If we would be ashamed of our actions, then we need to rethink what we are doing.  For if we are ashamed it is the conviction from the Holy Spirit not from man and we do not want to grieve the Holy Spirit.  We need to live our lives to be pleasing to God.  If He has called you to not drink alcohol, to not eat red meats, to be a vegetarian then you must listen to what He is telling you.  If it is man that is telling you how to eat and what to drink and you have no conviction then it is from man and not from God. Be careful of what comes out of your mouth, Jesus tells us, because what comes out of our mouth is what is coming from our heart.  It is the heart issue that causes us to displease God.

Seek Him and know His ways, walk the path that He leads you on and you will find contentment in all things.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila

Attitude

Acts 15:1-11

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

15 Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” ² This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. ³ The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the brothers very glad. ⁴ When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.

⁵ Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.”

⁶ The apostles and elders met to consider this question. ⁷ After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.  ⁸ God, who knows the heart,  showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them,  just as he did to us. ⁹ He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.  ¹⁰ Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? ¹¹ No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2015:1%20-%2011&version=NIV1984)

Is tradition bad?  I have heard people say that we should not have traditions in the church but really, is it bad?  I have a pretty strong opinion on this matter but am I correct?  I would consider circumcision as a practice done by the Jewish people a tradition, as would I consider their practice of no eating specific foods.  In this case I would say the tradition is bad.  I would consider giving up something for lent as a tradition, is that a bad thing?  Potluck dinners are a tradition as well as some of the foods that we serve at them, are these things bad traditions?  Remembering your heritage, having revival services, participating in Wednesday night and Sunday night programs, Sunday school, and the list goes on, can be considered traditions but I would you consider them bad?   Only when those traditions are a means to eternal life with the Father would they be considered bad.  I was once told by Ivan’s granddad that if I didn’t like a specific dish that was a tradition of their household that I could not be a part of the family.  He was of course only joking but luckily I loved the dish and make it today.  But in the early church that is what the Jewish people were telling these new Gentile converts.   They were basically telling the Gentiles to follow their traditions in order to be adopted into their faith.  

The Jews felt that if the Gentiles were to really know the Father, they would have to abide by traditions/rules that were meant for them in a specific time of Jewish history.  They believed the Gentiles were welcome to come into the family of God but to do so they must practice circumcision as adult men.  They felt like they had to “do” to become a Christian. 

Today we seem to feel the same way, why do you think we have so many churches.  If we feel that the only people who are Christians are those that attend church three times a week in the church building, then the tradition is bad.  However if we meet together because the Word encourages us to” not forsake the assembly of the saints” (Hebrews 10:25) then it is not a tradition but a way to encourage one another and grow in our faith.  If we give up things for lent because it makes us a more righteous person, higher in the realms of Heaven, and because it is “what we have always done” then we are being self-righteous and that is not appealing to God.  However, if we give up something for lent and it is done in secret with only God knowing and we depend fully on Him to see us through, then I think we can grow closer to the Lord.  Lent is not anymore holy any other fast that you do any other time of year, when done with the right attitude.  The bottom line, it is our motives that makes it a tradition or makes it holy.  The attitude of the heart is what makes it appealing to our Lord or repulsive in His eyes.  It is by grace that we are saved which means there is nothing that we can do to save us other than confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord and repenting of our sins.  Grace is a free gift given by God.  He wants all of us not just a portion of us, He wants us to recognize that we are sinners and that the only way to Him is through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Traditions, they can be a good thing, but if they are the means to the Lord, then run from them because they are not the traditions that He calls us to follow.  He calls us to follow our Lord Jesus Christ and we can do so by seeking Him and His ways with all of our hearts.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila