Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household. – Ephesians 2:19

Today's Scripture Reading (May 21, 2024):  Ephesians 2

I love a story that Tim Green tells in his book about discipleship, "So, What Now." In the book, he tells the story of Adam, who visits a Nativity Scene at a local amusement park. He had visited the park a year earlier. Then, his dad called him and his sister up, wondering if they would be willing to go to the nativity scene for a "family night out." They had driven together to the amusement park. But when they arrived at the gates, they discovered that the admission price to enter the park and view the nativity scene was fifteen dollars.  He remembers the family being shocked at the price. They had a quick family meeting and decided that since they had made the trip all the way out to the park, they might as well see what all the fuss was about. As they went through the gate, Adam muttered to himself that this had better be good.  There were a lot of things that he could have done with his fifteen dollars.

To top it all off, as soon as they got inside the park, Adam noticed all the good rides were closed.  The only rides that seemed to be running were the little kid's rides and an antique Merry-Go-Round.

After grabbing some Hot Chocolate, the family followed the arrows that guided them to the World's Largest Nativity Scene.  They ended up at the park's mammoth performance hall.  Moving through the massive glass doors, Adam heard "The Hallelujah Chorus" playing inside the auditorium.  As they walked into the auditorium, the sight was overwhelming!  A larger-than-life Nativity Scene of plaster figurines was spread across the auditorium's massive stage.  Every member of the Christmas cast was present.  Mary and Joseph occupied center stage with Baby Jesus tucked in between them.  On the far-right stage were at least a half dozen shepherds with a couple dozen sheep.  On the opposite side of the stage were the wise men bearing their gifts.  Donkeys, cows, and camels were scattered throughout the stage area. Hanging from the ceiling were the most beautiful angels they had ever seen, with their wings extended and trumpets being held to their mouths

For a couple of minutes, the whole family just stared in amazement.  Even Adam was speechless!  A brief silence followed "The Hallelujah Chorus."  Then the same song started right back up again.  Adam looked over at his Mom, and she shrugged her shoulders. It was Adam's Dad that broke the silence. "So, do you think that's all there is?" After a few minutes, the family left the performance hall.

As they left, Adam's sister exclaimed, "I can't believe it!  It was so beautiful, but fifteen dollars to stand in front of a Nativity Scene for five minutes and look at a bunch of statues from a distance is kind of drastic. Adam had more precise words for the experience, "It wasn't drastic. It was a rip-off." The family agreed that this was the last time they would visit this attraction.

Now, only a year had passed and Adam found himself getting dressed to go right back again.  He had heard this year they had added a skating rink, and one of his friends had some two-for-one coupons, but Adam couldn't believe that he was returning to that tourist trap for the privilege of being ripped off for the second time.

As Adam and his friends entered the park, Adam decided to lead the way to the performance hall so that they could get the viewing over with and proceed to do more important things, like skating. As he entered the auditorium, he couldn't believe how much things had changed in the past year. The stage that had held the nativity scene the year before was now solid ice.  At least a couple of hundred people were down there skating.  The nativity scene was nowhere to be seen.  Although he really wanted to get down to the ice and start skating, he decided before he did, he would join his small group of friends in search of the missing Nativity Scene.

After checking out a couple of smaller auditoriums in the park, Adam and his friends stumbled onto the most fantastic sight right in the middle of the park. The characters of the Nativity were still the same, but where they stood made all the difference.  The Characters had been moved outside into the center of the park. There were no seats for the spectators. There was no stage for the figures.  The metal bar that had separated the display from the people a year ago was gone.  Adam and his friends were able to walk up to each one of the characters.  They entered right into the middle of the Nativity scene as if they were characters themselves.  First, Adam went and stood beside Mary.  Looking into Baby Jesus's face from her perspective was awesome.  Next, Adam stood beside the shepherds and felt like he was one of them.  As he crossed over to see the wise men, he walked under several angels. It was amazing what a change in perspective could do.  Last year, he stood on the balcony as a spectator.  This year, he felt like he had become a participant in the story.

Paul's message to the Ephesians is that there was a time when they were foreigners. Then, they had been outsiders watching the action from the balcony. But God had made them fellow citizens with the people of Israel. He had taken them, and us, from the balcony to the stage. We were placed at the center of the action instead of being on the outside looking in.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Ephesians 3

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will. - Ephesians 1:11

Today's Scripture Reading (May 20, 2024):  Ephesians 1

I remember the art of picking teams in grade school for some sports contest. I was one of the lucky ones. I was seldom chosen first, but I was also usually not picked last. I was picked somewhere in the middle of the pack, and I was okay with that position on the field. The worst moment for some kids came at the end of the process. At this point, someone often said something like, "I don't want them; you can have them." Sometimes, these players could be a surprise. I remember one pick-up football game (not soccer) where a girl was picked last, and she deserved her position for most of the game. She wouldn't do anything; she just stood there. Finally, the other team decided simply to ignore her. I wanted to get her involved in the game. So, I told her to stand beside me, and when the players ran out to run their routes, I was going to pass the ball to her, and I just wanted her to run downfield as far as she could until someone touched her. The first part of the plan went perfectly; all of the players on both sides ran away from us, and I tossed the ball to this girl, who had some empty space through which she could run. That is when the surprise came. This girl could run. She made her way down the field, juking one way and then the other, and no one on the other team could touch her. She ran the length of the field, scoring a touchdown,  leaving me asking why she hadn't shown some of that potential earlier in the game.

Paul tells the Ephesians that they were chosen. Not only were they selected, but they were also predestined according to His plan. God has a purpose for them. There was something that they were called to do. 

We often misunderstand what predestination means. For some, it means that we are determined to be either Christians or sinners by God's choice before we were born or even before we were conceived. But that doesn't make any sense. In the opening of his gospel, John says, "There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe" (John 1:6-7). That doesn't sound like somehow God has worked out which of us are going to heaven and who is destined for hell.

Others think that God knows which of us will accept his offer of life and who will refuse the offer, and while that may be true, I don't find that much better than destining some for heaven and others for hell. I see God here telling us that each of us is predestined according to his plan for a job that only we can do. I believe that God keeps pouring out his blessing at every stage and in all the circumstances of our lives as he continues to supply us with his predestined purpose, all of this according to his plan.

We can also stop the blessing as we continue through our lives. I think this happens more often than we realize. Whether it is a lack of faith, a lack of trust, or whether we just have a predetermined way of how God will respond in certain situations and refuse to adjust to his will in our lives, we put a stop to the blessing of God. For whatever reason, we shut ourselves off from the blessings of God while we keep doing the work we think he is asking of us. Our attitude is that we can do this in our power. And it doesn't take long for our tanks to drain.

The result is we burn out. We are still doing the work, but our passion is gone. We complain that our spiritual lives are like empty dry husks. We feel overwhelmed. We must be reminded that God has chosen us for a purpose at every stage of our life. But we also depend on his blessing to do the job he has called us to do. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Ephesians 2

Personal Note: Happy Birthday to my wonderful daughter-in-law, Michelle. I hope you have a great day!

He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance! – Acts 28:31

Today's Scripture Reading (May 19, 2024):  Acts 28

Have you ever wanted to play an instrument? The desire to play alone will never make you a musician. You must pick up the instrument and play it at some point. As a child, I kept on changing instruments. My first instrument was the piano. I spent a few years playing it but never had a passion for the eighty-eights (a piano has eighty-eight keys). A few years later, I switched to the guitar. I loved to play the guitar, but during my teen years, I was in a band in school with four guitarists and no one to play the bass. I remember the day the teacher asked if anyone wanted to switch to bass. I thought, why not? I switched to playing the bass guitar.

For the next few years, I played bass. For a while, I played nothing. Please don't ask me to play piano; I can't. Oh, sometimes, on an afternoon when my wife isn't around, and I need to know what a song sounds like, I will sit down at a piano and plunk out the notes, but it isn't music. It seems I should be able to pick up the bass and play as I used to, but I can't. I play occasionally, but nothing comes out that is of the caliber as what I hear from our band's regular bassists. Today, I spend most of my instrumental time playing my guitar. If you want to learn the guitar or any other instrument, the best advice I can give you is never to put the instrument in its case unless you are carrying it somewhere. Leave it out where you will pick it up and play it as often as you can.

Every Gospel in the Bible ends with a rephrasing of the Great Commission, the command to go and make disciples. Too often, we make excuses about why we can't go; God hasn't gifted me in that way, or maybe I don't have time. However, the secret is never to put your Christianity away. As you go, tell the story and play the music of genuine Christianity. I love this summary of the Four Gospels versions of the Great Commission.

You can't keep the secret of the kingdom to yourselves. I am now sending you, as the Father sent me, to communicate the good news of the kingdom of God. Those who receive your message, form them into learning communities of practicing disciples so they learn to live according to my secret message, just as you are learning. You should not do this in your own power, but you must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. And you shouldn't stop at the borders of your own culture, socio-economic status, race, language, or religion. Cross every border and boundary to share with all people everywhere the secret you've learned from me – the way, the truth, the life you've experienced walking with me.

The sad thing is that we often forget the story and lose the melody. People have to rise up and teach it to us once again. God repeatedly provides people like Paul, Martin Luther, John Wesley, C.S. Lewis, and Mother Teresa to bring us back and help us sing the melody of Jesus Christ one more time.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1

We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us. – Acts 27:2

Today's Scripture Reading (May 18, 2024):  Acts 27

For me, one of the most significant passages of the Book of Acts occurs very early in Luke's tale of the emerging first-century Christian Church. Luke says that

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47).

The phrase that I find so intriguing is that these Christians "enjoyed the favor of the people." If there is a significant difference between the contemporary church and the emerging one in the first century, this might be it. In the first century, the church found favor with the secular community. They were supported even by non-believers, and maybe we need to ask why that often doesn't seem true of the contemporary church. Not only is Luke's statement not true with today's church, but the modern church often seems to take its conflict with the surrounding culture as a badge of honor. After all, didn't Jesus say the world would hate us because of our faith?

The problem is that, too often, the world does not hate us because of our Christian faith but because of our ignorant actions toward the surrounding community. In other words, we are not hated because we believe in Jesus but because of our hate, which is directed outward toward the community; hate when it should be love.

The favor of the surrounding culture is not an artifact that is present at the beginning of Luke's story but dissipates as the tale progresses. It is present throughout the story. So, as we approach the end of the tale, we find that Paul is arrested, and even though the officials judging Paul have found no fault in him, they are preparing to send him as a prisoner to Rome. The problem is that Paul, as he had done several times before, has made an appeal to be judged by Rome, as was his right as a Roman Citizen. Because of the plea, he cannot be released.

What seems critical in the story is that Paul has made enough of an impact on those holding him that they are allowing Aristarchus from Thessalonica and Luke to travel with him. Paul was not being forced to make this journey alone as many others would have been; he had found the favor of his captors and would be allowed to be accompanied by his friends as he made what amounts to his next missionary journey.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Acts 28

King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently. – Acts 26:2-3

Today's Scripture Reading (May 17, 2024):  Acts 26

Tahir sat in a state of total shock. The wailing of his wife reached his ears, but he was helpless to respond to her or even look at the too-tranquil face of his beloved only child, Bashir! What a joy the eight-month-old baby had been to the whole family! Bashir was Tahir's parent's first grandchild. How could any of them have guessed their happiness would be so short-lived? Just three days previously, the baby had developed diarrhea. His bowel movements and vomiting had been uncontrollable. Bashir had died in the early hours of this morning. Tahir now faced a problem he had never anticipated. He and his wife had very recently become followers of Hazrat Isa (Jesus Christ). Would it be right for them to bury their son in the old Islamic way? Should they pray the Muslim burial prayer over his body? If not, what should they do? How do people who follow the path of Hazrat Isa bury their dead?

In these times, people seem to want to fall back on their God and the comforts of their belief. When a loved one dies, people turn to the church, sometimes to a pastor, even if it is one that they have never met. They need to hear the words of comfort from someone.

It is hard for us to imagine the pain Tahir was going through. We live in a country where churches are everywhere, where it seems that even the most hostile or agnostic person knows something of Hazrat Isa. But that is just an illusion. Jesus is no more accessible for many in North America than he is in third-world countries. We are surrounded by people who know nothing of Jesus Christ. Our message is important because it is genuine and filled with hope.

Tahir's story didn't happen in this country, but it could have. What do you do when you are a stranger in a new and frightening land, and all of the usual customs are no longer appropriate to your new place of residence?

Yet, this is precisely where Israel seemed to spend most of its history. They were strangers in a strange land, surrounded by people who didn't believe in their God. Israel was destined to live at the crossroads of the ancient world. They lived on the pathway where massive empires walked as they fought their wars against each other. They were quite literally door mats, an inconsequential country one went through to get to the essential places.

To a modern observer, even one who is not a Christian, it is not surprising that they developed a doctrine of the Messiah, the one who would come and deliver them and their children from a life of oppression. The Messiah would be someone like King David, who had made them into a mighty empire of which others had to be careful. A Messiah would come and keep their children safe, giving the nation hope for the future.

It was these customs and controversies to which Paul refers and what King Agrippa understands. Jesus was the Messiah, and now was time for Agrippa to hear the testimony of the Messiah straight from the mouth of Paul.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Acts 27

Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. – Acts 25:1

Today's Scripture Reading (May 16, 2024):  Acts 25

The orderly transfer of power in the West is a remarkable thing. And while it is the norm among the leading democratic nations, it is by no means guaranteed. Disappointment in an election is often evident. We may believe that the opposing party isn't as good as the one we support, yet we allow the leadership change to happen anyway.

The democracies that I am most familiar with are in North America, but I suspect what I am about to say is true for most Western Democracies. There is a significant and predictable divide regarding who votes for which party. In the United States, there are Red states that reliably vote Republican and Blue states that vote for the Democratic Party. More importantly, currently, the tendency is for large population centers to vote Democratic and rural residents to vote Republican.

In Canada, the difference tends to be more regional. Central Canada tends to choose the country's Prime Minister, and in recent years, they have voted for the Liberal Party. Quebec tends to vote for a regional French party, the Bloc Quebecois. Western Canada often votes Conservative, but for the most part, it is really a reaction vote against the Central Canada Liberal vote. And off they go again. Most of us demonize the party for which we don't vote. There is a truck that lives in my area that flies a flag off the back bumper using vulgar language to describe the nation's ruling party. And the party that takes possession of leadership following another political party often sets out to change some of the things that we didn't like about the reign of the other. But if we are willing to look at leadership objectively, sometimes even those of opposing parties might become great leaders. In the United States, I would never have voted for Jimmy Carter or Barack Obama, yet both surprised me and gave the nation good examples of leadership. I also would have never voted for Bill Clinton, and my opinion of him never did change. Maybe you feel differently, but that is part of my point; despite our feelings, there has traditionally been an orderly transfer of power.

History leaves little doubt that Antonius Felix was a corrupt and lousy procurator. He left the province of Judea under a cloud of accusations and criminal charges that he would answer for in Rome. So, Felix was replaced by Porcius Festus. I must admit that whenever I hear the name Festus, my imagination runs to a character from the television show Gunsmoke. However, the historical Festus seemed to be a capable replacement for Felix and a relatively good procurator, especially compared to his predecessor. But Festus started his reign in a dangerous time. Not only was he standing in the aftermath of the corruption that Felix had started, but he also entered the province at a time when there was a significant dispute between the priests and Herod Agrippa II. Both of these problems played a role in arousing the anger of the people and sowing the seeds for the Jewish War of 66 C.E.

By this time, Paul had been imprisoned by Felix for a couple of years, hoping that some time in prison would soften the Apostle's refusal to pay a bribe to the procurator for his release. When Felix was recalled to Rome, he left Paul in prison as a parting gift to the Jewish leaders. But Luke tells us that Festus, according to his actions, wanted to deal with Paul's situation. Felix's replacement arrives in Judea and goes immediately to the Capital city, Caesarea. But he doesn't stay there very long; after just three days, he makes his way to Jerusalem, the province's largest and most important city. There, he meets with the religious elite who had laid their charges against Paul at the new procurator's feet.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Acts 26

When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented his case before Felix: "We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation. – Acts 24:2

Today's Scripture Reading (May 15, 2024):  Acts 24

His name was the Antonius Felix. He was the Roman Procurator of the province of Judea from 52 - 60 C.E. The Roman Procurator had control of the finances of an area. However, for some minor provinces, which would seem to include Judea, the procurator had the power of the governor. Felix made the most of his power. Felix was a cruel man, and he encouraged those who found themselves in trouble to give him bribes. As a direct result of this effort, crime in Judea increased during his time in control of the Roman province. As long as the criminal activity was profitable, those who violated the law knew they could buy themselves out of trouble. Near the end of his time as Procurator, Felix also hired a hit team to take out Jonathan, the High Priest, shortly after Jonathan took office. Jonathan was stabbed by this sanctioned team and died in the Temple of Jerusalem.

Felix was finally removed from his position and taken back to Rome, charged with using a dispute between the Jews and the Syrians of Caesarea as a pretext to murder and an effort to steal the valuables of the inhabitants of the city. However, Felix's brother, Marcus Antonius Pallas, held some power in Rome and was able to allow Felix to escape unharmed.

Tertullus was a lawyer hired by the Jews to prosecute Paul's case in front of Felix. It is thought that Tertullus was a Hellenistic or secular Jew. Hellenistic Jews attempted to combine elements of Jewish religious tradition with elements of Greek culture. As with any prosecutor, he was looking for a guilty verdict against Paul, which would please his employers, so he employed whatever elements he thought would get him where he needed to go. And one of the rules of any courtroom is that you don't want the judge to be against you from the beginning. So, he begins presenting his case in front of Felix, saying, "We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation." The words were intended to stroke Felix's ego, but they were untrue. The Jews, as was true with most of their governors, couldn't wait to see Felix leave the province. But at this moment, they wanted something from him, which they would get through bribes or flattering language. They knew Felix didn't care about the truth; he only wanted what would advance his position and fortune.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Acts 25

There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. "We find nothing wrong with this man," they said. "What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?" – Acts 23:9

Today's Scripture Reading (May 14, 2024):  Acts 23

I admit that there are people I find easy to like and others with whom finding the positive is a bit more of a challenge. I also understand that I see the world through glasses that are unique to me. And sometimes, that causes a level of conflict. One of those areas is Black Lives Matter. The BLM movement has been a topic of conversation over the past few years, and I often find myself on what seems to be the wrong side. I get it; some unsavory people are committed to the movement, but I find that I have an easier time overlooking that fact than some of my friends. Yes, I agree with them that All Lives Matter, but I also understand that Black people in North America have more of an uphill battle than some of the rest of us. And they are not alone. I think we also need to be reminded that First Nations Lives Matter. It will take more effort to lift the lives of Black and First Nations people than maybe others of European descent. People disagree with me, a reaction with which I am okay. I recognize that while I wear my glasses, they also wear theirs. We all see the world slightly differently and are hurt or encouraged by our experiences with different people.

Our belief systems also influence us. I am a fiscal conservative, so I am more likely to approve of other conservatives than I am people with a different philosophical outlook. It is just the way that we are made. I do not believe that any of us are genuinely objective; the only question is the level to which we allow our biases to shape our actions.

Paul has just admitted in his trial that he is not only a Pharisee, but he is also the son of a Pharisee. We have a bias when it comes to Pharisees because we remember all of the arguments that Jesus had with them, calling them, among other things, whitewashed tombs. However, among the various groups in Israel during that era, the Pharisees were the group bound to the Bible to the most significant degree. The Pharisees were the Fundamental, Back-to-the-Bible movement of the first century. So, Paul admitting that he was a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee meant that he took the Tanakh (the Old Testament) seriously. And that got those who were wearing similar glasses on his side.

The Sadducees were a more liberal version of the Pharisees. The two groups seldom agreed and often fought over their disagreements. Paul's comment had set up a fight between these two groups. With their glasses firmly in place, the Pharisees saw Paul as an innocent man who needed to be defended. This belief would change, but the Pharisees were on Paul's side for now. The Sadducees now saw Paul as an enemy who needed to be disciplined. However, part of what both groups were seeing had grown straight out of their different biases and colored glasses.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Acts 24

I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. – Acts 22:3

Today's Scripture Reading (May 13, 2024):  Acts 22

One of my struggles with our contemporary understanding of heritage is trying to figure out where I fit in. My last name indicates a connection with Ireland. And I make the most of my Irish heritage, but the truth is that I am not Irish. I have never even set foot on the Emerald Isle, although I would like to visit the island of my ancestors someday. I also have English, Scottish, and Dutch heritage and am of German descent through my mother's family. But I am none of these things. My family emigrated to North America generations ago. I am not a member of the First Nations, but my family was among some of the first Europeans to appear in the New World.

I was born in the Eastern portion of North America but traded the east for the west very early in my life. As a result, I identify as a Westerner. Western values and morals have influenced my political and social beliefs. My ancestors lived in the United States when it was still a British colony and moved north to Canada before Canada was an independent nation. My family has lived on the North American continent for the better part of four centuries. Who am I? Sometimes, I am unsure if I have an answer to that question.

Paul admits that he was not born in Judea. He was born in Tarsus, a city in what today is Southern Turkey. But he identified as a Jew. He argues that he was brought up in Jerusalem and not in Turkey. He studied at the feet of Gamaliel, one of Israel's most respected rabbis and teachers. And he was zealous for the God of the Jews. He needs to make the point that he was as much a Jew as anyone who was sitting in judgment over him. Paul is saying, I am not a foreigner; I understand and follow the same laws you follow.

All of this goes to the heart of the charges made against Paul.

When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, shouting, "Fellow Israelites, help us! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and defiled this holy place." [They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple] (Acts 21:27-29).

Paul responds that none of this is true. He might have been born outside of Israel, but he identifies as a Jew. Who Paul is at the core of his being is a Jew, and everything that Paul did as an apostle of Christ, Paul does as a Jew. Therefore, he is innocent of the charges brought against him.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Acts 23

When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. – Acts 21:12

Today's Scripture Reading (May 12, 2024):  Acts 21

Agabus has delivered a message to Paul. If he goes to Jerusalem, he will be arrested, and Paul must be prepared for that outcome. I have argued that this is a message from God and not a warning, but that doesn't mean that some who heard the message didn't take it as a warning. Some would argue that Paul should not go to Jerusalem. However, Paul listened to the message, and I am not sure that anyone who knew Paul believed that the apostle could be deterred from making the important journey to the Jewish Capital, even if they wished he would stay away.

This is one of the famous "we" passages in Acts. Acts was written by Luke, the Doctor and sometimes missionary companion of Paul. Acts is filled with secondhand passages that Luke has heard from others. However, there are also several passages where Luke makes it clear that he witnessed these events. This is one of those passages. Dr. Luke was present when Agabus delivered his message; he was part of the chorus of we. I can't prove it, but I think Philip the Evangelist was also a part of the we, along with his four daughters. "We" pleaded for Paul not to go. Paul may not have received the message as a warning from God, but some of those present interpreted it as one.

I sometimes refer to this as a "Peter response" because I see similarities between the response of "we" in this verse and Peter's response when Jesus told him that he would die in Jerusalem. Then, Peter said, "No, that is not going to happen." Jesus's famous response to Peter was, "Get behind me, Satan."

This seems to be a very similar moment. Agabus delivers the news, and those gathered there deliver what is really the Peter response. Don't let this happen. Don't go to Jerusalem. However, Paul feels that God has called him to Jerusalem, and so he prepares to go despite the words he has heard from Agabus. The trip to Jerusalem, at least in part, was an essential step in trying to heal the wounds that had developed between the Jewish and the Gentile Church. And there was absolutely nothing in Agabus's message that changed that motivation because Paul believed that God was doing the sending. Paul was going to go to Jerusalem.

It is interesting to me that one of Philip's daughters, who also prophesied, is not the one God trusted with this message. Maybe God sent Agabus because he knew that the daughter's response to the message would be to ask Paul to stay; they would have been filled with the "Peter response." The message from God would have been given as a warning if it had come from one of Philip's daughters, maybe phrasing it as "the Holy Spirit is telling me that you shouldn't go to Jerusalem." At this moment, God needed an Agabus who would simply give the message to Paul to prepare him, but that he would understand that this was a message, not a warning. Agabus would ultimately understand that Paul should do as God told him.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Acts 22

I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing. – 2 Corinthians 12:11

Today's Scripture Reading (May 11, 2024):  2 Corinthians 12 & 13

I considered transferring my educational program to Arizona State University in my early twenties. I find it interesting that today, their website includes this statement; "We are measured not by whom we exclude, but by whom we include and how they succeed." It is an interesting statement, especially for me, because I was one of the ones that ASU decided to exclude. The problem wasn't my marks or the courses I had taken, but that I had gone to the wrong university. I had spent the first few years of my educational pursuit in Canada and attended the University of Calgary, located in the Western Canadian province of Alberta. Alberta has a rich heritage that offers excellent educational opportunities to those who attend school there. The two largest Universities were the University of Calgary and the University of Alberta, located in the Alberta Capital of Edmonton. Both are significant universities with strengths and weaknesses, characteristics that are present when comparing any post-secondary educational institutions. When I informed ASU of my presence at the University of Calgary, I was immediately told that I could not withstand the rigors and demands of an ASU education. I would have been better suited for an ASU education if I had attended the University of Alberta. To be honest, I wrote the comment off as the reaction of someone who didn't know what they were talking about, so maybe they could be excused of their ignorance.

Most of us have received criticism at some point in our lives. Sometimes, it comes from people who don't know us, something I took from my experience with ASU. However, the criticism that has the chance to devastate us comes from places closer to home and people who should know us better.

Paul is almost embarrassed by the amount of time he has spent talking about himself in the letter, but he feels that he has to convince the Corinthians that he has something to offer. People had come to the Corinthians, telling the church of their advanced credentials in the faith and that the Corinthian Church should ignore Paul and listen to them. Paul calls this group of people "super-apostles." Paul feels this group of super-apostles has forced him to stress his personal credentials.

The problem in Paul's mind is two-fold. First, it has forced him to defend himself against the criticisms of those who don't know him. Even though Paul believed he was nothing, he had to assert that he was at least the equal of these super-apostles. But secondly, the Corinthians did know him. They should have been among the first to defend him, but instead, they have chosen to stand with the super-apostles. Paul would have defended the Corinthians; was it too much to expect them to defend him? Evidently, the answer is yes, although it is an answer that does not please Paul.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Acts 21

I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. – 2 Corinthians 11:2

Today's Scripture Reading (May 10, 2024):  2 Corinthians 11

Once upon a time, there was a man who fell in love with a woman. She was everything he had ever wanted: beautiful, intelligent, and filled with a godly spirit. The relationship between the two people grew and blossomed. Even the friends of this couple approved of their relationship and loved to be around them.

Then, one day, the man decided that this was the person with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life. And so, he asked this woman to marry him. She said yes, and these two people started a new phase of their relationship, and they began to plan the wedding.

Weeks passed, and plans for the wedding progressed, but one of the future groom's friends began hearing some rumors. The gossip was hard to believe but also difficult to ignore because it told of a burgeoning romantic relationship between the bride and another man. Luckily, the groom had not yet heard the rumor, but his friend took it upon himself to discover the truth of the situation. The friend became jealous in the groom's place and confronted the bride. Is your love for my friend, or is there someone new in your life? You can't have it both ways. Either you love my friend, or you love someone else. And my friend deserves to know if your feelings about him have changed.

Essentially, this is the story that Paul is trying to tell. Playing the part of the groom is Jesus Christ. His promised bride is the emerging Christian Church, but in this version of the story, it is specifically the Corinthian Church. And playing the role of the groom's good friend, Paul of Tarsus. Paul wants an answer from the Corinthians. Do they still intend to be in a relationship with Jesus, or were they listening to other voices and critics and settling for something less?

Engagement in Paul's time was not taken lightly. To cheat on your fiancé was to commit adultery. And to break the engagement meant that you needed to get a divorce. Paul rightly understood that our God is a jealous God, and he would not share his position with anyone else. And so, he warns the Corinthians that continuing to listen to his opponents and critics would carry them in a direction they shouldn't want to go.

Paul hoped that the Corinthian response to his message was to return all their love to God and his son. But all Paul could do was tell them they would have to decide their actions for themselves and choose to whom they would give their love.  

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 12 & 13

We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. – 2 Corinthians 10:12

Today's Scripture Reading (May 9, 2024):  2 Corinthians 10

I am a legend in my own mind (not really). Although, I have met several people who seem to hold that phrase as their personal motto. They seem to live by the adage that If I am not going to boast about my achievements, then who else will do it? But that also highlights the problem: what are my achievements worth if I have to brag about them to let people know?  

Over thirty years ago, I was asked (in other words, my boss assigned me to the task) to introduce a particular speaker who was touring the area selling a heating pad. I remember being given a letter-sized piece of paper printed in a size twelve font with the person's various achievements. I was told to read the paper and not to go off the script. So, I stepped out on the stage, welcomed the gathered crowd, and started reading this piece of paper. The reality was that this person had achieved much over his life, including ownership in some local sports teams and induction into various halls of fame.

As I read his achievements, I watched him offstage, and he seemed to be mouthing the script with me. And finally, just before I reached the end of the page, he rushed onstage and said to the crowd, "Oh Garry, you do go on and on. I don't know why they insist on doing that. I am a normal person, just like you. When I get up in the morning, I put my pants on one leg at a time, just like you."

As I walked offstage, I had an answer for my famous friend. I said what I said because you told me I had to. But, at the same time, I understood the desire. The first was to stress that this person was, at least in some ways, a legend, and not just in his own mind. But he also needed his audience to know he was just like them. He suffered from the pains of life just like they did, and he needed a heating pad, the item he was trying to sell, just like they did.

Paul's accomplishments were many, but maybe two of the most critical factors about Paul were that he was a Roman citizen and a student and disciple of Gamaliel, one of the most influential Rabbis and teachers of his day. All of this meant that when Paul showed up in town, he was a much sought-after speaker for the synagogue. It is a fact that helped the Gospel spread throughout the Roman world because Paul was invited to speak everywhere he went.

But Paul's opponents had become legends in their own minds. And Paul was wise enough to understand that those who commended themselves would never see Paul's achievements as anything other than less than the legend that they had built within themselves. Paul also knows that the fact that these opponents only compared themselves with themselves was proof that they lacked wisdom and maybe maturity. And the Apostle wouldn't waste his breath trying to measure up to their imagined accomplishments.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 11

For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord's people. – 2 Corinthians 8:3-4

Today's Scripture Reading (May 8, 2024):  2 Corinthians 8 & 9

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  And on the sixth day, he did something extraordinary.  He created man. I am purposefully using man here because I sometimes think we misunderstand Genesis. According to Genesis 1, man is not a gender; sometimes, we must recognize that. Genesis 1 says that God made man (literally "Adam") "male and female" (Genesis 1:27).  Man was something special in the eyes of God. They were his children, a creation he could pour himself into like we pour ourselves into our own children.

He loved his male and female creations. He had great expectations of where this relationship would lead. In God's plan, he would give man the Gifts of the Spirit. He would bless them, and in return, man would possess an apparent and pleasurable relationship with their creator. God wasn't looking for a pet. He delighted in and desired us, but he hoped we would also delight in and desire Him, not because we had to, but because that is what we wanted to do.

God delighted in Adam.  He desired a relationship with them and wanted his creation to delight and desire him, but it couldn't be a matter of force.  So, God did something that most people have wondered about ever since. He gave us the ability to choose.

We chose wrong. That act of choice, started by Adam and replicated by every person since Adam, except for Jesus Christ, broke the relationship. Increasingly, Adam's daughters and sons went their own way.  They forgot about the God who created them, delighted in them, and desired them.  But God never stopped delighting in and wanting us.

But God still had a plan.  He would choose a group of people, call them the children of God, and bless them, and in turn, they would delight in Him and desire Him and become conduits of the blessings of God to the rest of the world.  Because God blessed them, they would bless all his children, all races and countries. But Israel, God's chosen children, refused.  They seemed to have a heart that wandered; they acted as if they were better than the other races.  Even when they received God's blessing, they seldom passed it on.

However, God's plan wasn't finished yet. To his formula of Blessing and Gifting, he would add grace.  He would send his son to die on the cross for all of his children, and then they could choose to come to him. And he would bless them, and they would bless the world. They would be the physical body of God in the world, and he would call them the Christian Church.

It is incredible how many Christians seem to miss that point.  We are the conduits of God, the chosen way that God has for blessing the world. There is nothing accidental about the treasure you have, the talents that you have, or the time that you have. If you have accepted Jesus into your life, then the next step is to understand that you can trust God, surrender what you have to him, and that he will bless you as long as you are a conduit for him to the world. The Macedonian Church understood that. Paul writes, "For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints" (2 Corinthians 8:3-4).

Even though they didn't have much, even though Paul didn't seem to have any expectation that they would be able to give, they still pleaded for Paul to allow them to be what God had created them to be, to the best of their ability; Conduits of God 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 10

By all this we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. – 2 Corinthians 7:13

Today's Scripture Reading (May 7, 2024):  2 Corinthians 7

As a young adult, I came into contact with someone who really wasn't a very nice person. He was mean and lied continually, but his falsehoods were always accompanied by a smile. And the reality was that you probably liked him if you didn't know him. And I know this because I was one of those who had liked him at one time, but the more you got to know him, the more you wanted nothing to do with him. In the end, he brought several lies to my boss's attention and tried to get me fired, all while insisting that that was not what he was doing. This person was the source of numerous stressful days and sleepless nights.

Because of my interaction with this person, I have to admit that, for a while, I immediately reacted to anyone who even looked like him. There was even a popular television show at the time that I couldn't watch because one of the actors reminded me of this person. Irrational? Definitely, but for a while, that was my life. At times, it was like having a bad case of post-traumatic stress disorder. And even now, many years later, I feel sick just remembering those days.

I don't think that I handled him or those years well. And I know that my failure during this era caused me problems later. I made decisions that I probably shouldn't have made, all because of the memory of this person and the things that he did to me.

Why this confession? Partially, the confession is because I don't think that my experience is in any way unique. I believe that all of us have suffered in some way because of people in our lives like this person, and maybe you have more than one person in your life who has caused you problems. Perhaps you just need to know that you are not alone.

Not only is this a reality in our lives, but it also seems that Titus had a similar experience in Corinth. Paul likely wrote at least four letters to the Corinthian Church, but two of those letters have been lost. The two letters we have in our Bibles are the second and fourth of the ones that Paul wrote. And between the second and third letters, Paul and Titus made a visit to Corinth that did not go very well. As a result, when Titus left the city, he did so with a bad taste in his mouth about the Corinthians. As far as Titus was concerned, the Corinthians Church was a lost cause.

Paul told Titus that Paul would write a strongly worded letter informing the Corinthians of their sin, and Paul believed they would react positively to that letter. (This would have been the missing third letter from Paul to the Corinthians.) Titus remained unconvinced that any actions would change the Corinthians. However, Paul's letter did work, and as a result, the Corinthians repented of their sins, restoring Titus's faith in the Corinthian church. The repentance by the Corinthians had made Titus happy, and Paul was pleased, wanting the Corinthians to know how they had refreshed his associate's spirit.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 8 & 9

Personal Note: Happy Birthday to my Son, Craig.

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? – 2 Corinthians 6:14

Today's Scripture Reading (May 6, 2024):  2 Corinthians 6

A few years ago, I had the privilege of attending a denominational World Youth Congress. Teens and their sponsors from all over the planet gathered for a week of concerts, worship, and service projects ministering to the city (this World Youth Congress was held in Toronto, Canada). The event drew the local news media, which provided occasional updates from the conference. But it was one of the paper reporters who launched an attack on the conference. According to this reporter, the conference had a more profound, possibly darker purpose than just a moment for teens from all over the world to get together and have fun. According to the newspaper, the gathering was important because this is where these kids found their future spouses. Events like this one gathered the dating pool for these kids who were forbidden to marry outside of their faith.

The report came as a surprise, sending the leadership into a spiral of activity as they tried to counter it. It also sparked several discussions on how to address the issue with the thousands of kids attending the conference. The whole report was wrong, and where they had gotten the idea was a bit of a mystery. Did kids meet someone of the opposite sex and begin a dating relationship at the conference? Sure. But that happens whenever teens come together. The denomination held no restrictions on marriage, and the dating life of the teens was not even a minor purpose of the gathering.

This verse has been used in restricting Christian marriage. Some interpret this verse as Paul's warning about believers dating unbelievers and that a marriage between someone of the faith and someone outside of the faith has the potential to cause damage to the Christian. So, don't be unequally yoked. And understand this when you are dating; don't wait for the relationship to get serious before considering whether you are unequally yoked.

However, that is not really what Paul is getting at. Paul isn't limiting this to one segment of relationships but all relationships. Not only is dating not the focus of this passage, but the idea of being yoked to unbelievers in our business relationships might be more critical because it is there that we might be most tempted to go against our established character. Our focus must be on Jesus, and sometimes that focus is impossible when we are unequally yoked.

So, Paul stresses to his readers that they shouldn't be unequally yoked with anyone because, without Jesus, the relationship is doomed to struggle. As Solomon said in Ecclesiastes, "A cord of three strands is not quickly broken" (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 7

 

For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. – 2 Corinthians 5:4

Today's Scripture Reading (May 5, 2024):  2 Corinthians 5

How old are you, really? I mean, how old do you feel? I saw an old friend recently, and he was a bit of a wild card back in the day; you were never sure what he would do. But now, he is a grandfather with the grey hair that comes with all of the wisdom that life brings. And he is no longer the same wild card that he was back in the day. The question that occurred to me was, what has happened to us? Is it possible that we have really gotten older? What happened to all of our plans and dreams that we had when we were in our twenties and the unpredictability that we loved? I ran into another old friend a while back, and as I looked at him, it wasn't my friend I saw (don't tell him) but his father. His mom and dad had died several years ago, but as I stood in his presence, my memories brought me back to memories of his dad and the many visits and talks that I had with him. He had been a kind man but also an imposing character. And now, here he was resurrected in the life of my friend.

Sometimes, I forget how old I am. Yet another friend admitted that he doesn't feel like someone in his sixties but still feels the way he did in his thirties. The social media meme is right. My mind thinks I am still young, but my body thinks my mind is an idiot. 

Paul talks about being constricted in this human tent, filled with burdens and groans. I get it. Once, and it doesn't seem all that long ago, I looked forward to a pick-up game of football in a nearby field or basketball on a nearby court. But now I have entered the land of arthritis and compression socks, and while my mind still wants to be involved in a pick-up football or basketball game, my body continually reminds me that it is not as excited about the prospect.

But Paul reminds us that we don't desire to be unclothed either; we don't necessarily want to die, but we also don't like the pains and burdens that life seems to pile on us. I live in an area with an active M.A.I.D. (Medical Assistance in Dying) Program and know a couple of people who have chosen this option. People ask me how I feel, and I am not sure I know the answer. I understand the motivation, the desire to rid ourselves of the burdens of this world and move on to the next, but I also believe that we are here for a purpose. And I am not sure we are best suited to know when that purpose has been completed—the people I know have used the M.A.I.D. Program have been close to death anyway, so I understand, although I fear the program could be misused.

Paul assures us that even though we might be clothed with this mortal tent of this life now, there is a heavenly dwelling waiting for us so that this mortal existence, what we call life, will be swallowed up with a life beyond what we have ever known. We can catch glimpses of this heavenly dwelling in this life, but we can't know its fullness until after this existence is over. Until then, I still believe that God has a purpose for us and that never changes as long as we can take the next breath.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 6

Personal Note: Happy Birthday to my daughter, Alyssa.

Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. – 2 Corinthians 4:2

Today's Scripture Reading (May 4, 2024):  2 Corinthians 4

A few years ago, I read an advertisement for a car that was for sale. The ad read;

For Sale -

1985 Blue Volkswagen Golf
Only 15 km
Only first gear and reverse used
Used only in Newfoundland
Never driven hard
Original Tires and Brakes
Original Fuel and Oil
Only 1 driver
Owner wishes to sell due to employment layoff
See Attached Photo

The attached photo was of the aforementioned Golf on a small island with a lighthouse and a short road down to the dock where a small boat was anchored. Apparently, the VW had just driven back and forth from the lighthouse to the pier for the twenty-plus years of its life.

The used car business is often characterized in our contemporary culture as a place where deception is common. And I know there is some truth, but I hope it is not as common as we sometimes believe it to be. But deception in the used car business has become the stuff of jokes. I have a low-mileage car driven by an elderly lady only to church or a VW that has just been driven from the lighthouse to the dock on a small island.

The movie "Used Cars" has a scene that epitomizes this belief. In the scene, a salesman is trying to sell a car to a couple, and they are making an offer on the vehicle. The salesman says he will take the offer to the manager but insists the low offer will cause him to have a heart attack. The couple is adamant that that is all they are willing to pay.

The salesman leaves the room, goes to have a cigarette, and talks with some of the other salespeople, never going near the sales manager's office. Meanwhile, a man stumbles into the room where the couple is waiting for their salesperson to return with a counteroffer, and the man is having a heart attack. When the salesman returns from his smoke break, he finds a man dying on the floor and the couple huddling around him, vowing to pay more for the car.

Paul insists that this is not us. Christians do not use deception or distort biblical claims to get their point across. We are to be honest, and through the truth of our understanding of the gospel, we allow the Holy Spirit to work through us and convince those around us of the reality of our sins.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 5