Category Archives: Acts

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Hilariously Happy

Designed and Built To Serve

SYNOPSIS: It may sound harsh to say we are commanded to serve, but it is what we were created, and recreated, to do. Christians serve! Like fish swim and birds fly, Christians serve. Ephesians 2:10 says, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” God shaped us to serve him. God was there at the moment you and I were conceived, even before, deliberately engineering us to fulfill that purpose. And when we do, his joy will flow into our souls. We will be hilariously happy.

Project 52 – Weekly Scripture Memory // Acts 20:35

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Jesus was a different kind of leader than the world had ever known.   Instead of taking, he gave—even giving up his very life. Instead of seeking power, fortune and fame, he came to glorify the Father. Instead of insisting his rights as the Son of God, he came to incarnate a God who touched lepers, ate with sinners and healed on the Sabbath. Instead of being served, his very purpose in coming to earth was to serve.

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

So when Jesus—or his apostles who led the early church and formulated the New Testament theology by which we now order our lives—calls us to serve and to give our lives away, we are not being asked to do anything that wasn’t authentically modeled for us. Paul writes in Philippians 2:5-7, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who being in very nature God…took on the very nature of a servant.”

Jesus did that—now he asks us to do the same. We are called to serve, and quite frankly, the call is even stronger than that: it is a command. Jesus said, “I have set an example for you…now do as I have done.” (John 13:13-17)  Paul commanded in Galatians 5:13, “Serve one another in love.”

Now it may sound a little harsh to say we are commanded to serve, but it is what we were created, and recreated, to do. Christians serve! Like fish swim and birds fly, Christians serve! Ephesians 2:10 says, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” God shaped us to serve him. God was there at the moment you and I were conceived, even before, deliberately engineering us to fulfill his purposes.

Now there are a couple of very important results that occur when we begin to serve our God-shaped purpose. First, we will begin to capture the world’s attention.  Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount, “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:16, NLT) Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this will all men know that you are my disciples: That you have love for one another.”  By our authentic servanthood and sacrificial giving, we become living proof of a loving God to a lost world.

Roy Hattersley, a columnist for the Guardian (U.K.) and an outspoken atheist, laments, “It ought to be possible to live a Christian life without being a Christian.” But after watching the Salvation Army lead several other faith-based organizations in the Hurricane Katrina relief effort, he wrote,

“Notable by their absence were teams from rationalist societies, free thinkers’ clubs, and atheists’ associations—the sort of people who scoff at religion’s intellectual absurdity… [Christians] are the people most likely to take the risks and make the sacrifices involved in helping others.  Civilized people do not believe that drug addiction and male prostitution offend against divine ordinance. But those who do are the men and women most willing to change the fetid bandages, replace the sodden sleeping bags, and—probably most difficult of all—argue, without a trace of impatience, that the time has come for some serious medical treatment.  The only possible conclusion is that faith comes with a packet of moral imperatives that, while they do not condition the attitude of all believers, influence enough of them to make [Christians] morally superior to atheists like me.”

The truth is, the spotlight never shines more brightly on Jesus than when Christians serve.  “By this, all will know…”

Second, when we begin to serve our God-shaped purpose, happiness is produced in our soul. When we serve we find it is indeed more blessed to give than receive. The word “blessed” here means “hilariously happy.” We are really serving ourselves when we serve others, because health and happiness gets produced in our inner core. You see, there is just something ennobling about serving others—and therefore joy-producing.

Karl Menninger, founder of the famed psychiatric clinic in Topeka, Kansas that bears his name, was once asked, “what would you do if you thought you were going crazy?” Without even having to think about it, he said, “I’d go out and find someone less fortunate to serve.”

Jesus said, “I’ve washed your feet…now go do that for one another.”  Did he mean that literally?  Probably not.  Washing someone’s “barking dogs” back then was akin to getting treated to a hour-long massage in our day. It is the spirit of the foot-washing that Jesus is wanting us to capture. He is wanting us to follow his lead, take the posture of a servant, give our lives away and allow his love to flow to others by doing so.

In return, his joy will flow into our souls.  And we will be hilariously happy.

“Serve God by doing common actions in a heavenly spirit, and then, if your daily calling only leaves you cracks and crevices of time, fill them up with holy service.” ~Charles Spurgeon

Reflect & Apply: Christians serve! Do you? If you want to experience the “hilarious happiness” that Jesus spoke about, find a need and serve in his spirit and in his name.

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God, Grant Me Grace Under Fire

52 Simple Prayers for 2018

You never know when your worst enemy and most hostile persecutor will become your greatest spiritual ally and closest gospel partner. But how you respond to them when they are your enemy may very well determine if and when they come to know your Savior. Stephen’s gracious spirit as he was being stoned made a lasting impression on Saul, perhaps a haunting impression that was one of the keys to his conversion. The best chance of turning an enemy into a believer is by loving, serving and laying down your life for them, you know, the way Jesus did.

A Simple Prayer for Grace Under Fire:

God, dealing in a Christ-like way with those who are hostile to me is easier said than done. I read about the martyrdom of Stephen and nod approvingly, but it is much more of a challenge to live like that in the real world of my everyday faith. I ask you for a fresh dose of Christ-hearted grace today to respond to people who dislike me, who use me, and who abuse me as Jesus would if he were in my place. Through grace, perhaps they even may be transformed into my spiritual allies! Help me to live like the early believers did, even being willing to die living out the values of the gospel. Enable me to be the living proof of a loving God for those who need to be convinced of this Good News that you have sent me to proclaim.
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To Be Continued

Reflect:
Acts 25:1-28:31

“Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.” (Acts 28:30-31)

If you take the time to read this last chapter of Acts in its entirety, which is the culmination of a story that began back in Acts 21, you will notice a curious thing: It has no ending.

Other historical accounts in the Bible bring the story they tell to an obvious conclusion. Not Acts. The author, Luke, adds no “the end” or “that’s all folks” to this history of Christianity in the first century. He simply leaves Paul in Rome, performing miracles along the way, trying to convince the Jews that Jesus was the fulfillment of Old Testament promise, and preaching the Good News to the Gentile world.

I think Luke was intentional and strategic in leaving us hanging in Acts 28. Rather, I think the Holy Spirit, who inspired him to write this account, had a specific reason for preventing Luke from bringing this ship into the harbor. He wanted us to realize that we, the church, the people of God, are the continuing story of the Acts of the Holy Spirit.

You see, there are still miracle stories waiting to be recorded. God is still working among his people, Israel, through the likes of you and me. The world is still waiting to hear the Good News of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The Kingdom of God is still waiting to advance and reclaim territory now held by Satan that rightfully belongs to the Creator God.

We are the story! We are the next chapter—Acts 29! We are to take up Paul’s mantle and do the stuff of the Kingdom wherever we are. This is a story that is to be continued.

So give it your all. Your testimony will not be recorded in the Bible, but it will be written down in heaven’s record, and celebrated by God himself, along with heaven’s hosts for all eternity.

You are now the story…you are Acts 29! Write it well, my friend!

“Luke writes a summary at the end of Acts so that it can be followed by an account of the spread of the Gospel in a new phase, or into a new region. But in this case, Luke doesn’t give the account – he expects the reader to have a part in writing the new story – to write [a new] volume! Although the book has ended, the story has not! Luke finishes with the subliminal message – ‘to be continued’! …We as readers are to finish the story! We continue the writing…to press on with the unfinished task!” ~Paul Trebilco

Reflect and Apply: Do you want my part of the ongoing story that brings great glory and pleasure to God? If you dare, ask him to write you into Acts 29!

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It’s Not Repentance Until You Change

Reflect:
Acts 16:1-20:38

“And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.” (Acts 19:18-19)

Powerful signs and great wonders attended Paul’s extended ministry in Ephesus. (Acts 19:11-12) Even as Paul’s handkerchief was placed on the sick, they were healed and the demonized were set free in dramatic fashion.

As you might imagine with such a demonstration of Kingdom power, a great number of people in this major city of Asia Minor came to know Jesus Christ. The number of converts was so large that as a result of people abandoning their idols, the thriving idol-making industry in Ephesus experienced a sudden and severe economic downturn—which didn’t make the idol-makers all too happy. (Acts 19:25-27)

One group of these Ephesians who turned to Christ were those who practiced sorcery. We are told they experienced such strong spiritual conviction that they brought their incantation books and publicly burned them. Someone at the scene figured out the total value of the books and placed it at fifty thousand pieces of silver—a figure by today’s worth that would be in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars.

Now that is repentance! When those who come to Christ are willing to put their livelihoods on the line and burn the tools of their trade, you know that real inner transformation has taken place. These sorcerers had experienced a true change of heart, mind and behavior.

And that is what Biblical repentance is all about. It is not just feeling bad over wrongdoing. It is not feeling embarrassed that you have been caught—or fear that you might. It is not just saying, “I’m sorry!” It is a literal 180-degree change in thinking and acting. The Greek word for repentance means exactly that: Change.

Keep that in mind the next time you are under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. When repentance is in order for a wrong attitude, a hurtful word, a destructive behavior, or just a plain run-of-the-mill sin, Biblical repentance calls you to completely turn from it in heart, mind and behavior and to pursue a new course of righteousness.

That is true repentance. And that’s what the Father wants from us.

“Wherever there is a pulverized and penitent heart, there grace also is, and wherever there is a voluntary confession not gained by pressure, there love covereth a multitude of sins.” ~Menno Simons

Reflect and Apply: Here is a prayer I dare you to pray: “Lord, search my heart and bring to light any sin that I have committed. Here and now I commit to repenting of anything that stands in the way of my love and obedience to you.”

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To Make You Holy, But Not Necessarily Happy

Reflect:
Acts 15:1-41

“Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: ‘…we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.’” (Acts 15:6-7,20)

This was the church’s first big doctrinal brouhaha. At issue was whether Gentile converts to Christ should observe Jewish laws and customs, such as circumcision, to be saved. Emotions were on edge, sides were chosen, and this issue was ready to blow the young church apart.

So, wisely, the matter was taken to the church leaders in Jerusalem to be settled. Because there were such strong feelings about this matter on both sides of the argument, whatever decision the apostolic leaders made was likely to cause unhappiness with a whole faction of church folk.

After much debate, the leaders issued their decision, reaffirming that salvation was by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, and not by works of righteousness, including works done through Jewish laws and customs. All they asked of the Gentile converts was that where the letter of Jewish law called for personal holiness, they honor the spirit of the law so that the same kind of God-honoring holiness would result. (Acts 15:20-21)

Now apart from the historic decision produced at this first Jerusalem Council, there is something highly instructive we learn here about effective and God-pleasing church leadership. From Peter, James and the others, we can clearly see that the call of God upon church leaders is not to keep us happy; it is to make us holy.

There is not a one of us who doesn’t hope that we get leaders who please us and do what we want. That is not a bad thing so long as it takes a back seat to the permission we give them to produce in us a life of holiness, obedience and service unto the Lord. Happiness and holiness are not mutually exclusive, yet most of the time, true and lasting happiness only results out of and after the forging of holiness in our lives. Happiness that comes before holiness is often ephemeral (and usually a barrier to growth in holiness); happiness that comes from holiness is enduring.

What expectations do you have of your spiritual leader? Think about it. Do you put the highest premium on his or her contribution to your personal happiness? Do you want them to make you more comfortable in your faith journey? Are you hoping they lead in a way that satisfies your preferences? Or, above all else, have you given them permission—have you demanded—that they lead in such a way that holiness is forged in your life?

I think we all know the better use of a spiritual leader.

“We need a baptism of clear seeing. We desperately need seers who can see through the mist—Christian leaders with prophetic vision. Unless they come soon it will be too late for this generation. And if they do come we will no doubt crucify a few of them in the name of our worldly orthodoxy.” ~A.W. Tozer

Reflect and Apply: The one thing you must desire more than to be happy is to be pure. Ask God, then allow him, to bring people into your life that will challenge you to growth in personal holiness. Have this conversation with your spiritual leader. It will encourage him or her like you can’t imagine!

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Moments That Define You

Reflect:
Acts 13:1-14:28

“Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at Elymas and said, ‘O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? And now, you indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.’ And immediately a dark mist fell on Elymas, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.” (Acts 13:9-11)

Up to this moment, Paul, who was called Saul, had been in the background. He was ministering in the church at Antioch, but was basically the ministry associate to the better-known Barnabas. Saul was playing second fiddle in this orchestra.

All that changed on this ministry trip to Cyprus when an influential sorcerer named Elymas harassed Barnabas and Saul. Elymas’ demonically inspired powers held sway over the Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus, to whom Barnabas and Saul were witnessing. This up and coming official was on the verge of accepting Christ as his Savior, but Elymas was making it very difficult.

Saul, discerning that this sorcerer was being used as a tool of Satan, turned on Elymas with both barrels and gave him the unedited version of a Holy Spirit smackdown. And as they say, the rest is history: Elymas was immediately struck with blindness, Sergius Paulus came to faith in Christ, and “Paul and his party set sail from Paphos.” (Verse 13)

Don’t miss the significance of that last line. It is no longer “Barnabas and Saul”, now it is “Paul and his party”. From then on in Acts we read of Paul and Barnabas, or Paul and Silas, or Paul and his companions. Apart from his dramatic salvation experience on the Damascus Road, this was the moment that defined Paul. This victorious power encounter with a demonically inspired sorcerer launched Paul’s ministry into orbit, and on to becoming the most influential leader and theologian in the history of the church.

Paul could have backed down from making a scene. He could have waited to see how team leader Barnabas handled this disruption. He could have tried to out-reason Elymas. Rather, he responded to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, seized this God-ordained moment and smashed the devil in the chops in one of the most dramatic encounters you will read of in the entire New Testament. And in this God-moment, Paul was defined for the rest of his life.

You never know on the front side of any given moment if it will be life-defining or just another ordinary experience. But when you stay filled up with the Holy Spirit, when you sense his prompting, and when you seize that moment to take a dramatic, risky stand against what is clearly the work of the devil, you may very well be in the throes of a moment that defines you—either in your private character or in your public life, or perhaps even both.

If it doesn’t turn out to be that kind of a moment, no big deal! You got to kick the devil’s fanny—and that’s always a good thing. But you never know when your moment of courage will be just the thing that opens the door to even greater things, so be prepared.

“Courage is the human virtue that counts most—courage to act on limited knowledge and insufficient evidence.” ~Robert Frost

Reflect and Apply: Pray this prayer, if you dare: “Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit. And keep me courageously ready to seize any given God-moment for your glory.”

 

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Give Me A Break–Please!

Reflect:
Acts 9:1-31

“And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles.” (Acts 9:26-27)

I wonder what would have happened to Paul if it hadn’t been for Barnabas. Paul had been marvelously converted on the road to Damascus, but his fierce and frightening reputation as a persecutor of the church understandably kept the believers from fully embracing him.

Every time Paul tried to join the fellowship, he was treated like he had the plague. But then Barnabas showed up and took a chance with Paul. He came alongside this new convert, put his own reputation on the line, vouched for the authenticity of Paul’s conversion, and literally walked him by the hand into a meeting with the Apostles. As we now know, Paul ultimately became the all-time greatest theologian, evangelist and driving force of the church, but it was Barnabas who gave him his start.

We first met Barnabas back in Acts 4:35-37. Actually, his name was Joseph, but he had such a reputation for showing up and helping at just the right time that the Apostles nicknamed him Barnabas—which means, “son of encouragement.”

What a reputation to have! And what a needed ministry in the church today! There are probably a number of folks like Paul, trying to live down less than stellar reputations, who need to “draft” behind the reputation of someone like Barnabas for awhile.

Perhaps you can think of someone in your church, class or small group who just can’t seem to catch a break. Their reputation precedes them, and as a result, the group is reluctant to fully embrace them. What might happen if you came alongside them, like a Barnabas to a Paul, and poured your encouragement into their life. You never know, you just might release greatness in the next Paul!

So give ‘em a break, please!

“Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you.” ~William Arthur Ward

Reflect and Apply: Ask the Lord to show you where you need to risk an investment of encouragement in someone’s life today.