Sunday, April 26,
2015, 3:00 p.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Teach Them.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Acts 23-26 (Selected vv. NASB).
Trials and
Tribulations
Paul was arrested in Jerusalem and was placed in the
barracks for protection from the angry mobs (Chap. 22). The next day he
appeared before the Sanhedrin. That meeting ended in a violent dispute between
the Pharisees and the Sadducees over the subject of the resurrection of the
dead. Jesus then made an appearance to Paul the next night and told him to take
courage, because just as he had testified about Jesus in Jerusalem, he would do
also in Rome. The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and plotted how
they might ambush and kill Paul. Paul’s nephew overheard the plot, so he told
Paul, who then told one of the centurions, who then told the commander. So, the
commander arranged for Paul to be taken in the night to Caesarea where he would
appear before Governor Felix (Chap. 23).
Five days later, Paul appeared before Felix on false charges,
which were presented by Ananias, the high priest, and some of the Jewish elders
and a lawyer. Paul was charged with being a troublemaker who stirred up riots
and who desecrated the temple. Paul defended himself against these charges,
asserting that his accusers could not support the charges they made against him.
Felix adjourned the proceedings after he heard Paul’s defense. Paul was then kept
under guard but was allowed some freedom and visitors. Felix sent for Paul
frequently, hoping Paul would offer him a bribe, but Paul, I believe, continued
to speak to him about faith in Jesus Christ and about righteousness,
self-control and the judgment to come. This went on for two years and then
Felix was succeeded by Festus (Chap. 24).
Now the charges against Paul were brought before Festus in
Jerusalem. The Jewish leaders requested to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem
because, once again, they were preparing an ambush to kill him. Nearly two
weeks went by. Festus was now back in Caesarea where he called Paul before him.
The Jews once again brought charges against Paul which they could not prove.
Paul defended himself once again against these false accusations. Then Festus
asked Paul if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial. Paul
certainly must have known what that would mean for him, so he refused, and then
he appealed to Caesar. So Festus declared he would go to Caesar (Chap. 25).
Perhaps you can identify with Paul, at least to some degree.
Jesus said that, as his followers, we would face the same kind of treatment as he
had faced. He said we would be hated and persecuted, and that some of us would
be put to death for our faith in Jesus, and for our testimonies for him. The
scriptures warn us of prisons, hardships, persecutions, beatings, false accusations,
mistreatment, rejection, and abandonment, etc. – all because we follow Jesus
Christ with our lives and we give testimony to what he did for us in dying for
our sins, and because we hold to the teachings of Christ and of the apostles
and we teach that we must die with Christ to sin and that we must be reborn of
the Spirit of God. Jesus told his brothers that the world hated him because he
told them the truth about their wickedness. And, when we speak the truth, even
in love, we, too, will be hated.
Get Up and Stand
A few days later King Agrippa and his wife Bernice arrived
in Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. Festus discussed Paul’s case with
the king. The king said he would like to hear Paul himself. So, the next day
Paul appeared before King Agrippa, Festus and others. Festus told the king that
he had found that Paul had done nothing deserving of death, but since Paul had
appealed to Caesar, Festus had decided to send Paul to Rome. So, now Festus was
looking for the king’s input on Paul’s case, hoping he would give him some
insight into what he should write to the Emperor concerning Paul (Chap. 25).
King Agrippa then gave Paul permission to speak for himself.
So, he began his defense. Once again Paul shared his testimony concerning his
past life as a Pharisee and as a persecutor of Christians, but how he met Jesus
on the road to Damascus, which is where he had intended to arrest and persecute
even more followers of Jesus Christ (Chap. 26).
“While
so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of
the chief priests, at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven,
brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with
me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in
the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you
to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said,
‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But get up and stand on your feet; for
this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness
not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I
will appear to you; rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles,
to whom I am sending you, to open their eyes so that they may turn from
darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive
forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith
in Me.’
“So,
King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, but kept
declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then
throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should
repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. For this
reason some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death. So,
having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and
great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take
place; that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection
from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people
and to the Gentiles.” ~ Ac. 26:12-23
The assignment that Paul was given to do by the Lord is
really not that much different than what we have all been assigned to do, for
Jesus’ instruction to Paul was essentially that he preach (share/teach) the
gospel message of salvation. Because of what Jesus Christ did in dying on the
cross for our sins, and in putting our sin to death, and in being raised from the
dead triumphant over sin and death, we are able to receive this great gift of
salvation by faith, which is also a gift from God. This faith involves us dying
with Christ to our old lives of living for sin and self, us being transformed
(reborn) of the Spirit of God, and us now living and walking in the Spirit and
no longer according to the flesh, not in our own strength, but in the power and
the working of the Spirit within us as we cooperate fully with God’s work of
grace in our lives.
When Jesus was about to leave this earth he
instructed his followers to go and to make disciples (of Christ) of all
peoples, baptizing them and teaching them to obey all things that Christ had
commanded them. He also told them that when the Holy Spirit came upon them that
they would be his witnesses throughout the earth. When Jesus walked the face of
this earth he also told his followers that they were the light and salt of the
earth, and that they were not to hide their lights, but were to let them shine
before mankind. We now receive the Holy Spirit when we receive God’s gift of
salvation into our lives by faith in Jesus Christ and in what he did for us in
dying for our sins. So, we, as followers of Christ, are also called to share
the gospel of salvation and to make disciples (of Christ) of people throughout
the earth by teaching them to obey Christ’s commands (instructions) to us.
When we share the gospel and when we teach believers
the instructions of Christ, which include the teachings of Christ’s apostles,
we are opening blinded eyes to the truth, and we are, if we are teaching the
true gospel message, turning them from darkness (sin) to light (God’s
righteousness and holiness). And, we are turning them away from the power of
Satan over their lives, where he had held them in bondage to sin, and we are
leading them to God/Christ in pointing the way to salvation (freedom) and to living
and walking in Christ’s righteousness and holiness. We do so in order that they
might receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified
(purified) by faith in Jesus Christ. If we are not leading anyone to turn from
sin, and if we are not leading them to walk in obedience to Christ, in his
righteousness and holiness, in the power of the Spirit, then we are not leading
them to being forgiven of their sin and to being purified by true faith in Christ
Jesus.
In response to Jesus’ call on Paul’s life, he
preached that Jew and Gentile alike must repent of (turn from) sin and turn to
God, to follow him in truth and in obedience to his teachings (instructions),
and to prove their repentance by their deeds. It is not enough to just pray a
prayer to receive Christ if it is not accompanied by genuine repentance and by
following Jesus in obedience and in surrender to his will for our lives. Genuine
faith in Jesus Christ is shown by what we do. If we believe Jesus died to free
us from slavery to sin, and yet we continue in willful sin against God, then
how is that faith? If we say we love God, or if we say we know God and that we
are in fellowship with him, but we continue in sinful lifestyles and we do not
follow him in obedience, then we are liars. The grace of God that brings
salvation teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to
live self-controlled and upright lives while we wait for Christ’s return. This is
what we must teach.
(See: Lu. 9:23-25; Jn. 10:27-30; Ac. 26:16-18; Ro. 6-8; 2
Co. 5:15; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 2:8-10; 4:17-24; Tit. 2:11-14; 1 Pet. 2:24-25; &
1 Jn. 1-5).
Teach Them / An Original Work /
May 24, 2012
Based off various
scriptures
Open
up the blinded eyes of
Those
who walk in sin’s darkness.
Turn
them to the light of Christ
And
to His righteousness.
Turn
them from the pow’r of Satan.
Turn
them to the peace of Christ,
So
they may receive forgiveness
And
eternal life.
Teach
them to put off their old selves
And
their former way of life,
And
to put on their new self,
Reborn
to be like Christ;
To
not copy worldly customs;
Be
transformed in life and mind;
Obey
freely His word in them,
Pleasing
unto God.
Teach
them how to love their neighbors
Truly
as they love themselves;
Be
a witness; share the gospel;
Satan’s
lies dispel;
Comfort
all who mourn in sadness;
Share
Christ’s love and joy today.
Do
this through your life and witness
For
your Lord always.
No comments:
Post a Comment