Acts 11:11-18

Acts 11:11-18
English Standard Version (ESV)

  There's a great Biblical history of people who decide against standing in God's way.  They recognize that God might be up to something, and so they go along with it, recognizing the futility of trying to oppose God.
  Granted, there are a lot of people who decide to try and oppose God.  It doesn't work out very well.  It would be like standing on a beach and telling a hurricane to turn around and head back out to sea -- one of us is a force to be reckoned with, while the other has overestimated my own power!  When God is at work, trying to see something through, it will be completed.  His Word goes out into the world and does not come back empty.
  That's why I don't worry about the future of the church.  With God behind it, the church will not be stopped.  The church may look different in 100 years than it does today, but there will still be a church.  There will always be a church.  To believe otherwise is to think that the ways of the world can thwart the church's appeal so powerfully that not one will still bow the knee to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
  But there will always be those who recognize that the abundant life can be found only in Christ, and so we get out of the way, joining in what the Holy Spirit is doing and glorifying God every step of the way!

Acts 11:1-10

Acts 11:1-10
English Standard Version (ESV)

  A community is a gift.
  So often we're trying to figure out what God is doing or how God is leading us.  On our own, we're left tossing questions back and forth in our minds.  In community, however, we receive the treasured gift of friends who are willing to engage in the discernment process with us, listening to what God is calling us to do, asking tough questions and helping us arrive at a better understanding of how God is on the move.
  Alone, it's a challenge to perceive the work of the Spirit.
  In community, we have others to confirm or correct what we think God is up to.
  So find a faith community, one that strengthens and encourages and challenges you, and dive in, with a willingness to be vulnerable and to help others hear how God is on the move!

Acts 10:44-48

Acts 10:44-48
English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles
  44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.

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   A co-worker recently ran the Boston marathon.  He described how challenging the race was and how poor he was feeling by the end of the race.  His experience was such that it affirmed my desire to never run for four hours straight.
  But imagine just keeping going after you cross the finish line of whatever race you're running, whether it's a 5k or a marathon or an ultramarathon.  Imagine getting excited to see the finish line fade in the rearview mirror as your momentum carries you forward, never stopping to rest on the laurels of what you have completed.
  That's what the Christian life is meant to be.  Baptism isn't a place to stop -- it's a starting point, a launching pad, a booster shot that launches the Christian life even deeper into relationship with Christ.  Here, the Gentiles are baptized, but they ask Peter to stick around for some days, because they want more.  Their appetites are growing stronger, and they want to learn more.  Baptism isn't their finish line -- they are just getting started, and they are hungry to learn about their faith, to grow and mature in their relationship with Christ.
  Are you still hungry for growth?  Are you still seeking Him?  It's easy to get comfortable and rest.  But we are called to dive deeper, to grow more, and to love more freely each and every day.

Acts 10:34-43

Acts 10:34-43
English Standard Version (ESV)

  At a certain point, we have to admit that there are things we simply cannot grasp about God -- there are ineffable qualities that escape our ability to comprehend.  We get into trouble when we become so certain of things that our minds cannot be changed, because then we stop listening to what God has to say because our minds have formed a certainty.
  It would have been easier for Peter to shut off his mind and stay focused on what has always been true.  Instead, what Peter does is listen to the Holy Spirit call him into a new understanding of the Gospel.  Peter could have remained in his old understanding that the Gospel was only for the Jews, but instead he allows God to change his mind, to challenge his way of thinking, and through Peter the Gospel flows into people who had not previously heard the Good News.
  It requires a certain humility to be a Christian, because we aren't God.  We don't know all the answers -- we understand what we can through the lens of Scripture, and we trust that God will give us the strength and wisdom to serve and love those around us.

Acts 10:17-33

Acts 10:17-33
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Spend enough time around people, and you can get a sense of what their primary motivation is.  Some people are easier to read than others, but you can eventually determine what drives people by studying their words and actions.
  Here, one gets the sense that Cornelius and Peter are guided by the Holy Spirit.  The way they talk -- there is a strong connection between their lives of prayer and their next steps.  These are men who invest heavily in their prayer lives, and then they follow up on what is revealed to them.  They expect God to guide them, and when God gives direction, they obey, even when it's unclear where this will lead.
  Now, our prayer lives are probably different.  We may not hear from the Holy Spirit in the same way Peter and Cornelius seem to.  But wouldn't it be wise to invest the same energy and time into our prayer lives, with the expectation that God will lead us?  I don't know what would happen next, but I imagine it would bear fruit that would draw us closer to God.

Acts 10:9-16

Acts 10:9-16
English Standard Version (ESV)

   Working makes me play the lottery more often.  Not every day or every week, but sometimes I'll stop by the store on the way home and buy a ticket with a (very small) chance of winning several hundred million dollars.  I think the idea of having lots and lots of money without having to do any work sounds rather great.
  We all like to get something for nothing.  We love the idea of an outsize reward for little work.  While we scoff at the signs on the side of the road that offer high pay for little work, there's a little voice inside us that hopes there is such an offer out there for us.
  When I read these 8 verses, I want the second part of the story, the vision that guides and leads, the voice from God that directs the feet, but I often don't want to put in the work that Peter does in the first part of the verse.  I want the direct benefits of a close relationship with God, but I often fail to put in the work necessary to draw near to God and train my heart to hear the Spirit speaking.
  So how do you make space to put in the time, to lead your heart into a closer relationship with God, to train your mind to focus on God and God alone?  It's hard, but the benefits of a close relationship with God requires that we design our lives to see everything through the lens of discipleship.  It's not about earning salvation, for that is a free gift.  It's about shaping our lives to let grace lead us into growing discipleship.

Acts 10:1-8

Acts 10:1-8
English Standard Version (ESV)

  I'm always amazed by the description of Cornelius.  He fears God, leads his household to worship God, gives generously and prays continuously.  And this is the man that the early church was debating whether or not gentiles should be admitted into the church.  They were so caught up on labels that they failed to see the man's integrity, the way that he lived his life, the man of faith that he was.  They couldn't see past the fact that he didn't come from the right tradition.
  I think people who live like this give us two choices.  One is that we can be jealous of how they lead their lives and we can try and tear them down, assuming bad things until we've brought them down to a more relatable level.  The other is to be inspired and take their example as a challenge, to see if we can live our lives in such a way that we set an example to others.  I don't think Cornelius did all these things to be noticed, but he was noticed due to the way that he lived his life.  So may we endeavor to live with integrity as well, giving generously and living in constant prayer, leading those around us to orient their lives around Christ.
 

Acts 9:32-43

Acts 9:32-43
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Easter is this amazing moment in the church -- we all stop and take a deep breath and marvel at what we believe.  We stop on Thursday and are amazed at the intimacy of the Last Supper, paying close attention to the last instructions that Jesus is giving his disciples in the precious hours before he is arrested.  We gather on Good Friday to soak in the sorrow of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, remembering with pain that it is our sin that holds him to the cross, that it is the great love of God that allows him to absorb the sinfulness of humanity so that the curtain might be torn in two, that we might have access to God.  On Easter, we gather together with unbounded joy to stare into the empty tomb and celebrate that death is not the end, that God's love triumphs over evil, that our sin does not determine our destiny.  What joy!
  These stories in Acts of the early church are all the more amazing when we consider how small the seed was -- 12 apostles, some faithful women, and a few others who followed Jesus, absorbing his teachings and wondering at his healing.  The Holy Spirit empowered them, sending them out into the world to do amazing things, and in every healing, in every miracle, we read that many believed the Lord.  They say what the apostles were doing and joined in the early church.  The acts of the apostles were not empty -- they planted seeds that bore fruit, that grew the Kingdom of God.
  And we join in this effort, for we are part of the same church.  Our actions should go forth and plant seeds, and as we act, as we love, as we serve, may the Holy Spirit enable others to believe.
  God is at work, conquering evil, spreading love, and we are part of his church.  To God be the Glory!

Acts 9:26-31

Acts 9:26-31
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Imagine there's a powerful king, so rich and isolated from the world that there's no way you could come before him and plead your case.  How grateful would you be if someone on the king's court took in interest in your case and brought you to make your case before the king himself?
  In Jesus Christ, we have an advocate who intercedes for us.  Even though we have no case to make for our innocence, Jesus cleanses us from our sin and makes it possible for us to stand before God in the throne room of heaven.  We are cleansed and covered in his righteousness.  We are pure because we are in him.
  When was the last time you were an advocate for someone else?  Here, Barnabas is an advocate for Paul, sticking his neck out and risking his reputation by standing up for what he believes in.
  I think that Christians often avoid sticking our necks out for anyone else.  We are comfortable and often isolated from the world, and we leave problems to others.  We don't risk our safety or comfort for anyone else.  In today's world, we sign an online petition or 'like' something on Facebook, but we don't get involved.
  Christ calls us to intercede for others, especially those without a voice of their own.  We are called to get involved, to get our hands dirty in other people's lives, to join in their struggles and joys and to share what we have.

Acts 9:19-25

Acts 9:19-25
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Things can change pretty quickly.  One day, Saul is ready to arrest Christians and have them thrown in jail for worshiping Jesus Christ.  The next week, God has performed a dramatic change in his life, and from that point forward he is used by God as a champion of Christianity.  The church isn't the same due to the work of God, the intervention in a dramatic way to change the shape and future of Saul, now Paul.
  Think of these Jews, too.  One week they're looking at Saul as a hero, persecuting the Christians who they see as breaking away from traditional Judaism.  The next week, they're wondering what happened to their champion and why he is encouraging the Christians and inviting others to come and join the church.  Things change quickly.
  So when we look at people around us, when we make judgments, may we be careful.  May we recognize that God can do amazing things in the life of his beloved children.  No one is too lost, too far gone, too distant from God to have their life transformed by grace.  God pursues, God loves, God redeems, God transforms.  So may we be willing to let God work in the lives of those around us, and may we give thanks for the work God has done in ours.

Acts 9:10-19

Acts 9:10-19
English Standard Version (ESV)

  We love rewards.  It's part of our nature -- kids love to be rewarded for their good behavior.  Adults like to be rewarded for hard work.  We like to be rewarded for being good friends, for being good people -- often, people go out of their way to ensure they are noticed for good behavior.  I always have a heightened sense of admiration for celebrities who try and do kind things without dragging along a news camera crew.
  But what if we don't always get the reward we think we deserve?  Imagine you're Ananias -- you're a disciple, faithful and dedicated to the church.  As a reward, your next mission is being sent by God to visit the most violent persecutor of the church.  You're sent to a man who might be ready to throw you in jail.  The reward for your faithfulness might be death.
  It's hard to understand this using a mindframe that is shaped by the idea that material rewards should follow our faithfulness.  Being sent into hard situations to deal with difficult people probably didn't feel like a reward.  Ananias wondered just what God was up to.  Didn't Ananias deserve a better fate?
  God, instead, uses our lives on this earth to shape us, to mold us, to prepare us for the life that is still to come.  Our reward for faithfully following Jesus is an eternity with God in heaven.  Our reward for faithfulness here on earth is a closer walk with him.  That doesn't always translate into material rewards - sometimes life seems like it gets harder as Christ draws us into selfless and sacrificial living.  Christ is trying to empty us of ourselves so that we may be filled by the grace and love of God -- but this isn't easy.  The reward of eternal life isn't shaped or determined by how much we do or how well we do it -- it's determined by Christ's gift on the cross.
  God is trying to get us away from the mindset that everything depends on us, and he's trying to teach us that our life is not only about what happens here on earth.  There is so much more than we can see, and it's all a gift of the Holy Spirit.  So let us broaden our vision and accept what comes, be it easy or hard, and recognize that faithfulness leads us deeper and closer to God, and the rewards of eternal life will be far beyond what the mind can grasp.

Acts 9:1-9

Acts 9:1-9
English Standard Version (ESV)

  We often have such certainty about the road ahead.  Even if we wouldn't say it, we act like we know exactly how the days or the weeks will unfold.  We are so accustomed to the way that things are that we assume that's the way they will always be.
  Often, God has different intentions.  What this means is that we are called to hold lightly onto our plans, trusting our futures to God.  While it's necessary to plan for the future, we aren't in control, so we have to leave room for God to call us in new directions.  We're to be flexible, and we are to be humble.  God has much in store for the future, but so little is revealed to us.  If the future doesn't turn out like we imagine it might or it should, we aren't to be disappointed, but rather to trust that God is using that to proclaim his name and build his kingdom.  Our plans shouldn't be so buttoned down as to eliminate any room for the Holy Spirit.  We are to remain humble and dependent on God, trusting him for vision and for whatever may come.

Acts 8:31-40

Acts 8:31-40
English Standard Version (ESV)

  So when good things happen that we play a role in, we naturally want some of that credit to go our way. If I help someone out and something amazing happens to them, I can't help but want to see a little sunshine come my way through recognition.  Our egos love to get attention and be recognized for what we do.
  Philip does an amazing thing here.  He shows up at the right place and time, he listens to the question, and then he points to how Jesus is at work.  After Philip talks about the amazing work of God throughout history, the Ethiopian decides to delve into a deeper relationship with God.  At this point, Philip departs and leaves the man rejoicing on his way.  Philip gets back to work.
  Philip played a key role in all of this, but it's not about Philip, and Philip doesn't wander around looking for recognition.  He shows up and points to Jesus, and leaves the man in a deeper relationship with God and rejoicing on his way.  I would love to leave people in such a state.  May we seek to serve so selflessly that the Holy Spirit uses us to sow joy around us!

Acts 8:26-30

Acts 8:26-30
English Standard Version (ESV)

  I love solving other people's problems.  It's always refreshing to have the chance to tell other people how to fix their lives.  Plus, when I spend time solving other people's problems, I don't have to worry about my own.
  The Christian church has, in its history, often been great at solving the problems of others.  The church hasn't always approached society with humility in heart, ready to listen and love selflessly.  The church often comes with a solution before stopping to hear what the problem might be.
  It would have been easy for Philip to show up at the chariot with a solution.  Philip has seen a lot, and he knows that Jesus is the answer.  He could have showed up and just started preaching at the Ethiopian until he relented.
  Instead, he shows up with a question, willing to listen, there to help.  He asks first, listens first, and only then begins to speak.  He's willing to be humble and start where the Ethiopian is, rather than simply barging in with what he presumes to be the right answer.

Acts 8:14-25

Acts 8:14-25
English Standard Version (ESV)

  My first reaction to this story is always the same -- Lighten up, Peter.  He just wants in -- he's just a little confused.
  But I think Peter isn't reacting to the motive so much as he wants to set a precedent.  Think of what happens to the early Christian movement if people start to believe that you have to buy your way in.  Imagine how many people are denied access, or don't even try and gain access, if they see the grace of God as another commercial endeavor, some good to be bartered and sold to the highest bidder.  The rich would occupy the loftiest positions, and the poor would be left out once more.  It would be the opposite of the radical Gospel that is proclaimed.
  So Peter rebukes the effort to buy one's way into the church, and he reminds Simon, and all who can hear, that the grace of God is not something to be bought and sold.  Our money is no good when it comes to grace, for God's economy works completely differently than our own.  We can be rich in grace and poor in money, and we can be poor in grace and wealthy in money, and any combination of the two, but our dollars and cents will never change the way we are seen in God's eyes.  It is not money that is the root of all evil, but the love of money, and if we love money (whether or not we have it), that will interfere with our relationship with God.
  So may we come to God as we are, so often poor in spirit, and receive what is lavished upon us by a generous and loving God.

Acts 8:9-13

Acts 8:9-13
English Standard Version (ESV) 

  It's always significant when you can win over the expert.  There's a certain joy in winning over someone who is perceived to be the hardest to convince.  When you've got that person sold, then you really feel good about what you've done.
  Here, Simon is considered to be someone great.  Other people think the power of God is working in him.  But when Philip shows up and preaches the Good News, Simon is ready to believe.  He is baptized and continues with Philip as a disciple, for he has been convinced, through Word and deed, that his next step is submission to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
  One of the things we find in the world today is that some people believe they are too intelligent to be Christians -- they don't think that an intellectual approach can find Christianity rigorous enough.  People have believed that for years, and yet every attack on the faith has been found wanting.  The Holy Spirit is always at work in the hearts and minds of all people, trying to open their eyes to the work God is doing in the world.  So no matter where one stands in society's views, God is reaching out to them through the words and deeds of others, showing them the truth of the Gospel.

Acts 8:4-8

Acts 8:4-8
English Standard Version (ESV)

  When someone is trying to sell me something, I want to know if they're using their own product.  Do they believe in the product enough to use it?  Does their live demonstrate the truth of what they say?
  In Samaria, where Philip was preaching the Word, there were actions and signs that backed up his preaching.  Unclean spirits were cast out, paralytics were healed -- there was evidence of the truth behind Philip's words.
  When we proclaim the Gospel, do our lives demonstrate that we trust in God's Word?  Do our actions demonstrate how we acknowledge Christ as Lord of all, of our time and our money and our work?  We don't have to be perfect, but our lives should show that we are striving to serve Christ in word and deed.  There should be evidence when people look behind the curtain to see if our life matches our words.
  Inevitably, joy follows the Gospel.  When the Gospel is changing lives, joy follows.  The Holy Spirit transforms lives, and people see the freedom made possible in the Gospel -- and they are released from anxiety and worry, and into joy.