Colossians chapter 1

Taken from notes made from sermons by Sam Gordon, Truth for Today

Recently I have been reading Acts of the Apostles and in particular Paul's 3 missionary journeys. When I think about all those little groups of people who believed the message of the gospel and then started churches in their local towns I cannot help but admire them. I know how the Philippian church came about with Lydia, a damsel and the jailer being converted along with their families. Then how the church at Ephesus grew with Paul remaining there for 2 years as he taught them. Colosse is not one of those towns I had read about and yet there is a letter written by Paul to this church and included in our bibles. A man called Epaphras must have heard the gospel message, believed and took it back to his own people. Colosse was not far from Ephesus and by all accounts this church was growing. When Paul was in prison in Rome he heard about this church. It thrilled his heart to learn about this group of believers so he sent a letter commending them for their faith - a faith which was producing so many results people were talking about them. In his opening words Paul sets out a model on how to pray as he does for them. Thanks first then intercession. There will be results Paul tells them if they follow this pattern.

When we look back through the bible we see so many examples of people who prayed for others. Moses, Samuel, David, Nehemiah, Hezekiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Jesus himself prayed for his disciples on the night before he died. Now we see a man lying in a prison cell facing ultimately his death and he prays for people he has never met nor yet will meet. What an example to follow.

Paul did his business on his knees. The communication lines were always open. An ordinary man but conscious of the nearness of God in every circumstance - that was his secret. God conscious and people conscious.

I thought yesterday about the prayers of Paul for this little church he had never visited but heard of through Epaphras.

Today I looked at the reason for writing this letter. What was happening in this church was a mixing of beliefs. So Paul wanted these believers to have a better understanding of Jesus. Knowing the real Jesus helps us to stay away from the counterfeit no matter how it comes packaged.

Paul had heard of their faith and he acknowledges that in these opening verses but he subtly reminds them how their faith is one that reaches up to Christ the pioneer and perfector of our faith and then reaches around to all the saints. It is a faith rooted in heaven itself. That gospel was reaching all over the world and bearing fruit. God was moving by his Spirit in the lives of ordinary people who were being transformed by God's grace.

I was reminded as I read these words in the opening verses that this is what has happened in my life - faithful ministry (like Epaphras) had preached the gospel of Jesus Christ, then the Holy Spirit had shown me my sin and God's love and the fruit was grace in truth in my life. But the evidence needs to be seen and shared. Here is the challenge - if someone was to write about me would they know about my faith, my love but more importantly God's grace in my life?

In this opening chapter of Colossians Paul has a prayer that he prays for his readers - verse 9 to 11. It is basically for them to grow deeper in their relationship with God. Imagine if we prayed this for our family members, our friends and church members. It is certainly not something I would have included in my prayers - I tend to think more of the practical and physical needs but forget the spiritual aspect. Paul shows what will happen if we do pray for this - it will lead to wisdom and understanding. Wisdom means we are wise to what God has to do in any given circumstance and understanding is getting on with it.

This is a prayer for not just family and friends but for our pastors, elders, new believers and the church around the world as well as ourselves. If we prayed this prayer surely we would see results. And what are they?

A worthy walk - verse 10
A fruitful life - verse 10
Growth
Strength - verse 11
Endurance

Paul reminds us to give thanks to God for our salvation, our inheritance and our deliverance. Faith in Christ is about a relationship he has given us through Jesus Christ and has also promised that one day we will truly be able to say thank you when we get to heaven. Surely that gives us pause to thank him for it today.

Colossians 1 – 10 marks of a healthy church

Faith is real – verse 4 – cf verses 13 and 14 – not phoney. Real McCoy. Authentic. Ring of reality. Rescued – darkness to light. Death to life. Forgiveness.

Love is inclusive – verse 4 – “all the saints”. None left out. Not those we like or who like us, or those we would like to like us! No cliques. Ground is level at Calvary.

Hope is vibrant – verses 5 and 12 – an inheritance in the kingdom. Jesus is coming. Burns on the altar. Keeps us going day after day. See verse 27.

God is known – verses 15 – 20 – the great Creator, eternal One, Sustainer, the one who holds it all in sync, one who specialises in relationships – mercy, love and grace.

People are important – verses 7 and 8 - where people are valued for who they are – “fellow servant”. And for what they do – “faithful minister”. Our best/finest assets. Togetherness. No class distinction.

Christ is central – verse 18 – that’s how he is in God’s order. Should be the focus of our adoration, worship and service. Where Jesus is Number One. The centre of attention and attraction. Not on the edge!

Biblical truth is proclaimed – verse 28 – teaching the whole counsel of God. The big picture. Doctrines of grace and glory. Truth may be out of fashion, it’s not out of date.

Christians are growing – verses 9 to 11 – making progress. One step at a time. Going forward. Being all that God wants us to be. Maturity. Evidence – more today than this time last year. Not stunted.

Humility is genuine – verse 29 – sense of personal weakness – God is attracted to it. Dependence on God. Vulnerability. Doesn’t have it all together. “struggling” – even though he’s the crème de la crème!

Passion for souls – verse 6 – not insular or parochial. Blinkers off to a big world out there of desperate need. Reaching out to others. Near and far – across the street then around the world. A burden.

 

DAILY GRACE BY GEORGE M PHILIP

"Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God and Timotheus our brother. To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse. Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." verses 1 and 2

Saints because God had called them in Christ through the gospel and they were marked out and set apart as God's believing people. They had been "engraced" individually and corporately. God's people in that city were called to live for him not in some isolated monastic kind of situation but right there in the middle of so much that was contrary to God and ignorant of him.  

• Salt of society restraining corruption and advancement of it. 
• Light of the world shining in midst of real moral and spiritual darkness. 
• Set apart for God but not trying to cut themselves off from any contact with those in need of Christian influence. 

Be like Jesus, separate from sinners yet friend of sinners. Do I understand who I am, what I believe and what I have in Christ?  In this greeting Paul directs both minds and hearts to God from whom all blessings flows. Paul does not hope that God's grace will be with us. He assures us that God's spontaneous freely given, all sufficient loving kindness, favour and enabling will be with us. God's peace will also be with us bringing with it the assurance that we are in his hand and always in his presence.  The 2 words "grace" and "peace" speak of the Father's pleasure in his children.  Numbers 6 verses 22 to 27 Aaronic blessing. John 14 verse 27 peace the world can neither give nor take away.

"We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ praying always for you. Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which ye have to all the saints. For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven whereof ye heard before is the word of the truth of the gospel." verses 3 to 5

Faith looks to Christ as the only hope of salvation; it commits itself in discipleship and draws upon the life and power that are in Christ. By faith we are in Christ and Christ is in us. The first and continuing expression of that Christ-life in us is that we will love those who are in Christ. It will also have the effect of making us desire to draw others in to share this life and fellowship. Love is real and practical not sentimental and superficial. It means we act lovingly without necessarily waiting for the feelings of others. We love because he first loved us. Paul links love with hope, revealing it as the inspiration and power behind both faith and love. We are saved in hope and that means that while there is certainty in salvation there is always a "not yet element in our experience." As we set our eyes and hearts on heaven, the hope of victory and Jesus coming again that both faith and love are kept strong and fresh.

"For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel which is come unto you, as it is in all the world and bringeth forth fruit as it doth also in you since the day ye heard of it and knew the grace of God in truth. As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellow servant who is for you a faithful minister of Christ. who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit." verses 5 to 8

The message of the gospel has to do with certainties and faith lays hold on these when they are preached because faith comes by hearing the message as the word about Christ is declared. This was the preaching people heard when Epaphras came to them, and exactly the same gospel is still being preached throughout the world. Salvation and life are in Christ and Christ alone. Note Paul's confidence in the gospel and in the preaching of it. He had seen its power in men's lives and he believed that wherever it is preached it will have the same effect. it will bring people in Christ confirming them in their faith, building them up in character, conviction and service. He thrilled to the gospel. There is a great human and spiritual warmth in Paul's description of Epaphras. He is described as a faithful minister or servant of Christ and indeed to Paul as well as to the Colossians.  Paul is affirming their coming to Christ, their growth in faith, hope, love and fellowship and indeed the whole ministry of Epaphras which began in the church in Colosse, all these were the work of the Holy Spirit.  Love to Christ and to his people and commitment to his work are the marks above all else of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. These opening verses prepare for the connection and instruction Paul is about to give. These believers were being drawn away by teachers promising them "knowledge" and "special ways of spiritual advance and initiations into holiness through self-denials all of which were false.

"For this cause we also since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." verses 9 and 10

Paul now states specifically what he asks for the Colossians in his prayers. This passage begins with Paul's prayer and develops into an exposition of the work and the person of Christ. This prison prayer could well be read along with Paul's other prison prayers in Philippians 1 verses 9 to 11, Ephesians 1 verses 15 to 23 and 3 verses 14 to 21. 

Jesus commanded his disciples to pray that God would send labourers into a world where the harvest was ripe for reaping - Matthew 9 verses 36 to 38; John 4 verse 35.

This is an ongoing work, as Paul makes plain, and he prays that the Christians will ever more fully enter into all that God has for them in Christ. Paul desires for them first of all knowledge of God's will. But this is not the kind of knowledge, secrets or techniques that initiate people into some special category of spiritual life. It is knowledge of God's will: not that we may be able to share all the mind of God but that we might have an ever fuller grasp of his purposes, his ways, his methods and his objectives. It is the business of knowing God, by learning what God is like and that is acquired only by studying his word.'

This knowledge of God's will is not merely head knowledge and certainly not vague speculation or philosophizing. It is knowledge of the Scriptures in Spirit-given understanding. Paul is not speaking here of blinding flashes of revelation whereby we know at once what God is saying to us, although God reserves the right to work that way if he so chooses. Rather, we have to see here reference to the exercising of our faculties of thought and understanding whereby we come to have a clear grasp of what God wants us to do. But this knowledge and understanding will never be total. There are things it is best we do not know about and that is when we must simply trust God.

The increase or filling of spiritual wisdom that Paul prays for is not to make people satisfied with themselves or think that they are superior to others The aim is to enable them to live lives worthy of God, pleasing to him in all the different areas of life. It has to do with seeking and knowing the will of God before launching out into activity, and at the same time believing that God does and will guide us step by step. It is all wholly God-centred and very practical. The objective is to please God.

Living like this, abiding in Christ, we will bear fruit. And in the process we will grow in grace, laying aside things that are essentially childish and irresponsible and as sons and daughters of God become mature, grown up and dependable. Living to please God is to be our aim.

"Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness." verse 11

In Christ we have in fact been provided with all the inward strength and power needed. We must recognize that we have been given all things necessary for life and godliness. By faith we must appropriate the potential that is ours through the indwelling Spirit who has been given to us.

The power we have is nothing less than the victorious, resurrection power of our Lord Jesus Christ, spoken of here as "all power" and "according to (or on the scale of) his glorious might. The issue of this power working in us is spoken of in terms of endurance, patience and joy, and this leads on in the next verse to thanksgiving. These are the marks of the believer who is living in the power of the Holy Spirit

This picture Paul paints is of life in Christ, a life not subject to nor qualified by the pressures of circumstances, nor by the activities of the devil. If we can grasp the potential we have, then in Christ, all things really are possible.

Look carefully at the "graces" mentioned so that we will be able to recognize the marks of true Christian experience. Endurance is the spirit that persists and goes on in spite of all. It has more to do with "slog" than obvious success. Patience is longsuffering which is the opposite of impulsive retaliation. It is concerned with coping with frustrations and with people and is the opposite of a hasty spirit. Joy is basically a quality of and an attitude to life rather than just excited emotion. It is not something we go looking for, nor something we try to produce or stir up within ourselves. We could almost say that joy is accidental because we find it or it registers within us as we go on our way concentrating on pleasing God and serving him.

Joy comes when our minds and hearts are centred on God and we begin to realize how glorious God is and what a great salvation we have from him. Joy is not just enjoyment of blessings. Its settling is in the context of service and suffering. It was for the joy set before him that Jesus endured the cross, scorning the shame

"Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." verses 12 to 14

Paul makes 3 great statements concerning the comprehensiveness of the salvation that is ours in Jesus Christ. We have been qualified to share the inheritance of the saints; we have been rescued from the dominion of darkness; and we have been brought into the kingdom of God's Son. It is on the basis of these facts that we live our lives and begin to see the ground we have for thanksgiving. It is all about what God has done for us. God the Father Almighty has qualified us, in the sense of giving us entitlement to a magnificent inheritance. But we do not have to wait until we die to inherit. Paul is speaking about life here and now. God has brought us into his blessing to share it with all his people. We are accepted for Jesus' sake, not because we deserve it. 

The best corrective to a critical spirit is a sense of the wonder and privilege granted to us in having a place at all in the family of God

This leads us in verses 13 and 14 to the thought of delight and enjoyment in the kingdom of God's beloved Son. When we speak of having been delivered, we recognize that apart from Christ we were in fact not free but in bondage. Paul insists that there is no reason for Christian believers to be victims of atmosphere, culture or any other kind of pressure, because in and through the death and resurrection of Christ the whole kingdom of the devil has been overthrown and robbed of its power. The devil is a defeated foe. He no longer has any rights over us. We stand our ground, refusing all his intimidation and accusation. This is our right in Christ.

The Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us took our sins in his own body and died to pay their price. The payment made to set us free was a costly one indeed and we must never forget that. Salvation may be free but it is not cheap and we must remember this whenever we witness or preach.

"Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him and for him. And he is before all things and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence." verses 15 to 18

These verses detail the glorious person of Christ. He has already been described as God's beloved Son, the object and focus of the total affection of the Father's heart. Now he is referred to as the executive of all God's plans and purposes. Before time began, when the world was called into being, down the ages, and right through to the final consummation of history, Jesus Christ is Lord. This is the Jesus who said all power had been given to him and this is the Jesus who dwells in our hearts by faith. He is the full, perfect expression of all God is, as Jesus said to Philip in John 14 verses 8 to 11.

These verses were originally written for the instruction and encouragement of new converts living in a godless society.  Jesus is described now as Lord over all creation. The whole order of creation has its completeness as well as its beginning in relation to Christ. Apart from Christ it has no meaning or significance and becomes a bewildering enigma and increasingly frightening. 

There is a tremendous grandeur in the sweep of verse 16. All that can be seen and in measure understood, together with all that is real but remains invisible and beyond human capacity to understand, let alone control, together with thrones or powers or rulers or authorities" (whether good or evil), all things were created through him and for him. They are all for his use in carrying out the great and gracious purpose of the Father. This glorious Saviour is before all things and in him, by him, in relation to him, all things cohere and hold together.

Christ the Lord of creation is also Christ the Lord of providence. The continuance of creation, all we mean by history is not indiscriminate. It is carefully kept and maintained by the word of God. If Jesus is Lord of providence then there is progress right through history until he brings it to its planned fulfilment. 

We tend to forget the fact that there is a hand that guides and a heart that plans and as a result we lose a great deal of peace and encouragement. God knows his children are often not aware of his presence and activity. 

In verse 18 Christ is declared to be Lord of the church. Imagine what this must have meant to the small group of believers in the pagan city of Colosse, feeling things were against them, battling hard and perhaps tempted to despair. This glorious Christ, the eternal, pre-existent one, the beloved Son of God, the mighty Victor, is the head of the church, which is his body. This means not only that the church is united to Christ, who is its head, but also that the church is the means whereby all that Christ is and wills to do is expressed in the world. The church is vitalized by Christ's presence, energized by his power, directed and controlled by his wisdom and is his instrument in the world for carrying out his work on a scale far vaster than just in one locality.

Christ is the only head of the church and he is leading, disciplining and perfecting the whole body and its activity. We are not divided. We are one body in Christ and Christ in all his glory is present in his church, holding it and all its aspects in the right hand of his power.  This was a message the Colossians needed to hear.

"For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell. And having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself, by him. I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven. verses 19 and 20

We now see Christ as the Lord of redemption. God the Father is the subject of the sentence and this takes us right into the eternal counsels of God in his perfect plan and purpose for salvation. At the heart of the eternal plan, embodying every aspect of it, there stands Christ. It was the Father's will that all fulness should dwell in his Son, who stands unique and pre-eminent; the Son in whom the Father is ever well pleased. 

This Jesus is the one Mediator between God and man and we need no other in order to come to God and prove the glorious salvation which God has worked for us through him. 

The affirmations that all "fulness" is in Christ and that an undivided Christ is in us who believe by the Holy Spirit are necessary correctives to a variety of hazy and emotional ideas about salvation and victorious Christian living. Paul's statement in verse 20 is also necessary for clear thinking. It concerns the fact of a once-for-all, never-to-be-repeated, decisive act by God whereby, through Jesus Christ, he made peace through the atoning death of the cross. The only way to understand the cross is to see that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself. It was God who ordained that Christ should be made sin for us. It was God who laid on Christ the iniquity of us all. It was God who delivered him up to the death of the cross. And when Christ died, once for all, he made full atonement for sin and secured for us eternal redemption.

Peace with God was made by virtue of the shedding of the blood of the Son as a sacrifice for sin, paying its price and meeting its judgment in full. we must see that our salvation rests in a peace that God has made. In that peace we are reconciled to God, by God himself, so that there is no longer any condemnation or separation and we are harmonious fellowship with him. This is both peace and joy and it opens the door to limitless possibility and thrill.

The reconciliation God accomplished is not limited to humanity, but applies to the whole order of creation and created beings, whether on earth or in heaven. In Colossians Paul is still dealing with the completeness of the plan of God and that includes the redemption of the natural order of creation, which was dragged down into bondage by the fall of man. Paul emphasizes that God's perfect plan, in Christ will not be frustrated and the end will be a new order of existence from which all alien influences will be banished for ever.

"And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled. In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight. If we continue in the faith grounded and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister." verses 21 to 23

Paul now speaks of their personal salvation. He reminds them vividly of what they had been in relation to God apart from Christ. They were by nature estranged from God, alienated from him, separated from his presence, enemies not friends. This alienation was not a superficial one caused by certain actions; it involved their minds, the deepest part of their beings, their essential disposition. This inward rebellion and enmity towards God had manifested itself in evil actions. It was because they were sinners by nature that they manifested in their lives evil deeds that were contrary to God. As a result they were under his wrath and condemnation. This is what it means to be a sinner, separated from God. It is a condition of total hopelessness, total inability to better your condition and total bondage.

The difference salvation makes is total. Sinners who were outside are brought inside, reconciled to God and accepted as full and valid members of his household. All this happened to the Colossians through the death of Christ, the Son of God, who took our fleshly nature, lived our life, was tempted just as we are yet without sin and died for us.

Paul has already spoken of peace through the blood of the cross and now speaks of peace by Christ's physical body (verse 22). This confirms to the Colossians the reality of the incarnation. It emphasizes the fact that he was born to die. There may also be in Paul's mind some connection in thought between "in his body" and "the body, the church" (verse 18). If we are in Christ we are in his body which is the church. This means we are together in him as members of his body, belonging and functioning together with Christ as the head. we are members one of another; we belong; we have function and significance, working together in harmony, complementing each other. 

God's objective in this marvellous work of salvation and reconciliation is to present us together in his presence in flawless perfection faultless and stainless. The end makes all the cost worthwhile and we should be utterly amazed at the sheer dimension of God's plans for us. We have a destiny of glory. In that glory no finger of reproach will ever be pointed at us; not just because it is God who justifies; not just because the devil, the accuser, has been banished to his own terrible place; but because God's perfect work in us has been brought to completion to the praise of his glorious grace. Cleansed of every spot and stain of sin we shall be able to stand before God; perhaps then we will understand the price that was paid for our salvation and realize at last just how much we owe our Saviour.

We must continue in the faith. We must not go back. We must build ourselves up in our faith, desiring both the milk and meat of God's Word. We must fight the good fight of faith if we are to lay hold on eternal life. There is no escape from the battle and after the first flush of spiritual enthusiasm, it is the grace of perseverance that confirms the vitality of our spiritual experience.

"Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church." verse 24

In Christian experience conflict and victory go together and claiming and realizing Christ's victory in our lives brings us into what Paul elsewhere calls the fellowship of his sufferings.

It seems that some false teachers in Colosse were preaching a spirituality that would lead to a "higher" kind of experience in which battles became a thing of the past. Paul is seeking to shift the eyes of the Colossians away from preoccupation with their own spiritual experience to the glorious picture of the worldwide preaching of the gospel. 

Paul has already spoken of Christ as the head of the church (verse 18) and the head and the body belong together. Now Paul brings together in a very positive way his personal battles and sufferings as a minister, the continuing experience of the Colossian believers, the life and work of the church throughout the world, and the afflictions or sufferings of Christ. He insists that individual and corporate experiences are not to be separated. 

The battles and struggles we go through in Christ have significance in places and among people with whom we have no direct contact at all. Paul had never been to Colosse but he sees his sufferings in various places as being some mysterious but glorious way, part of the ongoing work of Christ the Suffering Servant. It means in practical terms that, as we seek to stand in Christ, to grow in grace, to resist the devil (all of which are part of the ongoing procss of our personal sanctification), our battles are a vital part of the sovereign purpose of God through Jesus Christ whereby sinners are saved and added to the church. This the fellowship of sufferings whereby Christ's saving victory is worked out in history.

This verse teaches us what a great privilege has been granted to us. We who believe are allocated, as we are able to bear it, a share in the costly travail whereby salvation comes to men and women all over the world. The context of this verse is the life, work and witness of Christ's church and it is clear that Christ continues to suffer in his members as they suffer in fellowship with him. Since we are in Christ and Christ is in us by his Holy Spirit, it is inevitable that we should experience at least something of his longings for a lost world; his yearning for the salvation of sinners; and something of the costly shame and rejection he suffered when he went so willingly to the cross.

"Whereof I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God. Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." verses 25 to 27

Paul moves from the theme of costly service in the gospel to that of the immense privilege of being a minister of Christ's church. The word used for "minister" is literally "deacon" and signifies a working servant. it is the privilege of labour rather than position and recognition that Paul emphasizes. At the same time he affirms that this ministry was given to him as a commission from God, a stewardship of the gospel, especially in relation to the Gentiles and that included the Colossians. The heart of that commission was to make the word of God fully known, and the whole of Paul's life was dedicated to that end. Paul testified that he kept back nothing that was profitable. 

When Paul speaks of "mystery" he is referring to something God has now revealed; not just God's plan of redemption, but the sheer dimension of the gathering of multitudes of Gentiles from all over the world, making of Jew and Gentile one glorious church in which race, background and culture are swallowed up. The glory of God's saving purposes was not fully known to earlier generations or even to angelic beings. This teaches us that we in our turn, may well never realize the full extent or significance of the work we are doing because it is essentially for the future. 

Christ comes to dwell, not as a passing visitor but as a permanent guest, making his home in us and with us. It is the glorious Christ who lives in our hearts and he will not leave his work of salvation incomplete. What he began he will bring to perfection. 

"Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working which worketh in me mightily." verses 28 and 29

For Paul the real business of preaching involved the preacher getting out of the way so that Christ alone might be seen. Whatever other preachers and teachers proclaimed as their message, Paul presented Christ as the one and only all-sufficient Saviour, the life and hope of his people. But Paul's gospel had also an element of challenge. There was need for repentance and for guarding against sin and any kind of presumption. There was also the teaching of the truths of God's word so that believers would understand more fully all they had been given in Christ. In a wicked world, riddled with false philosophies and religions, Christians need to know what they believe and on what grounds they believe. 

"With all wisdom" seems to refer to the application of all God's truth to the practical business of living lives that please God. It is all wisdom; not a few selected special truths to the exclusion of all else. The objective which calls for all Paul's God-given energy, and to which he is prepared to work with every fibre of his being, is to present all believers mature in Christ. He does not merely want to have something worthwhile to show when his work is done; but desires that the fruit of his ministry will be worthy of God and to the glory of his name.

Acts of the Apostles chapters 15 to 28

I love this phrase in Acts 15 verse 2 "no small dissension and disputation." We talk a lot about how modern day writers phrase things but Luke is so diplomatic here! This was a huge issue that could make or break the early church. It proves again how you have to read things in context and know the background to what is written. Gentiles were coming to faith and the Jewish Pharisees wanted them to observe the Jewish cleansing ritual of circumcision. Peter realised the problem stemmed from his visit with Cornelius and showed that circumcision was pointing to a greater cleansing which came on them in the form of the Holy Spirit. No physical cleansing was required, these people had been cleansed from the inside out. Chapter 15 is an amazing chapter because we see the leadership of the church being rocked and yet also standing firm united in their decision that the conversion of the Gentiles was exactly what the prophets of the Old Testament had said would happen in the future. James, the half brother of Jesus comes to the fore and ensures how things should be for the future. If only every church leadership could be like this today!

I love the affirmation Peter makes in verse 11 "But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they." Yet again for me personally that word " grace" appears reminding me that nothing I do can ever give me salvation, it is all of Jesus. We cannot work our way to heaven, it is God's free gift offered to everyone who repents and believes in what he has offered.

Today's bible reading in my quiet time was Acts 16.

There is a lot of reference in this chapter to prayer ...

At a prayer meeting a religious woman, Lydia was converted
On the way to a prayer meeting a rebellious woman, a certain damsel was converted
During a prayer meeting a jailer was converted

Following a serious division between Paul and Barnabas they parted company. Paul took Silas returned to Derbe and Lystra where they met Timothy who joined them on their travels.

Then the Holy Ghost stopped Paul going further. God wanted to give Paul a continent to win them for Jesus not just a few cities. What this meant in effect was that Europe opened up to the gospel.

David Livingstone wanted to go to China but God sent him to Africa. William Carey wanted to go to Polynesia but God sent him to India. God guides us along the way to just the right place.

1 chapter 3 conversions and each unique in their own way.

Previously we saw Paul heading straight for the local synagogue when he arrived in a new city but in Philippi there was none, only an outside meeting by the river which was only attended by women.

Lydia is a seller of purple cloth which was expensive in those days. Later we read she invited Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke to stay in her home so she was wealthy. She came from Thyatira, the city where Paul had been forbidden to travel to - is that not amazing? God was going to answer his prayers in an unusual way. Instead of going there God was bringing someone from there to him. She was also a woman which worshipped God. This means she was a God fearing Gentile. When Lydia attended the prayer meeting by the city she didn't know something supernatural was about to happen to her. The Lord opened her heart. This is what happens when Jesus speaks to us and calls us to follow him. She received the truth she heard from Paul that day. She made a decision and wanted all her family to do the same. The Lord brought an individual to Christ but also established a church in a Roman colony.

The second person who responded to Christ in the city of Philippi was also a woman but this time around a young woman. She was filled with a spirit of divination. In other words Satan controlled her and gave her specific information about people. In this case she actually proclaimed the gospel for Paul but Paul got fed up with her preaching. Paul commanded the spirit in this young woman to come out in the name of Jesus Christ. Immediately the spirit did come out. That left a problem - the people who profited from her work were suddenly left without an income. It was not in fact this reason that they mentioned to the magistrates - simply their message was troubling the city. They whipped up the people of the city so much that the magistrates had to act. They ordered them to be beaten and then put in prison.

The third person to be converted in Philippi in Acts 16 was the jailer, probably the person who beat Paul and Silas earlier in the city square. He was instructed to escort them to prison with their feet put in stocks. At midnight Paul and Silas prayed and started to sing praises to God.

Suddenly there was a great earthquake. The result was all the doors of the prison were opened and all the stocks were loosed.

The jailer immediately realised that if the prisoners had left the prison by this stage he would be responsible and could lose his own life. He decided there was no other choice but to kill himself. Paul knew that he would think to do this so shouted to tell him to not even think about it. Immediately he came in to the cell where Paul and Silas where. He was trembling and fell down before them asking what he had to do to have his sins forgiven. Paul and Silas responded "believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."

And that is the best question anyone could ask. It is simply a matter of believing in Jesus, what he has done on the cross of Calvary, to die for our sins so that we can be forgiven for now and all eternity.

The jailer did that and he took the men to his own house, washed their wounds and provided them with a meal.

Yesterday I was reading Acts 16 and there is so much you could mine from this chapter! I searched my own blogger posts and this sermon really refreshed me as I read it again. We meet 3 people in this chapter and see 3 people come to faith in Christ but these 3 people could represent so many we meet today - there is the religious who have been to church all their lives and yet have no heart knowledge of God, then there is the person who is determined never to come to faith in Christ, they give themselves over to the devil and all his power over them. These people know the truth and will do everything they can to run from the truth of God. Whenever someone comes to faith in Christ they will do all they can to oppose God in their subtle persecution of the Christian. Finally there is the person who is fed up with life, mentally unstable, running from God and not realising it. When life hurts for them they try to end it all but they do not realise they are but a step from God. If they were to look back on their lives they might see God working to bring them to this moment in time. Suddenly a person who knows the truth could be right there to help them - I wonder would you be that Christian today who could help someone at rock bottom today.

Having read Alistair Begg's book earlier today and the chapter titled No Other Gods, I turned to the next chapter in Acts.

Part of Acts 17 is about Paul's visit to Athens and as he took a trip around the city he found various altars and in particular one to the Unknown God. These people were supposedly highly intelligent, they thought they had heard of all the gods. But they had never heard of Jesus. All the religions they were used to hearing about had a kind of sameness because of their human origins. But Paul was telling them of a God who became human and rose from the dead to save sinners. It was unlike anything they had ever heard.

This altar was erected just in case - just in case there was a god that hadn't been acknowledged in their vast array of gods. Paul used this idea of a god they didn't know to present to them the one true God.

I opened my bible today and went back to Acts chapter 18. Paul has moved from Athens to Corinth, 46 miles east. He finds a married couple Aquila and Priscilla. They had been expelled from Rome by the emperor Claudius - why because they believed in Jesus. They were tentmakers just like Paul and they welcomed him to stay as their guest in their home. Hospitality at its best - Paul would stay here for 18 months. As usual Paul went into the Jewish synagogue, persuading and reasoning with both Jews and Greeks. But he was not welcomed there so he left and went to a house owned by Justus. According to the bible this house was literally next door to the synagogue. This became the meeting place for Christians. 2 homes opened to Paul in the city. But what happened next is amazing.

The leader of the Jewish synagogue Crispus came to faith in Christ along with many of his own family. His salvation was the means of others in Corinth coming to faith too.

I just think this is a wonderful story of how God works in people's lives. For Paul I am sure it was disappointing that he had to leave the synagogue but to have that leader decide for Christ - it was the beginning of a new church in this city. Sometimes God opens people to the gospel we never would imagine. All those years Crispus had been attending the synagogue and one day he hears Paul and God opened his heart. It made me think that even today the same could happen again. Such a reminder that we need to pray for the ministers, elders and deacons of our churches. Who knows maybe God could use us as his believers to show such people the way of true salvation. Sad to realise there may be some in our churches, in leadership positions who have never accepted Christ as their own and personal Saviour.

Nancy Guthrie in her book Saved commenting on Acts chapters 21 to 23 talks about the idol of safety.

I have often heard this prayer "Lord plant a hedge of protection around them." We all like to ensure we are safe but do we take that idea too far? What if God should ask us to speak about him to people who openly oppose Christ? Those who are openly mocking and blaspheming his name? Or what if God asks us to go somewhere we have never been before? It may mean leaving our comfortable lives behind, uprooting to new people and places. Maybe we realise some of what we hear in our churches in Sunday morning is contrary to the truth we know in our hearts and in God's word and we are being challenged by God to stand up for what we believe in. Or what would happen if what we ourselves teach in our churches is being challenged and we are asked to compromise, to water it down so that people feel more comfortable? Perhaps the word of God is not being taught and our church leadership is turning from that to a more pleasing "easy" faith.

Has personal safety become an idol for me?

Sometimes in my bible I insert pages which are literally lifted from The Enduring Word Commentary - here is an example.

As I read these chapters last night I came to the realisation that I had never read or heard a sermon on how and why Paul was arrested and put in prison. And more importantly how similar it was to Jesus' arrest. The difference was Paul got to defend himself. This incident took place 25 years after Jesus' death and honestly not much had changed in the Jews attitude to the Christian gospel. These people would have killed Paul in the temple if the Roman guard hadn't stepped in. The Jews did not like the fact that Gentiles were being accepted into faith- they didn't like the fact that Paul a Jew himself was reaching Gentiles with the gospel and they were turning to this in thousands.

We are called to follow Jesus and shouldn't be surprised when events in our lives are like events in Jesus' life. There may be a time of temptation in the wilderness, a time when people come to us with needs only God can meet, a time when we seem to be at the mercy of a storm, a time when we must cry out to God as in the Garden of Gethsemane, a time when we must simply lay down our lives and trust God will gloriously raise us up. We like Paul are predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son - Romans 8 verse 29.

Another example of bible journalling. What do i write in my bible? I am simply writing here my understanding of what is happening in the verses of scripture.

The Roman governor thought Paul was a terrorist, he even cited the possible incident Paul had been involved in. In other words he jumped to a conclusion before he knew the full facts. He came to realise who Paul was, a Jew with a good education who could speak different languages. When he gave Paul permission to speak to the people he realised he had got the facts of the case so wrong.

It reminds me of what they said of Jesus - he came unto his own and his own received him not.

I have heard numerous sermons on Acts 24 verse 25. Paul and Felix the governor of Rome talked and reasoned together - and Felix trembled. Then he sent Paul away until he had a more convenient time to talk to him again .... but he never did!

I love this from Martin Lloyd Jones - "Felix talked, trembled and triumphed but he never trusted."

There are many today who do a lot of talking about Jesus but they never trust him as their personal Lord and Saviour. There are many with great theories and arguments about the bible and yet they never will fully accept that Jesus died for their sins. Please don't be one of them!

I cannot believe I am this close to finish reading and journalling Acts of the Apostles. All these notes represent so much to me as I have read through it. I have used @nancyguthrienashville Saved and The Enduring Word Commentary.

I have to admit yesterday's chapters on Felix, Festus and Agrippa were difficult as I tried to work out why each person didn't just release Paul as they all admitted his innocence. Paul realised it was all part of God's plan to take him before kings - that was what he had told him at his conversion and now it was coming true. Felix trembled, Festus wanted favour with the Jews and Agrippa was almost persuaded. These 3 men represent so many people's response to the gospel and the excuses they put up even today. Sad to say we never hear of these men again or of their acceptance of the gospel.

Agrippa is to me the most chilling of all. He admitted openly to many that he was so close to accepting the gospel. He clearly understood the gospel but rejected it.

Earlier I was asked if my handwritten journaling notes distract from the actual scriptures. So I thought I would answer and include 2 examples to prove they don't.

Agrippa - he responded to Paul by saying he was almost persuaded. Why was he not fully persuaded? 3 answers apply. First Bernice - he was in an incestuous relationship and didn't want to give her up. Second if Festus thought Paul was crazy how would he view him? Agrippa wanted the praise of men. Thirdly when he looked at Paul he saw his chains and was concerned he might end up that way too.

The second example shows a map of Paul's journey to Rome. Having the visual map in my bible as I read helps in understanding the various places Paul stopped at. Luke went to great pains to include all these ports which authenticated his story. Just reading what happened helps puts it into perspective.

The last 2 chapters of Acts have now been completed and to be honest I have summarised exactly what is in these verses so I can understand what is written. It has reiterated to me once again how God had it all planned out for Paul and he was going to fulfil it to the last word.

Acts of the Apostles chapters 1 to 8

Listening to the Podcast yesterday on an introduction to Acts of the Apostles and then reading Nancy Guthrie's Saved has really made me put it all in context.

I have learned so much about the writer - Luke. The only Gentile writer out of the 40 writers of the Bible. This book covers the 30 years or so after Jesus' death and resurrection - compare that with the 3 years of Jesus' ministry recorded in the gospels. Luke was a medical doctor and covered details about healing more than any other gospel writer.

But the one thing that knocked me away was why Luke wrote both his gospel and Acts - as a way of providing evidence for Paul's defence when he stood in Rome. There is a possibility that Theophilus, to whom Luke dedicated both books was a lawyer.

Luke never met Jesus personally and he took 4 years researching and writing these books interviewing people who were there when Jesus was alive.

The Acts of the Apostles really refers to 2 men - Peter and Paul. When you read the opening chapters you notice that when Peter addressed the people he used the scriptures because he was talking to Jews who understood and knew the scriptures themselves. He sought to prove from prophets that Jesus fulfilled all that had been written.

And the one thing that was central to his message - Jesus died but more importantly he rose again. At the end of Acts we see Paul turning from the Jews to the Gentiles - isn't it strange that today more work is being done among the Jews to help them acknowledge their promised Messiah.

As I read through Acts 3 and 4 yesterday I was struck by how many times Peter referred to the Old Testament scriptures to prove his point - Jesus has died and risen again. How it reminds me that we need the Old Testament scriptures to help us put the New Testament into perspective. The one thing that the opposition kept asking about was - whose name are you doing these things in? Jesus - how they didn't like to be reminded of what they themselves had actually done.

And repeatedly we are told Peter and John had such boldness - 3 times in the one chapter we read these words.

The verse that I love is chapter 4 verse 13 "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men they marvelled and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus."

What a challenge - would people be able to say that of me today?

Acts of the Apostles chapter 5 is the story of Ananias and Sapphira, the couple who lied and God struck them both dead on the spot. It is a chapter that is heartbreaking and yet a reminder that God has the last word on all our lives.

What struck me was the boldness and integrity that was being developed among not only the apostles but early church members. I read of the jealousy among the chief priests and council leaders and was reminded that some times opposition comes from unexpected sources - those who are very religious and yet at the same time blinded to the real truth. Truth hurts and acceptance of the reality of how on this occasion the way of life will not be hidden. Gamaliel, a respected council member and Pharisee appears to show reason but acknowledges that just maybe God is in the middle of it all.

The reaction of the apostles to being told not to say anything more of Jesus is one we are surprised with - rejoicing. If I was in that position would I have done that?

Acts 6 and 7 read and journaled today.

Reminded that Stephen first served before he was able to speak of Christ - experience first! The reality of his faith was evident to widows - he was full of faith, the Holy Spirit and wisdom.

As I read through Stephen's defence I was shocked to think that he was implying that these religious leaders had made the worship in the temple the most important thing. It had become an idol. What emphasis am I putting on my religious works, is it becoming more important than anything else?

Stephen had such a depth of knowledge of scripture to show his reasoning - how well do I know God's word if I was challenged about my faith?

Stephen was given a very clear vision of Jesus standing beside God in heaven before he died. This was the final straw to those who were listening. The opposition to Stephen reminded me of the many people he had talked about who suffered violence:

Joseph from his brothers
Moses rejected by the children of Israel
Isaiah the prophet was sawn in two
Jeremiah the prophet was stoned
Zechariah the prophet was stoned in the temple courts
And Jesus who was crucified

Did Stephen realise his own death would be violent? Did he hear the "well done" from God himself while still on earth?

I read and journalled Acts 8 last night and was struck by the contrast between Philip the evangelist and Simon the sorcerer. How amazing to open The Familiar Stranger by Tyler Staton and find a chapter dedicated to this story.

"Philip's teachings were bearing incredible fruit and accompanied by a demonstration of power that had jaws on the floor and people on their knees in surrender to Jesus. Simon was a well known spiritual figure in his own right although he seems to have been playing with some variety of dark magic. He was able to produce a supernatural manifestation in partnership with a spiritual force other than and weaker than Yahweh. But he recognised direct access to the one true God at work in and through Philip. He was among those who responded to Jesus and joined the early church community. Scripture presents Simon as a humble and sincere disciple of Jesus."

Up to now the story looks good but there is a critical turning point. When Peter and John are sent as back up support to Philip they lay hands on the people to receive the Holy Spirit.

"Simon is a sorcerer. He is well acquainted with spiritual formulas producing predictable results. He mistakes the Holy Spirit for a depersonalization power source like those lesser spiritual forces of his sorcery, grossly misunderstanding and distorting the gift given in the person of the Holy Spirit. This time he does not respond personally and humbly as he did at first and he is more concerned with becoming a respected practitioner wielding God's power than remaining a humble child receiving God's love. Simon wants technique not surrender. He's after a method not a Saviour and Lord. He wants the gifts far more than the Giver."
How would I react if I was in a similar position?

Acts 13 and 14 Paul and Barnabas' first missionary journey

 ACTS 13 AND 14

PAUL AND BARNABAS' FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY

Confession time! When I was in my teens, some 40+ years ago we had an elder in our church who organised the weekly Youth Fellowship. One of his teaching programmes was on Paul's three missionary journeys. To be honest I found them quite boring! And sad to say I don't actually remember much about the content!  When I came to Acts 13 and 14 I realised that this was Paul's first missionary journey with Barnabas. That elder had a wonderful series of full blown maps showing each of Paul's missionary journeys - something similar to what is in our bibles but it was massive in size and took up quite a large part of the wall in our church.  For some people geography is their strong point but for me it definitely wasn't then nor is now but I searched the internet and found a very good map and here it is ...

The story in chapter 13 picks up with the church in Antioch (from chapter 11 verse 26). We are told in the opening verse of chapter 13 that there were "certain prophets and teachers" or leaders within this church. They are named:

Barnabas

Simeon that was called Niger

Lucius of Cyrene

Manaen which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch 

Saul

All of these men were from different parts of the world - Africa, Cyprus, Judea, Samaria and Asia Minor. Some are Jews and some are Gentiles. There is a Levite, a Pharisee and one of Herod's closest associate. Each of them had talents and abilities being used to strengthen and help this little church grow - we are told "they ministered and fasted". As they did that the Holy Spirit told them to separate Barnabas and Saul specifically for "a work whereunto I have called them." Then we read that the church also sent them out - a divine and a human sending. But this means that the church would now lose 2 of its most valuable leaders. It was a huge commitment to this church because they would have to support them financially as well as personally, emotionally and physically.

But what was the plan? How did they proceed? Well they decided to go to Barnabas' home - Cyprus. There was a strategy in accomplishing the plan to spread the gospel further afield. They land in Salamis (verse 5) and immediately they follow a tactic repeated continually throughout these journeys - "the preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews." They were not alone in their work - John also was with them. Notice that in this coastal port of Salamis there was more than one synagogue so obviously there were many Jews living here.

Paul, Barnabas and John travelled the whole length of the island of Cyprus until they came to the capital city of Paphos. It is here that they meant a false prophet, a Jew with the name Bar-Jesus or Elymas. This man had obviously some influence and was  able to provide some sort of false divine knowledge. His name means "son of Joshua" or "son of salvation." Perhaps his father was called Joshua. Or maybe he is using this name to make himself more popular and have credibility for his powers and influence. 

We also read of the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus who is described as a "prudent man".  He called for Barnabas and Saul with one purpose - "desired to hear the word of God." He was interested in God's word but Elymas tried his best to ensure that he did not hear nor believe what he heard.

Paul rebukes Elymas and tells him straight that he is a "child of the devil". He tells him that he has been spiritually blind but would not become physically blind. He experiences the judgment of God while Sergius Paulus experiences the salvation of God - "then the deputy when he saw what was done, believed being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord."

As I read these verses I thought of the impact of that profession of faith. I am sure there were Jews and possibly Gentiles who trusted God as a result of Paul and Barnabas' ministry in the synagogues they visited but this man was a man of position in the island. I wonder what people said when they heard of his salvation? As a result of his testimony many of the Gentiles and possibly the senior government of the land would take note. It would have given more credibility to Paul and Barnabas.

Paul and Barnabas travel on to Perga in Pamphylia and came to Antioch in Pisidia. There were 16 cities named Antioch in the ancient world and each one was distinguished by the province in which they were in.

On the Sabbath day Paul and Barnabas went into the synagogue. After the reading of the law the rulers of the synagogue invited Paul and Barnabas to speak to the people gathered. 

In verses 17 to 41 we have the sermon that Paul gave in the synagogue that day. It is a history lesson for the Jews present that day. Paul traces 2000 years of history of God's outworking of his salvation plans for this people. 

Paul starts with how God chose the Israelites and led them out of Egypt. He brought them through the wilderness for 40 years until they came in to the land of Canaan. For 450 judges rules the land until Samuel, then God came them a king who ruled for 40 years. After Saul, David was made king and it was from his family line that the Lord brought forth Jesus the Saviour. Paul told them of John the Baptist and his message of repentance but he pointed to a greater one than himself who was coming after him to provide salvation - Jesus. Jesus made salvation possible through his death and resurrection. But the Jews rejected him.

Throughout his sermon Paul refers to the Old Testament prophecies found in Psalms and Isaiah which speak clearly of the resurrection, exaltation and proclamation of God's king. Paul was showing that God had promised David a son who would be King to reign over all his people forever and that was fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus is alive and offers all the benefits of being a citizen of his kingdom when people come and put their trust in him (verses 38 and 39).

Our debt for sin has been paid in full and Jesus' righteousness has been credited to our account.

Paul knew that not everyone listening to him would receive his message. He warned them what it would mean to reject the offer of salvation using the prophet Habakkuk. In doing this he is warning his listeners that they would receive the same judgment if they rejected his message (verses 40 and 41).

When the Jews had left the synagogue the Gentiles approached Paul and Barnabas asking them to come back the following week so they could hear more. In verse 43 we read that "many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas." Paul and Barnabas "persuaded them to continue in the grace of God."

On the following Sabbath there was a large gathering in the synagogue who wanted to hear God's word. But the Jews were so filled with jealousy and they contradicted and blasphemed Paul and Barnabas' message. 

So often when God's word is proclaimed there are various responses to it and we can see this here in these verses. Some people believe and claim the message for themselves while others openly reject it. In this case the Jews did not want the Gentiles to receive God's word and Paul had to quickly show that the prophets had already foretold this - verse 47 (see Isaiah 49 verse 6). The salvation of God would extend to the ends of the earth one day.

Look at the response of the Gentiles - "And when the Gentiles heard this they were glad, and glorified the word fo the Lord; and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed."

The Jews were even angrier and they "stirred up the devout and honourable women and the chief men of the city." They sent Paul and Barnabas away. Paul and Barnabas realised that there would be those who responded by rejecting and so shook the dust of their feet as they departed.

Nancy Guthrie in her book "Saved" reminds us at this point that it is not up to our human efforts to persuade people to be saved. The work of salvation is all of God. We can only do our part and let God work in people's lives. But our part is so very important and we should not miss any opportunity given to us to present the gospel. Not everyone will be involved in a pulpit ministry but sometimes God uses the quiet day-to-day witness of individuals to convince and convict people of their sin and need of Christ. What a challenge to my heart - am I making the most of what has been given to me today?

Paul and Barnabas move on to Iconium and again enter into the Jewish synagogue. This time they are in Galatia, a Roman province. On this occasion "the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and made their minds evil affected against the brethren." But Paul and Barnabas did not give up and move on. They remained "speaking boldly in the Lord". Not only did they have boldness but persistence and determination. They performed miracles of physical healing in this city. "But the multitude of the city was divided and part held with the Jews and part with the apostles." There was an attempt to stone Paul and Barnabas, so great was the opposition. 

Paul and Barnabas became aware of the plan to stone them so fled to Lystra and Derbe and continued to preach the gospel (chapter 14 verse 7).

In Lystra they came upon a man who was crippled, he had never walked from the day he had been born. When this man heard Paul speak believed he could be healed. Paul told him to stand up on his feet and "he leaped and walked." The people of Lystra reacted quite differently to this miracle. They actually were very confused.

The Lyconians are familiar with a story told by the Roman poet Ovid. In this story, the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes assume human form and visit a town where one couple shows them hospitality while many in the town fail to show them the same. The couple are richly rewarded while terrible judgment falls on those who did not.

When the crowds witnessed this healing they assumed that Paul and Barnabas were Zeus and Hermes and they wanted to make sure appropriate hospitality was extended to them so they would be rewarded and not judged. Paul and Barnabas were horrified. Paul refers them to creation - verses 15 to 17. Paul shows them that God created the world and gave them all the good things to enjoy but they cannot save them. He tells to turn from these things they believe in to trust in God. He alone would save them from a life of meaninglessness and false worship. 

Just as they were speaking Jews came from Antioch and Iconium arrive and start stoning Paul. Paul was so very badly injured, they thought he was dead. But Paul got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas move on to Derbe. When they preached the gospel and taught them Paul and Barnabas returned to Jerusalem back through the cities they had previously travelled in.

Why did they go back the way they came? Paul and Barnabas were on a mission - to establish churches and strengthen the believers. They wanted to encourage them and prepare them for the difficulties that lay ahead. No doubt these people heard what had happened to Paul and Barnabas and they needed reassurance that they were alright. Paul prayed with each believer and committed them to the Lord (verse 23).

When they arrived home to Jerusalem they shared all their experiences with the church believers. It had been a year since they had set off and I am sure the believers wondered what had happened. They "rehearsed all that God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles."

Being part of God's work is hard work! But it is genuine work. There will be good days and bad, days when people accept Christ and grow in their faith but there will also be rejection and sometimes even persecution. But God is at work even in the small things. Yes there will be division, even among God's people but remember God will bring such joy when we see people coming to faith in Christ.

Taken from Saved by Nancy Guthrie