What an amazing drama the first century church lives in. Paul preaches in the synagogues and some ruffians are recruited to bust up the church - they attack Jason's home! When Jason and his friends make bail and are released they send Paul and Silas off in the dark of night to Beroea. The first thing Paul does upon their arrival there is to go to the synagogue to preach! What courage and tenacity. Things go better in Beroea, but when the troublemakers in Thessalonica hear about it they follow Paul to stir up the crowds against him! This time Silas and Timothy stay behind to tend the church, but Paul is taken away again to preserve his life.
Paul arrives in Athens, and again goes right to the synagogue to preach. He also argues in the market place with the philosophers of the day. I love the scene where he takes their culture - the statue to the Unknown God - and uses this familiar thing to introduce them to the God he knows. I wonder where we are missing opportunities to proclaim our truth in ways our society can hear and receive.
Look at Paul's career path so far. He leaves the Pharisees and becomes part of the hated hunted early church. He is beaten and chased out of town after town. And yet he doesn't waiver in his faithfulness. I confess that I have been discouraged and considered quitting under far less opposition than this. If we seek the approval of people and the riches of this world we will be in danger of losing our way, but if we look to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith and look for God's approval alone, we can endure and persevere. Lord help me to measure my days from your perspective and not my own.
About Me
- Pastor Bill
- I am a committed follower of Jesus Christ, a happy husband, father and grandfather!
4 comments:
As we read through all the trials and tribulations that Paul encounters to promote Christianity, let us not lose sight of the cause of all this persecution he endures. Satan certainly knows that he has a tenaious enemy on the loose and must do something to stop him. Much like then, we are currently going through some of the same persecution as the body of Christ. Look at the assult that Satan is putting on us in the forms of moral decay, separation of Church and state, elimination of God in our country, the untruths taught in our schools, the approval of same sex marriages and rights, and the list goes on and on and on.
We need to become the same tenaious enemy to Satan that Paul was. We need to stop thinking that Satan will go away if we let things take their natural course. We need to understand that the natural course is Satan's course and not God's will.
What a great example Paul sets, but only if we follow it.
"11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." (NKJV)
I love the lesson here.
These leaders searched the Scriptures, comparing what was being taught to what was written in the Bible..."checking the fruit" of Paul's teaching.
No matter what we hear in life, we need to compare it to the Word.
PB has "checked the fruit" of several "Christian" world leaders for me. He has been instrumental in preventing me from learning from "leaders" that preach doctrine CLOSE enough to the truth to confuse me...and hundreds of thousands of other people.
I remember hearing that one of Satan's tools is partial truth. By "checking the fruit," the COMPLETE truth is revealed.
I am blessed to have a Pastor that takes the time to tend to his flock...keeping us on the right path - the path to Salvation!
Thank you, Sir.
And thank you Jesus.
Hoo Rah!
I didn't realize Jason was a biblical name. But apparently after a quick search I see that Jason also appears in the apocryphal books Maccabees. hm. Also, I think it is funny how Luke just brings Jason into the story as if he's been talking about him all along, but this is it, all he says about Jason.
Paul does a great job preaching to the Athenians with the approach he uses. Also, though, I find I would probably have responded more like the Athenians too - rather than immediate acceptance of Paul's words, they ask to hear more and have a follow up conversation. That seems more my style ;)
Wow - very helpful and different thoughts on this passage. Thanks.
These disciples seem to always find the opportunity to preach. I wish we could always say the same. Maybe we see the chance, but don't always seize it. That would be half the battle, right?
I do like what you're saying, Bill - with "finding their culture." We see that often with our work with High School students in Young Life. When you talk about their music, get online with Facebook with them, and get involved with their lives, they are much more apt to talk to you. Also, you can often speak of the gospel in terms of one of their favorite TV shows.
I had a co-leader use an America's Next Top Model episode to explain how FAME isn't everything, Jesus is. This girl dreamed all her life to be a model, but when she got there, she still felt empty. Wonder what she was missing? It's little things like that the the kids certainly will not forget - so it's clear that times still call for something relevant to teach the gospel.
As long as we don't let Satan measure what we do, and he is ever so prevalent in this world, and allow the True God's perspective to be our measurement, we will truly be workers of the Lord. How disheartening it can be in preaching the good news to invest so much time and effort and still end up with a non-believer. It's hard to wake up the next morning excited, but the LORD knows that a seed was planted...and with Him, anything is possible!
God bless,
Marsh
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