Barnabas

All On God’s Timetable.

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26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. 30 And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. – Acts 9:26-31 ESV

This little pericope regarding Saul’s life is bookended by two contrasting passages. The first is found at the beginning of chapter eight.
 

1 And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. – Acts 8:1-3 ESV

The second is found in verse 31 of chapter nine.

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. 

Notice the differences. In the first passage, the church is mentioned as being located in Jerusalem only, and it is suffering great persecution. And, as a result of that persecution, its congregants were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samara. Then, by the time Luke closes out his introduction to Saul, his conversion and ministry, we find the church is now located throughout all Judea, Galilee and Samaria. Not only that, it is experiencing peace, spiritual and numerical growth, as well as the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit. God was at work. His will was being accomplished. Persecution by the high priest, the Sanhedrin or even Saul himself, could do nothing to stop the sovereign will of God from being fulfilled just as He had planned. He knows the schemes of men, even before they do. He knows the thoughts of men, even before they’ve had a chance to think them. King David wrote about this all-knowing aspect of God’s nature.

1 O Lord, you have examined my heart
    and know everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up.
    You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
3 You see me when I travel
    and when I rest at home.
    You know everything I do.
4 You know what I am going to say
    even before I say it, Lord. – Psalm 139:1-4 NLT

So, despite the best laid plans of men, God’s will was being accomplished. His church was growing and prospering, even in the face of opposition and adversity. And God had taken one of the primary instigators of persecution against the church and miraculously transformed him into His chosen instrument, a powerful tool for the spread of the gospel and the growth of the church.

According to Galatians 1:15-20, Saul spent three years in Damascus before he ever attempted to make the journey to Jerusalem, home of the original congregation of believers and headquarters of the 11 original disciples of Jesus. And when he finally arrived in Jerusalem, he was met with fear and skepticism. Even after three years time, they doubted whether he was really a changed man. Even after that length of time, his former reputation preceded him. But Barnabas brought Saul to the apostles and told them all that had happened on the road to Damascus and how Saul had become a powerful proclaimer of Jesus throughout that entire region. If you recall, Barnabas, also known as Joseph, was a Levite from Cypress, who had sold a portion of his land and had given the proceeds to the apostles in order to care for the needs of the poor within the church family. So, he was well known to the apostles and had a good reputation among them. They had even nicknamed him Barnabas, which means, “Son of Encouragement.” His endorsement of Saul played a vital role in securing their acceptance of this former enemy of the church, and it opened up the opportunity for Saul to minister freely among them, preaching the gospel and debating with the Jews who still refused to accept Jesus as their Messiah. And Luke records that Saul also disputed with the Hellenists or Greek-speaking Jews. In doing this, Saul was carrying on the work of Stephen, the young man whose death he had approvingly observed as recorded in chapter six. Stephen had been a Hellenist, as Saul was, and now Saul was picking up where Stephen had left off, debating with the Greek-speaking Jews and boldly defending the deity of Christ and the truth regarding His claims to be the Messiah, the Son of God. But it seems that he fared no better than Stephen, because Luke tells us, “they were seeking to kill him” (Acts 9:29 ESV), and so, he was forced to leave town, escaping to Tarsus, by way of Caesarea.

Luke gives us the impression that Saul fled from Jerusalem at the insistence of his fellow disciples and they, no doubt, feared for his life. But Saul would later testify that his departure from Jerusalem had been commanded by Jesus Himself.

17 “After I returned to Jerusalem, I was praying in the Temple and fell into a trance. 18 I saw a vision of Jesus saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem, for the people here won’t accept your testimony about me.’

19 “‘But Lord,’ I argued, ‘they certainly know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. 20 And I was in complete agreement when your witness Stephen was killed. I stood by and kept the coats they took off when they stoned him.’

21 “But the Lord said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles!’” – Acts 22:17-21 NLT

So, it would appear that Saul had not fled for his life, but under direct orders from Jesus, and with the clear intent to take the gospel to the Gentiles. Saul also revealed that his was in keeping with the word spoken to him by Ananias immediately after his blinding encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, Ananias had given him the following message from Jesus: “For you are to be his witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard” (Acts 22:15 NLT). And now, that commission from Jesus was going to be fulfilled. He was going to take the gospel to the Gentiles. And, as we will see, he would end up taking the gospel to places it had never been heard before, among people who knew nothing about Judaism, the Messiah, or the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And what a perfect candidate Saul made for this assignment. He was a Jew, but hailed from Tarsus, a Greek-speaking province. He was also a Roman citizen, a former Pharisee, and a serious student of the Hebrew Scriptures. He had the perfect blend of attributes and a personality profile that was well-suited for what Jesus had commissioned him to do. On top of that, he now had the Spirit of God living within him, guiding, directing and empowering him for the task at hand. And he would prove to be a formidable force for the gospel for many years to come.

We are not provided with any details regarding Saul’s activities during his time in Tarsus, but we can easily assume that he continued to do what he had done before: To preach boldly in the name of Jesus (Acts 9:28).  We do know from chapter 11, that it would be about six years before Barnabas arrived in Tarsus, seeking out Saul, in order to take him to Antioch in Syria. Here is Luke’s record of the reunion between these two men.

19 Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews. 20 However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus. 21 The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.

22 When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. 24 Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord.

25 Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.), – Acts 11:19-26 NLT

No doubt, the six years that Saul spent in Tarsus, where the inhabitants were predominantly Greek-speaking and non-Jews, he had ample opportunity to practice his preaching of the gospel to Gentiles. He would have had plenty of chances to debate and dispute with those who found his message unconvincing. It is also likely that he would have spent time pouring over the Hebrew Scriptures, studying the Old Testament passages for any and all references to the Messiah. So, by the time he was summoned by Barnabas to accompany him back to Antioch, Saul would have been well-prepared for the task at hand.

Everything was falling into place. The divine plan for Saul’s life was happening just as God had ordained it. There was not a single aspect of his life that was outside of God’s will or devoid of God’s divine influence. He was God’s chosen instrument and God was preparing him for a long and fruitful ministry.

 

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)  Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Protecting the Gospel’s Purity.

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Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery—to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. – Galatians 2:1-10 ESV

As Paul continued his defense of his apostolic ministry and message, he related how he had been actively ministering the gospel among the Gentiles for another 15 years before he would return to Jerusalem. Paul records that he and Barnabas made the trip together. According to Luke’s account in the book of Acts, Paul had been helping Barnabas minister to the Gentiles in Antioch. Luke gives us some important insight into what had been happening. It seems that after the stoning of Stephen in Jerusalem, many of the followers of Christ, fearing for their own lives, fled for their safety. Luke tells us, “And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles” (Luke 8:1 ESV). Paul, up until his conversion, had played a major role in that persecution, and Luke goes on to say that it resulted in believers moving even further away from Judea.

Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. – Acts 11:19-24 ESV

That is when Barnabas, knowing of Paul’s ministry to Gentiles, decided to pick him up and enlist him in the ministry going on in Antioch. Not long after that, Paul would return with Barnabas to Jerusalem in order to report all that he had seen. More than likely, Barnabas wanted Paul there as an expert witness.

But Paul makes it clear that he returned to Jerusalem because of a vision he had received from God, not because of the invitation of Barnabas. It would seem that God wanted this matter of the conversion of the Gentiles made a top priority in the growing church. It was essential that all of the apostles be on the same page regarding how these newly converted Gentiles were to be handled. There were still some who were expecting them to be circumcised and even keep many of the Jewish rules and rituals. Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles had been hounded by a group of individuals who were demanding that all Gentile converts be circumcised in order to validate their salvation. Paul had vigorously opposes this teaching as a distortion of the gospel message, exposing it for what it was: a blatant contradiction to the message of faith in Christ alone.

These opening verses in chapter two are Paul’s attempt to let his readers know that he had been willing to stand up to even the apostles, Peter, James and John. He had not been starry eyed or awestruck by his meeting with these men. If anything, Paul saw them himself as their equals. They had each received their commission from Jesus Himself. He clearly stated his purpose for going to Jerusalem: “to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain”  (Galatians 2:2 ESV). Paul had no doubts about the accuracy of his message, but he was very concerned that if those who were demanding circumcision of the Gentiles were not stopped, the purity of the gospel would be damaged. He was preaching salvation as made possible by the grace of God alone through faith in Christ alone. No kinds of works were necessary. Adding a requirement of circumcision would undermine that message and add an unnecessary barrier or roadblock to the path of salvation. So his trip to Jerusalem was intended to defend his God-given message and convince his peers that his ministry to the Gentiles was valid and his message was complete, needing nothing more added to it.

As Paul would tell the believers in Rome, circumcision was a matter of the heart, not the flesh. “For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God” (Romans 2:28-29 ESV). While circumcision had been a God-given sign or seal of the unique relationship the people of Israel had with Him, Paul argued that the indwelling Holy Spirit was God’s  new seal of approval. Paul told the Gentile believers in Ephesus, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13 ESV).

Man has always been obsessed with the idea that there is something he must do to earn a right standing before God. We are wired to believe that we must work our way into God’s good graces, but the beauty of the gospel is that everything has been done for us. There is nothing for us to add to the equation. It is Jesus plus nothing. So that no one can boast or brag. Salvation is the work of God, from beginning to end. As the great old hymn, Rock of Ages, says…

Nothing in my hand I bring,
simply to the cross I cling.

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Joshua 19-20, Acts 15

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Debates and Differences.

Joshua 19-20, Acts 15

But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.” ­– Acts 15:5 ESV

We can never escape the reality that God has chosen to accomplish His plan through flawed and fallible men. The fall left the human race ill-equipped to accomplish the will of God. Sin entered into the world and created an atmosphere where rebellion and dissension flourished and every man tended to do what was right in his own eyes. Selfishness and self-centeredness reigned. Disagreements and disunity ran rampant. And even among the Jewish people, chosen by God as His special possession, the tendency was for them to live in a constant state of disagreement with one another and disloyalty to God. In spite of their special relationship with God, they would find themselves committing sins against Him and one another. Which is one of the reasons God commanded Moses to establish cities of refuge. These six designated cities were designed to provide sanctuary for those guilty of unpremeditated murder. The fact was that, even among the people of God, murder would be a sad reality. Disunity and disagreements would exist and, at times, they could end up in one brother taking the life of another. Sin was a constant reality among the people of God and it still is. Even during the early days of the church, there were disputes and disagreements. And while we might want to look back on those days with a certain sense of nostalgia, believing them to have been idyllic and trouble-free, the Scriptures reveal that, even then, the presence of man’s selfishness and self-centeredness was readily apparent.

What does this passage reveal about God?

The spread of the gospel is all the more amazing when you consider that God accomplished it through the means of men. One of His primary instruments was a former professional bounty hunter who was well-known for his relentless persecution of the church. Another was a man who, on the night of Jesus’ arrest, had denied that he even knew Him three different times. God used ordinary men and women to spread the message of salvation throughout the world. He used the educated and the uneducated, the rich and the poor. He even used the hatred of men in the form of persecution to force the dispersement of His people throughout the known world at that time. God knew that His messengers were flawed and, while filled with the Holy Spirit, were still going to continue to wrestle with their sin natures. The flaws, weaknesses, and self-centered natures of men don’t surprise God. In fact, God’s power is best displayed through man’s weaknesses. God uses and blesses us in spite of us. And while we might long for a day when there are no more disputes and disagreements among us, God seems to want to use those inevitable moments of friction to force us to turn to Him and to seek His will. Our propensity toward conflict should always drive us to Him for wisdom and direction. Left to our own devices, we will always lean towards selfishness and allow sin to taint our decision making.

What does this passage reveal about man?

As God’s divine plan for the spread of the gospel unfolded, it was inevitable that man’s warped sense of understanding would get in the way. For generations, the Jews had seen themselves as the apple of God’s eye. They were the chosen ones. Their special relationship with God had left them with an elitist mentality that caused them to look down on every other people group. And interestingly enough, during the early days of the church, because it was birthed in the city of Jerusalem, many of the early converts were Jews. These individuals would tend to see salvation through the lens of their Jewish heritage and religious system. They would see Jesus as their Messiah and as an extension of their existing faith in Yahweh. They were not prepared for the fact that the gospel of Jesus Christ was available to any and all, Jew and Gentile alike. And even when they began to realize that God was opening up His Kingdom to include Gentiles, they couldn’t help but believe that the salvation of these outsiders would be incomplete and insufficient until they became fully practicing Jewish converts, following the rites and rituals of the Hebrew religion, including circumcision. It seemed that everywhere Paul went, he was confronted by Jewish believers who were demanding that all Gentile converts be circumcised according to the custom of Moses, or else they couldn’t be saved. This stipulation was unacceptable to Paul. But there was enough backing among many of the Jewish Christians that it led to “no small dissension and debate” (Acts 15:2 ESV). So Paul and Barnabas had to make their way to the church in Jerusalem for a special conference at which this matter would be debated and discussed. There “some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, ‘It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses‘” (Acts 15:5 ESV). This was followed by much debate. Speeches were given. Opinions were shared. But ultimately, they looked for what God was doing in and among them. They searched the Scriptures for insight. And, in spite of their initial differences, they came to a God-honoring solution. They put their differences aside and sought what God would have them do.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

It is interesting to note that even after this special conference yielded a satisfactory solution, Paul and Barnabas ended up having a “sharp disagreement” over whether or not to include John Mark on their next missionary journey. Barnabas wanted to take him with them. Paul refused, noting that John Mark had abandoned them on their first missionary journey. Paul was unwilling to take John Mark along, and so he and Barnabas parted ways. There is no indication in the passage that one man was right and the other was wrong. In fact, they seemed to part amicably and God used both parties to accomplish great things for the Kingdom of God. Their disagreement and decision to part ways was actually used by God to further the spread of the gospel. And Paul’s opinion of John Mark would change in time (Colossians 4:10; Philemon; 2 Timothy 4:11). Disagreement is not always sinful. The key seems to be that both Paul and Barnabas were seeking to do the will of God. Barnabas, a man known for his encouraging character, was willing to extend grace to John Mark. He did not deny John Mark’s actions on that first missionary journey, but he was willing to offer him a second chance. Paul, ever zealous for the cause of Christ, was more prone to see things in a black and white manner, wanted John Mark to understand the magnitude of his actions. Interestingly enough, Paul’s strong personality was the very thing that God used to spread the gospel so effectively in those early years. But over time, Paul’s nature would soften and his zeal would become tempered by a growing understanding of God’s mercy, grace and forgiveness. His later letters are evidence of the slow, steady maturing process that took place in his life over time.

As we live life on this planet, we must be prepared for the inevitable disagreements and disputes that will arise among us as believers. They are going to happen. But we must always seek to do what God would have us do. We must be willing to discuss them openly and honestly. We must seek God’s will over our own. We must search His Word for what His will might be. And we must always remember that He is going to accomplish His plan with us, but also in spite of us. God longs for our unity. Jesus prayed for it in the garden the night before He was crucified. But God also knows that unity is impossible in the flesh. We must listen and submit to His Spirit. We must die to our own selfish desires and be willing to seek His will at all costs. Even if it means letting go of what we believe is best and allowing Him to do what He wants to do.

Father, give me a growing desire to see Your will done, not my own. Help me not let pride, selfishness and my own worldly views get in the way of what You are doing. I want to do what You would have me do. Give me the ability to let go of my own agenda at times and allow you to speak through others. May we always seek unity and allow You to guide our decision making. May Your will be our will. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

 

Joshua 17-18, Acts 14

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Taking the Land.

Joshua 17-18, Acts 14

So Joshua said to the people of Israel, “How long will you put off going in to take possession of the land, which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you?” ­– Joshua 18:3 ESV

As Joshua slowly began to divide up the land that had been conquered into portions for the various tribes of Israel, it became apparent that there was not enough land to go around. There were still seven tribes who had yet been given their allotments. But the problem wasn’t a lack of land, it was that the Israelites had not yet completed their job of dispossessing the current occupants of the land. So Joshua had to confront the people about their lack of initiative and follow through. God had given them the land. He had promised to give them victory over the inhabitants of the land. But they were still going to have to do their part, and until the did, many of them would miss out of the intended blessings of God. Over the Psalms, we have a prophecy regarding the rule and reign of Jesus as Messiah or King. It reads, “The Lord said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and i will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession’” (Psalm 2:7-8 ESV). God had promised to give an heir of David all the nations of the earth. That heir was Jesus, the rightful heir to the throne of David. When Jesus commissioned His disciples, He told them, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8 ESV). In essence, Jesus was telling His disciples to “take the land.” They were to enter into enemy territory and take possession of it for the Kingdom of God. He had warned them that they were going to be like sheep among wolves, finding themselves in a constant battle with the forces of evil in the world. They would be arrested, beaten, and dragged before the authorities, but Jesus encouraged them, “And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (Luke 12:11-12 ESV). They were in a war, but they would be backed by the power of God.

What does this passage reveal about God?

God had a job for His people to do. The Israelites were to take possession of the land, relying on the power of God and resting in the abiding presence of God. In the same way, the apostles were to take possession of the land in the name of the King, Jesus Christ, and claim it for His Kingdom. Jesus had commissioned them to go and spread the Good News to all the nations of the earth. They were to enter into enemy land and take possession of its inhabitants, making them citizens of the Kingdom of God. Paul, Barnabas, John Mark, Peter, and the others were soldiers in the army of God, doing battle with the powers of darkness and facing daily opposition to their cause. Their war wasn’t metaphorical. It was real and there were actual casualties, like Stephen, who had been stoned to death for proclaiming the name of Christ. Paul was stoned and left for dead in Lystra. He and Barnabas had been forced to flee from Iconium because the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles threatened to stone them to death. But “they continued to preach the gospel” (Acts 14:7 ESV). Even after his stoning, the next day Paul was in the city of Derbe, where he “preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples” (Acts 14:21 ESV). These men viewed themselves as commissioned members of the army of God. They were fighting on behalf of the cause of Christ, and were willing to risk anything and everything for their King and His Kingdom. God had promised to give the nations as an inheritance to His Son. These men were simply doing their part to make that promise possible. They were going places Jesus had never been. They were taking the message of the Kingdom of God to parts of the world where Jesus had never had the opportunity to go. Jesus had told His disciples, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12 ESV). This promise from Jesus has less to do with the quality of the works than their quantity. The sheer number of disciples moving out and spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ, backed by the power of God and equipped with the Spirit of God, would result in many more miracles taking place. There were be even more conversions. The Gospel would spread to places it had never been before. But only as faithful men did as they were told to do.

What does this passage reveal about man?

We have our part to play. God has chosen to make the message of His Son and His Kingdom made known through us. God has promised to give the nations to His Son as His inheritance. But as citizens of His Kingdom, it is our job to go before Him and take possession of what is already rightfully His. We must act as ambassadors and emissaries of His Kingdom, increasing the size and scope of His Kingdom on earth. This world belongs to God and His Son. It is currently occupied by enemy forces, those who oppose God and who refuse to acknowledge His Son as the rightful heir to the throne of God and as their King. Our job is to make the King known. Our obligation is to do battle with the forces of darkness, in order to set free all those who are held captive by the power of the enemy. Paul reminds us, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12 ESV). We are in a battle. It will not be easy, but we know that the land belongs to our King. We know it has been promised to Him by our God. We fight on His behalf and have the full backing and authority of God behind us in the form of the Holy Spirit. But as Joshua said to the people of Israel, God asks us, “How long will you put off going in to take possession of the land…?” (Joshua 18:3 ESV). We must not become distracted by the cares of this world. We must not allow ourselves to fall prey to the lie that there are more important things for us to do. We have a commission. We have a job to do.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

It is amazing how easily I can allow living my life to take place of my true purpose as a child of God. I can make it all about me and my own comfort and happiness. But I have a job to do that has been given to me by God Himself. Paul, Barnabas, Stephen, and Peter were committed to the cause of Christ. It was the focus of their lives. It was their reason for being. They took their commission by Christ seriously and spent their days spreading the news of Christ’s Kingdom anywhere and everywhere. They entered into enemy territory, taking possession of the land for the name of Christ. They faced constant opposition. They lived with a real threat of danger. They knew that their lives could end just as Stephen’s had. But they didn’t hold back. They didn’t get distracted. They saw the size and scope of the need. They realized the vast nature of the task at hand. The land lay before them. It was theirs to take. And there is still territory that remains in enemy hands today. There are still those who are held captive and have yet to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. It is our job to continue what the apostles began.

Father, give me a passion for Your cause. Give me a heart to fight for the Kingdom of Your Son. May I live my life like Paul, Barnabas and Peter did. Forgive me for making it all about my kingdom instead of Christ’s. Forgive me for getting distracted from the cause and allowing myself to put off what You have called me to do. Give Your church a renewed sense of calling and the courage to take the land in the name of Christ. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

 

Joshua 11-12, Acts 11

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God’s Way Is the Best Way.

Joshua 11-12, Acts 11

…who was I that I could stand in God’s way? ­– Acts 11:17 ESV

Every child of God faces a daily choice to either live their life God’s way, or according to their own will. And it’s not a one-time decision. Countless times during each day of our lives we are given opportunities to follow God’s will and do things His way, or to determine that our way is better. When Joshua led the people into the land of Canaan, he knew full well what God’s expectations on him were. He knew what his job was and how God wanted him to do it. And he had learned a valuable lesson when he and the people failed to follow God’s plan in the case of the city of Ai. It resulted in defeat. But when Joshua and the people did things God’s way, the results were markedly different. God had told Joshua not to fear those nations living in the land, because they would be handed over to the people of Israel for defeat by the hand of God Himself. And that’s exactly what happened – “and the Lord gave them into the hand of Israel” (Joshua 11:8 ESV). Joshua’s conquest of northern Canaan was a huge military success. In fact, chapter 12 records that Joshua and the people defeated 31 different kings and kingdoms. That was 29 more victories than Moses had experienced when he led the people of Israel.

There is always a temptation to do things our own way. Doing things God’s way doesn’t always make sense or seem logical. It isn’t always easy. But Joshua learned that God’s way is always best and produces the preferred outcome.

What does this passage reveal about God?

When God birthed the Church in the early days after Jesus’ ascension, it was clear that He had a plan in place. The growth was spectacular and the events surrounding it were far from normal. The Spirit of God was at work. And yet there was persecution present as well. In the midst of the exciting expansion of the Gospel and the coming to faith of countless men and women, there was a growing animosity toward the cause of Christ and those who claimed His name. But that persecution resulted in the spread of the Gospel. The Church was scattered. “Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far away as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews” (Acts 11:19 ESV). God was using the persecution of the Church to force the Gospel outside the confines of Jerusalem and Judea and into the surrounding regions of the world at that time. Not only that, He was opening up the Gospel to the Gentile world, expanding the Good News beyond the confines of the Jewish nation. Peter had learned that God’s way included ALL men, not just Jews. Barnabas and Paul would discover that God was at work among the Gentiles in Antioch, pouring out His Spirit on them as “a great number who believed turned to the Lord” (Acts 11:21 ESV). It was in Antioch, among the newly converted Gentile believers, that the term “Christian” first came into use. The term was used to distinguish those who were of the “Christ party” from the religious Jews and pagan Gentiles. God was doing something new and exciting. His way was producing amazing results, and the world was beginning to notice.

What does this passage reveal about man?

When the apostles first received word that Gentiles were coming to faith in Christ, they didn’t know what to think. The more hard-core Jewish believers, known as the “circumcision party”, were upset with Peter, criticizing him for spending time with uncircumcised Gentiles. They just couldn’t believe that this would be within God’s will. But Peter revealed the story of his call by God to go to Caesarea. He told them, “the Spirit told me to go with them, ‘making no distinction’” (Acts 11:12 ESV). Peter made it clear that this was clearly the work of God and it had been anointed by the Spirit of God. He concluded, “who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” (Acts 11:17 ESV). Peter knew that God’s will was going to be done – either with or without him. To disobey God would have been futile. It would not have halted the advance of His Kingdom, but it would have placed Peter in an unenviable position as a stumbling block to God’s will. God was granting to the Gentiles repentance that leads to life, and he was not going to stand in God’s way.

How would I apply what I’ve read to my own life?

There should be no greater desire in the life of a believer than to watch God work. Our hope should be that we are always willing participants in God’s great plan for the redemption of mankind. His way should be our way. His will should be our greatest desire. When Joshua did things God’s way, he was able to witness some powerful results. He was an eye witness to the mighty hand of God operating on behalf of His people. When Peter, Barnabas, Paul and the apostles realized what God was doing among the Gentiles, they knew that their best option was to join in, whether they fully understood or not. God was confirming His work among the Gentiles through His Holy Spirit and there was no reasonable excuse for standing against what God was doing. God’s way is always the best way. I must continually learn to live my life in keeping with His will and with a sensitivity to what He is doing in the world around me. I can’t afford to let my way get in the way. My personal agenda must always take a backseat to God’s Kingdom agenda.

Father, we fail to see more victories in our lives because we tend to want to do things our way, rather than Yours. Help me to understand just how important it is to live my life according to Your terms and not my own. I never want to stand in Your way. I know I do it thought. Sometimes willingly. Other times, ignorantly. Give me a special sensitivity to Your will and an ability to know Your way, and then follow it.  Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org