Acts 28:1–15

 Bonus Devotion Day 

(Two devotions today I ran out of days before devotions.  Expect the next devotion about 9:00 am)

Acts 28:1–15

As we read the record of Paul’s travels, it is a pendulum of good and then bad circumstances following in quick succession. He is sailing to Rome to preach the Gospel; the ship is in a storm; an angel promises safety; the ship is wrecked; everyone makes it to shore; it is cold and rainy; the locals build a fire; a snake bites Paul. It is a roller coaster of ups and downs. None of these events are specific to or the result of ministry, but it was the story in which Paul lived. We never get the idea that Paul asks, “Why me?” He doesn’t promote himself as spiritually superior because of the good things. He doesn’t grumble toward God because of the bad things. Life happens; it is the unexpected events that creep onto us day by day and through which our character shines out. God’s control of all things doesn’t mean God keeps us from every little circumstance of trouble. To ask why is to ask a question that may never be answered this side of Heaven, and when we get to Heaven we likely won’t care to hear the answer. Faithful, godly people on the roller coaster of life know that this is just part of life.

Rather than ask “why,” a better question may be “How can I serve in this moment?” As Paul and his team prepared to leave Malta, we saw that the natives took wonderful care of them. That would not have happened if Paul had acted like a spoiled, sulking princess. We see Paul helping with the firewood, we see Paul in ministry to the sick, and we see Paul in the role of a servant. There’s nothing more unbecoming of a Christian than acting as if some act of service or menial labor is beneath them. There is no specific mention of Paul teaching or preaching at Malta; we might assume that he did. If a Christian imagines that some work is beneath their dignity or position, then they are following neither Christ nor the example of real Christians. Perhaps we should pray that God would place us in such circumstances where we can do and learn the value of humble service.

“Lord, help me to serve with humility in great ways. AMEN”

Acts 27:27-44

 Acts 27:27-44

God’s care, plan, and providence are by no means a promise we will not face trouble, struggle, and hardship. Sometimes that trouble is the result of our own doing; sometimes it is the result of those around us. God‘s plan was for Paul to speak in Rome to the emperor and there present the gospel message. God would see Paul through to that end. But just because Paul was ordained to make this presentation did not insulate him from the consequences of the decisions he or others would make. The shipwreck was going to be a miserable and terrifying experience, which was a consequence of the decision to sail from Fair Havens back in verse 13. Misery is sometimes a result of our own bad decisions; other times it is a result of the bad decisions of those around us. We can be doing exactly what we are called to do, and we can be in the right walk with God, and still be in a shipwreck figuratively or literally.

So why didn’t Paul perform a miracle and call the seas to calm down like Jesus did? Why didn’t Paul name and claim the storm away and replace it with a placid sea and a gentle breeze? God‘s providence uses all things, even storms, to His purpose and end. Hanging onto a tossing ship, exhausted, battered, and bruised was an opportunity for good to be accomplished. We have difficulty understanding hard times as beneficial, but they are. There are some things in our hearts that will never be extracted by any other means than hard times. We can never walk away from some distractions; so those distractions must be wrecked like a ship on a reef.

We must, contrary to our wishes, let go of control of circumstances. We like to think we control circumstances, but more often than not that ‘control’ isn’t really there. At best we have a delusion or an illusion of control. The control of history and events belongs to God. What belongs to us is duty. Results cannot be controlled; sometimes the results are far less than our efforts, and sometimes results are disproportionately large compared to our efforts. We don’t know if the seed will produce no tree, a weak tree, or a great tree. It is our duty to plant the seed. In this passage, we see no miracles; we see duty, and that choice is in our control.

“Lord, I surrender control to You, and ask You to help me be faithful in my duty. AMEN”

Acts 27:1-26

 Acts 27:1-26

Much of the life of a disciple is living life without the spectacular moments. In this passage we see no great sermons, we see no great dramatic conversions, we see no powerful miracles. Other than an angelic vision in verse 23 there is nothing out of what we might call the ordinary. The story of a ship caught in a storm could have and was repeated many times all over the Mediterranean. But the absence of the dramatic doesn’t mean the absence of God. Miracles are where God supersedes the laws of nature He created, in order to accomplish His purposes.  Providence is where God works within those same laws of nature to accomplish His purposes. Providence is no less wonderful than miracles, but it may seem less dramatic to us. In the mythology of pagan religions we might expect to see the ship in the storm picked up by Poseidon and flown through the air to its destination. For pagans the gods only worked in the dramatic, strange and supernatural ways. But we see God at work in the extremely ordinary events of a cargo ship at sea in a storm.

Most of our lives are not made up of the spectacular experiences that are most measurable. Most of our lives are made up of the exceedingly ordinary work orders and service calls, washing dishes and eating meals, traffic congestion and running errands. But because those moments are not supernatural dramatic moments doesn’t mean they are not filled with the grace and the supervision of God. God is working out “all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose”. Not all things are good some are bad not all things are dramatic some are ordinary but they are all under His control.

The challenge of discipleship is not found as often in the spectacular moment, event or miracle but rather in faithfully living out the challenge of “How do I honor, love, and serve God in this very ordinary moment?” In all likelihood I will not stand before the governor today, speak to a large crowd, or call fire down from heaven. But I will make phone calls, send text, talk to people and offer prayers to heaven and that is a moment to be a disciple.

“Lord, help  me be faithful in the ordinary moments of today. AMEN”

Acts 26:24–32

Acts 26:24–32

Festus was a hard man, a Roman, who had one cause: his own advancement. He was ruthless and practical, so a conversation about God and salvation and the spiritual kingdom of darkness and Satan mattered little to him. “Can you touch it?” “Can you spend it?” “Can you use it for your benefit?” These were the questions he might ask. If the answers were anything other than “yes” he wasn’t interested. “Paul you were out of your mind”. He was a cynic who believed that too much reflection would drive you mad.

But Agrippa was another case. The heart was not completely severed from his links to his Jewish past. The prophets still haunted him. There were nagging questions that pop up in quiet moments or in conversations about all things Jewish. There was a shadow over his life, the shadow of a reality that he could not deny but only ignore. Now Paul is making ignoring that reality, that shadow, hard to do. He may not have liked the priestly delegation. They may have been his rivals but he knew the temple and sacrifices meant something. He may have not studied the law and the prophets but they rose from his past like a ghost to tell him you know something is not right.

Agrippa’s response is telling in both and what he doesn’t say and what he does say. He doesn’t say “Paul do you want me to be moral?” “Study the Bible?” “Participate in Temple worship?” Nor does he ask about any other activity that might be religious. His response to Paul’s defense, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian”. We don’t know if Agrippa was being ironic or sincere. Was he wavering on becoming a disciple or merely mocking the earnestness of Paul? Scholars are divided and we will never know this side of Heaven. However one point is clear and sharp as a needle: the ultimate call is to be a follower, a disciple of Jesus. Often the gross immorality, injustice, and rampant wickedness of our world distress us. We rally to causes to change the behaviors on the outside. But in reality we are called to lead people to follow Christ. Once they follow him He will change them from the inside out.

"Lord, haunt me if I ever begin to drift. AMEN"

Acts 26:1–23

Acts 26:1–23

In response to the attacks on the church Jesus asked “Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?” To attack the church is to attack Jesus. That is not to say that there is no need or occasion for congregations to be rebuked and corrected. However the Church is the body of Christ. We need to be very careful to distinguish between the Church Universal and the local congregation.  We often take a view of the church that is too secular, too social, and too institutional. But the reality is that the church is Holy, Heavenly, and Eternal. We are too quick to speak ill of the Church as a result of our bad experiences with local congregations and malignant Christians. Some congregations are travesties, being little more than religion clubs dedicated to their own religious entertainment and self-congratulations. Some congregations, even those not experiencing declining numbers, ought to close their doors (see Malachi 1:10). But too often in our rejection of  a bad congregation we  inadvertently throw away our commitment to the Church.

There are two extreme dangers for us regarding the church. The first is that we become an enabler of a sick local congregation. We justify its existence and behaviors without any willingness to express or consider corrections. Some leaders  would rather see hell’s kingdom come than to lose power or control in their local congregation. This dysfunction at its extreme will protect the most evil of vices and behaviors. The second extreme and equal danger we face is to become a dabbling religious gourmet. Sampling here and there offering a critique of personal opinions but never committing to the work of the local ministry. Religious gourmets may attend a congregation for years and never actually carry the cross in that congregation. Typically these people have been deeply hurt and are afraid of being wounded again.

Between the Church and the congregation there is a chasm as wide as any broken heart. Our job as Disciples is to love the Church and move our congregations toward her. A disciple without a fellowship is an oxymoron. Moving our faith community toward the Church is part of our calling as a disciple. Attacking or corrupting the Church is the work of the enemy and an attack on Christ.

“Lord, help me to love Your Church and encourage my congregation.  AMEN”

Acts 25:13-22

 Acts 25:13-22

King Agrippa was a ruler of a minor client kingdom dependent upon Rome. In terms of imperial power he was a minor player. He was less a king than a governor. With a single word Rome could remove him from power. He was brother-in-law to Felix who had just been removed, so there were some negative associations he needed to overcome. He was in conflict with the high priest in Jerusalem with whom Festus had a recently spent considerable time. This trip was to pay respect but also to secure Festus support for his kingship.

Part of gaining that support was to look the part, to represent power and grandeur. A hearing of the Paul’s case was the ideal occasion. Agrippa and Bernice could strut like peacocks to demonstrate they would represent Rome well. Festus could judge them and evaluate if they were fit and then report to Rome. For Agrippa this wasn’t so much about Paul as impressing the new governor.  The hearing would have been a state occasion with the king and queen in regal attire, Festus in the crimson tunic designating him as governor, honor guards in spit and polish uniforms, cohort commanders with steely eyes and hard bitten faces, and everyone looking for opportunity to impress everyone else and for a chance of advancement.  They would also be looking for weaknesses in rivals.

But in the midst of all the great pump something is missing. The word translated “pomp” that Luke uses here is the Greek word from which we get the word “fantasy”. In their pretend world of being important they miss the central part of the trial, of their lives, and of the universe. Festus summarizes the case in verse 19 by saying “…a certain dead man Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive.” In that passing statement Festus hit on the core of everything. Is Jesus who was dead alive or not? Compared to that issue everything else is trivial, silly, and trite. The resurrection of Jesus is the core of the gospel, the pivot of all He said and did. It is the guarantee of the future and the fulfillment of all history. If he is still dead nothing matters, if he is alive it changes everything. Like Festus, Agrippa, Bernice, the Romans, Felix, the high priest, and us we get bound up in our fantasies, self-importance, politics, self advancement and we fail to realize the most important fact of the universe Jesus was dead but is now alive.

“Lord, help me to not fall into the fantasy land of this world, but to focus on the truth of Your Kingdom. AMEN”

Acts 25:1-12

 Acts 25:1-12

The end of the governorship Felix begins the rule of Festus. Festus arrived in a hotbed of troubles. Conflicts between Rome and the Jews were on the increase and the Roman puppet, Agrippa and a high priest were in conflict. Festus needs to strike a difficult balance. He needs to uphold Roman authority while at the same time developing favor with the Jews. In AD 66 the great Jewish rebellion would begin. This is a mere 6 to 8 years after Festus’ appointment. The political situation was already getting tense. In terms of all that was going on the conflict between Paul and a high priest must have seemed of little importance to Festus. What better way to curry the support of the priest than by having a show trial and turning Paul over to them?

What Festus did not and could not have known was that he was a part of God‘s plan. It was God‘s plan to have Paul appear before the emperor and Festus was only a small part of that grand design. What we often imagined to be a great moments of history are nothing more than a footnote. What we would imagine as being trivial details are the hinge pens on which the great moments swing.

We should also note that Paul would use whatever privileged position he might have for the benefit of the kingdom. He is first and foremost a disciple but if his Roman citizenship could benefit his discipleship he would use it to that end. At this point in story Rome is a good guy. Paul has by now written his letter to the church in Rome calling them to be good citizens and to submit to the authorities of the state. But within 40 years the Revelation will describe Rome as a drunken whore sitting on seven hills. All nations and all forms of government are to be judged based on one matrix, do they benefit or harm the church. A monarchy or a dictatorship that benefits the church is superior to a liberal democracy that hurts or undermines it. Paul’s, and our, loyalty to the Lord and his church is before and above our loyalty to the state, to the government, to nations, or political theories.

“Help me, Lord, to never confuse or misunderstand what is my first loyalty. AMEN”