Today’s reading Acts 13:1-14:28.

Two things hit me today.

First, I normally don’t like the verse divisions because I think they cause an artificial reading instead of just reading it like a book or a letter (I do appreciate how it makes referencing scripture easier). However, there is one division in this reading that really grabbed me–the division between Acts 13:29 and Acts 13:30. 

Acts 13:29: “And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.”

Verse break. End of story. Over. Done. Jesus is dead and buried. The story ends. But wait, there is another verse:

Acts 13:30: “But God raised him from the dead.”

The story wasn’t over. Jesus was raised from the dead. He was victorious and I can be victorious through Him. Which leads to my “second.”

Second, Acts 13:38-39 really struck me.

“Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.”

Because Jesus was freed from death, I can be freed from death. Because He was resurrected, I can be resurrected from the spiritual death I have caused. I can’t help but think about what Paul says in Romans 7:24-25, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” My body is filled with death because of my sin, but God can and will raise me up from that death through Jesus Christ. In fact, He already has.

Then Paul goes on in Acts 8:2-4.

“For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be filled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

My story is not over. God is still working on me. I don’t believe this means I was baptized, now I’ll never sin. Rather, this is a progressive victory over sin. This is an increasing putting off of the flesh and its passions. I’m peeling back the layers of the onion to get down to what God wants in me. I am reminded every day that God will set me free and resurrect me as He did His Son, Jesus.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is 2 Timothy 4:1-22; Titus 1:1-16.

II Timothy 4:18 says, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom.” 

Paul was in prison. On the one hand, he claimed he was about to be poured out as a drink offering (II Timothy 4:6). Yet, here he says he’ll be delivered. Now which is it?

The reason folks struggle with trying to figure out if Paul would be delivered or if he would die, is because his perspective was different from ours. Paul viewed death as deliverance. If he died, he would go be with the Lord (Philippians 1:23). People can’t hold much over your head when letting you go is deliverance and killing you is also deliverance. 

If I could just grasp that for the Christian, death is not such a bad thing, living for Christ would become a much easier thing.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

There were a couple of things in today’s reading that stood out, but how can I bypass these chapters without following the command at the end of them to comfort and encourage you with these words:

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to me the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

I Thessalonians 4:13-17 (ESV)

There are two things that comfort me in this passage. 

1. If we live by faith, we can die by faith.

We do not have to face death with fear. We believe Jesus died and was resurrected, we know we will be as well. We know death is not an end, but merely a transition. We are not abandoned by Jesus when we die. Rather, we go to be with Him and will always be with him. What a comfort.

2. There is more than this life.

Some days life is just frustrating. I wonder why anyone would remotely want to keep on dealing with it. The reason…there is more to life than this life. There is something worth striving for when this life is over. I don’t want to give up because a victory is coming and I want to be on the winning side when it happens. 

Be comforted. Life is tough, but the goal waiting for us is worth everything we go through. Death may be hard, but for us it is a victory.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

I can hardly fathom how it happened. The Jewish crowd had two men in front of them. One of those men had really and truly been involved in rebellion and insurrection. One had actually killed people. The other one had preached a message of peace and submission to others. One had brought people back to life. Just days earlier these very same crowds had been proclaiming this miracle worker was the descendent of David. He had never done anything worthy of death and even Pilate realized that.

Pilate gave the crowd an option. He could release Barabbas, the insurrectionist and murderer, or he could release Jesus, the man they had praised just days earlier. The other one would be delivered for a torturous death by crucifixion. How on earth could the crowds ever be stirred up to release Barabbas and pick Jesus to be crucified? How could they look at Jesus, a man who had taught in their synagogues, who had healed their sick, cast out demons, raised the dead and in so many other ways demonstrated Himself to be the Messiah for whom they looked, and pick Him to die. Nevertheless, that was the choice they made.

I can hardly fathom how it happened. God had two men in front of Him. One of those men had really and truly been involved in rebellion and sin. He had lied, stolen, cheated, lusted, committed immorality, coveted and pursued his own arrogant path of self-service in many other ways. The wages of his sins were death. The other one only ever lived to please the Father. He submitted and obeyed. He had never done anything worthy of death and God realized that.

But, God had an option. He could free and give life to me, the sinner and rebel, or He could leave Jesus alone. The other one would be delivered to a torturous spiritual death of separation from the Father. How in heaven could God ever be stirred to set me free by picking His only begotten Son, Jesus, for death? How could God look at Jesus, a Son who had only ever faithfully served Him, and put Him on the cross and then turn His face from Him? 

The crowds made their choice because of selfish envy. God made His choice because of selfless love. I have always been intrigued by the fact that Barabbas’ name means “son of the Father.” Because of Jesus’ death, I am now a son of the Father. I do not know how the Father, Son and Spirit could have so much love to let Jesus take my place. I just know I’m glad God did.

I don’t know how Barabbas turned out. Was he changed by this experience? Or did he simply go back and plot more rebellion? I can’t answer how Barabbas responded. I can only determine how I will respond. God put Jesus on the cross where I should be. Will I just keep on sinning and rebelling, spurning the sacrifice God offered for me? Or will I strive to become like Jesus who sacrificed Himself for me?

Keep the faith and keep reading.

ELC

DEATH!

The word strikes fear in the hearts of most people. Yet, it didn’t strike fear in Paul. In Philippians 1:21, he said “to die is gain” (ESV). Why? Because death was the doorway to being with Christ for Paul (cf. Philippians 1:23). Paul has accomplished here what few seem to be able to do.

We hear so much about living by faith. We also need to learn to die by faith. No doubt, I could probably write reams and reams and reams on what it means to live and die by faith. However, Paul actually gives us the key in Philippians 1:21. He wrote, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (ESV). He saw two options. If he died, he would have personal gain, going to be forever with Christ. If he lived, that would benefit Christ and Christ’s plan because he would have fruitful labor helping the lost be saved and the saved be strengthened.

The fact is, the only reason “to die is gain” for Paul was because “to live is Christ” for Paul. If the first half of that statement were not true, then the second half would not be. If we want our death to be gain, then we need our life to be Christ.

Therefore, we need to ask, “What is my life? Is my life about Christ?” If living is not for Christ and has no fruitful labor for Him, then dying will not be gain for us. We can’t have it both ways. We can’t live our lives totally for ourselves pursuing our own goals, following the desires of our flesh, seeking our own pleasure and entertainment and then expect death to be about Jesus. It just won’t work.

If we want our death to be gain, then our life has to be Christ. What is your life about today?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC