Today’s reading is Acts 15:1-16:40.

These readings provided me with hope because it showed that Paul was human. I don’t mean I see him doing things wrong necessarily. However, I do see him responding as I might respond with very human emotions.

In Acts 15:38-41, he has an argument with Barnabas and they part ways. I don’t want to get in the debate about whether this was right or wrong or who was right or wrong. I just notice that even the apostle Paul had turmoils, disagreements, struggles. Whatever was right or wrong in this situation, Paul wasn’t perfectly able to bring about 100% accord with Barnabas. I won’t always be able to do that either.

In Acts 16:18, says Paul cast out the spirit from the servant girl because he became greatly annoyed. No doubt, Paul was right to cast out the spirit. He had the authority to do so and there was nothing wrong with it. But I can’t help but see that this happened because he was greatly annoyed. What a human emotion. It is as if this girl had been following them around and each time Paul gets a little more frustrated. At first, he tries to ignore what she was doing. I can see him talking to someone, this girl crying out and him closing his eyes, looking up, sighing and trying to move on until it just had him pushed to the very limit. In annoyance, he turns around and essentially says, “Fine, if that’s the way you want to play this game, watch this. I command you in Jesus’ name to come out of her.” 

In Acts 16:36-40, Paul had been unjustly beaten. Even though he could see how the whole thing worked out for good and the jailer’s conversion, he was still ticked off. The officials had broken the law and he had paid the price for it. He wouldn’t take that lying down. He certainly didn’t do anything wrong and I think we learn some great lessons about using the rights our government gives us. However, I again see that human emotion. “I don’t have to take this. I’m not going to take this. You guys think you can break the law and then send us out privately. No way. I’m going to stand up to this.”

These vignettes into Paul’s life comfort me. I’m allowed to have emotions. I’m allowed to be annoyed at times because some things are annoying. I’m allowed to stand up for my rights some times. I’m allowed to disagree with someone sometime. All too often I live with this ideal fantasy that says when I’m doing everything just right I’ll never have disagreements, never get annoyed, never get angry. That will never happen. This is real life we’re talking about. Paul lived it and yet he was still faithful to God and forgiven by Jesus. I can too. I’m not saying I have permission to let my emotions run my life into sinful behaviors. I’m simply learning that I don’t have to berate myself with shame and guilt simply because I don’t live up to some fantasy standard.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

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

Earthquake Seismograph

Today’s reading is Acts 15:1-16:40.

On Wednesday, we saw Peter escape from prison. No one expected it to happen the way it did. Peter didn’t expect it. It wasn’t until he was actually outside the gates and the angel left that he realized it was more than a dream. The Christians didn’t expect it. When Rhoda told them Peter was at the house gate, they thought she must be mistaken. Yet, God works in unexpected ways.

In Acts 16:16ff we find an apostle in prison again. He is praying and singing, along with Silas. Then God does the unexpected. He doesn’t simply cause the magistrates to release Paul. He doesn’t send an angel to spirit Paul and Silas away. This time, He sends a natural disaster. He sends an earthquake. 

However, this surprising turn of events produces great results. Who knows how well the jailer had been listening to Paul and Silas’s songs and prayers. But when they stay after the earthquake, as do the other prisoners, his heart is softened and he wants to hear Paul and Silas’s message. He and his entire household submit to the gospel.

I can’t help but see the parallel established once again between Paul and Peter. I also can’t help but see again that God works in unexpected ways. Who would have expected an earthquake to be the key to the jailer’s salvation. Yet, God gets His work done. Maybe we should rely on Him more and ourselves less.

***Question: Why is it hard to rely on God?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

With the conversions of the households of both Lydia and the Philippian Jailer, Acts 16 is a great place to learn about how to live an evangelistic lifestyle. Note 5 keys we learn from the chapter.

1. Know the message: In Acts 16:13-14, Paul and Barnabas obviously knew the message they needed to preach to these women. Further, in Acts 16:32, they knew the message to give to the Jailer when he questioned them. No matter what else we do, if we don’t know the message, we can’t be evangelistic.

2. Know where the prospects are: In Acts 16:13, Paul and Barnabas knew where the Jews would meet in the absence of a synagogue. We are probably not looking for a riverside religious meeting. However, we need to be able to tell where the prospects are. They aren’t in our church buildings. They are out in the world. Salt is only useful when it comes in contact with what needs to be salted.

3. Care about people, no matter how they have treated you: I can’t help but think how many of our modern vengeance minded Americans would have acted when the Jailer was about to off himself. Instead of stopping him, many would have thought “good riddance” regarding the man who had placed them in stocks and, no doubt, treated them with disdain. But Paul and Barnabas cared about people. Despite how the jailer had treated them, they wanted him safe. That only comes when we actually care about people.

4. Be a Christian everywhere, displaying your spirituality: Certainly, we are not supposed to shine our lights so people will somehow think we are special. However, we do need to display the light so folks will glorify God. Whether we find ourselves beside the river with a specifically planned time of evangelism or find ourselves in prison, we need to live like Christians displaying our spirituality. No doubt, evangelism is about us going and teaching. But at times, it is also about us just living right so that when people who are not interested right now become interested later, they know where to turn. That is exactly what happened in Acts 16:29-30. The Jailer had not been interested, but suddenly his perspective changed. He knew where to turn for answers not because Paul and Barnabas had already had a Bible study with him. But because they had displayed their spirituality, living as Christians no matter where they were.

5. Don’t stop because of rejection: In Acts 16:16-24, Paul and Barnabas suffered a tremendous rejection. It was so strong, they were thrown in jail. I could see how that would be a tad bit discouraging. However, it didn’t stop them at all. Instead, they just kept right on being Christians. They just kept right on living out evangelism.

I hope and pray we all develop this kind of lifestyle and spread the gospel to all who will hear.

Keep the faith and keep reading

ELC