All in the Family

In the ‘70s, there was a sitcom named “All in the Family.”  Archie Bunker, his son-in-law “Meathead,” daughter Gloria and wife Edith made up a strange family.  Archie’s bigoted attitude toward everybody and everything along with the accompanying family dysfunction made for great comedy.

Racism, bigoted attitudes and snobbery are not limited to white, middle class, middle-aged men.  It comes in all colors, shapes and sizes, and it goes in all directions.  In addition, racism and bigoted attitudes are not new.  These things are not modern inventions.

At the time of Jesus, there already existed ancient prejudices and animosities between different groups of people.  The Jews hated Samaritans and had nothing to do with Gentiles.  Samaritans and Gentiles returned the favor.

When the Church was born, there existed a unique situation that removed many political and language barriers.  The Roman Empire did away with political boundaries and gave a vast area of the world a common trade language.

Because of the Roman Empire, it was possible for persecuted Christians from Judea to relocate within the Empire.  Acts 11:19 tells us, “The believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria.”[i]

However, this political freedom did not do away with barriers of culture.  Acts 11:19 finishes with, “They preached the word of God, but only to Jews.”

I do not think these early Christians were malicious, nor do I think they had bad motives.  I think they were doing what came naturally.  They were associating with those they felt comfortable with.

When the early Christians relocated because of persecution, it was natural that they should form connections in Jewish communities already in existence.  For example, even the Apostle Paul, who was the Apostle to the Gentiles, went first to the synagogue when he entered a new community.  This was a natural connection for him, a Jew.

This world’s system tends to build cultural barriers and some of these form into prejudices.  There are those, who like Archie Bunker, adopt attitudes toward others that are simply un-“Christ-like.”

The early Church was remarkably open to different cultures and peoples, especially in light of their Jewish background.  Barnabas rejoiced when he saw large numbers of Gentiles turning to the Lord.

This openness is remarkable, considering the cultural barriers that existed.  In order to overcome these barriers, the Lord took the believers through a process.  First, Peter had a vision of a sheet filled with all manner of unclean and forbidden animals.  A voice from heaven commanded him to eat these animals.  Being a good Jew, Peter refused.  This vision was immediately connected with Peter sharing the Gospel with a Gentile, his family and friends.  These Gentiles believed in Jesus and received the Holy Spirit.  When Peter’s fellow Jewish believers and apostles heard of this, they asked him what he was doing speaking with Gentiles.  Peter explained what happened and the believers began to understand that the Lord wanted to save Gentiles also.

With the stoning of Stephen, persecution of believers in Christ began.  This persecution spread believers and as they were going, they preached the Gospel.  Cyprus was one of the places listed in Acts 11:19 where believers went when they fled persecution.  These relocated Jewish believers shared with their new neighbors about Jesus.  Verse 20 tells us that some of the believers from Cyprus went to Antioch.

The persecution spreading believers was in Judea not Cyprus.  Believers fled Judea to Cyprus to avoid persecution.  Verse 20 does not say the Cyprus Jews were fleeing persecution when they moved from Cyprus to Antioch.  If these are Cyprus Jews converted by Judean Jews, there is a cultural difference.  These believers have been living in close proximity to Gentiles longer than the Judean Jews.  Associating with Gentiles is therefore more natural or comfortable for them.

This explains Acts 11:20 where it says, “Some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus.”  It is what happened next that is a testimony to the leading of the Lord.  Acts 11:21 says, “The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.”  The power of the Lord caused a large number of Gentiles to turn to the Lord.

This outpouring of God’s power got the attention of the Church in Jerusalem, so they sent Barnabas.  Barnabas saw the large number of Gentile converts and interpreted this as evidence of God’s blessings and he was filled with joy.

The strategy here was not of human origin.  They did not have planning sessions and evangelism training.  They did not have a visitation program and a bussing ministry.  I am not speaking against these things.  However, the explosive growth of the church in Antioch was not the result of a program or strategy. 

The Church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas as a helper.  His name means encourager, and that is what he did.  He went and got Saul from Tarsus.  Saul was the most educated man among all the believers.  If anyone was equipped to teach these new Gentile converts the Scriptures and how they related to Jesus, it was Saul.  In other words, the Church in Jerusalem was doing everything within its power to welcome these Gentiles into the family.  They did not come with a program.  They did not come to take control.  They came to rejoice together, welcome them into the family, and provide assistance.

There is one thing that Barnabas did that is key, and it is a principle that we should follow today as well.  If we want to see God work in our day, we must apply this principle.  It is found in verse 23.  Verse 23 says, “He encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord.” Besides the fact that the Gospel was preached, this is the only principle that Barnabas taught.  My interpretation or translation of this verse would be, “He exhorted them to purpose strongly in their hearts to hold fast to and abide in the Lord.”

It was this principle that Jesus taught when He said, “Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.  For apart from me you can do nothing.”  (John 15:5) 

It was abiding in or remaining in Jesus that produced fruit in the lives of the believers.  This is why Barnabas encouraged them to remain in the Lord.  The spread of the Gospel from Judea, throughout Samaria and then to the far reaches of the earth was an organic process.  It grew like a plant, naturally.

Saul and Barnabas taught.  We do not know exactly what they taught.  However, we know that Barnabas, the encourager, encouraged them to stay true to the Lord.  Furthermore, we know that Saul was an expert in the Old Testament Scriptures.  We can get a feeling for what he taught by reading the book of Romans.

In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus said:

Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

This is pictured for us in what is happening in Acts 11.  This word “go” in Matthew 28:19 could be translated “as you are going.”  This is what the believers were doing. 

As these believers became disciples, they joined a family.  The family shared, helped and encouraged each other.  We have here the touching story of prophets traveling from Jerusalem to Antioch.  These prophets traveled 300 miles on foot to fellowship with their new brothers and sisters.  To fellowship and encourage each other, they traveled 20 to 30 days. This family connection is reciprocated by the offering the Antioch believers shared with their brothers and sisters in Jerusalem. 

In a world filled with bigoted attitudes and prejudices, the church was breaking down walls and crossing cultural barriers.  It was not their strategy or program.  It was God’s strategy and program.

As believers, we are all part of God’s family.  As such, it is imperative that we stay true to the Lord.  Remaining in Him will bring fruit.  The power to make that happen is in Him.

If you have never received Jesus as your Savior, you are not part of the family.  The Gospel the believers spread wherever they went has not changed in 2000 years.  Although you and I have rebelled against and offended God in many ways, He invites us to be part of His family by accepting Jesus as our Savior.  Please choose to do this today.

For us believers, I would say, “Remain in Jesus.”

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[i] Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Steam, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God Saves Anyone

Acts 10

Cornelius was an Italian name.  He was a centurion of the Italian cohort.  Technically, a cohort was a tenth part of a legion.  However, when used to describe provincial and/or auxiliary troops, it described a regiment of about a thousand men.  This is most likely what is referred to in Acts 10.  In favor of this conclusion, is also the fact that the regiment or cohort had a name, “The Italian Cohort.”  It is not likely that a division of a legion would have a name, but it was common for legions to have names.

This is significant because it places Cornelius as a part of enforcing Roman rule in the region.  Herod the Great built Caesarea, and it was the administrative Center of the Judean Province of the Roman Empire. Although Cornelius was a part of enforcing Roman rule, his was a relatively subordinate role, as a centurion, Cornelius commanded 100 men.

Cornelius was a Gentile, most likely an Italian.  However, he was devout.  Acts  10:3 tells us he was praying one afternoon at about 3:00.  From this, we gather that Cornelius followed Jewish customs regarding prayer.  We are not told at what point he became convinced that the God of Israel was the true God, or by what process he became convinced.  When we meet Cornelius, he is already practicing as much of true religion as he knew.

We also know he was not acceptable to the Jews.  In verse 28 Peter says, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you.”[i] Peter says, “You know.”  Cornelius knew from experience the prejudice and practice of the Jews.  He was unacceptable.

He prayed regularly and gave to the poor.  I wonder what he prayed for.  He knew the Jewish God was the true God, but he was a hated Roman, a foreign invader enforcing the occupation.  Could Cornelius ever become acceptable?

He was born of the wrong race.  He was raised in the wrong culture.  He was part of the wrong class.  He was trained in the wrong profession.  Everything was against Cornelius from the start.

This was not an issue of money or of social status.  Cornelius had a job and enough money to give to the poor.  He had family and friends.  Yet, he knew something was lacking.  He was seeking God and praying.

Have you ever been there, seeking God and praying?

Have you ever wondered if you are good enough?

Or, perhaps, you have never been good enough.  Born on the wrong side of the tracks, you have never been accepted.  Part of the wrong class, trained in the wrong profession maybe you can identify with Cornelius.

Or, maybe you know somebody like Cornelius, someone who will not come to church because they would not be acceptable.

God deals with this issue with all of us.

There are two extremes.  There are those who believe they are born in the right class, right race and right place so they are acceptable.  On the other extreme, are those who believe they are born in the wrong class, wrong race, and wrong place so they are unacceptable.

At the beginning of the Church, when Jesus established the Body that was to be His presence on Earth, He dealt with this issue.

From Moses to Jesus, the way to God was through the temple in Jerusalem.  The Jewish people had the priesthood, the Bible and the temple.  The keys were in their hands and they were not opening the doors to anybody.

They had misunderstood part of God’s purpose.

God determined it essential that worship of Him remain pure and unmixed with superstition, idols and other gods.  He is the One and Only true God.  There is no one like Him.  In other words, he is separate or different from all others.  The word for this is Holy.  We feel this holiness when we approach God and feel unworthy or unacceptable.  We instinctively know that we are not good enough.

When God was giving the law for the practice of worship and life in His presence He said, “You must be holy because I, the LORD, am holy.  I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own.”  (Leviticus 20:26)

In order to establish this idea of holiness or separateness in their hearts and minds, God gave various laws for purification as well as dietary restrictions.  At the time of Jesus, there were those among the Jewish people that thought they were better than others were because they kept the law.  They felt that they were born of the right race and the right class.  They felt they were acceptable.  The apostle Paul was one of these until He met Jesus on the road to Damascus and then he changed.  He wrote: 

¹⁷You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God’s law, and you boast about your special relationship with him.  ¹⁸You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law. (Romans 2:17-18)

This mindset was what set Cornelius apart and made him unacceptable.  It was this mindset that Jesus addressed in order for the Gospel to go to the ends of the earth as He had commanded.  He started with Peter.

Peter has a vision.  All kinds of unclean animals are on a sheet and he is commanded to kill them and eat them.  He refuses.  This happens three times.  Each time a voice comes from heaven and says, “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.”  (Acts 10:15)  Verse 17 tells us that Peter was very perplexed, and wondering what the vision could mean.

He later makes the connection and shares it with Cornelius when he says, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you.  But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean.”  (Acts 10:28)  Peter is learning that the Gentiles are to be accepted in the Church.  This is a new idea to him as a Jew.  The dietary laws taught holiness, and had been misapplied to teach that Gentiles were unclean and impure.

This still happens today.  There are those that feel they must clean up their lives before they come to church.  Others feel like they will dirty the water if they are baptized.  Still others believe they were born in the wrong place and everything has been against them from the start.

The Gospel is for everyone.  Peter preaches the Gospel in very few words and says:

He ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead.  He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.  (Acts 10:42-43)

Let’s repeat that last line, “Everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.”

The Gospel is for everyone.

Besides the vision and teaching of Peter, the Lord confirms this fact by a miracle.  Verses 44 and following give an account of the Holy Spirit falling on all who were listening to the message.

Peter started his message with, “You know what happened . . .” They were familiar with all the events surrounding the preaching of John the Baptist and Jesus.  They just needed to make the connection.  As soon as they made the connection, God showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit.

This proved to be a turning point in the Church.

In chapter 11 of Acts, the apostles and other believers confront Peter.  How could Peter go into the home of Gentiles?  How could He preach to them and even eat with them?  When Peter defended himself against these charges, he told them exactly what happened.  And, the deciding argument was since God gave the Holy Spirit, who was Peter to stand in the way?

From that day to this, the ministry of the Church continues to be primarily to us Gentiles.  God has not given up on the Jews.  However, He has given us Gentiles access to all the promises and covenants.  The Apostle Paul said, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.”[ii]  (Romans 10:12, NIV) 

We make distinctions.  God says He does not.

The truth is not one of us is worthy, or acceptable.  Jesus makes us right with God.  When we believe on His name, our sins are forgiven and we are made acceptable.  It does not matter if you are male or female, Greek, Roman, Italian, Chinese, African, Jew or Gentile.  It makes no difference, none.

He ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead.  He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.  (Acts 10:42-43)

Come, just as you are.  God accepts you.  Based completely on what Jesus has done.  Come and see if He does not give you the gift of His Holy Spirit.

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[i] Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Steam, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

[ii] Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

God Leads

Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ.  It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.”[i]

The Gospel is advancing around the world, as the power of God works to free captives and break the power of sin.  What started in the book of Acts, continues as the gospel is preached.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would give us power to be His witnesses throughout the entire earth.

In chapter 8 of the book of Acts, we find that a great persecution broke out against the Church.  Due to this persecution, believers were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.  Verse 4 tells us these scattered believers preached the Gospel wherever they went.

Great joy followed the spread of the Gospel as people experienced its power to save.  The book of Acts begins an account of the unfolding of God’s plan for spreading the Gospel.  Chapter 1 verse 8 gives the outline of how the gospel would spread when it says, “in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  Up to verse 26 of chapter 8, the Gospel had spread as far as Samaria.

As we read Acts 8:26-40, we see God working to spread the Gospel beyond these borders to the ends of the earth.  Looking at the story of the Apostle Philip witnessing to the Ethiopian Eunuch, we see that God leads in the spread of the Gospel.

In Acts 8:5, we find the Apostle Philip preaching the Gospel in Samaria.  The Gospel made great progress and people rejoiced in its power to save.  At the end of his ministry in Samaria, Philip was visited by an angel of the Lord who said to

him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.”  (Acts 8:26) 

A simple principle here is the Lord gives direction.

In Philip’s case, the Lord sent an angel.  This seems to be an exceptional way of giving direction.  An angel was sent to Gideon, Daniel, Zechariah, Joseph and Mary.  There have been others, but these seem to be rare cases.  In Paul’s case, the Lord Himself appeared to Paul on the road.  This seems to be similar to the case of Moses and Samuel, where the Lord appeared or spoke to individuals directly.  In all these cases, the Lord gave clear direction.

However, not having an experience of such direct communication does not mean that you and I do not receive direction from the Lord.  Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “⁵Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  ⁶Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”  According to these verses, if we trust in the Lord, He will show us the way to go.  Isaiah 30:21 reflects this mysterious direction of the Lord when it says, “Your own ears will hear him.  Right behind you a voice will say, ‘This is the way you should go,’ whether to the right or to the left.” 

The Lord speaks in different ways to different people and at different times.  However, He is always consistent.  His Word is eternal and fixed in Heaven.  For us, this means that He never violates or contradicts His Word.  If a voice or even an angel speaks to anyone contrary to the Word of God, this is a sure sign it is not from God.  Isaiah 8:20 gives a good principle when it says, “Look to God's instructions and teachings!  People who contradict his word are completely in the dark.”

This also points us to the way in which we can be sure God is directing us.  We can be sure God is directing us only as we draw close to Him in His Word.  Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.”  (John 8:31)

This does not mean that we become slavishly legalistic about applying the Bible to life.  The Bible is about a relationship.  Jesus criticized the people of His day for not knowing God.  They knew the Scriptures but they did not know God.  Reading the Bible is supposed to be more like a conversation than a textbook.  When Jesus said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.”  He also said, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  (John 8:32)  If His teachings are not leading us into freedom, something is wrong.

God has appointed us as His witnesses for the spread of the Gospel.  We can trust Him completely to direct our steps.  If He wants, He will send an angel.  If He does not send an angel, stay close to Him in His word and trust that He is directing your steps.

Going back to Philip, we see in verse 27 he meets an Ethiopian eunuch.  Following God’s direction, Philip meets with opportunity.

The timing is perfect.  The Ethiopian worshipped in Jerusalem so his mind is on spiritual things.  He is reading in the book of Isaiah chapter 53.  There is no passage that expresses the Gospel clearer than Isaiah 53.  He is riding a long stretch of desert road so he has nothing but time on his hands.  The timing of this meeting could not be better.

Philip did not plan this.  He just did what he was told.  Philip started in Samaria.  It would have been a couple days’ walk for Philip to get between Jerusalem and Gaza.  The Scripture gives no indication that he knew why he was walking that direction.  He was just going.

You and I could not have planned many things that happened in our lives.  I could not have planned to meet the beautiful young woman that eventually became my bride and lifelong companion.  I did not plan to hear references to Moody Bible Institute while growing up and then for a graduate of that school to become my pastor.  These things just happened.  However, these were not coincidences.  These were God directing my path.

Philip’s timing was perfect, and the prospect was the right person.  Philip could not have gained access to the court of the queen of Ethiopia.  Yet, here he was, speaking to one of her high officials.

God led in directing Philip’s steps and God opened the door of opportunity.

The Apostle Paul, who led many to the Savior, asked for prayer.  He said, “Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ.”  (Colossians 4:3)

We can trust the Lord to direct our steps, and He controls the opportunities.  God also provided the fruit.

Acts 8:36&38 say, “³⁶As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?”  ³⁸He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

Rebirth or the conversion of a soul is a miracle performed by the Holy Spirit.  We get to witness it and even participate in it by sharing the Gospel, but it depends on the power of the Holy Spirit.  This same power raised Jesus from the dead.

Philip baptized the eunuch, which according to the Bible is a picture of us being buried and then raised with Christ.  It is a celebration of a work of God in the heart of a believer.

This is fruit produced by God.

There is also fruit that we do not see.

Verse 39 tells us that as they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away and the eunuch never saw him again.  The last we hear of the eunuch in Scripture is he went on his way rejoicing.

History does not tell us much about this man.  However, Eusebius, a Roman historian and the Bishop of Caesarea, wrote in about 300 AD that this Ethiopian eunuch went on to preach the Gospel in his country.  In his words, “through him in truth the prophecy obtained its fulfillment, which declares that “Ethiopia stretcheth out her hand unto God.”[ii]

Eusebius does not give any more information, only that this eunuch was instrumental in turning his nation to Christ.

We also know that the early Church had a strong presence in North Africa.

This does not give much detail about the part the Ethiopian eunuch played.  However, it does illustrate the point that we just do not know.  How can we measure the fruit of our actions?  There are too many repercussions for any of us to measure.

We have seen that God gives direction, provides opportunity and produces fruit.  In this, we learn we can trust God.  The word of God stresses the importance of faith.  We are saved by faith and we walk by faith.  Romans 1:17 says, “The righteous shall live by faith.”[iii]  (ESV)

We have talked about what God does.  Let us consider briefly what our responsibility is.  What did Philip do?

First, he went where God directed.

We do not all receive such obvious messages to go to a particular location, but we all receive direction from the Word of God.  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.  God directs us as we stay in conversation with Him.

Second, Philip shared the Gospel.

There are so many causes and important issues that it is easy to get off on what is not essential.  Alcohol, drug abuse, adultery, pornography, fornication, homosexuality, lying, stealing, war, hatred, gluttony, selfishness and such things fill our world.  However, there is only one answer.  People need the Lord.  “There is salvation in no one else!  God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”  (Acts 4:12)

The things listed are all sin.  The problem is we are all sinners.  Our battle is against sin, and the only power to defeat sin is Jesus Christ.  Our message is, “Turn to Jesus and live.” “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”  (John 3:17, ESV)

Third, Philip baptized the eunuch.

When the eunuch was ready to make a decision Philip did not stand in the way.  He did not hinder the person who would come to Christ.  We must trust God to do His work.  It is not for us to clean up the lives of those who would trust in Jesus.  It is not for us to tell them that they cannot follow Jesus because they are a black gentile in service to a pagan Queen and no gentile had ever followed Christ.  Yes, Philip broke all the rules in getting into a chariot with a Gentile.  This was the first recorded conversion of a gentile.  By Jewish standards, he did not qualify, but Philip did not ask these questions and neither should we.

Let’s trust God to do His part, and by faith let’s do ours.

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[i]Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Steam, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

[ii] http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iii.vii.ii.html  accessed May 1, 2015

[iii] Scripture quotations marked ESV are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

God's Power in Us

1 Corinthians 12

There is power in the name of Jesus.  This power saves us.  The world lies in the power of the evil one.  Wars, death, slavery, disease, violence, hatred, sexual immorality and a long list of other evils attest to this.  The power of the name of Jesus has defeated evil.  When Jesus returns, the power of the evil one over this world will end and sin and death will be done away.

However, until He returns, the power of Jesus works in us individually and as a Church to free us from the power of the evil one.  He also breaks the power of sin in our lives.  The ministry Jesus began in Galilee some 2015 years ago, continues in and through us to this very day.

This is an exciting truth.  Jesus told His disciples, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”  (John 20:21)[i]  And, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.  And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  (Acts 1:8)

This power of the Holy Spirit is at work in us today.  It is at work to break the power of sin in the lives of people, set captives free and bring good news to a lost and dying world.

1 Corinthians 12 explains how this works.  It explains the practical working of the Holy Spirit.  In short, this work of the Holy Spirit is accomplished by the Holy Spirit giving gifts, unifying us as a Body and blessing us with a diversity of members.

Let’s consider each of these in turn.

First, the Holy Spirit gives gifts.  1 Corinthians 12:1-11

It is important to understand that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God and the third member of the Trinity.  He is one with the Father and the Son.  There is only one Spirit.  1 Corinthians 12:4 starts out with this truth by saying,  “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.”

God does not give one spirit to one person and another spirit to another person.  God gives His Spirit to believers in Christ.  This one Spirit gives a variety of gifts.

1 Corinthians 12:7 makes it clear that the gifts are given so that we can help each other.  “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.”

This is important.  The Spirit takes the things of God and makes them clear to us.  A person cannot say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Spirit.  The Spirit glorifies Christ in all He does.  Therefore, the gifts are all about making the things of God clear, glorifying Christ and building up His Body.  They are practical and needed.  Knowledge, healing, signs, languages and such are all things that are necessary for our work as a Church.

As we go into all the world with the Gospel, making disciples, all the gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12 are essential.  The work cannot and will not happen without these gifts.  These gifts are the power of God working in us and through us.

It is important to note two things about these gifts.  First, it is God’s one and only Spirit who gives these gifts.  Second, He alone decides which gift each person should have.  These two truths are repeated in the early verses of 1 Corinthians 12 because of their importance.

As we continue and consider how the Spirit unifies us as a Body, the truth that the Spirit alone decides which gift each person should have will be re-emphasized and explained.

The Spirit is the power of God working in us and through us to break the power of sin, set captives free and bring good news to a lost and dying world.  We see in 1 Corinthians 12 verses 4-11 that He does this by giving each person a gift for the common good.  This is explained more thoroughly in verses 12 and following with the analogy of a body.

1 Corinthians 12:12 says, “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body.  So it is with the body of Christ.”

There is one Body.  It is called, “the Body of Christ.”  1 Corinthians 12:13 is important to our understanding of this truth.  It says, “Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free.  But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.”

“We have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit.” 

Jesus explained to Nicodemus, “Unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”  (John 3:3)  He explained that this rebirth is the work of the Spirit of God.  Now, from 1 Corinthians 12:13 we understand that when the Holy Spirit “rebirths” us, He also baptizes us into (or unifies us with) the Body of Christ.

This all takes place when we “confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead.  (Romans 10:9)

It is at this time also that God bestows a gift on us. 

The truth communicated here is best left in the words of the text:  

¹⁴Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.  ¹⁵If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body.  ¹⁶And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body?  ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear?  Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?

¹⁸But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.  ¹⁹How strange a body would be if it had only one part!  ²⁰Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.  ²¹The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.”  The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”

²²In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.  ²³And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care.  So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, ²⁴while the more honorable parts do not require this special care.  So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity.  ²⁵This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other.  ²⁶If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

I trust you gather from this that if you belong to Christ, then you are an important part of the Body of Christ.  God in His infinite wisdom has decided to give you a gift that is a blessing to the rest of us.

However, do not expect the rest of us to see things the way you do.  Hands and feet do not see the world from the same perspective, but both have valid perspectives.

Each one with his or her individual gifts fit together to make the Body.  1 Corinthians 12:27-30 show how these gifts fit together.

Verse 28 says, “Here are some of the parts.”

This then is not a list of the gifts, but of parts of the Body.  As the Body works to break the power of sin, set captives free and bring good news to a lost and dying world, it naturally has parts, offices or functions fit to the task.

The Apostles were those who were directly, in the flesh, trained by Jesus, and given the authority to establish the Church, record the New Testament Scriptures and give testimony to the resurrection.  We understand these qualifications from Acts 1:21-22 where the Apostles chose a replacement for Judas, and from Paul’s testimony that he was “untimely born” as an apostle.  In this way, he spoke of himself as being the single exception to the rule.

The Church is established and Jesus is the head.  We have a continuing need for prophets to speak to us for Him, and teachers to help us learn and grow in our faith.

Miracles and healing are necessary as testimony to the power of God working in and through us.  The world can look and see that God is clearly with us.  Miracles do happen.  They are usually counted as coincidence and/or discounted completely.  God does not show His presence by levitating bodies, making people disappear and reappear.  God shows His presence in ways consistent with breaking the power of sin, setting captives free and bringing good news to a lost and dying world.

Healing is simply the compassion of Christ for physical suffering.  It is the hospitals we build, the prayers we say for the sick and the care we give to the suffering.  It is a gift.  Sometimes God speeds up nature and heals instantly.  However, He always works through the compassion of Christ as displayed in His Body.

Since we are many in number, we need those with gifts in administration, service and those that are good with their hands.

Not all are Apostles.  Not all are prophets.  Not all are teachers.  This should be obvious from the analogy of the Body.  These offices are parts of the Body, but they do not define the gifts of the individual.  Two different teachers will individually have different gifts according to the Spirit’s will, but both will have the ability to teach.

There is a problem that shows itself at this point.

1 Corinthians deals with it in chapter 12 verse 31 and then the entire 13^th chapter.

There is a disagreement among those that study these things over 1 Corinthians 12:31.  There are two ways to translate it.  I am of the opinion that most of our Bibles do not translate it consistent with the context or with what we just said.

It can and should be translated, “You [only] want the better gifts, but I will show you the best thing to do.” (God’s Word Translation, 1995)

We have a tendency to desire gifts that have more status or recognition.

The answer is to operate out of love.

Just because I stand up in front of people every week does not make me more important than the one who does the cleaning.  Our office and function is different as are our gifts, but we are both members of the Body and important to each other.

I believe this is why some still call themselves Apostles. 

Jesus said:

“You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.  ⁴³But among you it will be different.  Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, ⁴⁴and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.  ⁴⁵For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  (Mark 10:42-45)

The conclusion is to rejoice in the gift God has given you.  Do everything for God’s glory.  Offer yourself as a living sacrifice.  Do what thrills your heart.  “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others.  Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.”  (Philippians 2:3)

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[i] Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Steam, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Power of Jesus Name

There is a popular song that says, “There is power in the name of Jesus.”

I grew up singing, “There is Power in the Blood.”

These songs speak a truth that can transform our lives.

We all face enemies in life.  However, our struggle is not against flesh and blood.  The Bible tells us as much.  In Ephesians 6:12, it tells us, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”[i]

The struggle we are in can impact us in a number of ways.  For example, the struggle we are in can bring fear and trouble, doubt and uncertainty and/or leave us lost and in the dark.

The death of Jesus on the cross brought all of these on His disciples.

Jesus spent 3 years building into the lives of a core group of 12, plus an assorted group of followers.  If we go by the number of people gathered together after the resurrection in Acts 1:16, we can number these followers at about 120.  The training of the 12 was especially intense as it was a 24/7/365 deal.  They were with the Teacher constantly, and developed a close relationship with Him.

When Jesus went to the cross, He confronted all of the evil rulers of the unseen world.  He confronted the mighty powers in this dark world, and He fought against the evil spirits in the heavenly places.  He battled all of these and won.  This was the ultimate confrontation of good and evil.

When they laid Jesus in the tomb, His followers thought the battle was over.  Fear, uncertainty and dark ruled the day.  John 20 tells us of the resurrection, and through this account, we will see how the power in the name of Jesus overcame the fear, uncertainty and darkness of that day.  We will also see how this same power works in our lives today.

First, let us talk about fear and trouble.

Notice that John 20:19 says, “The disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.” 

They had a lot to fear.  There was more than a strong possibility that the Jewish leaders would try to round up all of Jesus’s followers and make sure that this was the last they would hear about Jesus.

These people were not being cowardly.  They were in danger.  The angel at the tomb told the women to tell the disciples that Jesus would meet them in Galilee.  The Bible does not say why Jesus chose to meet them in Galilee, but one obvious reason was safety.  Jerusalem was not safe.  This was trouble, trouble that brought on the fear they were experiencing.

We all confront troubles in life that threaten our safety.

Trouble comes in all shapes and sizes.

Sometimes trouble keeps us awake at night.  At other times, we hide from it behind locked doors.  We all have fears that we have to face as a part of our troubles.

In John 14 Jesus was preparing His disciples for the trouble they were about to face.  He said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God, and trust also in me.”  (John 14:1)  In John 20 at the conclusion of the trouble, He appeared in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”  (John 20:19)  He gave the same message before and after the trouble. 

Notice He came in spite of locked doors.  This is consistent with His character.  When we shut the world out because of our fears and troubles, He still has a way of getting in.

He does not just give us words of comfort.  Jesus gave His disciples an assignment.  “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”  (John 20:21)  And then, He gave them His power, the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus did not take away the troubles.  He reassured the disciples that they could trust God.  He gave them purpose so there was a reason to face their fear.  Then, finally, He gave them power to face the trouble.

Because of the Holy Spirit, we have the mind of Christ, the presence of Christ and the power of Christ in our lives.  This is the meaning of Jesus’s promise to be with us to the end of the age.

Whatever the trouble, we have His reassurance that we can trust God.  We have the purpose of being His witnesses in all our trials.  Then finally, we have the power to face the trouble. 

There is power in the name of Jesus to help us face fear and trouble.

Next, we will talk about doubt and uncertainty.

John 20:24 tells us one of the twelve named Thomas was not there when Jesus appeared.  When they told Thomas what had happened Thomas said, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”  (John 20:24) 

Thomas was no different from the other disciples.  If you look back at verse 20, you will see that as Jesus was standing among them, He still needed to show them the wounds in His hands and side in order to convince them.

They had been through a traumatic week.  They had seen Jesus stripped, beaten, nailed to a cross and pierced with a spear. 

Luke tells of two men on the road to Emmaus who walked with Jesus and did not recognize Him.  Mary, at the tomb, did not recognize Jesus until He said her name.  Whatever else was going on, these individuals were not able to see past what they had experienced.  In other words, the beating, hanging and death were such great realities to them that they could not process what their eyes were telling them.

There are times in life when the physical reality of life seems to negate everything we profess to believe.  We all face doubt and uncertainty.  It may be different for you than it is for me, but we will all face it.  It may be the death of a loved one, sickness and disease, financial collapse or the failure of a relationship.  Whatever it is, the reality challenges our faith and brings us doubt and uncertainty.

This is what happened to the disciples and to Thomas in particular.

Jesus handles this by showing Himself to Thomas, addressing Thomas’s doubts and challenging Him to be more trusting.

However, Jesus waited 8 days. 

These must have been the most difficult days of Thomas’s life.  For some reason, the growth of our faith requires these dry, silent times.  These are days when God does not seem to be there.  These are painful, trying days.  Job went through them.  Thomas went through them.  We all go through them.

These are days worth enduring.  The reason is that at the end, we see Jesus more clearly.  Jesus singled out Thomas, and showed him exactly what he needed.  He does this for us too.  James tells us, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”  (James 1:2-3)

Look at Thomas’s response.  He says, “My Lord and my God!”  (John 20:28) 

Once we pass through the doubt and uncertainty and are confirmed in our faith, it results in praise to God.  This is why I say these are days worth enduring.  I never want to go through these days again.  However, I am so much richer for having endured them.

Jesus then challenges Thomas to be more trusting.  It is the same advice He gave the disciples before He went to the cross.  Trust in God.  Trust also in me.  (John 14:1)  I find this meaning strongest in the words, “Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

Isaiah 26:3 teaches this when it says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in You.”[ii]  (ESV)

This is the key to weathering the storms of uncertainty and doubt.  We must trust God.  We cannot allow what has so clearly been displayed to us in the light of day to be stripped away by dark days.

The disciples had just been through the darkest days in all history.  The sun had been darkened and an earthquake had accompanied the death of the Son of God.  Now they were on the other side of these events. 

Jesus won victory over death, hell and the grave.  Jesus was alive.  Jesus is alive still today.

John tells us, “The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book.”

This world is a dark place.  John starts out His account of the life of Jesus by saying Jesus was a light that shined in the darkness.  He healed the sick, freed those oppressed by demons, gave the blind their sight, turned water to wine and even raised the dead to life.  According to the gospel writers, He did too many of these things to record them all.

The ones that are recorded are for our benefit, so that we can believe.  They are for light and hope in this dark world.  

The disciples had found hope.  All of them were willing to die for what they believed, and all but John had the privilege of dying for their testimony.  They had seen the darkness in the world and had tasted of the victory over it that Jesus won.  They knew that there is only one place to go for life.  There is life in Jesus.

They wanted us to know that there is power in the name of Jesus.

They wanted us to know: “by believing in him you will have life by the power of His name.”  (John 20:31)

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[i]  Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Steam, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

[ii] Scripture quotations marked ESV are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.