November 24, 2012

“Those Who Were of Reputation Contributed Nothing to Me” (11/24)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Galatians 1-3.

When Paul obeyed the gospel and went from being an enemy of Christ to being an apostle of Christ, we might expect that he would have gone and met with the other apostles for encouragement, support, and help as he began his work for the Lord. Yet he told the Galatians that this is not what happened.

“I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus. Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the apostles, except James, the Lord’s brother” (Galatians 1:16-19).

Paul did not need to seek out the apostles immediately after his conversion to get some sort of validation from them. He had been given a mission from the Lord, and he simply got busy doing it.
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November 23, 2012

“That Very Hour of the Night” (11/23)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Acts 15-16.

The conversion of the Philippian jailer is often used by those who wish to argue that belief is the only requirement God places upon man for his salvation. They try to find any passage they think will support their belief that baptism is not necessary for salvation. Yet this example that they often cite does not support their belief at all. In fact, it shows the great importance of baptism. Notice the context:

“And after he brought them out, he said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household’” (Acts 16:30-31).

If we stop here (and many want to stop here), it may appear as though Paul told the jailer that belief is the only prerequisite to salvation. Yet when Paul told this man to believe, he did not know what to believe. He was not acquainted with the gospel. So Paul taught him.
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November 22, 2012

“He Who Turns a Sinner from the Error of His Way” (11/22)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from James 1-5.

“My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20).

James closed his letter with a reminder of the concern that fellow Christians were to have for one another. In these verses we learn a few lessons about sin.
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November 21, 2012

Teachers in the Church (11/21)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Acts 13-14.

“Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away” (Acts 13:1-3).

This was the beginning of the first preaching tour by Saul (later known as Paul). Before being sent out, he was one of the teachers in the church in Antioch. He, along with Barnabas, was divinely chosen to go out and preach the gospel in other regions.

Though it may seem like a simple point, it is significant that the Holy Spirit went to the church to find the teachers needed to carry out this work. Why did He go to the church? It is because the church is the place to find those who are preaching and teaching the gospel. The Holy Spirit did not go to the college or seminary. He did not visit the missionary society or any other institution. He went to the local church.
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November 20, 2012

The Sixteen Apostles

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You may be wondering about the title of this article. After all, were there not just twelve apostles? That is what children learn in Bible class. That is the number that immediately comes to mind for most Bible students of any age. If you count the men that Jesus chose during His time on the earth, there were just twelve apostles. But if you count every person mentioned in the Bible as being an apostle, you find not twelve, but sixteen.

Before noticing who these sixteen are, let us remember what the word apostle means. It is from the Greek word apostolos, which means one who is sent. In the context of Scripture, an apostle was one who was sent out on a divinely ordained mission with a message that came from above. His duty was to proclaim the good news of salvation.

So who were the sixteen apostles? We typically think of the twelve that were chosen by Jesus: Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon, and Judas (Matthew 10:2-4). Besides these, we read of Matthias (Acts 1:26), Paul (Romans 1:1), Barnabas (Acts 14:14), and even Jesus Himself (Hebrews 3:1) being called apostles.

Not every one of the sixteen was the same type of apostle – Barnabas and Jesus particularly were distinct in different ways, as we will notice. But what they all have in common is that their apostleships help explain how God has chosen to reveal His word and how He desires that it be spread. So with this in mind, let us consider the sixteen apostles.
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November 20, 2012

“He Was Eaten by Worms and Died” (11/20)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Acts 11-12.

The death of Herod provides a few lessons for us. One lesson is that we must be careful of the type of praise from men that we are willing to accept.

“On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them. The people kept crying out, ‘The voice of a god and not of a man!’ And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died” (Acts 12:21-23).

As a ruler of the people, many looked up to Herod and depended upon him. Some praised him as if he were a god. When this happened, he was struck by the angel and died a slow, agonizing death. However, it is important to note that Herod was not killed because the people wrongly praised him as a god. Notice a couple of examples of others who were not killed, even though they received worship that should have been exclusively for God.
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November 19, 2012

“Immediately He Began to Proclaim Jesus” (11/19)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Acts 9-10.

When Saul left for Damascus, he was an enemy of Jesus and His church. After the Lord appeared to him on the way and he came into the city, he obeyed the gospel. Then he wasted no time in getting to work teaching Christ to others.

“Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’ All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, ‘Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?’ But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ” (Acts 9:19-22).

Saul was a unique case. As one who had been chosen by Christ to be His apostle (Acts 9:15), he would have the benefit of the Holy Spirit guiding him into all the truth (John 16:13). It will take more time for us to learn the Scriptures and be able to teach them (though we should still work toward this goal – Hebrews 5:12). But there are certain characteristics that Saul demonstrated that we should emulate.
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