Mandeville Church

Almost Persuaded

Acts, apostle paul, faith, gospel No Responses »

Jul 012010

To Jump or Not to Jump

“In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian,” said King Agrippa to Paul (Acts 26:28). That’s the New American Standard (NASB). Some other versions offer this verse as a question: “With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?” (World English Bible). Whatever the case, Agrippa did not respond like Festus, who thought Paul was going mad from too much learning. Agrippa actually seemed to see sense in what Paul was saying. His review of Paul was, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar” (Acts 26:32).

Almost persuaded. I wonder why Agrippa was not fully persuaded?

Could it be he didn’t believe in this Jesus? Paul pointed out the events of which he spoke had “not been done in a corner” (Acts 26:26) but in broad daylight before the entire world. These were public events that transpired in Jerusalem, the capital city of the Jewish nation. Agrippa knew about Jesus.

Could it be Agrippa did not believe in the resurrection of Jesus? That’s a tough one to swallow, isn’t it? Except that there were many eye-witnesses attesting to the fact. And those men and women were willing to stake their lives on their testimony. That’s pretty strong.

Could it be Agrippa did not WANT to believe in Jesus? I think this is probably the real issue. There would be serious consequences if he threw his hat in with these Christians. Paul was calling Agrippa to repent of sin, the same message he preached everywhere. Believing in Jesus on an academic level is one thing. Believing in Jesus on a practical level is a BIG DEAL! It changes the whole course of a man’s life. It changes his attitudes. It has severe consequences on this earth…and in eternity to come.

The reason Agrippa would not be fully persuaded is the same reason many today aren’t fully persuaded. He wasn’t good soil. His heart was not softened toward the Lord. Bottom Line: Agrippa didn’t WANT to obey the Lord!

How about you?

God bless,
Nathan

The Value of Moses and the Prophets

bible reading, bible study 1 Response »

Jun 302010

You Need to Read

How often do you read the Old Testament?

How often does your church study the Old Testament? There are a lot of churches which seem to have the habit of only doing topical studies, which leave the members dry when it comes to looking at complete texts. Other churches which DO have textual studies may focus on the New Testament most of the time, leaving the members with the picture that the Old Testament is still useful today, but certainly not necessary – and not as important.

Did you know that Paul ONLY had the Old Testament to work from when he presented Scripture? When Paul wrote Timothy, he said:

“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The Scripture of which he spoke certainly included whatever apostolic writings Timothy may have had at the time, but it DEFINITELY included the Law of Moses and the Prophets (their Scriptures). Notice that ALL of those Scriptures are profitable and can be used to train up a person in righteousness, to fully equip him for every good work. Paul said that before the New Testament was written, much less compiled into what we now understand to be the New Testament!

Study Time

Paul was impressed that Agrippa was “an expert in all customs and questions among the Jews” (Acts 26:3). As he made his defense before Agrippa, Paul said, “I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place” (Acts 26:22). Is that right? Paul preached from the Old Testament in order to testify about Christ? Absolutely! Jesus Christ did not suddenly appear without warning. Never before has there been so MUCH warning, so much preparation, for the coming of a man. Just about everything Jesus did, and every purpose for which He came, can be found in the pages of Moses and the Prophets.

We ought to study these Scriptures. If they were good for Timothy, they are good for us today! If Paul and Philip (Acts 8:32-35) could preach Jesus from the Old Testament, so can we. And so we should. Perhaps we need to change our opinion of the Old Scriptures. We were meant to have them today. Someone told me he thought the Old was a commentary on the New. That’s right. But it also works in the reverse – the New is a clarification of the Old! You can’t have a good understanding of one without the other.

God bless you in your studies,
Nathan

Same Verse, Same as the First

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Jun 222010

Fred's Cow

Have you ever heard that horrid camp song that goes like this:

A cow kicked Fred in the head in the barn.
The doctor said it would do him no harm.
Next verse,
Same as the first.
A little bit louder and a little bit worse!

And so the kids repeat the verse, louder and more belligerently, until their voices reach such a terrible cacophony they cannot stand it any longer. I usually got tired of the song well before most of the others.

Paul’s life seemed to be going like this. First it was Felix in Acts 24. Felix tried him, then left him to rot in prison for two years. Felix wasn’t interested in justice; he was interested in pleasing the Jews (Acts 24:27) and possibly getting a bribe from Paul (Acts 24:26). As soon as Festus replaced Felix as governor of Caesarea, the Jews again brought the same old unsubstantiated charges against Paul (Acts 25:1-3). Paul was brought to trial again, had to defend himself again, and ended up appealing to Caesar (Acts 25:11). This was similar to our appealing to the Supreme Court. Paul would have to go all the way to Rome to be tried, but he was a Roman citizen and, therefore, had the right to due process.

Before the King

And it wasn’t over yet. King Agrippa came through and also sought to hear Paul’s case (Acts 25:22). So Paul ended up giving his defense before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa before he was shipped off to Rome. Jesus had said Paul would “be a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel” (Acts 9:15).

In every case, Paul said practically the same things. (1) He was not guilty and the Jews had no evidence against him. (2) The real reason why he was in prison was because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ! Paul took every opportunity to preach the gospel of Jesus. It didn’t matter that his life hung in the balance. It didn’t matter that kings and governors were looking down their pompous noses at him. He preached the gospel!

We should sing the same verse. Again and again. The gospel does not change, and it is for every man and woman on God’s green earth. Take every opportunity. Carpe diem! When should I talk about the gospel? Now. Where should I talk about the gospel? Here. When should I obey the gospel? Today.

We must spread the word of Christ’s resurrection, His Lordship, His sovereignty, His majesty. With whom will I have opportunity to share it today?

God bless,
Nathan

A Great Contrast: Herod vs. God

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Mar 082010

Ruins of Herod's Palace

There were many Herods. If my history is correct, here is a brief summary of some of the Herods during the New Testament period leading up to our Herod in Acts 12.

Herod the Great is the one who ordered the extermination of all male children killed in Bethlehem, two years old and younger, in an attempt to do away with the Christ child. He was a crazy man at the end of his reign and attempted to kill everyone who looked at him funny for fear that they were trying to take his throne. He even killed most of his children to stay possible rebellion. Herod the Great died around 4 BC.

Herod Archelaus (also called Philip in Matthew 14:3) is the Herod who took the throne after Herod the Great died (when Joseph and Mary came back from Egypt) in Matthew 2:22. Archelaus married Herodias, who would later leave him for his brother, Herod Antipas.

Herod Antipas is the Herod who killed John the Baptist. Jesus called him “that fox” in Luke 13:31-32.

Herod Agrippa I (not to be confused with Herod Agrippa II in Acts 25-26) is our character in Acts 12. Now that God was multiplying His divine kingdom, Herod chose sides between the Jews and the Christian by killing the apostle James (Acts 12:2). Since this pleased the Jews, Herod captured Peter, perhaps because he seemed to be the “ring leader” of this Christian movement, and prepared to execute him, too.

The Holy Spirit contrasts two powers in Acts 12. On the one hand we see Herod the king fighting against the Lord’s kingdom. Herod believes he can do anything he wants. He has no care for God or any man. In fact, as the people of Tyre and Sidon chant, “The voice of a god and not a man” (Acts 12:22), Herod magnanimously accepts the adoration. He was willing to be considered a god in the eyes of the people. Do you remember what Peter did when Cornelius bowed before him? He said, “Stand up; I too am just a man” (Acts 10:26). But Herod was full of himself.

On the other hand we see the power of God. God is in control of this world, and He is a jealous God (Exodus 20:5). God is the ONLY one who deserves adoration and acknowledgment as Deity. And He has every right to glorify His own name and punish those who raise themselves up against Him. God struck Herod with worms. This is not a fun way to die, either. It hurts. Other historical sources say Herod was actually carried off the stage dying of these things…as if God didn’t waste any time! That certainly would fit with the events in Acts 12.

Hey, look – the god-man is suddenly dying. The one who has been attacking the Christians is in pain. The killer has now become God’s target.

“But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied” (Acts 12:24). Men rise up, fall, and are forgotten (the picture above is of the ruins of Herod’s palace – nothing left of the splendor of man). Persecutions come to nothing after a while. But God’s word and God’s kingdom endure forever!

God bless,
Nathan

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Almost Persuaded

The Value of Moses and the Prophets

Same Verse, Same as the First

A Great Contrast: Herod vs. God

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