Grace Still Amazes

Today’s readings are from Genesis 22, Matthew 21, Nehemiah 11, and Acts 21.

Here in Genesis 22 is where Abraham’s faith shines.

1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.”

Two things about verse 1.  First, the words “after these things” signal to us not only did this come after the events of chapter 21, but likely after all the experiences that Abraham had with God.  With Isaac born, the long-awaited promise was fulfilled.  God was faithful to keep His promises.

Second, Abraham answers as any servant of God would, “Here am I.”  He doesn’t run and hide, intent upon his own interests, but responds immediately as a servant would.

2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

There was certainly no mistaking who God meant for Abraham to offer as a burnt offering.  Yahweh not only specifies that it is Isaac, “your only son” but goes for the jugular when saying, “whom you love.”  Was the issue that Isaac had become an idol in Abraham’s life??

Amazingly…

3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac.  And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.

Abraham didn’t grip and complain.  He asked no questions.  He didn’t delay.  No matter how difficult a command this was to obey, Abraham “rose early in the morning” and got on the road.

The journey there must have been agonizing.  The silence was broken only once between Abraham and Isaac, when Isaac asked, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” (22:7).

Abraham’s answer (God would provide a lamb) and his words earlier to his servants…

“I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” (22:5)

indicated that Abraham did believe that in some way God would rescue (or resurrect, Heb. 11:19) Isaac.

Abraham probably told his servants to “stay” behind (v. 5)—so they would not try to restrain him from killing Isaac. The three verbs that Abraham used (v. 5) are all intensive in Hebrew (cf. 12:2): “We are determined to go,” “We are determined to worship,” and “We are determined to return.” (Thomas Constable)

9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.

We see Abraham’s broken-hearted, but full obedience all the way up to verse 10, where he is about to plunge the knife into his sons’s breast.  Mercifully, God intervenes, satisfied that Abraham did put Him first.

11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

And, God did provide a substitute, a ram (v. 13), which was offered up “instead of his son.”  This passage prefigures the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ “instead of” us.

And it happened on Mount Moriah, which was in the northern part of Jerusalem.

That area is where the Temple Mount and Dome of the Rock are today, very near where Christ was crucified.

These two images are from Galyn Wiemers, Generation Word

Thomas Constables notes that…

Every time Abraham made a sacrifice for God the Lord responded by giving Abraham more:

1. Abraham left his homeland; God gave him a new one.
2. Abraham left his extended family; God gave him a much larger family.
3. Abraham offered the best of the land to Lot; God gave him more land.
4. Abraham gave up the King of Sodom’s reward; God gave Abraham more wealth.
5. Abraham gave up Ishmael; God made Ishmael the father of a multitude of Abraham’s posterity.
6. Abraham was willing to give up Isaac; God allowed Isaac to live, and through him gave Abraham numerous seed.

In Matthew 21:1-17 Jesus presents Himself to Jerusalem as their king.  We call it the “triumphal entry” but it could just as well be called “the un-triumphal entry.”  Jesus came from Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives and in through the eastern gate of Jerusalem.

The people welcomed him as king (21:8-9) as he rode in on a donkey (fulfilling Zechariah 9:9) rather than the white horse of a conqueror.  He went to the temple and for the second time (cf. John 2), he upset the temple business (21:12-13), then he healed the sick and lame (21:14).  He left for the night to Bethany (21:17).  Returning through Bethphage the next morning, he saw a fig tree with “nothing on it but only leaves” (v. 19) when he expected figs.  He cursed the fig tree as a sign of what would happen to Jerusalem.

Coming back to the temple, the chief priests and elders questioned where Jesus got his authority, but He just turned them back with a question of His own. Telling the parable of the two sons (21:28-31a) Jesus compared the religious leaders to the disobedient son (14:31b-32).  He then told another parable (21:33-41), comparing them to the rebellious tenants who killed the son of the master.

The purpose of v. 42

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

was to use this Old Testament quote to show that though He would be rejected, he would become the cornerstone.

This quotation is from Psalm 118:22-23.  It probably originally described David, Jesus’ ancestor and type.  All of Israel’s leaders, including Samuel and Saul, had originally rejected David—but God chose him and made him the capstone (or “chief corner [stone]”) of the nation.

Verse 43 continues to explain the parable of the wicked tenant farmers. Because Israel’s leaders had failed in “producing the fruit” that God desired, and had slain His Son, He would remove responsibility and privilege from them, and give these to another “nation” or “people” (Gr. ethnei).  What God did was transfer the responsibility for preparing for the kingdom from unbelievers in Israel, and give it to a different group, namely, believers in the church (cf. Acts 13:46; 18:5-6; Rom. 10:19; 1 Pet. 2:9).

David Turner argued that those who received the responsibility were the faithful Jewish remnant represented by Jesus’ apostles.  This is a very similar view since Jesus’ apostles became the core of the church.

All this, of course, upset the religious leaders and they tried to seize Jesus right then, but could not because the people held Him in high esteem as a prophet.

Nehemiah also knew the bigger the population of Jerusalem, the greater the resources for defense and strength in battle.  He didn’t rebuild the walls just to see some conquering army come and break them down again!

Some leaders had already chosen to live in Jerusalem (v. 1).  Nehemiah initiated a plan to determine which one family in ten, of those not living in the city, would move into it (v. 1).  Additional immigrants volunteered to live there (v. 2).  There was a cross section of leaders, therefore, who lived in Jerusalem, while other leaders lived in the other towns of Judah (v. 3).

Most of the resident in town were from the tribe of Benjamin.   The towns south of Jerusalem, from the Hinnom Valley just south of the city as far as Beersheba, were those in the territory belonging to the tribe of Judah.  Those north of Jerusalem stretching to the neighboring province of Samaria were towns of Benjamin. These were the two sections of the Persian province of Yehud (Judah). Nehemiah mentioned 17 prominent towns in Judah here (vv. 25-30), and 15 in Benjamin (vv. 31-35).

The Levites lived among the general population, as when the Israelites first entered the Promised Land under Joshua, in order to be a good influence and to act as spiritual resource persons (v. 36).

Acts 21 recounts Paul’s journey to Jerusalem.

Thomas Constable summarizes this chapter by drawing the comparison with Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem:

The third “we” section of Acts (21:1-18) is of theological importance because it focuses on Paul’s recapitulation of Jesus’ passion.  Note the similarities between Luke’s accounts of Jesus’ trip to Jerusalem and Paul’s.  Both stories involve a plot by the Jews and handing over to the Gentiles.  There were triple predictions along the way of suffering in Jerusalem in both cases.  Both Jesus and Paul steadfastly resolved to go there despite opposition, and both resigned themselves to God’s will.

The first leg of this journey is from Miletus to Tyre

1 And when we had parted from them and set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos, and the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. 2 And having found a ship crossing to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail. 3 When we had come in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left we sailed to Syria and landed at Tyre, for there the ship was to unload its cargo.

Refugees from the persecution that followed Stephen’s martyrdom had evangelized Phoenicia (11:19).  Paul and his companions “stayed” in Tyre for “seven days,” fellowshipping with the Christians.  Even though he was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem, he was held captive by the schedule of the shipping industry.

Paul’s next stop (v. 7) was “Ptolemais” (Acco of the Old Testament and modern Acre, located on the north side of the bay of Haifa) lay 25 miles south of Tyre.  It was the southernmost Phoenician port.  There also Paul met with the local Christians, while stevedores unloaded and loaded his ship.  He finally reached Caesarea Maritima (v. 8).

There, for a second time (vv. 10-12 and v. 4), Paul was urged not to go to Jerusalem.

Why did Paul avoid the possibility of death in Corinth (20:3), and other places, but not here?  Paul’s purpose to deliver the collection, and thus to strengthen the unity of the Gentile and Jewish believers, would have failed if he had died on board a ship between Corinth and Jerusalem.  However, arrest in Jerusalem would not frustrate that purpose. For Paul, and eventually for his friends (v. 14), the Lord’s will was more important than physical safety (cf. Luke 22:42).  He believed the Spirit wanted him to go to Jerusalem (19:21; 20:22) so he “set his face” to go there (cf. Luke 9:51). (Thomas Constable)  His ultimate purpose was to get to Rome.

Jerusalem was about 65 miles southeast of Caesarea, a long two-day trip. “Mnason” evidently became a Christian early in the history of the church, perhaps on the day of Pentecost. He was a Hellenistic Jewish Christian from Cyprus, like Barnabas was.  As such, he would have been more open to entertaining a mixed group of Jewish and Gentile Christians, than many Hebrew Jewish Christians in Palestine would have been. Apparently he lived about halfway between Caesarea and Jerusalem.

Paul finally achieved the first phase of his plan to visit Jerusalem and then Rome (19:21). In doing so, he brought one chapter of his ministry to a close and opened another.  His return to Jerusalem was an essential part of God’s plan to send Paul to Rome. This plan unfolds in the rest of chapter 21.  In all, Paul traveled about 2,700 miles on his third missionary journey (cf. 14:28; 18:22).

Paul first met with James and the elders, reporting on the tremendous success of their missions trip, spreading the gospel into Greece.  The problem was, however, that news had spread that Paul was against circumcision.  So they proposed that he take four men and “purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Thus all will know that there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself also live in observance of the law” (Acts 21:24).

Paul could do what the elders suggested, and did so without compromising his convictions, since the Jews did not regard taking a vow as essential for acceptance by God.  It was strictly voluntary.  They regarded circumcision, on the other hand, as essential.  However, Paul did not even object to circumcision as a custom (earlier he had Timothy circumcised, 16:3), though he did object to it as a rite essential for God’s acceptance (Gal. 2). (Thomas Constable)

However, Jews from Asia stirred up the crowds and they seized Paul in order to kill him.  Fortunately, a Roman “tribune of the cohort” (21:31) rescued him and brought him back to their barracks.  The chapter ends with a cliffhanger, since Paul identifies himself as a free Jew and asks to speak to the angry mob, but that’s where the chapter ends.  Tune in tomorrow.

Today’s readings are from Genesis 21, Matthew 20, Nehemiah 10 and Acts 20.

In the first four verses of Genesis 21 we see God doing what He had promised (vv. 1-2) and Abraham doing as he was commanded (vv. 3-4).  There is the laughter of Sarah’s delight (vv. 6-7) and the laughter of Ishmael’s derision (vv. 8-9).  Sarah told Abraham to cast out Ishmael (v. 10) and God comforted Abraham in doing so (vv. 11-13, so Abraham did so (vv. 14a).

Ishmael lived in the wilderness of Paran…

Nahal Paran, Negev, Vitali Kaspler

The story of Hagar and Ishmael continues in vv. 14b-21.  God heard the cry of the boy and answered Hagar’s prayer for deliverance.  Vv. 22-34 recount a contention between Abraham and Abimelech.

Matthew 20 begins with the parable of the vineyard (vv. 1-16), a beautiful story about grace.  Keep in mind that this comes very soon after the incident with the rich young ruler, Jesus’ teaching about how hard it is for the wealthy to enter the kingdom, and the disciples giving it all up to follow Jesus (Matthew 19).

No matter when a servant began serving, they all received a denarius.  A denarius was a normal day’s wage at that time.

The first group began at 6 a.m. and worked until 6 p.m.  The second group began at 9:00 a.m. (3rd hour), the third group at noon (6th hour) and the last group started working at 5:00 p.m. (the 11th hour).

The order in which the landowner’s foreman paid the workers (“last to the first”) may imply that he took greater pleasure in rewarding those hired last.  In view of what he paid those hired late in the day, those who began working earlier expected to receive more than they had hoped for.  They grumbled against him because he had been “generous” (v. 15) to the latecomers and only just with them.

The early starters cited their hard working conditions as justification for their grievance.  Their error was that they had served for the pay they would receive, whereas those who served for only one hour did so simply trusting in the grace of their employer.

How do we feel when someone receives Christ after a lifetime of sin (or crime)?  Do we imagine them less worthy than we are?  Only if we don’t believe in salvation by grace.

Thomas Constable:

In view of the context, the 12 disciples correspond to the workers hired at the beginning of the day, the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry.  Those hired later correspond to other people who became Jesus’ disciples later in His ministry.  One of these people might have been the rich young man, if he had become a disciple (19:16-22).  Peter’s question about what the Twelve would receive (19:27) had implied that they should receive a greater reward, since their sacrifice had been, and later would be, greater.  This parable taught him that God would give him a just reward for his sacrificial labor for Jesus.  Nonetheless, God had the right to give just as great a reward [because of grace] to those whose service was not as long.

Jesus then pulls His disciples aside and tells them that He is going to Jerusalem to be crucified, then raised to life.  Instead of sympathizing with Jesus, the mother of James and John asked that her sons sit on Jesus’ right and left in the kingdom.

22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?”  They said to him, “We are able.”

The “cup” Jesus was referring to was the cup of His suffering.  Their answer shows that they did not immediately understand this.  Indeed, they would suffer (v. 23), but it was not Jesus’ privilege to grant a place of honor for these two.  Of course, the rest became indignant, because they believed that they were worthy of this honor, above the rest.

So Jesus reemphasized what He had been telling them all along–the values of the kingdom are upside down.  The last becomes first, the servant becomes the leader, and Jesus Himself would lay down his life for them.

Jesus was on his way from Jericho to Jerusalem (v. 29)

This is a photo of the Wadi Qelt, which would be the road from Jericho to Jerusalem.  Jericho is on the lower plain at the top of the picture.  Of course, this is the same road that the parable of the Good Samaritan occurs on.

On the road just up from Jericho were two blind men, asking to be healed (Matthew 20:29-34).

Nehemiah 10 indicates that the people covenanted with God.

Nehemiah explained the agreement he previously referred to in 9:38 in this chapter. Conviction of sin (ch. 8) led to confession of sin (ch. 9) and resulted in a renewed covenant with God (ch. 10).

Verses 1-27 identifies the signers of the covenant.  The names in verses 2-8 are those of the heads of 21 priestly families (cf. 12:12-21).  Verses 9-13 record the names of 17 Levites.  Then the writer gave the names of 44 heads of other leading families (vv. 14-27).

The rest of the restoration community joined those who signed their names pledging to obey the Mosaic Law (vv. 28-29).  The “curse” they took on themselves was submission to the curse that God promised would come on those who did not keep His Word (v. 29; Deut. 28:15-68).

These Jews promised, specifically, not to intermarry with pagans (v. 30) and to keep the Sabbath day and the sabbatical year (v. 31).  They further committed to support the temple service financially (vv. 32-34), to give their firstfruits to God (including their firstborn sons; vv. 35-37a), and to pay their basic tithe tax (vv. 37b-39).

The last sentence in verse 39 shows that the primary concern of the people was the worship that was the heart of their national life.

Unfortunately, Nehemiah will have to revisit all of these issues again in Nehemiah 13.

In Acts 20 Paul first checks in on some churches he planted (20:1-5) in Macedonia and Greece, before sailing back to Troas.

Paul’s mega-long sermon put a boy to sleep (Eutyches) and he fell out the window.  Paul healed him.

For an article explaining while Paul went by land instead of sea, see Paul on the Road to Assos (Asia Minor/Turkey) by Carl Rasmussen.

You can see from the map above his other stops…

14 And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. 15 And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we went to Miletus.

When he comes to Miletus he has a final, tearful but instructive, meeting with his elders from Ephesus (Acts 20:18-35).  These are good words about a pastor’s heart and ministry.

Three things that made Paul weep:

• Christians who backslide (2 Cor. 2:4)
• False teachers who lead the flock astray (Acts 20:29-31)
• Unbelievers who would go to hell (Romans 9:2-3)

Today’s readings are Genesis 20, Matthew 19, Nehemiah 9 and Acts 19.

Genesis 20 records Abraham’s time in Gerar, and lying about Sarah, again.

1 From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar.

Casual English Bible

Basically this chapter records Abraham’s lie (“Meet my sister”) and getting caught at lying.  Apparently it was a “half-truth” but it put Sarah and God’s promise of a son to Abraham at risk.  Helyer says…

“Apparently, shortly after the announcement of a birth one year hence, Sarah is again taken into another man’s harem.  The reader is to infer that if there is an heir, he is in danger of being reckoned as Abimelech’s not Abraham’s.  But Yahweh intervenes once again and preserves Sarah (20.6b) and restores her to Abraham.”

Our world is filled with fake news, misrepresentations and half-truths today.  How about you?

In verse 6 God says, “It was I who kept you from sinning against me.”  God directly intervenes, at times, to keep us from sinning, or give us a way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13).  Also, note, as David does in Psalm 51:4, that Abimelech was not sinning only against Sarah and Abraham, but against God as well.

It’s a sad day when pagans are telling believers “You have done to me things that ought not to be done” (v. 9).

This is always Abraham at his best, when he is interceding for others:

17 Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. 18 For the LORD had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

In Matthew 19 Jesus begins heading towards Jerusalem first entering “the region of Judea beyond the Jordan” (Matthew 19:1).

Matthew 19:3-12 is Jesus’ teaching on the subject of divorce.  Divorce is not God’s design or desire (19:4-6), but God allows formal divorce (to protect the wife) due to hardness of heart (19:7-8), the exception being when adultery occurs (19:9).  The disciples then assumed it would be better not to marry (19:10), but Jesus said only those who could receive the saying (better not to marry) should do it.

To summarize, Jesus held a very high view of marriage.  When a man and a woman marry, God creates a union that is as strong as the union that bound Adam and Eve together before God created Eve from Adam’s side.  Man should not separate what God has united (cf. Rom. 7:1-3).  However, even though God hates divorce, He permits it in cases where gross sexual indecency (fornication) has entered the marriage. Similarly, God hates sin, but He permits it and gave instructions about how to manage it.

Paul urged His disciples not to divorce (cf. 1 Cor. 7:10), but if they divorced, he urged them not to remarry (cf. 1 Cor. 7:8, 11, 27).  However, he did not go so far as prohibiting remarriage (cf. 1 Cor. 7:9, 28). He encouraged them to realize that living unmarried after a divorce is a realistic possibility for many people, but he conceded it was not possible for all (cf. 1 Cor. 7:9).  A primary consideration should be how one could most effectively carry on his or her work of preparing for the kingdom (cf. 1 Cor. 7:32-34).

Jesus again commends childlikeness (19:13-15).  The difference between this lesson, and the one in chapter 18, is that there the focus was on the childlike quality of humility that is so important in a disciple.  Here Jesus broadened the lesson to include other childlike characteristics (dependent, needy, trusting, vulnerable), all of which are important.

Instruction about wealth begins with the incident with the rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-22).  This man approached Jesus not on the basis of grace, but law, asking “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” (19:16)  So Jesus also dealt with him on the basis of law, facing him with the commandments, to which the young man says, “I’ve done all that.” (19:17-20).  So Jesus gets to the heart of the issue, the idol that still captured his heart, his wealth.

21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

I don’t think Jesus makes this requirement on everyone, but particularly those whose hearts are held captive by materialism.

22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

I’m sure the disciples, especially Judas, were cringing, wondering why Jesus was doing anti-evangelism, chasing promising candidates away.  He had a habit of doing so (John 6).  He was a rich, young man who was a ruler.  He had everything one would desire in a follower.  But Jesus made it harder on him, not easier.

Of course, ultimately, the law is preached so that all of us come face to face with our inability to keep it.  I imagine if this young man would have cried out, “Have mercy on me,” Jesus would have.

Verses 23-26 indicate the difficulty, but not impossibility of rich people entering the kingdom.

27 Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you.  What then will we have?”

Still craving after earthly possessions Peter?  Jesus points him to something better!

29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.

The revival continues in Nehemiah 9.  First, there is genuine sorrow over their sins (v. 1), then separation from sinful practices (v. 2).  They would read the Law for six hours each day and worship and confess sins another six hours (v. 3).  A prayer of confession comprises the rest of the chapter (9:5-38).

It begins, as the Bible does, by describing God’s greatness seen in His creation of the cosmos (v. 6), and then His grace and faithfulness in calling Abraham, promising him the land of Canaan, and fulfilling that promise (vv. 7-8).  The returned exiles could identify with God’s miraculous deliverance of their forefathers when they were slaves in Egypt (vv. 9-11).

The returnees could also appreciate God’s supernatural guidance of them and His faithful provision for them until He brought them to the Promised Land (vv. 12-15).  They also voiced thanks to God for choosing them and for giving them His Law (vv. 13-14).  While the second Exodus motif is strong in the biblical writers’ concept of the restoration, the idea of pilgrimage and procession to Zion is equally strong.

In spite of their forefathers’ rebellion (vv. 16-17a): God forgave them and graciously guided them (v. 19), provided for their physical needs (vv. 20-21), and gave them victory over their enemies (v. 22).  He also multiplied them (v. 23), brought them into the Promised Land (vv. 24-25a), and established them there (v. 25b).

During the period of the judges and during the monarchy, the Israelites disobeyed and rebelled many times.  Nevertheless, God delivered them when they repented (vv. 26-29) and sent the prophets to turn them back to Himself (v. 30).  This shows God’s further grace and compassion toward His people (v. 31).

The returned Jews then called on God to remember their sufferings in exile (v. 32).  They acknowledged that the exile was a consequence of their disobedience to God’s Word (vv. 33-34).  Even in exile, most of the Israelites had not returned to God (v. 35).  Consequently, much of the Jewish nation was still in bondage to its Persian rulers (vv. 36-37).

Paul Tripp’s New Morning Mercies spoke about Nehemiah 9 on January 16:

They really are two foundation stories of a God-honoring life.  They must be held together; neither side can be forsaken.  Every day you and I give empirical evidence to the existence of both.  Here are these foundation-stone realities: you still have sin living inside you and God is abundant in mercy.

[I like the way John Newton put it.  A new, young pastor William Jay came to Newton wanting advice about the ministry.  Newton was in his bed, health failing.  Late Jay came to realize the richness of a single line he had written down.  Newton’s final recorded words were: “My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior” (Tony Reinke, Newton on the Christian Life, p. 49).]

The words of Nehemiah 9 describe us all: “They…did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your rules” (v. 29).  Maybe it’s a thoughtless word, a selfish act, a prideful thought, a moment of envy, a flash of lust, a willing act of disobedience, an attitude of vengeance, or a minor moment of thievery; maybe it’s your wanting your glory more than God’s, failing to give grace where grace is needed, bending the truth, giving in to an addiction, or working to make these kinds of things in your life look not as bad as they actually are.  In some way, we all give daily proof of the truth that sin still lives inside us.  None of us is yet sin-free.  We all continue to fail in word, thought, desire, and action.  It is humbling but important to admit, because it’s only when you admit how deep and comprehensive your problem is that you get excited about the rescue that only God’s mercy can supply.

We aren’t just left in our sins.  Nehemiah 9 continues, “Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God” (v. 31).  You can be courageous in admitting your sin precisely because God is richly abundant in his mercy.  He comes to you in mercy not because you are unable to help yourself.  Since sin means that you are a bigger danger to you than anything else in your life and since it is impossible for you to run from you, there is only one hope for you.  It is that someone with power, wisdom, and mercy will invade your life, forgive your sins, and progressively deliver you from the hold that sin has had on you.  That mercy comes to you in a person, the Lord Jesus Christ, and his mercy is always fresh, uniquely fashioned for the sin struggles of this new day.

Acts 19 continues the third missionary journey of Paul.

Both the map and the chart are from Never Thirsty

In Acts 19:1-7 Paul encounters a group of John’s disciples.  Were they “Old Testament believers,” just following John’s message, or not believers at all?  Paul asked these men if they had received the Holy Spirit, probably because he saw some incongruity in their claim to be admirers of John and their evident lack of the Spirit.

Thomas Constable writes:

John had predicted the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; cf. John 1:32-33).  Their response to Paul’s question probably indicates that they did not know that the Lord had given the Holy Spirit as John had predicted.  It did not indicate that they knew nothing of the existence of the Holy Spirit, since John had predicted Holy Spirit baptism.  Their response enabled Paul to see that his first assumption about these disciples was incorrect; they were probably not Christians.

This discovery led Paul to raise another question to clarify his second assumption: “What” (which) baptism had they experienced, or with whom did they identify in baptism?  They replied that they had undergone “John’s” water “baptism.”  This response told Paul that they had not experienced Spirit baptism, and therefore were evidently unsaved.

As with the new converts in Samaria, these Ephesian disciples received “the Holy Spirit” when an apostle, this time Paul, “laid his hands upon them” (cf. 8:17).  They did not receive the Spirit by water baptism.  In Samaria, this identification of the coming of the Spirit with Peter and John first authenticated God’s giving of the Spirit in a non-Jewish context.  Here, similarly, the identification of the coming of the Spirit with Paul authenticated God’s giving of the Spirit in a town in which demonic religious activity flourished (cf. vv. 13-19).

Paul then reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and later the Gentiles at the hall of Tyrannus.

The Celsus library.  Some believe the building to the left was the school of Tyrannus.  Leon Mauldin

For two years he taught there (Acts 19:8-12), until trouble was stirred up.  First, the seven sons of Sceva tried to exorcise demons in the name of Jesus, but got their tails whipped (Acts 19:13-16).  It showed that Jesus was a more powerful god than the forces of darkness worshipped there in Ephesus. It resulted in a deep work of repentance:

18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all.  And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. [several million dollars!]

As a consequence of the repentance described in the preceding verses, the church became purer as well as larger (cf. 5:1-11).  Luke gave us this sixth progress report to mark the end of another section of his book.  The section we have just completed (16:6—19:20) records the church’s extension in the Roman provinces around the Aegean Sea.

Thomas Constable notes:

While in Ephesus, Paul had considerable contact with the church in Corinth.  He wrote that church a letter that he called his “former letter” in 1 Corinthians 5:9.  Then sometime later he wrote 1 Corinthians, probably near the spring of A.D. 56.  Timothy traveled from Corinth to Ephesus, then evidently went back to Corinth, and returned later to Ephesus (Acts. 18:5; 1 Cor. 4:17; 16:10-11; Acts 19:22).  Following Timothy’s visit to Corinth, Paul evidently made a so-called “painful visit” to Corinth (2 Cor. 2:1; 12:14; 13:1-2), and then returned to Ephesus.

After that painful visit, Paul wrote another “severe letter” to Corinth from Ephesus (2 Cor. 2:3-4; 7:8-12; 12:18).  These facts come to us through Paul’s two epistles to the Corinthians, the first of which he wrote during the years he used Ephesus as his base of operations.  He undoubtedly had other contacts with many other churches about which we know nothing. Luke’s purpose was not to give us a complete record of Paul’s ministry or the church’s growth as a whole.  It was to document the church’s advance to the heart of the Roman Empire (1:8), and to show, by repetition, how Jesus Christ was building His church (Matt. 16:18).

Then…

21 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”

Paul evidently sensed that, having laid a firm foundation in Asia Minor and the Aegean Sea region, he needed to press on to Gentile areas yet unreached (cf. Rom. 15:23).

Paul wanted to collect money for the poor Judean saints, from the more prosperous Christians in the Aegean region, and then deliver it to them in Jerusalem (cf. 24:17; 1 Cor. 16:1-4).  He realized that returning to Jerusalem would be dangerous for him (cf. Rom. 15:30-32), but he determined to go nonetheless.

A riot broke out in Ephesus because the gospel was bankrupting the idol industry (19:23-41).

Only one column remains of the famous Temple of Artemis.  Leon Mauldin

It was one of the seven wonders of the world and here is one artist rendition of the temple.

DayDream Tourist

 

 

Today’s readings are from Genesis 19, Matthew 18, Nehemiah 8 and Acts 18.

Genesis 19 records the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the rescue of Lot’s family (almost).  Derek Kidner indicates, ” It is a superb study of the two aspects of judgment: the cataclysmic, as the cities disappear in brimstone and fire, and the gradual, as Lot and his family reach the last stages of disintegration, breaking up in the very hands of their rescuers” (Genesis, p. 134).

The two angels (see Genesis 18) who had left Abraham, came to Lot at Sodom.  Notice that Lot had a similar response as Abraham:

When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth 2 and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.”…And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate (v. 3b).

These seem to be normal aspects of Ancient Near Eastern hospitality.

Men of the city of Sodom came to Lot’s house and asked for these two newcomers “that we may know them” (sexually, not “get acquainted”).  Sadly, Lot offers his virgin daughters (v. 8).  Is this because Lot saw it as a “lesser offense” or because, according to the mores of hospitality, he was protecting his guests?  Either way, it was not a courageous response.  He was giving in to the pressure.

One can see from verse 9 that Lot had lost his ability to influence that culture.  Apparently, either through previous interaction or Lot’s response in this case, they knew he would not stand strong against peer pressure.  Even his own sons-in-law didn’t take him seriously (v. 14), so only Lot and his wife and two daughters (4, not 10) left Sodom with the angels.

Sailhamer notes:

“In order to show that the rescue of Lot was in response to the prayer of Abraham, the narrative reads so that the words of the messengers [“swept away,” vv. 15, 17] recall explicitly the words of Abraham’s prayer in behalf of the righteous in the previous chapter [“sweep away,” 18:23].”

Verse 16 “But he lingered.”  Even when Lot had heard the message of impending judgment on Sodom, he wavered.  He did not respond immediately, unlike Abraham will in Genesis 22.  “So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.”  That is what God has to do at times.  When we are unwilling to make a move, in mercy he “seizes” us and “takes” us to the place we need to be.

The rescue of Lot and his family was due ultimately to the Lord’s mercy (“compassion”; v. 16).

When the angels tell Lot and his family not to look back, but to speed on their way to the hills, Lot begs that they be allowed to (compromise?) go the little town of Zoar.  The final word we have on this event is that Lot’s wife looked back, though told not to (compare v. 26 to v. 17) and turned into a pillar of salt.

Vv. 27-29 tell us that Abraham stood and watched to see what had happened.  Like a good intercessor, when he had finished praying, he watched to see what would happen.  He saw the smoke of God’s judgment and didn’t know what had happened, but God “remembered Abraham” and rescued Lot (v. 29).

Verses 30-38 then recount the sad story of how the Moabites and Ammonites came into existence–through incest.  Thus, there are all kinds of sexual sins in relation to Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah.

 

The land of Moab on the east side of the Dead Sea.

Some want to argue that God didn’t destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for the sin of homosexuality, but inhospitality.  That doesn’t seem to be the case.  Lot was definitely sticking to the customs of hospitality, and the people of Sodom wanted to “entertain” these men as well.  It was their intention to “know” these men sexually, as well as other immoralities within the culture, that caused their destruction.  The Mosaic Law later regarded all homosexual behavior as a capital offense (Lev. 18:22; 20:13; cf. Rom. 1:26-27).

There is also disagreement on where Sodom and Gomorrah existed, north of the Dead Sea or south of the Dead Sea.  Abraham would have been able to see the smoke from either end of the Dead Sea.

Bible Atlas

biblicalarchaeologygraves.blogspot.com

Matthew 18 begins with the disciples asking, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (18:1).  Jesus points to a child and says that one cannot even enter the kingdom unless they become “like children” (trusting? curious? dependent?).  He tells them that humility is the key, then warns about tempting a child.  According to Jesus there could not be a worse sin than causing a child to sin.  It would be better to amputate a strategic part of your body and cause a child to sin.

I wonder if Jesus had pedophilia in mind?  However, Jesus seems to be equating children with believing disciples (adults).

Matthew 18:10 is where we get the idea of the possibility of “guardian angels.”

“I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

Thomas Constable writes:

Many interpreters believe that the last part of verse 10 teaches that God has guardian angels who take special care of small children.  However, the context of verse 10 is not talking about small children, but disciples who need to be as humble as small children.  Furthermore, the “angels” in this passage are “continually” beholding God’s “face in heaven,” not watching the movements of small children on earth.

Jesus then gives a parable about humility (vv. 12-13).  In Luke’s gospel the purpose of this parable is evangelistic.  Here it is more pastoral.

12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

The shepherd in the story is God (v. 14).  The sheep are those who follow Him, namely, Jesus’ disciples (cf. 10:6; 15:24).  God has concern for every one of His sheep and seeks to restore those of them that wander away from Him.  He has such great concern for the wayward, that when they return to Him, “He rejoices more” than over those who did not wander away.  This does not mean that God loves His wayward sheep more than He loves His faithful sheep.  It simply means that when wayward sheep return to Him it gives Him special joy.

So, verses 1-11 warn us not to be a stumbling block to others, and then in vv. 15-17 Jesus tells us what to do when someone sins against us.  This is the “church discipline” passage, identifying the three steps to dealing with sin.

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.  If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.  And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

We have often understood the final step, excommunication, to mean that we cut off all contact with unrepentant sinners, but Jesus seemed to favor spending time with “Gentiles and tax collectors.”  He did have a different purpose in doing so, however–not fellowship, but evangelism.  I’m assuming that what Jesus means is that if we see a “believer” sinning and not repenting of sin, then we treat them like an unbeliever who needs the gospel preached to him or her.

I don’t believe a person can lose or forfeit their salvation, but their lives can eventually prove they never were saved, no matter how much they acted and dressed and talked and attended like Christians before.

All of these next three verses need to be taken together:

18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

I think verse 18 helps us understand what Jesus had meant back in Matthew 16:19 (the exact words).  With the church announcement, they would give or withhold whatever the judgment might involve, but they would really be announcing what God, the divine authority, had already decided.  Their decision would be God’s will for the person being disciplined, assuming they had obtained the will of God before announcing it.

Believers have the ability, through either forgiveness or excommunication, to be in accord with how God is handling things in heaven.

Verses 19-20, so often taken as promises for (sparse) prayer meetings, is really about the issue of church discipline.  In the context, “anything” refers to any judicial decision involving an erring disciple that the other disciples may make corporately.  God has always stood behind His judicial representatives on earth when they carry out His will (cf. Ps. 82:1).  This is a wonderful promise.  God will back up with His power and authority any decision involving the corporate discipline of an erring brother or sister that His disciples may make after determining His will.

This means that what a church decides (with due process and much prayer) should be taken very seriously by all, for it has heaven’s backing.  What typically happens, however, is that a person excommunicated from one church, is gladly welcomed (and often sympathized with) at another church.

The chapter ends with Peter’s question about how often should I forgive someone who sins against me.  Peter thought himself magnanimous when he said “seven times” for the going rate among the Pharisees was just three times.

Jesus’ response alluded to Genesis 4:24, where the ungodly Lamech said: “If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”  Lamech claimed to have taken even more revenge on the man who struck him than God had taken on Cain for killing his brother Abel.  Jesus turned Lamech’s bad example around, and urged His disciples to practice generous forgiveness when their brothers hurt them.

The NASB has Jesus saying “seventy times seven,” whereas the NIV translators wrote “seventy-seven times.”  Probably the NIV is correct since Jesus quoted the Septuagint of Genesis 4:24 exactly here, and it has “seventy-seven times.”  Even though the difference between these two translations is great numerically, it is not a very important difference.  Jesus was not specifying a literal maximum number of times His disciples should forgive their brothers.  Neither was He wiping out what He had just taught about confronting an erring brother (vv. 15-20).

Jesus’ point was that disciples who are humble should not limit the number of times they forgive one another, or limit the frequency with which they forgive each other.  The following parable of the unmerciful servant clarified this point.  This one of the skits we acted out in Godspell last Spring.  I was the fellow servant who owned 100 denarii who got choked and kicked.

How was it possible for him to pay his debt from prison?

34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,until he should pay all his debt.

This man was turned over to the torturers, had an impossibly high debt to pay, and couldn’t possibly pay it from prison.  Jesus is obviously not talking about purgatory, where one can (reportedly) work their way, or be prayed and purchased, out of punishment.

Jesus drew the crucial comparisons in applying the parable to His disciples (v. 35).  He pictured God as forgiving graciously, yet punishing ruthlessly.  God cannot forgive those who are devoid of compassion and mercy because He is so full of these qualities Himself.  Jesus did not mean that people can earn God’s forgiveness by forgiving one another (cf. 6:12, 14-15).  Nor does he mean that believers can lose their salvation if they fail to forgive.

I believe it does point out our true identity.  Someone who refuses to forgive, shows that they never were forgiven.  Someone who tries to forgive, but has difficulty forgiving, needs to remind themselves how much they have been forgiven by God.

Was this just hyperbole to drive home a point?  No, there are many negative consequences to being unforgiving, both in this life and in the life to come (loss of reward among them).

Thomas Constable concludes:

Jesus concluded this discourse on humility, as He had begun it, with a reference to entering the kingdom (v. 3).  Humility is necessary to enter the kingdom because it involves humbly receiving a gift of pardon from God (v. 27).  However, humility must continue to characterize the disciple.  Not only must a disciple live before God as a humble child (v. 4); he or she must also be careful to avoid putting a stumbling block in the path of another disciple (vv. 5-14).  Furthermore, he or she must humbly seek to restore a wayward fellow disciple (vv. 15-20).  Forgiving fellow disciples—wholeheartedly and completely—is likewise important for humble disciples (vv. 21-35).

Nehemiah 8 describes an amazing transformation in the returned exiles, which was due to the Word being preached.  The people were gathered…

3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand.  And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

The people had told Ezra to bring the “book of the Law” (Nehemiah 8:1) and they listened for a good six hours (standing, v. 5) AND THEY WERE ATTENTIVE.  Now, remember, this is “the Book of the Law” being read, not all of which is all that riveting.  Yet, through all the case laws of Exodus and offerings of Leviticus and census counts of Numbers, they paid attention.

Not only did Ezra read, but men went throughout the crowd helping them understand what was being read (Nehemiah 8:7).  Apparently, those who had grown up in Babylon and Persia spoke Aramaic and had forgotten some of their Hebrew.  The languages are similar (ben is “son” in Hebrew and “bar” is son in Aramaic, but that’s about all I remember).

8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

This is essentially what expository preaching is–giving the sense of Scripture–so that people can understand what it says and means.

Their natural response was weeping, mourning over their sins, but Nehemiah and Ezra told them rejoice and hold a feast, for “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).  I believe they are saying that delighting in the Lord is our strength.  Delighting in the Lord gives us strength against temptation and for obedience.  But it might mean “God’s delighting in you” is your strength.  That is certainly true as well, but given the fact that they are to engage in joyful celebration leads me to adopt the first meaning.

That wasn’t the end of it.

13 On the second day the heads of fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe in order to study the words of the Law.

A men’s Bible study started.  They discovered that God’s Word commanded the Feast of Tabernacles–living in makeshift huts for a week to remind them of the wilderness wanderings.  It recalled the protection, preservation, and shelter that God had provided for His people.  It had special significance for these Jews because it had originally been celebrated in preparation for entering the land and now they were celebrating it as they had returned to the land!

18 And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God.  They kept the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the rule.

What a Bible conference!  Constant study of God’s Word, repentance, joy and obedience.

Nehemiah did not record whether the people also observed the Day of Atonement that fell on the tenth of the same month.  Probably they did, since they were restoring the other Israelite institutions.  Perhaps he passed over mentioning it because the Day of Atonement was a sad day in the Jewish year.  It was the only fast among Israel’s festivals wherein the people afflicted themselves in repentance for their sins.  Nehemiah seems to have wanted in this chapter, and in the whole book, to emphasize the positive aspects of the restoration, namely, God’s faithfulness and the people’s joy.

“Perhaps more than in anything else, Ezra’s importance lies in the fact that he put the Bible of his day into the hands of the laity; it was no longer the exclusive preserve of the ‘professionals.’  Much of the shape of Judaism thereafter was determined by this fundamental achievement.” (Williamson, Ezra-Nehemiah, p. 298).

Acts 18 records Paul’s ministry in Corinth (18:1-17) and Asia (18:18-22) on his second missionary journey

Bible Atlas

Wikemedia

There was an important canal/road across the isthmus which connected east to west.

This made Corinth a very important, influential, and thus worldly city.  In the ancient world to “corinthianize” was to commit immorality.

Paul’s ministry in Corinth began with the Jews (v. 4), then transitioned to Gentiles (v. 6).

And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

But, that eventually ended as well.  The Jews attacked Paul, bringing him before a tribunal, but the proconsul Gallo would have nothing to do with it.

Paul had attempted to reach the province of Asia earlier (16:6).  Now the Lord permitted him to go there, but from the west rather than from the east. Luke recorded Paul’s initial contact with Ephesus, in this section, which set the scene for his ministry there when he later returned from Syrian Antioch (ch. 19).

Paul had apparently made a vow at Cenchrae (see map above).  While vows are not encouraged, they are acceptable.  The Jews used them to either gain something from God, or thank God for giving them something.  Paul may have vowed to give God thanks for the protection he had received while in Corinth (cf. Acts 18:9-10).

Paul then sailed for Ephesus and had a short ministry there (Acts 18:19-21), promising them that he would return to them.  Eventually he landed back in Caesarea Maritima and then went back to Antioch.  Likely, he gave them a report of his second missionary journey (just as he did after his first journey, Acts 14:27).

In Acts 18:31 Paul begins his third missionary journey.

Paul spent some time going through Asia Minor, strengthening the disciples.  He eventually would arrive at Ephesus to begin a three-year ministry there, but first Luke tells us about Apollos (Acts 18:24-28).  Apollos faithfully proclaimed what he knew, but didn’t know about Christian baptism.  Prisca and Aquila took him aside privately and helped him understand more about the Messiah, and grace, and baptism.

Homer Kent says…

“Before the encounter with Aquila and Priscilla, it is best to regard Apollos in the same class as OT saints.  They too hoped for salvation in Messiah and had not rejected him.  The entire Book of Acts depicts the transition from Judaism to Christianity.  It is not surprising, therefore, to find imperfect forms of faith during those epochal days.” (Jerusalem to Rome: Studies in Acts, p. 149).

We will run into another example in the early part of Acts 19.

I love what A.T. Robertson says as well…

“It is a needed and delicate task, this thing of teaching gifted young ministers.  They do not learn it all in schools.  More of it comes from contact with men and women rich in grace and in the knowledge of God’s ways.” (Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume 3:308).

 

Today’s readings are Genesis 18, Matthew 17, Nehemiah 7 and Acts 17.

Genesis 18 is Abraham’s prayer for the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, or more particularly (as God understood his heart) for Lot and his family.  It begins with a visit from three “men,” the LORD (a Christophany, or appearance of Christ before His incarnation) and two other angels (Genesis 19:1).

Notice how Abraham greets and treats his guests.  First, he noticed them coming.  He wasn’t preoccupied with himself.  Second, he ran to meet them.  He didn’t wait for them to come inside.  Third, he bowed down, showing respect.  Then he served them, washing their feet and offering rest and refreshment.  He prepared the best and served it quickly (18:6-7), then watched them eat (18:8).  I think these are some great guidelines for those involved in greeting ministries in churches.

The LORD took the opportunity to tell Abraham that he would have a son “this time next year.”  Sarah laughed at the thought that she, old and worn out as she was, could have a child.  God scolded her, saying that His promise was good.  The issue was not Sarah’s ability to have a child, but God’s ability to give one.

Because of God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 18:17-19), the LORD revealed to Abraham his intended judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah.  Their “sin was very grave” (Genesis 18:20).  Abraham’s intercession begins in verse 23, gradually “bargaining” with God to save the city if even ten righteous persons were found there.  I imagine that Abraham felt pretty safe stopping at ten, thinking that Lot and his family and even a couple more people could be found righteous.  But that was not the case.  God knew Abraham’s heart, however, and Genesis 19 will show God answering Abraham’s prayer even though he didn’t pray it that way–Lot and his daughters will be saved.

In the midst of his prayers Abraham said this about God’s justice:

25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked!  Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”

In Abraham’s mind, punishing the righteous with the wicked was unthinkable, and he imagined it was something a just God couldn’t do.  In fact, the Judge of all the earth always does what it just, by nature, by definition of who He is.

God does not conform to a law outside of Himself.  He makes the laws because He is just.  Does that mean that God is arbitrary, making laws that suit him?  No, they arise out of His character, which is always just and right.

Matthew 17 begins with the transfiguration of Jesus.  It happened on a high mountain.  Some believe it was Mount Tabor, others Mount Hermon.  I’m going with Mount Hermon since Jesus was at the foot of it in Caesarea Philippi in Matthew 16.

Jesus appeared before them in (still veiled) glory, Moses and Elijah were there (talking about Jesus’ departure (Luke 9:31).  Peter wanted to build tents for them all but God spoke from heaven, again affirming Jesus and his ministry, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”  In other words, as great as Moses and Elijah were (and still highly revered by Jews at that time), my Son is greater.

I love verse 8

8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

Oh, that that was our only vision–to see Jesus Christ above the crowds, above the distractions, above the noise, above the praise and achievements, above the world!  Above the law and prophets!

When Jesus and his inner circle descended to the valley, they were faced with a man with an epileptic son who had a demon that could not be case out by Jesus’ disciples.  Jesus confronts the disciples with their lack of faith.  It really only takes a little faith in an Almighty God.

“Moving a mountain” may have come from Herod’s attempt to build himself a palace at Herodium.  It was a man-made “mountain” just north of Jerusalem.

Herodium from the north.  Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

With the wall finished, Nehemiah established guards (Nehemiah 7:1-3) and priests and singers, then enrolled the people by genealogy to try to repopulate Jerusalem (7:5-73).

Acts 17 continues Paul’s second missionary journey to Thessalonica (17:1-9, 3-4 weeks, according to v. 2), Berea (17:10-14), then Athens (17:15-34).

Paul’s normal practice is to first go to the synagogues and “reason” (debate) with the Jews from the Scriptures (17:2).  He does this until Jews reject him, then he turns to the Gentiles.  Success with the Gentiles leads to trouble and Paul will have to move on.  Paul spends little time in Amphipolis and Apollonia likely because there were no synagogues in these towns.  A day’s journey of 35 miles on the Via Egnatia would take them to Thessalonica.

Here is a picture looking out from the modern city of Thessaloniki to the Aegean Sea.

Photo: Nico Trinkhaus – https://sumfinity.com/hdr-photos/greece/thessaloniki/sunset-sea-eptapyrgio-castle/

You can access his photos by going to his website www.sumfinity.com.

As a pastor, I’ve always loved v. 11

11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

I eagerly desire my congregation not only to receive my preaching “with all eagerness” but then to “test it” by examining the Scriptures to see if what I say lines up with Scripture.  If Paul delighted in it, then so do I.

In Athens, Paul reasoned with Gentile “philosophers” of the day.  Paul didn’t use the Scriptures so much, like he did with the Jews, but first made a point of contact, your altar “to the unknown God” (17:23).  He identifies this “unknown” God as the creator and giver of life (17:24), who needs nothing or no one but gives life to all (17:25).

Verses 26-27, for me, help me understand how we can answer the question, “Well, what about those who have never heard the gospel?”

26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,

God has determined to place those who would seek and find God in the eras and countries where a gospel presence would be found.  By the way, this same Paul said, “No one seeks God” (Romans 3:10).  So which is it?  I would answer that no one seeks God purely on their own, without any outside influences.  But that once the Spirit begins to woo and convict us of our sins, we begin to seek, maybe first we seek truth, or peace, or forgiveness, but then God will bring a gospel preacher to help us find those things in Jesus Christ.

Another part of that issue is that no innocent person is ever sent to hell, because there are no innocent people.  We are all guilty of “cosmic treason” (R. C. Sproul) and “love the darkness” naturally.  All have sinned and fall (far) short of the glory of God.

Continuing on in Acts 17, Paul next quotes some of their very own poets, using them to show that God brings life and therefore holds us accountable.

30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Here is another passage of the judge of the world doing “right.”  Now is the time for repentance because there will come a day of judgment.  It is “fixed” and certain.  And we know it will happen because that judge has been raised from the dead.

The resurrection of Jesus tripped up some, but others believed.