strategic martyrdom

Hi friends,

Yesterday we read about Paul's initial hearing in Jerusalem. We left him in protective custody under the Roman Tribune Lysias. Today we find out about a conspiracy to kill Paul. Paul was a flawed human being like all of us, but he was also a great example in a lot of ways. Throughout this section of Acts I think it's really interesting how Paul is willing to die for his faith, but that he doesn't want to throw his life away foolishly. His various tactics are worth watching.

God bless,
Sam

Acts 23:12-22

12 In the morning the Jews joined in a conspiracy and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. ¹³There were more than forty who joined in this conspiracy. ¹⁴They went to the chief priests and elders and said, ‘We have strictly bound ourselves by an oath to taste no food until we have killed Paul. ¹⁵Now then, you and the council must notify the tribune to bring him down to you, on the pretext that you want to make a more thorough examination of his case. And we are ready to do away with him before he arrives.’

16 Now the son of Paul’s sister heard about the ambush; so he went and gained entrance to the barracks and told Paul. ¹⁷Paul called one of the centurions and said, ‘Take this young man to the tribune, for he has something to report to him.’ ¹⁸So he took him, brought him to the tribune, and said, ‘The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you; he has something to tell you.’ ¹⁹The tribune took him by the hand, drew him aside privately, and asked, ‘What is it that you have to report to me?’

²⁰He answered, ‘The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more thoroughly into his case. ²¹But do not be persuaded by them, for more than forty of their men are lying in ambush for him. They have bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink until they kill him. They are ready now and are waiting for your consent.’ ²²So the tribune dismissed the young man, ordering him, ‘Tell no one that you have informed me of this.’

further down the path

Good morning friends,
Today we see Paul speaking again to the Jewish leaders. It's interesting to see how he continues to see that he has a responsibility to honor the leadership in that community, despite sometimes having to go against them. We also see Paul being quite astute here. He sees that the leadership is divided because some are Pharisees and some Sadduccees. He exploits this division by talking about how his Christian faith comes from his background as a Pharisee. That leads some Pharisees to support Paul. The final thing that captures my attention in this passage is God's vision for Paul that he is doing the right thing and will also be God's witness in Rome. Wherever we go, may we be faithful witnesses today.

God bless,
Sam

Acts 22:30-23:11

³⁰Since he wanted to find out what Paul was being accused of by the Jews, the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and the entire council to meet. He brought Paul down and had him stand before them. While Paul was looking intently at the council he said, ‘Brothers, up to this day I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God.’ ²Then the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near him to strike him on the mouth. ³At this Paul said to him, ‘God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting there to judge me according to the law, and yet in violation of the law you order me to be struck?’ ⁴Those standing nearby said, ‘Do you dare to insult God’s high priest?’ ⁵And Paul said, ‘I did not realize, brothers, that he was high priest; for it is written, “You shall not speak evil of a leader of your people.” ’

6 When Paul noticed that some were Sadducees and others were Pharisees, he called out in the council, ‘Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead.’ ⁷When he said this, a dissension began between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. ⁸(The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge all three.)

⁹Then a great clamour arose, and certain scribes of the Pharisees’ group stood up and contended, ‘We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?’ ¹⁰When the dissension became violent, the tribune, fearing that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered the soldiers to go down, take him by force, and bring him into the barracks. 11 That night the Lord stood near him and said, ‘Keep up your courage! For just as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also in Rome.’

reconciling with a brother?

Good morning friends,
Having left his father in law, Jacob turns his attention towards his relationship with his brother. Not surprisingly, he is worried that Esau is still mad at him for stealing his birthright and blessing. We'll see before long how this plays out.

Blessings,
Sam

Genesis 32:3-12

3Jacob sent messengers before him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom, 4instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have lived with Laban as an alien, and stayed until now; 5and I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male and female slaves; and I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight.’“ 6The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.” 7Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies, 8thinking, “If Esau comes to the one company and destroys it, then the company that is left will escape.”



9And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, and I will do you good,’ 10I am not worthy of the least of all the steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan; and now I have become two companies. 11Deliver me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid of him; he may come and kill us all, the mothers with the children. 12Yet you have said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted because of their number.’“

release and resistance

Good morning brothers and sisters,
In yesterday's reading Paul and the others were arrested, beaten and imprisoned for their ministry, in particular for casting a spirit out of a slave. Their imprisonment led the jailer to faith. Now the authorities decide to release them from prison, but Paul isn't going to make it easy on them. Instead he tells them he is a Roman citizen, which worries them since they haven't observed his rights. We will see Paul using his rights as a Roman citizen several times in Acts.

For the most part in Acts Rome isn't the oppressor, but a mostly neutral outside power. Most of the opposition to the apostles comes from religious leaders and both sides of the conflict at times try to use Roman power to their advantage. We also see that, even though at times the apostles defy the rules and human rulers to proclaim the gospel, they also generally obey the law. When asked to leave Philippi, the apostles do. The blend of courage, defiance, obedience and strategic thinking the early church used to spread the message can teach us a lot about adapting to different situations while remaining true to our faith and seeking opportunities to share.

Blessings on the new week,
Sam

Acts 16:35-40
35When morning came, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” 36And the jailer reported the message to Paul, saying, “The magistrates sent word to let you go; therefore come out now and go in peace.” 37But Paul replied, “They have beaten us in public, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they going to discharge us in secret? Certainly not! Let them come and take us out themselves.”

38The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens; 39so they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. 40After leaving the prison they went to Lydia’s home; and when they had seen and encouraged the brothers and sisters there, they departed.

Traveling with Timothy

Good morning all,
This morning we meet Timothy, a young leader in the early church to whom Paul wrote two of the letters that ended up in the Bible. We're reading the first of those letters in session as our opening devotion. It's fascinating that after receiving the official word from the leaders in Jerusalem that people don't have to be circumcised to follow Jesus Paul had Timothy circumcised anyway. It seems to have been a strategic decision because Timothy's mother was Jewish (and a follower of Jesus) and his father wasn't, and Paul wanted it clear where Timothy's allegiance lay. I guess the lesson is that sometimes we do what we don't need to do because it will help us achieve our goals more effectively.

Paul and Timothy travel together to spread the gospel and to share the council's decision about gentile believers. Twice we're told that God kept them from going somewhere they had planned to go. We don't know how God communicated this to them, but it's a good reminder that the church's agenda is never its own. This vision of a man calling for Paul's help has been an important image in world mission since that vision. God always calls us to take the word of hope to new places. For many of us that won't be around the world but will be right in our back yard.

Blessings,
Sam

Acts 16:1-10
1 Paul went on also to Derbe and to Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his father was a Greek. 2He was well spoken of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium. 3Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him; and he took him and had him circumcised because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4As they went from town to town, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in numbers daily.

6They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7When they had come opposite Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; 8so, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.