Affirming (strengthening, supporting) others in faith is just as important as making sure our faith is steadfast. We have been called to encourage and build one another up in the Lord.
Why is it important? Because our faith is lived in the community of believers, that is, the church. We were not called to be God’s lone rangers, but God’s community, his church.
To affirm ourselves is to encourage us, to help us strengthen ourselves to remain faithful to the Lord. It’s like when a crutch helps by supporting an injured foot or leg. It helps you gain strength. This is how we affirm to others. This requires compassion and mercy. This is a way of showing love to one another.
Is there such a thing as silent believers? It is easy for us believers to be silent about our faith. We don’t want to offend people. We want to live quiet lives. But our calling is to proclaim the gospel in good times and bad. God is with us. It always will. We must not be silent; we must continue to speak. This was the case with Paul in Corinth.
In this passage we look at how Paul continues to speak, continues to share the gospel in different ways and forms. The Lord uses him to plant a new church which in a short period of time. This church would be the one to which Paul wrote two letters (i.e. 1, 2 Corinthians).
In the passage we will study today, Paul shares the gospel with a totally different group than those he has shared at this time. Unlike those in Thessalonica, Berea, where he shared Scripture with them, these men are polytheists, religious philosophers who have no background to religious Jewry. Similar to Joseph in the story where they followed a religion. A religion that leaves them empty. Paul speaks to them of a God who exists, is, and expects something from them.
<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> Acts, Acts 17, Paul in Athens|
<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-tag-links">Tagged</span> acts, acts 17. Paul in athens, God is close|Comments Off on The God who is Close – Acts 17:16-34
The world is upside down. Our world in which we live is spiritually (as well as morally and in many other respects) upside down. What does this mean? Since the fall into sin by our ancestor Adam and Eve, the result of mankind’s actions is the opposite of what God desires. The world does the opposite of what God commands us in His Word. Since then, things have been “turned upside down”. There is disorder, a spiritual, moral, and social chaos. It seems that we are going further and further than God commands us. Isaiah 5:20 says: ” Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! How to solve this problem? God’s answer is the gospel.
We are not saved just to live our lives before the world by showing Christ. We must also preach, teach, share, talk about Christ in multiple ways and forms. That is the topic of this morning. We want to see Paul’s example as an example, a model of what it is to live, to embody the gospel and in the same way to share it with others. We will see that his life, like Silas, lived the truth of the gospel, but at the same time preached the gospel. Both elements go together. Both are necessary. Today we hear many who preach and do not live the truth of the gospel. We also know that Satan has false ministers, false brethren, and they preach a false gospel and don’t live the truth. On the other hand, there are timid Christians who hide and feel sorry for them, afraid to share the gospel. This is not of God. And then there are people who are example for us. This week we experienced a horrific assassination of a Christian who embodied the Gospel and was actively sharing it without fear. It cost Charlie Kirk his life. This young man has shared the Gospel with so many other young people and we are just beginning to see his impact. I had no idea how wide and far was his impact. But it is no surprise because God will use any of us when we are committed to living and sharing the Gospel even in difficult times.
<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> Acts, Acts 16, Gospel, sharing the Gospel|
<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-tag-links">Tagged</span> acts, Acts 16, Gospel, sharing Christ, sharing the Gospel|Comments Off on Living and Sharing the Gospel Even in Difficulties – Acts 16:16-34
In this passage we look at how God sovereignly guides Paul at the beginning of his second missionary journey to Philippi. In that city Paul preaches and God sovereignly transforms a woman named Lydia. That is the topic of this morning. The sovereignty of God. God’s sovereignty over our plans involving God’s mission—sharing the gospel of salvation to others—how God touches the hearts of those who do not yet know Him. God’s sovereignty over our plans involving God’s mission—sharing the gospel of salvation to others—how God touches the hearts of those who do not yet know Him.
Christ’s church has grown from being formed mainly from Jews to Gentiles of all walks of life.Yet, the church has maintained is unity in the Gospel.But it is not free from conflict especially with the cultural and religious backgrounds between Jews and Gentiles and how they relate to the Gospel of grace. Many Jews, especially Pharisees, who had believed in Christ continued to abide in the Law thus mixing grace and works of the Law. This led to legalism which we see happening here in Acts 15. Thus it was necessary for the mother church in Jerusalem, the Apostles and elders to deal with this matter. This happened around A.D. 49
This event is also important because it sets the mid point of Acts both structurally and theologically. After this event, Acts will focus on Paul and on the church, apart from any relationship with the Jerusalem church.
The apostles were missionaries because they too were sent by our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8). The word “apostles” means “sent.” They went, carried, and died carrying the message of Christ to all the world.This means that, if you are a believer, he has sent you to be a witness, to share the gospel with others, to be his missionary where you live, where you work, where you spend time.I am a missionary here in Washington. God called me to leave California to go to East Texas to Oklahoma and now here to share the gospel and make disciples. God allowed us to serve Him for ten years since we left California.This is not to say that there are no “vocational missionaries” who do this work full-time. There are, but what missionaries do is not exclusive to them. It’s something that all of us must do.
This author mentions three things that the missionary does:
1. Communicate (proclaim, preach, teach, instruct) the Good News that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Savior to those who haven’t heard or accepted it.
2. It communicates a new way of living in Christ (directs others to salvation in Christ, baptism
3. Integrates new believers into a new community (the Lord’s Supper, social and moral transformation in their way of life, love, discipleship)
Based on this, we see that this aligns with what the Lord’s Church are called to do. This is what our mission is as well. The goal of our growth as disciples of Christ is to enable us to do the mission of God anywhere we are, here or anywhere in the world.In this chapter we find the first official missionaries of the church who go to reach the unreached.From here on, chapters 13-28 focus on Paul the missionary from 42-62 A.D.
For years and centuries, the enemy of souls has sought to manipulate the minds of mankind so that they worship and honor creatures more than the Creator. (Romans 1:25) The Apostle John in his first epistle chapter two verses 16 writes to us that the pride of the world does not come from the Father. (1 John 2:16) Today we must be aware that the enemy comes with the same intentions of confusion and manipulation, but with different strategies. When our Lord Jesus Christ was in the wilderness, the enemy came to Him and offered Him the kingdoms of the earth and Jesus. Using the Word “it is written,” confronted Satan and temptations. The moment and time in which we live today is manifested with a generation that moves with shows, lights, and smoke screen. (Luke 4:5; 7) People in their existential need, empty hearts, who are not satisfied with anything, in short, far from God, are continually looking for the next icon to whom to give glory rather than give it to the Creator of all. Through the Word today we will see how Paul and Barnabas focus on their call to share the gospel, how they respond to a need, and see how the apostles handled the situation at the time when the people tried to worship as gods. In other words, how the people confused the messenger with the message. The question we must answer is why they confused the messenger with the message. Why couldn’t they see it? How does this apply to us when we are the messengers or, when we are the ones who receive the message?
Not long ago I discovered that I am a highly sensitive person (HSP)[1] which means I process information and experiences in a different way than most people.[2] I am a deep thinker and tend to linger on things that I’m experiencing, often responding internally in an emotional way. Though it may not be apparent, I am deeply moved by these experiences and respond emotionally. At times things can be overwhelming. According to statistics one in five persons are born this way[3], and about fifty percent are men.[4] It feels weird for a me to realize this because it goes against the traditional view of men. We are told that men are rational and not emotional. Men don’t express feelings. Man don’t cry and if they do, they don’t do in public ever. When was the last time you heard a man asking another, “How are you feeling today?” We have been conditioned to avoid this. As much as we want to say that this is ok to ignore how we feel, we know it isn’t. We don’t have to believe this cultural idea. This is a genetic and innate trait according to those who have done the research.[5] However, this doesn’t mean that only this particular group is emotionally expressive.
When I learned this, it helped me understand myself, the way God has designed me. One of my favorite books in the Bible since I was young is the book of Psalms. It is now clear why. I believe David, the courageous king warrior who when he was young killed Goliath the giant, who wrote most of the Psalms which where songs and poems to God, was a highly sensitive person. I have no real evidence, but this is what I think from my reading the Psalms many times.
David wasn’t afraid to express his feelings and emotions to God. Here are few examples of the many found in the book of Psalms.
In Psalm 56:8 he says, “You have seen me tossing and turning through the night. You have collected all my tears and preserved them in your bottle! You have recorded everyone in your book.” (TLB). David cried a lot, especially when he was in difficult situations. He trusted God would deliver him.
In Psalm 42:5 David tells himself the state of his inner being, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” He is expressing his depressive mood and directs himself to God who can give him hope. In Psalms 143:4 David says, “my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled.” In verse 7 he says, “my spirit fails!” David expresses his feelings to God and calls on God to answer him quickly.
Being sensitive, taking things to heart and expressing our feelings as a man isn’t something that we should feel ashamed or restricted because of cultural expectations. After all, we are humans made in the image of God; we reflect his emotive attributes not just the rational ones. This is how God has designed us and we should feel free to express our heart in the presence of others who are close to us and/or before God. What we feel and express may not always be correct, but it isn’t wrong when we admit them to God. King David did, and so should we.
[1] Called Sensory-processing sensitivity (SPS) in the research. See https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2023.1135440/full
[2] According to Elaine N. Aron author of The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms you”. The traits are depth processing, overstimulation, empathy and sensing.
[3] The Handbook for Highly Sensitive Persons by Mel Collins.
[4] See “Tips for highly sensitive men” Esther Bergsma is the author of The Brain of the Highly Sensitive Person which deals with the research done on the way the brain works in HSPs.
[5] See https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/human-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2023.1135440/full
<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> David, King David, Psalms, Uncategorized|
<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-tag-links">Tagged</span> Highly sensitive person, HSP, king david, psalms|Comments Off on I am a Highly Sensitive Person & So was King David
I am enjoying this book and agreeing with it (like "yes!", "write on"...laughing that Jesus wouldn't get hired because he was single...silly but prob would be true). There are some parts that uses particular language to describe leadersh...
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