the one God raised up

Posted on August 14, 2020 by Jefferson Vann
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the one God raised up

Acts 13:13-43 (JDV)

Acts 13:13 Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia, but John left them and went back to Jerusalem.
Acts 13:14 They continued their journey from Perga and reached Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down.
Acts 13:15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, you can speak.”
Acts 13:16 Paul got up and motioned with his hand and said: “Fellow Israelites, and you who fear God, listen!
Acts 13:17 The God of this people Israel selected our ancestors, made the people prosper during their stay in the land of Egypt, and led them out of it with a mighty arm.
Acts 13:18 And for about forty years he put up with them in the unpopulated region;
Acts 13:19 and after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance.
Acts 13:20 This all took about 450 years. After this, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.
Acts 13:21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.
Acts 13:22 After removing him, he raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my desire.’
Acts 13:23 “From this man’s posterity, as he promised, God brought to Israel the Savior, Jesus.
Acts 13:24 Before his coming to public attention, John had previously proclaimed a baptism signifying repentance to all the people of Israel.
Acts 13:25 Now as John was completing his mission, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the one. But notice – someone is coming after me, and I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet.’
Acts 13:26 “Brothers and sisters, children of Abraham’s race, and those among you who fear God, it is to us that the word of this rescue has been sent.
Acts 13:27 Since the residents of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize him or the sayings of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, they have fulfilled their words by condemning him.
Acts 13:28 Though they found no grounds for the death penalty, they asked Pilate to have him taken out.
Acts 13:29 When they had carried out all that had been written about him, they took him down from the tree and put him in a tomb.
Acts 13:30 But God raised him up from the dead,
Acts 13:31 and he appeared for many days to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his testifiers to the people.
Acts 13:32 And we ourselves proclaim to you the good news of the promise that was made to our ancestors.
Acts 13:33 God has fulfilled this for us, their children, by getting Jesus up, as it is written in the second Psalm: You are my Son; today I have become your Father.
Acts 13:34 As to his getting him up from the dead, never to return to decay, he has spoken in this way, I will give you the holy and sure promises of David.
Acts 13:35 In view of the fact that he also says in another passage, You will not let your Sacred One see decay.
Acts 13:36 You see, David, after serving God’s purpose in his own generation, went to sleep, was buried with his ancestors, and decayed,
Acts 13:37 but the one God raised up did not decay.
Acts 13:38 Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers and sisters, that through this man forgiveness of mistakes is being proclaimed to you.
Acts 13:39 Everyone who believes is justified by him from everything that you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.
Acts 13:40 So beware that what is said in the prophets does not happen to you:
Acts 13:41 Look, you scoffers, marvel and disappear, because I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will never believe, even if someone were to explain it to you.”
Acts 13:42 As they were leaving, the people urged them to speak about these matters the next Sabbath.
Acts 13:43 After the synagogue had been dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and persuading them to continue in the grace of God.

the one God raised up

Paul’s argument at Pisidian Antioch was that Jesus of Nazareth is unique among all people that ever lived. He alone was raised up from among the dead ones. Even the great king David decayed in his grave after his death, so the prediction of a “sacred one” who would not see decay did not apply to him. But it did apply to Jesus, because he was raised up never to die again.

The only evidence that Paul put forth for the uniqueness of Jesus is the written words of the Bible, and the empty tomb. There will be scoffers who will marvel at this, and disappear without believing it. But there will also be followers.

Lord, we choose to follow your word and your Christ, the one you raised up.

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seekers and sorcerers

Posted on August 13, 2020 by Jefferson Vann
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seekers and sorcerers

Acts 13:4-12 (JDV)

Acts 13:4 So being sent out by the Sacred Breath, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.
Acts 13:5 Arriving in Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. They also had John as their assistant.
Acts 13:6 When they had traveled the whole island as far as Paphos, they came across a sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus.
Acts 13:7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God.
Acts 13:8 But Elymas the sorcerer (that is the meaning of his name) opposed them and tried to distract the proconsul from the faith.
Acts 13:9 But Saul – also called Paul – filled with the Sacred Breath, stared straight at Elymas
Acts 13:10 and said, “You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery, you son of the devil and enemy of all that is right. Won’t you ever stop distracting from the straight paths of the Lord?
Acts 13:11 Now, notice, the Lord’s hand is against you. You are going to be blind, and will not see the sun for a period.” Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
Acts 13:12 Then, when he saw what happened, the proconsul believed, because he was shocked at the teaching of the Lord.

seekers and sorcerers

Elymas had been nicknamed Bar-Jesus (son of Jesus), but he was really a son of the devil. He was struck blind so that Sergius Paulus could see. Once the sorcerer was dealt with, this intelligent man could put two and two together and make four. His distracting influence was gone, so he was free to understand and respond to the gospel.

There are a lot of seekers: — intelligent men and women — around us, and they will respond if they hear the gospel. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of distracting influences as well. While we are praying for ways to reach these seekers with the Savior they need, we should also be praying against these sorcerers and other means of demonic distraction.

Lord, lead us to the seekers, and eliminate the sorcerers.

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letting them go

Posted on August 12, 2020 by Jefferson Vann
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letting them go

Acts 13:1-3 (JDV)

Acts 13:1 Now in the congregation at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
Acts 13:2 As they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Sacred Breath said, “Set apart to me Barnabas and Saul into the work which I have called them for.”
Acts 13:3 Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they let them go.

letting them go

The new congregation at Antioch was bustling with activity, and God had gifted them with five powerful prophets and teachers. They knew the Lord was at work in these people’s lives and they really appreciated them, and wanted to enjoy their company, and benefit from their gifts. But they also wanted to walk according to God’s plan. So, they fasted, praying for the Sacred Breath to reveal that plan.

It must have been scary and disappointing for them to learn that two of these ministers were to be set apart for missions work. But when you learn what God is planning, there is only one choice. You have to bless those who are called to preach beyond, and let them go.

Lord, show us your plan, and give us the courage to let go those you are sending elsewhere.

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fatal flattery

Posted on August 11, 2020 by Jefferson Vann
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fatal flattery

Acts 12:20-25 (JDV)

Acts 12:20 Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. With the same passion they presented themselves before him. After persuading Blastus, who was in charge of the king’s bedroom, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food from the king’s country.
Acts 12:21 On an appointed day, dressed in royal robes and seated on the platform, Herod delivered a speech to them.
Acts 12:22 The assembled people began to shout, “It’s the voice of a god and not of a man!”
Acts 12:23 At once an agent from the Lord struck him because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and stopped breathing.
Acts 12:24 But the word of God flourished and was being increased.
Acts 12:25 After they had completed their relief mission, Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem, taking along John who was called Mark.

fatal flattery

The inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon were afraid of losing their status before Herod, so they gladly buttered him up with praise when they heard him speak. Herod could have saved his own life by deflecting that praise and giving the glory to God. But he enjoyed the flattery. Little did he know that God’s “put up with Herod’s nonsense” meter was reaching full. It would be Herod’s last speech, and his most important. He had dared to murder a believer, and imprison another one. His campaign against the gospel of Christ came to an end because of the fatal flattery he heard that day.

Lord, may we be more interested in following your words than in hearing words of approval from others.

Who deserves the credit for the good things we say and do? Not us! (video)

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patience to keep knocking

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Jefferson Vann
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patience to keep knocking

Acts 12:6-19 (JDV)

Acts 12:6 When Herod was about to bring him out for trial, that very night Peter, tied up with two chains, is sleeping between two soldiers, while the sentries in front of the door guarded the prison.
Acts 12:7 Notice, an agent of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. Striking Peter on the side, he raised him up and said, “Quick, get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists.
Acts 12:8 “Get dressed,” the agent told him, “and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Wrap your cloak around you,” he told him, “and follow me.”
Acts 12:9 So he went out and followed, and he did not know that what the agent did was really happening, but he thought he was seeing a vision.
Acts 12:10 After they passed the first and second guards, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went outside and passed one street, and suddenly the agent left him.
Acts 12:11 When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his agent and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from all that the Jewish people expected.”
Acts 12:12 As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many had been brought together and were praying.
Acts 12:13 He knocked at the door of the outer gate, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer.
Acts 12:14 She recognized Peter’s voice, and because of her joy, she did not open the gate but ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the outer gate.
Acts 12:15 “You’re delirious!” they told her. But she kept insisting that it was true, and they said, “It’s his agent.”
Acts 12:16 Peter, however, kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.
Acts 12:17 Motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. “Tell these things to James and the brothers,” he said, and he left and went to another place.
Acts 12:18 At daylight, there was a great disturbance among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter.
Acts 12:19 After Herod had searched and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and ordered their execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

patience to keep knocking

The story of Peter’s rescue from prison has several interesting points.

This passage begins and ends with a reference to Herod. It is a prelude to the story of Herod’s death, which will come in the next few verses. This passage explains Herod’s motive for stopping his intense persecution, and suddenly fleeing to Caesarea. Having a prisoner escape in such a bizarre fashion apparently spooked him.

Notice also how both Peter and the other believers did not quite understand what was taking place. They had prayed for a miracle, but when the miracle was actually happening, they could not quite figure it out.

I wonder why the iron gate opened by itself, but Peter had to stand knocking for a while at the door of the outer gate of the house where the congregation was praying.

In the process of fulfilling the mission God has given us, there will be miracles, but there will also be mysteries that we will not fully understand.

Lord, thank you for our mission. Give us all the insight we need to carry it out, and the patience to keep knocking when we need to.

Miracle or mystery — the sovereign God is at work (video)

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tears into prayers

Posted on August 9, 2020 by Jefferson Vann
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tears into prayers

Acts 12:1-5 (JDV)

Acts 12:1 About that period King Herod forced abusive hands on some who belonged to the congregation,
Acts 12:2 and he took James out, John’s brother, using a sword.
Acts 12:3 When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter too, during the Days of the Unleavened.
Acts 12:4 After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to keep him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
Acts 12:5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the congregation was praying fervently to God for him.

tears into prayers

We have already encountered several deaths in this book, and several cases of unfair treatment and incarceration. The story shows that the believers faced opposition, and that opposition was often severe. After James was executed and Peter arrested, what did these believers do? They were obviously disappointed and discouraged, and may have felt like giving up. But they turned their tears into prayers, asking God to spare the life of their friend and leader.

There are times in the Christian life when the plan goes awry, and periods when it looks like the enemy is going to win. Turn those times into periods of fervent prayer, and let your faith lean on the everlasting arms of your Father in the sky.

Father, we bring our broken hearts to you. Only you can turn this mess into a miracle.

Why do we pray if God is already in control? (video)

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missionary work

Posted on August 8, 2020 by Jefferson Vann
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missionary work

Acts 11:19-30 (JDV)

Acts 11:19 Now those who had been scattered as a result of the trouble that started because of Stephen made their way as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.
Acts 11:20 But there were some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus.
Acts 11:21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.
Acts 11:22 News about them reached the congregation in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to travel as far as Antioch.
Acts 11:23 When he arrived and saw the favor of God, he was glad and encouraged all of them to remain true to the Lord with devoted hearts,
Acts 11:24 because he was a good man, full of the Sacred Breath and of faith. And large numbers of people were added to the Lord.
Acts 11:25 Then he went to Tarsus to search for Saul,
Acts 11:26 and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the congregation and taught large numbers. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.
Acts 11:27 In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
Acts 11:28 One of them, named Agabus, got up and predicted by the Breath that there would be a severe famine throughout the Roman world. This took place during the reign of Claudius.
Acts 11:29 Each of the disciples, according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brothers and sisters who resided in Judea.
Acts 11:30 They did this, sending it to the elders by means of Barnabas and Saul.

missionary work

The elements of missionary work are highlighted in this passage.

  • Notice the cross-cultural evangelism (19-21);
  • the encouraging exhortation of the new believers in Antioch by Barnabus (22-24);
  • the comprehensive instruction from Barnabas and Saul (25-26);
  • and the fund-raising for disaster relief (27-30).

All over the planet there are places where these ministries are needed. God is still calling people to do these things. The era of the missionary is not over. It will not be over until the Lord we proclaim returns.

Lord, show us where we fit in to your mission to rescue this planet.

“Jeff, isn’t this a bad time to talk about missions?” (video)

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the same gift

Posted on August 7, 2020 by Jefferson Vann
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the same gift

Acts 11:1-18 (JDV)

Acts 11:1 The missionaries and the brothers and sisters who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had also welcomed the word of God.
Acts 11:2 When Peter went up to Jerusalem, those promoting circumcision criticized him,
Acts 11:3 saying, “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
Acts 11:4 Peter began to explain to them step by step:
Acts 11:5 “I was in the town of Joppa praying, and I saw, in a condition of ecstasy, an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners from the sky, and it came to me.
Acts 11:6 When I looked closely and considered it, I saw the four-footed animals of the land, the wild creatures, the reptiles, and the birds of the sky.
Acts 11:7 I also heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’
Acts 11:8 ” ‘Certainly not, Lord! ‘ I said. ‘Because nothing impure or ritually unclean has ever entered my mouth.’
Acts 11:9 But a voice reacted from the sky a second time, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call impure.’
Acts 11:10 “Now this happened three times, and everything was drawn up again into the sky.
Acts 11:11 I noticed three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were.
Acts 11:12 The Breath told me to accompany them with no doubts at all. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we went into the man’s house.
Acts 11:13 He reported to us how he had seen the agent standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa, and call for Simon, who is also named Peter.
Acts 11:14 He will speak a message to you by which you and all your household will be rescued.’
Acts 11:15 “As I began to speak, the Sacred Breath came down on them, just as on us at the beginning.
Acts 11:16 I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Sacred Breath.’
Acts 11:17 If, then, God gave them the same gift that he also gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, how could I be capable of hindering God?”
Acts 11:18 When they heard this they became silent. And they glorified God, saying, “So then, God has given repentance resulting in life even to the Gentiles.”

the same gift

After hearing Peter’s testimony, the Jewish believers concluded that God had given “the same gift” to Gentiles as he did to them. What was that gift? There was a physical manifestation of worship that demonstrated their genuine faith, but it was the faith itself which was the ultimate gift. The Jewish believers glorified God because he “has given repentance resulting in life even to the Gentiles.”

Do you have the gift of repentance resulting in life? God always wants people to have life. He had challenged the Israelites by saying “I call sky and land as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, empowerment and affliction. Choose life so that you and your descendants may stay alive” (Deuteronomy 30:19). This is not a gift we can earn by our faithfulness, but it is a gift that will enable us to be faithful. Choose the gift of life.

Lord, we want your gift!

Peter discovered that “you” included Gentiles! (video)

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the Caesarea miracle

Posted on August 6, 2020 by Jefferson Vann
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the Caesarea miracle

Acts 10:44-48 (JDV)

Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Sacred Breath came down on all those who heard the message.
Acts 10:45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Sacred Breath had been poured out even on the Gentiles.
Acts 10:46 For they heard them speaking in other languages and declaring the greatness of God. Then Peter reacted,
Acts 10:47 “Can anyone withhold water and prevent these people from being baptized, who have received the Sacred Breath just as we have?”
Acts 10:48 He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.

the Caesarea miracle

This was not an exact reproduction of the miracle of Pentecost. The Jews who had accompanied Peter to the house of Cornelius did not hear the Gentile believers speaking in Hebrew. They were speaking in “other languages” — presumably their own. But the Jews did understand that these Gentile believers were “declaring the greatness of God.” The sign that demonstrated that these Gentiles had accepted the gospel — was worship.

Why were these Gentile believers declaring God’s greatness? The focus of Peter’s testimony to them had been Jesus Christ. Peter commanded that they be baptized “in the name of Jesus Christ.” The Caesarea miracle was not speaking in tongues. It was the advancement of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Lord, use us to advance your gospel to the next Caesarea.

What did these Gentiles respond to? (video)

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alls and everys

Posted on August 5, 2020 by Jefferson Vann
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alls and everys

Acts 10:34-43 (JDV)

Acts 10:34 Peter began to speak: “Now I truly understand that God doesn’t show favoritism,
Acts 10:35 but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
Acts 10:36 He sent the message to the Israelites, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ – he is Lord of all.
Acts 10:37 You know the events that took place throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John preached:
Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Sacred Breath and with power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were under the tyranny of the devil, because God was with him.
Acts 10:39 We ourselves are testifiers of everything he did in both the Judean country and in Jerusalem, and yet they took him out by hanging him on a tree.
Acts 10:40 God raised this man up on the third day and caused him to be seen,
Acts 10:41 not by all the people, but by us whom God appointed as testifiers, who ate and drank with him after he got up from the dead.
Acts 10:42 He directed us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be the judge of the living and the dead.
Acts 10:43 All the prophets testify about him that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of failures.”

alls and everys

Did Peter truly understand? His particularism had been dealt a blow by the vision he had just seen. But he would have problems in the future because he had been conditioned all his life to think that God only wants to save a certain nation, and condemns the rest.

Do we understand what the Holy Spirit is saying here? Some think that this passage argues for some kind of universal salvation. They see the words about God not showing favoritism, and all the “alls” and “everys” in this passage, and assume that eventually everyone everywhere will be spared. But notice the conditions that accompany the alls and everys:

  • “in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him”
  • “everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness”

What Peter understood was that God opens his heart to all of us sinners, in every land. He sent his Son to save us all. But if any of us dare to ignore that grace, then we must pay for own failures, and the cost for that ignorance is permanent death.

Lord, thank you for offering your grace to everyone.

God has opened the door to you; will you open your heart to him? (video)

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