The church of the 1st century experienced opposition and persecution. The same is true of the church of the 21st century. How should we understand persecution? How should we handle it? The example of the early church is very helpful.
When Peter and John returned with the threats of the elders ringing in their ears and reported what had been said to them, the response of the believers was to raise their voices together in prayer to God. They didn't scatter out of fear, but together they sought God. Here we see both the value of community and the comfort of being able to call on God.
But what exactly did they pray? Let me mention 4 things.
1. God the Creator
The first part of their prayer addresses God as the Creator of all things. Some don't see much of a connection between this and the rest of the prayer and assume it was simply a standard way of praying for them. But that is to miss something vital about prayer and about persecution.
They raised their voices to the God who had made all things. They were in a situation where creatures were trying to oppose the will of the Creator. We need to grasp that as being truly terrible. Our lack of outrage at the Creator being opposed shows us what a low view of God we have.
The Bible's teaching of God as Creator is fundamental to understanding history and the whole existence of the church. It is the Creator who sends his Son to rescue his creatures from their sin. Creation is at the heart of who God is and what he does. It's not by accident that the Bible starts with creation and ends with new creation!
2. God, the Bible & the Messiah
The next aspect of their prayer that is noteworthy is the way they understand their situation from the scriptures. Before we see what they referred to, it's vital to learn from what they did. It isn't just that the scriptures would hold some answers for them, but that they saw their situation as being in continuity with the great history and storyline of the Bible. They knew that they were those "on whom the fulfilment of the ages has come" (1 Cor. 10:11).
We need to approach our understanding of life from this perspective. There is a continuity in our experience that stretches back into the OT and the eternal plans of God. It isn't just that we go through similar experiences but that we share the same story. It is vital to grasp that if we are to react aright to what happens to us.
In terms of detail, they quote from Psalm 2 which speaks of the rulers and peoples taking their stand against the Lord and against his King. Originally, it referred to Israel suffering at the hands of the nations but it always spoke of more than that. These early believers saw how it ultimately relates to Jesus and his treatment by the Jews and Romans.
This is the big picture that explains why they themselves are being persecuted. It is for this reason that Peter, in his first letter, says to persecuted Christians, "Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ." (1 Peter 4:12,13).
Our sufferings are of a piece with those of Jesus. The church is oppressed because of its relationship with the Messiah. This isn't something that can be avoided; in fact, Jesus himself encourages us to "rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven" (Mt. 5:12). Beyond the pain, we are to behold the glory.
3. God in Control
Not only do they grasp why they are suffering, they are also confident that God is with them in their suffering, that he is in control and is able to bring good out of what they suffer. Recalling what happened to Jesus they recognise that "They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen" (v.28). The cross was not an accident.
Did that mean the Jews and Romans were not guilty of their sin? No, they would have to answer for that. What it does say is that, even when evil seems to triumph, God is still in control and can and will forward his own plans through such times. It's not that he just about manages to hold things together but that he is so powerful he can use it to his ends.
Shouldn't this give us great encouragement in our own day, for the church in this country and for the church worldwide? These are dark days and there is much raging against the Lord and his Christ but he remains as the supreme sovereign of all. That is true in terms of the large affairs of nations; it is also true in terms of the details of our own small lives.
4. Praying for Boldness
Knowing that God is sovereign and can bring to nothing what men plan, presumably they will pray for protection and peace? Certainly Paul tells Timothy that we should pray for these things (1 Tim. 2:1,2). That is no doubt included when they ask the Lord to "consider their threats" (v.29).
But the burden of their request is for God to work in power, giving them boldness to go on speaking, despite the threats, and for the Lord Jesus to be glorified and honoured as they do so. Here are people who value, above their own comfort, the glory of God in the gospel of his Son. Yes, they are asking for protection but beyond that they are praying for blessing on what they will speak.
They clearly know their own frailty and so pray for boldness. In his letters, Paul also regularly asks for this. Threats worry us, we have fears and concerns and can often buckle under them. But when our heart's delight is God and his glory, we will pray for a boldness of lip and life that will bring honour to Jesus.
We should also notice that they ask God to perform miracles and to accompany their ministry with signs and wonders. Is that something we should make a part of our praying today? Some would urge us to do so but we need to consider their prayer in the wider context of the place of miracles in the book of Acts and the experience of the early church.
We don't have time to enlarge particularly on this so what I want to do is recommend something that John Stott has written in his commentary on Acts. Responding to claims that signs and wonder should be a normal part of church life today and are indispensable for the progress of the gospel, Stott makes three key points: Sings and wonders were not the main secret of church growth in Acts; they were not an everyday part of church life but were exceptional; they were substantially different to much of what is claimed today.
The great concern of the early church was for Jesus to be authenticated and honoured. That must be our great concern too. If the Lord chooses to do that at times through signs and wonders, we must be open to that but without making it an unrealistic expectation.
Conclusion: God's Amen
As we close, let's notice how the Lord responded to their prayer. He did so by uttering his own 'Amen!' , shaking the building and filling them with his Spirit to boldly proclaim the word. He delights to answer prayer that has, at its heart, a concern for his glory in the gospel. Let's pray like that too.
Saturday, 8 July 2006
Acts 4:12
We're used to people seeking high office making very great claims about themselves. We're also used to people who are trying to sell us things making great claims for their products: 'It'll change the way you live!' - when in truth all it does is change your bank balance!
But doesn't the same thing happen in religion too? They all make great claims. Who are you to believe? Is it just a case of picking the one you think will suit you best? Or is there one that is right?
In the Bible, and in this passage, a great claim is made, an exclusive claim. It tells us that salvation is found in no one other than Jesus. Let's see what this great claim is all about.
1. It's about 'Salvation'
But what is this 'salvation'? Is it just a mystical religious experience that some people claim to have had? Is it 'getting religion'? Is it just a state of mind that makes a person happy?
In this scene in Acts 3,4, a cripple has just been healed. The word 'salvation' is used about that healing in v.9. So 'salvation' means 'healing'? Yes, but it means more than that.
When Peter speaks to the crowd following the healing of this man, to tells them of what God has promised to do through Jesus (3:19-21). There we see 3 aspects of salvation that are illustrated in the healing of the crippled man:
- Salvation means the blotting out of sin (v.19a) - i.e. forgiveness by God.
- Salvation involves spiritual refreshment (v.19b) - i.e. relief, rest & peace with God.
- Salvation involves this world being restored (v.21)
Those 3 aspects of salvation are illustrated in the healing of the cripple: Why is there disease and sickness in the world? Because of sin. When the man is healed, you see a man who knows he is forgiven and made right with God. Here now is someone who is refreshed in his relationship with God and someone whose body bears witness to the promise of God that through Jesus this broken world is going to be restored.
Here is salvation: not a state of mind or a new hobby or some mystical experience for those of a religious bent, but God acting to bring forgiveness and healing and blessing into this broken, sinful world.
2. Salvation - found in no-one else
Now the great claim says that this salvation, this great deliverance, this healing for a broken world, this forgiveness full & free, is found in no-one else.
What a claim that is! It is saying that the only hope for the whole world is found in Jesus and in Jesus alone. No other religion can bring this salvation, nor any system of thought, nor any efforts of man's part, nor all the policies and actions of politicians.
Many react to this claim by saying it is arrogant beyond belief. Maybe that's your response too. But this is the message of the bible, from beginning to end: there is only one true God, he has revealed himself in Jesus Christ his Son and through him he has made a way of escape for people in every place, in every age.
Now, that may sound to you, to many others, like arrogance and bigotry. But the claim is substantiated in what we read in the Bible and in this verse we're looking at. Let's see how the claim is backed up.
3. Why salvation is found in no-one else: for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved
i) There is no other name - that sounds quite strange to our ears. What does it mean?
In Bible times, as well as since then, names were used to describe who and what you were. For example, in England, Mr Cooper was a barrel maker, Mr Smith worked with iron and Mr Baker was your bread man!
So too with Jesus. Salvation is firmly tied to who he is and what he has done. And in this passage we're told a number of very important things about this Jesus which show why salvation is found in no-one else.
- Jesus Christ of Nazareth (4:10) - a real man
- A prophet (3:22) - he spoke from God
- Holy and Righteous (3:14) - his life was blameless; he is qualified to take the place of others
- The Christ (3:20) - the one sent by God to rescue his people, with all the power of God
- The offspring of Abraham (3:25) - the one through whom God's promise to bless the whole world would come true
- The author of life (3:15) - the Creator and the one who gives eternal life
- The servant of God (3:13,26) - the one sent to God to suffer in the place of others (cf. Is 53) so that they might be forgiven and made new.
That is quite a list of qualifications. But how do you know it's true? Wasn't he just a failed Messiah, put to death on a cross, rejected by his own people?
Yes, that is so. In fact, Peter reminds the people of that (3:14) but he is also clear and strong on this point: God showed that Jesus was his Son, his promised Saviour, for the whole world, by raising him from the dead (3:15). They had rejected him but God had accepted him and his work.
It is the God who made us and all things who came personally into this world in Jesus Christ to save us, to make a way back from our rebellion, from our shame. Jesus is the way, the only way, to God, because he is the one effective sacrifice for sin. And God has shown that by raising him to new life.
ii) You need to respond to this claim - Such a claim is vast in its scope and compelling in its call to us. There is no other way of escape. But God, the one we have offended, has made it possible for us to be saved. He has given this name to men and women for their blessing.
How do you come to share in this wonderful blessing? By repenting of your sin (3:19) and putting your trust in Jesus alone (3:16). It means taking God at his word.
And as you do so you will prove the glory and the power and the wonder of this amazing claim. It isn't arrogance; it isn't bigotry. It's the love and mercy and grace of God. Please turn and trust.
But doesn't the same thing happen in religion too? They all make great claims. Who are you to believe? Is it just a case of picking the one you think will suit you best? Or is there one that is right?
In the Bible, and in this passage, a great claim is made, an exclusive claim. It tells us that salvation is found in no one other than Jesus. Let's see what this great claim is all about.
1. It's about 'Salvation'
But what is this 'salvation'? Is it just a mystical religious experience that some people claim to have had? Is it 'getting religion'? Is it just a state of mind that makes a person happy?
In this scene in Acts 3,4, a cripple has just been healed. The word 'salvation' is used about that healing in v.9. So 'salvation' means 'healing'? Yes, but it means more than that.
When Peter speaks to the crowd following the healing of this man, to tells them of what God has promised to do through Jesus (3:19-21). There we see 3 aspects of salvation that are illustrated in the healing of the crippled man:
- Salvation means the blotting out of sin (v.19a) - i.e. forgiveness by God.
- Salvation involves spiritual refreshment (v.19b) - i.e. relief, rest & peace with God.
- Salvation involves this world being restored (v.21)
Those 3 aspects of salvation are illustrated in the healing of the cripple: Why is there disease and sickness in the world? Because of sin. When the man is healed, you see a man who knows he is forgiven and made right with God. Here now is someone who is refreshed in his relationship with God and someone whose body bears witness to the promise of God that through Jesus this broken world is going to be restored.
Here is salvation: not a state of mind or a new hobby or some mystical experience for those of a religious bent, but God acting to bring forgiveness and healing and blessing into this broken, sinful world.
2. Salvation - found in no-one else
Now the great claim says that this salvation, this great deliverance, this healing for a broken world, this forgiveness full & free, is found in no-one else.
What a claim that is! It is saying that the only hope for the whole world is found in Jesus and in Jesus alone. No other religion can bring this salvation, nor any system of thought, nor any efforts of man's part, nor all the policies and actions of politicians.
Many react to this claim by saying it is arrogant beyond belief. Maybe that's your response too. But this is the message of the bible, from beginning to end: there is only one true God, he has revealed himself in Jesus Christ his Son and through him he has made a way of escape for people in every place, in every age.
Now, that may sound to you, to many others, like arrogance and bigotry. But the claim is substantiated in what we read in the Bible and in this verse we're looking at. Let's see how the claim is backed up.
3. Why salvation is found in no-one else: for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved
i) There is no other name - that sounds quite strange to our ears. What does it mean?
In Bible times, as well as since then, names were used to describe who and what you were. For example, in England, Mr Cooper was a barrel maker, Mr Smith worked with iron and Mr Baker was your bread man!
So too with Jesus. Salvation is firmly tied to who he is and what he has done. And in this passage we're told a number of very important things about this Jesus which show why salvation is found in no-one else.
- Jesus Christ of Nazareth (4:10) - a real man
- A prophet (3:22) - he spoke from God
- Holy and Righteous (3:14) - his life was blameless; he is qualified to take the place of others
- The Christ (3:20) - the one sent by God to rescue his people, with all the power of God
- The offspring of Abraham (3:25) - the one through whom God's promise to bless the whole world would come true
- The author of life (3:15) - the Creator and the one who gives eternal life
- The servant of God (3:13,26) - the one sent to God to suffer in the place of others (cf. Is 53) so that they might be forgiven and made new.
That is quite a list of qualifications. But how do you know it's true? Wasn't he just a failed Messiah, put to death on a cross, rejected by his own people?
Yes, that is so. In fact, Peter reminds the people of that (3:14) but he is also clear and strong on this point: God showed that Jesus was his Son, his promised Saviour, for the whole world, by raising him from the dead (3:15). They had rejected him but God had accepted him and his work.
It is the God who made us and all things who came personally into this world in Jesus Christ to save us, to make a way back from our rebellion, from our shame. Jesus is the way, the only way, to God, because he is the one effective sacrifice for sin. And God has shown that by raising him to new life.
ii) You need to respond to this claim - Such a claim is vast in its scope and compelling in its call to us. There is no other way of escape. But God, the one we have offended, has made it possible for us to be saved. He has given this name to men and women for their blessing.
How do you come to share in this wonderful blessing? By repenting of your sin (3:19) and putting your trust in Jesus alone (3:16). It means taking God at his word.
And as you do so you will prove the glory and the power and the wonder of this amazing claim. It isn't arrogance; it isn't bigotry. It's the love and mercy and grace of God. Please turn and trust.
Acts 3:1 - 4:21
Luke is writing up something of the history of the early church. He is providing details for Theophilus to encourage him in his faith. Living in the Roman world of the day, he needs to know that Jesus is the authentic Saviour and that all the opposition of the Roman empire does not invalidate him. Our needs today are very similar.
The events of these chapters contribute towards both those ends as Luke described another mighty work and the mighty word that follows it and the reaction to it.
1. The Event: A Healed Man (3:1-10)
The incident begins with Peter and John making their way to the temple. In common with the other believers, they still worshipped at the temple at this time. This may seem strange to us but what could be more natural for them than to worship the living God, at his temple, as those who had trusted in Jesus as the Messiah, the true temple? In time, because of growing opposition and to prevent confusion, they no longer worshipped at the temple. But for now it was what they did.
Their trip proved to be extremely important for the progress of the gospel in those early days. They met a beggar and their encounter led to his being healed and leaping for joy. All the people were amazed since they knew the man and his hopeless condition.
As with the day of Pentecost, the apostles are again at the centre of a scene that produces amazement and perplexity. How is it to be explained and what impact should it have on us? Peter's speech that follows explains all for us
2. The Explanation: God's Plan; God's Man (3:11-26)
Peter's explanation emphasises certain key themes:
i) The miracle has not been accomplished by their power or godliness! Although there were many similarities in the miracle with what Jesus did (a word & instant healing), the attention should not be on them but on God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Were they not godly men? Yes. Were they powerful? As God enabled them, yes. But they did not attribute what happened to their own power or godliness. It was all down to Jesus and the power that comes through faith in him. The miracle has parallels with the works of Jesus but the focus is clearly put on Jesus and his power, not on the apostles.
Should we seek to be prayerful and godly people? Of course. Is that vital to the success of the gospel? Yes; God has said that he will honour those who honour him. Will our prayers and godliness be the reason why others are saved? No!
It always comes back to the grace and mercy of God and his power in salvation. If he is pleased to bless the work and we see people being saved and built up in their faith, the credit and the glory belongs entirely to him.
ii) This miracle points to the fulfilling of the ancient promises of God. And those promises have been fulfilled through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. He is described by Peter is the most glowing terms: he is God's servant (Isaiah's Servant Songs); he is the Holy and Righteous One, the Author of Life, the Christ, the ultimate Prophet.
Although we've made this point before, I think we need to stress the fact that the early church, in its life and witness, was profoundly centred upon Jesus. Their was a Christianity that was not in name only. The Lord Jesus and his cross of shame were at the heart of all they did and all they proclaimed. They would allow no other to take his place.
In our thinking of what it means to be a Christian, where does Jesus figure? Is he the one who gets us in and then we move on? Or do we major on him and give him the supremacy in all things? The early church lived and grew by its emphasis upon Jesus. We need to make sure we have the same emphasis.
iii) Peter stresses their guilt in crucifying Jesus, even though they had done so in ignorance. As in our law, ignorance is not a defence before God.
Having exposed their guilt, he calls them to repent and receive God's blessing through faith in Jesus. Unless they do so, they will be cut off. There is no hope except in him.
Have you grasped that? Then have you responded by turning from sin and trusting Jesus? He is the only hope. The answer to the problems of this world does not lie in money but in the grace of God freely available in the Lord Jesus.
3. Effect: Growing Numbers; Growing Opposition (4:1-22)
Peter's speech was another powerful presentation of the gospel. Its effect was twofold:
i) More conversions - "Many who heard the message believed, and the number of the men grew to about five thousand" (4:4). What amazing results! God is at work in power, honouring Jesus as Lord, using his people to proclaim the gospel in the power of his Spirit. We need to make this part of our own prayers and desires, that many people would believe, not just because so many need him but because he is so worthy of being glorified!
ii) The start of opposition - But the effect of Peter's speech was not just more people saved but more people hostile; in particular, the rules and elders. They had Peter and John brought before them to find out what was going on. The ensuing confrontation is extremely important.
Peter again speaks, in the power of the Spirit, and defends what they have been doing in proclaiming Jesus as Messiah. And his defence contains the amazing statement of verse 12 that "Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
What is at stake in this scene is the issue of salvation and the means it by which it can be obtained. Outside Jesus, there is no hope of knowing forgiveness from God and a future with him when all sin has been judged and removed and the earth renewed.
The battle lines have been drawn around these claims about Jesus and draw down the anger of the leaders against the apostles (vv.18-22). Although the early church knew the favour of the people (2:47), that wasn't the whole picture. They also encountered fierce opposition.
In fact, this is only the start of persecution. All down the centuries these have been the same battle-lines and that is so today as well. As we proclaim a unique Saviour, we can expect opposition.
When opposition comes, will we be able to handle it? Notice that it Peter was able to handle it because he was filled by the Spirit. On an earlier occasion he had wilted; here he stands firm because of the power of the Spirit.
And what he knew we can know too. There's nothing great about us; we are only jars of clay. But the gospel we proclaim is treasure beyond words and the Holy Spirit who dwells in us can make God's strength perfect in and through our weakness.
So with Paul let's willingly boast of our weaknesses so that Christ's power might rest upon us. And to him be the glory and praise as his church grows.
The events of these chapters contribute towards both those ends as Luke described another mighty work and the mighty word that follows it and the reaction to it.
1. The Event: A Healed Man (3:1-10)
The incident begins with Peter and John making their way to the temple. In common with the other believers, they still worshipped at the temple at this time. This may seem strange to us but what could be more natural for them than to worship the living God, at his temple, as those who had trusted in Jesus as the Messiah, the true temple? In time, because of growing opposition and to prevent confusion, they no longer worshipped at the temple. But for now it was what they did.
Their trip proved to be extremely important for the progress of the gospel in those early days. They met a beggar and their encounter led to his being healed and leaping for joy. All the people were amazed since they knew the man and his hopeless condition.
As with the day of Pentecost, the apostles are again at the centre of a scene that produces amazement and perplexity. How is it to be explained and what impact should it have on us? Peter's speech that follows explains all for us
2. The Explanation: God's Plan; God's Man (3:11-26)
Peter's explanation emphasises certain key themes:
i) The miracle has not been accomplished by their power or godliness! Although there were many similarities in the miracle with what Jesus did (a word & instant healing), the attention should not be on them but on God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Were they not godly men? Yes. Were they powerful? As God enabled them, yes. But they did not attribute what happened to their own power or godliness. It was all down to Jesus and the power that comes through faith in him. The miracle has parallels with the works of Jesus but the focus is clearly put on Jesus and his power, not on the apostles.
Should we seek to be prayerful and godly people? Of course. Is that vital to the success of the gospel? Yes; God has said that he will honour those who honour him. Will our prayers and godliness be the reason why others are saved? No!
It always comes back to the grace and mercy of God and his power in salvation. If he is pleased to bless the work and we see people being saved and built up in their faith, the credit and the glory belongs entirely to him.
ii) This miracle points to the fulfilling of the ancient promises of God. And those promises have been fulfilled through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. He is described by Peter is the most glowing terms: he is God's servant (Isaiah's Servant Songs); he is the Holy and Righteous One, the Author of Life, the Christ, the ultimate Prophet.
Although we've made this point before, I think we need to stress the fact that the early church, in its life and witness, was profoundly centred upon Jesus. Their was a Christianity that was not in name only. The Lord Jesus and his cross of shame were at the heart of all they did and all they proclaimed. They would allow no other to take his place.
In our thinking of what it means to be a Christian, where does Jesus figure? Is he the one who gets us in and then we move on? Or do we major on him and give him the supremacy in all things? The early church lived and grew by its emphasis upon Jesus. We need to make sure we have the same emphasis.
iii) Peter stresses their guilt in crucifying Jesus, even though they had done so in ignorance. As in our law, ignorance is not a defence before God.
Having exposed their guilt, he calls them to repent and receive God's blessing through faith in Jesus. Unless they do so, they will be cut off. There is no hope except in him.
Have you grasped that? Then have you responded by turning from sin and trusting Jesus? He is the only hope. The answer to the problems of this world does not lie in money but in the grace of God freely available in the Lord Jesus.
3. Effect: Growing Numbers; Growing Opposition (4:1-22)
Peter's speech was another powerful presentation of the gospel. Its effect was twofold:
i) More conversions - "Many who heard the message believed, and the number of the men grew to about five thousand" (4:4). What amazing results! God is at work in power, honouring Jesus as Lord, using his people to proclaim the gospel in the power of his Spirit. We need to make this part of our own prayers and desires, that many people would believe, not just because so many need him but because he is so worthy of being glorified!
ii) The start of opposition - But the effect of Peter's speech was not just more people saved but more people hostile; in particular, the rules and elders. They had Peter and John brought before them to find out what was going on. The ensuing confrontation is extremely important.
Peter again speaks, in the power of the Spirit, and defends what they have been doing in proclaiming Jesus as Messiah. And his defence contains the amazing statement of verse 12 that "Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
What is at stake in this scene is the issue of salvation and the means it by which it can be obtained. Outside Jesus, there is no hope of knowing forgiveness from God and a future with him when all sin has been judged and removed and the earth renewed.
The battle lines have been drawn around these claims about Jesus and draw down the anger of the leaders against the apostles (vv.18-22). Although the early church knew the favour of the people (2:47), that wasn't the whole picture. They also encountered fierce opposition.
In fact, this is only the start of persecution. All down the centuries these have been the same battle-lines and that is so today as well. As we proclaim a unique Saviour, we can expect opposition.
When opposition comes, will we be able to handle it? Notice that it Peter was able to handle it because he was filled by the Spirit. On an earlier occasion he had wilted; here he stands firm because of the power of the Spirit.
And what he knew we can know too. There's nothing great about us; we are only jars of clay. But the gospel we proclaim is treasure beyond words and the Holy Spirit who dwells in us can make God's strength perfect in and through our weakness.
So with Paul let's willingly boast of our weaknesses so that Christ's power might rest upon us. And to him be the glory and praise as his church grows.
Exodus 11:1 - 13:16
1. The Final Judgement
The first nine plagues have spoken powerfully to Pharaoh and his people of the Lord’s decided intent to release his people from Egypt. His purposes for the whole creation will not be held back nor thwarted by the sinful oppression of Pharaoh and his gods.
Pharaoh has been given opportunity to repent, to let the people go. He has refused to take that opportunity. And so, now, the final judgement is going to be unleashed on Egypt; the Lord will kill their first-born, both of people and animals.
There is going to be no turning back; the warnings are ended and judgement is going to be executed on the gods of Egypt (12:12). This tenth plague is the culmination of all the others and the final judgement upon Egypt. It has come upon them because of Pharaoh and his intransigence and arrogance; notice how the Lord has made the people and even the officials sympathetic towards his people, but Pharaoh remains hard and so his people will suffer.
There comes a time when the last warning is heard, when people are called to judgement. The Bible makes that so plain to us in so many ways. Our response to that may not affect others in the way that Pharaoh’s did here but how we respond to the clear warnings of God will impact on us. Have you heard the call to turn to Jesus? Have you responded to that call?
The time is not unlimited; final judgement is a powerful reality that cannot be escaped. You need to listen to God’s voice and turn to Jesus if you have not done so. The warning of God is clear and unambiguous.
2. Delivered & Consecrated Through Blood
There were no distinctions between the people of Egypt – every family was affected and afflicted. But the Lord did make a distinction between the Israelites and the Egyptians (see 11:7).
i) That distinction arose from God’s own choice and in order to further his purposes of grace for the whole world. The distinction did not in any sense arise because of the worthiness of the people of Israel – after all, if they were somehow worthy their firstborn would not have been under threat. The Lord is showing here that his choice of them is not based on merit but on grace; they are equally as worthy of judgement as the Egyptians.
No, the distinction, the separation, is on his terms and for his larger purposes in the world. And we can say the same for ourselves – chosen not for good in us (as M’Cheyne expressed it) but in order to bring eternal glory to the Lord.
ii) The distinction leads to the deliverance of the people of Israel by the mighty hand of God. Their rescue, including the way they are treated by the Egyptian people, is entirely due to the power of God. He is the great redeemer of his people, the one who rescues and saves. All the glory is ever due to him!
iii) This rescue of the Israelites gives them a whole new start – they will be constituted as a people belonging to God from this point; it will be a turning-point in their existence. This month is to be the first month in their year (12:2); old things have passed, all things are becoming new for them.
And so it is for every person rescued from sin by the Lord. A new life; a new sense of belonging; a new start.
iv) The way in which the Lord chooses to save here teaches a very powerful lesson. Very detailed instructions are given to Israel in ch.12 about the Passover meal they are to eat and the way in which their distinctness is to made visible: by applying the blood of the sacrifice to the lintels of their doors. When the Lord saw the blood he would pass over their homes and not kill their firstborn sons.
Rescue from sin is accomplished by the Lord alone and through the shedding of blood, through a sacrifice taking the place of those worthy of death.
As we know, the rich symbolism of this first Passover comes to ultimate fruition in Jesus, the Son of God, whose blood was shed for the remission of our sins. He is our Passover (1 Cor. 5:7) and has been sacrificed for us.
In the most dramatic way, the Lord is showing Israel how their ultimate rescue will be accomplished: by his power, his wisdom, his grace; and by the death of his own Son – Jesus, the firstborn of God.
Let’s go on to ask, ‘What becomes of those who are thus spared?’ In 13:1f the Lord tells Israel that they must consecrate to him all the firstborn, whether of man or animal. They belong to him because he rescued them. Now, all belong to God by virtue of him being the creator but this rescue has put the people in a different relationship to him: their creator has become their redeemer. They are a chosen people, blessed in the covenant love of God.
And that is to be seen and demonstrated in the consecration of the first-born. Those redeemed by the Lord belong to him in a special sense, in a distinct redemption-sense – his own special people, saved because the Lord loved them and because he chose to catch them up into his purposes for his creation.
And that places obligations on them. Those obligations are not spelled-out here but they extend not only to the first-born in Egypt but to all whom the Lord redeems and rescues.
We belong to him and that belonging has the most radical implications for our lives in this world: we have absolute security and we have the most demanding and exhilarating calling – to serve the Lord and to make him known in his world. All that we are and has belongs to him; we owe him our very lives, our every breath, our hope of eternal life.
We are called to live securely in his love and lovingly in his service.
3. Sacred Ritual & Who Takes Part
Reading this section of Exodus, you cannot but be impressed at the amount of detail that is given not just for the first Passover but for the subsequent celebrations of the Passover.
Seeing that, we ought to ask, ‘Why such emphasis on the ritual? Why such stress on the details of the feast?’ Clearly there are all sorts of reasons why that might be the case but the emphasis here seems to be laid on the need to remember and to use the occasion to teach future generations what the Lord has done.
This mighty redemption is to stand as the paradigm for the Lord’s dealing with his people until it is fulfilled in the exodus of Jesus by the way of the cross. The people will need to recall often how the Lord rescued them and all that the event meant to them. They would be strengthened and encouraged in doing so; they would, in a sense, re-enact the Passover by carefully following the details the Lord is giving here and have a tangible sense of their connection to that great event.
And the occasion would also be used as a means of teaching the children of future generations what the Lord had done for his people in this great rescue – see 12:26. And it would be their solemn duty to teach its meaning to their children, encouraging them to remain true to the Lord, encouraging them to exercise true faith in him.
Now, in both those respects, it is surely significant that restrictions are laid down as to who is to be allowed to eat the Passover meal – no foreigner is to eat of it; it is for those who observably belong to the Lord (which, for a male, meant circumcision). It is a meal for the community who know the Lord’s rescue and only those observably part of that community are to share in it.
No foreigner is to eat of it but clearly the children of the people of Israel are to eat of it. I realise that there isn’t a straight-line equation between the Passover and the Lord’s Supper but it strikes me that those restrictions are something that is reflected in the NT with regard to the Lord’s Supper which was celebrated as a meal in which the whole church shared – young and old alike.
But whatever our take on that might be, let’s close by emphasising the great joy of all who know their rescue has been accomplished by Jesus our Passover and also, sadly, the great tragedy for all who refuse to listen to God’s warnings and who face final judgement.
The first nine plagues have spoken powerfully to Pharaoh and his people of the Lord’s decided intent to release his people from Egypt. His purposes for the whole creation will not be held back nor thwarted by the sinful oppression of Pharaoh and his gods.
Pharaoh has been given opportunity to repent, to let the people go. He has refused to take that opportunity. And so, now, the final judgement is going to be unleashed on Egypt; the Lord will kill their first-born, both of people and animals.
There is going to be no turning back; the warnings are ended and judgement is going to be executed on the gods of Egypt (12:12). This tenth plague is the culmination of all the others and the final judgement upon Egypt. It has come upon them because of Pharaoh and his intransigence and arrogance; notice how the Lord has made the people and even the officials sympathetic towards his people, but Pharaoh remains hard and so his people will suffer.
There comes a time when the last warning is heard, when people are called to judgement. The Bible makes that so plain to us in so many ways. Our response to that may not affect others in the way that Pharaoh’s did here but how we respond to the clear warnings of God will impact on us. Have you heard the call to turn to Jesus? Have you responded to that call?
The time is not unlimited; final judgement is a powerful reality that cannot be escaped. You need to listen to God’s voice and turn to Jesus if you have not done so. The warning of God is clear and unambiguous.
2. Delivered & Consecrated Through Blood
There were no distinctions between the people of Egypt – every family was affected and afflicted. But the Lord did make a distinction between the Israelites and the Egyptians (see 11:7).
i) That distinction arose from God’s own choice and in order to further his purposes of grace for the whole world. The distinction did not in any sense arise because of the worthiness of the people of Israel – after all, if they were somehow worthy their firstborn would not have been under threat. The Lord is showing here that his choice of them is not based on merit but on grace; they are equally as worthy of judgement as the Egyptians.
No, the distinction, the separation, is on his terms and for his larger purposes in the world. And we can say the same for ourselves – chosen not for good in us (as M’Cheyne expressed it) but in order to bring eternal glory to the Lord.
ii) The distinction leads to the deliverance of the people of Israel by the mighty hand of God. Their rescue, including the way they are treated by the Egyptian people, is entirely due to the power of God. He is the great redeemer of his people, the one who rescues and saves. All the glory is ever due to him!
iii) This rescue of the Israelites gives them a whole new start – they will be constituted as a people belonging to God from this point; it will be a turning-point in their existence. This month is to be the first month in their year (12:2); old things have passed, all things are becoming new for them.
And so it is for every person rescued from sin by the Lord. A new life; a new sense of belonging; a new start.
iv) The way in which the Lord chooses to save here teaches a very powerful lesson. Very detailed instructions are given to Israel in ch.12 about the Passover meal they are to eat and the way in which their distinctness is to made visible: by applying the blood of the sacrifice to the lintels of their doors. When the Lord saw the blood he would pass over their homes and not kill their firstborn sons.
Rescue from sin is accomplished by the Lord alone and through the shedding of blood, through a sacrifice taking the place of those worthy of death.
As we know, the rich symbolism of this first Passover comes to ultimate fruition in Jesus, the Son of God, whose blood was shed for the remission of our sins. He is our Passover (1 Cor. 5:7) and has been sacrificed for us.
In the most dramatic way, the Lord is showing Israel how their ultimate rescue will be accomplished: by his power, his wisdom, his grace; and by the death of his own Son – Jesus, the firstborn of God.
Let’s go on to ask, ‘What becomes of those who are thus spared?’ In 13:1f the Lord tells Israel that they must consecrate to him all the firstborn, whether of man or animal. They belong to him because he rescued them. Now, all belong to God by virtue of him being the creator but this rescue has put the people in a different relationship to him: their creator has become their redeemer. They are a chosen people, blessed in the covenant love of God.
And that is to be seen and demonstrated in the consecration of the first-born. Those redeemed by the Lord belong to him in a special sense, in a distinct redemption-sense – his own special people, saved because the Lord loved them and because he chose to catch them up into his purposes for his creation.
And that places obligations on them. Those obligations are not spelled-out here but they extend not only to the first-born in Egypt but to all whom the Lord redeems and rescues.
We belong to him and that belonging has the most radical implications for our lives in this world: we have absolute security and we have the most demanding and exhilarating calling – to serve the Lord and to make him known in his world. All that we are and has belongs to him; we owe him our very lives, our every breath, our hope of eternal life.
We are called to live securely in his love and lovingly in his service.
3. Sacred Ritual & Who Takes Part
Reading this section of Exodus, you cannot but be impressed at the amount of detail that is given not just for the first Passover but for the subsequent celebrations of the Passover.
Seeing that, we ought to ask, ‘Why such emphasis on the ritual? Why such stress on the details of the feast?’ Clearly there are all sorts of reasons why that might be the case but the emphasis here seems to be laid on the need to remember and to use the occasion to teach future generations what the Lord has done.
This mighty redemption is to stand as the paradigm for the Lord’s dealing with his people until it is fulfilled in the exodus of Jesus by the way of the cross. The people will need to recall often how the Lord rescued them and all that the event meant to them. They would be strengthened and encouraged in doing so; they would, in a sense, re-enact the Passover by carefully following the details the Lord is giving here and have a tangible sense of their connection to that great event.
And the occasion would also be used as a means of teaching the children of future generations what the Lord had done for his people in this great rescue – see 12:26. And it would be their solemn duty to teach its meaning to their children, encouraging them to remain true to the Lord, encouraging them to exercise true faith in him.
Now, in both those respects, it is surely significant that restrictions are laid down as to who is to be allowed to eat the Passover meal – no foreigner is to eat of it; it is for those who observably belong to the Lord (which, for a male, meant circumcision). It is a meal for the community who know the Lord’s rescue and only those observably part of that community are to share in it.
No foreigner is to eat of it but clearly the children of the people of Israel are to eat of it. I realise that there isn’t a straight-line equation between the Passover and the Lord’s Supper but it strikes me that those restrictions are something that is reflected in the NT with regard to the Lord’s Supper which was celebrated as a meal in which the whole church shared – young and old alike.
But whatever our take on that might be, let’s close by emphasising the great joy of all who know their rescue has been accomplished by Jesus our Passover and also, sadly, the great tragedy for all who refuse to listen to God’s warnings and who face final judgement.
Haggai 2:20-23
The next message comes on the same day as the last one. Quite a day! What will it contain? How will the Lord deal with his people? What is this fresh revelation about?
It is directed to Zerubbabel, the leader of the people. Again, the Lord declares that he is going to shake "the heavens and the earth". It a statement that he will act in the most decisive way. He will overthrow nations, bring down low those that are raised high in the eyes of the world. A new world order seems to be in view here. It a message akin to the vision Daniel saw in Dan. 2 (the image destroyed by the rock).
As a message to a leader, it is clearly very significant. Zerubbabel is the leader of this small group of despised people but the Lord says that he will overturn the established order. It was especially significant to Zerubbabel but also to the people he ruled over.
But when would this be? Is it a promise that Zerubbabel will become a great ruler? Are there glory days in store for the nation? It seems as though that might be the case: "I will take you, Zerubbabel". But there is more here than meets the eye!
Zerubbabel never became a great leader; the world order of his day was not overturned in favour of the Jews. This was a word for the people of that time but about another time.
We need to remember whose family Zerubbabel belongs to. He is of the line of David, the Messiah's line. And when you read Matthew 1 where the line is listed, you see that the Jesus is a direct descendant of Zerubbabel.
There are other indications here that it's the Messiah who is in view:
- The title used to describe Zerubbabel, "my servant". There were many servants but the servant par excellence was the Lord himself.
- The Lord also speaks of choosing his servant. Those 2 ideas come together in a passage in Isaiah that is all about the Messiah (42:1). Zerubbabel was chosen for a time, in the line of the Messiah, but Jesus as the Messiah is chosen for all time!
Zerubbabel has been chosen and will be like a signet ring. The signet is the seal of royalty; it is the royal guarantee. It verifies things, usually a document. The fact that Zerubbabel is there as a leader despite all the problems & opposition is an indication that the Lord is with his people and will continue to be with them.
But if we look further ahead again, the real guarantee is the Lord Jesus himself. It is in him that all the promises of God are summed up and realised (2 Cor 1:20).
The passage then is speaking of the coming of the Messiah, the one to whom Zerubbabel and all like him pointed. It speaks of victory, of the overturning of the established world order, of the enthroning of God's King and of the fulfilment of his promises.
When will these things take place? In the coming of Jesus as a babe into this world; in his death, resurrection and ascension; in his coming again (see Heb 12:26-28 where these verses are quoted regarding his second coming). They have been fulfilled; they are being fulfilled; they will be fulfilled!
What do they say to us? The LORD reigns! All the promises of God are secure. The current world order cannot last; the great kingdom of God will one day come in all its fulness and glory!
Therefore we are to take heart and work, just like these builders. It may not look promising; it didn't to them. But between them and us stands the greatest indication that it will all be fulfilled: the coming of the Messiah, his life & work.
Christmas thrills our hearts; it is also meant to encourage us and energise our labours as we work and wait for the return of the Lord, not in lowliness but in glory! Until that day, let us serve him with joy and zeal, as the Lord's servants whom he has chosen. Amen!
It is directed to Zerubbabel, the leader of the people. Again, the Lord declares that he is going to shake "the heavens and the earth". It a statement that he will act in the most decisive way. He will overthrow nations, bring down low those that are raised high in the eyes of the world. A new world order seems to be in view here. It a message akin to the vision Daniel saw in Dan. 2 (the image destroyed by the rock).
As a message to a leader, it is clearly very significant. Zerubbabel is the leader of this small group of despised people but the Lord says that he will overturn the established order. It was especially significant to Zerubbabel but also to the people he ruled over.
But when would this be? Is it a promise that Zerubbabel will become a great ruler? Are there glory days in store for the nation? It seems as though that might be the case: "I will take you, Zerubbabel". But there is more here than meets the eye!
Zerubbabel never became a great leader; the world order of his day was not overturned in favour of the Jews. This was a word for the people of that time but about another time.
We need to remember whose family Zerubbabel belongs to. He is of the line of David, the Messiah's line. And when you read Matthew 1 where the line is listed, you see that the Jesus is a direct descendant of Zerubbabel.
There are other indications here that it's the Messiah who is in view:
- The title used to describe Zerubbabel, "my servant". There were many servants but the servant par excellence was the Lord himself.
- The Lord also speaks of choosing his servant. Those 2 ideas come together in a passage in Isaiah that is all about the Messiah (42:1). Zerubbabel was chosen for a time, in the line of the Messiah, but Jesus as the Messiah is chosen for all time!
Zerubbabel has been chosen and will be like a signet ring. The signet is the seal of royalty; it is the royal guarantee. It verifies things, usually a document. The fact that Zerubbabel is there as a leader despite all the problems & opposition is an indication that the Lord is with his people and will continue to be with them.
But if we look further ahead again, the real guarantee is the Lord Jesus himself. It is in him that all the promises of God are summed up and realised (2 Cor 1:20).
The passage then is speaking of the coming of the Messiah, the one to whom Zerubbabel and all like him pointed. It speaks of victory, of the overturning of the established world order, of the enthroning of God's King and of the fulfilment of his promises.
When will these things take place? In the coming of Jesus as a babe into this world; in his death, resurrection and ascension; in his coming again (see Heb 12:26-28 where these verses are quoted regarding his second coming). They have been fulfilled; they are being fulfilled; they will be fulfilled!
What do they say to us? The LORD reigns! All the promises of God are secure. The current world order cannot last; the great kingdom of God will one day come in all its fulness and glory!
Therefore we are to take heart and work, just like these builders. It may not look promising; it didn't to them. But between them and us stands the greatest indication that it will all be fulfilled: the coming of the Messiah, his life & work.
Christmas thrills our hearts; it is also meant to encourage us and energise our labours as we work and wait for the return of the Lord, not in lowliness but in glory! Until that day, let us serve him with joy and zeal, as the Lord's servants whom he has chosen. Amen!
Haggai 2:10-19
Haggai's next prophecy comes on the 24th day of 9th month (3 months on from 1:14,15). Presumably those months were full of activity on the temple. They have received the Lord's encouragement to work and there is every reason to think they did work.
So what will the Lord say to his people now? The message is slightly unusual and begins with 2 questions to the Priests:
1) Does something become holy (consecrated) by contact with that which is holy? Answer: No.
2) Does something become defiled by contact with that which is defiled? Answer: Yes
Why ask these questions? The Lord has something to say about the people and the nation: whatever they do or offer is defiled. Therefore, they themselves must be defiled. They are unholy. They don't become holy by their contact with a holy place (the temple). Rather, they make what they do & what they offer there unholy because of their defilement.
So what will come next? Condemnation? Judgement? Exile?
In vv.15-17, the Lord reminds them how things were before. They knew his displeasure and yet did not turn to him. Will it happen again? They must give careful thought to the situation. Look around says the Lord and see: you still haven't any evidence of blessing. But "from this day on I will bless you".
Perhaps expecting rebuke, they receive a promise of blessing! What can explain this? They have done what they failed to do before: they have turned to the Lord. They have repented. There has been a decisive change in their lives. They once again reverence the Lord and are hard at work for him.
Has that merited the blessing of the Lord? The question & answer session with the priests seems designed to remind the people of their sinfulness, of their uncleaness. They can never merit the blessing of God.
So why is the Lord promising to bless them? Sheer grace! Their turning has not merited blessing but the Lord will meet them with his blessing. The last 2 months have presumably shown their repentance to be real. But they need to know that when blessing comes, it isn't down to works; it is all of grace. Remember the Prodigal Son! Utterly unworthy yet blessed greatly.
How much we need to grasp this for ourselves! We begin the Christian life through grace and we continue by grace. There is never a moment when we can say 'We deserve the blessing of God'. We are sinners still; saved yes but still unworthy and wretched.
How great then is the grace of God! How much this message must have motivated & strengthened the people in their work. The Lord loves them and is with them, despite their failures.
If anything is accomplished through our lives & ministries, it is not by virtue of any holiness or power of ours. The credit belongs entirely to the Lord and is a product of his amazing grace. See how Peter responds to the people when the man is healed at the Beautfiul Gate; Acts 3:11ff. Do we share that conviction? We need to.
This passage should stregthen our resolve to repent, to turn again to the Lord as & when we need to do so. It also reminds us that our turning is not meritorious; all is of grace. If a temple is raised up, it will be by grace and fully to the glory of God!
So what will the Lord say to his people now? The message is slightly unusual and begins with 2 questions to the Priests:
1) Does something become holy (consecrated) by contact with that which is holy? Answer: No.
2) Does something become defiled by contact with that which is defiled? Answer: Yes
Why ask these questions? The Lord has something to say about the people and the nation: whatever they do or offer is defiled. Therefore, they themselves must be defiled. They are unholy. They don't become holy by their contact with a holy place (the temple). Rather, they make what they do & what they offer there unholy because of their defilement.
So what will come next? Condemnation? Judgement? Exile?
In vv.15-17, the Lord reminds them how things were before. They knew his displeasure and yet did not turn to him. Will it happen again? They must give careful thought to the situation. Look around says the Lord and see: you still haven't any evidence of blessing. But "from this day on I will bless you".
Perhaps expecting rebuke, they receive a promise of blessing! What can explain this? They have done what they failed to do before: they have turned to the Lord. They have repented. There has been a decisive change in their lives. They once again reverence the Lord and are hard at work for him.
Has that merited the blessing of the Lord? The question & answer session with the priests seems designed to remind the people of their sinfulness, of their uncleaness. They can never merit the blessing of God.
So why is the Lord promising to bless them? Sheer grace! Their turning has not merited blessing but the Lord will meet them with his blessing. The last 2 months have presumably shown their repentance to be real. But they need to know that when blessing comes, it isn't down to works; it is all of grace. Remember the Prodigal Son! Utterly unworthy yet blessed greatly.
How much we need to grasp this for ourselves! We begin the Christian life through grace and we continue by grace. There is never a moment when we can say 'We deserve the blessing of God'. We are sinners still; saved yes but still unworthy and wretched.
How great then is the grace of God! How much this message must have motivated & strengthened the people in their work. The Lord loves them and is with them, despite their failures.
If anything is accomplished through our lives & ministries, it is not by virtue of any holiness or power of ours. The credit belongs entirely to the Lord and is a product of his amazing grace. See how Peter responds to the people when the man is healed at the Beautfiul Gate; Acts 3:11ff. Do we share that conviction? We need to.
This passage should stregthen our resolve to repent, to turn again to the Lord as & when we need to do so. It also reminds us that our turning is not meritorious; all is of grace. If a temple is raised up, it will be by grace and fully to the glory of God!
Haggai 2:1-5
1. The Discouraged Builders...
"On the twenty-first day of the seventh month..." Nearly 4 weeks have gone by since they re-started work on the temple. They began enthusiastically and with real joy. Again, the Lord has something to say to them through Haggai (v.2). He asks them a question..."Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem like nothing?"
The question is rhetorical - clearly there were some who remembered the old temple and its glory and splendour. And they were obviously feeling discouraged. All they had now was a pile of rubble, they little to build with and they were only a small remnant in the face of overwhelming odds. And they're partly to blame. Maybe they're destined to always bear the consequences of their disobedience.
We, too, can grow discouraged, by the situation we face. Perhaps you remember better days, days when people came to church in greater numbers, when invitations to meetings were accepted not rejected. You look around and feel depressed.
Perhaps you remember days when things were better with you. May you've become conscious in a deeper way of your own sin & failure and perhaps you're gripped by the fear that you may have permanently robbed yourself of the blessing of God.
Perhaps, like the discouraged people of Haggai's day, we need a word from God. What message dis the Lord have for his people? What message does he have for us?
2. The God of Grace
The first thing he does is to exhort them to carry on with the work. The reality of the situation is not denied. Yes, it does look bad in comparison with former times. Yes, it is partly their own fault. Yes, they are only a small group of people. But that's no reason to give up! They must ALL be strong and work".
- We need courage too: courage to face our foes, courage to face our past, courage to face an uncertain future.
- We must work too: there is work to do in the building of a spiritual temple, there is work to do on our own souls, there is work to do in serving the Lord in our daily living.
But the kind of courage and energy urged on the people are not self-generated. They are to be courageous and energetic in the work on this basis: "'I am with you' says the LORD Almighty".
The assurance of his presence is to be the catalyst that moves, encourages and cheers them. One with God is a majority! The LORD of Hosts, the God with all power and all resources at his command has promised to be with them and is confirming that promise unequivocally.
Had they gone beyond his blessing? No! This is what he had covenanted with them when they came out of Egypt. His promises stood! His grace was triumphant! And his promise to be with us and to help us and to bless us stands, sealed by the blood of Jesus. If we've wandered, we need to repent; but we need not fear his willingness to take us up and use us for his glory and honour.
The Lord is with us. Jesus is with us, always, even to the end of the age! Can we not therefore get on with the work, with courage, with energy, with zeal, with expectancy?
"On the twenty-first day of the seventh month..." Nearly 4 weeks have gone by since they re-started work on the temple. They began enthusiastically and with real joy. Again, the Lord has something to say to them through Haggai (v.2). He asks them a question..."Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem like nothing?"
The question is rhetorical - clearly there were some who remembered the old temple and its glory and splendour. And they were obviously feeling discouraged. All they had now was a pile of rubble, they little to build with and they were only a small remnant in the face of overwhelming odds. And they're partly to blame. Maybe they're destined to always bear the consequences of their disobedience.
We, too, can grow discouraged, by the situation we face. Perhaps you remember better days, days when people came to church in greater numbers, when invitations to meetings were accepted not rejected. You look around and feel depressed.
Perhaps you remember days when things were better with you. May you've become conscious in a deeper way of your own sin & failure and perhaps you're gripped by the fear that you may have permanently robbed yourself of the blessing of God.
Perhaps, like the discouraged people of Haggai's day, we need a word from God. What message dis the Lord have for his people? What message does he have for us?
2. The God of Grace
The first thing he does is to exhort them to carry on with the work. The reality of the situation is not denied. Yes, it does look bad in comparison with former times. Yes, it is partly their own fault. Yes, they are only a small group of people. But that's no reason to give up! They must ALL be strong and work".
- We need courage too: courage to face our foes, courage to face our past, courage to face an uncertain future.
- We must work too: there is work to do in the building of a spiritual temple, there is work to do on our own souls, there is work to do in serving the Lord in our daily living.
But the kind of courage and energy urged on the people are not self-generated. They are to be courageous and energetic in the work on this basis: "'I am with you' says the LORD Almighty".
The assurance of his presence is to be the catalyst that moves, encourages and cheers them. One with God is a majority! The LORD of Hosts, the God with all power and all resources at his command has promised to be with them and is confirming that promise unequivocally.
Had they gone beyond his blessing? No! This is what he had covenanted with them when they came out of Egypt. His promises stood! His grace was triumphant! And his promise to be with us and to help us and to bless us stands, sealed by the blood of Jesus. If we've wandered, we need to repent; but we need not fear his willingness to take us up and use us for his glory and honour.
The Lord is with us. Jesus is with us, always, even to the end of the age! Can we not therefore get on with the work, with courage, with energy, with zeal, with expectancy?
Haggai 2:6-9
The people were discouraged. Some could remember the temple in its former glory and were distressed by what they saw now. Seeing their state, the Lord encourages them. He exhorts them to be strong & work, for he's with them, the covenant still stands and his Spirit remains among them.
But the people need more than words. They have to contend with opposition; they have very little to work with; they're poor.
1. The God Who Shakes Nations
Hudson Taylor once famously said that "God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply". This is exactly what the Lord now confirms to his people. He is going to stretch out his hand to act for his beleagured people.
"In a little while, I will shake...all nations, and the desired of all nations will come". Clearly, something very significant is going to occur; the nations will be shaken. But what is it that is going to come? What is the 'desired of all nations'?
Although this was taken for many years as a reference to the messiah (hence the lines in Hark, the herald angels), the word is actually plural and refers to things, not a person. The Lord is promising to an impoverished people the wealth of the nations to help them in the building of the temple!
How did his promise work out? In an amazing way. Look at Ezra 5 & 6 for the details. There was more opposition to the work and those opposed wrote again to the Emperor for a decree to tell the people to stop building. Their request had the opposite effect; they were ordered to give towards the building of the temple!
The Lord of Hosts was at work. His words are always matched by his deeds. They are never empty. We need to grasp with Hudson Taylor that wonderful truth and look to God to supply our needs. Remember, the silver and the gold all belong to the Lord and he can switch between accounts at will, never having to give notice and never losing interest!
The Lord was going to shake the nations and he did. But what happened in those days doesn't exhaust the meaning of these words. There were to be further shakings over the centuries until the coming of the Messiah. Nations rose and fell, all in preparation for the coming of the Lord.
2. The God of Glory
But how would the temple be filled with glory? How would its glory exceed the former one? In those days it didn't but under Herod it was made truly great. But it was in the coming of the Messiah to the temple in person that it was truly filled with glory and it is through the ministry of the Messiah that the latter glory exceeds the former.
You see, we're dealing here with the difference between the old and the new covenants, between the physical temple and the spiritual one. And God's glory is made manifest in this world supremely through his Son and after that through his people.
His glory - that is, his grace, love, mercy, justice & holiness - is seen in us as we believe on the Lord Jesus and then live a life that speaks of his saving power and beauty.
3. The God of Peace
And the Lord will give peace, there and here. His peace is the summation of his blessing, a wholeness of life that transcends any blessing this world can give. A wholeness of life, despite the trials of life, a wholeness in the midst of the trials. In the light of such promises, can we not be strong & work?
But the people need more than words. They have to contend with opposition; they have very little to work with; they're poor.
1. The God Who Shakes Nations
Hudson Taylor once famously said that "God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply". This is exactly what the Lord now confirms to his people. He is going to stretch out his hand to act for his beleagured people.
"In a little while, I will shake...all nations, and the desired of all nations will come". Clearly, something very significant is going to occur; the nations will be shaken. But what is it that is going to come? What is the 'desired of all nations'?
Although this was taken for many years as a reference to the messiah (hence the lines in Hark, the herald angels), the word is actually plural and refers to things, not a person. The Lord is promising to an impoverished people the wealth of the nations to help them in the building of the temple!
How did his promise work out? In an amazing way. Look at Ezra 5 & 6 for the details. There was more opposition to the work and those opposed wrote again to the Emperor for a decree to tell the people to stop building. Their request had the opposite effect; they were ordered to give towards the building of the temple!
The Lord of Hosts was at work. His words are always matched by his deeds. They are never empty. We need to grasp with Hudson Taylor that wonderful truth and look to God to supply our needs. Remember, the silver and the gold all belong to the Lord and he can switch between accounts at will, never having to give notice and never losing interest!
The Lord was going to shake the nations and he did. But what happened in those days doesn't exhaust the meaning of these words. There were to be further shakings over the centuries until the coming of the Messiah. Nations rose and fell, all in preparation for the coming of the Lord.
2. The God of Glory
But how would the temple be filled with glory? How would its glory exceed the former one? In those days it didn't but under Herod it was made truly great. But it was in the coming of the Messiah to the temple in person that it was truly filled with glory and it is through the ministry of the Messiah that the latter glory exceeds the former.
You see, we're dealing here with the difference between the old and the new covenants, between the physical temple and the spiritual one. And God's glory is made manifest in this world supremely through his Son and after that through his people.
His glory - that is, his grace, love, mercy, justice & holiness - is seen in us as we believe on the Lord Jesus and then live a life that speaks of his saving power and beauty.
3. The God of Peace
And the Lord will give peace, there and here. His peace is the summation of his blessing, a wholeness of life that transcends any blessing this world can give. A wholeness of life, despite the trials of life, a wholeness in the midst of the trials. In the light of such promises, can we not be strong & work?
Haggai 1:12-15
Verse 12
The obedience of all the people is a beautiful thing to behold (to obey is better than sacrifice). If faced with such rebuke, we may be tempted to deny that it is so or at least try to justify our actions. But they didn't. They heard what the Lord said and they obeyed his voice.
The obedience of the people is total: from the leaders to the most ordinary member of the community. How vital that is and how precious that is!
They obeyed the voice of the Lord their God: it is one thing to hear; it is another to respond to it. Baldwin: "When God has spoken, apathy is practical atheism"
They obeyed God's voice and Haggai's message: God had spoken through a man; the glory belongs not to the man but to God. Haggai takes none of the credit for getting a response from the people; it is all the Lord's doing. If my sermons ever do any good, it is all because of God's grace and mercy.
What induced this obedience? "because the LORD their God had sent him". It wasn't eloquence that persuaded them, nor thunderings or impassioned preaching; it was the conviction that God was speaking to them.
They obeyed God's voice and feared his presence. What kind of fear is this? Some suggest it is a terror of the Lord. They are aware of how much they have failed and how holy he is and are shaking because of it.
Others see it as reverence for God (NASB: "And the people showed reverence for the LORD"). That is a beautiful thing, when respect and honour are truly given to God as they ought to be.
Both are legitimate interpretations and both have much to say to us.
Verse 13
Someone has said, "God's curse is not a sign that God has rejected his people; rather, it shows his love for them. He wants to draw them back to him, and uses disaster to wake them up". So as they begin to obey, he meets them with a word of encouragement: 'I am with you'.
How much they needed to hear that, especially if fear had gripped them. Notice how "God endorses and strengthens our good resolves". We need ever to remember Jesus' words in the great commission 'I am with you always...'.
It is this that we need above all else: the presence and power of God. His presence cheers, conforts and gives confidence to us in our labours. Without him being with us in power, nothing would or could be achieved.
Verse 14
This is perhaps best taken as a summary statement of vv.12,13 from God's perspective. They had obeyed because God was at work amongst them. He makes his people willing in the day of his power. Joyce Baldwin has said that "Behind the willing response of both leaders and people was the silent working of the Lord, creating a willing attitude by his Spirit".
We are taken back to Phil 2:12,13 - our duty is to respond to God's word, to be obedient. But we can never take credit for it, because it is God who is at work within us to will & act according to his good purpose!
We need to hear what he is saying to us and resolve to live aright. But we also need to pray that by His Spirit he will stir us up to live obediently and lead us in his ways.
Verse 15
The 6th month was a busy one in orchards & fields. Yet because the Lord had stirred them and they were intent on obedience, they came and began work on the temple of the Lord.
Did they speak together in the days that followed the message from the Lord? Did they strengthen one another? Did they comfort each other? Did they urge each other onwards? We know from Malachi that "those who feared the Lord talked with each other and the Lord listened and heard". What a wonderful experience! Godly fellowship and the god who listens with delight to his people as he fellowships with them.
Let's resolve to obey the voice of the Lord, to encourage one another in the way of his commands and to pray earnestly for the pouring out of his Spirit upon us to stir us up.
The obedience of all the people is a beautiful thing to behold (to obey is better than sacrifice). If faced with such rebuke, we may be tempted to deny that it is so or at least try to justify our actions. But they didn't. They heard what the Lord said and they obeyed his voice.
The obedience of the people is total: from the leaders to the most ordinary member of the community. How vital that is and how precious that is!
They obeyed the voice of the Lord their God: it is one thing to hear; it is another to respond to it. Baldwin: "When God has spoken, apathy is practical atheism"
They obeyed God's voice and Haggai's message: God had spoken through a man; the glory belongs not to the man but to God. Haggai takes none of the credit for getting a response from the people; it is all the Lord's doing. If my sermons ever do any good, it is all because of God's grace and mercy.
What induced this obedience? "because the LORD their God had sent him". It wasn't eloquence that persuaded them, nor thunderings or impassioned preaching; it was the conviction that God was speaking to them.
They obeyed God's voice and feared his presence. What kind of fear is this? Some suggest it is a terror of the Lord. They are aware of how much they have failed and how holy he is and are shaking because of it.
Others see it as reverence for God (NASB: "And the people showed reverence for the LORD"). That is a beautiful thing, when respect and honour are truly given to God as they ought to be.
Both are legitimate interpretations and both have much to say to us.
Verse 13
Someone has said, "God's curse is not a sign that God has rejected his people; rather, it shows his love for them. He wants to draw them back to him, and uses disaster to wake them up". So as they begin to obey, he meets them with a word of encouragement: 'I am with you'.
How much they needed to hear that, especially if fear had gripped them. Notice how "God endorses and strengthens our good resolves". We need ever to remember Jesus' words in the great commission 'I am with you always...'.
It is this that we need above all else: the presence and power of God. His presence cheers, conforts and gives confidence to us in our labours. Without him being with us in power, nothing would or could be achieved.
Verse 14
This is perhaps best taken as a summary statement of vv.12,13 from God's perspective. They had obeyed because God was at work amongst them. He makes his people willing in the day of his power. Joyce Baldwin has said that "Behind the willing response of both leaders and people was the silent working of the Lord, creating a willing attitude by his Spirit".
We are taken back to Phil 2:12,13 - our duty is to respond to God's word, to be obedient. But we can never take credit for it, because it is God who is at work within us to will & act according to his good purpose!
We need to hear what he is saying to us and resolve to live aright. But we also need to pray that by His Spirit he will stir us up to live obediently and lead us in his ways.
Verse 15
The 6th month was a busy one in orchards & fields. Yet because the Lord had stirred them and they were intent on obedience, they came and began work on the temple of the Lord.
Did they speak together in the days that followed the message from the Lord? Did they strengthen one another? Did they comfort each other? Did they urge each other onwards? We know from Malachi that "those who feared the Lord talked with each other and the Lord listened and heard". What a wonderful experience! Godly fellowship and the god who listens with delight to his people as he fellowships with them.
Let's resolve to obey the voice of the Lord, to encourage one another in the way of his commands and to pray earnestly for the pouring out of his Spirit upon us to stir us up.
Haggai 1:3-11
In 1:2, we saw that the people had drawn the wrong conclusion regarding the difficult situation they faced. They had concluded that the time had not come for the Lord's house to be built. 'Wrong' says God through Haggai. But he has more to say: he wants to speak to them about Priorities, Providence and Pleasure.
1. Priorities
In v.4, the LORD asks his people a rhetorical question: "Is it a time for you (emphatic) yourselves to be living in your panelled (roofed) houses, while this house remains a ruin?". Very clearly he is questioning their scheme of priorities. Having concluded that it wasn't time to rebuild the temple, they had seen to it that their own homes were rebuilt.
There is nothing bad about wanting homes to live in; that's not the point. The point is: they'd failed in the task the LORD had given them to rebuild the temple. And they'd failed not just because they were discouraged but because they got their priorities wrong.
We live in days when 2 concepts are often set against each other: the urgent and the important. If you're used to having to allocate time to specific tasks, you'll know all about that tension and not wanting to let the urgent squeeze out the important.
Well, as Christians, we are all called to prioritise. The Lord Jesus said "Seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well".
Very interestingly, given the context in Haggai, the 'things' Jesus has in mind are food, drink, clothes and presumably houses too.
Are our priorities right? That is not the same as asking, Do I get to every meeting? We need to remember that it isn't only 'full-time' work that is legitimate. We can seek first his kingdom & righteousness in the mundane aspects of our lives too. It is the heart that matters most, not the specific nature of the work.
But having said that, there is work that is at the leading edge of the advance of the Kingdom and as a church & as individuals, we need to make sure we're gospel centred & kingdom centred. "My talents, gifts & graces Lord, Into thy blessed hands receive".
2. Providences
Having adopted wrong priorities, the people continued to misread God's providence. Or to be more accurate, to fail to read God's providential dealings with them.
The LORD calls them to give careful thought to their ways. He urges them to think seriously about their lives and what is happening to them in their experience. In the circumstances of their lives in the promised land, he is shouting at them but they are too deaf to hear.
What was that experience? Famine, drought, failed crops, galloping inflation; in modern terms, they were in a deep recession. Why was that so? The Lord spells it out to them in vv.9,10: it is because of their disobedience in neglecting the temple.
But this is something they should have seen for themselves! They knew what the Lord had said through Moses about curses on the land if they failed to honour him in the promised land. And that's what was happening to them!
But are we any better at listening to God? Someone has said that "This experience of failing to see God's hand in our troubles is common among believers today; we do not realise the effects of the sin that we tolerate in our lives. This is not to say that all disaster is because of sin, but rather that sin has consequences.". Does he sometimes shout yet we fail to hear? Are we really listening to his word?
We do need, however, to beware the dangers of introspection and over-analysis of situations. The Lord's dealings with them were a fulfilment of what he had promised in Deuteronomy. Our own interpretation of providence must be provisional unless it is based on and sanctioned by the Word of God (& even then we must be careful how we interpret & apply scripture; the NT does not say that we will experience famine for disobedience).
3. Pleasure
Their priorities were wrong and they had neglected his word & his providence. Now the Lord speaks to them about Pleasure - not theirs but his!
Verse 8 is the centrepiece of this chapter (structured around this command). This is the heart of Haggai's message: build the temple. We need to see where we have gone wrong in terms of our priorities and neglect of God's Word but we must be ready to move on from there and respond to what the Lord is calling us to do.
And what he wants is a rebuilt temple. Why? For his pleasure & his glory.
Pleasure Does he delight in buildings?! No; he delights in that which is in buildings out of love & worship for him. What we do, when we do it with right motives, brings pleasure to God. He is truly happy & fulfilled in himself but he also says that he is made happy by what we do. Do we understand that?
Glory Because there God would be manifested & his grace made known (but most fully in the NT). Today, he is most glorified in the building of the spiritual temple, his people. That is why priority must be given to it, that is why we must learn to read providence aright.
The priority was to be given to the temple because it would bring pleasure to God and glorify him. But it was in pleasing and glorifying him that they would (and we do) experience the highest degree of personal happiness. "When we walk with the Lord in the light of his word, what a glory he sheds on our way".
He is worthy of all our service, of our unsparing efforts in seeking to glorify him in all we do, seeking first his kingdom & righteousness. But such is his grace, our own prosperity and the true prosperity of this world are also bound up in these things.
So let's give careful thought to our ways...and build together, for his pleasure and glory. Amen!
1. Priorities
In v.4, the LORD asks his people a rhetorical question: "Is it a time for you (emphatic) yourselves to be living in your panelled (roofed) houses, while this house remains a ruin?". Very clearly he is questioning their scheme of priorities. Having concluded that it wasn't time to rebuild the temple, they had seen to it that their own homes were rebuilt.
There is nothing bad about wanting homes to live in; that's not the point. The point is: they'd failed in the task the LORD had given them to rebuild the temple. And they'd failed not just because they were discouraged but because they got their priorities wrong.
We live in days when 2 concepts are often set against each other: the urgent and the important. If you're used to having to allocate time to specific tasks, you'll know all about that tension and not wanting to let the urgent squeeze out the important.
Well, as Christians, we are all called to prioritise. The Lord Jesus said "Seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well".
Very interestingly, given the context in Haggai, the 'things' Jesus has in mind are food, drink, clothes and presumably houses too.
Are our priorities right? That is not the same as asking, Do I get to every meeting? We need to remember that it isn't only 'full-time' work that is legitimate. We can seek first his kingdom & righteousness in the mundane aspects of our lives too. It is the heart that matters most, not the specific nature of the work.
But having said that, there is work that is at the leading edge of the advance of the Kingdom and as a church & as individuals, we need to make sure we're gospel centred & kingdom centred. "My talents, gifts & graces Lord, Into thy blessed hands receive".
2. Providences
Having adopted wrong priorities, the people continued to misread God's providence. Or to be more accurate, to fail to read God's providential dealings with them.
The LORD calls them to give careful thought to their ways. He urges them to think seriously about their lives and what is happening to them in their experience. In the circumstances of their lives in the promised land, he is shouting at them but they are too deaf to hear.
What was that experience? Famine, drought, failed crops, galloping inflation; in modern terms, they were in a deep recession. Why was that so? The Lord spells it out to them in vv.9,10: it is because of their disobedience in neglecting the temple.
But this is something they should have seen for themselves! They knew what the Lord had said through Moses about curses on the land if they failed to honour him in the promised land. And that's what was happening to them!
But are we any better at listening to God? Someone has said that "This experience of failing to see God's hand in our troubles is common among believers today; we do not realise the effects of the sin that we tolerate in our lives. This is not to say that all disaster is because of sin, but rather that sin has consequences.". Does he sometimes shout yet we fail to hear? Are we really listening to his word?
We do need, however, to beware the dangers of introspection and over-analysis of situations. The Lord's dealings with them were a fulfilment of what he had promised in Deuteronomy. Our own interpretation of providence must be provisional unless it is based on and sanctioned by the Word of God (& even then we must be careful how we interpret & apply scripture; the NT does not say that we will experience famine for disobedience).
3. Pleasure
Their priorities were wrong and they had neglected his word & his providence. Now the Lord speaks to them about Pleasure - not theirs but his!
Verse 8 is the centrepiece of this chapter (structured around this command). This is the heart of Haggai's message: build the temple. We need to see where we have gone wrong in terms of our priorities and neglect of God's Word but we must be ready to move on from there and respond to what the Lord is calling us to do.
And what he wants is a rebuilt temple. Why? For his pleasure & his glory.
Pleasure Does he delight in buildings?! No; he delights in that which is in buildings out of love & worship for him. What we do, when we do it with right motives, brings pleasure to God. He is truly happy & fulfilled in himself but he also says that he is made happy by what we do. Do we understand that?
Glory Because there God would be manifested & his grace made known (but most fully in the NT). Today, he is most glorified in the building of the spiritual temple, his people. That is why priority must be given to it, that is why we must learn to read providence aright.
The priority was to be given to the temple because it would bring pleasure to God and glorify him. But it was in pleasing and glorifying him that they would (and we do) experience the highest degree of personal happiness. "When we walk with the Lord in the light of his word, what a glory he sheds on our way".
He is worthy of all our service, of our unsparing efforts in seeking to glorify him in all we do, seeking first his kingdom & righteousness. But such is his grace, our own prosperity and the true prosperity of this world are also bound up in these things.
So let's give careful thought to our ways...and build together, for his pleasure and glory. Amen!
Haggai 1:1,2
Verse 1
'In the second year of Darius the King' - The book is set in the 2nd year of Darius the King. That allows the dating to be quite accurate and gives us clear indications about the conditions in the land at that time.
The book deals with the situation post-exile. The people had not heeded the Lord's warnings and had gone into exile for 70 years. But, in fulfilment of his promise, after 70 years the exile ended and the people returned (see Ezra ch.1-3).
At first the work went well: the altar was set-up and the foundation of the temple laid. But then the work ceased and, at the time the book was written, had been ceased for some 16 years. It is into that situation that Haggai brings the word of the the Lord.
'on the first day of the sixth month' - the first day of a month was to be a celebration day (see Num 28:11-15) and if the people observed it, they no doubt had gathered in Jerusalem at the site of the temple.
The Lord is going to speak to his people about the state of the temple with the greatest visual aid in front of them! They would usually have brought offerings with them and the Lord will later on in this chapter use the absence of produce as a silence that spoke volumes about their lives before him.
'the word of the Lord came...' - this phrase & others like it are found between 25 and 29 times in this short book. This was no man-inspired attempt to get the people working again; God was speaking, clearly, powerfully and unmistakably.
This was the first direct word from the Lord since the return from exile - a momentous time for the people. What would he say to them?
'throught the prophet Haggai' - God's word via a man. We know next to nothing about Haggai but in a sense that's helpful because it means we focus on the message, not the channel. It may be that he himself had known the former temple (2:3) and had therefore experienced the exile.
'the word of the Lord came...to Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah and to Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the High Priest' - It came firstly to the leaders of the community and only then to the people at large. Those in leadership have a particular responsibility to listen to God and to lead the people by example.
Verse 2
'This is what the Lord Almighty says...' - that name for God (Lord of Hosts) is used 14 times in this short book which means it is of significance to us. It is a name which highlights the awesome power and sovereignty of God. He is King of heaven above and King of all the earth too. No power is like his, no power can equal his; he alone is the Lord.
The name was frequently used after the exile. For a people who were weakened, despised, subjugated, it held great encouragement: our God reigns! But it also challenges them (& us): if you know the Lord is Almighty then live as if you do & trust him daily!
'These people say, "The time has not yet come for the Lord's house to be built"' - this is the people's conclusion about the work. The Lord calls them 'this people' not 'my people' which is a real rebuke to them. They weren't acting like his people; they were not seeking first his glory.
Why had they drawn such a conclusion?
- They had been opposed and perpetual opposition can wear us down. They had grown weary in well doing; they were discouraged. It's easy to see why they stopped.
- They had given in to the temptation to read providence from their perspective, not God's. Yet he had given them clear indications that he was with them: the amazing decree of Cyrus for them to return and build the temple; the provisions that were given to them as they returned, expressly for the rebuilding of the temple. But because of all that stood against them, they reached a different conclusion.
We, too, experience opposition and are liable to the same temptations as these people. We need to pray for grace to persevere, to receive God's word as it stands. We need the spirit that says "What he says, we will do; where he sends we will go; never fear, only trust & obey".
'In the second year of Darius the King' - The book is set in the 2nd year of Darius the King. That allows the dating to be quite accurate and gives us clear indications about the conditions in the land at that time.
The book deals with the situation post-exile. The people had not heeded the Lord's warnings and had gone into exile for 70 years. But, in fulfilment of his promise, after 70 years the exile ended and the people returned (see Ezra ch.1-3).
At first the work went well: the altar was set-up and the foundation of the temple laid. But then the work ceased and, at the time the book was written, had been ceased for some 16 years. It is into that situation that Haggai brings the word of the the Lord.
'on the first day of the sixth month' - the first day of a month was to be a celebration day (see Num 28:11-15) and if the people observed it, they no doubt had gathered in Jerusalem at the site of the temple.
The Lord is going to speak to his people about the state of the temple with the greatest visual aid in front of them! They would usually have brought offerings with them and the Lord will later on in this chapter use the absence of produce as a silence that spoke volumes about their lives before him.
'the word of the Lord came...' - this phrase & others like it are found between 25 and 29 times in this short book. This was no man-inspired attempt to get the people working again; God was speaking, clearly, powerfully and unmistakably.
This was the first direct word from the Lord since the return from exile - a momentous time for the people. What would he say to them?
'throught the prophet Haggai' - God's word via a man. We know next to nothing about Haggai but in a sense that's helpful because it means we focus on the message, not the channel. It may be that he himself had known the former temple (2:3) and had therefore experienced the exile.
'the word of the Lord came...to Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah and to Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the High Priest' - It came firstly to the leaders of the community and only then to the people at large. Those in leadership have a particular responsibility to listen to God and to lead the people by example.
Verse 2
'This is what the Lord Almighty says...' - that name for God (Lord of Hosts) is used 14 times in this short book which means it is of significance to us. It is a name which highlights the awesome power and sovereignty of God. He is King of heaven above and King of all the earth too. No power is like his, no power can equal his; he alone is the Lord.
The name was frequently used after the exile. For a people who were weakened, despised, subjugated, it held great encouragement: our God reigns! But it also challenges them (& us): if you know the Lord is Almighty then live as if you do & trust him daily!
'These people say, "The time has not yet come for the Lord's house to be built"' - this is the people's conclusion about the work. The Lord calls them 'this people' not 'my people' which is a real rebuke to them. They weren't acting like his people; they were not seeking first his glory.
Why had they drawn such a conclusion?
- They had been opposed and perpetual opposition can wear us down. They had grown weary in well doing; they were discouraged. It's easy to see why they stopped.
- They had given in to the temptation to read providence from their perspective, not God's. Yet he had given them clear indications that he was with them: the amazing decree of Cyrus for them to return and build the temple; the provisions that were given to them as they returned, expressly for the rebuilding of the temple. But because of all that stood against them, they reached a different conclusion.
We, too, experience opposition and are liable to the same temptations as these people. We need to pray for grace to persevere, to receive God's word as it stands. We need the spirit that says "What he says, we will do; where he sends we will go; never fear, only trust & obey".
Acts 2:42-47
Pentecost! A new age had dawned - the ascended Saviour poured out his Spirit upon his people, empowered the preaching of Peter and the witness of the disciples and 3000 people were saved. This was a glorious day in the experience of the early church; it must have been a great encouragement to the believers to see God at work in such a powerful way.
But the impact of the Spirit's work in the hearts and lives of those who preached and those who heard was not limited to what happens up to v.41. In the following verses, Luke records for us something of the life of the early church and in doing so gives an account of what the church can and should be in every age under the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
A New Devotion
The first group of believers were now joined by those who had been converted on the day of Pentecost and Luke tells us that their lives were marked by a new devotion. That word means "a steadfast and single-minded fidelity to a certain course of action". It is not speaking of a flash-in-the-pan experience but shows that their lives had been decisively changed.
Clearly, their devotion was to the Lord himself; he is always to be the very heart of our Christian faith and life. But devotion to the Lord will show itself in certain ways. Luke lists 4 key things here in v.42 that we are meant to take note of:
i) The Apostles' teaching - They had a real enthusiasm for, and commitment to, what the apostles taught. And that teaching centred upon God and his plan to save a fallen world through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. These early believers wanted to learn as much as they could; they saw it as a vital part of their experience as Christians; indeed, they would not grow in their relationship with the Lord if they neglected his word.
It's clear in the verses that follow that they made this a priority in their lives. They met at the temple each day, which would have given an opportunity for the apostles to teach them and no doubt they talked over what they heard as they met together in their homes.
One of the marks of the Spirit's work in us is a genuine hunger for teaching about the Lord. Many could perhaps testify that this was their experience when they first trusted the Lord but it shouldn't stop there. We are to go on learning and so we should go on having a hunger for the word of God. We are blessed with so many opportunities, far more than some believers in other parts of the world - do we take them?
Some object to an emphasis on teaching, feeling it shows we are simply intellectual in our faith. Of course, that is possible but it need not so. There is no tension between the Spirit who gave the Word and the Word itself! As we study his word, we do so in dependence on him and with the desire to know the Lord better and to love him more.
We must devote ourselves to the apostles' teaching too.
ii) The Fellowship - Here is an important NT word but it only occurs here in Acts. What does it mean? At its heart, 'fellowship' means a sharing together in something which is held in common. Having believed and been given new life in the Lord, the early church shared in it together, with all that entailed.
A clear example of the way they lived out their common life is given is vv.45,46 where we see the early church caring for each other. As needs arose, property or possessions would be sold or shared in order to meet them.
Here is an impressive demonstration of how they shared their lives together! "Christian fellowship is Christian caring and Christian caring is Christian sharing"; they exemplified that in how they lived.
How this is worked out in detail is not really the point. It's what they did that's so impressive: being united together in Christ, they demonstrated it in their lives by caring for each other. Their example is one that calls to us across the centuries with real power and challenge.
iii) The breaking of bread - Although the Lord's Supper had not yet become a formalised part of church life, the reality of it was something that the early church lived out to the full. They devoted themselves to breaking bread together and did so in their homes in smaller gatherings too.
What this shows us is that they were devoted to the gospel and to took every opportunity to remember the Lord Jesus and his saving death for them. They were from the first a truly gospel church.
In terms of how and when we celebrate the Lord's Supper, scripture gives us freedom ("whenever you do this..."). What is not open for negotiation is that we should ever be a truly evangelical church, with the evangel, the gospel, at the heart of all we do. Our emphasis must be on Christ and him crucified and the outworking of that in lives of service and holiness.
iv) The prayer(s) - The plural may mean set Jewish prayers or may indicate intensity. Whichever it is, prayer was clearly a vital aspect of the life of the early church. Both in public and private, they gave themselves to seeking God. They clearly took seriously the fact that they were utterly dependent on the Lord for everything and so they sought him with real diligence.
I can't comment on our private praying but if we're honest, our church prayer life could be better. We need to ask the Lord to help us to seek him, to repent of our prayerlessness and to be more devoted to prayer.
In all these ways, the early church is a great example and encouragement to us. If we ask, How can these things be true for us, some might say that it was only true for them because they were living in a time of revival. Leaving aside the fact that this wasn't strictly speaking revival (it was a unique occasion), we can't let it rest at that.
Of course these things will be more true of us if revival comes but what the church did here with great devotion, the rest of the NT encourages us to do at all times! Devotion to God, expressing itself in a love for his word, his people, the gospel and prayer is something we are ever to pursue, asking his Spirit to help us manifest his fruit.
Two other features of the life of the early church cry out for comment here:
* New Joy - Their simple yet profound joy in the Lord is clear for all to see here. It wasn't put on nor was it formal and only for public gatherings. It was the fruit of the Spirit at work in them and no doubt deepened as they devoted themselves to the Lord in the ways we have seen.
* New Joiners - They were a growing community. As the Lord worked among them, authenticating the ministry of the apostles by sings and wonders, awe fell upon the people, the church enjoyed their favour and "the Lord added to their numbers daily those who were being saved". We need to believe that this can be so with ourselves too.
The early church in its new life in the Spirit was winsome in its witness. May we be so too. Amen.
But the impact of the Spirit's work in the hearts and lives of those who preached and those who heard was not limited to what happens up to v.41. In the following verses, Luke records for us something of the life of the early church and in doing so gives an account of what the church can and should be in every age under the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
A New Devotion
The first group of believers were now joined by those who had been converted on the day of Pentecost and Luke tells us that their lives were marked by a new devotion. That word means "a steadfast and single-minded fidelity to a certain course of action". It is not speaking of a flash-in-the-pan experience but shows that their lives had been decisively changed.
Clearly, their devotion was to the Lord himself; he is always to be the very heart of our Christian faith and life. But devotion to the Lord will show itself in certain ways. Luke lists 4 key things here in v.42 that we are meant to take note of:
i) The Apostles' teaching - They had a real enthusiasm for, and commitment to, what the apostles taught. And that teaching centred upon God and his plan to save a fallen world through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. These early believers wanted to learn as much as they could; they saw it as a vital part of their experience as Christians; indeed, they would not grow in their relationship with the Lord if they neglected his word.
It's clear in the verses that follow that they made this a priority in their lives. They met at the temple each day, which would have given an opportunity for the apostles to teach them and no doubt they talked over what they heard as they met together in their homes.
One of the marks of the Spirit's work in us is a genuine hunger for teaching about the Lord. Many could perhaps testify that this was their experience when they first trusted the Lord but it shouldn't stop there. We are to go on learning and so we should go on having a hunger for the word of God. We are blessed with so many opportunities, far more than some believers in other parts of the world - do we take them?
Some object to an emphasis on teaching, feeling it shows we are simply intellectual in our faith. Of course, that is possible but it need not so. There is no tension between the Spirit who gave the Word and the Word itself! As we study his word, we do so in dependence on him and with the desire to know the Lord better and to love him more.
We must devote ourselves to the apostles' teaching too.
ii) The Fellowship - Here is an important NT word but it only occurs here in Acts. What does it mean? At its heart, 'fellowship' means a sharing together in something which is held in common. Having believed and been given new life in the Lord, the early church shared in it together, with all that entailed.
A clear example of the way they lived out their common life is given is vv.45,46 where we see the early church caring for each other. As needs arose, property or possessions would be sold or shared in order to meet them.
Here is an impressive demonstration of how they shared their lives together! "Christian fellowship is Christian caring and Christian caring is Christian sharing"; they exemplified that in how they lived.
How this is worked out in detail is not really the point. It's what they did that's so impressive: being united together in Christ, they demonstrated it in their lives by caring for each other. Their example is one that calls to us across the centuries with real power and challenge.
iii) The breaking of bread - Although the Lord's Supper had not yet become a formalised part of church life, the reality of it was something that the early church lived out to the full. They devoted themselves to breaking bread together and did so in their homes in smaller gatherings too.
What this shows us is that they were devoted to the gospel and to took every opportunity to remember the Lord Jesus and his saving death for them. They were from the first a truly gospel church.
In terms of how and when we celebrate the Lord's Supper, scripture gives us freedom ("whenever you do this..."). What is not open for negotiation is that we should ever be a truly evangelical church, with the evangel, the gospel, at the heart of all we do. Our emphasis must be on Christ and him crucified and the outworking of that in lives of service and holiness.
iv) The prayer(s) - The plural may mean set Jewish prayers or may indicate intensity. Whichever it is, prayer was clearly a vital aspect of the life of the early church. Both in public and private, they gave themselves to seeking God. They clearly took seriously the fact that they were utterly dependent on the Lord for everything and so they sought him with real diligence.
I can't comment on our private praying but if we're honest, our church prayer life could be better. We need to ask the Lord to help us to seek him, to repent of our prayerlessness and to be more devoted to prayer.
In all these ways, the early church is a great example and encouragement to us. If we ask, How can these things be true for us, some might say that it was only true for them because they were living in a time of revival. Leaving aside the fact that this wasn't strictly speaking revival (it was a unique occasion), we can't let it rest at that.
Of course these things will be more true of us if revival comes but what the church did here with great devotion, the rest of the NT encourages us to do at all times! Devotion to God, expressing itself in a love for his word, his people, the gospel and prayer is something we are ever to pursue, asking his Spirit to help us manifest his fruit.
Two other features of the life of the early church cry out for comment here:
* New Joy - Their simple yet profound joy in the Lord is clear for all to see here. It wasn't put on nor was it formal and only for public gatherings. It was the fruit of the Spirit at work in them and no doubt deepened as they devoted themselves to the Lord in the ways we have seen.
* New Joiners - They were a growing community. As the Lord worked among them, authenticating the ministry of the apostles by sings and wonders, awe fell upon the people, the church enjoyed their favour and "the Lord added to their numbers daily those who were being saved". We need to believe that this can be so with ourselves too.
The early church in its new life in the Spirit was winsome in its witness. May we be so too. Amen.
Acts 2:14-41
We saw last week something of the amazing events of Pentecost and the impact they had on the crowd as they heard the wonders of God being proclaimed in their own languages. God was showing that this message was for the whole world! But the event needed to be explained; on its own, it only left the crowd divided: some were perplexed, others mocked.
1. Explaining the Event: God's New Age (vv.14-21)
Peter steps up to the mark to explain what's happening in this amazing scene. Given that he and the others had struggled to come to terms with Jesus' death and needed the Lord to open the scriptures to them, his answer is proof of Jesus' promise that when the Spirit came, he would lead them into all truth.
Peter tells the crowd that they aren't drunk, as some had said in mockery. Rather, this is what God had promised long ago through the prophet Joel. This was the dawning of God's new age, the climax of his plans and purposes. These events had been foretold in the OT, not just in Joel but in many places.
What did Joel say? In essence, he said the Spirit would be given and that when he was given, old boundaries would be broken down and all people would be able to know the Lord.
In the past, only a few were prophets, only men could be priests and then only at the right age. Now, each could know the Lord personally, without any human intermediary. That seems to be what the reference to prophecy, dreams and visions is meant to signify (cf. Jer. 31:34).
And all who would call on the name of the Lord would be saved. The day of the Lord is not simply a day of judgement but of salvation. Salvation has come near, the door is open to all who know their need.
This would take place in the context of signs and wonders, a shorthand way of speaking of cataclysmic events in the world (what could be more cataclysmic than the death of Jesus?).
Joel was speaking of a time when God's blessings would not be confined to the few but opened to the many; he prophesied of a salvation open to all who would call on the Lord.
And the Jews knew that all this would take place when the Messiah had come. The coming of the Spirit was seen as the culmination of the work of the Messiah. He would bring in the kingdom of God and at that time, God would pour out his Spirit upon all flesh.
Peter's explanation lifts these events out of mere puzzle and an opportunity to mock and places them in their true context: God's great plan of salvation for a fallen world, his desire to bless people of all nations.
2. Explaining the Event: Messiah Vindicated (vv.22-36)
The dawning of the new age meant that Messiah had come. And as Peter continues his explanation from v.22ff, it is the Messiah that he focusses on.
In v.21 he spoke of people calling on the name of the Lord; in v.22, he tells the people what that name is: it is Jesus of Nazareth. These events are only truly comprehensible in the light of Jesus and what he has done.
He begins by reminding them that Jesus had been accredited by God among them by miracles, wonders and signs. It had been clear that God was at work in Jesus.
And yet they had put him to death with the help of pagans! The Jews had rejected the promised Messiah! They had been responsible for his death at the hand of others.
That raised a very important question in Jewish minds. Could a rejected, crucified man really be the Messiah? The rest of Peter's explanation gives the answer.
And the answer is, Absolutely! They had rejected Jesus but God hadn't! They had crucified him but it was impossible for death to hold him.
To prove his point, Peter quotes David in Ps.16 16, where he asserts that God would not allow his Holy One to see decay. Now, David had died and been buried and his tomb was still there - so he wasn't that Holy One! Who was then? David was speaking about the Messiah; Jesus had been raised by God and had been seen by the apostles.
And not only had he been raised, he had also been exalted to the highest place, at God's right hand (quoting from Ps.110). The despised, rejected Messiah had been vindicated by God and given all authority and power. And from his position of power, it was he who had given the Holy Spirit. The great events of Pentecost flowed directly from the vindication and reign of Jesus as the true Messiah, God's chosen King.
Peter's summary of this in v.36 is very powerful: "God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ". It is Jesus who brings in God's new age, who alone makes access to God possible for all people.
Pentecost is not ultimately about the phenomena that the crowds had seen and heard; it's about the Messiah. The Holy Spirit, in coming upon the disciples, was pointing to Jesus as Lord and Christ. We need to make sure we learn from this ministry of the Spirit. It is Jesus who is central; not the signs, but the one they point to.
And there is a further challenge here for us. Whilst Pentecost cannot be repeated, people today should be able to see evidence of the Spirit at work in our lives, producing fruit that points to and honours Jesus as Lord. The kind of thing that entails is amplified in vv.42-47 which we'll look at next week.
3. Applying the Event: Repent & Be Baptised (vv.37-41)
The effect of Peter's speech is both immediate and astonishing - those who had so recently rejected the Messiah were cut to the heart in conviction of their sin and received Jesus as Lord, 3000 of them. Here is further evidence of the Spirit powerfully active in honouring Jesus as Lord and Christ.
Peter's answer to the crowd's question, 'What shall we do?' is one of the fullest in the whole NT. They are to repent of their sin and own Jesus as Saviour (baptism). In that way, they will be forgiven their sin and receive the promised Holy Spirit.
And we're told that with many other words he warned them. Here is an issue that is utterly crucial, nothing else is as important as this. Where do you stand in relation to Jesus? He is the one true Messiah, the only Saviour from sin. To reject him is to invite certain judgement and condemnation. You must turn from sin and embrace the Saviour; you must call upon him and identify yourself with him in baptism. There is no other way to be right with God and to share in God's promised blessing of a new start in a new age.
Where do you stand today? Have you repented and turned to Jesus? Are you looking to honour him in your life? Is this the issue above everything else to you? If you feel convicted in your heart and know that God is calling you, then now is the time to turn to him.
May God grant his blessing to each one of us, for his glory's sake. Amen.
1. Explaining the Event: God's New Age (vv.14-21)
Peter steps up to the mark to explain what's happening in this amazing scene. Given that he and the others had struggled to come to terms with Jesus' death and needed the Lord to open the scriptures to them, his answer is proof of Jesus' promise that when the Spirit came, he would lead them into all truth.
Peter tells the crowd that they aren't drunk, as some had said in mockery. Rather, this is what God had promised long ago through the prophet Joel. This was the dawning of God's new age, the climax of his plans and purposes. These events had been foretold in the OT, not just in Joel but in many places.
What did Joel say? In essence, he said the Spirit would be given and that when he was given, old boundaries would be broken down and all people would be able to know the Lord.
In the past, only a few were prophets, only men could be priests and then only at the right age. Now, each could know the Lord personally, without any human intermediary. That seems to be what the reference to prophecy, dreams and visions is meant to signify (cf. Jer. 31:34).
And all who would call on the name of the Lord would be saved. The day of the Lord is not simply a day of judgement but of salvation. Salvation has come near, the door is open to all who know their need.
This would take place in the context of signs and wonders, a shorthand way of speaking of cataclysmic events in the world (what could be more cataclysmic than the death of Jesus?).
Joel was speaking of a time when God's blessings would not be confined to the few but opened to the many; he prophesied of a salvation open to all who would call on the Lord.
And the Jews knew that all this would take place when the Messiah had come. The coming of the Spirit was seen as the culmination of the work of the Messiah. He would bring in the kingdom of God and at that time, God would pour out his Spirit upon all flesh.
Peter's explanation lifts these events out of mere puzzle and an opportunity to mock and places them in their true context: God's great plan of salvation for a fallen world, his desire to bless people of all nations.
2. Explaining the Event: Messiah Vindicated (vv.22-36)
The dawning of the new age meant that Messiah had come. And as Peter continues his explanation from v.22ff, it is the Messiah that he focusses on.
In v.21 he spoke of people calling on the name of the Lord; in v.22, he tells the people what that name is: it is Jesus of Nazareth. These events are only truly comprehensible in the light of Jesus and what he has done.
He begins by reminding them that Jesus had been accredited by God among them by miracles, wonders and signs. It had been clear that God was at work in Jesus.
And yet they had put him to death with the help of pagans! The Jews had rejected the promised Messiah! They had been responsible for his death at the hand of others.
That raised a very important question in Jewish minds. Could a rejected, crucified man really be the Messiah? The rest of Peter's explanation gives the answer.
And the answer is, Absolutely! They had rejected Jesus but God hadn't! They had crucified him but it was impossible for death to hold him.
To prove his point, Peter quotes David in Ps.16 16, where he asserts that God would not allow his Holy One to see decay. Now, David had died and been buried and his tomb was still there - so he wasn't that Holy One! Who was then? David was speaking about the Messiah; Jesus had been raised by God and had been seen by the apostles.
And not only had he been raised, he had also been exalted to the highest place, at God's right hand (quoting from Ps.110). The despised, rejected Messiah had been vindicated by God and given all authority and power. And from his position of power, it was he who had given the Holy Spirit. The great events of Pentecost flowed directly from the vindication and reign of Jesus as the true Messiah, God's chosen King.
Peter's summary of this in v.36 is very powerful: "God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ". It is Jesus who brings in God's new age, who alone makes access to God possible for all people.
Pentecost is not ultimately about the phenomena that the crowds had seen and heard; it's about the Messiah. The Holy Spirit, in coming upon the disciples, was pointing to Jesus as Lord and Christ. We need to make sure we learn from this ministry of the Spirit. It is Jesus who is central; not the signs, but the one they point to.
And there is a further challenge here for us. Whilst Pentecost cannot be repeated, people today should be able to see evidence of the Spirit at work in our lives, producing fruit that points to and honours Jesus as Lord. The kind of thing that entails is amplified in vv.42-47 which we'll look at next week.
3. Applying the Event: Repent & Be Baptised (vv.37-41)
The effect of Peter's speech is both immediate and astonishing - those who had so recently rejected the Messiah were cut to the heart in conviction of their sin and received Jesus as Lord, 3000 of them. Here is further evidence of the Spirit powerfully active in honouring Jesus as Lord and Christ.
Peter's answer to the crowd's question, 'What shall we do?' is one of the fullest in the whole NT. They are to repent of their sin and own Jesus as Saviour (baptism). In that way, they will be forgiven their sin and receive the promised Holy Spirit.
And we're told that with many other words he warned them. Here is an issue that is utterly crucial, nothing else is as important as this. Where do you stand in relation to Jesus? He is the one true Messiah, the only Saviour from sin. To reject him is to invite certain judgement and condemnation. You must turn from sin and embrace the Saviour; you must call upon him and identify yourself with him in baptism. There is no other way to be right with God and to share in God's promised blessing of a new start in a new age.
Where do you stand today? Have you repented and turned to Jesus? Are you looking to honour him in your life? Is this the issue above everything else to you? If you feel convicted in your heart and know that God is calling you, then now is the time to turn to him.
May God grant his blessing to each one of us, for his glory's sake. Amen.
Acts 2:1-13
At last, the waiting is over! The apostles and disciples had been through so much - the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus and then waiting for the promise of the Father. And now it happens - in ways beyond their expectation!
In this chapter, Luke records the event of Pentecost, the explanation given by Peter and then the effects of that explanation on those who heard. We're going to look at vv.1-13 but before we do so, it's important to notice that, although there is much we can say from these verses, their significance is only truly opened up in Peter's speech. Here are events that need explanation! (see vv.12,13)
1. What happens on the Day of Pentecost
Luke is careful to tell us that it was the day of Pentecost, a Jewish feast day associated with harvest but also with the giving of the law on Mount Sinai. Just as God had given his law to Moses with wind and fire, so now he gives his Spirit to his people with wind and fire.
A new age is dawning, a new stage in God's plan to save a fallen world. Here he is fulfilling ancient promises, as Peter will make plain in his speech.
On the mountain, there was real wind and flames but notice that here Luke tells us the sound was "like the blowing of a violent wind" and that "they saw what seemed to be tongues of fire" - this event is impossible to fully describe. It is like certain things but not the same as them.
What is clear, however, is that the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples. He was the reality they experienced. They "were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit enabled them".
There is a lot here to unpack and comment on since these events are so important to many Christians today. We'll look at these events and think through what they should mean for us.
i) Filled with the Holy Spirit - Jesus told them they would shortly be "baptised with the Holy Spirit"; here Luke says they were "filled with the Holy Spirit". Are they the same thing?
Certainly, this is what Jesus meant when he said they would be baptised with the Spirit. That speaks of being drawn in and made a part of something. Luke speaks of filling, emphasising they were being empowered for their new task. So here the two words describe the same event, but it is important to understand how the words are used elsewhere in the NT.
Nowhere is 'baptism' used to describe subsequent experiences of the Holy Spirit, although 'filling' is used in that way. Being baptised with the Holy Spirit is what happens to a person when they become a Christian, the initial receiving of the Spirit. 'Filling' speaks of our need to have the Spirit go on working in us, to make us more like Jesus and to equip us to serve him.
NT teaching: every Christian has been baptised with the Holy Spirit, it is not a subsequent event to conversion; all believers need to go on being filled by the Spirit for maturity and service.
ii) Speaking in other tongues - But what about speaking in tongues? This has been, and still is, quite a contentious issue in modern church life, which is strange because relatively little is said about it in the NT.
What is happening here? Clearly, those who had been filled with the Spirit were enabled by him to speak other languages, real languages that were recognised by those who heard them (vv.8,11). And it would seem reasonable to conclude that those who spoke knew what they were speaking.
Is this (speaking in tongues) something that always goes with being baptised with the Spirit or being filled by him? There is nothing in the NT to suggest that to be so.
How does this relate to what Paul says in 1 Cor. 14 about speaking in tongues? The main points seem to be these:
- tongues are real languages;
- those who speak them know what they are saying but unless their words are translated, no-one else benefits from it (vv.4,14);
- in a public situation, unless they can be translated (v.28), they should rarely if ever be heard (v.18f), and not when someone else is praying (vv.16,27);
- they are a sign for unbelievers - of judgement upon Israel for her national pride and the fact that the gospel is now going to the nations (v.21f).
The gift of tongues was given for a specific purpose at Pentecost and seems to have continued in the early church. But the use of tongues was clearly regulated and didn't form a particularly significant part of early Christian experience.
2. Witnesses Empowered!
We've looked at those questions because they're important in our modern context but for Luke there were more important things to speak about here. Here is the first instance of the disciples being empowered for the divinely-given task of witnessing to the Lord Jesus.
As we saw in 1:8, the work of the Holy Spirit is indispensable for the ministry of the church in proclaiming the Lord Jesus and here we see that he has been given to the church and is given to every believer. How encouraging that is! He came upon them and they went out, telling "the wonders of God".
There is much here that is unique to the occasion but it assures us that we too can know the help of God's Spirit for our own task of living for him and sharing him with others.
The Lord promised to help and he keeps his word! We are not witnesses of the resurrection but we can speak from personal experience of the saving grace of God. To do so with power, we need the Spirit's help. This event tells us that God is intent on helping us to do just that. He has given his Spirit!
3. Wonders for the World!
The final thing I want to mention from this event is that it speaks to us of God's purposes in Jesus for this world. Here you have a group of "God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven" and they hear the wonders of God being proclaimed in their native languages!
What does that say to us? It shows, in quite graphic form, that it is God's purpose, in and through Jesus, to overcome the curse of Babel. You remember how when mankind rebelled against him that the Lord came down and confused their languages. Here we see that barrier removed - the diversity is still there but it is no longer a hindrance to joyfully receiving the gospel message and coming to share in its reality.
We live in a world that is fractured and deeply troubled. Peoples war with each other, there is precious little peace and harmony, only uneasy tolerance at best. What can overcome the prejudice and fear, the sinful arrogance and pride of man? The grace of God, enacted in his Son, applied by his Spirit.
This event is not sufficient in itself. It needs to be explained and, in his speech, Peter focusses on the Lord Jesus Christ; he doesn't major on the phenomena. And when Jesus is lifted up, he draws all people to himself, from all nations.
How we can praise God for his purposes and the way they are being worked out through the powerful work of his Holy Spirit! And we can pray that we will know his Spirit at work in us to that end.
In this chapter, Luke records the event of Pentecost, the explanation given by Peter and then the effects of that explanation on those who heard. We're going to look at vv.1-13 but before we do so, it's important to notice that, although there is much we can say from these verses, their significance is only truly opened up in Peter's speech. Here are events that need explanation! (see vv.12,13)
1. What happens on the Day of Pentecost
Luke is careful to tell us that it was the day of Pentecost, a Jewish feast day associated with harvest but also with the giving of the law on Mount Sinai. Just as God had given his law to Moses with wind and fire, so now he gives his Spirit to his people with wind and fire.
A new age is dawning, a new stage in God's plan to save a fallen world. Here he is fulfilling ancient promises, as Peter will make plain in his speech.
On the mountain, there was real wind and flames but notice that here Luke tells us the sound was "like the blowing of a violent wind" and that "they saw what seemed to be tongues of fire" - this event is impossible to fully describe. It is like certain things but not the same as them.
What is clear, however, is that the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples. He was the reality they experienced. They "were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit enabled them".
There is a lot here to unpack and comment on since these events are so important to many Christians today. We'll look at these events and think through what they should mean for us.
i) Filled with the Holy Spirit - Jesus told them they would shortly be "baptised with the Holy Spirit"; here Luke says they were "filled with the Holy Spirit". Are they the same thing?
Certainly, this is what Jesus meant when he said they would be baptised with the Spirit. That speaks of being drawn in and made a part of something. Luke speaks of filling, emphasising they were being empowered for their new task. So here the two words describe the same event, but it is important to understand how the words are used elsewhere in the NT.
Nowhere is 'baptism' used to describe subsequent experiences of the Holy Spirit, although 'filling' is used in that way. Being baptised with the Holy Spirit is what happens to a person when they become a Christian, the initial receiving of the Spirit. 'Filling' speaks of our need to have the Spirit go on working in us, to make us more like Jesus and to equip us to serve him.
NT teaching: every Christian has been baptised with the Holy Spirit, it is not a subsequent event to conversion; all believers need to go on being filled by the Spirit for maturity and service.
ii) Speaking in other tongues - But what about speaking in tongues? This has been, and still is, quite a contentious issue in modern church life, which is strange because relatively little is said about it in the NT.
What is happening here? Clearly, those who had been filled with the Spirit were enabled by him to speak other languages, real languages that were recognised by those who heard them (vv.8,11). And it would seem reasonable to conclude that those who spoke knew what they were speaking.
Is this (speaking in tongues) something that always goes with being baptised with the Spirit or being filled by him? There is nothing in the NT to suggest that to be so.
How does this relate to what Paul says in 1 Cor. 14 about speaking in tongues? The main points seem to be these:
- tongues are real languages;
- those who speak them know what they are saying but unless their words are translated, no-one else benefits from it (vv.4,14);
- in a public situation, unless they can be translated (v.28), they should rarely if ever be heard (v.18f), and not when someone else is praying (vv.16,27);
- they are a sign for unbelievers - of judgement upon Israel for her national pride and the fact that the gospel is now going to the nations (v.21f).
The gift of tongues was given for a specific purpose at Pentecost and seems to have continued in the early church. But the use of tongues was clearly regulated and didn't form a particularly significant part of early Christian experience.
2. Witnesses Empowered!
We've looked at those questions because they're important in our modern context but for Luke there were more important things to speak about here. Here is the first instance of the disciples being empowered for the divinely-given task of witnessing to the Lord Jesus.
As we saw in 1:8, the work of the Holy Spirit is indispensable for the ministry of the church in proclaiming the Lord Jesus and here we see that he has been given to the church and is given to every believer. How encouraging that is! He came upon them and they went out, telling "the wonders of God".
There is much here that is unique to the occasion but it assures us that we too can know the help of God's Spirit for our own task of living for him and sharing him with others.
The Lord promised to help and he keeps his word! We are not witnesses of the resurrection but we can speak from personal experience of the saving grace of God. To do so with power, we need the Spirit's help. This event tells us that God is intent on helping us to do just that. He has given his Spirit!
3. Wonders for the World!
The final thing I want to mention from this event is that it speaks to us of God's purposes in Jesus for this world. Here you have a group of "God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven" and they hear the wonders of God being proclaimed in their native languages!
What does that say to us? It shows, in quite graphic form, that it is God's purpose, in and through Jesus, to overcome the curse of Babel. You remember how when mankind rebelled against him that the Lord came down and confused their languages. Here we see that barrier removed - the diversity is still there but it is no longer a hindrance to joyfully receiving the gospel message and coming to share in its reality.
We live in a world that is fractured and deeply troubled. Peoples war with each other, there is precious little peace and harmony, only uneasy tolerance at best. What can overcome the prejudice and fear, the sinful arrogance and pride of man? The grace of God, enacted in his Son, applied by his Spirit.
This event is not sufficient in itself. It needs to be explained and, in his speech, Peter focusses on the Lord Jesus Christ; he doesn't major on the phenomena. And when Jesus is lifted up, he draws all people to himself, from all nations.
How we can praise God for his purposes and the way they are being worked out through the powerful work of his Holy Spirit! And we can pray that we will know his Spirit at work in us to that end.
Friday, 7 July 2006
Acts 1:12-26
1. The Waiting Game (vv.12-14)
How good are you at waiting? Sometimes it can be very frustrating. The apostles had been told by Jesus to wait for the gift of the Father to come upon them. After the heady days that followed his resurrection, they were to now just to wait. How long they weren't told.
These verses tell us how they responded to what Jesus said. There are 2 things in particular that stand out in:
i) They were obedient to the word of Jesus. They went and waited. In vv.12-14 we see the 11 apostles and 120 other believers waiting for Jesus word to come true (v.15).
It is always tempting to try to rush things, to draw our own conclusions, second guessing the Lord and forging ahead. But these early believers model for us the correct response to God's word to us. They did what he said.
In all sorts of situations, we may feel tempted to do otherwise but it is always foolish to ignore or go against what the Lord has clearly said. They were in no doubt what Jesus had said; his word to us in the Bible is equally clear and must be similarly obeyed.
We may try to justify disobedience where we feel the issues are not all that important - does it really matter that God has said this or that? No doubt these disciples could have thought the same, yet they didn't. And the issue was not trivial; it had to do with the next phase in God's great plan of salvation.
His ways, not ours, are always best. Obedience is never a trivial matter.
ii) They prayed the word of Jesus. Having been promised the gift of the Father, they went and spent their time together in prayer. We aren't told what they prayed for but it is more than reasonable to assume that what they had just been told formed the basis for their prayers.
God's revealed will and his promises do not preclude prayer; in fact, they should be the means by which prayer is encouraged and strengthened. They both compel us to pray and give us confidence in our praying.
But notice too the character of their prayer. It was both united and persevering. They were together not just in body but in spirit too. There was a unity to their praying; their hearts were fixed on the same things, eager for the glory of God, enjoying his grace to them in the Lord Jesus (cf. Phil. 1:27; 2:2).
And they prayed not just once but "constantly". They had a particular focus in mind but we are often reminded of our need to pray constantly, to express our utter dependence on the Lord and our desire to see him honoured and his kingdom come.
Nothing hinders prayer so much as disunity among the people of God and a lack of concern for his honour. Where we are out of fellowship with each other or lukewarm about the glory of God, prayer will be marginalised and will fail to be at the heart of life together.
This time was clearly a one-off in the experience of the early church but united, believing prayer most certainly was not a one-off. We have much to learn from them.
They obeyed the word, they prayed the word.
2. Keeping Numbers Up (vv.15-26)
The second main section in this passage deals with the action they took to replace Judas and so to bring the number of apostles back up to 12. We're going to look at why they did that and how they set about it.
i) Why the need for 12 apostles? Was this just a desire to have things back as they were during Jesus' time with them - the kind of thinking that always says, 'It was better before"? No. This was an action prompted by reflection on scripture and for the sake of their God-given task.
The number 12 had been significant in Jesus' mind as he called the disciples to follow him. It was a deliberate echo of the 12 tribes of Israel and was intended to signify that through the ministry of Jesus, a new Israel, the true Israel, was being formed. Those who constituted the true Israel were those who followed Jesus. The number was symbolic and significant.
Following Judas' defection and death by suicide, the number of the apostles had been reduced and lacked that symbolism. The Lord Jesus had told them back in Lk. 22:28-30 that they were to have a significant role with respect to the Jews. They would judge the 12 tribes of Israel, sharing the authority of Jesus. That probably refers to their ministry of preaching the gospel among the Jews and, with that in mind, the symbolism needed to be restored.
So this was an action governed by their understanding of their role in the light of scripture. It was, of course, a unique time in the history of salvation and unrepeatable (they didn't repeat it when James was martyred and their number reduced again).
But there is a lesson for us here. Our understanding of the role and task of the church is to be understood from scripture, not from the fads and fashions of our time.
ii) How to know God's Will - This passage is also helpful in how they filled the gap. As we've said, scripture played a vital part in the whole process. God has spoken and what he has said must be taken seriously and allowed to inform the whole of our approach to life as believers and as a church.
Then they committed the whole matter to God in prayer (v.24). They wanted to do his will. They wanted him to lead them and to make plain what they should do. They knew the principles but they needed specific guidance on who to choose.
They knew another was needed who had the qualifications of an apostle (had been with Jesus and witnessed the reality of the resurrection) and they put 2 men forward who met those requirements. But they put the matter of choosing into God's hands.
We must always recognise that the work of the church, of the gospel, is Jesus' work. It is his will we seek and are to submit to. We act on principle and have a part to play but ultimately the whole project is his, he is the head and he directs the work.
But how does he direct it? Here they cast lots, an action with sound OT pedigree (Prov. 16:33), but not one that is repeated in the NT. This action was pre-Pentecost; after the coming of the Spirit, the choosing was done by believers as they were guided by God's Spirit (cf. Acts 13:2,3; 14:23; 15:2,28; Tit. 1:5).
How is that guidance mediated? By enabling us to grasp the principles of scripture and then to see their application in the particular situation.
They wanted to honour the Lord Jesus in the task he had given them; they searched the scriptures for help; they relied upon the Lord to direct and help them. May the same ever be true of us. Amen.
How good are you at waiting? Sometimes it can be very frustrating. The apostles had been told by Jesus to wait for the gift of the Father to come upon them. After the heady days that followed his resurrection, they were to now just to wait. How long they weren't told.
These verses tell us how they responded to what Jesus said. There are 2 things in particular that stand out in:
i) They were obedient to the word of Jesus. They went and waited. In vv.12-14 we see the 11 apostles and 120 other believers waiting for Jesus word to come true (v.15).
It is always tempting to try to rush things, to draw our own conclusions, second guessing the Lord and forging ahead. But these early believers model for us the correct response to God's word to us. They did what he said.
In all sorts of situations, we may feel tempted to do otherwise but it is always foolish to ignore or go against what the Lord has clearly said. They were in no doubt what Jesus had said; his word to us in the Bible is equally clear and must be similarly obeyed.
We may try to justify disobedience where we feel the issues are not all that important - does it really matter that God has said this or that? No doubt these disciples could have thought the same, yet they didn't. And the issue was not trivial; it had to do with the next phase in God's great plan of salvation.
His ways, not ours, are always best. Obedience is never a trivial matter.
ii) They prayed the word of Jesus. Having been promised the gift of the Father, they went and spent their time together in prayer. We aren't told what they prayed for but it is more than reasonable to assume that what they had just been told formed the basis for their prayers.
God's revealed will and his promises do not preclude prayer; in fact, they should be the means by which prayer is encouraged and strengthened. They both compel us to pray and give us confidence in our praying.
But notice too the character of their prayer. It was both united and persevering. They were together not just in body but in spirit too. There was a unity to their praying; their hearts were fixed on the same things, eager for the glory of God, enjoying his grace to them in the Lord Jesus (cf. Phil. 1:27; 2:2).
And they prayed not just once but "constantly". They had a particular focus in mind but we are often reminded of our need to pray constantly, to express our utter dependence on the Lord and our desire to see him honoured and his kingdom come.
Nothing hinders prayer so much as disunity among the people of God and a lack of concern for his honour. Where we are out of fellowship with each other or lukewarm about the glory of God, prayer will be marginalised and will fail to be at the heart of life together.
This time was clearly a one-off in the experience of the early church but united, believing prayer most certainly was not a one-off. We have much to learn from them.
They obeyed the word, they prayed the word.
2. Keeping Numbers Up (vv.15-26)
The second main section in this passage deals with the action they took to replace Judas and so to bring the number of apostles back up to 12. We're going to look at why they did that and how they set about it.
i) Why the need for 12 apostles? Was this just a desire to have things back as they were during Jesus' time with them - the kind of thinking that always says, 'It was better before"? No. This was an action prompted by reflection on scripture and for the sake of their God-given task.
The number 12 had been significant in Jesus' mind as he called the disciples to follow him. It was a deliberate echo of the 12 tribes of Israel and was intended to signify that through the ministry of Jesus, a new Israel, the true Israel, was being formed. Those who constituted the true Israel were those who followed Jesus. The number was symbolic and significant.
Following Judas' defection and death by suicide, the number of the apostles had been reduced and lacked that symbolism. The Lord Jesus had told them back in Lk. 22:28-30 that they were to have a significant role with respect to the Jews. They would judge the 12 tribes of Israel, sharing the authority of Jesus. That probably refers to their ministry of preaching the gospel among the Jews and, with that in mind, the symbolism needed to be restored.
So this was an action governed by their understanding of their role in the light of scripture. It was, of course, a unique time in the history of salvation and unrepeatable (they didn't repeat it when James was martyred and their number reduced again).
But there is a lesson for us here. Our understanding of the role and task of the church is to be understood from scripture, not from the fads and fashions of our time.
ii) How to know God's Will - This passage is also helpful in how they filled the gap. As we've said, scripture played a vital part in the whole process. God has spoken and what he has said must be taken seriously and allowed to inform the whole of our approach to life as believers and as a church.
Then they committed the whole matter to God in prayer (v.24). They wanted to do his will. They wanted him to lead them and to make plain what they should do. They knew the principles but they needed specific guidance on who to choose.
They knew another was needed who had the qualifications of an apostle (had been with Jesus and witnessed the reality of the resurrection) and they put 2 men forward who met those requirements. But they put the matter of choosing into God's hands.
We must always recognise that the work of the church, of the gospel, is Jesus' work. It is his will we seek and are to submit to. We act on principle and have a part to play but ultimately the whole project is his, he is the head and he directs the work.
But how does he direct it? Here they cast lots, an action with sound OT pedigree (Prov. 16:33), but not one that is repeated in the NT. This action was pre-Pentecost; after the coming of the Spirit, the choosing was done by believers as they were guided by God's Spirit (cf. Acts 13:2,3; 14:23; 15:2,28; Tit. 1:5).
How is that guidance mediated? By enabling us to grasp the principles of scripture and then to see their application in the particular situation.
They wanted to honour the Lord Jesus in the task he had given them; they searched the scriptures for help; they relied upon the Lord to direct and help them. May the same ever be true of us. Amen.
Acts 1:1-11
What on earth is the church? It's an urgent question because the church is marginalised and, in the face of that, we can try to be all sorts of things. Who and what we are and what we are meant to be and do is laid down for us. And nowhere is that communicated with such clarity and power as in the book of Acts. As John Stott has said, "Thank God for the Acts of the Apostles!"
1. The Unfinished Story...
The book of Acts is the second part of Luke's work (v.1). Both go together and each is incomplete without the other. In terms of the NT, they are very significant and account for 26% of the total.
But why is he writing? Back in Lk. 1:1-4 he told Theophilus it was so that "you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught". This second volume continues that work by focussing on what Jesus continues to do after his death and resurrection: the gospel of Luke was about what Jesus "began to do and to teach", the implication being that this second part will carry the story on.
But what is the story about? Luke's great theme is God's plan of salvation for his world, a plan foretold in the OT and, in the events Luke is writing about, now coming to fulfilment. He tells us here that the subject on which Jesus spoke to his disciples after his death and resurrection was "the kingdom of God" (v.3).
That reign has come to pass in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Here Luke stresses the resurrection, saying that Jesus gave his disciples during these 40 days "many convincing proofs that he was alive". The resurrection was certain and forms the ground of all that is to follow.
But those events do not stand alone. There is more to be done in terms of the saving reign of God. Jesus is returning to heaven but there is more to follow. That is hinted at in these opening verses where we read that Jesus gave "instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen".
Those who had been with him would have a part to play and the Holy Spirit is going to be significant in the outworking of that role. The rest of this opening passage takes us into the roles of the apostles and the Spirit and the situation they will be facing.
2. The roles of the Apostles and the Spirit
So what is it that Jesus wants his apostles to do? Initially, nothing; they were to wait in Jerusalem until they received the gift the Father had promised them.
Before we look at that gift, notice here the note of fulfilment: God the Father has promised something, in the OT, and this is now the time for his promise to come to pass. These are momentous times!
Jesus says that the Father's gift to them is going to be the Holy Spirit himself. They will be baptised with the Spirit in just a few days time. John baptised with water, a baptism of repentance but this is going to be something far greater. They will be incorporated into God's family in the deepest possible sense, with God himself coming upon them and dwelling within them.
This raises a question in the minds of the disciples. They associated the coming of the Spirit with God's promise to restore his people (as the OT suggested) and ask Jesus if that is to be now (v.6). His answer forms, in a sense, the whole theme of this book of Acts.
First he tells them they're not going to be privy to God's schedule. That isn't to be their concern. And it isn't to be our concern either. The church has not been commissioned to spent it's time speculating about how and when God will act or when Jesus will return. Nothing could be clearer than that!
What will impact them is the coming of the Spirit. This great event will change everything and will be the defining moment in the life not just of these apostles but the whole church for the whole of time.
Jesus says 3 things about their role, the Spirit's role and the scope of their work.
i) They will be his witnesses - they were to be living examples of the reality of the kingdom, of the saving reign of God. But they had a particular function to fulfil. They were eyewitnesses of great events and were to bear witness to them. They had been with Jesus, they had seen the miracles and heard the teaching; they had witnessed his death and had known for sure that he had risen from the dead.
Everything that was to follow in terms of their ministry was to flow from this foundation point.
We cannot be witnesses in the same way today but the whole life and ministry of the church is to be built on this foundation. As we too live under the saving reign of God, we can proclaim hope to the world and call for repentance and faith precisely because these things really took place all those years ago.
ii) In the power of the Spirit - But no group of men, however much they have seen and heard, are going to be equipped for such a task in their own strength. We are talking about God's action to rescue men and women from sin, to push back the kingdom of darkness and to blaze his glory in this world.
Such a task would be unthinkable for unaided humanity. But Jesus here promises that such help as we need will be given: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you". Notice that he is given not primarily for the sake of the church but for the sake of the church's task. Of course, it is the most marvellous blessing to have God's Spirit dwell in us but here the emphasis is clearly on what he empowers us to do.
iii) Not only do the apostles need to know that the Spirit will empower them for the task, they need to know the scope of that task. They were thinking still in terms of national Israel but Jesus corrects them and tells them here that their task of being witnesses to this saving plan of God is to extend throughout the whole world: "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the world".
The task of the church today remains the same. The gospel is for all people, of all nations. Mission is about the gospel at home and abroad. We need to have a large vision that takes up this great commission.
3. Closure
Having laid out the task and the means for it, this opening passage closes with an account of the ascension of Jesus. This isn't something incidental but follows on precisely from what Jesus has just been saying.
There are parallels here with the story of Elijah going up to heaven in the OT and Elisha being commissioned to carry on his work. This is no mere prophet, this is the Messiah himself yet his work is being entrusted to the men who have been with him and they will know his Spirit coming upon them.
The ascension of Jesus also brings about a sense of closure in the story. They are to be witnesses of what they have seen and heard. They are not going to be witnesses to new things but to what has happened. Jesus has ascended to the highest place, he is now seated in power; their task, our task, is to proclaim him as the exalted King and only Saviour of mankind.
But we need to listen to the words of the angels in this scene. The apostles stood gazing up into the sky but God's word to them through his angels was not to do that. Jesus has gone and will return one day; they now need to live and minister in the time in-between. Yes, one day the kingdom will be fully realised, when Jesus returns. But until then, there is work to be done.
John Stott's comments on this are very challenging and form an appropriate conclusion:
1. The Unfinished Story...
The book of Acts is the second part of Luke's work (v.1). Both go together and each is incomplete without the other. In terms of the NT, they are very significant and account for 26% of the total.
But why is he writing? Back in Lk. 1:1-4 he told Theophilus it was so that "you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught". This second volume continues that work by focussing on what Jesus continues to do after his death and resurrection: the gospel of Luke was about what Jesus "began to do and to teach", the implication being that this second part will carry the story on.
But what is the story about? Luke's great theme is God's plan of salvation for his world, a plan foretold in the OT and, in the events Luke is writing about, now coming to fulfilment. He tells us here that the subject on which Jesus spoke to his disciples after his death and resurrection was "the kingdom of God" (v.3).
That reign has come to pass in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Here Luke stresses the resurrection, saying that Jesus gave his disciples during these 40 days "many convincing proofs that he was alive". The resurrection was certain and forms the ground of all that is to follow.
But those events do not stand alone. There is more to be done in terms of the saving reign of God. Jesus is returning to heaven but there is more to follow. That is hinted at in these opening verses where we read that Jesus gave "instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen".
Those who had been with him would have a part to play and the Holy Spirit is going to be significant in the outworking of that role. The rest of this opening passage takes us into the roles of the apostles and the Spirit and the situation they will be facing.
2. The roles of the Apostles and the Spirit
So what is it that Jesus wants his apostles to do? Initially, nothing; they were to wait in Jerusalem until they received the gift the Father had promised them.
Before we look at that gift, notice here the note of fulfilment: God the Father has promised something, in the OT, and this is now the time for his promise to come to pass. These are momentous times!
Jesus says that the Father's gift to them is going to be the Holy Spirit himself. They will be baptised with the Spirit in just a few days time. John baptised with water, a baptism of repentance but this is going to be something far greater. They will be incorporated into God's family in the deepest possible sense, with God himself coming upon them and dwelling within them.
This raises a question in the minds of the disciples. They associated the coming of the Spirit with God's promise to restore his people (as the OT suggested) and ask Jesus if that is to be now (v.6). His answer forms, in a sense, the whole theme of this book of Acts.
First he tells them they're not going to be privy to God's schedule. That isn't to be their concern. And it isn't to be our concern either. The church has not been commissioned to spent it's time speculating about how and when God will act or when Jesus will return. Nothing could be clearer than that!
What will impact them is the coming of the Spirit. This great event will change everything and will be the defining moment in the life not just of these apostles but the whole church for the whole of time.
Jesus says 3 things about their role, the Spirit's role and the scope of their work.
i) They will be his witnesses - they were to be living examples of the reality of the kingdom, of the saving reign of God. But they had a particular function to fulfil. They were eyewitnesses of great events and were to bear witness to them. They had been with Jesus, they had seen the miracles and heard the teaching; they had witnessed his death and had known for sure that he had risen from the dead.
Everything that was to follow in terms of their ministry was to flow from this foundation point.
We cannot be witnesses in the same way today but the whole life and ministry of the church is to be built on this foundation. As we too live under the saving reign of God, we can proclaim hope to the world and call for repentance and faith precisely because these things really took place all those years ago.
ii) In the power of the Spirit - But no group of men, however much they have seen and heard, are going to be equipped for such a task in their own strength. We are talking about God's action to rescue men and women from sin, to push back the kingdom of darkness and to blaze his glory in this world.
Such a task would be unthinkable for unaided humanity. But Jesus here promises that such help as we need will be given: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you". Notice that he is given not primarily for the sake of the church but for the sake of the church's task. Of course, it is the most marvellous blessing to have God's Spirit dwell in us but here the emphasis is clearly on what he empowers us to do.
iii) Not only do the apostles need to know that the Spirit will empower them for the task, they need to know the scope of that task. They were thinking still in terms of national Israel but Jesus corrects them and tells them here that their task of being witnesses to this saving plan of God is to extend throughout the whole world: "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the world".
The task of the church today remains the same. The gospel is for all people, of all nations. Mission is about the gospel at home and abroad. We need to have a large vision that takes up this great commission.
3. Closure
Having laid out the task and the means for it, this opening passage closes with an account of the ascension of Jesus. This isn't something incidental but follows on precisely from what Jesus has just been saying.
There are parallels here with the story of Elijah going up to heaven in the OT and Elisha being commissioned to carry on his work. This is no mere prophet, this is the Messiah himself yet his work is being entrusted to the men who have been with him and they will know his Spirit coming upon them.
The ascension of Jesus also brings about a sense of closure in the story. They are to be witnesses of what they have seen and heard. They are not going to be witnesses to new things but to what has happened. Jesus has ascended to the highest place, he is now seated in power; their task, our task, is to proclaim him as the exalted King and only Saviour of mankind.
But we need to listen to the words of the angels in this scene. The apostles stood gazing up into the sky but God's word to them through his angels was not to do that. Jesus has gone and will return one day; they now need to live and minister in the time in-between. Yes, one day the kingdom will be fully realised, when Jesus returns. But until then, there is work to be done.
John Stott's comments on this are very challenging and form an appropriate conclusion:
There was something fundamentally anomalous about their gazing up into the sky when they had been commissioned to go to the ends of the earth. It was not the sky which was to be their preoccupation. Their calling was to be witnesses not stargazers. The vision they were to cultivate was not upwards in nostalgia to the heaven which had received Jesus, but outwards in compassion to a lost world which needed him. It is the same for us. Curiosity about heaven and its occupants, speculation about prophecy and its fulfilment, an obsession with 'times and seasons' - these are aberrations which distract us from our God-given mission. Christ will come personally, visibly, gloriously. Of that we have been assured. Other details can wait. Meanwhile, we have work to do in the power of the Spirit.
Thursday, 6 July 2006
Ruth 4:13-22
We come in this passage to the end of the book of Ruth. The book begins in tragedy and it ends in joy and hope. Someone has described it as "a bright colour print developed from its gloomy negative". Here in this final passage, we see that print mounted and framed for the glory of God.
1. God at Work! (v.13)
Having seen Boaz act to be able to marry Ruth in vv.1-12, v.13 tells us that they came together as man and wife, conceived and had a son. A happy family!
What is especially important to note is how the author of Ruth records that for us: "the LORD enabled her to conceive". This is only the second time in the whole book that we read of the LORD's direct action in the lives of his people, the other time being in 1:6 where he had provided food for the people of Judah.
If these words were not there, the original readers and we too would have had no difficulty in acknowledging that the Lord had given this child. All through the book it's clear that the Lord is always at work, often behind the scenes. His presence in the lives of his people is never-failing. So when we read of the LORD's direct working, we're clearly meant to take notice. It is telling us something significant about him.
In 1:6, the LORD acts in grace to preserve life. In 4:13, he again acts in grace, both to give life and to preserve a family line. He is the only giver and sustainer of all life. Everything we have comes from him, every blessing is a gift of his grace. He holds all things in his hands. And in Jesus he is the one who alone can give true life, life in all its fullness. Without him, we ultimately have nothing; with him, we have everything.
2. A Happy Ending (vv.14-17)
Boaz and Ruth have a son. But notice how in vv.14-17, the focus switches back to Naomi and Ruth and Boaz quietly leave the stage. This has been Naomi's story and now we're seeing how that story ends.
Of course Ruth and Boaz have been significant people in the story but their actions, which have brought them security and happiness, have been for the sake of Naomi. Their own blessing has been experienced as a consequence of their desire to bless others:
- Ruth in accompanying Naomi back has come to faith in the Lord and has found rest and happiness in the home of another husband;
- Boaz, in helping Ruth and Naomi, has been blessed with a loving wife.
Aren't they both great examples to us of what we should be? It's interesting that they name their son Obed, meaning 'servant'. No doubt it was how they saw themselves and what they wanted for their son too. For there is no higher calling than to be a servant and to live for the sake of God and of others.
The focus, then, is on Naomi. Her story has been told and here we have its conclusion. In 1:3-5, she lost family and future; now she has a family again and a future. And all because her life has been bracketed by the grace of the covenant Lord.
She had come back home empty and poured out her bitter complaint to the ladies of Bethlehem; here, those same ladies reappear to give God the glory for changing Naomi's night into day.
The way that has happened may again seem strange to us. Boaz and Ruth have had the baby yet all the focus is on Naomi and it is she who is said to now have a son. What's going on?
Commentators are divided as to the exact details but, whether Naomi is the legal Mum, a foster Mum, or simply one proud Gran, the fact is that this boy is carrying on the family line; what seemed to have been lost in the deaths of Elimelech, Mahlon and Kilion has been redeemed in the birth of Ruth's son. Naomi thought she could have no more sons (1:11,12) but God has been at work!
And so the women pray that this young boy will renew Naomi's life and sustain her in her old age. The phrase 'renew your life' is very interesting; the same word is used by Naomi to describe how the Lord brought her back empty (1:21). It shows us just what a reversal of fortunes there has been for Naomi! And having begun with famine, the story will end with sustenance.
3. A Bigger Picture (vv.18-22)
There is so much to rejoice in here! But the book ends with a bigger picture. The portrait of God's grace to one family is placed on the wider canvas of his dealings with the nation of Israel. We see that in the closing genealogy.
Genealogies were, and are, very important. They serve to connect us to the past. They show us where we fit in. They remind us that we're not the first people. But genealogies in the Bible have another dimension too. They remind us of God's large-scale purposes.
This list begins with Perez and ends with David. It may not include every generation in between. But what it does is to connect the days of David with the days of the founding fathers of the nation - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Perez...and it puts Boaz and David in significant positions.
By doing that, it reminds the people that God's promises to Abraham are still valid in the time of David and are being worked out through him. Genealogies say to us 'God is at work and God can be trusted'.
What were those promises to Abraham? God promised him land and descendants, kings among them. What is it that Boaz has secured through his faithfulness? Land and descendants, one of whom is King David. God is at work in and through his people as they live for his glory.
But the canvas of God's grace is larger still. Turn to Matthew 1 and you'll see this genealogy continued and completed with the birth of Jesus, in Bethlehem, just like Obed. And what did he come to do? He came as the true & perfect servant of God to bring many sons to glory and to secure for them a future in the new heavens and new earth.
Conclusion
This whole book has been about human frailty and emptiness, about the very human need for rest and security, about fullness and a future. All to be found under the LORD's wings of refuge, in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today, this world is still a place of deep tragedy, of appalling emptiness. What hope is there for such a world? "You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich".
It's what Christmas is all about; it's what life is meant to be all about. Make it yours today, if it's never been yours, by coming to shelter under his wings through true faith in Jesus.
1. God at Work! (v.13)
Having seen Boaz act to be able to marry Ruth in vv.1-12, v.13 tells us that they came together as man and wife, conceived and had a son. A happy family!
What is especially important to note is how the author of Ruth records that for us: "the LORD enabled her to conceive". This is only the second time in the whole book that we read of the LORD's direct action in the lives of his people, the other time being in 1:6 where he had provided food for the people of Judah.
If these words were not there, the original readers and we too would have had no difficulty in acknowledging that the Lord had given this child. All through the book it's clear that the Lord is always at work, often behind the scenes. His presence in the lives of his people is never-failing. So when we read of the LORD's direct working, we're clearly meant to take notice. It is telling us something significant about him.
In 1:6, the LORD acts in grace to preserve life. In 4:13, he again acts in grace, both to give life and to preserve a family line. He is the only giver and sustainer of all life. Everything we have comes from him, every blessing is a gift of his grace. He holds all things in his hands. And in Jesus he is the one who alone can give true life, life in all its fullness. Without him, we ultimately have nothing; with him, we have everything.
2. A Happy Ending (vv.14-17)
Boaz and Ruth have a son. But notice how in vv.14-17, the focus switches back to Naomi and Ruth and Boaz quietly leave the stage. This has been Naomi's story and now we're seeing how that story ends.
Of course Ruth and Boaz have been significant people in the story but their actions, which have brought them security and happiness, have been for the sake of Naomi. Their own blessing has been experienced as a consequence of their desire to bless others:
- Ruth in accompanying Naomi back has come to faith in the Lord and has found rest and happiness in the home of another husband;
- Boaz, in helping Ruth and Naomi, has been blessed with a loving wife.
Aren't they both great examples to us of what we should be? It's interesting that they name their son Obed, meaning 'servant'. No doubt it was how they saw themselves and what they wanted for their son too. For there is no higher calling than to be a servant and to live for the sake of God and of others.
The focus, then, is on Naomi. Her story has been told and here we have its conclusion. In 1:3-5, she lost family and future; now she has a family again and a future. And all because her life has been bracketed by the grace of the covenant Lord.
She had come back home empty and poured out her bitter complaint to the ladies of Bethlehem; here, those same ladies reappear to give God the glory for changing Naomi's night into day.
The way that has happened may again seem strange to us. Boaz and Ruth have had the baby yet all the focus is on Naomi and it is she who is said to now have a son. What's going on?
Commentators are divided as to the exact details but, whether Naomi is the legal Mum, a foster Mum, or simply one proud Gran, the fact is that this boy is carrying on the family line; what seemed to have been lost in the deaths of Elimelech, Mahlon and Kilion has been redeemed in the birth of Ruth's son. Naomi thought she could have no more sons (1:11,12) but God has been at work!
And so the women pray that this young boy will renew Naomi's life and sustain her in her old age. The phrase 'renew your life' is very interesting; the same word is used by Naomi to describe how the Lord brought her back empty (1:21). It shows us just what a reversal of fortunes there has been for Naomi! And having begun with famine, the story will end with sustenance.
3. A Bigger Picture (vv.18-22)
There is so much to rejoice in here! But the book ends with a bigger picture. The portrait of God's grace to one family is placed on the wider canvas of his dealings with the nation of Israel. We see that in the closing genealogy.
Genealogies were, and are, very important. They serve to connect us to the past. They show us where we fit in. They remind us that we're not the first people. But genealogies in the Bible have another dimension too. They remind us of God's large-scale purposes.
This list begins with Perez and ends with David. It may not include every generation in between. But what it does is to connect the days of David with the days of the founding fathers of the nation - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Perez...and it puts Boaz and David in significant positions.
By doing that, it reminds the people that God's promises to Abraham are still valid in the time of David and are being worked out through him. Genealogies say to us 'God is at work and God can be trusted'.
What were those promises to Abraham? God promised him land and descendants, kings among them. What is it that Boaz has secured through his faithfulness? Land and descendants, one of whom is King David. God is at work in and through his people as they live for his glory.
But the canvas of God's grace is larger still. Turn to Matthew 1 and you'll see this genealogy continued and completed with the birth of Jesus, in Bethlehem, just like Obed. And what did he come to do? He came as the true & perfect servant of God to bring many sons to glory and to secure for them a future in the new heavens and new earth.
Conclusion
This whole book has been about human frailty and emptiness, about the very human need for rest and security, about fullness and a future. All to be found under the LORD's wings of refuge, in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today, this world is still a place of deep tragedy, of appalling emptiness. What hope is there for such a world? "You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich".
It's what Christmas is all about; it's what life is meant to be all about. Make it yours today, if it's never been yours, by coming to shelter under his wings through true faith in Jesus.
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