Peter in Acts 9-10

As Peter actively continued his ministry, now traveling about the country, God was able to use him through the healing of Aeneas and the raising of Dorcas to bring many in Lydda, Sharon, and Joppa to become believers.   Peter's ministry was effective because of his reliance on prayer, giving glory to God, and willingness to put aside barriers and biases (e.g. Samaritans, Simon the tanner)

And, in Peter's Vision, God showed that He was breaking down one of the biggest barriers, that between Jews and Gentiles.  Just as we saw with Saul's conversion earlier in Chp 9; in Chp 10, we see God orchestrating His Plan for widespread inclusion of Gentiles in the Church by working independently in Peter's and Cornelius' lives.

Just as with the Ethiopian Eunuch, Saul, and now Cornelius, it is encouraging to see that those who were devout and God-fearing were ultimately led to the Truth.

In Acts, we have seen Peter as a great leader, having matured and developed from the Gospels; but, in this passage, we catch a glimpse of the "old" Peter, when he essentially once again used "No" and "Lord" in the same sentence.  This reminds us that preconceived notions or traditions may sometimes get in the way of saying "Yes" to the Lord.

Service

"Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else."  (2 Corinthians 9:13)

This verse stood out for me, related to serving.   Essentially, it's saying that our serving and generosity are expressions of our obedience to God due to our faith in Christ and will glorify HIM.  One commentator put it this way:  "The doctrine is, that one evidence of true subjection to the gospel; one proof that our profession is sincere and genuine, is a willingness to contribute to relieve the needs of the poor and afflicted friends of the Redeemer." (Barnes)

Along those lines, my pastor said, during the sermon on Sunday, that the power of our lives are in direct proportion to how much God is in control.  We live the life of amazing grace by expressing our faith through a life of love; and the only way to be right with God is to trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross.

And, in the context of that verse, in 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, it ties together faith and works, particularly in reference to giving.  We give cheerfully (hilariously), not reluctantly or under compulsion; so that it will result in praise and thanksgiving to God.  We can be motivated by remembering that all provisions come from God; and that He is the greatest example of Love and Giving through "His indescribable gift!" - the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Mountains

 "For we walk by faith, not by sight."  (2 Corinthians 5:7)

The Devotional last night from "40 Days with Jesus" by Sarah Young said that when we focus on the looming mountains, we may end up stumbling on our current path by not looking at where we are going.   And, it's even possible that our path may eventually lead us away from those mountains.

It's a good reminder to walk by faith; and not worry about climbing mountains we may not even end up facing.

Acts 9 - Conversion of Saul

Saul was so zealous in his persecution of the Church, that he even headed to Damascus, 160 miles away armed with letters from the high priest authorizing him to take prisoners back to Jerusalem.  Yet, on the road to Damascus, Saul met Jesus and learned that persecuting the Church is really persecuting Jesus Christ the LORD.   After days of blindness, praying, and not eating or drinking, Saul received his sight back, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and was baptized when God sent Ananias to him.   After his conversion, Saul's life was completed turned around.   Instead of persecuting the Church with the authority of the Jewish leaders, the Jews now sought to kill him for preaching that Jesus is the Son of God; and it was the disciples of the Church who would help him escape, both in Damascus and Jerusalem.

We see that God uses people like Ananias, the disciples of the Church at Damascus, and Barnabas to help Paul during his conversion and in his initial walk with Christ.  By being obedient to God and being willing to help Saul, these people were able to enable Saul to fulfill God's calling for him as a "chosen instrument to proclaim [His] name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel." (Acts 9:15b)

Amazing Life of Grace

"My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, Amazing grace"

This chorus from Chris Tomlin's "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)" song says essentially what my pastor has been preaching in his latest series in Galatians on "The Amazing Life of Grace" - that we have freedom in Christ, and are not bound by the chains of legalism nor of the condemnation, guilt, or shame of sin.   "We are declared righteous by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone!"

By the principle of logical consistency, Paul showed in  Galations 5:3, that those who insist on obligation to the law, would need to obey the whole law; and cannot stumble in even one part of it.  But, the reality is "we are just not that good"; and no one can ever "pay his own way".

"I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"  (Galatians 2:21)

Marriage

In a California Family Council letter, Ron Prentice gave some good points for traditional marriage:

• The laws of nature (and nature’s God) attest to the biological inter-relationship intended between man and woman.  This is the only human pairing that can procreate.
• Over the course of thousands of years, man-woman marriage has been replicated in diverse and separate cultures. In other words, marriage is not specific to one religion, and has been historically honored by non-religious groups.
• Marriage is not a right, but a privilege created by societies and governments for benefit to their common good and generational stability.
• The best environment for any child is in a functional family with both a mother and a father.

"Not surprisingly, the objective research stated above aligns with a biblical worldview."

Community Groups Series 4 and 5

I just realized that I didn't blog after session 4; so, I'll just combine that entry with the one for the latest session on 5.

In session 4, we were challenged with the idea that there are some parts of the "American Dream" that may not be so consistent with our values.  While the "equality of opportunity that permits any American to aspire to high attainment and material success" is great,  focusing only on "personal happiness and material comfort" can conflict with the eternal perspective.  Three principles we should remember are:

1. It's not our money; it's God's
2. We are entrusted with it; not entitled to it
3. God expects us to invest in His kingdom

We are to be wise stewards of the Time, Treasures, and Talents He has entrusted to us.

In session 5, we are challenged with the statistics that show that there is a hole in the Church.  Only 2 percent of the 2 percent given in tithe go to missions; but, while we have awareness, access, and ability, we often find excuses or lack the will to help.   Malachi 3:8-12 gives a different perspective on the tithe - that by not giving, we actually "rob God".  When the people of Israel turned away from God, they withheld the tithe, which had the purpose of supporting the priests and spiritual leaders; and providing for the needy. Thus, without the tithe, the Levites had to work, and thus abandon their religious duties, and the needs of the poor went unmet as well. 

What a difference we could make for the kingdom of God, if we all brought "the whole tithe into the storehouse".

Acts 8, Part 2

Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian Eunuch provides examples of effective evangelism:

• Being sensitive and obedient to God's leading 
• Initiating with good opening question 
• Answering questions directly and starting from where the person is at 
• Using Scripture and focusing on Christ  

When called to leave his amazing ministry in Samaria to go to the old desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza, Philip didn't give excuses or question why.  Through his obedience, he was able to lead the Ethiopian Eunuch to belief in Christ; and Historians cite the Ethiopian Eunuch as one who spread the Church into Africa.

Christian Classic Tour

What a blessing it was to attend the Christian Classic Tour concert last night with Christian artists Steve Green, Twila Paris, Michael Card and Wayne Watson; and with Dick Tunney as Musical Director and Pianist.  These are artists I grew up listening to, and I have always loved their music.

Michael Card talked about his study of the Gospel of Luke, and of the background passage to Jesus' washing the disciples feet.   Washing of the feet was a visual example of Jesus' response to the disciples' discussion about who was to be the greatest (Luke 22:24).  And in John 13:8, when Christ came to Peter, he said the word that should never be used when addressing the LORD, "No".  

Wayne Watson's music shows what a wonderful story-teller he is.   There are so many of his pieces that were so meaningful, like his classic Watercolor Ponies.  Somewhere in the World reminds me to keep waiting and praying.  Touch of the Master's Hand encourages me that God can use me and "play beautiful music" through of my life.  "Friend of a Wounded Heart" is so touching.  And "For Such a Time as This" always reminds me to always be ready to be used of God.

Twila Paris started with "Warrior is a Child".  She then shared the story of what her mother-in-law said to her son right before she was to leave this world - that we should not go about doing whatever we want but to seek God's Plan for our lives.  And she sang "How Beautiful". 

Steve Green, with his powerful voice, sang gloriously with the full orchestra and choir.  He sang "Find us Faithful" and told the story that as children, we tried to earn "stars" for things we did; and somewhere along the way thought that translated to how we live for God.  But, no, it is by faith in HIM alone that we have salvation.

Throughout the evening, the music just gave me goose bumps, once again hearing such great Christian music in person; with such powerful Scripture-based messages.

Witness

"The first duty of a witness is to testify."

That was a quote from a JFK movie that caught my attention.  It is so applicable to the Christian life; for that was what the Early Church was called to do... to testify to the resurrection of our LORD as witnesses.  And we, by faith, are "witnesses" also to Christ.  Our calling has not changed.

Acts 8, Part 1

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth"  (Acts 1:8)

Acts 8 begins the next phase of the spread of the gospel, to "Judea and Samaria".  "Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went" (Acts 8:4) illustrates how God was able to turn a horrible situation and use it for good; for the persecution led to the scattering which resulted in the spread of the gospel.

Looking at Saul in this passage, giving approval to the killing of Stephen and zealously destroying the Church, and then knowing of his amazing ministry later after he becomes the apostle Paul; also shows how God can use a person for His Work, no matter what they may have done in their past - once again illustrating how He turns negatives into positives.

Then, the passage shows a clear contrast between Philip's message, proclaiming the Messiah and the gospel of Jesus Christ; versus Simon's message of his own greatness.  And later, Peter's rebuke of Simon's monetary greed and wickedness in his heart shows how important it is that those who are converted know the TRUTH and are taught right theology.  We constantly have to be aware of false teachings; and the passage doesn't clearly tell us whether Simon ever truly repents.  Early Christian literature indicates that he may become the founder of the harmful and false teaching of Gnostism.

Sunday Afternoon - Carpenter Center

A friend invited a couple of us to "Franc D'Ambrosio's Broadway" show at the Carpenter Center yesterday.  He had the distinction of being the longest running Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera and was cast as Anthony Carleone in the Godfather III.  His pianist/accompanyist was good; and some of the highlights of the show were when he sang the theme from the Godfather in Italian, the prayer from Les Miserables, and of course music from The Phantom.

It was also a good time of fellowship with friends; and we again ate at L&L Hawaiian BBQ.   I had the Grilled Mahi Mahi with garlic.  It was good, but there really was a LOT of garlic.   It was a nice way to spend the Sunday afternoon.

I even squeezed in lawn mowing before it got dark.  Not something I was very motivated to do, since the clouds were coming in looking like it was going to rain, and it was getting windy; but, I'm glad I did, and it also gave me a chance to talk to my neighbor.

Valley

The sermon on Sunday was on what to do when we are in the Valley, particularly of Indecision:

• Admit we need a guide (Isaiah 53:6, Prov 14:12)
• Ask for directions in faith (James 1:5-6)
• Listen for God's response 
• Trust God, even when we don't understand (Psalm 77, Psalm 37:23-24)

We can choose to let the storm tell us how big it is; or we can tell the storm how big our God is.....

I've been wandering this "valley" for some time now.  I have been in prayer and seeking guidance from God; but, for now, it seems there is more to be experienced here in this valley as I continue to wait and follow.

The verse on my desktop wallpaper is actually quite applicable when in the valley:
"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help."  (Psalm 121:1)

Leadership Seminar

I attended a Leadership Seminar today where the main speaker was Dr Gary McIntosh, author of "Taking Your Church to the Next Level". 

My pastor opened by speaking on 1 Corinthians 4:1-2:  "This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful."

• We are to be servants, humble and willing to be open to be filled with the Spirit, not to be seen, but to do what the Master wants done.  And, we have the privilege in our church to be serving where God is blessing; and we can see the fruits and results.  
• We are also stewards, for we don't own the ministry; we just deliver what the owner asks of us.  And, we are entrusted with the mystery - Christ in us, the hope of glory.  
• Our Mission is the Great Commission.

Gary McIntosh, founder of Church Growth Network, gave an overview of his book and led us in discussions and games that applied principles from his book to our church:

• God grows the crop, but He doesn't do it without the farmer  (Similarly, as in 1 Corinth 3, God grows the Church, but we have to work with Him
• Most churches grow in a step-wise fashion at sizes of 35, 85, 125, 200, 400, 800, 1200-1600, and >2000.   85% of US churches are <200.   Cornerstone jumped to about 350 in the beginning and had growth spurt with new building, and is now at about 1,000.  Just as we adjust to our children's growth, we also need to do the same with church growth. 
• Why do we want to keep growing?  To fulfill the Great Commission
• Characteristics of growth:  1) Complexity, 2) Loneliness  (as a church grows larger, it must get "smaller" with an emphasis on small grp ministries), 3) Specialization (more specific pastors, functions, roles; expansion of definitions, etc), 4) Need for better communication, 5) Centralize/Decentralize (more authority to pastor and board b/c church is too large to be run by voting; and ministries given more to lay people as well as pastoral care being spread out more, 6)  Need for redundant systems (recruitment and assimilation)
• The avg person in the church knows about 60 people by name, no matter what size
• Need to think globally, i.e. dream big dreams
• Need more intentional focus on mission and core values, especially when people from other churches bring their missions and values from where they came from
• Don't become complacent with fulfillment of earlier visions (dream new ones)
• Example Challenges:  misunderstandings, communication, lack of direction, preconceived notions, lack of flexibility, not relinquishing control, unfocused or unnecessary activity =>  seek help repeatedly and in the right places; seek various voices at appropriate or similar stage; teamwork
• Growth Challenges specific to our church:  fear of growth, facilities, unclear mission and goal for next level, doing things the same way without changing as needed, motivation and putting ideas into action, recruiting and involvement, need for leaders trained and empowered, need for right people in right places, feeling of ownership, not neglecting discipleship and spiritual growth over growth in numbers, being able to offload pastoral care, balance for volunteer and paid staff, processes and communication, coordination, flexibility and letting go of ego, involve next generation, remain diverse, be clear on definition of terms (e.g. success), step out in faith, use technology, redefine outreach, generational change, knowing strengths, absence of warfare and presence of the Spirit
• Opportunities:  develop technology, facilities (expand, acquire, new campus, plant), staff (rule of thumb 1:150 - but, our church is working with 1:250 b/c of the help of volunteers like elders; as churches grow the ratio can shrink as well b/c more lay people get involved), clear volunteer recruitment process with follow-thru and analysis of "data", youth and children's ministry (people, space, security)
• As churches grow, the impact grows (e.g. small churches have local impact, medium have city, we are at regional, and large can have world or global impact)
• We may need to consider church plant  (have an extension pastor who takes a year to soak in our DNA and then has "hunting license" to recruit 10% to go to another area to start daughter church, which can in turn spur growth due to increased morale) or multi-site  (multiple campuses where church members reside; may be simpler than megachurch at one campus; can televise one pastor or have another pastor at each site)
• Planning is dependent on size (e.g. speedboat vs ocean liner); so if momentum is taking us to a projected growth, we need to plan now to handle that growth
• In terms of staffing, at 1200-1500 people, there is often an Executive Pastor; btwn the Pastor and Outreach, Worship, Instruction, Admin; but probably won't work for our church since our Pastor likes to remain directly involved.  So, may want to add a position above Admin or Worship to oversee technology
• What are some things that need to be done now?  Planning for facilities, another service, additional staff and volunteers, better communication/technology, additional security
• Sometimes an ad hoc committee may be better than a standing one, so that there is a defined term and specific purpose.

It was useful to brainstorm and get awareness of areas to focus on, in order to continue to the next level.  I also found the book to be interesting as well.

Servant

On the FISH today, Christian artist Jadon Lavik gave a neat quote from his dad about servanthood.   Essentially, he said that you know you are not being a servant if when someone treats you like one, you are bothered.

And in a Leadership Seminar today, I was reminded that being a Leader is to be a sacrificial servant, as illustrated by Christ's example.   Matthew 20:25-28 says:
"Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,  and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”"

Acts 7, Part 2

In this latter part of his response, Stephen masterfully makes his points.  He has addressed all the charges of blasphemy:  1) he believes in the God of glory and has recounted His interaction throughout Israel's history; 2) he respects Moses and recognized him as the one God called to be the deliverer and the one who told of the Prophet and Messiah to come, who is Christ; 3) he referred to the Law as God's living words; and 4) recounted the history of the temple, starting with the tabernacle.

Then he turns the tables.  It is not Stephen who blasphemed, but rather the Sanhedrin who, like the examples of "their fathers", disobeyed and rejected the Deliverer God sent, Jesus Christ.

In their fury, the Sanhedrin now drags Stephen out of the city to stone him.   Their reactions have escalated from threats to Peter and John, to flogging of the apostles, and now to killing.  However, even in his death, Stephen is filled with the Holy Spirit, glorifying God by being like Christ in committing his spirit to God and asking forgiveness for his executioners.

And, we are introduced to Saul, who was apparently in a position of authority, as Stephen was being martyred.