“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” Acts 2:4.
The Jewish Festival of Pentecost had arrived and Jerusalem, the Holy City, was teeming with Jewish pilgrims from all over the known ancient world. The followers of Jesus were gathered together, as was their habit, when, suddenly, there appeared among them an amazing, yet strange, presence – the Holy Spirit manifest as tongues on fire. This presence flowed over and through the disciples, filling them with the fresh presence of God. As they were filled up with the Holy Spirit, they began to run over with joy and spoke in a strange, new language. The whole gathering was freshly filled with the Holy Spirit and they spoke in tongues. It had finally happened! This was what Jesus had promised before His departure, and it had finally been fulfilled!
Can you imagine what it must have been like to be part of that gathering on that day? They had waited for the Promised One to arrive, not knowing quite how He would come. Then, this strange occurrence happens. There had never been an event like this before. The disciples began making verbal utterances that they did not necessarily understand with their minds, but yet, they were compelled to speak out by this New Presence. This was a very dramatic event and drew the attention of thousands, who were in Jerusalem for the Holiday Festival.
If I had been one of the disciples that day, I wonder what my reaction would have been. It is easy to say that, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, I probably would have been swept up in the moment. But then there is this other side of me that wonders if I would have withdrawn, due to my own insecurities or doubts. Have you ever been in a situation when God dramatically moved in a manner that was foreign to any of your previous life experience? If so, how did you respond? These new followers of Jesus were in that situation on that Pentecost day. We tend to make it into some religious, “stained-glass” experience, but I would imagine that there were all kinds of emotions present – fears, doubts, wonderment, amazement, and excitement, among others. Take some time today to reflect on the wonder of this day in the life of this early group of believers, and how it has affected us down through the centuries to our present day. Also, reflect on how you would have responded to those strange or foreign situations.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
June 21, 2007
“’Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us.’” Acts 1:21.
While in the period between Jesus’ return to the Father (the Ascension) and the arrival of the Holy Spirit, in which Jesus had instructed them to wait, the disciples met together regularly. During this time, the disciples had discussed the fact that Jesus had selected 12 particular men to be in a “closer” discipleship mode than the remainder of the disciples. We have called these twelve the “apostles”. With the loss of Judas, their number was now 11, so they decided that it was “necessary” to choose another to fill the position. They discussed the qualifications necessary for the one who was to fill this twelfth spot. As a result of their actions, Matthias was selected, and we promptly never hear about him, personally, again in all of the Scriptures.
It was thought by some that these early believers might have possibly gotten out ahead of God’s intentions by selecting Matthias. It is not that he was not a good person or not able to fill this position. It just might be that God had someone else in mind and that they needed to wait more patiently for His direction. If they had waited, perhaps they might have more naturally selected someone such as Paul, although he did not meet the qualifications that they had set. Certainly Paul functioned as one of the most effective, if not the most effective, disciples/apostles within the early Church. God used Paul in amazing, miraculous ways to expand the early Church and push them out into the world beyond Judaism, a place that the other original apostles did not desire to take her (the Church).
I identify with Peter and his tendency towards being impetuous, with its lack of patience. It is easy for me to get out there ahead of God with a great idea, battling away and wondering why it is just not working. It is not that the idea is bad. It just might be that I do not have the timing for implementation correct. What I need to learn in those instances is patience and timing. I need to have the patience to wait for His proper timing to implement His idea. Have you ever surfed? When surfing, it is vital to wait for just the perfect moment to catch the wave. If one is too early or too late, it just does not work! But when the timing is correct, it does not seem like work at all! Waiting of God’s perfect timing is similar. So even though it seems like a good idea or even “necessary” to do something, or might even seem to be God’s will, waiting patiently for His timing is a necessary component. Take some time today to reflect on this issue of God’s timing. Remember a time when you believed God gave you a great idea, yet the timing was not quite right. What were the consequences? Now, can you remember when you got the timing right? Wasn’t it like catching God’s wave, where it left you with a great feeling and sense of connected-ness? Remember: patience and timing.
While in the period between Jesus’ return to the Father (the Ascension) and the arrival of the Holy Spirit, in which Jesus had instructed them to wait, the disciples met together regularly. During this time, the disciples had discussed the fact that Jesus had selected 12 particular men to be in a “closer” discipleship mode than the remainder of the disciples. We have called these twelve the “apostles”. With the loss of Judas, their number was now 11, so they decided that it was “necessary” to choose another to fill the position. They discussed the qualifications necessary for the one who was to fill this twelfth spot. As a result of their actions, Matthias was selected, and we promptly never hear about him, personally, again in all of the Scriptures.
It was thought by some that these early believers might have possibly gotten out ahead of God’s intentions by selecting Matthias. It is not that he was not a good person or not able to fill this position. It just might be that God had someone else in mind and that they needed to wait more patiently for His direction. If they had waited, perhaps they might have more naturally selected someone such as Paul, although he did not meet the qualifications that they had set. Certainly Paul functioned as one of the most effective, if not the most effective, disciples/apostles within the early Church. God used Paul in amazing, miraculous ways to expand the early Church and push them out into the world beyond Judaism, a place that the other original apostles did not desire to take her (the Church).
I identify with Peter and his tendency towards being impetuous, with its lack of patience. It is easy for me to get out there ahead of God with a great idea, battling away and wondering why it is just not working. It is not that the idea is bad. It just might be that I do not have the timing for implementation correct. What I need to learn in those instances is patience and timing. I need to have the patience to wait for His proper timing to implement His idea. Have you ever surfed? When surfing, it is vital to wait for just the perfect moment to catch the wave. If one is too early or too late, it just does not work! But when the timing is correct, it does not seem like work at all! Waiting of God’s perfect timing is similar. So even though it seems like a good idea or even “necessary” to do something, or might even seem to be God’s will, waiting patiently for His timing is a necessary component. Take some time today to reflect on this issue of God’s timing. Remember a time when you believed God gave you a great idea, yet the timing was not quite right. What were the consequences? Now, can you remember when you got the timing right? Wasn’t it like catching God’s wave, where it left you with a great feeling and sense of connected-ness? Remember: patience and timing.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
June 14, 2007
“They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” Acts 1:14.
The early followers of Jesus were a praying people. It seems from Luke’s account that they were gathering all the time, and that when they gathered, they were always in prayer. In those days just after Jesus’ departure, they actually might not have known what else to do! After all, Jesus’ last words to them was to wait in Jerusalem for this next event to happen; this coming of “another Counselor”. So as they waited, they prayed. It doesn’t exactly say this, but I imagine that they talked quite a bit about the days when Jesus was among them – the things that He did and said.
What I really enjoy about this verse is the inclusion of “the women”. This book was still written during the hay-day of the patriarchal society. Men had dominated throughout history and were to continue dominating for centuries to come, yet Luke makes us aware of the early followers’ inclusion of women. Women were normally not allowed to meet in the same room as men. A Jewish woman was not allowed to enter the Temple in Jerusalem. And the Jewish nation and religion was more inclusive of the women’s partnership than most other cultures in the ancient world. The language from other cultures during Luke’s time was not very inclusive, and yet he shows the early church as an inclusive bunch, allowing the men and the women to meet together and to pray together. This group of believers may have had other problems, but it seems that allowing women to gather together with the men was not one of them. They must have taken their cue from what they observe Jesus do, and He certainly demonstrated an inclusion of women in all aspects of His ministry.
I must say that I am challenged in this area of “inclusion”. While I think of myself as an inclusive type of person, I realize that I tend to classify people into groups, which sends a clear message of who is “in” and who is “out”. Maybe someone doesn’t necessarily believe the exact way that I do, or perhaps they worship God in a different manner than I am accustom to worshipping, does that mean that I should “exclude” them in some manner or another? What about the person who looks different from me or comes from a different background than me, should I treat them any different? I do not know if Luke was including the women in this verse with such intent, but I do know that words and phrases are used in the Scriptures for a purpose. And it is very interesting that this phrase of inclusion is clearly stated. How do you exclude others? Take some time today to reflect on the inclusive nature of this verse and the challenge for us to be more inclusive. In what ways could you and I be more inclusive in our worlds today?
The early followers of Jesus were a praying people. It seems from Luke’s account that they were gathering all the time, and that when they gathered, they were always in prayer. In those days just after Jesus’ departure, they actually might not have known what else to do! After all, Jesus’ last words to them was to wait in Jerusalem for this next event to happen; this coming of “another Counselor”. So as they waited, they prayed. It doesn’t exactly say this, but I imagine that they talked quite a bit about the days when Jesus was among them – the things that He did and said.
What I really enjoy about this verse is the inclusion of “the women”. This book was still written during the hay-day of the patriarchal society. Men had dominated throughout history and were to continue dominating for centuries to come, yet Luke makes us aware of the early followers’ inclusion of women. Women were normally not allowed to meet in the same room as men. A Jewish woman was not allowed to enter the Temple in Jerusalem. And the Jewish nation and religion was more inclusive of the women’s partnership than most other cultures in the ancient world. The language from other cultures during Luke’s time was not very inclusive, and yet he shows the early church as an inclusive bunch, allowing the men and the women to meet together and to pray together. This group of believers may have had other problems, but it seems that allowing women to gather together with the men was not one of them. They must have taken their cue from what they observe Jesus do, and He certainly demonstrated an inclusion of women in all aspects of His ministry.
I must say that I am challenged in this area of “inclusion”. While I think of myself as an inclusive type of person, I realize that I tend to classify people into groups, which sends a clear message of who is “in” and who is “out”. Maybe someone doesn’t necessarily believe the exact way that I do, or perhaps they worship God in a different manner than I am accustom to worshipping, does that mean that I should “exclude” them in some manner or another? What about the person who looks different from me or comes from a different background than me, should I treat them any different? I do not know if Luke was including the women in this verse with such intent, but I do know that words and phrases are used in the Scriptures for a purpose. And it is very interesting that this phrase of inclusion is clearly stated. How do you exclude others? Take some time today to reflect on the inclusive nature of this verse and the challenge for us to be more inclusive. In what ways could you and I be more inclusive in our worlds today?
June 7, 2007
“They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.” Acts 1:10.
This is the moment that Jesus departed the earth to return to the presence of His Father. Within Christianity, this is called the Ascension. The disciples stood watching this moment happen for as long as they could. Two angels appeared and stood by them, apparently unnoticed at first. One of the angels spoke up, telling the disciples that Jesus would some day return in the same manner that He had just left. But they were not to wait around for this to happen, for no one knew how long that would be. God, the Father, in the mean time, had other things for them to do. We are still, some two thousand years later, “in the mean time”.
Followers of Christ have been “looking intently up” toward heaven in our attempt to discern what we are supposed to be doing “in the mean time”. It is a healthy tension to be in. I once heard someone say that a follow of Jesus needs to keep one eye focused towards heaven and one eye on what we sense God would like us to do here in our world – the eyes of our heart focused on God and our physical eyes, in obedience to God, focused on the work of God in our lives. That is the tension and the challenge. I find that it is not profitable for me to be so “heavenly minded that I am no earthly good”. I do not need to be one or the other – “either/or”; rather, I need to be “both/and”. I need to be heavenly minded in order to be of earthly good. The key is to be “intently looking up” to God for clarity on what He desires for me to do. And then to do it!
It is so interesting to me that Jesus, the perfect Son of God, needed to be in continual communication with His Father. He spent many solitary times away from all other people and in the presence of His Father. He apparently needed those times to “refill His tank”, preparing Him for the present day’s activities and mission. If Jesus needed to do this, what does that say about me….what about you? It is also interesting that Jesus’ time with His Father always resulted in action. Jesus never just basked in the “glory” of His Father. His time with God always prepared Him for doing something. Again, I ask, what about me….what about you? Take time today to reflect on what “looking intently up” to connect to God means in your life. What response does this provoke in you? I challenge you to consider the tension on being “heavenly minded” and “earthly good”. I know that for myself, I can be of no earthly good without being heavenly minded. How about you?
This is the moment that Jesus departed the earth to return to the presence of His Father. Within Christianity, this is called the Ascension. The disciples stood watching this moment happen for as long as they could. Two angels appeared and stood by them, apparently unnoticed at first. One of the angels spoke up, telling the disciples that Jesus would some day return in the same manner that He had just left. But they were not to wait around for this to happen, for no one knew how long that would be. God, the Father, in the mean time, had other things for them to do. We are still, some two thousand years later, “in the mean time”.
Followers of Christ have been “looking intently up” toward heaven in our attempt to discern what we are supposed to be doing “in the mean time”. It is a healthy tension to be in. I once heard someone say that a follow of Jesus needs to keep one eye focused towards heaven and one eye on what we sense God would like us to do here in our world – the eyes of our heart focused on God and our physical eyes, in obedience to God, focused on the work of God in our lives. That is the tension and the challenge. I find that it is not profitable for me to be so “heavenly minded that I am no earthly good”. I do not need to be one or the other – “either/or”; rather, I need to be “both/and”. I need to be heavenly minded in order to be of earthly good. The key is to be “intently looking up” to God for clarity on what He desires for me to do. And then to do it!
It is so interesting to me that Jesus, the perfect Son of God, needed to be in continual communication with His Father. He spent many solitary times away from all other people and in the presence of His Father. He apparently needed those times to “refill His tank”, preparing Him for the present day’s activities and mission. If Jesus needed to do this, what does that say about me….what about you? It is also interesting that Jesus’ time with His Father always resulted in action. Jesus never just basked in the “glory” of His Father. His time with God always prepared Him for doing something. Again, I ask, what about me….what about you? Take time today to reflect on what “looking intently up” to connect to God means in your life. What response does this provoke in you? I challenge you to consider the tension on being “heavenly minded” and “earthly good”. I know that for myself, I can be of no earthly good without being heavenly minded. How about you?
May 31, 2007
I am taking a break this week to tell another story from Priority One – Lehigh Valley.
I recently had lunch with a friend, who is helping to bring leadership to the men’s ministry at his local church. He told me a story of what happened this past fall when he was actively involved with getting men into a new small group that was starting up. He previously had 22 men sign up for an experimental group that was going to meet on Monday night to study a book together and watch the first half of the Monday Night Football game. It sounded like a great idea, and, as stated, it had attracted the 22 men, who had already signed up. Plus, there was hope of even more men getting involved.
He decided to make some phone calls to as many of the men as he could reach just a few days before the initial meeting and connected with 11 of the initial 22 men. He had no idea how many men would actually show up, but he sort of figured that at least the 22 that signed up would show up. He even thought that, possibly, some additional men would make it. As it turned out, the only men that showed up were – you guessed it – the 11 men that he reached personally on the phone. Not one man of the other 11 showed up and neither did any other men. Amazing!
What strikes me about this is the power of the personal invitation. This is a striking example to me of the impact of a personal, face-to-face invitation or phone call. Sometimes I send out e-mails or arrange for announcements to be made from the front at church or at some meeting and have all kinds of materials out, and, then, I wonder why very few, if any, responds. Most likely it is because I have not taken the time to personally invite someone else to take part in the group, event, or whatever it is, with me. Why is it that I do not do the personal calls? I know for me, it is usually because it takes more work to personally make the calls. Plus, there is a risk involved, and I might have to face rejection. How will it make me feel when this other person says “No” to me?
Is there a lesson or challenge in this for you? I know that there is for me! As we enter into our time of year where we are telling men about our Lake Champion Men’s Weekend, I am challenged to make sure that I personally invite others around me. How about you? How are you challenged by this story today? Remember: there is power in the personal invitation. Jesus said, “Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” And, at once, they left their nets and follow him. Matthew 4:19-20.
I recently had lunch with a friend, who is helping to bring leadership to the men’s ministry at his local church. He told me a story of what happened this past fall when he was actively involved with getting men into a new small group that was starting up. He previously had 22 men sign up for an experimental group that was going to meet on Monday night to study a book together and watch the first half of the Monday Night Football game. It sounded like a great idea, and, as stated, it had attracted the 22 men, who had already signed up. Plus, there was hope of even more men getting involved.
He decided to make some phone calls to as many of the men as he could reach just a few days before the initial meeting and connected with 11 of the initial 22 men. He had no idea how many men would actually show up, but he sort of figured that at least the 22 that signed up would show up. He even thought that, possibly, some additional men would make it. As it turned out, the only men that showed up were – you guessed it – the 11 men that he reached personally on the phone. Not one man of the other 11 showed up and neither did any other men. Amazing!
What strikes me about this is the power of the personal invitation. This is a striking example to me of the impact of a personal, face-to-face invitation or phone call. Sometimes I send out e-mails or arrange for announcements to be made from the front at church or at some meeting and have all kinds of materials out, and, then, I wonder why very few, if any, responds. Most likely it is because I have not taken the time to personally invite someone else to take part in the group, event, or whatever it is, with me. Why is it that I do not do the personal calls? I know for me, it is usually because it takes more work to personally make the calls. Plus, there is a risk involved, and I might have to face rejection. How will it make me feel when this other person says “No” to me?
Is there a lesson or challenge in this for you? I know that there is for me! As we enter into our time of year where we are telling men about our Lake Champion Men’s Weekend, I am challenged to make sure that I personally invite others around me. How about you? How are you challenged by this story today? Remember: there is power in the personal invitation. Jesus said, “Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” And, at once, they left their nets and follow him. Matthew 4:19-20.
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