Many Lights Upstairs

Act 20:8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. 9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. 10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. 11 When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. 12 And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.

Poor Eutychus, sleeping in church! He fell into such a deep sleep that he sunk down and fell from the third floor loft.

On the one hand, it was midnight and Paul had been preaching a long time. But, on the other hand, there were a lot of lights on in the room.

We notice that Eutychus was not chided for sleeping. No one questioned his salvation or spiritual state. Rather, they were troubled for him, they ministered to him once he revived and talked with him for quite a while.

As I look out across our congregation, I will generally see two and sometimes more of our people sleeping during the average sermon. The furthest they could fall is off their padded pew chairs and onto the carpeted floor, so we are not concerned about having a resurrection service. There are plenty of lights on, but the preaching seldom goes over 35 minutes. And we never preach at midnight!

So, why are people sleeping in church? Like Eutychus, I don't think it is a spiritual condition. But unlike his situation, I think it indicates the lack of spiritual fervor in our lives and in our churches. We need stirring worship services and convicting preaching which engage our people. We need more people ministering and fewer folks spectating.

Let's wake up in church, “Amen!” the truth, rattle the peas in the noggin, pray for power, and drag some folks forward for the invitation.

A Mighty Growth of the Word

Act 19:20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

Is not what we want, the prevalence of the Word of the Lord? Our commission from Jesus demands that we find platforms to get the gospel to the ends of the earth, without neglecting our area. Do we find a pattern in Acts which we might follow so that the Word of God might grow mightily in our communities as it did in Ephesus?

Here is what we observe here in Acts 19:

1. The believers had become disciples, that is pupils of the Lord. vs 1
2. They were filled with the Holy Spirit. 6
3. They spake boldly and persuasively for the Lord. 8
4. They didn't give up. 10
5. The Christians publically gave up and renounced their evil ways. 19

I believe these things are basic to God working mightily among us.

The Christians Who Upset the Apple Cart

Acts 17:6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

Paul, Silas and Timothy, among other believers, had so affected their world with the Gospel, that it was said that they turned it upside down.

You read in the title of the book of Acts the words, "The Acts of the Apostles." So used by the Spirit of the Lord were these godly servants that the landscape of religion would forever be altered.

Contemporary Christianity envies the early movement of apostolic evangelism. We see a soul saved every now and we greatly rejoice. But we covet that golden age of Christianity when God added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Is it possible to have such evangelistic fervor and Spirit-induced revival today, or are we doomed to Laodicean lethargy?

Although there are many hindrances to a great movement upon our preaching today, such as over saturation in our gospel-hardened nation, I believe we limit our effectiveness by our lewd lifestyles, our lackadaisical attitudes and, dare I say it, our slothful laziness.

As I read about Paul and company, who turned the world upside down for Christ, I see that they were completely consumed with ministering the gospel and they clearly counted not their lives dear to themselves. They were motivated, bold, filled with Spirit power, living with deprivation, caring little for fleshly comfort or pleasure and completely single minded in their purpose.

In contrast, we seem pleased with the status quo of our world, not seeing the need of turning it upside down for God. If people go to hell, we feel that is upon them, and not at all our concern. Paul felt himself in debt to those in need of the Savior, we are ambivalent.

If we are involved in a spiritual movement, we thank God for an unusual event and go on with normality. But our spiritual forebears would think it unusual if they were not witnessing the miraculous on a very regular basis, as well as experiencing the persecution backlash that always came on the heels of God doing something great.

We cannot, we must not get comfortable with little or no movement from heaven, no zealous desire on our part to see people saved, lives changed, apples carts upended and our world rocked for God!

Get filled with the Spirit of the Lord right now and witness for Jesus to somebody today.

Pastor Hosni Mubarak

He's gone now, but I am a little miffed. Despite the issues of "stability in the region" I can't believe he took his people and ours for anywhere between $2 billion and $70 Billion. Some have said that it was a good investment for America on behalf of Israel, but right is right and wrong is wrong. So, I have a parable for perspective...

Pastor Mubarak is entrenched at Nile Road Baptist Church for 30 years. He is looking toward retirement and is dead set on his son taking over when he becomes Emeritus.

Nile Road has been receiving a large amount of support from another church for years. This supporting church is very concerned about Nile Road’s strategic position in its area.

The people of Nile Road, for the most part, despise his leadership, which has been very dictatorial. Pastor Mubarak is well known to have henchmen who mistreat, persecute and even torture members. Somehow, the pastor has amassed an unbelievable fortune, even though the church is struggling tremendously. Yet, the supporting church, Freedom Baptist continues support, knowing that he is misappropriating the funds for himself. They fear that, to withdraw funding would make the work in that area unstable. Also, Freedom thinks that if the pastor is forced out, legalists in the church might take over, which would be a disaster because then representatives from Freedom might have to come and dispose them of leadership. So, they continue pouring the funds of their own congregation into this rat hole.

Perhaps we should all enable the pastor to continue with his graft and corruption for fear of what might happen if he were gone?

Counting the Cost of Ministry

Act 16:1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. 3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.

We never know when we are going to come across a real keeper, but Paul and Silas found one in the town of Lystra. His name was Timothy, his pedigree was half Jewish and half Greek. He was grounded in Scripture by his mom and grandma from his childhood. Timothy had a good name among the believers.

This young man caught the attention of the Apostle and was invited to join their evangelistic team. Here is one young man whose contribution to the spread of Christianity was unparalleled.

But there was a price he had to pay. Just to quell any criticism, Paul circumcised Timothy. As traumatic as this is for a baby in the hospital, it is extremely painful for a young adult male. The Old Testament records that a whole male population was slain just after they had received circumcision because they didn't have the ability to defend themselves.

I have witnessed several guys who desired the office of a bishop, but they were totally unwilling to pay the price. When a man is so convinced that God would have him give his life to full time ministry, he must willingly forsake anything and everything for the cause. He will face deprivation, poverty, slander, attack, sacrifice, obscurity and a whole plethora of hardship.

Some that I have dealt with who desire to be in the ministry can't even get themselves to church half the time. They are not willing to give up bad habits. They reserve the right to occupy the throne of their own hearts. This will not do! A servant of the Most High has to surrender it all for the opportunity to be counted among that holy band of brothers awaiting the shepherd's crown in glory.

It is a good thing that tests like Timothy's circumcision arise, it thins out the ones who aren't going to make it in the long run.

Divide and Conquer or Unite and Thrive.

Acts, chapter 15 shows us that even good Christians part ways over philosophical differences.

The first half of the chapter shows a divide between the old-paths traditionalists, stuck in the Old Testament economy, and the Apostles, who were riding the wave that God had provided. The debate had to do with the Gentiles being saved and their subsequent lifestyle practices. The traditionalists were demanding that Gentiles which became believers must be circumcised and follow the law of Moses.

But the Apostles were averring that even the Jews couldn't keep the law, so why burden the Gentiles with law-keeping while yoking the Apostles, demanding that they add to the message of the gospel? Which, by the way, would no longer be the gospel because the gospel, plus or minus anything, is no longer the gospel, but a perversion.

After a lengthy round table with the elders and the apostles, and a diatribe by Paul, an agreement was made that the Gentiles would be saved by trusting Christ and not subsequently saddled with keeping the law of Moses. Three demands would be made of them, but had nothing to do with their salvation.
1. Don't eat meat that had been offered to idols.
2. Don't eat or drink blood and don’t eat the flesh of animals that had been strangled.
3. Stay sexually pure.

That's it! nothing about going to the movies, eating bacon, worshiping on a particular day, nor the length of the hemline, the hair or the AM service.

Seems we need another Jerusalem conference to determine that the gospel must stand alone in the matter of salvation and that God is more concerned about a relationship than rule keeping.

Split number 2, (verses 36-41) : The great evangelistic team of Paul and Barnabas was divided asunder over what to do with John Mark.

Because he had earlier abandoned the team due to a severe case of mommy-itus, Paul wanted nothing to do with this home boy. Barnabas however, rightly named "son of consolation," still saw much potential in Mark and demanded that he accompany them on the next mission trip. Besides, he was Mark’s uncle.

The argument got so overheated that the team was broken up and there wound up being two evangelistic teams;
Team 1, Paul and Silas,
Team 2: Barnabas and John Mark.

Thus, the old Baptist method of "Divide and Conquer" was employed once again.

The good news is that years down the road, in the twilight of Paul's ministry, he had this to say about John Mark, "Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry." Don’t give up on people for whom God still has a plan.

For those on both sides of misunderstandings and other issues, if they have good and godly hearts, time can and does heal all wounds.

Holy Cow! Men aren't from Mars!

Holy Cow!
Act 14:8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: 9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, 10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. 11 And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. 12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. 13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. 14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, 15 And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

Holy Cow! It turns out men aren't from Mars, but these superstitious people in Lystra thought these two apostles were gods from Jupiter and Mercury because of the miracle of healing this lame man. They wanted to sacrifice a cow to them.

From gods to goats. Because of the Jews who had been dogging their tracks, since Antioch and Iconium, came in to stir the people up, now they stoned the one whom they had just been worshiping, leaving him for dead. How fickle can folks be?

Ministry tends to be this way. Some will exhibit a sort of "what have you done for me lately" attitude. They may forget the victories of yesterday and dwell on the gossip going around today. They hail you as a great man of God on Sunday, but a great tyrannical dictator on Sunday night.

How many preachers feel as if they have been dragged to the edge of town and left for dead, only to get back up and go on to the next pastorate to do it all over again?

Though women are not from Venus nor men from Mars, sometimes you gotta wonder how they got so luney!