Christ Church

Times of Refreshing on the Threshold of Doom (Acts of the Apostles #8)

Lindsey Gardner on

Introduction

Jesus Christ was a murder victim, killed by the ungodly men who ran the ecclesiastical machinery of ancient Jerusalem. They thought that they had dispensed with the Christ threat, but He exploded their plans by coming back from the dead. Now this risen one had predicted that He would come back from the dead, as His enemies well knew (Matt. 27:63). This prediction had been fulfilled, as they also knew (Matt. 28:11-15). But in addition to this, He had also predicted that Jerusalem would be flattened within one generation (Matt. 24:34). The city was now on death row, and the clock running down. The resurrection was therefore the guarantee that the destruction to follow was certain.

In this context, the great apostle Peter was offering the miscreants terms. He was giving them a chance to repent. Many did, but—in the teeth of the evidence—many others did not. It was not a matter of evidence.

 

The Text

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities” (Acts 3:19–26).

 

Summary of the Text

In the first half of this chapter, Peter has preached the objective facts of the gospel—the death and resurrection of the Christ of Israel. He now comes to an appeal for the subjective response to that gospel. He tells his listeners to repent, to be converted, with the result that their sins will be blotted out (including the sin of crucifying Christ), and they will enjoy times of refreshing that will come straight from the presence of the Lord (v. 19). God will send Jesus Christ back again, the same one just preached to you (v. 20)—but this Christ must remain in Heaven until the “times of restitution of all things” (v. 21). These times of restitution have been spoken about by God from the world’s beginning, through all His holy prophets (v. 21).

Moses, for example, predicted that God would raise up a prophet like him, and the people were instructed to listen to everything He taught (v. 22). Moses also said that anybody who did not heed that prophet would be destroyed (v. 23). All the prophets, from Samuel on, were foretelling these days (v. 24). Those listening to Peter were children of these prophets, and children of the covenant that God made with their fathers (v. 25). This covenant was made when God spoke to Abraham, saying that in his seed all the families of the earth would be blessed (v. 25). And so consequently God, having raised up Jesus, sent Him to bless those who had murdered Him. That blessing would be in turning anyone from his iniquities (v. 26).

 

Faithful Prophecy

 Prophecy should be understood as having two components. There is the forthtelling—where the prophet speaks to the people, in the name of God, telling them what their current spiritual condition actually is. But how can the people know whether this message is truly from God or not? This leads to the foretelling, the predicting. Fulfilled prophecy proves that the messenger of God is truly speaking on behalf of the God who is in full control of all history. This is why Isaiah is able to taunt the idols. “Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: Yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together” (Isaiah 41:23).

Look at the showdown between Hananiah and Jeremiah (Jer. 28), revolving around just this point. The same was true of Micaiah and Zedekiah (1 Kings 22:15-25). “And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you” (1 Kings 22:28). False gods do not know the future, and the true God does.

Immediately after the passage that Peter quotes, false prophecy is made a capital offense (Deut. 18:20). But how can we tell? the people ask. The answer is straightforward. “When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him” (Deut. 18:22).

This is a central qualifying characteristic of a true prophet. Christ met that description.

 

The Great Unforced Error in Apologetics

A number of years ago, I traveled with the atheist Christopher Hitchens, debating him, and one of his arguments was that Christ thought the end of the world was going to happen . . . and then it didn’t. Christ was clearly mistaken, Hitch thought, and so why should we listen to Him? The atheist Bertrand Russell thought the same: “He certainly thought that his second coming would occur in clouds of glory before the death of all the people who were living at that time. There are a great many texts that prove that.”

But Matthew 24 was not about the end of the space/time continuum, but rather (very clearly) about the looming destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. “Your house will be left to you desolate” (Matt. 23:38). Not one stone will be left on another (Matt. 24:2). The disciples naturally ask when will this happen (Matt. 24:3)? Jesus says it will be within one generation (Matt. 24:34). People are confused because of the collapsing solar system word pictures (Matt. 24:29). But everywhere in the Old Testament that such imagery is used, it is always describing the destruction of a city, and never the destruction of the cosmos—as we discussed in the fifth sermon of this series, it is used of Babylon (Is. 13:10), of Edom (Is. 34:4), of the northern kingdom of Israel (Amos 8:9), of Egypt (Ezek. 32:7), and of Israel (Joel 2:28-32).

One of the great tragedies in the world of apologetics is that many conservative believers have interpreted Matthew 24 in a way that robs Christ of His great vindication, and robs Peter of the great and forceful point of this sermon. Listen to the prophet, and stand in awe, which is not the same as moving the fulfillment of His prophecy to the end of the world, well out of reach.

 

Christ the Faithful Prophet

Peter is at pains to show that Christ was the prophet that Moses had predicted would come. For Moses truly said. This prophet would be raised up, and moreover, He would be raised up again. You must listen to Him about everything. And every soul that will not listen will be destroyed. Will you not come? Will you not believe? What more could you want?

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Discerning the Lord’s Will (The Continuing Adventures of Jesus #38) (King’s Cross)

Lindsey Gardner on

INTRODUCTION

How do you know what the will of God is for you? We pray that God’s “will” would be done on earth as it is in heaven, but we have many choices to make, some obviously significant and every choice momentous.  

Paul said that he was compelled by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem (Acts 19:21, 20:22), and yet, the same Spirit filled disciples urging Paul not to go (Acts 21:4, 11). Does God do this regularly? Does God send mixed signals? 

God is not trying to trick anyone, but He does test us. The Holy Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted (Mk. 1:12). This was not so that Jesus would fail, but so He would succeed. Christians must trust and obey God’s clear Word, and then we trust His providence in the gifts, opportunities, and desires He gives us. 

The Text: “And it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara…” (Acts 21:1-14).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

After leaving the Ephesian elders at Miletus, Paul’s entourage sailed along the coast of southwest Asia Minor, until they came to Syria (Acts 21:1-3). While there for seven days, the disciples, by the Holy Spirit, warned Paul not to go to Jerusalem before sending him on his way with prayers (Acts 21:4-6). Sailing south along the coast of Palestine, they came to Caesarea and stayed with Philip, one of the seven, who had four faithful daughters (Acts 21:7-9). While there, the prophet Agabus, foretold that Paul would be arrested in Jerusalem, and everyone tried to dissuade Paul from going (Acts 21:10-12). But while Paul felt the emotional force of their pleas, he was unmoved and ready to die if necessary, and the brothers committed him to the will of the Lord (Acts 21:13-14). 

THE WILL OF GOD

How did Paul know what the will of God was? We may not be able to answer exhaustively, but we can have a basic understanding of how God wants us to discern His will. Theologians commonly distinguish between the “decretive will” of God and the “preceptive will” of God. The decretive will is what God has decreed will come to pass before all time (Gen. 1:3, Is. 46:10, Eph. 1:11); His preceptive will is what God has revealed is good and right for His creatures to do (cf. His law, Ex. 20, Dt. 5). So it is God’s preceptive will for all men to repent of their sins and obey God’s law, but regardless of whether they do or not, God works all things together for good for those who love Him (Rom. 8, Gen. 50:20). So while we cannot know God’s ultimate decretive will, His preceptive will (His law and gospel) is the central revelation of His will for us (1 Thess. 4:1-7).  

DISCERNING THE WILL OF GOD

So, when you’re trying to determine God’s will, begin by asking: is it lawful/moral? If not, it is not the will of God. It is not the will of God for you to marry an unbeliever, to disobey your parents, or cheat or steal. These moral obligations also include providing for your family, your parents, and having a church community. You would need a clear indication from God that a higher duty is requiring you to set aside one of those duties (e.g. a boss or parent or pastor asking you to sin). 

If it is lawful, then the next questions would be: What are your abilities, opportunities, and desires? You may have the ability and desire, but no opportunity. You may have the opportunity, but no ability or desire. As it is sometimes said, “the need is not necessarily the call.” Many orphans need to be adopted, many unreached peoples need to be evangelized, but the need is not necessarily the call. But if you have an opportunity and the ability, sometimes the will of God comes down to what you really want to do. On the other hand, as Jonah learned the hard way, sometimes the need amounts to a command and it doesn’t matter what you want to do (e.g. the Good Samaritan). Also, remember that wisdom is found in the multitude of counselors, and at the same time, you can’t just go along with the multitude (Ex. 23:2). 

FACE TOWARD JERUSALEM

Later, Paul will explain that he came to Jerusalem to bring alms and offerings (Acts 24:17). While there may have been other factors at work, it appears that Paul was very concerned to bring his entourage from the new churches in Greece with their offerings to Jerusalem. He knew the risks involved full well, but he believed that this was what was most needful, perhaps particularly for the unity of the Jewish and Gentile churches. 

It also continues the pattern of the apostles imitating Jesus, “And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Lk. 9:51). And just as Peter wanted to insist that Jesus not go (Mk. 8:31ff), Paul faced similar resistance, testing his resolve. And so we can expect similar testing, and while it can occasionally be wise to double check our decisions, our general instinct ought to be “not to doubt in the dark what we knew in the light.” If we are walking in the Light, confessing our sins and forgiving one another, while God does test us, He does not trick us. 

APPLICATIONS

Safety is Not the Highest Good: Our God plays with death and dragons. Wisdom is not reckless, but it is ambitious and courageous. By faith some overcame armies; and by faith some were stoned and sawn in two (Heb. 11). And all of them obtained a good report. Winning and victory are found in obedience to the Lord, not necessarily surviving. 

Parents, beware of making safety the highest good. Obedience is the highest good, and obedience often requires selfless courage, danger, and even harm. Paul was prepared to go to prison and die if necessary for the name of Jesus. Wives, beware tempting husbands or children to be unfaithful by your fear of harm. Better the obedience of Christ (dying at 33), than a long life of grieving His Spirit. 

Stick to Your Near and Clear Duties: “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you” (Mt. 6:33). “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart” (Ps. 37:4). And this includes keeping your word/vows/covenants (Ps. 15:4). This is how God ordinarily shows us His will.

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Christian Courage (The Continuing Adventures of Jesus #41) (King’s Cross)

Joshua Edgren on

INTRODUCTION

Christian courage is based entirely on the conviction that God is for us, that God is on our side. It is based on the certainty that the resurrection of Jesus Christ means that our sins have been completely paid for. It is based on God’s perfect justice and a completely clean conscience before God.

If we are a cowardly people, it is because we are guilty people. So the courage and innocence of Paul is a message we desperately need today.

THE TEXT:

“And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and three dust into the air, the chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle…” (Acts 22:23-23:11)

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

As the Jewish mob erupted again in chaos, the captain ordered Paul to be interrogated by flogging, but as they were tying him up, Paul asked the centurion if it was lawful to scourge a Roman citizen without a trial (Acts 22:23-25). Startled, the centurion told the captain who was surprised for the second time that day to find out that Paul was a freeborn citizen and cancelled the interrogation (Acts 22:26-29).

The next day, the captain brought Paul to face the Jewish council, when, as soon as Paul said he was innocent, the high priest ordered him to be struck on the mouth (Acts 22:30-23:2). To which, Paul vehemently objected, but when he realized it was the high priest, he took it back, which may indicate that Paul’s eyesight was very poor (Acts 23:3-5, cf. Gal. 6:11). When Paul gathered that the council was filled with both Pharisees and Sadducees, he cried out that he was being accused because of his belief in the resurrection, and the assembly descended into bedlam, requiring the captain to drag Paul out of the council (Acts 23:6-10). The following evening, the Lord appeared to Paul and encouraged him with the promise of testifying in Rome (Acts 23:11).

IS IT LAWFUL?

In this text, there are two scenes back-to-back where Paul appeals to what is “lawful.” Both refer to the lawfulness of striking someone without due process of law (Acts 22:25, 23:3). This underlines two significant principles in biblical law: presumption of innocence and the inherent violence granted to the civil magistrate.

Throughout Scripture, God requires two or three witnesses to convict anyone of sin or crimes: “One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established” (Deut. 19:15, cf. Deut. 17:6). This principle is reinforced by Jesus: “But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established… For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matt. 18:16, 20). And this is a particular protection in the civil sphere because God has granted magistrates the sword of vengeance (Rom. 13:4). This is why Christians must believe in limited government.

This biblical principle of justice means that God requires us to presume innocence and give the benefit of the doubt where there are not multiple witnesses. God says it is better if a criminal occasionally gets off than for the innocent to be punished. Closely related, the Bible requires that false witnesses be held liable to the penalty they would have inflicted on their neighbor (Dt. 19:19). This is a stern warning against false/mistaken accusations.

GOOD CONSCIENCE

One of the most offensive things in a fallen world is a good conscience. This is why whenever people are upset, they almost immediately begin demanding apologies. Just admit you were wrong. Nobody’s perfect. You’re not Jesus. When people are offended, one of the most offensive things you can do is say that you have a clean conscience.

Paul had just given his testimony, which included the acknowledgement that he had persecuted Christians, including his consent to the blood of Stephen (Acts 22:4, 20). And he was baptized for the remission of his sins (Acts 22:16). But Paul’s conversion and baptism are the very reason why he can begin his defense before the council with the words, “I have lived in all good conscience before God…” (Acts 23:1). Peter makes a similar point, referring to Noah’s flood, when he wrote, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 3:21).

Do you have a good conscience before God? This was what was so offensive about Job. He was certain that he had not done anything to deserve the calamities that fell on his house (and he was right). The sinless innocence of Jesus was also particularly offensive (Jn. 9:24).

BE COURAGEOUS

In the midst of this cacophony of false accusations, the Lord Jesus visits Paul again, coming upon him, overshadowing him, and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome” (Acts 23:11). Literally, he says, ‘Be courageous, Paul’ (e.g. 2 Cor. 7:16, Heb. 13:6). Think of the Captain of the host of the Lord appearing to Joshua to send him to Jericho (Josh. 5:13-6:5), all in the context of the command, “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Josh. 1:9).

Jesus is sending Paul to Rome, the first century “Jericho.” And while that city took longer than seven days, Paul and many other faithful preachers blew their gospel trumpets for many decades, and those walls of pagan unbelief did come tumbling down.

APPLICATIONS

Paul is on trial because of the resurrection on multiple levels. He is on trial because the risen Jesus appeared to him and commanded him to preach to the gentiles. He is on trial because by the resurrection of Jesus, he has a completely clean conscience before God. He is on trial because the resurrection of Jesus has made him bold to obey no matter what (cf. 1 Cor. 15:10).

The law requires presumption of innocence, and this really is remarkable in a fallen world, where everyone is guilty of something. But this underlines God’s disposition towards us: “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy… Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him” (Ps. 103:8, 13). “The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge” (Ps. 46:7). And we must imitate this grace in our families and neighbors. With the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

Satan is the accuser; Jesus Christ is our advocate with the Father, the propitiation for our sins (1 Jn. 2:1-2). We have three witnesses of our complete innocence: the Spirit, the water, and the blood (1 Jn. 5:8). And all three say with a united voice, “not guilty.” This is our confidence, our Christian courage.

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Healing At the Beautiful Gate (Acts of the Apostles #7)

Joshua Edgren on

INTRODUCTION

 Faith in the power of Christ is not the same thing as faith in the power of faith. In this passage, Peter says explicitly that it was not through their own power or holiness that this remarkable healing was accomplished. Rather it was the power of the risen Christ who did it, using Peter and John as His instrument.

THE TEXT

“Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them . . . But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.” (Acts 3:1–18).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

 Peter and John were going up to the Temple at “the hour of prayer,” which was 3 pm (v. 1). There was a beggar there, lame from birth, who would be carried to the gate that was called Beautiful in order to beg (v. 2). For various reasons, which gate this was is uncertain. He saw Peter and John about to enter, and asked them for alms (v. 3). Peter looked at him directly, together with John, and told him to look at them (v. 4). The man did so, expecting to be given some money (v. 5). Peter made his famous statement, “silver and gold have I none,” and commanded him to rise and walk in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth (v. 6). He took him by the right hand and lifted him up, when he was immediately healed (v. 7). The man jumped up, and went into the Temple with them, walking, leaping, and praising God (v. 8). Everybody saw him (v. 9). They all knew who it was, and so they were stupefied (v. 10). The healed man was hanging on to Peter and John, and everybody gathered in Solomon’s portico, filled with amazement (v. 11). Solomon’s portico was a long colonnade along the eastern side of the Temple complex. Peter saw their wonder, and asked them why they were so amazed. It was not as though they did this thing through their own power or holiness (v. 12). He comes right to the convicting point. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the “God of our fathers,” has glorified His Son Jesus—the one you all delivered up (v. 13). You denied Him before Pilate, when Pilate wanted to release Him (v. 13). But you people denied the Holy and Just One, and demanded that a murderer be released instead (v. 14). So Barabbas went free, and you people killed the Prince of Life—the one that God raised from the dead, as the apostles can witness (v. 15). It is the name of Christ and faith in the name of Christ that restored this cripple, a lame man that all of you recognize (v. 16). Peter acknowledges that their crime was done in ignorance, as also done in ignorance by their rulers (v. 17). But all the things that all the prophets had said would happen in the suffering of the Christ had in fact happened (v. 18).

SILVER AND GOLD

One legend had it that Thomas Aquinas was once talking with the pope, who was counting out a large sum of money. The pope said, “You see, Thomas, the church can no longer say, ‘Silver and gold have I none.’ Thomas replied, ‘That is true, holy father, but neither can she still say, ‘Arise and walk.’’” So just remember that it is extremely difficult to keep money from doing what money always does.

FAITH AND THE FAITHFULNESS OF THE OBJECT

The miracle was accomplished by the name of Christ and by faith in the name of Christ. This was the faith of Peter and John, not the cripple, because the healing of the lame man overtook him from behind. He was expecting something else entirely. Faith needs to be understood as the natural response to the perceived faithfulness of God (Heb. 11:11). By faith Sarah “considered him faithful.” When God is understood to be faithful, that understanding is what faith is. Faith has no power or virtue in itself to suspend itself in mid-air. Faith in faith is impotent and empty. Always look away.

You all believe your chairs will continue to hold you, but it is the chair that is doing the holding, not your faith. You all believe that the roof is not going to fall in, but it is the steel beams that hold the roof up, not your faith. You have all seen those early reels of inventors, pre-Wright brothers, jumping off of bridges with Batman wings. How much faith did they have, and did it keep them from crashing? And you all know about nervous passengers on a jet, terrified at every moment, and yet their fear doesn’t make the plane crash. If you have faith the size of a mustard seed (Matt. 17:20), placed in the right object, then mountains move.

WHOM YOU CRUCIFIED

This is the second random crowd of Jerusalem inhabitants that Peter accuses of murder. He did it twice with the people who assembled at random in response to the gift of tongues (Acts 2:23, 36), and he does it four times here. A random crowd at the Temple gathered in response to a lame man being healed, and Peter charges them with murder multiple times (Acts 3:13,14,15,17). He wants them to know that Christ is the one who healed this man, of course, but he wants them to know that it was the same Christ that they had delivered over to death just a few months before.

Peter allows that they did it in ignorance, just as their rulers did it in ignorance (Acts 3:17). This accords with what Jesus said from the cross—”they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). The obstinacy and high rebellion really begin at the resurrection. When the rulers obtained a guard for the grave, they were not trying to prevent the resurrection.

So these events, the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, constituted the condemnation of Jerusalem, that bloody city. These same events were also salvation, if the people repented and believed, from the consequences of this awful murder. This was their crime, and it was also their salvation.

And the same application can be made for each of us. It was our sin that put Christ on the cross, and Christ on the cross is our deliverance from our sin. So when you look at the cross, you should see your crime. And when you look at the cross you should see your salvation. Only faith can see both. Both what? The impaled bronze serpent (John 3:14) and the Prince of Life (Acts 3:15) are both there.

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Gospel Trouble (The Continuing Adventures of Jesus #40) (KC)

Joshua Edgren on

INTRODUCTION

What is your reaction to trouble? How do you respond when things don’t go the way you planned? Christians are people who have surrendered to Jesus Christ, trusting that His plan is better because He died and rose again to forgive our sins and put us on His mission and therefore, He is worthy.

This is now the second time (of three) we will hear Paul’s testimony. Luke is emphasizing the legitimacy of Paul’s apostleship, but it also sets down the bass line of Christian life: we follow Christ and when trouble happens, it is an opportunity to talk about His mission.

The Text: “And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people…” (Acts 21:35-22:22)

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Having just been beaten, while being pulled up the stairs to the fortress, Paul asked the captain (in Greek) if he could speak to the people, and after clarifying who he was, he began speaking to the people in Hebrew (Acts 21:35-40). Paul told the Jews that he had been a devout Jew, trained by the great Gamaliel, including persecuting Christians, all the way to Damascus (Acts 22:1-5). While on that road, Jesus of Nazareth confronted him with a great light and sent him into the city to find out what he must do (Acts 22:6-10). He was led by his companions into Damascus where Ananias restored his sight, commissioned him as an apostle, and Paul was baptized and assured of his forgiveness (Acts 22:11-16).

After that, it was while Paul was praying in the temple, that Jesus appeared to Him again and sent him out of Jerusalem to preach, despite the fact that Paul had persecuted the Christians (Acts 22:17-20). And when Paul said that Jesus had sent him to preach to the Gentiles, the Jews exploded with murderous outrage (Acts 22:21-22).

OPPORTUNITY TROUBLE

It is remarkable that having just escaped being beaten to death (Acts 21:31-32), Paul sees an opportunity for the gospel. This follows a long-established pattern in the book of Acts:

(1) Pentecost Commotion (2:1-41), result: 3000 baptisms; (2) Lame Man controversy (4:1-4), result: 2000 more believers; (3) Ananias and Sapphira struck dead (5:1-14), result: more believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of men and women; (4) Commotion after Peter and John’s prison break (5:17-26), result: disciples rejoicing, preaching and teaching more, and increasing in number (5:41-6:1); (5) Greek and Jewish widow controversy (6:1-7), result: first deacons appointed, the word of God increased, disciples multiplied; (6) Controversy with Stephen’s arrest and execution (6:8-8:4ff), result: scattered disciples preaching the word everywhere; (7) Saul confesses Jesus in Damascus and plots ensue (9:19-25); result: amazement and Jews confounded, (8) Saul preaches in Jerusalem and plots ensue (9:26-31), result: the churches were edified, walking in the fear of God, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit;

(9) Contention over Peter preaching to Cornelius and baptizing him (10:1-11:18), result: they glorified God; (10) Continued persecution following the death of Stephen (11:19-21), result: Greeks hear the gospel in Antioch and many turned to the Lord; (11) Herod arrests Peter and Peter’s prison break (12:1-24), result: the word of God grew and multiplied; (12) Angry crowd in Antioch in Pisidia (13:44-52), result: Gentiles rejoicing and glorifying God and believing; disciples filled with joy and the Holy Spirit; (13) Rowdy Crowds in Iconium (14:1-5), result: half the city siding with the apostles; (14) Violent Mob in Lystra stones Paul (14:8-19), result: disciples strengthened & encouraged; (15) Circumcision controversy and Jerusalem council (15:1-35), result: rejoicing and unity; (16) Paul and Barnabas have sharp disagreement over whether to take Mark with them (15:36-41), result: they go separate ways and Paul and Silas are sent out under the grace of God;

(17) Violent mob in Philippi (16:16-23), result: Philippian jailer and family converted, the brothers encouraged; (18) Violent mob in Thessalonica (17:5-8), result: many devout Greeks and leading women believe; (19) Angry crowd in Berea (17:10-14), result: many Jews believed along with a number of leading Greek women; (20) Jewish insurrection in Corinth (18:1-17), result: many Corinthians heard the gospel, believed, and were baptized; (21) Riot in Ephesus (19:23-41), result: the name of Jesus was extolled, the word increased, and the brothers were encouraged; (22) Angry mob in Jerusalem (21:27-22:29), result: the gospel is preached to the crowd; (23) Violent dissension in the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem (23:6-10), result: a chance to preach to governors and free trip to Rome.

Moral of the story: Jesus is in control, and He uses trouble to further His Kingdom.

THE GOSPEL STORY

While Paul is telling a story about his conversion to Christ, he is alluding to the broader story of God’s dealings with Israel. Paul calls the Jews “brothers and fathers” (Acts 22:1), and he speaks to them in the Hebrew tongue (Acts 22:2), which reaches back to the line of Seth and Noah and Abraham. He also calls the law the “law of the fathers” (Acts 22:3) and refers to the Jewish leaders as “elders” and the zealous Jews in Damascus as “brothers” (Acts 22:5), again linking himself with the covenant line of Israel going back to the giving of the law by Moses. And his prayers in the temple (Acts 22:17) bring us all the way through the Kingdom of David and Solomon up to Paul’s present day.

Paul’s overarching argument is that he has changed his mind about the story of Israel. Paul is saying that Jesus is the fulfillment of the story of Israel because He risen from the dead, proving that He is Israel’s Messiah and forgave Paul’s sins. And the Lord Jesus has commanded that this gospel includes the Gentiles who believe. While the Jews knew that their light was supposed to attract the Gentiles, what they could not abide was the idea that the Gentiles didn’t have to become Jews, that the Jews were not the center of the Kingdom story. That was not how they thought the story was supposed to go, but this was to radically misunderstand the story. The covenant story was never about them; it was always about the grace of God commandeering them.

APPLICATION: APOLOGETIC TESTIMONY

What Paul asks the Jews to listen to is his apology or apologia, which means defense (Acts 22:1). This is where we get the word “apologetics,” which is the study of defending the faith. And what Paul does is give his testimony. Paul’s testimony of God’s work in his life is central to his defense of the truth of the gospel.

But Paul’s testimony is clearly the story of his insolence, his determination to go one way, and Christ’s gracious, conquering determination to stop him in his tracks and make him go a different way. A testimony is the story of your surrender to Jesus Christ.

John Calvin says this about Paul’s question What shall I do, Lord? “This is the voice of a tamed man, and this is the true turning unto the Lord; when laying away all fierceness and fury, we bow down our necks willingly to bear his yoke, and ready to do whatsoever he commanded us.”

You say Jesus Christ is Lord, and so He is, but that means trouble. It means that our personal plans are no longer supreme. It means He is the center of the story. He is the hero. But surrender to Jesus Christ is the greatest peace and joy because in Him is complete forgiveness and an eternal mission. If you have that forgiveness and mission, your story is part of His story, and every trial is an opportunity for the gospel.

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