David Bahn – Reflections

Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, ¹⁴ but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. ¹⁵ After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” ¹⁶ So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said:

“Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. ¹⁷ The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. ¹⁸ And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. ¹⁹ And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. ²⁰ All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. ²¹ Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. ²² And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ ²³ Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. ²⁴ Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. ²⁵ And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’ – Acts 13:13-25

Diane and I just enjoyed a delightful conversation with a young couple from our church. They had some questions about the Lutheran perspective on baptism and the Lord’s Supper, as well as other issues of the Christian faith. Throughout that conversation it became obvious that we were looking at things from two different perspectives. To some extent much of the issues at stake were merely a matter of perspective. Some were more substantive. But we all agreed in the most essential of truths about God, Jesus, life, and salvation: Salvation is God’s free gift for the sake of Jesus which we receive by faith. We also agreed that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are means of grace for which we are thankful. But our perspectives were different, and they shaped our questions and our answers.

In these verses from Acts, we see the missional perspective in bold relief. Paul and his companions are literally “on a mission from God.” Or better yet, they were on mission with God; seeking and saving the lost. They visit a synagogue and are invited to speak: of course they will speak. And they will tell the story of Jesus from the perspective of their Jewish audience.

Talk about Jesus’ salvation and the will speak about John the Baptist (implying that they were doing the same). In that case, John offers the best of all missional perspective: We are nothing. We’re not the main act. We have only the message calling people to repentance and faith. When it’s all said and done, furthermore, the main act is yet to come. He is so much more than me; so much greater, important, powerful, worthy, and life-changing.

The missional perspective has little to do with having all the answers, able to confound the troublers, or sway the masses. The missional perspective is to point people to Jesus. He is God’s answer for all the world. Kings didn’t solve Israel’s problems. Judges had not fixed the ills of the Hebrews. Even rescue from Egypt and the gift of the Promised Land didn’t bring the fullness of life with God. They needed a Savior.

I have said before that the Old Testament is a giant object lesson about “What Won’t Work”. If we use the Bible (only) to tell people how to live, succeed, and make their way through this life, we have not embraced the missional perspective. If we do embrace the missional perspective, we will rejoice when anyone encounters the gospel, stay cool when under pressure, and entrust ourselves to God, looking for opportunities to honor him, remembering that Jesus truly is the only hope for the world.

So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. ⁵ When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. ⁶ When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. ⁷ He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. ⁹ But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him ¹⁰ and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? ¹¹ And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. ¹² Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord. – Acts 13:4-12

I’ve spoken before about Monty Roberts, the original horse whisperer. His join up videos are inspiring and remarkable. Most notable is his approach of sending horses away for a long period of time until the horse submits to him and ends up following him around the pen. He doesn’t entice with an apple or a sugar cube. He simply makes moves until the horse submits to him under its own will and “joins up.”

We seldom engage in horse whispering in the church, though that almost exactly what Saul-become-Paul is doing here in this encounter. He is not on a Dale Carnegie path of winning friends and influencing people. He isn’t trying to bridge a gap by means of diplomacy. He is seeking to bring the man to Jesus, by means of repentance and faith. This is all based on the grace and truth centered in Jesus.

To that end Paul confronts Elymas almost ruthlessly: 

“You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? ¹¹ And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” – Acts 13:10-11

Elymas is struck blind, and the proconsul is struck by the obvious power of God. But Luke tells us something very important about the reason the proconsul is brought to faith: he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.  – Acts 13:12

There is more to bringing a person to faith than undercutting someone’s false faith. It has to do with the power of the love of Jesus and the good news of forgiveness in his name. Paul was not about to allow Elymas to undercut  the work of the Holy Spirit, who had begun the work of faith in the proconsul’s heart.

We might be tempted to soften the clear teachings of God’s word, and hold out sugar cubes rather than calling people to repent and believe in Jesus Christ. That approach may make a friend (not necessarily a bad thing), but true faith faces the reality of our great need and God’s great love.

When someone encounters God’s grace and truth, he becomes not only a friend of God, but also a brother or sister in Christ. Getting there may sometimes be challenging, but the blessings of that fellowship are rich and beautiful.

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. – Acts 13:1-3

There is a very unique and exciting thing happening in the world of Christian mission work. Churches around the world are sending missionaries to the United States. Robert Scudieri publishes a blog highlighting this dynamic and dramatic movement of God. It’s worth following – if only to see the faces and hear some of the stories of these intrepid missionaries from afar. Who would have thought that African nations would be sending missionaries to the United States of America? Who would have thought that we need evangelizing!

Years ago a group of pastors got together in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of north Texas and formed a group called the Lutheran Intercity Network Coalition (LINC). I was privileged to be part of that initial group and saw many great things happening for the cause of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Most of it came about by means of the opportunities afforded us when churches in the inner city would either fail or disband, or move to the suburb, leaving a vacuum of Christian witness, and sometimes buildings or dollars from the sale of those buildings for the mission work there.

The significant reality in both the sending of missionaries to the United States as well as the formation of LINC (which has now become a major missional effort located in Houston). LINC Houston is a dynamic missional agency that connects especially with different ethnic groups in one of the most ethnically-diverse cities in the nation.

Why is it that ethnically-diverse groups of Christians are so often so missional, leading the charge for bringing the Good News of Jesus to people in need? There may be many answers, but this is nothing new.

Take a look at. the church in Antioch! Luke lists notable members there: “Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.” Notable in that one is apparently black, another is from Cyrene, another is perhaps Roman(?). Then there is Saul and Barnabas.

The Holy Spirit moved among this ethnically-diverse group of believers to send Saul on his first missionary trip. This is a fulfillment of Jesus’ words to Saul at his conversion:

But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. ¹⁶ For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” – Acts 9:15-16

This is also a preview of what heaven will be like:

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,¹⁰ and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” ¹¹ And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹² saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” – Revelation 7:9-12

We had a small preview of that at St. John in a recent children’s event. It was a delightful reminder of the breadth of God’s love, his saving work in the lives of people of all nations, and a cause for thanks to God for including me – German squarehead that I am – in his kingdom! Makes me want to pray and see God’s Spirit set aside some more people for his mission.

Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they came to him with one accord, and having persuaded Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. ²¹ On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. ²² And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” ²³ Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.

²⁴ But the word of God increased and multiplied.

²⁵ And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had completed their service, bringing with them John, whose other name was Mark. – Acts 12:20-25

We pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come.” Martin Luther rightly points out that “The kingdom of God comes indeed without our prayer, of itself; but we pray in this petition that it may come unto us also.” It’s not something that we can make happen. We don’t build God’s kingdom. He builds his kingdom. He uses faithful people – witnesses, evangelists, pastors, friends, family members, apostles, prophets, teachers, and neighbors to do that. For the kingdom of God – better yet, the “rule and reign of God” is a rule and reign of grace in the heart of the believer. It is a beautiful thing to behold!

It is a great privilege to be part of God’s rule and reign coming to others through one’s witness, gospel sharing, and evangelistic efforts. It doesn’t always look like the rule and reign of God is making headway. But sometimes it clearly is. And in those cases, it is also clear that this is a work of God, not of man. We cannot cause someone to be struck down in their moment of arrogant boasting – though surely sometimes we wish we could.

There are those who claim to speak for God – though they have only their own welfare, benefit, and advancement in mind. But the servant of God who wishes to be part of God’s movement into the hearts and lives of others will claim no personal good within. And in the end the rule and reign of God will be advanced.

The self-important and prideful boaster will come to naught. This happens in bold relief here in these verses as Herod is struck down, eaten by worms(!), and dies: an inglorious end to say the least.

But note well the small statement, standing alone in the passage above:

But the word of God increased and multiplied. – Acts 12:24

New workers are being put into place for the advancement of the rule and reign of Jesus. He already reigns in their hearts. He will use them to bring others into his kingdom. The people are being brought together. The mission of God will advance. The kingdom of God will come.

I want to be part of that!

When Peter realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. ¹³ And when he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer. ¹⁴ Recognizing Peter’s voice, in her joy she did not open the gate but ran in and reported that Peter was standing at the gate. ¹⁵ They said to her, “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so, and they kept saying, “It is his angel!” ¹⁶ But Peter continued knocking, and when they opened, they saw him and were amazed. ¹⁷ But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Tell these things to James and to the brothers.” Then he departed and went to another place.

¹⁸ Now when day came, there was no little disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. ¹⁹ And after Herod searched for him and did not find him, he examined the sentries and ordered that they should be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and spent time there. – Acts 12:12-19

Have you ever had a momentary reprieve from a difficult situation? Sometimes it comes in the face of a loved-one’s death. Someone will tell a joke. It may be off-color, or even at the expense of the deceased loved-one. People will laugh, feel a bit guilty, and then laugh a bit more. Suddenly the whole mood changes. There is a breath of fresh air. The weight of the world is no longer on everyone’s shoulders. You all know there will be time to get back to the serious work of grieving. But for now you just need to laugh. Maybe it’s during a difficult medical procedure. I’ll leave it to you to fill in the blanks on what that might be and how it might become a light moment. You get the picture, right?

There is such a moment in this account of Peter’s imprisonment and release. First the heaviness: Peter is chained between two guards in the dark depths of the prison. Chains fall off. Gates open. Peter is freed, but not out of danger. He is exposed to the whole world and vulnerable to being  re-arrested.

So he goes to the place he expects to find safety. He goes to the house in which the people were gathered to pray. He knocks on the door and when the servant answers, she – in her excitement – does not open the gate, but leaves Peter standing outside while she goes inside and tells everyone Peter is outside!

That’s funny enough. But the comedic relief is not yet on full display. The people who have been praying for Peter’s release argue with the servant girl: It can’t be Peter. It must be his angel. Never mind that they’ve been praying for him. No doubt they were praying for his deliverance. And now he’s there and they deny his presence.

It reminds me of the story of the church that prays that a nearby strip club be closed down. When it fails, the strip club owner sues the church which puts the church in the unenviable position of defending itself, saying in essence, “Our prayers did not shut down the strip club.” And the strip club arguing that is exactly what did happen. The judge says, “Let me get this right: the church is denying the power of prayer while the owner of the strip club is arguing for the power of prayer??!” Gotta love it. Almost as much as this scene.

Make no mistake about it, however, this is only a momentary reprieve. The enemies of the Gospel are no lightweights. They will require the death of those who were charged with keeping Peter in prison. Peter will go to Caesarea and spend time there, before going on to other adventures of mission faithfulness. But God granted them all a momentary reprieve.

I wonder if the answers to our prayers sometimes stare us in the face and we miss it. God hears and answers prayers. Next time that happens, open the door! Rejoice in his deliverance! Give thanks to the God of life, salvation, rescue, and redemption. That’s what he’s done through his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. ⁷ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. ⁸ And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” ⁹ And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰ When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. ¹¹ When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” – Acts 12:6-11

Several years ago my wife surprised me for a milestone birthday – and I mean really surprised me! Somehow she was able to keep me awake until 12 midnight the day before my birthday. When the clock turned 12:01 a.m. – now it’s my birthday – all of a sudden the doorbell rang. It was three couples, friends of ours, with noisemakers, confetti, and a cheer: “Surprise! Happy Birthday.” I was indeed surprised. But that was only the first salvo. The kicker came later that afternoon – 14 hours later – when we came home from a movie and I was surprised by the “real party.” I was certainly surprised.

I’m wondering if Peter was similarly surprised at his sudden release from prison. I don’t think he was expecting the angel to show up. In fact he wasn’t even sure the angel was real; maybe this was all a vision. But one after another guards were being passed by. Step after step he is closer and closer to complete freedom. It seems that he was in a daze as the angel was leading him and he was being freed from prison.

But free he was – and now on his own, for the angel immediately left him. He’s in the street. He’s free. He is also aware that he has been delivered by the Lord, who sent his angel to free him from the threat of Herod’s harm and the Jewish people’s bad intentions toward him.

This was far more significant than a surprise birthday party. It was even more momentous than being suddenly sprung from jail. This was deliverance from severe danger and great potential harm. There will come a time when Peter will face death himself, and he will not be delivered by an angel or even a friendly official. Tradition says that he was crucified, but requested that he be crucified upside down.

But for now Peter is free. What will he do? Will he sulk back to Jerusalem and not risk proclaiming the name of Jesus any more? Will he play it safe in an attempt to be politically-correct? Will he lay low and hope no one follows up with him about this message of Jesus’ resurrection that he has been sharing?

This story illustrates God’s involvement in the hard places of life. Chains, soldiers, guards, and gates will not prevent God from coming to our rescue. Perhaps you are facing a challenge greater than you can easily escape. Know this: God can get to you wherever you are. Watch for his deliverance. Rejoice in his rescue. It may not be as dramatic as an angel’s visit to a jail cell, but he is still at work in the world.

Far more profound is this: God visited our world and released us from sin, death, and the devil. We’ll never repay him for this, but we can certainly live for him as best we can each day.

About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. ² He killed James the brother of John with the sword, ³ and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. ⁴ And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. ⁵ So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church. – Acts 12:1-5

I am a fan of “and they lived happily ever after” stories. I like happy endings. The key to any really good story with a powerful happy ending is conflict that seemingly cannot be resolved until the hero comes riding in. In fact, one professor of homiletics (the study of preaching) taught his students that the preacher should try to get Jesus into as much trouble as possible until the end of the message, and then help people see how he was able to escape.

In the story of the spread of the Word of the Lord, we have one example after another of opposition, trouble, and persecution. The only difference between this and a well-written novel is that this is an account of actual events. Note also, that this comes after the greatest reversal of all time: Jesus’ resurrection from the grave after his horrific death by crucifixion.

You would think that in the face of such a decisive victory on Jesus’ part, his enemies would give up. It should be obvious that his mission will succeed: even death cannot put a stop to him or his people. But Satan – true to his serpentine nature – will not stop writhing and seeking to steal, kill, and destroy until the very end. Thus James is put to death by the sword. And Peter is put into prison.

But there is the hint of a second denouement: Prayers were being offered for Peter. To God. By the church. Having positive thoughts may help one’s inner peace, but those thoughts are not the same as prayers. Prayers to God – the God of heaven and earth, of salvation and victory over the grave, and of mercy, truth, and grace – are powerful tools in service of the mission of God. When the church is together in such a prayer effort, they align themselves with God’s blessing and his great power.

In the darkness of trouble, conflict, distress, and persecution, those who look to God, call on him, and seek his help place themselves in the path of God’s powerful deliverance. Watch this unfold in an almost comical manner in the next paragraphs of Luke’s account.

Perhaps you are in a place where the deliverance of God is not only all you have to hope for, but for which you are earnestly praying. What joys may lay ahead for you in such a situation – especially if the whole church joins in praying for your deliverance!

Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸ And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). ²⁹ So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. ³⁰ And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. – Acts 11:27-30

Two kids are riding in a wagon. The one in the back is always picking things up, handing them to the one in the front. He examines the item, shrugs his shoulders, and tosses away the item. The guy in the front of the wagon is me; I’m constantly considering things people hand me, examining them to determine if I can, need to, or should do something with or about that particular concern, and more often than not, tossing it away.

Of course that’s a bit of an exaggeration; I don’t throw away things precipitously or carelessly. But there are many – thanks be to God – who are prone to give attention to the concerns, needs, and desires of others. Sometimes the squeaky wheel is just squeaky. Sometimes it actually does need some grease.

In this instance the decision to take the word of the prophets seriously and act upon it indicates something important about God’s word (through the prophets in this case), and about what it means to believe that word.

Thank God the people listened and responded to the message that God relayed to them through the prophets! Indeed there would be a famine, and Christians would respond to the need with gifts sent to the elders in Jerusalem by way of Barnabas and Saul.

I’m not certain what keeps people from responding to the needs of others: whether it is compassion fatigue, selfishness, hard-heartedness, or a false understanding of faith and belief. People certainly need constantly to be reminded that God forgives sinners, and that our salvation is dependent only on God’s promise and faith that receives the gift of God. There is nothing we must do to be saved. God has done it all for us in Jesus’ life suffering, death, and resurrection.

To hide a life of disobedience behind the facade of false faith dishonors what it means to believe in Jesus. Faith embraces the promises of God and inclines us more and more to obey Jesus’ commands. The response of the Christians to the word of the famine and the opportunity to provide relief was a response of faith.

Lord, I believe. Help me live faithfully.

Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. ²⁰ But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus.²¹ And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. ²² The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. ²³ When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose,²⁴ for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. ²⁵ So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, ²⁶ and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. – Acts 11:19-26

Some people want to make certain that the party starts on time. Others want to be sure all the right people are there. A few will want to be certain that the theme is carried out exuberantly. And some will simply delight that they are at the party. People may not recognize those special folks. But they can be a great blessing. These folks seek to bring out the best in everyone. They are daughters and sons of encouragement.

Barnabas’ name means just that: Son of Encouragement. And that’s exactly what he was. He first shows up in the book of Acts in chapter 4 when we learn that he sold a field and laid the money at the feet of the apostles. He then comes along side of Saul and introduces him to the apostles (cf. Acts 9:27), encouraging them to accept this former persecutor of Jesus and his people.

Now he’s here with a delegation from Jerusalem to Antioch. He will attest to the legitimacy of the Gentiles’ conversion there. It seems, also, that his presence is the catalyst for the followers of Jesus to become well enough known as a group to have a name: Christians.

This is still a time of transition in the early church. The message of the gospel is being preached only to the Jews in the opening verses of this section. By the end, however, it is clear: this message is for all people, Jew and Gentile.

Barnabas sees the potential in Saul of Tarsus and seeks him out. Not only will the followers of Jesus be called Christians there in Antioch, this will become the first missionary-sending church.

Thank God for people like Barnabas whose presence and influence has a way of leveraging the work and mission of God in far-reaching ways. Certainly Saul – who will take the name Paul when he begins his missionary work among the Gentiles – will have a dramatic impact on the growth of the Christian church. But Saul is in the mix at Antioch, and sent along with Barnabas on the first missionary journey because of Barnabas’ willingness to be who he truly was: a son of encouragement.

I’m wondering if there may be some sons of encouragement out there who could make a major impact in the effectiveness and mission of God in their churches if they would be such a person in their sphere of influence. I’m wondering if it may be you.

Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. ² So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, ³ “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” ⁴ But Peter began and explained it to them in order: ⁵ “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. ⁶ Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. ⁷ And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ ⁸ But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ ⁹ But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ ¹⁰ This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven. ¹¹ And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea.¹² And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. ¹³ And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; ¹⁴ he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ ¹⁵ As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?”¹⁸ When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” –Acts 11:1-18

My friend and seminary classmate is a professor at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. He is exceptionally intelligent, genuinely humble, graciously faithful, keenly insightful, and extraordinarily patient. At a pastors conference he was presenting some of the results of his work in the gospel of Matthew and the Last Days. One young pastor (just a few years out of the seminary) challenged my friend, and a conversation ensued. Did I say he was extraordinarily patient? He was. He took a very patient and long-suffering time to answer the questions of this young and somewhat presumptuous pastor. I wouldn’t have been so patient, I don’t think – or at least not as kind and gentle as he.

I am reminded of this as I read this account of Peter taking the news of the Gentile conversion back to the church leaders in Jerusalem. True to form, the hard-core Jewish legalists (I told you I would not be as patient and gentle as my friend!) immediately launched into a challenge of Peter: “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them” (v. 3). I would be tempted to reply, “And your point?!?” 

But not even Peter – impetuous as he could be – gave into such a quick and dismissive response. There is much at stake here, and the Holy Spirit surely must have put into the heart of Peter an alien restraint, patience, and gentleness befitting the gravity of the situation and the grace of God. If the questions, concerns, and accusations of the members of the circumcision party had not been answered, the spread of the Good News of Jesus to the Gentile world would have been stopped short. So Peter, moved, guided, and quieted by the Holy Spirit will offer this account of the events of this new breakthrough.

The Gospel has moved into the Gentile community. This will change the world. In the coming days the Jewish leaders will remark that the disciples had “turned the world upside down with their teaching” of Jesus (cf. Acts 17:6). Indeed.

Unfortunately the world is still upside down. We argue too quickly and heatedly about who might be in our outside of the rule and reign of Jesus. We hawk the church and the gospel as though we’re trying to sell something to a leery customer. We fail to realize how much of a blessing it is to call Jesus “Lord,” and count ourselves among his followers.

Isn’t it good that Jesus rules and reigns not even the best-intentioned of us. Even the most patient, intelligent, faithful, and humble of us would make a total mess of things if we were running the church. But as God’s servants – repentant, humble, faithful, yet sinners, judgmental, fearful, and impetuous as we may be – we are part of a work that spans nations, tribes, peoples, tongues, and parties.

Thanks be to God! Let your work continue in and through us all – for Jesus’ sake!