Epistles – BibleJournal.net

Rome at last

Today’s Reading: Acts 28:16-31

During the summer months many people attempt and make successful family trips to various places. Some may be right in your backyard while others take you to far off exotic places. Now, I’m not even going to try to connect these trip to that of Paul’s journey to Rome in Acts 28, but want to just dig a little deeper into Paul’s legal trip to Rome and highlight the influence he had in a specific place God divinely brought him to, in order to influence others.

Mindset’s, or lets say faith-sets make a difference. Paul’s trip to Rome was a “legal matter“, he was a ward of the military system and placed on house arrest and guarded in Rome for two years. What did he do? Paul thanked God, he took courage. verse 15 This wasn’t the way Paul planned to reach Rome but knew God had blessed him by allowing him to get there.

What is my response? So…maybe the trip you take for work, or the family vacation to “not your ideal location“, or a stay at the your in-laws or your own extended family is like house arrest or a trip that you don’t have any control over. Maybe its sitting at the practice or game with other parents? Talking outside with neighbors? Either way, let’s make these summer trips or even just our daily routines like we have the mindset of Paul. Our journey today may not include chains, being shipwrecked, and the many other trials in a physical sense or maybe it has? We all have a story and trials we face daily. So if it has felt that way like it did for Paul, trust that God is working all things out for good (Romans 8:28) for you as well. God may not always allow us to feel comfortable and secure, but He provides us the opportunity to do His work. Look at the work Paul was doing. When our journey is feeling difficult, we need to lean in a little closer to God and trust in His plan for our varied journey’s or storms like Lynden mentioned yesterday.

God called Paul to see and speak with both Jews and Gentiles in Romes. Paul knew that the hearts of the people were calloused, ears were dull for hearing, and their eyes were closed (Acts 28:26-27) still, Paul would speak of God and speak of the glorious message that can convert a heart,can heal deafness, or any loss of sight. This is the same message that have changed our hearts, opened our eyes, and opened our ears to hear His Living Word. These verses are originally quoted in Isaiah 6:9-10 where God was using Isaiah in Jerusalem to convert hearts.

God uses Paul, He used Isaiah, He is using us to share His message. That even today in the spaces and places where it may seem hard or not favorable to share because of hardened hearts, closed ears, and blind eyes. Jesus will use His words spoken through us to convert, change, and heal those who are hurting. Those who feel like they have nowhere to go. Those who have lost all trust and faith in others… you can point them t to God. Maybe this was your story? I know it was mine.

This summer we have some mini trips planned, many days will be spent around our home and neighborhood. some days will be spent at work, at the pool, practices or games. Although, we may not be on house arrest, the fact is that without others knowing about God and His love for us, many will be in a lot worse place then jail for eternity. I’m humbled and amazed to think that Paul wrote letters like Ephesians, Colossians, and Philippians, (the Prison Epistles) during this time. Paul wrote these letters for the millions that have read them through the centuries, he wrote them for you and me. Paul wrote while changing the hearts of many who were in his presence in these years at Rome. Rome, a place that had many gods, similar to the many gods that we can focus on today. Let’s not let these worldly things get in our way. Let’s take today, and every day in our short lives here on Earth to preach about the Kingdom of God, and those things which concern the Lord Jesus, with all boldness and without hindrance.

Welcome to Rome biblejournal family, don’t worry about the words to say, God is with you, go with boldness.

You Are Not Alone

When I first read through 1 Peter 5, the chapter we are reading together today, Peter’s commands jumped out at me. Shepherd the flock. Be subject to the elders; Clothe yourselves with humility. Humble yourselves. Cast all your anxieties on him. Be sober-minded and watchful and merciful. Resist the devil.

I started to think about selecting a few of these commands to write about. I have always loved the image of a shepherd, so I began to think about how I could apply that idea to our current lives today.

And then I read through the chapter again, and a different theme came into focus: you are not alone. No, these exact words are not in this letter. However, the language Peter chooses to use implies that he is encouraging his readers to remember that they are in community with one another. Although they may feel alone at times, they are members of a community of believers.

I knew that Peter had written this letter, but I did not know his intended audience. I learned that the recipients of this letter were “those chosen, living as exiles” (1 Peter 1:1). These exiles were most likely persecuted Christians. It makes sense, then, that Peter felt led to encourage them to remember that they were not alone in a harsh world.

In verse 9, Peter writes, “Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world” (1 Peter 5:9) Peter is referring to the devil here, and he is exhorting us to resist him. Peter encourages us in our suffering by reminding us that others in the world are suffering in the same ways that we are. This is an encouragement not because we wish for others to suffer – but because it reminds us that there is a community of sufferers. We can encourage each other – and receive encouragement from each other – in our suffering.

My favorite example of Peter reminding us that we are not alone comes at the very beginning of this letter. In verse 2, Peter writes, “…shepherd the flock of God that is among you…being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:2-3). By using the word flock (twice!) Peter reminds us that we are part of a group, a community of believers. We are not alone. More importantly, we are reminded in this verse that we have a shepherd to follow. He is the only shepherd we can completely trust; in fact, Peter refers to him as the “Chief Shepherd” (1 Peter 5:4). Thanks be to God!

Identity Crisis

I read an article recently about identity crisis. According to google, an identity crisis is “a period of uncertainty and confusion in which a person’s sense of identity becomes insecure, typically due to a change in their expected aims or role in society.” As we grow older and mature, it is incredibly common for people to experience them. In fact, we are about to see the Corinthian church going through an identity crisis too. Today, as we read through 1 Corinthians 1, I wonder, do we know our spiritual identity? Is our identity in crisis?

If you are a Christian, meaning that you are “sanctified in Christ Jesus” (v2), there is a very specific identity attached to you. Paul explains it very simply for us in verse 2. He says that we are “called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours.” Easy, right? Not so fast. Satan, and the world often conspire against us, creating confusion, even crisis. The Corinthian church, just like us, was confronted with situations that caused “uncertainty and confusion.” In short, they experienced an identity crisis. Thankfully, Paul, was one man with a clear understanding of his identity in Jesus. He used this clarity to remind and redirect the Corinthian church, the Christians, to the identity of Jesus. So, how do we get that same clarity?

Consider first that Paul’s certainty of identity carried a posture of gratitude and thanksgiving. It is not by accident that he starts the chapter (v4-9) giving thanks. There is, however, something special about his gratitude. Maybe you didn’t notice, but in those five verses, Paul references God nine different times! Clearly, Paul was clearly understood that if not for Jesus, we would all be lost. Therefore, his posture was one of continuous gratitude to Him, the giver of all good things. Contrast this with our own thanksgiving which is often based on our circumstances and materialism.

In addition to gratitude, Paul continually considered his position, relative to Christ. Re-read verses 10-17 paying attention to how the church is dividing. Member’s are attempting to elevate the positions of their favorite pastors, causing fights (v11). As this identity crisis begins to grow, Paul steps in. He knows positively where true hope and joy found; the cross of Christ Jesus (v17). He reminds the Corinthians that elevating any person above another will, in fact, “empty the cross of its power.” Jesus Christ, therefore, holds the primary and only position for Christians. As Christ-followers, we are all equal, under him.

Finally, Paul’s posture and position relative to Christ allow him to full embrace his purpose. Consider these three purpose statement from Paul, found in his writings:

“that they may be saved” 1 Corinthians 10:33
“to make the word of God fully known” Colossians 1:25
“that we may present everyone mature in Christ” Colossians 1:28

Paul has such an intimate relationship with Christ that he knows, without a doubt, why he is on this earth. With this kind of certainty, identity crisis is impossible. In fact, our certainty and clarity becomes a beacon of hope and love to the world, just like Paul’s.

In the end we are either with Christ, or without him. When we, like Paul, fully embrace Christ, He is our identity. In him, there is no doubt, there is no circumstance that can cause us confusion. Crisis averted!