Seeking the Life in Christ: May 2021

Monday, May 31, 2021

I Have Discarded Everything

Meditations on Philippians

May 31, 2021

I Have Discarded Everything

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him.

Philippians 3:8-9a

Read: Philippians 3: 7-11

Imagine you have an old piece of costume jewelry. It’s a little gaudy, a bit tarnished and a few of the glass rhinestones are chipped, but every now and then it’s fun to wear. Now, suppose you receive an inheritance which includes a beautiful diamond. Would you take the glimmering diamond to your jeweler and ask them to set your diamond in the middle of your old fake jewel ring?

Paul is suggesting that I can make a list of everything that I believe brings value to my life and divide it into two columns. One column is labeled ‘Knowing Christ’ and the other column is labeled, ‘Everything Else.’ Paul is also teaching me that it is my mission in life to make the life in Christ my way of life. The path to that goal is leaving Everything Else behind and then pressing on to make the Christ Life my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

God is at work in the life of every follower of Jesus, transforming and equipping his children for service in His Kingdom. Being a child of God means being willing to go to the end of the line and allow others to go first; being willing to make sacrifices for the good of other people and for the Kingdom of God; and as a follower of Jesus affirming that nothing in this world is as important as knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Paul doesn’t promise the followers of Christ a rose garden. There are difficult personal choices to be made because it is impossible to hold on to Christ and at the same time hold on to the ways of the world. Spoiler Alert – We will see tomorrow the Good News that Jesus has us firmly in His grip while we are struggling to let go of the value system of the world.

My Takeaway: I rejoice in this Good News. I never want to stop rejoicing in this Good News, because as we learned yesterday, rejoicing in the goodness of Jesus safeguards our faith.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life. The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Friday, May 28, 2021

Safeguard Your Faith

Meditations on Philippians

May 28, 2021

Safeguard Your Faith

Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.

Philippians 3:1

Read: Philippians 3: 1-6

Today’s passage lays a foundation for the entirety of our life in Christ. We rejoice in the Good News that we belong to Jesus. Our relationship to Jesus is made secure not because of what we did, or we are doing, or what we have refrained from doing. Rather, we belong to Jesus because he has united us to himself in his death, burial, resurrection, and enthronement. This is our Good News. We never stop rejoicing in this Good News, because rejoicing in the goodness of Jesus safeguards our faith.

The church in Philippi was being tempted to deviate from relying solely on the goodness and faithfulness of Jesus to secure their right relationship with God. Instead, they were being urged to trust in the works of the flesh by obeying certain religious rules and doing good works. No one understood religious tradition, rules and discipline like Paul. Paul had zealously pursued God only to come up empty-handed. Then Jesus found Paul, and everything in Paul’s life changed.

My Takeaway: Until the day he died, Paul continued to zealously pursue God. The glowing characteristic of his pursuit of holiness was that he always rested on the truth that Jesus securely had him in his grasp. Paul was always basking in God’s smile of affection for him as he journeyed to make the life in Christ his way of life. Today Paul looks back toward us, and with an out-stretched hand says, “Come and learn to rest in God’s smile of affection for you.”

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Thursday, May 27, 2021

Paul Is No Pollyanna

Meditations on Philippians

May 27, 2021

Paul Is No Pollyanna

He was very distressed that you heard he was ill. And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another.

Philippians 2:26b-27

Read: Philippians 2:25-30

Jesus tells us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Jesus is saying that we should care as much for the welfare of our neighbor’s family as we do for our own household. Jesus’ words are often filed away with other Biblical platitudes because they seem rather unrealistic. However, in our passage for today, Paul’s self-disclosure gives us a real insight into what it looks like when we care deeply for our brothers and sisters in Christ. I offer three observations about Paul’s Christian community.

First, Paul makes it abundantly clear that he is no Pollyanna. Yes, Paul will tell us in Chapter 4 to rejoice in the Lord always, and that we can trade our anxieties for the peace of God that passes understanding. (Philippians 4:4, 7) But he also tells us that our love for one another can be exceedingly painful. Referring to his friend and companion, Epaphroditus, Paul writes, “And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another” (Philippians 2:27). Paul’s sorrow was that he was hindered from proclaiming the Gospel, and he was separated from the people of the church. The thought that his friend Epaphroditus might die seemed unbearable to Paul. Here is the Christian life experiencing real sorrow, real pain.

Secondly, Paul’s experience with his friends in the church gives us a window into the depth and quality of life in a Christian community. This whole chapter has been about unity within the church and learning to live self-sacrificially for the sake of our brothers and sisters in Christ and for the sake of the Gospel. Is this really possible for 21^st Century America? Yes, and that is my third observation. Jesus did tell us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, and he also told us that things that are impossible for us are possible with God.

My Takeaway: In the last year I have seen this love for neighbors beautifully modeled by our community of faith. Our church developed many new initiatives to stay in contact with our congregation during the pandemic, and to reach out to those in need in our community.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Serving Christ Jesus, The King

Meditations on Philippians

May 26, 2021

Serving Christ Jesus, The King

I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:20-21

Read: Philippians 2:19-24

In my meditation on Philippians 2:1-4, I emphasized verse 4, “Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others” (NRSV), and I noted that Paul urges the followers of Jesus to take seriously the self-sacrificing way of life modeled by Jesus. In today’s passage, Paul subtlety connects verse 4 with Jesus’ parable of the Last Judgment in Matthew 25. You will recall that the epicenter of that parable is Jesus’ assertion about the least of these: “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ (Matthew 25:40). In verse 4, Paul urges us to “look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others,” and in verse 21 Paul contrasts Timothy’s lifestyle with that of unnamed others, “All of them are seeking their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.” (NRSV) Paul is saying that Timothy is fulfilling verse 4 by not focusing on his own self-interest, but focusing on the interests of others, which Paul says is the interest of Jesus Christ. Paul is saying that Timothy, by serving others ahead of his own self-interest, is serving Christ Jesus, the King.

In the story that Jesus told, the people represented as sheep helped when they saw someone in need. They didn’t throw money at the problem. They didn’t send someone else. They offered their hand; they gave their water; they touched and bandaged the wounded; they listened with compassion. They served because service was needed, not to be noticed or rewarded. They served because God created us to be in the community of Christ, and when you are in the community of Christ you are not seeking your own interests, but those of Jesus Christ.

My Takeaway: Jesus’ parable is not about some people getting rewarded for good deeds, and some people getting punished because of the good deeds left undone. Ultimately, it is a parable about allegiance. At the end of time, it is not a matter of who we say we are; it is a matter of whose we are. Those who actually align themselves with Jesus will reflect his goodness. Those who actually align themselves with Jesus will reflect the self-sacrificing way of life modeled Jesus.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Hold Firmly To The Word Of Life

Meditations on Philippians

May 25, 2021

Hold Firmly To The Word Of Life

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Philippians 2:13

Read: Philippians 2:12-18

Paul has set the bar of expectations for the Christian very high. We are aiming to have all of our interrelationships flow out of the life of Christ within us. Is this even possible! YES, because “God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13 NLT). However, we are not idle or passive while God is at work within us. We have a part to play, and Paul is as passionate for our participation as he is for God’s work within us: “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12b NRSV).

Paul is not suggesting that we work for our salvation; verse 13 clearly establishes that it is God who is at work within us. Our role is to passionately take responsibility for how we live our lives, to work hard to show the results of our salvation. This is what we know: God is transforming us by renewing the way we think. God is planting His holy desires within us. God has given us the power of the Holy Spirit to make Godly choices in our lives. Therefore, we can live with the real confidence that our lives are making a difference for good in the world.

Paul’s vision that our confident living will be like bright lights in the world (2:15) invokes two images for me. First, when we take responsibility for cultivating the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, when we take seriously our need to yield our life to God so that He may transform our lives to be like Jesus, we fulfill the prophecy of Daniel 12:3, “Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.” Secondly, Paul’s vision rings true with the words of Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14).

My Takeaway: In the concluding portion of today’s passage, Paul encourages us to hold firmly to the word of life. If we will hold firmly to the truth that God is at work in us, we will have God’s light shining in our hearts, and we will be bright lights in our world. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul described our bright lights as the life of Jesus made visible in our mortal flesh. (See 2 Corinthians 4:7-10) Let’s trust God and glow for Christ!

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Monday, May 24, 2021

Seeking The Life In Christ As My Way Of Life

Meditations on Philippians

May 24, 2021

Seeking The Life In Christ As My Way Of Life

Let your bearings towards one another arise out of your life in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 2:5 (NEB 1961)

Read: Philippians 2:5-11

Imagine a snobby, very socially conscious community. Everything in the community is about status, power and honor. The word humility is not in their vocabulary. That was life in the Roman colony of Philippi (Home of Alexander the Great). Paul’s first visit to Philippi, where he was beaten and thrown into jail for proclaiming Jesus as Lord, is recorded in Acts 16. There we learn that only after his release from jail did Paul reveal his Roman citizenship, a status that would have prevented him being beaten and jailed. Why did he wait? What qualities of life in a Christian community was he demonstrating for the new followers of Jesus in Philippi? When we read Philippians 2: 1-11, we see that Paul was not just waxing eloquent; he was living the very life he was offering to the Philippians.

Too often we are tempted to dismiss Paul’s description of the self-sacrificing life of Christ as not a reasonable expectation for the average person in the church. Knowing that Paul actually lived his life after Christ’s example can help us raise our expectations. I believe verse five is the key to how Paul, and how you and I, can follow Jesus. Most translations of verse five say that we should have the same attitude or mind as Christ. Calling me to have the same attitude as Christ puts all of the responsibility on me to have the power and integrity to live self-sacrificially. I believe that is both unreasonable and not possible. However, the New English Bible translates verse five to reveal the very heart of Paul’s message and sets forth the truth that enabled Paul, and will enable you and me, to be fully-devoted followers of Jesus:

“Let your bearings towards one another arise out of your life in Christ Jesus.”

My Takeaway: This verse changed my life and gave me my life’s mission statement: Seeking the life in Christ as my way of life. It is our life in Christ that enables us to choose a self-sacrificing way of life that brings glory to our God and empowers us to be co-laborers with Christ for the Kingdom of God.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Friday, May 21, 2021

The Interests of Others

Meditations on Philippians

May 21, 2021

The Interests of Others

Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.

Philippians 2:4 (NRSV)

Read: Philippians 2:1-4

Paul begins Chapter Two with a call for unity within the church. At first glance, his call for unity may seem over the top, way too unrealistic for the diversity of people who come together as the church: “agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose” (Philippians 2:2). In the next passage, Paul will elaborate on how he believes his call is totally realistic, but in verse one he has laid the foundation for unity within the Body of Christ: “Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? (Philippians 2:1). This is another way to think of the fruit of the Spirit Paul described in Galatians 5:22-23. The writer of Hebrews captured this same thought when he wrote, “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2a NIV). When we stay completely focused on Jesus, everything will fall into its proper place.

One of the issues facing Christianity in 21^st Century America is the notion that the Christian faith is something we can add on to our existing life, fitting it in where we can without too much inconvenience. Paul completely dispels that notion in verse four. Compare these two translations of Philippians 2:4. The first is from the New Living Translation, which I mostly love and often use, and which is consistent with most English translations. The second is from the New Revised Standard Version, which I think is one of the most accurate translations we have available today.

Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. (NLT)

Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. (NRSV)

Can you see the issue? The NLT, and similar translations, encourages the reader to try and fit-in caring for others to their life as best they can. The NRSV is more consistent with Jesus’ teaching in his Sermon on the Mount: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33)

My Takeaway: There is an important dichotomy at work as we seek the life in Christ as our way of life. First, the claim Jesus has on his followers is total. We never want to lose sight of God’s goal for us, because God never, ever does: “Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4 NRSV). However, we are acutely aware we don’t measure up to this standard. Now comes the second point in the dichotomy: We press on because “God loves us unconditionally, just as we are; not as we should be. Because no one is as they should be.” (All is Grace by Brennan Manning)

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Worthy of The Good News

Meditations on Philippians

May 20, 2021

Worthy of The Good News

Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.

Philippians 1:27a

Read: Philippians 1: 27-30

As I scanned the media this morning two items caught my attention. First, I noticed how some Christians were making antisemitic statements about Israel’s response to the recent rocket attacks on Tel Aviv. Secondly, a clergy friend noted how witnessing a UMC clergy attack another clergy person in a UMC Clergy Facebook group is incredibly sad. Such is our world culture. In our passage today, Paul lifts up the importance of the followers of Christ maintaining their Christian integrity in the face of hostility.

The culture in the USA is becoming increasingly hostile to the Christian movement. The followers of Jesus had a profound influence on both the initial settlements in America and the eventual founding of the US. That influence shaped the prevailing culture in the US until the post-Civil War era. Since then the prevailing culture has been increasingly anti-Christian. Paul’s words to his friends in Philippi are certainly apt for our times as well: “For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him” (Philippians 1:29).

My Takeaway: When Paul encourages us to not be intimidated in any way by our enemies, he includes our enemy within which continually wars against our new life in Christ. We are challenged each day to do our part to be transformed by the renewing of our minds as we choose to believe that what is true for Jesus is just as true for his followers. When we do, we can joyfully receive Paul’s charge:

“Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven,

conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ”

(Philippians 1:27a).

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Wednesday, May 19, 2021

Into the Presence of God

Meditations on Philippians

May 19, 2021

Into the Presence of God

For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better.

Philippians 1:21-22

Read: Philippians 1: 18b-26

The Christian poet John Donne wrote that every man’s death diminished him because he was involved with mankind. Therefore, he wrote, “send not for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.” (John Donne, Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, Meditation XVII.) In that simple phrase, Donne captures the heart of Christian community, the essence of heaven, and the highest quality in the Kingdom of God. Donne is pointing to a respect, even a reverence, for human life. When Saint Paul wrote to the Philippians, this quality was sorely missing in the Roman Empire.

In this passage, and in Chapter 3, Paul lays the foundation for the Christian’s understanding of life after death. Here Paul makes it abundantly clear that he does not fear death, because he knows his mortal death will transport him into the presence of Jesus. By no means is Paul cavalier about death. In places like 2 Corinthians 1: 8-11, Paul expounds on the threat of death he often faced. However, he always rested in his faith because Christ ‘loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Paul knew the Romans, with their lack of respect for human life, could easily execute him as a troublemaker. He wasn’t volunteering to go to the gallows. He was affirming that as much as he wanted to live, and proclaim the Good News, and teach his disciples, he also knew that when his work was completed, Jesus would be waiting to greet him.

This abiding faith empowered Paul to remain firm in the face of persecution. He concludes this passage with a call to the church to remain steadfast in unity and to not be intimidated by those who oppose the Kingdom of God.

My Takeaway: Billy Graham, who died February 21, 2018, had the same attitude about death as Paul. After Graham’s death this quote appeared in hundreds of places: “Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.” May God give us ever-increasing faith so that we may live as the Apostle Paul and Billy Graham.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

God’s Perspective

Meditations on Philippians

May 18, 2021

God’s Perspective

And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News.

Philippians 1:12

Read: Philippians 1: 12-18a

Whenever we are facing trying circumstances, we can pray, “God, please show me your perspective in this situation.” When God reveals His perspective, it will always be consistent with His redemptive purposes for humankind. The Apostle Paul beautifully modeled this truth throughout his life. Paul teaches us that we can give thanks to God in all circumstances because we know “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28). Our passage for today is evidence of this truth.

Paul’s attitude about being in jail affirms the words of Joseph to his brothers in Egypt after their father died: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good” (Genesis 50:20a). Paul’s house arrest became his pulpit. Paul’s congregation included the whole palace guard as well as the other prisoners. (Philippians 1:13) This was just part of the good God caused to come out of Paul’s circumstances. When others within the church heard how the prisoners and guards were being ministered to by Paul, they were encouraged and inspired to boldly proclaim the Gospel without fear. (Philippians 1:14) And then there were the pagans.

Paul wrote this Epistle to the church in Philippi to thank them for providing his sustenance while he was being detained in Rome. The local gossip was full of news about this itinerate preacher who had been jailed for claiming a dead Jew had been brought back to life by Almighty God and was now the reigning King of all the earth. Even though these gossip-mongers (pagans) were not followers of Jesus, Paul said the message about Christ was being proclaimed, so he could rejoice. (Philippians 1:18) What the ruling authorities and pagans intended for evil, God was using for good.

My Takeaway: From beginning to end, the Bible shows that God’s redemptive purposes cannot be denied. Because nothing is impossible for God, I would do well to be more proactive is seeking God’s perspective in all the circumstances I encounter. How about you?

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Monday, May 17, 2021

Remaining Faithful

Meditations on Philippians

May 17, 2021

Remaining Faithful

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Philippians 1:6

Read: Philippians 1: 1-11

As we begin reading Philippians, keep in mind that Paul had been under arrest in Caesarea for at least two years before his journey to Rome that took at least six months, and included his ship sinking. In Rome, he was guarded by a soldier and under house arrest for another two years. It was during this period he wrote this letter to the church at Philippi.

In the letter, he will use the word joy in its various forms sixteen times, beginning here: “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy . . .” (v.4)

One of my favorite verses of scripture is Philippians 2:13 where Paul affirms that God is at work in me. (And you!) That verse is made even more powerful for me by verse six in today’s reading:

“God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

Finishing what he started was very important for the apostle Paul as he affirmed in 2 Timothy 4:7, where he wrote, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.” We live in an era where going the distance is not the norm. There was a time when professional athletes were expected to finish the race, but no more. We have relief pitchers in baseball, and all manner of specialists in football and other team sports, making it unnecessary for many athletes to go the distance, to finish the race.

Of course, life doesn’t actually work that way. Our goal for life is not about how we start; it’s about finishing well. I know we all have experienced things in our lives that we did not finish. However, that wasn’t our goal when we began. Our goal was to finish what we started.

In the Gospel of Mark, the young man at the tomb instructed the women to go and tell Peter that Jesus would be waiting for him in Galilee. (Mark 16:7) Why? Because God wasn’t through with Peter, and God isn’t through with me either, or you! As we begin reading the Book of Philippians, we can celebrate our God who owns the record for finishing what He starts. Our text is straight to the point: “God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

My Takeaway: I sense God calling me to consider what in my life have I left unfinished. I don’t mean yardwork that still need doing, or the deck that still needs painting. Are there relationships I have given up on? Are there habitual sins in my life that I have just accepted as a normal part of my life? I need to spend time in prayer. Psalm 139:23-24 is a good place to start my prayer:

Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Sunday, May 16, 2021

Paul in Rome – Part Two

/Meditations on The Acts of the Apostles

May 16, 2021

Paul in Rome – Part Two

For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!

Acts 28:30-31

Read: Acts 28:23-31

Several people said they were got so caught up in the story of Paul that they couldn’t stop reading at the end of an assigned passage – they wanted to know what happened next. While the entire book of Acts has seemed to be marching toward a grand climax, especially the last few readings about the thrilling sea journey, shipwreck and rescue on the island, it seems that Luke leaves us hanging.

What happened to Paul in Rome? Luke does not give us many details. From history, we know that during the two years Luke says Paul was in Rome, Paul wrote what we call his Prison Letters: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon. But after giving us so many details about Paul’s missionary journeys, Luke gives scant information about Paul’s ministry in Rome, or for that matter, about Paul’s destiny with Caesar.

For Luke, the writing of the Acts of Apostolic Men has reached its glorious climax, and it is not about Paul. In Chapter 1, the followers of Jesus numbered one hundred twenty. Thirty-two years later, at the end of Chapter 28, the followers of Jesus numbered in the tens of thousands. The Good News of Jesus the Christ had traveled across the world and was proclaimed, without hindrance, in Rome, the center of the world.

Luke’s task was completed. Someone else can write chapter 29.

(During the two years Paul was under house arrest, Luke wrote his Gospel and the Book of Acts. Paul was released and extended his mission to Spain. He returned to Rome and when Nero severely persecuted the Christians, both Paul and Peter were martyred.)

My Takeaway: I invite you to join me in praying that we, through the power of the Holy Spirit, write the twenty-ninth chapter of Acts 29 through our local church.

Sē’lah

<>< <>< <>< <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Monday, May 31, 2021

I Have Discarded Everything

Friday, May 28, 2021

Safeguard Your Faith

Thursday, May 27, 2021

Paul Is No Pollyanna

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Serving Christ Jesus, The King

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Hold Firmly To The Word Of Life

Monday, May 24, 2021

Seeking The Life In Christ As My Way Of Life

Friday, May 21, 2021

The Interests of Others

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Worthy of The Good News

Wednesday, May 19, 2021

Into the Presence of God

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

God’s Perspective

Monday, May 17, 2021

Remaining Faithful

Sunday, May 16, 2021

Paul in Rome – Part Two

Seeking the Life in Christ

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