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Stephen and the Stiff-Necked

January 28, 2016 / Allan Babcock

Stiff-necked people are arrogant and stubborn. They work hard to be good before God. But they refuse to worship God as God, celebrating their achievements instead. Therefore, after much patience, God turns away from them.

We come to the third sermon of “The Acts Eight”, “Stephen and the Stiff-Necked”. It’s long (7:1-53), so to “hear” it we’ll need our Bible. Let’s pull it out and read along. Before we get to Stephen’s sermon, let’s take a brief look at the man and charges made against him.

Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)– Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke. Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.” So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel (Acts 6:8-15).

The Man Stephen.

We met him in Acts 6:5. There he was one of seven chosen to distribute food to church widows and introduced as “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.” Here author Luke describes him as “a man full of God’s grace and power” who “did great wonders and signs among the people” (6:8). He spread the Gospel primarily among Hellenist Jews, that is, Jews born outside Israel (“Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria and the provinces of Cilicia and Asia”). They reacted with arguments. Unable to succeed, they persuaded some men to make false charges against Stephen. They seized him and dragged him before the Sanhedrin. When members looked at him closely, they saw a face literally shining with God’s glory, as was written of Moses’ face (Exodus 34:29,30).

Charges Against Stephen.

To the Court the men Luke calls “false witnesses” charged Stephen with blasphemy against Moses and against God, specifically (1) speaking against the temple saying Jesus will destroy it and (2) speaking against Moses by changing his traditional customs. Like most lies, they contained enough truth to be deceptively convincing to the already hostile Court.

Stephen’s Sermon.

It wasn’t really a sermon, but a historical defense which Stephen turned into a prosecution of the Court. In it, Stephen over-viewed Jewish history in the Old Testament. Two themes run throughout it. First, God’s steadfast covenant faithfulness to his people. Second, the people’s resistance to God in favor of their own way, resulting eventually in God turning away from them. We’ll look for those themes as we read. And we’ll do it with the prayer that God may keep us from being stiff-necked before his grace.

The High Priest’s Question.

“Are these things (the charges of speaking against the temple and the customs of Moses) so?” (7:1)

God and Abraham (please read 7:2-8).

Stephen tells how God called Abraham to a land he would show him. Abraham went, but only as far as Haran. But God “removed” him from that land to bring him to the land of promise. In other words, Abraham half obeyed, half resisted. Nevertheless, God acted in sovereign grace and drove Abraham from Haran to the Promised Land.

God and Joseph (please read 7:9-16).

Stephen recounts how the patriarchs (the men who would become heads of Israel’s twelve tribes) sold Joseph into Egypt, jealous of his dreams in which he claimed they would have to bow down to him. But God was with Joseph and gave him favor with Pharaoh. Therefore, by God’s sovereign grace, Joseph saved his family (and future generations) from famine. (His brothers did bow down to him.)

God and Moses (please read (7:17-43).

Stephen narrates Moses’ story—how the Hebrews were enslaved under Pharaoh and how the Lord rescued them with signs and wonders. But from the Hebrews rejected Moses again and again, questioning Moses’ credentials as ruler and redeemer, finally making a golden calf “and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands.” God then “turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven . . . “

God and the Temple (please read 7:44-50).

Yet a believing remnant survived 40 years in the wilderness. God brought them into the Promised Land, driving out the nations for their sake. Solomon, David’s son, built the temple. “However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me?’says the Lord. ‘Or where will my resting place be? Has not my hand made all these things?'”

With that quote from the prophet Isaiah (66:1,2), Stephen begins to drive home his charge against them. The temple was the work of their ancestors’ hands. They built it and gloried in it, instead of in the God who doesn’t live in a house made by men. Rather, he is the maker of all things.

Stephen’s Charge.

“You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him– you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it” (7:51-53).

Their history reveals their resistance to God. And they have climaxed it by betraying and murdering the Messiah. Yet, there is still opportunity to repent at this “sermon.” We’ll see next time if they do. Meanwhile, here is . . .

A Soft-Necked Prayer.

O God, please soften my neck.
I don’t want to be like those people
who enjoyed your grace but worshiped themselves.
I never want you to turn away from me
because of my arrogance or stubbornness.
Enable me to lower myself and humble myself
to your good and perfect will
(even if I think my way is better).
Teach me that I can’t box you in,
because you’re too big and can’t be contained.
Teach me that my achievements earn nothing,
that all things are from you and through you and to you.
What am I that you are mindful of me?
In the name of your Son who chose your will for my sake.
Amen.

War of Women

January 27, 2016 / Allan Babcock

If I called this “The Apostles Solve a Food Distribution Problem” you’d probably prefer reading the phone book. Admittedly, “War” stretches the conflict a bit, but there was grumbling and complaining and division. Let’s read Luke’s account . . .

Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.” What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. (And) The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith (Acts 6:1-7, NRS).

Why did the Holy Spirit lead author Luke to write about this ‘War of Women’?” I find four reasons . . .

First, to report that the church continued to grow in numbers despite internal conflict.

Luke begins and ends this text noting the church’s growth . . .

Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number . . . (6:1a)

The word of God continued to spread;
the number of disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem,
and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith (6:7).

Previously Luke gave a running account of church growth . . .

Those who accepted his message were baptized,
and about three thousand were added to their number that day. (2:41),

And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved (2:47).

But many who heard the message believed,
and the number of men grew to about five thousand (4:4).

Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord
and were added to their number. (5:14).

The U.S. account is different. A recent Pew Research study reveals that from 2007 to 2014 the percentage of Americans who claim to be Protestant Christians declined from 78.4.% to 70.6%. The percentage of Catholics declined from 23.9% to 20.8%. Orthodox Christians remained about the same: 0.6% to 0.5%.

According to the Atlas of Global Christianity, in 1910 Europe was 90% Christian; in 2010 Europe was less than 84% Christian. Better news: in 1910 Asia was 2.4% Christian; in 2010 Asia was about 9% Christian. And in 1910 Africa was 9.4% Christian, while in 2010 Africa was 48% Christian. We can interpret these statistics differently, but one thing is clear: the church can’t be extinguished, and in some unlikely places the church is thriving.

It was in Jerusalem. It must have been exhilarating. But with growth came internal conflict.

Second, Luke wrote this to show us that the Gospel unites when cultures clash.

Hellenists or Grecian Jews were from outside Israel. They spoke Greek and had adopted some of that culture. Their widows were being overlooked in the daily food distribution. Hebrew Jews were born in Israel. They spoke Aramaic and held to Jewish culture. Their widows were well fed widows.

When the apostles learned of the conflict, they gathered the believers and had them select seven men to administer food distribution. But they had to be “men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom.” In other words, they were to be men known among the church as Spirit- and wisdom-filled. To say it another way, they had to be men regenerated by the Spirit and being sanctified by the Spirit. Such men who embody the Gospel draw people together in unity. This is why I say the Gospel unites when cultures clash.

Third, to provide a model for church leadership.

The model is simple. When the church spread into Gentile lands, the model remained. The apostles appointed pastors/elders to pray and serve the Word, while deacons were chosen to serve other church needs. However, for both spiritual qualifications remained paramount (see 1 Timothy 3:1-13).

The model remains today. The pastor/elder should prayerfully serve the Word to the people. The congregation’s needs make that difficult. But this is the pastor’s/elder’s calling. Once Lois and I visited a church of thousands, where the pastor largely directed the Sunday “production”; it showed in his poor preaching.

Deacons should be responsible for other areas of ministry. Even if they are food-distributors, they should be spiritually qualified. In fact, I believe this model applies to worship team members, Sunday school teachers, etc. They should be selected primarily because they are known to be being-sanctified-by-the-Spirit followers of Jesus.

Fourth, to teach us the importance of the church caring for her poor.

As far as I can tell, the Roman Empire had no welfare system. The poor were largely on their own—but not among the Christians. From the beginning, the church took care of her poor, particularly widows. In this case, ” . . . as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need” (4:34,35). That distribution as we’ve seen, included daily meals.

Today government programs help the poor. But often not enough. To love one another as Jesus loved us surely includes being sure our poor are cared for.

* * * *

What should we do with these four reasons for the inclusion of this incident in Acts? Most of us are in no position to direct what happens in our church. But we can pray . . .

Lord Jesus, the church you birthed is triumphant,
even in places where she seems weak and is struggling!
The church is triumphant because you are
and, for the sake of your name, you will never let your people lose.
Cause that truth to lift our depressed heart.
Where there is disunity among us, Lord,
root your gospel deep in our minds and hearts
until it brings us together as one in your transforming love.
Give us pastors and elders
who will prayerfully devote themselves to your Word
and others who are spiritually qualified to serve.
And may we who have much
remember the needs of the poor
as you yourself did.
We ask all this for the fame of your name
and the good of the people for whom you died.
Amen.

The Living Church

January 24, 2016 / Allan Babcock

In 1973 we planted a church in New Jersey. Named it “The Living Church.” The local Episcopal priest (half?) joked, “I guess that means the rest of us are dead.” Ours was alive, yet nowhere near the “alive-level” of the Jerusalem church in her exhilarating early days. Makes me long for what they had.

In this series of posts, I’m focusing on “The Acts Eight”—eight sermons scattered throughout the book. To see them in context we ‘re following the narrative. It’s taking more time than I anticipated. I hope the Lord uses it for good.

In Acts 5:12-16 author Luke writes a third summary (see 2:42-47 and 4:32-37 for the first two) of church life, as she marched through her early months and years. This summary intoxicates . . .

Alive with the Spirit’s Power

The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.

“Seeing” the scene helps—so an explanation. Solomon’s Colonnade was a porch-like walkway running along much of the eastern side of the temple courtyard. They met in homes, but this was the public place believers gathered. Outsiders kept their distance. (Memories of Ananias and Sapphira?) Yet more came to faith; numbers surged. Miraculous healings were regular. Crowds came from outside the city with their sick. Like the days of Jesus.

A clarification. The NIV says, “The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders”. An unfortunate translation, because it makes the apostles the actors. More faithful to the original Greek is the ESV translation: “Now many signs and wonders were regularly done . . . by the hands of the apostles.” This makes the apostles the means, not the source.

That church, that was The Living Church. Alive with the Spirit’s power.

But such dynamic success instigated opposition . . .

Advance Despite the Court’s Clout

Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people the full message of this new life.” At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin– the full assembly of the elders of Israel– and sent to the jail for the apostles. But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this. Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them. Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead– whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death.

But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ (Acts 5:17-42).

This text, too, beats with the Spirit’s life. First, the miraculous “prison break”, noted almost matter-of-factly. Second, the bold “defense” of the apostles, which Peter attributes to the power of the Spirit. Third, the rejoicing by the bloodied apostles. And finally their unstopping good-news-proclaiming.

Speaking of “the bloodied apostles”, it’s significant to note that the flogging may well have been the traditional 39 lashes with bone-filled straps. That they rejoiced having been “counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name”, and that they continued spreading the Gospel knowing the cost, points to the transforming presence of the Holy Spirit in them.

In fact, it’s quite remarkable how unflinchingly they declared Jesus to be the One . . .

raised from the dead by the God of their fathers. Thus they connected Jesus to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
the Court had killed by crucifixion. Thus declaring their unquestioned guilt before God.
God exalted to the place of ultimate authority (“exalted to his own right hand”).
who is now “Prince (Greek arkaygos–leader, prince, pioneer) and Savior”.
whose exaltation is for the purpose of giving repentance and forgiveness of sins. Thus giving the Court opportunity to repent and be forgiven.
whom the apostles saw alive again with their own eyes.

So again, as before (4:1-22), the “optics” for the Court aren’t good. Despite their best efforts, they look powerless and inept, as the bloodied apostles leave rejoicing and persistently spread the word.

Aberrant Today?

Question: Is Acts only a history of the church or a model? If model, then from my (admittedly limited) view, we’re not matching up well. What is happening among us that can be attributed only to the Holy Spirit? When was the last time people came because they heard how the Lord was miraculously changing lives among us? Are we in danger of persecution because our words and works threaten powerful people?

Maybe we should pray desperately for what we’re missing from the model . . .

Flip-Flop

January 23, 2016 / Allan Babcock

Back in November I named Ben Carson as my choice for president (https://theoldpreacher.com/carson-vs-media/).

Now I’ve done what politicians do—flip-flopped. (Those of you reading this from other countries, I hope you’ll find something for yourself in this.)

I’ve flip-flopped only because, in my humble opinion, I don’t think Carson can get the nomination and I don’t want my vote wasted. I certain am anti-Trump. I think his candidacy is all about himself. As far as flip-flops go, Trump has flipped as far as humanly possible and I’m praying he’ll flop big-time. I understand the anger. But just as lashing out in anger on a personal level solves nothing, neither will it on a national level. No way are his views (which seem to be all over the map) consistent with a biblical worldview.

Words matter. Jesus said, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks “(Luke 6:45). This is why inappropriate or vulgar speakers need a heart change, not a speech therapist! What we hear from Mr. Trump’s mouth reveals the condition of Mr. Trump’s heart. I for one don’t want that heart in the Oval Office.

Last December I posted a Marco Rubio video in which he spoke of his Christian faith (https://theoldpreacher.com/rubio-on-jesus-more/). I’m posting another today (although the sound quality is poor). In it Rubio responds to a question from an atheist. I’m impressed that Rubio doesn’t minimize his Christian faith. My sense is that he spoke from his heart at the risk of losing the atheist-bloc’s vote. I’m not campaigning for him, though, under the circumstances, I think I’ve flip-flopped and will vote for him in the primary.

Whatever happens, I’m convinced we need more politicians, more leaders in every area and more Christians in general to speak up for Jesus. Not to beat anybody over the head with the Gospel, but to make it clear where we stand—and to speak that truth firmly but humbly in love.

One question has long-concerned me: If so many of us profess faith in Christ, why is our country (and the world!) as godless as it is? Is it because many of us really aren’t believers? Or is it that we have no intention of obeying the One our mouths call “Lord”?

Bible Illiterates?

January 22, 2016 / Allan Babcock

I read a familiar, but still disturbing, post today entitled, “The Scandal of Biblical Illiteracy: It’s Our Problem”. It’s available in its entirety at http://www.albertmohler.com/2016/01/20/the-scandal-of-biblical-illiteracy-its-our-problem-4/.

The content reveals why most of my posts are “devotional commentaries” (or “little sermons” ) on the Scripture. Christian bloggers write posts on everything from theological doctrines to practical “how to’s” to church history to personal stories. Most are worth reading. I am not competing with them or suggesting mine are “better”. I write mostly about “The Word”, because I agree with Dr. Mohler: Christians in American are largely biblically illiterate.

Mohler calls this a “scandalous problem” and declares “it’s up to us to fix it”. Let me say at the outset the only “fix” is to prayerfully read and study Scripture. Neither my blog nor anyone’s writing can substitute. The “fix” is to read God’s Word. That’s why I typically quote (rather than just refer to) Scripture. Even so, at best it’s only part of the “fix”.

Before looking further at the “fix” let’s see how bad our illiteracy is. This information comes from various researchers, people like the Barna Research Group, George Gallup, etc.). According to Mohler’s post, “Fewer than half of all adults can name the four gospels. Many Christians cannot identify more than two or three of the disciples. Barna claims “60 percent of Americans can’t name even five of the Ten Commandments. No wonder people break the Ten Commandments all the time. They don’t know what they are.”

Eighty-two percent of Americans say, “God helps those who help themselves” is in the Bible. Eighty-one percent of self-professed born again Christians agree! Some research results are tragically funny. Barna polling shows “that at least 12% of adults believe that Joan of Arc was Noah’s wife.” In another survey over 50% of graduating high school seniors “thought Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife.” And another poll “indicated that the Sermon on the Mount was preached by Billy Graham.”

Why does this illiteracy matter? It matters not so we can win a Bible trivia game at a youth group. Mohler offers a powerful reason that should shake us if we’re among the “illiterates”: “We will not believe more than we know, and we will not live higher than our beliefs.” To put it another way, the quality of our faith is determined by the extent of our biblical knowledge and the way we live is determined by our faith. Now, knowing the names of the twelve disciples won’t bolster our faith and thereby shape our lifestyle. But, as Mohler points out, “An individual who believes that “God helps those who help themselves” will find salvation by grace and justification by faith to be alien concepts.”

How, then, can we improve biblical literacy?

Pastors must preach the Bible—what it says, what it means, how to live it out.
Members must regularly be good students of sermons—listening, jotting notes, taking away knowledge of the truth taught, coupled with an aim to act on it.
Youth groups must include serious Bible study as part of their program.
Parents must read the Bible and pray with their children at home.
Christians individually, or as a married couple, must make time daily to read God’s Word and pray.
Blog-readers should read blogs that focus on God’s Word, read them with Bible open, and read them prayerfully.
Everybody should buy and use a study Bible that gives introductory information to each book. I think the ESV Study Bible is the best.

An encouragement. The Bible is an intimidating, challenging book to read, made harder by the dumbing-down of our society as visual media (Internet, smart phones, etc.) push reading off the stage. But the only way to become Bible-literate is to prayerfully read it. (I try to write my blog in series so we’re walking through a Bible book or section.) I know from experience that reading doesn’t just add knowledge of Scripture; as time goes on reading multiplies it.

Mohler’s concluding words are also mine . . .

I’m not suggesting that reading my blog guarantees biblical literacy.
With my prayers, I just humbly offer it as a help.

Money: Fulfilling or Fatal?

January 21, 2016 / Allan Babcock

At a busy intersection not far from where we once lived a billboard boasted, “WE’RE A CHURCH THAT DOESN’T PREACH MONEY!” Funny. My Bibles says a lot about money.

In fact, Luke’s second summary of early church life (4:32-37) is almost all about money. That’s especially significant because many months (maybe even a year or so) has passed since his last summary (2:42-47).

Church Life Summary (4:32-35)

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.

The first sentence is key to this summary. All the believers were one in heart and mind. Commentator William J. Larkin Jr. writes, This phrase masterfully brings together both the Greek ideal of friendship–“a single soul [mia psyche] dwelling in two bodies” (Aristotle in Diogenes Laertius Lives of the Philosophers 5.20)–and the Old Testament ideal of total loyalty (1 Chron 12:39–referring to the devotion of David’s band of men in the wilderness).

I caught glimpses of unity like that over 44 years of pastoring. Sadly, I also saw painful occasions where we suffered the opposite in shameful church splits. Most of the time, though, our church unity registered somewhere in between.

This Acts’ oneness was more than a km-ba-ya moment around a campfire. It was lived out by the whole church. “No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had” with the result that there “were no needy persons among them.” This was especially significant, because Jerusalem’s economy was shaky at best, the country as a whole suffered through several famines, members from Galilee and other places were away from their source of income and social and economic persecution added to their poverty (Acts 24:17; Romans 15:26). This sacrificial love enabled the apostles to testify to the Lord Jesus’ resurrection “with great power.”

How, I wonder, did the apostles pull 5000 members into such unity? Fundraising projects? Car-salesman-like persuasion? It wasn’t the apostles at all. It was the gracious work of God the Holy Spirit (“much grace was upon them all”). Author Luke comments: “For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.” In other words, they gave freely having been moved by the grace of God the Holy Spirit.

That’s extraordinary. More accurately, that’s miraculous. Who does that? Maybe a multi-billionaire who can write off such gifts as “charitable giving” on his taxes. But these people weren’t rich and enjoyed no tax deductions. Without question, this was the result of Spirit- empowered, grace-produced oneness. In passing, Luke identifies one example . . .

A Living Example (4:36,37).

Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

Why did the apostles nickname Joseph “Son of Encouragement”? Perhaps in part because his Spirit-inspired gift brought heavy-hearted people hope. But there was two other people whose gift brought a distinctly different result . . .

Fatal Fraud (5:1-11).

Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.” When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” Peter said to her, “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

Even though this narrative is pretty straightforward, a few observations . . .

—Apparently these two wanted the praise without the price.
—I think the Holy Spirit revealed Ananias’ deceit to Peter.
—Satan was the “power” behind Ananias’ sin.
—Ananias’ lie was primarily to God the Holy Spirit (who was present in the believers), only secondarily to the apostles.
—Death seems an extreme penalty for what we today call “spin”. But spoken in God’s presence, it’s a capital crime.
—The phobos (Greek) that seized everyone was not “reverence” (Romans 3:18), but “terror”.

Three Warnings & One Reward

First warning: God punishes sin. So, don’t mess with God. He is to be feared, not casually dismissed. The Good News part of this warning is that when Jesus died, he was punished for the sins of all who would believe in him.

Second warning: God sets the rules. We judge Ananias’ sin as small or even shrewd. But life isn’t our “game”, it’s God’s. And in the Bible he instructed us how it’s to be “played”.

Third warning: The Spirit may move us out of our comfort zone. Not to spotlight ourselves, but to point people to Jesus.

One reward: We can bless others with our money and possessions. Not only will that meet their needs and bring glory to the Lord; it will give us great joy that can come no other way.

Fill us with the Holy Spirit, Lord,
so we will be radical givers
as you have been to us.

Image result for photo of giving money

The Country That Murders an Innocent a Minute

January 20, 2016 / Allan Babcock

I stumbled across this post by Andrew Napolitano on “Newsmax” and thought it informative about abortion from a legal point of view. Take the time to read it and realize how lawless our country has been and continues to be regarding this devastating issue. And wonder with me how long God, in whose image all these innocents are created, will withhold his wrath from America. More than that, let’s pray and vote for a pro-life president.

Murdering Continues as Roe Turns 43

By Andrew Napolitano | Wednesday, 20 Jan 2016 10:42 AM

Image: Murdering Continues as Roe Turns 43

In one week during January 1973, President Richard M. Nixon was inaugurated to his second term, former President Lyndon B. Johnson died, the United States and North Vietnam entered into the Paris Peace Accords, and the Supreme Court legalized abortion.

Only the last of these events continues to affect and haunt the moral and constitutional order every minute of every day.

The court’s decision in Roe vs. Wade is arguably its most controversial in the post-World War II era. Its effect has been as pernicious to human life as was its 19th century intellectual progenitor, Dred Scott vs. Sanford, in which the Supreme Court ruled that African-Americans are not persons.

Roe declares that the states may not ban abortions during the first trimester of a woman’s pregnancy because the states have no interest in or right to protect the baby during that time period. This made-up rule was a radical and unconstitutional departure from nearly 200 years of jurisprudence, during which the states themselves decided what interests to protect, guided since the end of the Civil War by the prohibition on slavery, and the requirements of due process and equal protection.
During the second trimester of pregnancy, the Court declared in Roe, states may regulate abortions but only to protect the health of the mother, not the life or health of the baby, in which, the Court found, the states have no interest.

This, too, was a radical departure from well-settled law.

Under Roe, during the third trimester of pregnancy, the states may ban abortions or they may permit them; they may protect the life of the baby or they may not protect it.

This diabolic rule, the product of judicial compromise and an embarrassing and destructive rejection of the Civil War era constitutional amendments, permits the states to allow abortions up to the moment before birth, as is the law in New Jersey, where the state even pays for abortions for those who cannot afford them.

The linchpin of Roe vs. Wade is the judicial determination that the baby in the womb is not a person. The court felt it was legally necessary to make this dreadful declaration because the Constitution guarantees due process (a fair jury trial, and its attendant constitutional protections) whenever the government wants to interfere with the life, liberty or property of any person; and it prohibits the states from permitting some persons to violate the basic human rights of others, as was the case under slavery.

As the Supreme Court sometimes does, it ruled on an issue and came to a conclusion that none of the litigants before it had sought.

Roe candidly recognizes that if the fetus in the womb is a person, then all laws permitting abortion are unconstitutional. The court understood that abortion and fetal personhood would constitute the states permitting private persons to murder other persons.

So, in order to accommodate the killing, it simply redefined the meaning of “person,” lest it permit a state of affairs that due process and the prohibition of slavery could never tolerate. George Orwell predicted this horrific and totalitarian use of words in 1949 in his unnerving description of tyranny, “1984.”

Is the fetus in the womb a person?

No court has contradicted the Supreme Court on this, and the Roe supporters argue that nonpersonhood is necessary for sexual freedom. Think about that: The pro-abortion rights crowd, rejecting the natural and probable consequences of ordinary, healthy sexual intercourse, wants to continue to kill babies in the name of sexual freedom.

I take a back seat to no one when it comes to personal freedom. But the freedom to kill innocents violates all norms of civilized society. It violates the natural law.

It wasn’t even condoned in the state of nature, before governments existed.

It violates the 13th and 14th Amendments. Yet, the Supreme Court and numerous Congresses have refused to interfere with it.

It is a grave and profound evil. It is legalized murder.

Is the fetus in the womb a person?

Since the fetus has human parents and all the needed human genome to develop postnatally, of course the fetus is a person.

A simple one-line statute could have been enacted when Ronald Reagan or George W. Bush were in the White House and Republicans and anti-abortion Democrats (the handful that have made it to Congress) controlled the Congress. They could have ended the slaughter by legislatively defining the fetus in the womb to be a person.

They did not. Are the self-proclaimed anti-abortion folks in Congress sincere, or do they march under the anti-abortion banner just to win votes?

Their failure to attempt to define the fetus in the womb as a person seriously, and the Supreme Court’s unprecedented dance around the requirement of due process and the prohibition of slavery has resulted in 44 million abortions in 43 years.

That’s an abortion every minute.

Abortion is today one of the most frequent medical procedures performed in America; and the Democrats have become its champion.

They, and their few Republican allies, have become the champions of totalitarianism as well. The removal of legal personhood from human offspring in order to destroy the offspring is only the work of tyrants.

How long can a society last that violates universal norms and kills its babies in the name of “sexual freedom”?

Whose personhood will the government define away next?

Judge Andrew P. Napolitano was the youngest life-tenured Superior Court judge in the history of New Jersey. He is Fox News’ senior judicial analyst. Napolitano has been published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and numerous other publications. He is the author of the best-seller, “Lies the Government Told You: Myth, Power, and Deception in American History.”

Letter from Birmingham Jail

January 18, 2016 / Allan Babcock

I want to think racism in America has vanished. Surely the vast majority have quit counting one race superior to another!

Racism.

But today I read this from presidential hopeful Dr. Ben Carson . . .

In 1964, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. accepted the Nobel Peace Prize, he said, “I am mindful that debilitating and grinding poverty afflicts my people and chains them to the lowest rung of the economic ladder.”

After fifty years of liberals making promises and the last seven years of false hope from President Obama, not much has changed. African-Americans are still fighting for space on the bottom rung of the economic ladder.

The high poverty rate in the black community continues because the very tools that should be used to promote economic opportunity instead keep low-income and minority communities in chains.

We have an education system that continues to penalize low-income and minority students by keeping them trapped in failing schools rather than giving them the choice to attend schools that best suit their academic needs. The status quo rewards national teachers’ unions at the expense of what is best for our students.

I doubt that’s just campaign rhetoric. Many African-Americans still suffer the residual (some would say “systemic”) effects of past widespread racism. That’s one reason why I’m writing about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on this commemoration of his birthday.

The Man.

King was a Baptist minister and a civil rights advocate. The latter started almost “accidentally” when Pastor King was elected to lead a bus boycott in 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama responding to Rosa Park’s being found guilty of violating the Montgomery City Code when she refused to surrender her seat to a white man on a crowded bus.

Dr. King played a pivotal part in ending legal segregation of African-American citizens in the South and in creating both the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Perhaps he is best known for his 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech (see above).

On Good Friday, 1963, King and his team ignored a court injunction that prohibited a peaceful march in Birmingham, Alabama. Barricades were erected. Shouting police arrested the kneeling King and his friend Ralph Abernathy and threw them in the Birmingham City Jail. King was put in solitary confinement without a mattress, pillow or blanket. A few days later a guard brought him a published letter signed by eight white clergymen condemning King for his actions.

The Letter.

King responded with a letter of his own (Letter from Birmingham Jail) that has been called “the most eloquent and learned expression of the goals and philosophy of the nonviolent movement ever written.” (Let the Trumpet Sound, p. 222). It’s long but worth the investment of time ( http://okra.stanford.edu/transcription/document_images/undecided/630416-019.pdf).

Below is what may be the most soul-stirring part of that response to the white clergy . . .

Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, “Wait.” But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate-filled policemen curse, kick, and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you see the vast majority of your 20 million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society; when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year-old daughter why she cannot go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she’s told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people; when you have to concoct an answer for a five-year-old son who is asking, “Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?”; when you take a cross-country drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel will accept you; when you are humiliated day in and day out by nagging signs reading “white” and “colored”; when your first name becomes “Nigger,” your middle name becomes “boy” (however old you are) and your last name becomes “John,” and your wife and mother are never given the respected title “Mrs.”; when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of “nobodiness” — then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait. There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair. I hope, sirs, you can understand our legitimate and unavoidable impatience.

The Word.

Every human being, regardless of skin color or economic standing or gender or anything else, has value and dignity having been created in God’s image . . .

When God created man,
he made him in the likeness of God.
He created them male and female and blessed them.
And when they were created, he called them “man”
(Genesis 5:1,2).

This is especially true for those who are “in Christ”. For Paul, the issue was Jew–Gentile. What he writes here applies to black–white as well . . .

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth
and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision”
(that done in the body by the hands of men)–
remember that at that time you were separate from Christ,
excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise,
without hope and without God in the world.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away
have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one
and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations.
His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace,
and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross,
by which he put to death their hostility.
He came and preached peace to you who were far away
and peace to those who were near.
For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens,
but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household,
built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
In him the whole building is joined together
and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
And in him you too are being built together t
o become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit
(Ephesians 2:11-22).

The Grace of Not Knowing.

In 1973 Lois and I moved to Montclair, N.J. to plant a church. In contrast to where we had come from, Montclair had a significant African-American population. So did, of course, the public schools. We wondered how our children would respond. After the first or second day we asked them, “How many black kids are in your class?” They didn’t know.!

May God give us all grace not to know!

Image result for little kids holding hands black and white

Chutzpah Prayer

January 15, 2016 / Allan Babcock

“Chutzpah” is a Yiddish word which American humorist Leo Rosten defined as “that quality enshrined in a man who, having killed his mother and father, throws himself on the mercy of the court because he is an orphan.”

“Chutzpah” has a negative connotation as the synonyms “brazenness” and “arrogance” suggest. But it has a positive connotation too as the synonyms “boldness, confidence, gutsiness” suggest. Positive “chutzpah” is the kind believers displayed in their prayer after Peter and John were released by the authorities having been arrested and tried for preaching in the name of the resurrected Christ (see https://theoldpreacher.com/interruption-malfunction/ ).

On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.’ Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly (Acts 4:23-31).

Today we continue following the Acts narrative leading up to Acts 7:1-53, sermon #3 of “The Acts Eight”. The narrative today is almost entirely a prayer.

Whom They Address.

“Sovereign Lord (Greek despotays), you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them” (4:24). By addressing God this way they affirm God’s total authority over his servants, all of his creation, and even over the Sanhedrin opposing them. Thus they encourage themselves that the God they serve is in control of all things.

What They Remember the Sovereign Lord Said.

“You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One'” (4:25,26). This God spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David. As Francis Schaffer entitled one of his books: “He Is There And He Is Not Silent.” And what did God say? The early believers quote from Psalm 2, a psalm of David considered by the Jews to be messianic.

How They Apply What the Sovereign Lord Said.

Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen (Acts 4:27,28). Knowing that the Lord is sovereign and remembering what he said in David’s psalm, they conclude that Herod, Pilate, the Gentiles and the people of Israel “did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen”. Each of these anti-Lord people chose to “conspire against [God’s] holy servant Jesus”. Yet their choice was what he had decided beforehand should take place.

What They Ask the Sovereign Lord For.

Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus” (Acts 4:29,30). Remarkably, they don’t pray for protection. While they ask the Lord to pay attention to the threats of their enemies (implying how he may or may not act is up to him), their only concern is that the Lord enable them to carry out their mission “with great boldness.”

The NIV incorrectly breaks 4:29 and 4:30 into two sentences. The ESV translation captures the meaning of the Greek: “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” In other words, the believers assume Jesus will continue to do the miraculous works he started (as recorded in the Gospel—Acts 1:1) as they speak his word.

Here’s the heart of the “chutzpah” prayer. No one thinks the cost of spreading the Gospel too great. No one gives up the fight and goes home. Jesus is alive. He is Sovereign Lord. They are his witnesses empowered by the Holy Spirit to make him known to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth.

How the Sovereign Lord Answered.

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly (4:31). The Holy Spirit is the divine Enabler. On Pentecost they had been filled (2:4). Here they’re filled again. This reminds us that the filling of the Holy Spirit is not a one-time “trophy” experience, as some Pentecostals seem to think. It also tells us this filling isn’t the object of the prayer—empowerment for bearing witness of Christ is, especially in an environment officially hostile to their message. But as church father Chrysostom observed about the place being shaken: “and that made them the more unshaken” (Homily on the Acts of the Apostles 11). May the Lord’s answer to our praying also make us unshaken by whatever opposition or suffering we face!

* * * * *

Many of us who read this blog live in nations without overt opposition to the Gospel—though even in America and West European nations hostility is growing. Some of us who read this live in nations where opposition is overt and dangerous, as it was for these early believers.

All of us, however, should see this prayer as a model. All of us can be Yiddish in praying. “Yiddish” was the language of Central and Eastern European Jews until the mid-20th century. We could all do with a little Yiddish chuztpah, couldn’t we!

Sovereign Lord, you made the heavens, the earth, the sea,
and everything in them.
You own it all and you rule it all—even the people opposed to you.
As you spoke long ago,
what your Son endured was your will,
so today nothing happens outside your will.
You know the opposition we face to making Jesus known,
some of it from outside, some from within ourselves.
Take note of those threats, Lord,
and enable us as your servants to speak your word with great boldness,
—with chutzpah, unmoved by resistance or rejection or dread—
while you heal and do miraculous signs and wonders
through the name of your holy servant Jesus.
In his name we pray. Amen.”

The (Little) Man Meets Jesus

January 14, 2016 / Allan Babcock

One of the main section-titles of my blog post is “The Man”. Not “man” as in macho; “man” as in ordinary. From time to time I’ll write some of my story as an exhibit of God working in an ordinary life.

Sounds pretentious, no? God at work in ordinary me? The Bible is full of such miracles. Remember the little boy Samuel (1 Samuel)? How about the disciples (the Gospels)? God—the Holy One, the Creator and Sustainer of everything, the eternal Master of all—really does reveal himself to, in and through ordinary, common, everyday people. Perhaps the most touching example is this . . .

Little Children and Jesus.

People were bringing little children to [Jesus], for him to touch them. The disciples scolded them, but when Jesus saw this he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. In truth I tell you, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ Then he embraced them, laid his hands on them and gave them his blessing (Mark 10:13-16, NJB).

When the opportunity arose, Jewish parents typically brought their children to a rabbi (teacher) for his blessing. That seems to be the case here. Jesus uses the occasion to teach the necessity of welcoming God’s kingdom like a little child. My point is simpler: Jesus welcomed little children. He “embraced them, laid his hands on them and gave them his blessing.”

When I think of this incident, I wonder what became of those little children? We’re never told, of course. Did this blessing merely make mothers feel happy and peaceful? Or did it lead years later to these children believing the Gospel and becoming Jesus-followers themselves? Were any of these children eventually instrumental in others giving their lives to Jesus?

“Little” Me and Jesus.

I received Jesus into my life when I was ten. The year was 1953. The place was “the 500 room” (that’s how many seats it had) in Bethany Church, Paterson, New Jersey. All Sunday school classes were there to hear a visiting preacher. At the end of his little sermon he said, “Now let’s have every head bowed and every eye closed. If you want to ask Jesus into your heart, raise your hand.” My parents had taken me to Sunday school and church from as early as I could remember. But I had never made a public decision to follow Jesus. After a minute, I tentatively raised my hand.

I should have known what was coming next. “If you raised your hand, come down to the front and we’ll pray.” My seat (center section, second or third row) seemed like center stage. No escape. I had to do it. I got up from my chair and walked to the front of the platform with about 15 or 20 other kids. The preacher prayed, then asked us to “repeat after me” some version of “the sinner’s prayer.”

When he sent us back to our seats, I was a bit dazed. This public thing had driven shy me out of my comfort zone. Or, was it something more? Did I really meet Jesus?

I can’t remember now what the following days were like. I’m pretty sure I didn’t become some sort of little saint. Didn’t want the Bible more than dessert. Didn’t count the days until next Sunday like I did for Christmas. If I had to describe those days, I’d say “same as always.” So maybe that episode was just socialization. Or . . . had I really met Jesus?

Three years later I was baptized in water. I suppose I did it because it was the next step. This step was down into the water of the baptistery (we inelegantly called it the baptism tank). I took my position next to our pastor and looked out at the Sunday evening crowd. I gave my testimony (brief since I had no shady past to confess). Promised I wanted to follow Jesus. Was put under and raised. I’d gone in dry, came out wet. Did anything else happen? Since ours was a Pentecostal church, if I had burst out in “other tongues”, the congregation would have erupted in praise. But my tongue lay silent in my mouth. Except for feeling wet and relieved, there was no change in me. So maybe baptism was just a church “rite of passage.” Or . . . had Jesus been there?

Looking back six decades later. I believe God was beginning to reveal Jesus to me and in me. Those two events weren’t just socialization or rites of passage. Jesus was there. My experiences, though far less dramatic, were just as real as an alcoholic or a wife-abuser turning his life over to Jesus.

Small Beginnings.

Holy moments with Jesus often come in ordinary places. And may even outwardly seem insignificant. Take Sunday school, for example. You know how it goes. You’ve got a handful of youngsters who each drank a two-liter bottle of Mountain Dew for breakfast. They can’t sit still. Can’t stop spouting off-the-subject stuff. Can’t stop acting silly. When the class ends, you fall into a chair and bemoan the wasted hour. But it probably wasn’t wasted. Sure, you didn’t plant your whole package of seeds, but a few fell threw that Mountain Dew. And God the Holy Spirit will use them.

So when we think of our children, we’d be wise to remember God’s work in their lives often starts small, as it did in mine. And we’d be especially wise to remember this prophetic admonition from a different situation but applicable to ours . . .