"They kept telling Paul through the Spirit not to set foot in Jerusalem." Acts 21:4
"This is what the Holy Spirit says; 'In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt.' " v. 11
"When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem." v. 12
"For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." v. 13
Paul faced a dilemma. He was resolved to listen to one voice, and to do whatever he was told, and to go where ever his obedience to The Spirit of the Living Christ would lead him. His resolve ran up against the resistance of those who loved him most. This may be the hardest thing in the world to do. It hurts to disappoint the ones we love the most, while at the same time obey The One who loves us most. Prayer helps. More than an aid, it is essential to the resolving The Dilemma.
"After kneeling down on the beach praying, we said farewell to one another." Acts 21:5
The disciples of Tyre, the prophet Agabus, the local residents of Caesarea, and even his closest band of brothers all tried to influence Paul to disobey the sense of direction he was receiving from the Holy Spirit. They even dropped the name of The Spirit in their arguments to get him to make a course direction.
They misunderstood Paul's sense of direction. He was bound and determined to obey the voice of the Lord Jesus, and if The Lord's voice led him to be bound and delivered to the Gentiles, so be it. He had reached that remarkable point in his walk with Jesus that his reward of consistent companionship with Him far outweighed the price he had to pay to have uninterrupted intimacy with Him.
Paul was not in love with the ministry. He was in love with Jesus. Paul was not in love with the fruit of ministry. He was in love with The Root of ministry. Paul loved the disciples who had responded to his message, but he was in love with Jesus. Obedience for him was not marked by a tight-lipped grimace, but a great release of the ownership of his life into the hands of Sovereign God.
The Dilemma for most preachers is the discovery of the joyless existence that being in love with the ministry can bring. Getting off course always appears as such a slight detour, but in actuality it is a terribly significant departure from God's best. Satan is the enemy of the best in the lives of believers. He would be pleased if the ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ would settle for what is good, if it kept them from God's best.
Don't get me wrong. God's best for you is sometimes wrapped in some pretty scary packaging. My wife, Dana, calls her battle with breast cancer her Great Adventure. It looked like a Giant Mistake to me, and I let God know how I felt about it. Perspective is everything. From her close walk with God, Dana could see God at work. From my close proximity to the crisis, I was blinded by the fog of war. I just wanted the fight to be over. Dana wanted to win it. God ignored me, and heard her. YAY! GOD!
There is great danger in focusing on the work of The Lord, without spending time with the Lord of the work. Doing the work of the Lord may build a preacher's career, but walking with the Lord of the work will build his character. Attempting to carry out ministry without being carried through it, by Jesus, always leads to compassion fatigue. When preachers can't tell the difference between being tired of it, or tired in it, the work of the Lord becomes a thankless job, and a pointless journey.
When Paul heard from The Spirit, and headed towards Jerusalem, the greatest spiritual warfare he faced involved friendly fire. There were those who told Paul they had heard The Spirit tell him not to go. He didn't argue with them. He knelt with them in prayer, and when he got up, he simply said farewell to his friends, and got on the boat for Jerusalem. Good call, Paul.
All the way to Jerusalem, Paul would be hindered by well-meaning friends, and perfectly accurate prophets. They all missed the point. Paul's mission wasn't focused on either arrival or survival. He lived only for revival. Paul was a dead man who had no purpose in life, unless revived by The Spirit of God to carry out something "for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." v. 13
With every breath, and every step Paul took, he was in synchronized rhythm with The Spirit of the Risen Christ. To people who were breathless to warn Paul from impending doom, it looked like Paul was on a suicide mission. They didn't understand they were a little late. Paul was already a dead man.
The infusion of courage for the course ahead, leads to the loss of fear for the consequences, come what may. Paul was bound and determined. If The Spirit led him to a confrontation with his enemies that would result in him being bound and delivered to the Gentiles, then The Spirit would lead him through it.
Paul's imprisonment would appear as a complete disaster, but it was actually all in God's plan to bring Paul to Rome. Along the way, Paul's letters to his friends would become most of the New Testament. Our hindsight on the will of God in this matter is now unimpaired by the fog of war. Sometimes it is hard to obey in the present tense, when there appears to be a clear and present danger. Prayer helps to clear the air, and remove the fear.
Thanks Agabus. If Paul had been deterred by your prophecy, he might not have ever given us Romans 8:28.
"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Roman 8:28
The Dilemma often comes when confronted by the choice of listening to friends or obeying The Spirit's voice. The Dilemma can lead to a detour from God's best, to a settling for good enough.
Prayer purifies a believer's motives and improves their sense of direction. Well-meaning people may try to save a friend from pain, but at the same time a painful experience does not mean that a person has missed God. They might be right in the center of God's will for their lives.
Athletes are sometimes challenged to "Play through the pain." Anyone who has ever heard this platitude knows that it is easier said than done. For the believer, life is a marathon, not a sprint, and around every corner there is another steep hill, or a painful challenge to face. Perhaps obedient believers would have more joy for the journey if they would take a page from Paul's workout manual, and "PRAY THROUGH THE PAIN." He did, and he finished the course. Finish strong. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Company
I remember reading a book in college, entitled, "The Company of the Committed." It was a great title. I have always been a sucker for a good title. It doesn't always deliver what it promises, but I will typically forgive the author, for putting more in their show window than they have on their shelves. A good title is sometimes thought provoking enough to point me in the right direction.
"When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And they began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again, and they were accompanying him to the ship." Acts 20: 36-38
Paul was in the company of the elders of the church. While they were accompanying him to the ship, they were grieving over Paul's departure to Jerusalem. All of this was God's will for them and for Paul, but obedience to The Spirit rarely leads to abstinence from pain. They were hurting over the separation, and they couldn't contain themselves. Tears flowed freely, as they held Paul tightly. They said their good-byes within the context of prayer and pain. They are not mutually exclusive emotions. They are dear friends.
Paul led them in prayer. The bond between leader and elders was not organizational or missional. It was spiritual. They were not held together by an organizational chart, a leadership seminar, or any other kind of man-made substance. The bond had been made in Heaven, and The Spirit that had forged strangers into family filled them with love for one another.
Note to self: There is nothing like it. Settle for nothing less.
"He knelt down and prayed with them all." v. 36
Paul's ministry had been birthed in prayer, bathed in prayer, and it would be buried in prayer. Prayer was not a magic talisman, an invocation, a benediction, a length of beads, or a form of liturgy. It was Paul's passion.
Paul would not take one more breath, or speak one more word, without praying with all those who would be responsible for carrying on the ministry. Kneeling on the dock prepared him for stepping on the deck. It prepared the elders for leaving Paul, and carrying out their mission. The ship would separate Paul from intimate friends, but it would intensify his intercession for them.
"Prayer is how we set our sails to catch the wind of Heaven." G. Campbell Morgan
Prayerless passion may lead to great zeal, but it will shed more heat than light. With a world blinded by darkness, Jesus said, "I am the Light of the world." The childhood song reminds us of our mission in this world, "Let it shine. Let it shine. Let it shine."
"He knelt down and prayed with them all." v. 36
My father graduated from Baylor University in 1949. One of the presidents of the university, while Dad was a student, was Gov. Pat Neff. He had been a U.S. Senator from Texas, and Governor of the state. He was a distinguished, silver haired Christian layman called upon to lead the school through the dark day of World War II.
Dad was part of the wave of students who came to Baylor on the GI Bill. These veterans brought wives and children with them to Waco, along with their war record, and a chest full of medals. They were not typical freshmen.
When Dad sensed the spiritual climate of the campus needed an infusion of light, he sought an audience with President Neff. One of his fondest memories is the moment when he was invited by the President to get on his knees with him, beside his desk, and to pray for Baylor. With tears, and passion the old man interceded for the students and for a great spiritual awakening to sweep the campus.
At 91 years of age, it is the one thing Dad tells me over and over again about his days at college. I believe the great Student Revival of 1949 that swept over Baylor, and spread to campuses all over America was a direct response from God to the prayers of a brokenhearted President.
Anyone who has ever had to lead an organization, large or small, knows that prayerless devotion to the task may fill the room with hot air, but it raises no sails to be filled with The Spirit. Prayer prepares the sails to be filled with the wind of Heaven. Talk can suck the oxygen out of the room, and make life hotter than Hell. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Blessing
"It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35
One memorable adventure of being on Dr. W. Fred Swank's staff was being his driver for a trip to First Baptist Church of Marble Falls, Texas in October of 1975. He was the keynote speaker for an Associational Evangelism Conference. The place was packed with preachers from all over the Hill Country. Bro. Fred, as they called him, was brought in to fire them up about evangelism, and to return to their churches with a renewed zeal to keep the main thing, the main thing. No one could do it better.
The whole trip was a snapshot of Texas Baptist life, back in the day. The room was packed, the preaching was fiery, and the music was a bit eclectic. Along with the choirs, soloists, and gospel quartets, the "special music" was a guy with a saw.
It was incredibly funny to me, when he walked out with his musical instrument, pulled out a chair, and sat down with the saw in his lap. I laughed. I remember Bro. Fred's words, "Shut up, NUTHIN'." Apparently my upbringing in New York had left me unfamiliar with the sacred harp. To this day, I can hardly listen to "Amazing Grace" without a smile on my face, and a trip down memory lane to Marble Falls. But I digress.
One of the huge responsibilities of any Baptist meeting is the "taking of the offering." This is not a a benign offertory prayer offered in some pious ministerial tone. It is a a heart attack serious attempt to get blood out of a turnip.
In this case, these country preachers had left town with a ten dollar bill and the ten commandments, and didn't intend to break either one. For a man to "take the offering" he had to have a unique skill set. This is best described as the capacity to write poetry while wrestling with alligators. It begins with knowing the audience and ends with transforming them from receivers to givers. It is no less of a miracle than turning water into wine, and in Baptist life, the man who cold do it was in great demand, and highly respected.
When it came time for the offering, a gregarious, red-headed preacher came up to the podium and said something I have never forgotten. "You shovel out, and God shovels in. Brothers, God's shovel is bigger than yours. Give like you believe, He will never be in your debt."
That one statement was worth the price of the ticket. I was a seminary student, working a full time job for part time pay, and I reached for my wallet and almost threw it on the platform. I gave all I had in it, and was glad to do it. I'm telling you, giving is not a matter of missing out on what you gave, but living on what God pours through you.
Note to self: When holding onto the money in your wallet becomes a way of life, and you lose the joy of the ten commandments, remember the words of Jesus. They are often referred to as the 11th Commandment. Take them to heart.
"It is more blessed to give than to receive. v. 35
For almost 40 years, I have tested the truth of that old boy's statement in Marble Falls. God does shovel in, and His shovel is bigger than mine. Any time I begin to believe I have reached the point where I have started out-giving God, He always has a way of restoring my perspective. I give by the ounce, but He shovels in by the pound.
I have had the privilege of knowing and serving God's people my whole life. Every thing I have, and hold is a result of the generosity of God's people. What I have is a result of God's love being passed from Him to them, and then on to me. Being a minister of The Gospel is a life of faith in God's capacity to move people to be conduits of His love, not just recipients of it.
Giving people are loving people. Selfish people are never satisfied with what they have, but hold onto it anyway. Paul set an example before the elders of the early church, and held them accountable to do the same with the people entrusted to their care. Giving is the sign of the life-giving Presence of the Risen Christ being released through believers, by the Person of His Holy Spirit.
"When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all." v. 36
This may be the key. Giving and praying are two sides of the same coin. Prayerless people are prideful people. Prayerful people are humble people. Prideful people hold on to what they have because they believe they have earned it or they deserve it. They are wrong on both counts.
Humble people let go of what they have been given by God, because they know it ALL belongs to Him. Prayer loosens one's grip on things that the world values. Prayer increases one's net worth, by investing in what money can't buy and death can't take away. The Blessing is discovered when we...TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Hurry
"For he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost." Acts 20:16
Last night, I caught a plane out of Little Rock, Arkansas, and arrived in DFW airport. I was in a hurry to get home, and spend the night in my own bed. There is, simply, no place like home. It can't be replaced by the romance of travel, or the rented luxury of a great hotel. After all, renting a bed rarely provides the rest that is received from spending the night in one's own.
The airports were crowded with people trying to get home for Christmas. Students who had wrapped up finals were ready for relief, and trading college life, for Mom's cooking. They were on a mission. I talked to two young men from Glasgow, Scotland who were trying to connect in DFW for a flight to Heathrow. I wish I could tell you what they said. Their brogue was so thick I needed an interpreter. Still, the message in their eyes was very clear. They would be home for Christmas. The joy that it brings it brings to the heart is the same in any language.
This morning, when I read these words, my mind recalled the frantic and frenetic hustling, and bustling, and the scurrying and hurrying, I saw last night at both airports.
"For he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost." v. 16
My first thought was, "I know what that feels like." Then I continued reading, and realized I had no clue what Paul was talking about.
As Paul addressed the elders of the church, and prepared to leave them for his trip to Jerusalem, he revealed that he sensed a new level of intense warfare was waiting for him, not the warm welcome of a family reunion. Paul was not going to see a welcome mat. He was about to become a door mat. Big difference.
"And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me." v. 22-23
WOW! As I read this piece of information, I found myself saying aloud, "Paul, slow it down!" It is one thing to be in a hurry for a birthday party. It is another thing to be in a hurry for a neck-tie party.
The Spirit had made it clear to Paul that he was to go to Jerusalem and face another level of spiritual warfare. He didn't hit the brakes, to slow down. He turned his face toward the sound of the guns, and picked up the pace to race to the battle line.
Paul reviewed with the elders of the church, his experiences with them in Asia. It was a prelude to what was ahead of him.
"I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came through the plots of the Jews;...now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem." v. 21-22
Paul was seasoned and scarred by the skirmishes of spiritual warfare in Asia. He was about to be sent on what looked like MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE. He was not going to be facing the wrath mounted by those stationed in distant outposts. Paul, "bound by the Spirit" was going to be taking the fight to HQ.
The "trials and the tears" of the past were only a foretaste of the challenges that were in front of him. Still, Paul was...
"...hurrying to be in Jerusalem." v. 16
Note to self: Stop whining. Be like Paul when you grow up.
Just in case, I was confused about the meaning of the word "hurry", I got out my Greek interlinear dictionary. It confirmed that this is the same word that is the source for the English word, "speed." It is the same word used to describe the passion of the shepherds who made haste to get to Jesus in the manger.
Apparently, the way we come on is the way we are to go on. The shepherds didn't delay to obey the directions they received, neither did Paul. Bound by the Spirit involves setting one's face in the right direction, and picking up the pace to get there. It is not about dragging one's feet with creative excuses and delaying tactics.
Note to self: #2 - Praying your way to obey something you already know God intends for you to do is prideful rebellion posing as pious reflection. Stop it!
"Delayed obedience is still disobedience." Henry Blackaby
Paul's prayer life kept him lashed to the Person of The Spirit of the Risen Christ. Too many people misread the price tag that the blood of Jesus Christ placed upon them. They look at it and read, "Expensive." The Spirit looks at it and sees, "Expendable."
In the 1980's there was a TV commercial that focused on motivating that decade's version of the "ME Generation" to indulge themselves in the delusion that they were very special. The catch phrase was this, "Sure it's expensive, but I'm worth it." This is a terrible mission statement for a child of God.
That Madison Avenue pitch sums up what most people believe about themselves. When they receive what they perceive to be their salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ, they may accept His gift graciously, but at the same time devalue His grace. They forget they didn't deserve it.
Rather than seeing themselves chosen as an expendable soldier in the battle against evil, they keep looking for the rank, privilege, position, and VIP seating on the float in the victory parade. In their estimation, others are expendable. They just happen to be expensive. After all, they were worth it.
Paul saw himself through the eyes of The Spirit of Christ. Anyone who sees themselves any differently needs a heart transplant, not new glasses.
"But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God." v. 24
Paul warned the elders of the church of Asia, that he would not be the only one who was going to have to take it up a notch. They too were about to enter into a new level of spiritual warfare. As he left the scene, powerful forces would move in to steal the sheep in their flocks.
"Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years, I did not cease to admonish each one with tears." v. 28-31
Prayer doesn't prepare a person for spiritual warfare. Prayer is the weapon of warfare. If you are in it to win it, don't be in a hurry to enter into it without taking up the weapon of prayer. You must use this weapon with the regularity and the intensity that comes with taking your next breath. Any weakening of the regularity and the intensity of prayer leaves a person vulnerable to the confusion, the chaos, and the consequences of spiritual warfare.
Martin Luther is often quoted as saying, "I have so much business today, I must spend the first three hours in prayer." He fell a bit short. He still had 21 hours left. Praying and breathing are essential to those who are in a hurry to meet the challenge of a MISSION: Impossible assignment. It is not courage to rush in where angels fear to tread. It is utter foolishness.
Prayer turns MISSION: Impossible into MISSION: HIMpossible. Paul came to the conclusion that he did not have to survive the battle, he just had to race to it, and take his stand in it. We should do the same. If you are in a hurry to make a name for your self, check your price tag. It says "EXPENDABLE." If you are in a hurry to make a difference, expend yourself. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Understatement
"And they took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted." Acts 20:12
I just love the understated way, Luke expresses the obvious. His tendency to state the facts of faith, without filling the air with superlatives and sensationalizing the ministry of The Holy Spirit is one of the vital signs that his words are God-breathed.
Before church web-sites became the puff sheet du jour, there were church newsletters. Getting off the mailing list of a church newsletter was harder than getting on their softball team. The Pastor's Column was always on the front page, or the upper left hand corner of page two.
As I read these epistles, I pictured thousands of Monday morning quarterbacks sitting at their type-writer or scribbling in their legal pad, with a cup of coffee and a thesaurus next to them. Every article deadline launched a frantic search for all the synonyms for "spectacular" that could be used to describe what happened that past Sunday.
One of the timeless, classic headlines I recall reading was, "Yesterday's services were a spectacular culmination to SENSATIONAL SUNDAYS! Hundreds saved, thousands healed. Renting New Mexico for parking!" He needed to lay off the caffeine, and take a chill pill. He must have been using the AMPLIFIED VERSION OF THE THESAURUS.
The work of the Holy Spirit as revealed in the lives of the preachers of The Book of Acts did not always leave people riveted to their seats. It sometimes led them to fall asleep and out of windows. Slumbering saints are not a new expression of Christianity. They are an ancient people.
"Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight...And there was a young man name Eutychus sitting on the window sill, sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead." v. 7-9
Paul was an anointed preacher, and filled with The Spirit, but even he had the capacity to put people to sleep. The ears can only hear what the seat can endure. A stifling hot room, filled with burning lamps and perspiring bodies is not going to improve communication. Eutychus fell asleep and into the street, three stories below. This will break up the meeting every time. Eutychus took one for the team.
"Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, 'Do not be troubled, for his life is in him." v. 11
Paul went back upstairs and continued preaching. Raising the dead was trumped by breaking of bread, preaching the word, talking with friends, and Christian fellowship.
"He talked with them a long while until daybreak..." v. 11b
A few years ago, I received a four colored brochure invitation to a church that advertised "The 20 Minute Service." From entrance to exit, they promised they would only take 20 minutes of my time. I decided it wasn't worth getting cleaned up to go see if they could do it.
Some things take time to get it right. Anything that grows overnight in my yard is usually a weed. When I think about it, this gives me a whole new idea for "ROUND UP! SUNDAY!" But I digress.
"They took away the boy alive and were greatly comforted." v. 12
I bet they were. This word for comfort is the same word that is often transliterated to describe The Person of The Holy Spirit as The Paraclete. Comfort is the work, and the very heart and soul of the Spirit of Christ.
The word comfort may not sound rigorous or vigorous to contemporary culture. This nation's restless values causes people to spend a great deal of money on the comforters they throw on top their beds, but in the end, the same weary people lay sleepless and comfortless underneath them. They have a comforter, but have no comfort.
Scripture indicates the family of Eutychus received great comfort, from the news that their boy was alive. They were going home with him by their side, not to a graveside.
The word comforter can also mean strengthener. Worship with friends, where the work of The Spirit is evident will always leave people greatly comforted. The fullness of The Spirit of Christ is essential in any service that begins and ends in the name of Jesus. The comfort is not in the length of the sermon, but in His Presence and the ministry of The Spirit.
"We must not be content to be cleansed, but be filled with the Spirit. The word 'comforter' as applied to the Holy Spirit needs to be translated by some vigorous term. Literally it means 'with strength.' Jesus promised His followers, 'The Strengthener' would be with them. No lullaby for the fainthearted. It is a blood transfusion for courageous living." C.P. Hovey
The prayerless church will always find itself breathless, trying to puff up what has been deflated when The Spirit departed the premises. The praying church will find itself in speechless understatement to describe the Presence and the power of The Risen Christ unleashed in His people and through His church.
Praying people are full of The Spirit and not themselves. They don't puff themselves up with false claims or threadbare superlatives. They simply state the facts of a living faith in The Risen Christ. The understated omnipotence of the Lord Jesus is always a great comfort. Don't settle for anything less. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Companions
"...when a plot was formed against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus of Asia..." Acts 20: 4
Out of this group of companions, Timothy is the only one that is given a great deal of press in The Scriptures. Still, five more names are listed along with Timothy's and should not go unnoticed.
Paul had no death wish. When the Jews plotted against him, he could have easily walked into the trap. He chose to avoid it. If martyrdom awaited him, it would just have to wait.
From my experience in fraternity life at Baylor University, I pass on this piece of counsel. Everyone wants to march in the parade, but few are willing to build the float. From my friend, David Lane, I submit to the reader, "Success has a thousand fathers, but failure is an orphan." Both of these observations may seem a bit pessimistic about the human spirit, but in truth they are just realistic. Many want credit for a success, they just don't want to pay the price for it.
The Companions of Paul were men who had to know they were not marching in a victory parade, but they were more likely courting death, every step along the way. They had seen Paul beaten, jailed, mocked, scorned, stoned and threatened with more. They walked with him anyway. Companions, indeed.
The Wisdom of God is revealed through Solomon in Proverbs 18: 24 b. "There is a friend who sticketh closer than a brother." KJV
New International Version
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
New Living Translation
There are "friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.
English Standard Version
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
New American Standard Bible
A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
King James Bible
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Holman Christian Standard Bible
A man with many friends may be harmed, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.
International Standard Version
A man with many friends can still be ruined, but a true friend sticks closer than a brother.
NET Bible
A person who has friends may be harmed by them, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Aramaic Bible in Plain English
There are friends who are friends, and there is a friend that is closer than a brother.
GOD'S WORD® Translation
Friends can destroy one another, but a loving friend can stick closer than family.
Jubilee Bible 2000
The man that has friends must show himself to be a friend, and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.
King James 2000 Bible
A man that has friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.
American King James Version
A man that has friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.
American Standard Version
He that maketh many friends doeth it to his own destruction; But there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Douay-Rheims Bible
A man amiable in society, shall be more friendly than a brother.
Darby Bible Translation
A man of many friends will come to ruin but there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
English Revised Version
He that maketh many friends doeth it to his own destruction: but there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Webster's Bible Translation
A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
World English Bible
A man of many companions may be ruined, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Young's Literal Translation
A man with friends is to show himself friendly, And there is a lover adhering more than a brother!
No matter how you say it, friends are rare. Solomon found one. Paul found six. If you are ever graced to find someone who will walk with you when people are plotting against you, thank God for them. They are not a dime a dozen. Paul paid a great deal more than a dime to find a half-dozen. He had the scars to prove he was a man worth following. The Companions had taken their share of hits, and stayed the course.
Jim Cymbala, pastor of the praying Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York City urges pastors to stop looking for sharp people to be their followers. He says, "Sharp people will cut you every time." Wise words.
"He was accompanied." This is the only time this word is used to describe this kind of specific action. It referred to one who was following behind, or beside another. It has the weight of a follower who is so close that they are clearly identified with the one who is in the lead. The Companions would not have to take a bullet for Paul, but before a rock hit him, it would have to bounce off them. Close enough.
Jesus saved his highest praise for a Roman Centurion who knew the difference between being "IN" authority and "UNDER" authority. The soldier knew that his power came from being under the authority of Rome. He could tell Jesus was under the authority of God. The Companion that wants to take all the credit for what God does through the leader reveals more about themselves than they want people to know.
Many times people associate with leaders in hopes that some of their "juice" will drip on them, and they can get through life without having to be squeezed themselves. These people are not life-giving, but life-sucking. When life gives their leader lemons, they won't help make lemonade. They will let the leader get squeezed, along with the lemons, and steal the credit for what comes out, and then ask the leader for more sugar.
The Companions of Paul had nothing to gain by following him. They had found all they needed in Jesus. With that they had something to offer Paul, companionship. Consistent companionship with Jesus leaves a person full of Jesus, not full of themselves. The fullness of Jesus satisfies a person's deepest need for acceptance, and turns their greed and need for more into a satisfaction that Jesus is enough.
What Jesus brings to them spills over onto those they follow. This is God's gift to leaders.
Paul needed The Companions to be full of Jesus, more than he needed them to follow him. The Companions needed to be full of Jesus, before they followed Paul. Jesus has what people need, and persistent prayer leads them to consistent companionship with Him. This kind of prayer prepares them to be The Companion who are life-giving, not life-sapping. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Exhortation
"After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and when he had exhorted them and taken his leave of them, he left to go to Macedonia." Acts 20:1
Paul's preaching to the disciples, after the mob seized control of the assembly and threatened to carry out violence upon the leaders and the members of the church, focused on exhortation. The most visible and powerful leader of the church was about to leave town, and the residue of the riot was still on the hearts of the beleaguered disciples. They must have needed exhortation.
Note to self: People in the pews are always in need of exhortation. Leave them with hope. Thanks, J.C. Matlock.
Preaching without taking time for exhortation turns the pulpit into a lectern, and preaching assembly into a classroom. It is a training ground for warriors heading into a battlefield. At times I have placed signs at the exit of the churches I pastored that carried the message, "YOU ARE NOW ENTERING THE MISSION FIELD." They would have been more accurate to say, "YOU ARE NOW ENTERING THE WAR ZONE."
When the sermon outline completes the list of explanation, illustration and application, but doesn't save some time for exhortation, the people in the pews may receive correct information, but they leave with little inspiration. A head filled with facts, and a heart filled with faith provide the fuel for the fire that lights the way in the dark, and heats the soul in the dark of the night. Include both.
When people refuse to doubt in the dark, what they learned to be true in the light, their faith grows through those dimly lit periods that come into the lives of every believer. The character of Christ always shines brightest through believers in spite of irritating people and intimidating circumstances.
"Exhorting" is a translation of the transliterated word "Paraclete." It is the name given to the Person of and the ministry of The Spirit of Christ. Christian preachers at their very heart and soul are not just educators, but exhorters.
The word is given a long list of options by the scholars of "The Blue Letter Bible." In its most basic definition it means to call to one's side, or call for, or summon. Other options include...
1. to address, speak to, (call to, call upon), which may be done in the way of exhortation, entreaty, comfort, instruction, etc.
2. to admonish, exhort
3. to beg, entreat, beseech
4. to strive to appease by entreaty
5. to console, encourage, strengthen by consolation,comfort
6. to receive consolation, be comforted
7. to encourage, strengthen
8. exhorting and comforting and encouraging
9. to instruct, teach
Note to preachers: My humble suggestion is to start at the top of this list of definitions, and work your way down. Don't start at the bottom and work your way up.
Education is a beautiful thing, but exhortation turns it into a powerful weapon in the battle against evil. Great churches and institutions of Christian education are always in danger of becoming museums. Exhortation inflames and sustains them as movements, inspired by The Spirit of the Living Christ.
Paul exhorted the disciples after the uproar. This word for uproar or riot was used to describe what Pilate saw happening in the crowd, just before he washed his hands of any responsibility for the death of Jesus. In the middle of the worst kind of chaos, confusion, and clamor, God may be up to His best. Looks can be deceiving.
Exhortation calls for the Spirit of Christ to come along side of believers to make sense out of the senseless, and to provide faith for the fearful. Praying puts preachers and people in the pews close enough to see the face of Jesus, and hear the voice of His Spirit. Exhortation refuses to panic in the face of a riot. It looks for a revival to break out.
Praying preachers will be exhorting preachers, having a perspective in the face of intimidation that can only come from sensing The Presence of the Risen Christ. Jesus has been raised from the dead, and is not likely to be put to flight by someone who threatens to kill Him. Praying people won't panic until He does. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Name I
"And fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified." Acts 19:17
The Bible is filled with the admonition to fear God. Those who fear Him find wisdom. In the war zone that surrounded the early church, those who did not embrace Jesus as their Savior were familiar with the power of His name. They saw evil spirits flee at the sound of The Name of Jesus, and they saw hardened criminals and civic leaders, alike, transformed when they submitted to The Lordship of Jesus.
The Name of Jesus was not a mantra to be repeated, or a magic talisman to be worn. The Name of Jesus struck fear in the heart of evil spirits by the close proximity of the relationship Jesus had with The Father. Words mean things, especially when the relationship between cause and effect are very clear. The Son was under the authority of The Father. Even evil spirits knew not to mess with God's authority.
I recall as a child this statement striking fear in my heart. "You just wait until your father gets home." When I heard my exasperated mother speak these words, I knew it was time to pack or to repent. They were not an idle threat of violence, just a statement of fact. There was about to be a new sheriff in town. Being grounded at my house meant you couldn't sit down for a week. But I digress.
Today the contemporary church seeks to live apologetically in a cultural climate that has been influenced by a decades long sense of direction dominated by secularists. Their mission has been to minimize the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, not magnify it. For the most part, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
The secularists have campaigned for the removal of Christ from the culture. Too often the church has confused "turning the other cheek" with cratering under the pressure. The result has been the minimization of the name of The Lord Jesus CHRIST, rather than the magnification of Him.
When this cultural climate change takes place it causes darkness to fall across the moral landscape. Virtue vanishes, and darkness reigns. Moving away from The Son causes Global Chilling, not Global Warming.
The removal of CHRISTmas carols from school CHRISTmas programs, crosses from public view, nativity scenes from parks, Ten Commandments from Courthouses, are all a by-product of of secularism. They remove Jesus as the standard and replace Him with themselves. It has been a sorry trade-off.
Rather than being satisfied by success, secularism feeds on it. It can't stop itself until the name of Jesus is merely minimized. He must be annihilated. Jesus warned this would happen.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me." MATT. 5:11 NIV
When The Name that is above all names loses reverence in the lives of members of the church, it loses relevance in the life of the culture. The next Great Awakening hinges on the bending of the knees of the people who call Jesus, Savior and Lord. It is not hindered by the people who wish He would just go away.
If you are looking for a climate change, you need look no farther than the prayer meeting of the local church, and the prayer life of the average Christian family. The first response to the crisis at hand by the believer, must begin with the breath that is in their lungs. That is all they have to work with. Delaying praying in the right direction postpones the turning of a nation that is moving in the wrong direction.
Note to self: What are you waiting for? Start praying.
Prior to The First Great Awakening in this nation, America was still a remote idea in the minds of the most fervent of patriots. Thirteen colonies were loosely connected to one another by a strong legal bond to England. There was no national assembly, no national capitol, nor a presiding national leader. The idea of America was solid enough to draw people searching for freedom to establish their homes in a new country. It was not constituted as single nation or protected by a standing army. It was more than that.
The Freedom to Worship was a powerful draw to many who came to this new world. Admittedly, it was not the passion that led everyone to make the sacrifice of such a perilous journey. Still, the local church was a powerful part of the American landscape.
Don't get me wrong. From the very first time believers set foot on this soil, they were always in need of being revived, and restored to a newness of life with every breath they took. They were human. They were flawed. They were not perfect, just forgiven. They made mistakes. Their hope was not in their moral perfection, but in their spiritual sense of direction. They turned to God for His direction, protection and correction.
By the time Benjamin Franklin was a man of means, and a force of nature in the city of Philadelphia, he was aware of a chilling climate change that had crept into his community. He was not a fan of the pastors of the city. Though he was not a believer, Franklin had heard most of them preach. His highest criticism was reserved for those whose words fell upon dull ears in their buildings, but their sermons never made a difference in the street. Here are his words.
"In 1739 arrived among us from Ireland the Reverend Mr. Whitefield...He was at first permitted to preach in some of our churches; but the clergy, taking a dislike to him, soon refus'd him their pulpits, and he was oblig'd to preach in the fields. The multitudes of all sects and denominations that attended his sermons were enormous, and it was matter of speculation to me, who was one of the number, to observe the extraordinary influence of his oratory on his hearers, and bow much they admir'd and respected him, notwithstanding his common abuse of them, by assuring them that they were naturally half beasts and half devils.
It was wonderful to see the change soon made in the manners of our inhabitants. From being thoughtless or indifferent about religion, it seem'd as if all the world were growing religious, so that one could not walk thro' the town in an evening without hearing psalms sung in different families of every street." - Ben Franklin's Autobiography
Now, that is a climate change. From a culture that was "thoughtless or indifferent" to The Name of Jesus, people took The Name of Jesus with them back to their own homes. Listen to the impact of the preaching in the lives of the hearers.
"One could not walk thro' the town in an evening without hearing psalms sung in different families of every street."
Ben Franklin
The fear of The Name of Jesus has been lost in this culture. It must be restored. The restoration needed in this nation does not call for a nostalgic return to the good old days of The Fifties. For some that brings back memories of "Jim Crow" not James Dean. It doesn't call for canonization of Ronald Reagan. His day is gone. Thank God for him. Stop looking for him.
The renewal calls for a restoration of the fear of God in a people who have called on The Name of Jesus, as their Savior and Lord. It is a renewal of prayer, and personal repentance in their own hearts, and lives.
This renewal begins with a refusal to blame anyone else for the spiritual condition of the land. It is a renewal of personal responsibility and accountability before God for Christian citizenship. It is a renewal of personal passion for churchmanship that lives to serve a risen Savior.
This renewal impacts the culture through people who are not satisfied with taking Jesus into their hearts, but they are driven by The Spirit of God to take the name of Jesus with them to the public square and into their own homes. They are not confused that a restoration comes from a change in the White House. They know the authentic evidence of renewal is a change in their heart and their house.
Motivated and mobilized by the Lordship of Jesus Christ, this renewal infuses courage in pastors to STAND UP! It results in mobilization of people in the pews who refuse to sit idly by, while The Name of Jesus, and The Light of the world is driven from the cultural landscape. The renewal of a nation begins with the breath in your lungs. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
"O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together." - Psalm 34:3 KJV
The Posers
"But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, 'I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.' " Acts 19: 13
Hollywood's love affair with exorcism and evil spirits is a mixed bag of cashing in on both commercially, while denying any belief in either socially. Since the release of "The Exorcist" there has been a steady seepage from the cesspool, most of it sensational, but not substantial in nature.
The Scripture makes it clear. There is a a spirit world of good and evil forces that do battle on a regular basis with one another, and have an impact on the lives of people who yield jurisdiction in their lives to them. Flirting with evil spirits or pretending they don't exist are two extremes of a very dangerous pendulum.
"Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this." v. 14
Whether for notoriety or for financial gain, these men were traveling around the country casting out evil spirits and charging people a fee for doing so. Their livelihood was being put in jeopardy, by Paul's powerful preaching and his ability to cast out evil spirits from people's lives. They wanted to cash in on his notoriety, and his methodology. Posers always do. It never ends well.
"And the evil spirit answered and said to them, 'I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?'" v. 15
It is a wonderful thing to be known in Heaven, before you arrive there. Those who have embraced the love relationship with Jesus offered to them by The Father, can count on having a reservation in Heaven, and being readily recognized by the Welcome Committee when they arrive.
"The Seven Sons of Sceva" sounds like a working script for a Hollywood western or action movie. To put it mildly, these boys weren't ready for their closeup. When they took the name of Jesus in vain, and dropped the name of Paul on the evil spirit, they were exposed as powerless posers.
"And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded." v. 16
Since these seven sons were not operating under the authority of Heaven, they were not feared by Hell. They saw a movement of God, and wanted to get in on it, by cashing in on it. People do this all the time. It is a fool's errand, and a dangerous way to live, posing as a snake charmer without access to any anti-venom. Sooner or later it ends in humiliation or death.
"This became known to all,...and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified...So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing." v. 17-20
This is the point. Notoriety, and name-dropping are never worthy life goals. Jesus will not share His name or His glory with those who have no use for His Lordship. Even the enemy camp knows the difference between someone who wants to act like they are IN authority, but are not UNDER authority.
Evil spirits are unleashed by Satan himself, to intimidate, humiliate, dominate and annihilate people. They have no authority over the children of God. They must yield ground when confronted with the name of Jesus, spoken by those who have an intimate relationship with Him as Savior and Lord.
Evil spirits are not impressed by name-dropping, but they yield ground to the Presence of The Champion. They tremble when they hear God's children praying, in the name of Jesus. They know that help is on the way, and they must get out of the way.
A believer is not someone who has a celebrity relationship with Jesus, but someone who has an intimate relationship with Him. It is marked by a yielding to His authority and jurisdiction over their lives, not a quick photo-op at the baptistry.
I know Arnold Palmer, not the beverage, but the man. I have met him. I have a note from him. He shook my hand. If asked, "Do you know Arnold Palmer?", I can honestly say, "Yes." The problem is this. Arnold Palmer doesn't know me. I have no authority to show up uninvited and unannounced to play golf at Arnold Palmer's home course, "Bay Hill." To walk around the Country Club and drop Mr. Palmer's name, and expect to be treated as his friend, would be presumptuous, and invite embarrassment. Dropping his name gives me no authority to claim his name. I have been given no jurisdiction over "Bay Hill." This is especially true when playing from the Pro Tees. But I digress.
Believer's have authority and jurisdiction over the evil that is in this world. The problem is that they yield too much ground to it, instead of taking a stand against it. Paul stood tall, against the forces of evil, because the only position he sought in The Kingdom was a kneeling one.
When Paul rose to proclaim the Word of God, it was not about dropping the name of Jesus, but glorifying the name of Jesus. His preaching was always spoken from a fresh conversation with Him. Paul's claim to fame was no celebrity photo-op, but the life-changing, life-giving Presence of The Person of Jesus Christ released through Him, by The Spirit of God.
The legacy and the progeny of the sons of Sceva are still with us today. Too many people want to drop the name of Jesus, by wearing a T-shirt or jewelry. Jesus may be on the outside, but He wants to be on the inside. Big difference. Learn the difference. Evil spirits know who does, and who does not. Prayer always reveals whether a person is just seeking a position, or speaking from a kneeling position. Strike fear in the heart of hell today. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!
The Resistance
"And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took away the disciples..." Acts 19: 8-9
With every presentation of the Gospel, hearts are either softened to receive it or they become hardened to the touch of it. Though Paul's reasoning and persuading turned many people around, it also turned others into his enemies. He preached Jesus as The Way, anyway.
"Some were becoming hardened and disobedient." v. 8
The Jewish synagogues were not all in lock step with their understanding of The Law, nor did they all follow one particular Rabbis teaching on it. Some were more open-minded than others. Some were more conservative in their views. They may not have used the terms for liberal, conservative, or moderate, but they had the same termites.
Paul did not offer Jesus as a way, but The Way. He did not reason and persuade with a pedagogical indifference. He preached the life-changing, life-giving message of Jesus with a passion that made a difference in people's lives.
There comes a point in every preacher's life and ministry when he knows he can no longer throw rocks at every barking dog that resents his presence and his preaching. He must feed and lead the flock. Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice." They still do.
A preacher is often called upon to feed the sheep while fighting off the wolves. Paul gave it three months, and then decided to move the sheep to another pasture.
When people posing as seekers threaten to become heat-seeking missiles, their hardened hearts and sarcasm soaked words will poison the most genuine believer. Preachers have no choice, but to pray for a backdoor revival or remove people from being the targets of this kind of poisonous barrage.
Disarming a ticking time bomb, determined to self-destruct is a delicate operation, and rarely ends well. The process is time-consuming, and the explosion from it takes its toll on preachers and churches. Paul chose to remove the disciples from the line of fire.
This kind of decision was not an easy one for Paul. It never is for any true shepherd, but sheep need to be led, fed and protected. There are preachers who are always looking for greener pastures, but this is not about feeding sheep as much as it is lining their own wallets. They are fewer than critics would claim. Most pastors take their role as shepherd seriously and do it sacrificially. Thank God for yours today, and prepare yourself for a movement of God in your preacher's life and in yours. TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!