Subscription Lists
Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
We are in Acts 16:11. Now these men of God, led by the Holy Spirit, have crossed over into Europe and are in the central city of that region, Philippi. The gospel of Jesus Christ has never been proclaimed there before. What are they to do? Where is the best place to begin ministering? Where are the most interested and likely people?
There was no synagogue! The situation is real virgin territory. You needed ten Jewish men to have a synagogue and there were not even ten men who believed in God in the whole city. But there were some women meeting on the Sabbath ( Click for more )
As we read on in Acts 16:9,10 let me just remark that this is Study 100 which I have prepared on the book of ACTS. The missionary team sail from Troas - just beside Troy - over to Europe - and they make for Philippi - the main city of that part of Greece. Philippi had a strong Roman colony, and there was also a famous medical school, which gives rise to the question - "Was this where Luke did his medical training?"
Permit me one further personal remark. Many years ago when I was only eight years old, God called me to serve Him. The following Sunday at Sunday School ( Click for more )
In Acts 16:9, we see that having prevented Paul and the missionary team from going north, God has something else for Paul. God always has something for His servants. Paul receives a vision. One night a man appears to him and says - pleading with him - "Come over into Macedonia and help us."
Now, they realised why they had been prevented from going north. Jesus had to close a door before He could open this door, and sometimes that is upsetting and distressing when God closes a door, but through that vision God met with Paul and spoke with Paul and made some things clear. ( Click for more )
In Acts 16:7, we read of how God has to close certain doors sometimes - doors which we desire to go through - and our motives can be high and pure and worthy - but GOD HAS SOMETHING ELSE FOR US. We don't always see that at the time, and when HE says "NO", He doesn't always give us the reason and full explanation. We just have to accept what HE says, and that HE is Sovereign. Jesus Christ is LORD and our calling, role, task and joy is to serve HIM. Come to terms with this hard challenging lesson. That is the best way to live!
The missionary team came to ( Click for more )
In Acts 16:6, we are reading of Paul and Silas setting out on what has become known as The Second Missionary Journey. They visit Christian Fellowships - strengthening the believers - reassuring and confirming the disciples - giving encouragement to each individual believer in Jesus.
We can never over-emphasise this aspect of mission. We need to be strengthened continually - in the service of Jesus Christ - and for the service of Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of God. Over the years I have met very few confident, strong, reassured, disciples of Jesus.
We saw how ( Click for more )
At the end of Acts 15 we read of rift between Paul and Barnabas, resulting in two missionary teams instead of one! Now, I am not saying the rift was good, but we do see that God used it for good. Is there anything which separates Christians worth holding on to? Is there anything worth dividing over?
This rift arose and Paul and Silas move off to Syria and Cilicia. They go, confirming the churches, strengthening every fellowship, reassuring them, grounding them in the faith, and encouraging each group.
When they come to Derbe and Lystra Paul meets a young ( Click for more )
Acts 15 describes how a horrendous situation was avoided and how men of God who were leaders in the church of Jesus Christ handled a potentially explosive situation in the city of Antioch. Paul and Barnabas are back there too, and note their work - teaching and preaching the Word of the Lord - with many others also.
This is what moulds our characters. This is what gives us quality, and transforms us into the men and women Jesus Christ wants us to be.
All this is New Testament reality. It is real. This was how the Church of Jesus Christ should have remained - ( Click for more )
In Acts 15, we read of how The Church of Jesus Christ dealt with that serious problem which could have caused such deep division.
The Church faced up to the problem. We too must do this at times. The Church was open to listen to the leaders - to those in positions of responsibility - and also open and sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Listening to men - sensitive to the Holy Spirit - and arriving at a unanimous decision.
Notice how the whole church welcomes the leadership of the leaders, and did not question their judgment. The solution to the problem was a blend ( Click for more )
In Acts 15, a lovely and wise decision has been made by the Church in Jerusalem to resolve a highly contentious problem, with its potentially divisive characteristics.
Verse 24. Some of our members have troubled you unnecessarily. We gave them no such authority, to come to you and speak in these upsetting and distressing ways, but we have come to one mind on the matter, and we send this letter with these men, to explain everything to you.
Verse 25. Our dear friends - (Greek means beloved) - Barnabas and Paul. Speak well of fellow Christians - even although you ( Click for more )
The leadership is dealing with a contentious difficult situation, which has arisen in the Church of Jesus Christ, and Peter arises with the right word at the right moment. Now that is part of mature leadership. Peter explains - Acts 15:7,8 - I remember when I was thrown into a Gentile situation, and the risen and living Lord Jesus Christ blessed these Gentile people with the Holy Spirit. In this present situation, let's NOT add unnecessary yokes and laws. Peter speaks from his own experience. Learn from the experiences you have experienced, and be prepared to share ( Click for more )
A contentious issue has arisen in Antioch as a consequence of unsent unwanted visitors arriving and introducing foreign material into the fellowship. Paul and Barnabas and a few fellow disciples are dispatched to Jerusalem to deal with this matter.
In Acts 15:3, we read that along the way, on the road to Jerusalem, every opportunity is taken. Even problems can be used for the advantage of the Gospel.
Verse 5. There were Pharisees who had been converted to Jesus Christ, but they still wanted to hold on to their old legalistic ways. They had no real freedom and liberty. ( Click for more )
In Acts 15, unwanted troublesome visitors arrive in Antioch and say things which could have unsettled the Church of Jesus Christ and brought it back under the law.
Paul and Barnabas, with a few other disciples are dispatched to Jerusalem to raise this contentious matter with the leadership. These issues MUST be confronted and dealt with urgently. They are welcomed in Jerusalem, but there arose a fierce furious argument. Some people would want to say today, "Let's keep off doctrine and theology. Let's keep politics out of the pulpit. These divide us. Let's ( Click for more )
As we move on to Acts 15 the scene changes. What is called Paul's first missionary journey is over and we have been reading, yes, and I hope studying, over these weeks of everything that happened. Now Barnabas and Paul have returned to their local church. They have come home to rest and be refreshed - to recuperate and be repaired. They have also shared what God has been doing through them during these past two years.
That is important - to tell those who have prayed for you what God has done in you and with you and through you. Those who had supported ( Click for more )
At the end of Acts 14 we read of Paul and Barnabas returning home. They have travelled around 1,200 miles, and this missionary journey took around 2 to 3 years. There must have been the satisfaction of a job for Jesus well done.
They came into their local church and they began to share all that God had done with them - and through them. They gave a full report. I did this in Nairn when I came back from Uganda last December. We must share at times what Jesus has done with us and through us - especially with the people who have been praying for us. They had supported ( Click for more )
We are studying these final verses of Acts 14, where we learn that to be effective disciples in the New Testament sense, we must be rightly related in The Local Church. Christians can only be strong when they are committed and involved and worshipping and praying and serving and ministering and feeding upon The Word of God in loving fellowships.
Paul taught them that they were in for much trouble. Verse 22. Sadly, there are many who do not want to hear that truth! Paul could show them his own scars - the wounds and the bruises. This is how he strengthened disciples ( Click for more )
In Acts Chapter 14:21, Paul has come almost a complete circle, but instead of quietly and quickly making his way home, he says, "Let's go back and visit the disciples in all the places where we have preached - where there are now believers. Let's go and confirm them in the faith, and let's encourage them to remain faithful. Let's return and strengthen them and see if they are growing - maturing - enduring."
Paul really cared for those who came to believe in Jesus under his preaching. Paul had a shepherd's heart, and he was concerned that they did ( Click for more )
We are in Acts 14, and we come to this final section, verses 21 to 28. It is really all about the second half of this first missionary journey where Barnabas and Paul have been preaching and teaching and ministering, from Cyprus and across central Turkey.
We learn many basic fundamental principles in these passages. We saw a cripple man receiving faith, and soon he received the ability to walk. We saw these people in Lystra so impressed - so moved - by Paul and Barnabas that they want to worship them. But they got it so terribly wrong.
We saw that gang arriving ( Click for more )
Acts 14:19. As a result of his preaching in Lystra, in modern Turkey, Paul is severely and sorely persecuted as he is on the receiving end of a barrage of stones. What would your response and reaction be if you were on the receiving end of such behaviour? We know that within a few weeks, Paul returned to that city of Lystra to encourage and strengthen those who had come to faith in Jesus Christ through his ministry - and to appoint elders and leaders to that fellowship.
When The Word of God is being preached, we never know what is happening inside people. Some can ( Click for more )
In Acts 14:16, Paul continues to speak following, these astonishing reactions to his preaching. God has let the nations go their own ways, but in the world there has always been a witness to His Goodness. God has given you rain. God has given you crops and food and JOY. Paul speaks about our Creator God. There is no other book in the world where such a succinct accurate explanation is given. There is no other book which gives us an accurate detailed reliable account of Creation.
Let me share this personal comment with you. For over 20 years I have studied the ( Click for more )
We are reading in Acts 14, where Paul preaches in Lystra and there is a man sitting there listening to Paul preaching - a man who is a cripple. He has never walked.
Paul saw faith growing in this man. Faith was transforming him. Paul reached that point where he called out - "Stand up on your feet!" - and, the man jumped up and began to walk. When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted, "the gods have come down to us in human form." This was not a strange concept to these people. This was part of their culture. They gave them names of Greek gods, and ( Click for more )
We read in Acts 14:8 that following the uproar in Iconium, Paul and Barnabas moved on to Lystra. No matter how arduous the ministry was, they never considered giving up. There was no 'burn out' with these apostles. They were soaked and saturated in the anointing power of the Holy Spirit. Now if there is 'a secret' that is it.
As you go through these studies, let me ask you - are you soaked and saturated with the anointing power of the Holy Spirit? It was 36 years ago that I experienced the risen and living Jesus baptising me in the Holy Spirit ( Click for more )
Acts Chapter 14. Paul and Barnabas are apostles - men sent by Jesus Christ - as missiles of the Holy Spirit - targeting sin, sickness and darkness - and the devil - and seeking to meet the many needs which faced them.
These disciples of Jesus are leaders who are exercising an apostolic ministry. Apostles are important men in the Church of Jesus Christ - they are like architects. They help build The Church. They are concerned with the overall design of the Church. What is God using you to build for Him? Or what is He presently building in your personal life?
The ( Click for more )
There were times when Barnabas and Paul had to move on because some people wanted to kill them and their work for God was not over. In Acts 13,14, they are experiencing what Jesus said His disciples would face, and this is never easy. This is not nice and some may even recoil from the very thought of physical suffering, but in our world today, many thousands of men and women are suffering sorely because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Learn about some of the things they are going through.
There were occasions when people sought to kill Jesus and He just quietly slipped away, ( Click for more )
We are in Acts 14 and we have been reading of Paul and Barnabas being opposed and persecuted as consequence of their ministry in the Name of Jesus and in the Power of the Holy Spirit. Prophets - preachers - persecutors - will all one day appear before the judgment seat of Jesus Christ.
What we have done in this situation with people like that around? Run away and give up?
Paul decides to remain a little longer and to preach boldly for the Lord, and Jesus honoured this decision by giving them power to do signs and wonders.
Iconium was divided in the same ( Click for more )
We have been reading in Acts 13 of Paul and Barnabas preaching and ministering at Antioch in modern day Turkey. People came to believe in Jesus Christ, and others caused trouble and pain for these apostles. Yes, there was a harvest, but there was also strong opposition and they had to move on to Iconium, and there, these two men of God return to the synagogue and speak about Jesus Christ to those gathered.
They were so effective that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against ( Click for more )
Receive the newest devotional each week in your inbox by joining the "Word from Scotland" subscription list. Enter your email address below, click "Go!" and we will send you a confirmation email. Follow the instructions in the email to confirm your addition to this list.