Acts 18:1-11
After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, 3 and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. 4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.
5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”
7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household.
And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.”
11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
April 8, 1966, cover of Time magazine announced, "God is Dead." Now we see News proclaims Civilization is going to fall to the dark ages by 2040. Fearmongering didn't work for Time magazine, which was looking for mergers and buy outs by 1985.
When we read The Book of Acts, we understand the high decibel change, action packed challenges and disasters of any Harry Potter chapter or Yellowstone's Peacock Drama.
There isn't a Chapter in The Book of Acts, something isn't happening to the Disciples, we hope doesn't happen to us or our children. The History of the Christian Church runs on a 500 year calendar.
Meet History in horse shoes in 2021.
Paul's Missionary Journeys form quite an impressive list of travel in the ship sinks, pirates, unannounced storms, no horse could be found, no hotel chains or reliable, ready food source. No Hospitals. Not to add, being sought out to be killed.
Yet even in every Chapter of The Book of Acts, The Holy Spirit asks us to desire to see God's Heaven on His Good Creation - earth. Daily God. Daily Miracles. Daily Wondrous.
Paul finds this as Chapter 18 of The Books of Acts becomes a year and a half of growth in the Holy Spirit and Joy in Fellowship.
Politically, we see Mary and Joseph are caught up in the wind's of Caesar Augustus' tax rolls to travel to Bethlehem for the Birth of the Messiah. And Paul is caught up in the winds of change due to Emperor Claudius dealing with the Death of Jesus in a suburb of Syria.
God was just as in Charge in the First Century as in the Pandemic.
Some keywords we might recognize in these winds of change:
Our Sponsor:
We might be tempted to say, all this uncertainty in Pandemic is fine for Paul, Saint of God, in constant assurance. Yet in reality, Paul walked by faith.
I hope therefore to send him just
as soon as I see how it will go with me,
and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.
Abba, Our Father,
We long for You to Speak, "Peace." "Calm."
Strengthen us to do the good works You have for us to walk in. We will Stand Firm and be Strong. Knowing in this season, stand not be tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine.
Let Love be genuine with Mercy.
Father, we prayed about 2020 Covid looking a lot like the Chapters of the Exodus. We pray for the birds and the problems with quail in Numbers 11. Two weeks ago, we prayed for 8 states declaring not to feed the birds because of mystery bird illness.
John 5:17
Jesus answered them, “My Father is working
John 6:29
Jesus told them, “This is the work God wants from you:
We long for Your Love and help, Father God, to have Your Kingdom, Power and Glory upon Your Throne. The Fringe of Your Robe placed upon all of Your Good Creation.
We will remember our answered Prayers.
You are our hope now, always and in the coming weeks.
Covering us with the Name and Power of Jesus,
Covering with thanks the Doctors, Nurses, Hospital Staffs and their prayers.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment