Page 50 - Livin Light Issue 81

Friday July 28 - A second tactical withdrawal
Saul... moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of
the Lord. Acts 9:28
The church leaders in Jerusalem trusted Barnabas, so attitudes to Saul changed dramatically for the better. Remarkably, he was able to ‘move about freely in Jerusalem’, even though he’d left the city to destroy the Christians and was now advocating their teaching. His ‘betrayal’ must have both bewildered and enraged his former allies in the Jewish leadership. That didn’t stop him, however. The qualities already evident in Damascus were now fully deployed in Jerusalem.
Twice we’re told he was fearless in speaking of Jesus (vv 27-28). He also exploited his training as an educated Jew with debating skills (v 29) to persuade people that Jesus was the Messiah. It seems, though, as if he was also learning some wisdom. For a second time in his short evangelistic career, his fellow believers persuade him to withdraw because of threats against him. So, he leaves Jerusalem and heads to his hometown, Tarsus (today in eastern Turkey). I doubt he went too willingly. But perhaps he was learning that there are times to speak and times to keep silent (Ecclesiastes 3:7), because speaking would be counter-productive even when preaching the gospel.
We may not have Saul’s skills, or those of others we know, but we can all use the unique way God has made us to witness to Jesus. Doing so requires the same blend of boldness and wisdom that we see here.
Lord, I ask you to please stir up my courage, blended with wisdom, to speak about Jesus. Amen.
Saturday July 29 - A surprising twist
The church... enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord... it increased in numbers. Acts 9:31
This is one of the most surprising verses in Acts, so don’t pass over it quickly thinking it’s simply a summary or interval. It is nothing short of remarkable. Let me explain.
Until now, the church had grown when facing hostility. Many would say it grew because it was persecuted, as often happens. No one, inside or out, treated it lightly. Now it was enjoying peace, yet still the number of Jesus’ followers increased. Peace can prove a dangerous benefit. Years ago, Romanian pastors asked me why we had empty churches in the UK when we enjoyed such freedom, whereas they suffered Communist persecution and yet the churches were full. After the revolution, when freedom came, they began to see that peace can lead to complacency, compromise, apathy, and people having other priorities. But the early church didn’t succumb to those temptations.
Two factors saved them. First, the believers continued to fear the Lord. Fearing God doesn’t mean cringing in dread before him but rather believing him, taking his word seriously, not lightly, and following him diligently. Secondly, they were ‘encouraged by the Holy Spirit’ (v 31); God was present there, challenging sin, changing lives, working miracles, producing holiness. Encouragement isn’t always about being comforted in difficulty. Holy Spirit encouragement makes for a more robust church. When that happens the church grows, no matter what the circumstances. Don’t you long for it?
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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Lord, whatever circumstances your church faces, grant that it may grow because it fears you and is comforted by your Holy Spirit. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY