Looking back to Antioch

Day 185

OT Reading: Job 26-28

NT Reading: Acts 11

"The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." Acts 11:26b, NIV

Prior to this the followers of Jesus went by a myriad of names: disciples, followers of 'The Way', etc. It was not until here in the city of Antioch that followers of Jesus began to be called Christians.

It is believed by some that the title, "Christian" was not initially meant as an endearing term. As if perhaps some of the locals wished to use an insulting nickname with this new group, and simply started referring to them as "little Christ's", or as we know it, "Christians." However instead of being insulted, the followers of Jesus clung onto the name, happy to see themselves simply as little representations of Jesus himself.

Over the years, I'm afraid this title has lost a great deal of significance. The term Christian originally implied someone who had turned away from their previous life and was now striving and focused on following the way of Jesus first and foremost. Now many refer to themselves as Christians, not because they really follow Jesus, but because they attend church occasionally, were baptized once or simply have no other strong faith leanings.

In other words, while the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch; today many who are called 'Christians' are not really disciples.

I could back this up. I could go on and on, presenting data, facts, statistics, stories, and more. But I doubt that most anyone would have trouble believing me. And perhaps the most disturbing thing...is why we do not find this more disturbing.

The half-way mark

Day 183

OT Reading: Job 23-25

NT Reading: Acts 10:24-48

So the one thing I've actually been worse about than blogging over the past month has been updating that little counter over on the right-hand side of the screen. (You have noticed the day/chapters remaining count haven't you?) So tonight I sat down, did my calculations and realized something very, very cool.

We've crossed the half-way mark.

Yes friends, for those of you reading through the Bible with me, we are on day 183 which means we have 182 days remaining. We've been doing this for six months. I think that's pretty cool.

So about today's reading, there were a few things that I could point out, but I'd like to zero in on one specific statement made by Peter from our reading in Acts today. In Acts 10:34-35 we read this, "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right." (NIV)

For Peter's entire life there was one thing he could be certain about; one concept that was interwoven into the fiber of every area of his life. From the education he received to the faith he practiced to the laws he obeyed one message would have been continually communicated to Peter along with every other Jew of his day. "We are God's favorite."

From the time God picked Abram way back in Genesis 12 and all the way to Peter's life, the people of Israel would gladly boast about their selection -- out of all the nations of the world -- to be God's chosen people. They were the ones to be chosen. They were the ones to have the covenant of circumcision with the living God. They were the ones who could tell tales of all that God had done for their ancestors. And Peter would have been brought up into this very same mindset.

So imagine the paradigm shift taking place in Peter's mind when he says that God does not show favoritism but instead accepts men from every nation who fear him. His entire life Peter had connected nationality with acceptance, but through these life-altering years he comes to the point where he realizes that the key lays in your submission to God, not your society of origin.

Out of this I offer an 'off the top of my head' observation/remark. Some people get very fired up about this topic...I do not. But nonetheless, there is a point I'd like to make.

Some hold to the view that certain nations are, even today, divinely chosen. Some believe present-day Israel, some think the US, many believe that their nation (whatever it happens to be) is "the one." But based on this passage and others, I tend to resist such suggestions as God seems more concerned with our obedience than our address. And maybe, just maybe, providential blessings or acceptance come, not because of our background or location, but because of our submission to him.

Re: Persecution

Day 178

OT Reading: Job 10-12

NT Reading: Acts 8:1-25

"Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went." (Acts 8:4, NIV)

Persecution. It's not a happy word. It's not a word that we really like to talk about. But the fact is that since the inception of the Church, followers of Jesus have endured persecution. Even here in the book of Acts, Jesus had only ascended to heaven a few weeks or months prior and with the stoning of Stephen a wave of maltreatment crops up against his followers. Over the next couple thousand years some locations would be better, some worse...but persecution of Jesus' disciples continues even today. But I suppose as I consider this idea of persecution, I'd like to offer the following thoughts/remarks:

1. We need to pray for those who are enduring persecution even today. We certainly do not like to think about it...but the fact is that Christians are suffering and dying for their faith every year. In case you missed it, this past Sunday was named as the International Day of Prayer by the organization "Voice of the Martyrs." I'd strongly encourage you to check out their website here as you learn more specifically what you can pray for.

2. I just want to warn you, this is going to sound really weird. And frankly I cringe even now as I type this introductory sentence, knowing what I'm about to suggest. But maybe...just maybe...we should pray for persecution in our own country. I know...that is a completely asinine thought, but hear me out for one moment. It is not that I want to endure persecution. I'm not a masochist or anything like that. But for one moment just take a guess as to when the church has grown the most. Take a guess as to when people have been most passionate about following and serving Jesus. Guess what periods of history have seen the most evangelism and missionary efforts. Guess when in history the idea of a 'nominal Christian' was practically non-existent. I hope I've made my point. So do I really want persecution? Sure...about as much as I want a root-canal performed by a blind podiatrist.* But what if...for the sake of the Kingdom...that is exactly what we should do?

*Yes I know that's a foot doctor...that's part of the joke.

Suffering & Sin

Day 177

OT Reading: Job 7-9

NT Reading: Acts 7:44-60

Throughout the discussion between Job and his friends, we see that his friends continually come back to the argument of, "Job, you are suffering due to some sin in your life. Repent and move on." Of course they each say it in their own way...and frankly some of them take quite a long time to get to that point. However, their argument is simply that suffering is a result of sin.

And in many ways it makes perfect sense how one would come to this conclusion. A variety of times thus far we have noticed how God punished Israel for their sins...not to mention all the personal consequences we end up dealing with when we sin. So it would be logical for you and I even to equate any and all suffering with sin.

Jesus' disciples apparently had a similar position. In John 9 Jesus is presented with a blind man. One of his disciples asks, "Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?" Jesus' response is one that we may not expect...and one that definitely impacts our view of suffering in this world. In John 9:3 which reads, "'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.' " (NIV)

In other words, this man's condition was in fact not a result of sin, but was the case just so that God's greatness could be glorified. Of course if the suffering = sin equation is false...what else could that mean?

* Every bad instance that happens to us, may not be a result of our own sin.

* Every good event that happens to us, may not be a reward for our faithfulness.

* We should be very careful when connecting suffering with sin (e.g. maybe the region was decimated because it was built on a fault line and not due to divine wrath)

Granted there are also plenty of Biblical examples where suffering/ill consequences IS a result of sinful behavior. I'm not going to pretend like those do not exist. But let's also recognize that sometimes suffering is not a result of sin, but instead is there so that God may be glorified.

They had been with Jesus

Day 170

OT Reading: Nehemiah 9-11

NT Reading: Acts 4:1-22

A neat little notation that's easy to overlook in the Bible is found in Acts 4:13 which reads, "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." (NIV)

Because of this statement, I'm guessing that Peter and John were neither much to look at, nor to hear. Because of the upheaval in Jerusalem, they may have expected these men to be very eloquent, fine orators and expositors, men who were wordsmiths and could hypnotize you with their mastery of language. But what they found was quite the opposite. Peter and John were common, ordinary, unschooled men. The power was not in their proficiency of the language or their arguing prowess...the power of their ministry lay in the message.

The text goes on to say that they (meaning those religious leaders in the Sanhedrin) were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. Perhaps it was just because of the Sanhedrin's history with Jesus that they were making a simple association...that these were some of Jesus' followers. However I'm lead to believe (purely from a gut-level reading of the text) that this statement involves more.

Peter and John had spent years with Jesus. They followed him. They witnessed how he acted in calm and stressful times. They saw amazing miracles. They witnessed that Jesus was no longer dead. And because of his impact in their lives, because their experience was not just a one-day-per-week religion or a list of rules to memorize...but instead was embedded deeply within the context of a relationship with this one they called, 'Lord'...that changed Peter and John. It impacted them in such a way that the Sanhedrin was astonished at their courage and candor. They marveled at how men of common social, educational and economic status could possibly have this great of an impact.

I wonder how many times people would say the same thing about us? That our faith was not simply a blind ritual, some mundane requirement or annoying obligation, but instead involved a meaningful relationship. That our faith involved spending quality time with the one we call, "Lord." When people look at our lives, can they even tell that we've, 'been with Jesus?'

Nehemiah, Ezra and the Word of God

Day 169

OT Reading: Nehemiah 7-8

NT Reading: Acts 3

We won't read across this verse for quite some time, yet I think it best describes what we read today, "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12, NIV) I think the people in Nehemiah's day would agree.

For hours they stood...listening and taking in everything that had been written down as God's command. For hours they heard about all the things that God wanted them to do, which they had not been doing...and they heard of all the things God did not want them to do, which they had been doing actively. They stood and they listened...and what they heard, broke their hearts. Here we see that the people who have returned to the city of Jerusalem are openly weeping...disheartened from what they have heard. The priests and Levites even have to send them away commanding them not to mourn or grieve, but instead to rejoice that they have heard the word of the Lord on that day. Yet I'm betting even as they 'celebrated'...some of them still quietly, even silently, mourned.

For 169 days now we have been reading through the Bible. It's quite possible that you, like me, have missed a day or two and had to make them up. It is also quite possible that you, again...like me, have some days approached this as just a task that you need to accomplish. Let's just say it would surprise me if you hadn't had days like that. And yet, amidst all the names, people places, lists and chapters...I hope you have not lost track of the fact that you are reading from the very Word of God. The Word that has the power to cut to your soul and judge your heart.

As you are reading, I hope you have days where you rejoice in the goodness and grace of God. I also hope you have days that absolutely break your heart and turn you into a complete wreck because of how strongly you are convicted by what you read. Because this is not just some novel, history book, self-help book or biography...it's the living, active, painful, powerful, overwhelming penetrating message of redemption that God has shared with the world.

Counselors?

Day: 164

OT Reading: Ezra 3-5

NT Reading: John 20

As Zerubbbabel and the others work on rebuilding the temple of God in Jerusalem, they do not do so unopposed. In fact we read in chapter four that some directly opposed them, and eventually appealed to the reigning King to make the work stop. This much of the story I was familiar with before. But as I was reading chapter four today, one note struck me. It's in 4:4-5 which reads, "Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans..."

I'm not sure how to appropriately express my reaction in textual form so as to convey how I feel when I read this, but let me try it this way:

WHAT????

Seriously? They hired...counselors? I could see hiring mercenaries. I could understand if they paid off people on the inside to try and set back or sabotage progress. But what in the world does it mean that they hired 'counselors?'

Were these like...therapists who were covertly making the people more depressed? Were these advisors who offered bad counsel to the Jewish leaders? Were these just really bad leaders at the Jerusalem summer camps? I honestly have no idea.

Now to be fair, I could go spend time trying to research this word or this passage, and see what I come up with. I could...but nah. I'll just let my mind contort fun images about what this may have looked like. Until I read something weird tomorrow that is :-).

A unique title

Day 163

OT Reading: Ezra 1-2

NT Reading: John 19:23-42

I'm not sure if you have noticed it or not, but throughout the gospel of John there has been a reoccurring title used. We do not see this title in the other gospels, and the title is only in reference to one individual. Throughout this gospel, John refers to himself solely as the disciple whom Jesus loved.

What is significant about this title? Nothing really. There is no historical designation that I am personally familiar with. There is no greek nuance that ties the title to something else in the culture. John simply chooses to call himself the one that Jesus loved.

And while I realize that Scripture no where designates why John chooses to use this title, I think I have a good idea (which, by the way, is not original with me). I think John referred to himself in this way, because that is how he wanted to be remembered. To John, it was not about having the acclaim of being one who walked with Jesus. To John, it was not about being one of Jesus' "inner circle." To John, frankly, it was not about him. And while he could not completely exclude himself from the story, it put it in such a way as to continually point back to Jesus.

"Me? Oh...I'm nobody special really. Just someone that Jesus loves."

As you look at your own life, are you concerned about people knowing your name? Or are you content to be recognized only as someone that Jesus loves?