“What’s in a name?” Juliet asks in Shakespeare’s famous romance. Names are small packages that carry a great deal of freight. For example, consider the name “Christians”? How did we get that name? In Acts 11:19-30 Luke records the story of the disciples in Antioch, when they were first called Christians.
Note that this group was called Christians (11:26). That is, they were given this name by those outside of their own circles. The presence of this group within the public square was thick enough to warrant a label. At the same time, no existing label was sufficient. What other group in Antioch consisted of Jews, Africans, Asians and Syrians from its very onset? What other group in the city submitted to the leadership of Jewish teachers in mainly Greco-Roman gatherings? What other mainly Hellenistic group in the metropolitan area would send resources and funding to Jews in Jerusalem? Most important and unique, however, was the core commitment of its members to this Lord Jesus whom the original adherents had preached. With all the Greeks among its members, one may have expected a core commitment to Lord Caesar. With the Jewish sympathies among them, one may have expected the core commitment to YHWH or maybe even Lord Herod. When it came down to it, there was only one common denominator – a common agreement regarding their need for the grace of God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
How can we live up to the name “Christians” today? When people meet us as individuals or experience us as a group on Sunday, what name do we elicit? Does our life elicit the label of Christian or are we easily labeled by other groups? Do we transcend the common societal labels such as liberal, religious, progressives, conservatives, environmentalists, etc., etc., etc.?
On Sunday I mentioned several ways that we can seek to make Christ’s grace the defining characteristic of our community. One of them was being willing to learn from those outside of “our city.” Like those Greek converts in Antioch who were willing to be taught by Jews from outside their city, we too can submit to Christians from outside our immediate circles. Specifically, I challenged small group leaders to choose a book in the coming year that comes from outside our time period, nation, denomination, or Reformed tradition. Of course you don’t have to wait for your care group to read one to pick it up yourself. I have listed several below for your consideration.
Saint Augustine of Hippo (4th century, North Africa), Confessions (~300 pages)
Jean Calvin (16th century, France), Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life (short section taken from the Institutes)
Kwame Bediako (Ghana), Jesus in African Culture (compact booklet on the book of Hebrews)
Vinoth Ramachandra (India), Faiths in Conflict? Christian Integrity in a Multicultural World
Samuel Escobar (Peru), The New Global Mission: The Gospel from Everywhere to Everyone
Roland Chia (Indonesia), Hope for the World
Ivan Satravyata (India), Holy Spirit – Giver of Life
https://www.crossroadspca.net/wp-content/uploads/Crossroads-Website-Logo.jpeg00Crossroads Presbyterian Churchhttps://www.crossroadspca.net/wp-content/uploads/Crossroads-Website-Logo.jpegCrossroads Presbyterian Church2013-07-21 00:00:002013-07-21 00:00:00What’s In a Name? Acts 11:19-30
11 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, 3 “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.” 4 But Peter began and explained it to them in order: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision, something like a great sheet descending, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to me. 6 Looking at it closely, I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘By no means, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ 10 This happened three times, and all was drawn up again into heaven.11 And behold, at that very moment three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea.12 And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 And he told us how he had seen the angel stand in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon who is called Peter; 14 he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If thenGod gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
https://www.crossroadspca.net/wp-content/uploads/Crossroads-Website-Logo.jpeg00Cindy Rigglehttps://www.crossroadspca.net/wp-content/uploads/Crossroads-Website-Logo.jpegCindy Riggle2013-07-15 00:00:002013-07-15 00:00:00Peter Reports to the Church Acts 11:1-18
Comfort is a desirable and good thing to have. Yet, it can easily become the focus of our lives. This has always been the truth. Yet, it is even more so in a society where new products are constantly marketed to consumers demanding greater ease and comfort. Consumer-oriented cultures like ours have to watch out lest we subject Jesus to supply the same sort of demand. That is because Jesus, the Prince of Peace, has always been in the business of discomforting his disciples for the purpose of bringing them better comfort.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the conversion account of Saul, otherwise known as the Apostle Paul, which is repeated three times in Acts (9, 22, 26). Saul’s encounter with Jesus on his way to imprison Christians was not a tranquil, peaceful and easy moment. Jesus brought real discomfort into his life, causing Saul to face up to real yet difficult realities. Yet, Jesus did this wisely and at the precise time that his discomforting presence would have the greatest positive effect. Saul went on to experience greater comfort than he had previously known: God has put on sandals in Jesus and stepped into the abyss for his enemies; Jesus seeks his enemies out to let them know it; Jesus turns his enemies into shining trophies of his love by employing them in his mission. In this case he employed Saul in making Jesus’ severe kindness known throughout the then known world and writing a great deal of the New Testament.
The Jesus of today is the same Jesus of the first century. He still will make us uncomfortable as we relate to him. The discomfort he brings is intended to bring about transformation and ultimate comfort. Yet, if we demand a Jesus that only brings ease, tranquility and a word of peace then we will not be dealing with him as we ought. And we will not grow as we ought. At moments of discomfort or stress we may even be ignoring him as the one who is seeking to encounter us with something we need to pay attention to.
So, may I ask you: where is it most uncomfortable for you to relate to Jesus? When do you most desire to not be associated with him: family, friends, co-workers, online chats? Why does it make you uncomfortable? Where does he want you to grow?
Your discomfort doesn’t surprise him. His grace is sufficient for us all. Let us humble ourselves with him, persevere through the difficulties and he will bring us out shining as a trophy of his mercy.
The featured painting is Thomas Kinkade’s Perseverance.
There are lots of little questions in life. Will I drink hot or iced coffee this morning? Should I turn on my blinkers when there is no one on the road at this hour? Should I put on the blue or the white shorts?
Then there are big questions. The reason they are “big” is because of how much they will chart the course of life. One of those big questions is, “Who am I?”
Who am I? Am I simply a collection of the many parts of my unique life story? Am I defined by my sexuality? By my failures? By my job? By my successes? By my ethnicity? By Christ? Who am I?
This past Sunday we encountered the Ethiopian Eunuch on the road back home from Jerusalem. During that time he met Philip and was converted to Christ. What we noted was that his identity was primarily one who was now a part of the people of God, united to Christ by baptism. His supreme identity is that he is loved by Christ along with all of those who come to Christ by faith.
Yet, we also read many details about this individual. He was ethnically Ethiopian. Sexually and socially he was an eunuch. In the world of work he was a treasurer. Politically he worked in the Ethiopian ruling court. Religiously he was a worshipper of YHWH, Israel’s God. By the end of Acts 8 he was still a worshipper of YHWH but now as he had freshly revealed himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit through the recent redemptive events witnessed to him by Philip. All of these details included about the Ethiopian serve to teach us that we still retain many important secondary identities as Christians. God wants us to enjoy and appreciate the multi-faceted ways he has created us. He also wants us to reflect upon our stories and experiences in light of our ultimate identity in Christ. We bring our secondary identities as gifts to Christ, asking him to mold them and use them for the sake of his reputation and the good of others.
If you are asking the question “Who am I?” you can answer “Jesus loves me”. The real Jesus, resurrected 2000 years ago, really loved the real me. He dominates my identity but does not extinguish me.
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What are your secondary identities (ethnically, politically, socially, etc.)?
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Have you ever felt like they do not matter to Jesus or your discipleship?
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What aspect of your identity most needs to be brought into the presence of Jesus? How might Jesus want to mold it? Use it? Sacrifice it?
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8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. 10 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11 Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, 13 and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” 15 And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Stephen’s Speech
7 And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” 2 And Stephen said:
“Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ 4 Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. 5 Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot’s length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. 6 And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years. 7 ‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come outand worship me in this place.’ 8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
9 “And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him 10 and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. 11 Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers on their first visit. 13 Andon the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh. 14 AndJoseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all. 15 And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers, 16 and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb thatAbraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
17 “But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt 18 until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. 19 He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive. 20 At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God’s sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father’s house, 21 and when he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.
23 “When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. 25 He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand.26 And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?’ 27 But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying,‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
30 “Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. 33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.’
35 “This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’ 38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received livingoracles to give to us. 39 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt,40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol andwere rejoicing in the works of their hands. 42 But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:
“‘Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices,
during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43 You took up the tent of Moloch
and the star of your god Rephan,
the images that you made to worship;
and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’
44 “Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. 45 Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, 46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,
49 “‘Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
or what is the place of my rest?
50 Did not my hand make all these things?’
51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
The Stoning of Stephen
54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words ofthis Life.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.
Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” 24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. 25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Thenthe captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying,“We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and youintend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel,a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while.35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, 40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.
Which of the above statements is true? Both. The reality is that although Jesus is doing bigger things than ever in his church, there is still much wrong with us.
We see this in Acts 4:32-5:11, when Luke records the good works of God’s people like Barnabas and the selfish deed of Ananias, Saphira, and Satan. Will the rest of Acts bear out a community like Barnabas, one that is shaped by Jesus’ radical commitment to people over possessions? Or will this community be more defined by valuing possessions over people?
God gives a strong answer at the beginning of this fresh movement of his Spirit recorded in the book of Acts. The church will be defined by Jesus’ work, which is a work that exemplifies a commitment to people over possessions. Barnabas is a positive example of selling a field for the sake of the community. This is the exact opposite of Judas, who sold Jesus for money to buy a field.
[quote name=”Book of Acts” center=”true” float=”right” size=”one-third”]Ananias and Saphira, on the other hand, value possessions over people.[/quote] Ananias and Saphira on the other hand value possessions over people. Possibly in the pursuit of gaining a cool nickname like Joseph did (“Barnabas”), Ananias and Saphira choose possessions over people. They want a good name for their virtue, but they also want some good money in their pocket. The solution: lie. However, they cannot lie to God, and he takes this opportunity to remind this community what he is about: honoring his Son who honored people over possessions. Jesus put himself at our disposal for the glory of God, and his holy community will do the same thing. Ananias and Saphira are a warning shot to all those who will seek to use the church for their own purposes. Whereas the lame man in Acts 3 was a picture of the ultimate complete restoration of our created humanity, Ananias and Saphira are a picture of God’s judgment upon false members of the community. Does that mean they went to hell? It is possible that God used these foolish Christians to warn the rest of us, nevertheless mercifully accepting them into his presence. We will not know until Christ returns. Until then, may the Spirit so strengthen us to understand the love of Jesus so that we become a people marked by service to others, not service to money.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
https://www.crossroadspca.net/wp-content/uploads/Crossroads-Website-Logo.jpeg00Cindy Rigglehttps://www.crossroadspca.net/wp-content/uploads/Crossroads-Website-Logo.jpegCindy Riggle2013-05-27 00:00:002013-05-27 00:00:00The Acts of the Holy Spirit – Acts 1:8
Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesushas given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
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“What’s in a name?” Juliet asks in Shakespeare’s famous romance. Names are small packages that carry a great deal of freight. For example, consider the name “Christians”? How did we get that name? In Acts 11:19-30 Luke records the story of the disciples in Antioch, when they were first called Christians.
