Acts 19 records one of the most remarkable accounts of the gospel’s impact on an area and the growth of the Church to be found anywhere in human history! That account was a part of my Bible reading this morning during “coffee with the Lord.”
The question that came to my mind as I read Acts 19 this morning was, how do you influence a community or city for Christ (in this case, it was Ephesus – a pagan city of several hundred thousand people)… But more than that, how do you impact an entire nation with the gospel (in this case it was ancient Asia – modern Turkey)? The facts are, in less than a three period of time, not just Ephesus was reached with the gospel; all the churches that Apostle John writes to in Revelation in addition to the congregation at Colossae were planted! What began with just three Spirit-filled believers, ended up threatening an entire pagan stronghold (Ephesus – the “temple keeper of the great Artimus” and “she whom all Asia and the world worship” – vss. 35, 27) and vibrant, healthy congregations were planted all over ancient Asia… in less than three years! Wow! You really need to read the chapter!
My prayerful reflection this morning resulted in several suggestions as to how this incredible growth of the church and impact of the gospel occurred:
1. No question about it, the sovereignty of God – the “winds of the Spirit were blowing in Asia! (John 3:8)
2. The simple (but powerful) message of the gospel (Romans 1:16-17)
3. Spirit-filled believers who shared their witness with others – neighbors, friends and family! (Acts 19:1-7)
4. A determination not to be constrained by the limitations of a building… or anything else for that matter in communicating the gospel… Creative energy at work just finding effective ways to do it! (Acts 19:8-10)
5. The refusal to allow resistance by the organized religious community to discourage or hamper witness and ministry. (Acts 19:8-10)
6. The supernatural activity of the Holy Spirit and ministry “in Jesus’ name” – “signs and wonders!” (Acts 19:11-20)
7. No soft-pedaling of the need for “repentance” (calling people to repudiate and turn from their pagan past to the Lord). (Acts 19:18-20)
8. Willingness, if need be, to suffer for Jesus’ sake. (Acts 19:23-41)
Really nothing new and dramatic here – Just “vanilla” principles! But non-negotiables, it seems to me, if we want to reach our cities, our communities… our nation, with the gospel!
Coffee With The Lord
The Best Way To Start the Day- Coffee With The Lord
Author Archives: lrbartel
“Hilasmos” – That word mean anything to you? If you’ve ever sinned it should!
Ever sin after becoming a Christian – a devoted follower of Jesus? Come on now, don’t deny it – you have, and you know it! A temptation came your way… a moment of frustration or anger… a bad choice… and you stumbled and fell – You failed your Lord and Savior and sinned! You feel awful about it – you’d like to cover it up (but don’t!) – What you really need to do is acknowledge it (that’s what “confession” is), ask the Lord for forgiveness, and repent (turn from it)!
Have I ever sinned since becoming a Christian? You bet! We’re all in the same boat!
This morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” I read a wonderful passage that addresses this very issue! Here’s what Apostle John, inspired by the Holy Spirit, had to say about it…
“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess [acknowledge] our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness! If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world!” (from 1 John 1:6 – 2:2 ESV)
Did you notice that big theological word – “propitiation”? Do you know what it means – do you have any idea what’s included in that term? Let me tell you, it’s incredible – it’s wonderful! It’s a term difficult to capture with a single English term. It’s one of those “double-fisted” words in the original language (Greek – “Hilasmos”). First of all, it bears the idea of averting/escaping God’s wrath upon sin. Secondly, it includes God’s provision for cleansing from sin through the redeeming sacrifice of Jesus for our sin. God’s wrath becomes God’s forgiveness and favor because of what Jesus did for us on the cross! How wonderful is that?!
But there is something even more wonderful! His sacrifice for sin not only cares for our sin when we stumble and fall… The passage declares it is a sin-sacrifice sufficient “not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world!” The sins of all your family, friends, and colleagues who don’t know the Lord yet can be forgiven if they acknowledge their sin, turn from it, and put their trust in Christ!
My response this morning? In the words of an old hymn… “Hallelujah! What a Savior!”
Don’t despair… Don’t panic! “He’s got the whole world in His hands!”
Perhaps after watching the evening news and reading about what is going on in our world you feel frightened and even in despair! To use colloquialisms, you feel like “the wheels are coming off the wagon” or “things are coming apart at the seams!” Traditional and biblical ethical standards of behavior are being ignored with impudence. Wars are ravaging nations, destroying cities and families. Terrorism brutalizes innocent people and breeds fear and panic. Economies are in jeopardy… Institutions are failing… And leaders seem incompetent and incapable to deal with the crisis!
Don’t despair! God is still in control! I read a passage this morning during “coffee with the Lord” that infused faith in my troubled heart! Judah, because of her sin and rebellion, in keeping with the prophetic message of Jeremiah and others had gone into captivity in Babylon – 70 long years. Jerusalem, along with the temple, had been completely destroyed – it was justa pile of ugly rubble. But God knew… He was aware… the situation, although desperate was not beyond His control. In fact, 150 years ahead of his birth, God had predicted that Cyrus, a pagan king, would be used of God to rebuild and restore Jerusalem (Isaiah 44:24 – 45:13)!
Here’s what the Bible says…
“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled (cp. Jeremiah 25:1-4; 29:10-14), the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: ‘Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.’” (Ezra 1:1–4 ESV)
And at the end of 2 Chronicles, just one book of the Bible back:
“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: ‘Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the Lord his God be with him. Let him go up.’ ” (2 Chronicles 36:22–23 ESV)
I tell you, don’t panic! Trust the Lord! Pray about what’s going on in our world that troubles you! As the old spiritual says, “He’s got the whole world in His hand… He got you and me brother… sister in His hands!”
