“Where Romans Lands” Summer Intensive with N.T. Wright was organized by Admirato.org.

Romans 13:8-14

⁸ Don’t owe anything to anyone, except the debt of mutual love. If you love your neighbor, you see, you have fulfilled the law. ⁹ Commandments like “don’t commit adultery, don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t covet”—and any other commandment—are summed up in this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁰ Love does no wrong to its neighbor; so love is the fulfillment of the law.

¹¹ This is all the more important because you know what time it is. The hour has come for you to wake up from sleep. Our salvation, you see, is nearer now than it was when first we came to faith. ¹² The night is nearly over, the day is almost here. So let’s put off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light. ¹³ Let’s behave appropriately, as in the daytime: not in wild parties and drunkenness, not in orgies and shameless immorality, not in bad temper and jealousy. ¹⁴ Instead, put on the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and don’t make any allowance for the flesh and its lusts.

Love, the law and the coming day

We should avoid assuming we know all that this means because it sounds so familiar. There are so many connections to other passages and hidden depths.

The key is learning how to navigate being “now and not yet people.” There is a danger that we shrink Christian ethics down to a set of rules to keep. “Christian ethics” isn’t even the best phrase. It is about learning to live between the times – between the fulfillment of Torah in Jesus and the coming fully realized Kingdom of Jesus – the new heaven and new earth! All Christian living is eschatological!

Paul is not simply theorizing about how a Christian community should live out their faith.

“Don’t owe anyone anything except love.” It’s much easier to get into debt than it is to get out of debt! Christian community should have a reputation for being honest and reliable, paying bills on time, erring on the side of generosity rather than stinginess. We want the world to see us and say to themselves: “They may have odd beliefs, but they are good people.”

This also means that anytime we meet someone, we already in debt to them. We owe them love!
The love of God should overflow from our lives into our church family where we practice loving others and then bubble over to all of our neighbors, friends, and co-workers!

“We are not justified by the law but by Jesus Christ” from earlier in Romans 3:20 was a reminder that the Kingdom is for all – not just the Jewish people. Throughout the letter, Paul is emphasizing the true family of Abraham are those who follow Jesus. “If you love your neighbor, you have fulfilled Torah” continues in that line of thinking.

Romans 8:3 – The Torah was working on the corrupt human – helping them become good neighbors.

Mount Sinai was not a list rules for the people of Israel to try to live up to in order to be redeemed. They were already redeemed and rescued out of slavery! The law was about how to live as redeemed people!

In the New Kingdom, the love of Jesus followers for each other and for their neighbors means they are fulfilling the Torah! Paul is trying to make sure the Jewish and Gentile followers of Jesus all realize that they are all in the same family and not better than the others because of their relationship with the Torah.

Paul is laying the groundwork for his argument in Romans 14-15. In those two chapters, the Torah is hiding underneath even though it is never mentioned.

Why does Paul only mention these commandments “don’t commit adultery, don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t covet” and not the ones on worhsipping God? He has been writing about true worship from the beginning of the letter!

The Sabbath is not mentioned either. Why not? Because Jesus broke the religious leaders’ rules on the Sabbath? No! Because He is the source of true Sabbath and rest!

A sunrise is coming, and we are to be part of that sunrise! We are daytime people in a nighttime world! Now that Jesus is reigning over the Kingdom of God, He can come back at any time! (Paul did not think Jesus was coming back within a generation. That is a misreading of 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).

“Our salvation” means we are rescued from death! We will be resurrected too! (This does not mean our soul will go up to heaven and all things will come to an end as Western Christianity seems to indicate).

Rather than “works of darkness” which are the ways of this present evil age, we need to put on the “armor of light” – a shorthand for Ephesians 6. (The one offensive weapon is the word of God. The other parts of the armor are defensive). Our world’s default is towards the works of darkness. The world presses us down to a semi-human state.

The works of darkness are listed in Romans 13 and in Colossians 3 and in many other sections of Paul’s letters. These aren’t exhaustive lists of all acts of evil. In this letter, Paul focuses on experiences with corporate immorality which are a parody of genuine celebration and violent anger and jealousy.

All the followers of Jesus are clothed with the righteousness of Jesus when they enter into His Kingdom. At the same time, every day, we need to recommit to “putting on the Messiah” in order to avoid giving in to the temptations of the world.

Romans 13:14 uses the word translated as “allowance” which means “thinking ahead.” We should renew our minds and not entertain any darkness in our thoughts.

The post Romans 13:8-14 with N.T. Wright appeared first on Eric Bryant.

“Where Romans Lands” Summer Intensive with N.T. Wright was organized by Admirato.org.

Romans 12:17-13:7

¹⁷ Never repay anyone evil for evil; think through what will seem good to everyone who is watching. ¹⁸ If it’s possible, as far as you can, live at peace with all people. ¹⁹ Don’t take revenge, my dear people, but allow God’s anger room to work. The Bible says, after all, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” ²⁰ No: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. If you do this, you will pile up burning coals on his head.” ²¹ Don’t let evil conquer you. Rather, conquer evil with good.

The divine purpose, and limited role, of ruling authorities

13 Every person must be subject to the ruling authorities. There is no authority, you see, except from God, and those that exist have been put in place by God. ² As a result, anyone who rebels against authority is resisting what God has set up, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. ³ For rulers hold no terrors for people who do good, but only for people who do evil.

If you want to have no fear of the ruling power, do what is good, and it will praise you. ⁴ It is God’s servant, you see, for you and your good. But if you do evil, be afraid; the sword it carries is no empty gesture. It is God’s servant, you see: an agent of justice to bring his anger on evildoers. ⁵ That is why it is necessary to submit, not only to avoid punishment but because of conscience.

⁶ That, too, is why you pay taxes. The officials in question are God’s ministers, attending to this very thing. ⁷ So pay each of them what is owed: tribute to those who collect it, revenue to those who collect it. Respect those who should be respected. Honor the people one ought to honor.

People of peace in a world of violence.

Paul wants the Church to be a counter cultural community embracing the way of kindness, love, and welcoming strangers, and so on.

The challenge of living as a Gospel community requires knowing how to face injustice.

Overcoming evil with good is incredibly counter cultural! Even the Maccabees and many other religious leaders over the centuries fight unholy violence with “holy” violence. This is no the way of Jesus.

The 5 Observable Points of Transition Through the Messianic Work of Jesus:

1. The Temple. The Temple was destroyed. Now we are the Temple! The Church is the ever expanding Temple! This has nothing to do with escaping the world but a new way to live in the world.
2. The Holy Land. Psalm 2 has kicked into operation. All of the world is the Holy Land! The Gentile mission takes place to summon the whole world to allegiance to the New King!
3. Symbols of Judaic Identity. Since Gentiles are invited into the family of God through the Messiah, the symbols of Judaism has done their job. Circumcision, food laws, and Sabbath protected the people of God from the ways of the world. Christ-followers no longer need to follow these restrictions. We have a new Christian ethic for a new way of living.
4. The Messianic Death and Resurrection. No one expected this method of salvation through the Messiah.

A quick reading of the Hebrew Scriptures might make you think that people of God fight back with armies against evil armies. That’s how the Maccabees applied their faith (See 2 Maccabees 7). The Judeans called down divine justice on their pagan oppressors.

Romans 12:17-13:7 is a renunciation of this way of thinking and living. All of this is rooted in Jesus’ own words and deeds. Just look at the Sermon on the Mount or how Jesus handled the betrayal, the arrest, the trials, and ultimately the crucifixion. He even prayed: “Father forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.” (Stephen did the same thing.) The way of Jesus is not bossing and bullying like the world, but to become a servant and to give up your life for others.

In truth, the Hebrew Scriptures do prophecy this new way of Jesus. See Isaiah 2, 9, and 11, Zechariah 9 (“the King rides on a donkey rather than a war horse”) plus Micah 3. God intends to put the whole world right! God is bringing shalom. The Church is to show the signs of this.

It is an absolute tragedy that the “Church” bought into the ways of the world at the Crusades, the Inquisition, and far too many other times.

Paul wants to be sure that the believers in Rome know this new way to live which includes renouncing violence. “Take thought for how your actions will appear.” News travels fast. Gossip travels even faster. We should avoid rushing into unwise action.

Taking revenge is God’s job not ours. God desires that there should be properly constituted magistrates to bring a measure of justice in order to prevent chaos that could come without governmental leadership. God provides government (when it is working rightly) as an advance sign of when all will be truly made right.

Romans 13:1-7 has been used by oppressive regimes to stifle protests, but don’t forget Romand 13:8-10 which is the standard for leadership.

Just as justice is God’s job, so is timing. We have to be patient. As ordinary citizens in Rome, we are not to be those who pursue justice. See the story of Elisha and the Arameans in 2 Kings 6:22-23 where they had a banquet with their enemies and later the story of the martyrdom of Polycarp. A mob wants the leaders to kill Polycarp. Even still Polycarp acknowledges he comes under the authorities.

“Don’t let evil conquer you, but you conquer evil with good!” This sounds like a proverb which has come straight from the way Jesus willingly died on the cross. Just as Joseph said: “What my brothers meant for evil, God meant for good” (Genesis 50:20).

Vengeance is too dangerous for humans! Only God can be trusted with this, and He has entrusted some measure of justice to take place through magistrates (not private individuals). God works through imperfect vessels and then they will be held to account. We are not to snatch God’s prerogative.

In John 19:11, Pilate changes Jesus with his authority, and Jesus reminds him that his authority was given to him from above. Even Pilate under the evil Tiberias has a God-given authority. And Jesus knew that one day that Tiberias and Pilate will one day face judgment before God. All will be held to account and leaders to an even greater degree.

God disposes kings and sets up kings whether they realize it or not. When there is a line our leaders want us to cross that goes against the ways of God, we do not cross them. We resist ungodly leaders with godliness. Civil disobedience can be part of our approach. (See Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.). We must be patient with God and do our part to bring in closer to godly leadership when possible.

In addition, we are to speak truth to power! See John 18-19 with Jesus and Pilate.

Even the emperor is subject to the One God and will be accountable to him. Remember, the emperor claimed to be God! Paul puts things in the right order.

We are not to be overly aloof, antisocial, or rabble rousers.

The Christians should be known as law abiding community members who pay their taxes and respect their magistrates unless asked to worship anything or anyone other than God. It is then that they refuse to obey their leaders and take upon themselves whatever the consequences might be. We are to prosper the city in which we live but our allegiance is first and foremost to the Kingdom of God.

All current authorities are provisional. The New Kingdom of God is here now and will one day be fully realized!

Obedience to authorities is important, but what’s more important is a life of love!

“Submit to the authorities” is a broad and practical wisdom not a full theology on church and state.

The post Romans 12:17-13:7 with N.T. Wright appeared first on Eric Bryant.

“Where Romans Lands” Summer Intensive with N.T. Wright was organized by Admirato.org.

Romans 12:3-16

³ Through the grace which was given to me, I have this to say to each one of you: don’t think of yourselves more highly than you ought to think. Rather, think soberly, in line with faith, the true standard which God has marked out for each of you. ⁴ As in one body we have many limbs and organs, you see, and all the parts have different functions, ⁵ so we, many as we are, are one body in the Messiah, and individually we belong to one another.

Living together in the Messiah

⁶ Well then, we have gifts that differ in accordance with the grace that has been given to us, and we must use them appropriately. If it is prophecy, we must prophesy according to the pattern of the faith. ⁷ If it is serving, we must work at our serving; if teaching, at our teaching; ⁸ if exhortation, at our exhortation; if giving, with generosity; if leading, with energy; if doing acts of kindness, with cheerfulness.

⁹ Love must be real. Hate what is evil, stick fast to what is good. ¹⁰ Be truly affectionate in showing love for one another; compete with each other in giving mutual respect. ¹¹ Don’t get tired of working hard. Be on fire with the spirit. Work as slaves for the Lord. ¹² Celebrate your hope; be patient in suffering; give constant energy to prayer; ¹³ contribute to the needs of God’s people; make sure you are hospitable to strangers.

Living alongside the world

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless them, don’t curse them. ¹⁵ Celebrate with the joyful, mourn with the mourners. ¹⁶ Come to the same mind with one another. Don’t give yourselves airs, but associate with the humble. Don’t get too clever for yourselves.

The Church is to be a blueprint into what it means to be truly human to our broken and dark world.

We think of our culture as having Judeo Christian values, but we are flattering ourselves. We have drifted back into normal pagan life.

Paul has a more beautiful vision with a remarkable ambition! We are One Body in the Messiah!

The Greeks saw the “polis” as a body with the magistrates being the head and the others being the limbs. Paul has a different idea in mind. There is no hierarchy at all. The Messiah is the Head and the rest of us are valuable part of the Body.

Paul changes up his metaphors to suit the point he is making. This shouldn’t concern us that the Body metaphor may be different in 1 Corinthians as it is in Ephesians just as we shouldn’t mind that the list of spiritual gifts changes from letter to letter.

Paul’s vision was genuinely revolutionary! He cast vision for a differentiated unity of the Church. We read it and see it as obvious, but when it was written, no one had envisioned life like this prior to this!

Grace cascades. God gives grace to one so that it cascades to others (12:3, 6).

If you worship that which is not God then you will contribute to the world’s brokenness.
If you worship the One True God then you will contribute towards the putting back to rights of all things.

Sacrificial living is the proper status for us before a holy, loving, and just God.

What Paul knows about the Messiah is why he has such high ambitions for the Church!
Messiah-people will change the world!

The Church needs prophetic leadership in the pattern of Gospel faith. Teaching was especially necessary as many Gentiles had not idea about the Hebrew Scriptures. Jesus was their focus and reason for existence. They knew His presence personally and when they were together. 150 years after Paul, some of the stories of Jesus began to drift away from the real story so teaching was especially important. Many of the early church began to learn how to read to be able to connect with God through the Hebrew Scriptures.

The early church didn’t look like religion as we might think of it. They were gathering to celebrate that Jesus was alive and now reigning over a new Kingdom.

Exhortation overlaps with teaching and may be thought of today as a sort of encouragement. It has more to do with helping people live out the truths of Scripture.

The other gifts represent different tasks to be accomplished. Serving the needs of others was important followed by giving. Then comes leadership which is further down the list than you might think. Mercy is included in this list as well.

The normal Roman world was all about the display of wealth and competing against others.

Paul focused on the relationships within the believing community in Romans 12:9-13. He then addresses the relationships we have with the pagan world outside of the Church.

How do you love someone when you do feel like it?
Begin by behaving as if you did really love them. (C.S. Lewis)
Paul wanted our motivation to come from an awareness of the love of God.

“Hate the evil and hold to the good” implies that within us we know good from bad through our conscience.
“Loving affectionate and mutual delight” and “compete with each other in honoring each other” rather than knocking others down which was the Roman way.

Learn how to celebrate, be patient in suffering, always in prayer, generous with others, and eager to welcome strangers (the opposite of xenophobia).

Jesus taught us what to do when we are persecuted, and Paul continues that way of living. Cursing someone was the expected norm for responding to adversity. The Maccabees cursed their enemies. Instead, followers of Jesus are to leave at peace and bless those who oppose us.

Followers of Jesus aren’t supposed to remain aloof but join in the celebrations and the funerals of our neighbors.
There was very little privacy in the ancient world. There were small homes and tiny streets. Everyone knew everyone around them.
The Epicureans would tell you to detach from all the petty things around them.
The Stoics would tell you to be indifferent to all human emotions.
The Platonists would have focused more on their own cultivation of virtues and cared less about this world.
Paul wanted followers of Jesus to be engaged with their community just as we see Jesus celebrating at a wedding and weeping with those mourning the death of Lazarus.

We are to choose a new way of thinking with humility and consideration of others who are also image-bearing humans (Romans 12:3, 16). This is a radical difference than the rest of society.

We are to think differently! When we worship the One True God (Romans 12:1-2) means denouncing all self-aggrandisement and choosing humility just as Jesus did.

Love without expecting a return was new! Charity was transactional. This is not a private pursuit (like the Platoists) but a community-approach to living. The grace flows through the community to those around them.

“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.”

– G.K. Chesterton

Paul knew that living this new way would attract new members. Christianity is a team sport!

Use Romans 12 as a checklist for the way to live as a Gospel community!

Failure in worship leads to the failure of justice. Worshiping right leads to treating others right!

The new age has begun with the resurrection of Jesus! The new age way of life seems impossible; therefore, it requires full surrender to Jesus in all areas of our lives!

The post Romans 12:3-16 with N.T. Wright appeared first on Eric Bryant.

“Where Romans Lands” Summer Intensive with N.T. Wright was organized by Admirato.org.

Too often people who look at Romans spends most of their time looking at Romans 1-8 which are glorious and the more difficult portion of Romans 9-11. Too few spend the time Romans 12-16 really deserves perhaps because of the Platonic view reality influencing the Western Church.

“My campaign is to eradicate Platonism from modern day Christianity.”

Some of Romans 12-13 is very general with the basics of Christian life, but 14:1-15:13 is all about Christian unity in the midst of ethnic tension and diversity. Romans 15:14-16 is his farewell.

The very thing that Paul wants to emphasize at the end of his letter is not what very many Christians want to hear.

The central passage of Romans is Romans 15:7-13 which reads:

⁷ Welcome one another, therefore, as the Messiah has welcomed you, to God’s glory. ⁸ Let me tell you why: the Messiah became a servant of the circumcised people in order to demonstrate the truthfulness of God—that is, to confirm the promises to the patriarchs, ⁹ and to bring the nations to praise God for his mercy. As the Bible says:

That is why I will praise you among the nations, and will sing to your name.

¹⁰ And again it says, Rejoice, you nations, with his people.

¹¹ And again, Praise the Lord, all nations, and let all the peoples sing his praise.

¹² And Isaiah says once more:
There shall be the root of Jesse, the one who rises up to rule the nations; the nations shall hope in him.

¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the holy spirit.

For Paul, the primary witness to the pagan Romans is the demonstration of the new way of being human as demonstrated through the Church, the true royal family. The Church was modeling an entirely different way of life from the imperial style of the Romans.

We are not to be competing for honor, power, wealth, or prestige as the Romans did. The Romans had clear lines between the rich and poor, the free and the slave, men and women. Romans saw treachery and oppression as the norm.

“Therefore…” Romans 12:1

A Summary of Romans

Formal Opening – Romans 1:1-17

Collapse and Restoration of the Creator’s Purpose for Humans – Romans 1:18-4
There has been a failure of worship and a failure of justice.
When we fail to worship the Creator, we deconstruct.
The call of Abraham was part of the solution, but Abraham and his family are infected with the same issues we have.
“The Jewish people are just like everyone else only moreso.” – Jewish Rabbi from the LondonGod focuses His plan onto Israel’s Messiah.
The Messiah’s death and resurrection demonstrate the covenant faithfulness of God putting humans right.

God’s Final Rescue of All Creation – Romans 5-8
Nothing in all of creation will separate us from the love of God!

The Word of God has Not Failed Even Though Israel Did Fail – Romans 9-11
God has not cut off Israel.

1 million inhabitants in ancient Rome. Of them, 30,000 were Judeans. They were often unpopular because they did not worship the gods. They were blamed when bad things happen because the people assumed it was the response of angry gods for not worshiping them.
Nero expelled the Jews. Claudius allowed them to come back. During that time the Church in Rome became completely Gentile. Now that the Jewish Christians were back, Paul needed to address this new tension.

True Worship and Bringing Justice (Putting Right of the World) – Romans 12-15:13

Closing Remarks – Romans 15:4-16:27

To start this final section, Paul begins this section with exhortation and encouragement because of the mercies of God.

Romans 12:1-2

So, my dear family, this iis my appeal to you by the mercies of God: offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. That’s what properly thought-out worship looks like. What’s more, don’t let yourselves be squeezed into the shape dictated by the present age. Instead, be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you can work out what God’s will is, what is good, acceptable and complete.

Our response to God’s love and mercy is nothing less than become fully human! The compassionate God has done all He has done and because of that, now we can do this! He wipes off our tears from our failures and restores us to our true vocation.

As an act of gratitude, we are to be “a living sacrifice.” This will be holy and pleasing to God. Too often we think we can do nothing to please God, but that is a misunderstanding of God’s character by those who see God as always angry. God can be delighted in us!

“properly thought-out worship” – Humans are joining in with the rest of creation to worship the Creator!
Paul often interacts with the other thoughts of his day. In some ways, this is a rebuke of Aristotle who considered humans simply “rational animals.”
Humans are image-bearers, reflecting God to the world and the world to God!

“The present age” is evil, but this is temporary. One day, God will usher in the age to come when everything will be put right!
The Psalms and prophets were often lamenting the “evil age” and looked forward to “the Messianic age” and “the age to come.
Paul believes we are currently in “the age to come” right now! (See Romans 1:4)
The new world has been launched by the resurrection of Jesus.
The early Christians did not see the resurrection as one peculiar miracle but the beginning of the Kingdom of God which is here now! Resurrection is about the launching of the age to come! (See John 20 which refers to the new Genesis)

Don’t be “squeezed into the shape dictated by the present age” because Jesus is already ruling!
The way Jesus rules is not like the kings of this world by bullying others but through the shape of the cross.
The darkness should not be part of us.

“Instead, be transformed by the renewing of your minds.”
Paul wants his hearers to know the plan of God and know our part to play in it. Paul wants to teach us not just what to think but how to think!
We are not striving towards change or turning ourselves into wise Christians but hard work. Instead, we are open our minds to relying on the Spirit. New creation is taking shape within us – even if we do not realize it or even if it is happening in a way we do not expect.
Forgiveness and peacemaking are not options but mandatory for those who follow Jesus.
We are seeing the world in a new way rather than the unfit mind we see in Romans 1.
Humans who worship and do justice think differently.

“So that you can work out what God’s will is…”
This is more than just understanding what God wants me to do next in my own life but seeing my place in the larger narrative. This helps me know where I belong in the here and now.
“what is good, acceptable, and complete” refers to becoming fully mature or “perfect” in the ways of Jesus.
This means becoming fully human as Jesus demonstrated!
This doesn’t mean we won’t make mistakes but our trajectory is towards Christlikeness.
We should not separate the “is” from the “ought.”

The rest of Romans 12 talks about the Church as an alternative society.
Romans 13 is about the daytime people in a nighttime world.
Romans 14-15 deals with the complexity of ethnic backgrounds interacting and living together well.
Paul did not want the Roman Church to split along ethnic lines. When we worship together we communicate to the world that Jesus is reigning!

The post “Where Romans Lands: Romans 12-16” with N.T. Wright appeared first on Eric Bryant.

What if faith was never meant to be boring, but an adventure? The book of Acts is the story of ordinary people encountering an extraordinary God, and stepping into a life they never expected.

It started with an invitation. To wait. To be filled. To trust God in a new way. And that invitation became an adventure; full of courage, purpose, and impact.

And here’s the best part, that same invitation is still open to you. No matter where you’ve been
 or where you’re starting, there’s a place for you in the story.

ACTS: The Invitation… and The Adventure.

Don’t just watch it…step into it.

Digging Deeper:

Video from Gateway North Austin:

Message Notes from Carlos Ortiz, Jr.:

Acts 10:1-6, 9-16, 19-20, 25-28, 34-35, 44-48

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”

25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26 But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”
27 While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28 He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. 34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46 For they heard them
speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, 47 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

There are walls everywhere. Some are: visible, invisible, political, racial, cultural, economic, and some are even spiritual. And if we’re honest, most of us don’t just live around walls—we carry them inside of us.

We divide people into categories of like us or NOT like us, and the walls grow to either trust or distrust, to include and belong or to exclude and avoid. The world we live in is constantly building fences, but the gospel of Jesus Christ tears them down.
That’s what Acts 10 is about.

Acts 10 is not merely the story of Peter and Cornelius. It is the story of God smashing barriers that human beings spent centuries constructing. It is the story of the Holy Spirit expanding the church beyond what anyone thought possible. And here’s the surprising thing: the biggest obstacle to the global mission of God was not Rome. It was not persecution. It was not geography. The biggest obstacle was the assumptions inside Peter’s heart.

And maybe the biggest obstacle today is not “out there” either. Maybe it’s inside us.

The Gospel Is for Everyoned

Acts 10 opens with a man named Cornelius.
Acts 10:1 says: “At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment.”

Cornelius is a Gentile. A Roman soldier. An outsider, but an outsider who had influence. You may not know this, but a Centurion soldier was leading around 100 men in his regimen. Now you have to understand how shocking this is.

To Jewish believers in the first century, Gentiles were not merely different. They were considered spiritually unclean. Jews and Gentiles lived separated lives. They did not eat together. Worship together. Socialize together. There was an enormous wall between them.

And yet Acts 10:2 says Cornelius: “was a devout man who feared God with all his household. He gave alms generously to the people and prayed continually to God.”

Here’s the first surprise of the chapter: God is already at work in places Peter never expected. Peter assumed God’s activity was limited to people like him, but the Spirit was already moving among outsiders. And this becomes a recurring theme throughout Acts. God is always ahead of the church. Sometimes the church is trying to catch up to where the Spirit already is.

Then Cornelius receives a vision from an angel.

Acts 10:5 says: “Now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter.”
At the exact same time, God is preparing Peter. Peter goes to pray on a rooftop. He becomes hungry. And then he has a vision. Acts 10:11-12: “He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds.”

Then a voice says: “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” (Acts 10:13)

Peter is horrified. Why? Because the animals represented things Jewish law declared unclean.

Peter responds: “Surely not, Lord! I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” (Acts 10:14)

In 2014 Our entire extended family took a trip to NYC, and I told my parents that some of my favorite tacos are there. They freaked out and refused to try to eat tacos in NYC. But I convinced them to eat at Los Tacos, and my mom looked at me with such surprise, “Mijo…these are incredible tacos!”

To my mom, NYC meant inauthentic Mexican cuisine, and for Peter certain foods meant he would dishonor God.

Now think about this carefully. Peter loves Jesus, follows Jesus, preaches Jesus, but Peter still has categories in his mind that Jesus is trying to dismantle. And before we judge Peter too quickly, we should realize how often we do the exact same thing. We believe in grace theoretically while practicing exclusion practically. We say the gospel is for everyone, but deep down we still believe some people are too far gone. Too sinful. Too different. Too political. Too wealthy. Too poor. Too broken. Too other.

But the voice says to Peter: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” (Acts 10:15)

This vision is about more than food. God is redefining who belongs.

The gospel is not tribal. The kingdom of God is not ethnically exclusive. Jesus did not die for one category of people.

Paul gives us the future picture of heaven: “A great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne.”

The kingdom of God is radically multiethnic, multicultural, and global, and the church becomes unhealthy anytime it forgets that. Because the cross of Jesus Christ is wide enough for every race, every background, every story, every sinner who comes in repentance and faith. The gospel is for everyone.

The Spirit Challenges Our Assumptions

One of the most important lines in Acts 10 is found in verse 28. Peter enters Cornelius’ house and says:

“You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.”

Notice that phrase: “God has shown me.” Peter is learning. Growing. Being corrected. This is important because spiritual maturity is not merely knowing more Bible verses.

Spiritual maturity is allowing the Holy Spirit to confront Confront the prejudices, fears, and assumptions hiding underneath our religious life.

Peter had theology. experience. ministry success, Peter literally knew Jesus, but he still needed transformation. The Spirit often disrupts us before He expands us.

Sometimes the hardest thing for believing people is not sin in the obvious sense.
Sometimes the hardest thing is realizing that our traditions, preferences, and assumptions are not the same thing as the kingdom of God.

The Spirit continually pushes the church outward.

We see this throughout Acts. In Acts 1, Jesus says: “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Knowing this the disciples keep gravitating inward. So the Spirit keeps pushing outward. Toward Samaritans. Toward Ethiopians. Toward Gentiles. Toward outsiders. The Holy Spirit is always breaking holy huddles, and that may feel uncomfortable for us because we naturally prefer control and familiarity. We like people who think like us. Vote like us. Dress like us. Talk like us. But the gospel creates a new family that transcends earthly divisions.

Ephesians 2:14 says of Jesus: “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.”

Jesus didn’t merely save individuals. He created a reconciled people. This means the church should look different than the world. The world divides. The church reconciles. The world polarizes. The church unites around Christ. The world builds walls. The Spirit builds bridges. BUT, the truth is that many times THE CHURCH has lived in this reality. We have theorized and assumed that what we do is right, because our heart might be pure, but if we do NOT intentionally think about others, we grow inward. So there have been many times throughout history that this beautiful body of Christ has been THE major obstacle for people to encounter Jesus fully. And if the church mirrors the world’s hostility instead of Christ’s reconciliation, something has gone deeply wrong.

As Peter continues his personal journey towards “the other”, he keeps preaching to Cornelius’ household. And his sermon is incredibly simple.

Acts 10:38 says: “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.”

Then Peter says: “Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:43)

Everyone. That word changes history. Everyone. Everyone who believes. This Christian life is not based on ethnicity, or on pedigree, and especially social status. A life in Jesus is solely based on Grace! And grace destroys superiority.

• You cannot stand at the foot of the cross and feel ethnically superior.
• You cannot stand at the foot of the cross and feel morally superior.
• You cannot stand at the foot of the cross and feel spiritually superior.
• Because the ground is level there.

The Spirit Falls on Unexpected People

Then comes one of the most shocking moments in Acts. While Peter is still preaching, the Holy Spirit falls on the Gentiles. Acts 10:44 says: “While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.”

Peter doesn’t even finish the sermon. It’s almost humorous. Peter is still talking and God interrupts him. Why? Because God is making something unmistakably clear:

Gentiles are fully accepted in Christ.

Acts 10:45 says: “And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed.”

Why were they amazed? Because they thought the Spirit belonged to their group. And honestly, the church still struggles with this today. We are often surprised by the people God chooses to work in.

But grace has always scandalized religious people. Jesus welcomed tax collectors. Sinners. Outcasts. The overlooked. The marginalized.
And the religious establishment constantly struggled with it. Because grace offends human pride. The gospel says nobody earns their way in.

Salvation is entirely the work of Jesus Christ. That’s why Acts 10 is so important. It is not merely a missions chapter. It is a gospel
chapter. The barrier between Jew and Gentile was only a symptom of a deeper barrier: the barrier between sinful humanity and a holy God. And Jesus came to tear that wall down.

Ephesians 2:13 says: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

Notice that phrase: “far off.” That’s every one of us apart from grace. Far off. Separated. Alienated, but Jesus brings near those who were far away. That is the heart of the gospel.

We Are Called to Build Bridges, Not Walls

The church now faces a decision. Will the church (in Jerusalem) embrace what God is doing? Or resist it? Because whenever the Spirit moves outward, some people become uncomfortable.

Acts 11 opens with criticism. Peter returns to Jerusalem and immediately gets questioned. Acts 11:2-3 says: “The circumcision party criticized him, saying, ‘You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them.’”

Notice what they focus on. Not the salvation of Gentiles. Not the movement of the Spirit. Not transformed lives. They focus on broken categories. Religion without grace often becomes obsessed with protecting boundaries instead of celebrating redemption. But Peter patiently explains what happened by recounting the vision, the spirit falling, God’s activity in these people. And then Peter says this remarkable line in Acts 11:17: “If then God 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?”

What humility. Peter essentially says: “God corrected me.” And that may be one of the clearest signs of spiritual maturity. Not perfectionism, but teachability. The willingness to let God expand your heart beyond your comfort zone. Then comes the beautiful ending.

Acts 11:18 says: “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.’”

The church begins to rejoice that the family is bigger than they imagined. And that’s still the invitation today. The gospel tears down walls. The question is: Will we let it tear down ours? Only you know what kind of wall has built up in your heart and mind, but no matter what the wall is, are you and I willing to let God tear it down.

But Acts 10 reminds us that the Holy Spirit is a breaker of walls, because the church does not exist as a fortress hiding from the world. The church exists as a Spirit-filled community sent into the world. And when the church truly lives this way, it becomes a preview of heaven itself.

United not by culture but by Christ.

That’s what happened in Acts 10, and that is still what the Holy Spirit wants to do today.

• So let me leave you with a question: What walls need to come down in your heart?
• Who have you unconsciously labeled “unclean,” “other,” or “outside”?
• And what if the Spirit is already working in places you least expect?

Because the gospel goes global one surrendered heart at a time.
And when the Spirit of God breaks down walls, the church becomes what it was always
meant to be: A family with room for everyone Jesus calls.

The post “Acts: Break Down Barriers” appeared first on Eric Bryant.

Let me give you an example of how the Spirit can work in our lives.

Deborah and I just returned from a trip to Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Washington state. It was epic!

I was off social media and email and messages for 5 days. 

It was amazing to just reset my mind which can become frenetic and addicted to screen and being productive!

Reading through C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy, and I am on the 2nd book. I am going to give you the plot. I don’t want to ruin it for you, but it came out in 1943 so you’ve had your chance to be surprised for quite awhile now!

Basically, a British professor ends up on Venus where there is their version of Adam and Eve. There is this fascinating moment where the professor is trying to understand why Eve does what she does. For example, they don’t eat overeat. They eat and then stop when full even though the fruits are the most delicious thing he’s ever tasted! She explains that there is no reason not to trust God and obey God because she’s fully aware that everything that comes to her is a gift from God. 

So on our trip, I tried to have that posture. 

“Heavenly Father, help me to see everything that comes to us today as a gift from you!”

Now just before the trip, I had prayed asking God to understand more of His glory. A few days later as we were driving around Bozeman and Yellowstone National Park, I realized that He was answering my prayer as His creation shows a glimpse of His glory.

One day we are driving to the Lamar Valley in our hopes of seeing more wild animals! It felt like we were on a safari or in the movie Jurassic Park as we came across bison, bears, pronghorns, elk, and all sorts of birds! I was trying to get to the Lamar Valley early which is when most animals are visible, but my sweet wife wanted coffee and she wanted to stop here and there for pictures. So I’m drinking my huckleberry latte, and I am on a mission. Now the park literally had just opened the road to the Lamar Valley the day before because of all the snow still on the roads. So we are driving on the road before most people had even known it was possible! Those animals have gone months without people coming to watch them!

As we are driving I pointed out how odd it was that none of the lists we found about places to visit in Yellowstone had included finding the caldera. You see, Yellowstone has all of these thermal features like geysers and bubbling mud pits because it is on a volcano. Well just after I mentioned that, Deborah wanted to stop at an outlook, but I’m on a mission so I kept going. I felt convicted so I am came back to the outlook. It was gorgeous! As we are looking out over this valley, I see the sign explaining what we were seeing, and it said we were at the outlook to see the Yellowstone Caldera! (Pic)

Stuff like this kept happening over and over.

On our last day at Yellowstone, I was standing at the side of beautiful lake and just prayed, “I wonder what you will bring to us today.” I walked back to the car, and Deborah pointed down the street where there was a coyote walking towards us!

Now here is the catch, I find it so much easier to rest with God and listen to His voice. And by the way, this doesn’t mean our trip wasn’t filled with disappointing moments. You won’t see on my instagram the police officer who gave me a speeding ticket that’s going to cost me $290 or the 2 ticks the young adults standing next to us in line for coffee in Jackson, WY pulled off their necks.

And coming back to using my phone and coming back to Austin, there are far more distractions that make it harder to see God at work, but He is! The key is to see it!

It’s like this app Deborah started using  on our trip called Merlin. My nephew introduced it to us. It identifies the birds all around you by their sounds. 

So what you and I might just hear as birds singing in the morning, look what Merlin notices. Look at all the different types of birds heard in our backyard here in South Austin! We miss most of them all the time!

Are you looking for God to be at work?
Do you see how He may be answering your prayers in ways you didn’t expect?

Are you sensitive to the Spirit?
If not, ask Him for His help and start today!

The post Being Sensitive to the Holy Spirit – Lessons from Yellowstone appeared first on Eric Bryant.

What if faith was never meant to be boring, but an adventure? The book of Acts is the story of ordinary people encountering an extraordinary God, and stepping into a life they never expected.

It started with an invitation. To wait. To be filled. To trust God in a new way. And that invitation became an adventure; full of courage, purpose, and impact.

And here’s the best part, that same invitation is still open to you. No matter where you’ve been
 or where you’re starting, there’s a place for you in the story.

ACTS: The Invitation… and The Adventure.

Don’t just watch it…step into it.

Digging Deeper:

Message Video at Gateway South Austin:

Message Audio from Gateway South Austin:

Message Notes:

Acts 8:26-40

26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian ^a eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

31“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

32This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”

34The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [37 Philip said, “If you believe with all of your heart, you may.” The eunuch answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” ] ^c 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Everyone is on a spiritual journey. 

If we were to describe the spiritual journey in the form of a continuum, it might look like this [slide]:

Left End – people who are unaware of their need for Jesus..
They can be atheists, or agnostics, or people who are complacent about their life and don’t sense a need for Jesus.
They might be people who were never introduced to God.
They weren’t raised with any spiritual upbringing.
This might describe where you are in your faith journey.

Then there are those on the Right End– people who are joyfully following Jesus.
The progression is from those who are unaware
> to those who are experiencing an awakening
> to those who have become curious
> to those who have become a fan of Jesus
> to those who become followers of Jesus.

And followers of Jesus are those who are connecting, growing, serving, sharing, and investing in others. It’s not about believing the right things about Jesus, but choosing to let Jesus not only forgive you but lead you in every area of your life!

We know here in the room today we have people in all stages of their spiritual journey.
If you are exploring faith, where do you find yourself on this continuum? 

If you are a Christ Follower – where were you when you made your decision to place your faith in Jesus and where are you today? 

We are surrounded by people in different stages of their spiritual journey.
Some are professing atheists; some are trying to find God in all the wrong places; yet there are also those whose hearts are soft who are seeking God with all of their heart.
Jesus describes the reality of many who don’t know Him in the Parable of the Sower. 

Jesus says in John 4:35b, “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” 

Our Series Through Acts

We have been in this Acts series for the last seven (7) weeks, which focuses on the work of the Holy Spirit doing extraordinary things through ordinary people like us. We have read stories of Spirit-empowered disciples who have faithfully shared the good news of Jesus. That’s their mission because that was Jesus’ mission when He lived on the earth! 

The good news has been entrusted to us to share with others.

Today, we are going to read about Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. As we read, listen to how the Holy Spirit speaks to us today, and let’s become aware of how God uses His disciples to reach others for His kingdom. My prayer is that as we listen to today’s message, the Spirit highlights a person or two that He wants you to reach. 

The people who are in your circles of influence are placed there by God’s divine plan. Why? Because YOU may be the only person they will listen to! 

YOU have earned the right to be heard. 

Let’s be spiritually sensitive enough to hear His voice today and boldly step out to share the Good News of Jesus! 

Are you willing to be a “Philip” to the people God has purposely placed in your life? 
And if you are the “eunuch” who wants to become a devoted follower of Jesus, then let us help you!

Acts 8:26-27:

An angel of the Lord approached Philip and instructed him to go south to the desert road, the one that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza. So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship…”

Philip was not only a faithful preacher; he was also an obedient disciple. Like his Master, he was willing to leave the crowds and deal with one lost soul. The angel could have told this Ethiopian official how to be saved, but God has not given the commission to share the good news of Jesus to angels: He has given it to His people, which is US! 

Matt 28:18-20 says, “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

This court official did not come from what we know today as Ethiopia. His home was in ancient Nubia, located south of Egypt. Since he was a eunuch, he could not become a full Jewish proselyte according to Deut. 23:1; but he was permitted to become a “God fearer” or “a proselyte of the gate.” He was concerned enough about his spiritual life to travel over 200 miles to Jerusalem to worship God; but his heart was still not satisfied. 

It’s interesting that God saw fit to include the fact that this Ethiopian happened to be a eunuch. 

That’s a term we rarely use in today’s time. But since that detail is there, let’s make sure we know how to define a eunuch:

EUNUCH (Heb. sārîs; Gk. eunoúchos “keeper of the bed”).  A castrated male, often accorded a high governmental position such as chamberlain of a sovereign or royal harem. Particularly common in ancient Near Eastern and other oriental courts, the employment of eunuchs in sensitive political roles was introduced through Mesopotamian influence into the Roman and Byzantine Empires. – Myers, A. C. (1987). EUNUCH. In The Eerdmans Bible dictionary (p. 356)

This Ethiopian represents people today who are religious, read the Scriptures, and seek the truth, but have not yet placed their faith in Jesus. 

He’s curious. He worships Yahweh. He knows from His readings that there is a Messiah to come, but someone needs to introduce him to Jesus.

Let’s pick up the storyline in v.28.

Acts 8:28: 

“…and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet.”

• While the eunuch was heading home, he was sitting in a chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. He’s already been to Jerusalem to worship, and he still wants more!
• [put the spiritual continuum graphic back on the screen] 
• Q: Remember the Spiritual continuum we looked at, where is the eunuch? 

He’s a seeker! He is a fan of Jesus.
He had traveled over 200 miles to go worship in Jerusalem.
He’s hungry to know more of God’s Word.

Acts 8:29-31:

The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it. Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Philip was originally approached by an angel of the Lord. But now we see the Spirit giving Philip specific instructions: 

“Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 

Notice that Philip immediately obeyed the Spirit and ran up to the chariot. I want us to appreciate the role of the Spirit in today’s text.  The Holy Spirit is always at work in the lives of those who are spiritually lost. He knew the plan for Philip and he had gone in advance of Philip to prepare the heart of this Ethiopian man. 

The Holy Spirit is God’s personal, present, and active presence with believers. The Spirit’s work is meant to be a NORMAL, ongoing part of everyday Christian life – not some special “filling of the Holy Spirit” for a rare dramatic moment! We tend to look for God in the wind, earthquake, and fire – when God’s native language is a whisper. (Tyler Staton in “The Familiar Stranger”)

Henry Blackaby in “Experiencing God” teaches us that the Holy Spirit guides believers personally through prayer, Scripture, conviction, circumstances, and the church community. 

Rather than presenting the Spirit as unusual or reserved for especially spiritual people, he describes sensitivity to God’s voice as part of normal Christian discipleship and obedience. 

• The Holy Spirit is the active agent who INVITES Philip to partner with God to reach a man who was a fan of God, who wanted to learn about Jesus and become a follower.
  When the Holy Spirit INVITES us to reach others for Christ, he also EMPOWERS us.
  He doesn’t lead us to witness to someone without His power to do so.
  This truth is what allows Philip to have a holy boldness to approach the chariot to see what’s going on.
• So Philip noticed that the man was reading aloud from the prophet Isaiah.
  It might sound odd that a person riding in a chariot would be reading aloud, but it was customary in those days for students to read out loud. 
• Philip asked the man if he understood what he was reading, and the man was honest and acknowledged he didn’t – unless someone was willing to explain it to him.
  The man invited Philip to sit with him in the chariot and explain what he was reading.
  What an open door for Philip to share the good news!
• What exactly was the eunuch reading? V.32 tells us…

Are you looking for God to be at work?
Do you see how He may be answering your prayers in ways you didn’t expect?

Are you sensitive to the Spirit?
If not, ask Him for His help and start today!

Acts 8:32-35:

The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he didn’t open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth. Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him good news about Jesus.”

• The eunuch was reading from Isaiah 53, which is commonly known as the prophecy of God’s Suffering Servant. Isaiah 53 describes our Lord Jesus Christ in His birth (Isa. 53:1–2), life and ministry (Isa. 53:3), substitutionary death (Isa. 53:4–9), and victorious resurrection (Isa. 53:10–12). 
• The Ethiopian focused on Isaiah 53:7–8, which describes our Lord as the willing Sacrifice for sinners, even while being deprived of justice. Jesus could have cried out, “I’m not guilty,” but he didn’t. And instead, he was punished for our guilt. We come to God guilty, but through the blood of Jesus Christ and his death, we are deemed not guilty.
• As Philip explained the verses to him, the Ethiopian began to understand the Gospel because the Spirit of God was opening his mind to God’s truth. And this is the beauty of how the Holy Spirit works! This man was seeking God. 
• This Ethiopian eunuch could be the poster child of a promise God gives in His Word. It’s found in Proverbs 8:17b: “Those who seek me find me.” We read in Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” 

I love heart-warming stories like this because we see how powerfully the Holy Spirit works in Philip AND in the Ethiopian man! 

The Spirit INVITED Philip to partner with God to reach this man, and the Holy Spirit INVITED the man to receive Jesus by opening the man’s heart and mind to the gospel message. 

What a beautiful picture of the eunuch stepping out of the margins and into the movement to follow Jesus!  Philip explains that Jesus is the Messiah, prophesied in Isaiah, and the eunuch believes.  Now it is up to the Ethiopian to give a personal response to the gospel.  And we see that! 

When the eunuch understands that Jesus is as the Son of God who came to die on the cross to pay the penalty of our sins, he not only receives Jesus as his Lord and Savior, but he asks to be baptized right away. 

We see this in the following verse:  

8:36-38 36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” 37 Philip said, “If you believe with all of your heart, you may.” The eunuch answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.

Baptism is an important step as a follower of Jesus. 

It is closely connected to faith in Jesus and receiving new life through the Holy Spirit. 

Baptism is a public act of faith that symbolizes repentance, cleansing from sin, identification with Jesus’ death and resurrection, and entry into the community of believers. 

Scripture describes this: 

Romans 6:3-10:

“³ Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.⁵ For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. ⁶ For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— ⁷ because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹ For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. ¹⁰ The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

For those of you who believe that Jesus is the Savior of the world, but haven’t followed that belief with the public declaration of baptism we have baptism coming up in July. 

As a church we have an intentional pathway for those taking this important step of faith to follow that includes a pre-baptism class. 

8:39-40 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

What results for the new believer after being spiritually healed? JOY!

Notice the Holy Spirit’s initiative in salvation – It is the Holy Spirit who orchestrates encounters. Philip was sent to a specific road at a specific time. The Holy Spirit was already at work in the eunuch’s life.

The gospel crosses cultural and social barriers. 

The Ethiopian eunuch represents multiple layers of exclusion in the ancient world – ethnically African, a eunuch – who therefore was excluded per the Hebrew Bible, and a high-ranking outsider. 

God’s love extends to all people – including those who look differently, come from a different place, and even seen as an outsider. As a eunuch he was never going to marry or have children. He was single and in some ways “married to his job.”

Today’s text illustrates that the gospel breaks through barriers of race, status, and even religious exclusion. Christianity is radically inclusive: 

“For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, so that anyone who believes upon His name shall not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

For the believers who are here, I want us to prayerfully consider what it means to live as a responsive instrument in God’s mission – to live like a “Philip”:

Let’s be ready to follow specific, even inconvenient guidance.

Philip is told by an angel to go to a desert road – hardly a strategic ministry location!  From his perspective, it probably didn’t make sense, which makes this uncomfortable. Obedience isn’t always efficient or logical!

How do we listen to the Holy Spirit? It’s not mastering a “technique!”  It’s developing attentiveness, trust, and consistency in relationship to God. 

A healthy approach is being grounded in Scripture, prayer, humility, and community rather than chasing dramatic experiences. 

How to cultivate awareness of Holy Spirit promptings:

1. Creating regular quiet space for prayer. 

If God’s native language is a whisper, then slowing down helps us notice conviction, peace, insight, or guidance that we might normally ignore.

2. Staying rooted in Scripture.
   We need to test impressions against the character and teachings of Jesus in the Bible.
   The Holy Spirit will always guide consistently with Scripture, not contradict it.
3. Paying attention to recurring nudges and responding.
   You might notice a persistent sense to encourage someone, confess something, reconcile with someone, serve, pray, or act courageously. 

If we want to be successful in helping others step out of the margins and into the movement to be a follower of Jesus, let’s look at how Philip helped this eunuch “step out of the margins and into the movement.” 

Lessons we can learn from Philp:

• He stayed attentive to the Spirit’s prompting in real time. 

Philip is told to approach the chariot, which is more than general obedience.
It’s a “moment-by-moment” responsiveness.
He doesn’t force opportunities, but rather responds to them.

• He started where people are.
  Philip doesn’t begin with a rehearsed speech. 

He hears the man reading the Book of Isaiah and simply asks, “Do you understand what you’re reading?”
Philip engages this eunuch at his point of curiosity or confusion.

• He explained Scripture with Jesus at the center.
  Philip told the good news about Jesus.
  The move is from text to Christ, not from text to abstract principles.
  When we explain Scripture, let’s aim for clarity about Jesus, not just moral lessons or theological data.
• He was willing to cross social and cultural lines.
  Philip’s encounter breaks norms.
  The Ethiopian official is ethnically, geographically and socially distant – and a eunuch.
  Yet Philip doesn’t hesitate. He didn’t let unfamiliarity or difference become a barrier in his interaction with the man.

For those of you who haven’t made a decision to become a believer, ask yourself where you are on the continuum.
If your spiritual journey has led you beyond being curious about Jesus and now you’re a fan of Jesus, then consider that the Holy Spirit is at work in you and is INVITING you to become a follower of Jesus! 

Lessons we can learn from the Ethiopian royal official:

• Continue to seek God with all of your heart – even when you don’t have all the answers.
  The eunuch is already reading the Book of Isaiah on a long journey.
  He doesn’t understand it yet, but he’s actively pursuing truth. Genuine seeking often starts with partial understanding, not certainty.
• Admit when you need help understanding.
  The Ethiopian was humble, especially given his status.
  He had a teachable spirit, which allows room for deeper understanding.
• Stay open to unexpected messengers.
  Philip is a stranger who suddenly appears and asks a probing question.
  The eunuch doesn’t dismiss him. Please be open to who might help you see clearly.
• Receive the good news of Jesus personally, not just intellectually.
  You can know all “about Jesus” without “knowing Jesus” personally.
  When the eunuch hears the gospel, he doesn’t treat it as abstract theology.
  He immediately asks, “What prevents me from being baptized?”
  Real understanding moves from curiosity to personal trust and commitment.
  This eunuch was willing to transfer his full faith and trust in Jesus alone for his salvation.
  In the Christianese language, we call this commitment “surrendering” our life to Jesus.
  This eunuch “stepped out of the margins and went from being a fan to a devoted follower of Jesus!”
• Don’t let past exclusion define your future inclusion.
  As a eunuch, he had limited participation under the Hebrew Bible law.
  Yet he immediately embraces baptism – a sign of full inclusion.
  The gospel overrides prior barriers.
  Your past doesn’t disqualify you from receiving Jesus!

I want to share a practical next step that I have found to be easy to implement to be a “Philip” on mission with God to reach those who don’t know Jesus yet:

I believe that whoever God has placed in our circle of influence is providential. It is not by accident.
Like you, there are family members, friends, co-workers, members of a professional organization that you may be a part of, where you wonder where they are spiritually. 

If you want to look at your network of relationships more closely, take a look at what is known as an [Slide] Oikos map and do one for yourself:

Here is what has worked for me that I want to offer to you:

Each day, ask the Lord to help you see everyone you interact with through the “spiritual lens” of Jesus.
As you interact with people you want to help spiritually, listen for:

• Needs they have in their life
• Pain points they share
• Are they experiencing discouragement or emotional stress?

This is where you say with INTEGRITY and GENUINNESS…I will PRAY for you. 

Make sure you follow up with them, which shows that you care about them. It shows that you are willing to journey with them and to help anyway you can. 

And BTW, research shows that even atheists aren’t offended if you offer to pray for them. Even though they don’t believe there’s a God, they are fine with you praying for them.

Here’s the best part: 

When the answers to prayer start to happen, we need to celebrate that with them. 

But most importantly, we need to make sure that the LORD GETS THE CREDIT! 

Their hearts and minds start to open up to a God who unconditionally loves them and has a plan and a purpose for them.

Those of us who are followers of Christ have been blessed with a “Philip” in our life who was instrumental in leading us to Jesus. 

Now it’s our turn to be a Philip. 

Are you willing to be a “Philip” to someone who wants to be introduced to Jesus. 

The fields are “ripe for harvest” and we are invited to be His “laborers.” 

Let’s step out of the margins and into the movement! 

We are going to close with a congregational prayer taken from a hymn written in the 1800s (we will read this together). 

Let’s really ask God to open our hearts and minds to see and follow Him. 

God be in my head,
And in my understanding;

God be in mine eyes,
And in my looking;

God be in my mouth,
And in my speaking;

God be in my heart,
And in my thinking;

God be at mine end,
And at my departing.

“God be in my head” by Sir Henry Walford Davies (1869–1941)

The post “Acts: Step Out of the Margins” appeared first on Eric Bryant.

What if faith was never meant to be boring, but an adventure? The book of Acts is the story of ordinary people encountering an extraordinary God, and stepping into a life they never expected.

It started with an invitation. To wait. To be filled. To trust God in a new way. And that invitation became an adventure; full of courage, purpose, and impact.

And here’s the best part, that same invitation is still open to you. No matter where you’ve been
 or where you’re starting, there’s a place for you in the story.

ACTS: The Invitation… and The Adventure.

Don’t just watch it…step into it.

Digging Deeper:

Use these discussion questions and Bible study with your roommates, family, or small group to apply the message to your life!

Message Video from Carlos Ortiz, Jr.:

The post “Acts: Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable” appeared first on Eric Bryant.

Join us in reading through the book of Acts with devotional videos from leaders from each of our Austin area campuses.

Every day, try the following:

• Pray asking God to speak to you.
• Read the chapter.
• Watch the video associated with the chapter. (YouTube, TikTok, Spotify, or Apple Podcast)
• Write in your journal what you sense God calling you to do to live out that day.

The post “Start Here: Acts” appeared first on Eric Bryant.

What if faith was never meant to be boring, but an adventure? The book of Acts is the story of ordinary people encountering an extraordinary God, and stepping into a life they never expected.

It started with an invitation. To wait. To be filled. To trust God in a new way. And that invitation became an adventure; full of courage, purpose, and impact.

And here’s the best part, that same invitation is still open to you. No matter where you’ve been
 or where you’re starting, there’s a place for you in the story.

ACTS: The Invitation… and The Adventure.

Don’t just watch it…step into it.

Digging Deeper:

Message Video from Gateway South Austin:

Message Audio from Gateway South Austin:

Message Notes from Ricky Echeona:

Acts 6:8-15; 7:51-60

8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.

11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”

12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”

15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

51 “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”

54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

If you are taking notes, the title of this message is simple- Suffer Well. Ladies and gentlemen, that is a complete sentence- Suffer well. It’s probably not what you came to hear today, but for the hope-sick heart in the room today, here is the challenge of the Lord who loves you- Suffer Well.

Over and over we will see this theme throughout Acts and all of the New Testament really, followers of Jesus who consistently run into problems in the midst of carrying out the purpose the Lord spoke to them. They have been commisioned by God and they keep running into criticism. They are given DIVINE OPPORTUNITIES, and over and over face HUMAN OPPOSITION.

What do you do when you are trying to live the life God has laid out for you and you keep running into PROBLEMS? How do you move forward when there’s this 500lb barbell dragging your soul called PAIN? How do you make sense of a season when you are trying to walk the path of integrity and you hit the wall of PERSECUTION?

God, you asked me to start this business, so why does it feel like doors keep closing in my face?

Lord, here I am giving you my all and I’m GATHERING, GROWING, GIVING, and GOING, so why is my body breaking down?

Jesus, here I am showing up well at work- loving people, trying to do what’s right- and there’s an injustice that I’m now facing.

It’s one thing when predicaments come and you can trace them back to bad decisions you made or even disobedience. It’s another thing altogether when you are PURSUING God, and it feels like problems, pain, or persecution are pursuing YOU.

I know I can’t be the only one who has faced a season where you say- “God, I’m trying to do what is RIGHT! So, what’s WRONG?”

8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.

Here we have Stephen, a devout man; follower of Jesus; gifted with administration- remember last week we learned that Stephen and 6 others were in charge of the distribution of food to the widows.

That’s Stephen- gifted. And throughout Acts 6-7, four times it will say of Stephen- “He was filled with wisdom”, “He was full of faith”, “He was full of grace and power”“He was full of the Holy Spirit.” Yet, here he is suffering.

If you are in the middle of suffering the question is “What are you full of?” Because what you are full of, will eventually come out. Remember Jesus said “…Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Meaning what you are TRULY full of, is eventually revealed.

And nothing reveals what you are made of like suffering, like testing.

• See if you are full unforgiveness in your heart, what comes out in a SUFFERING SEASON is bitterness and resentment toward God- “I can’t believe you are allowing this to happen!”
• If you are full of yourself and full of pride, what comes out in suffering is SELFISHNESS- And now everyone has to tip-toe around you like you’re the only one going through something.
• You ever met someone selfish in their pain? “You know so and so is battling pneumonia.” And they’re like “Well I’ve been without work for 4 days and ain’t nobody checked on me!”
• That same energy that will upload a pic of the hospital bracelet and caption it like “Crazy when no one  is there for you (broken heart emoji)”
• If you are consumed by fear, ANXIETY will come out

They say pressure makes diamonds, but pressure also bursts pipes. What’s on the inside will come out.

But in the midst of the trying times of your life if you are filled with the Spirit of God. What comes out is the FRUIT of the Spirit

My boss maybe treating me with RUDENESS and I can still kill em with KINDNESS

In the midst of my GRIEF I can still have the JOY of the Lord

When I’m suffering through the LIES that are hurting my reputation I can still walk in SELF-CONTROL

We’ll find that Stephen in the midst of criticism, lies, and persecution is utterly unfazed.

How do you suffer well? You arm yourself full of the Holy Spirit.

As Proverbs 3:5-6 says: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Lean not on conventional wisdom. Lean not on the wisdom of the world. But submit your heart, intentions, decisions, and life to the One who loves you and knows you better than you know yourself. And He will make your paths straight. Notice it does not say EASY.

 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.

11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”

It says OPPOSITION AROSE. Stephen is doing the Lord’s work and life gets harder. The haters get louder. The road gets tougher. Come on, as followers of Jesus can we normalize OPPOSITION? When you are walking in your purpose, when you are endeavoring to live a life worthy of the call of God- It is supposed to be hard!

I would venture to say if there is no spiritual opposition in your life, maybe, just maybe, it’s because the enemy does not see you as a threat.  

So they can’t hold a candle to the POWER and PURPOSE within Stephen. They’re losing every argument. So because they’re losing, they start lying. See, the enemy can not stand against the truth of God inside of you if you are full of the Spirit, so what does he bring your way- LIES. To distract you and destroy you.

And here’s where we start to see Luke mirroring the trial of Jesus. Lies and false witnesses rise up. Stephen is starting to suffer and he is UNBOTHERED. Totally unshakeable. If I’m honest and that’s me, I’m like- “What yall not gon do is LIE! If you can’t debate, just say THAT.” If I’m Stephen, I’m looking at all these professional lawyers, and I’m like… hold this L… hold this L… 2 for you (lol).”

He does none of that. Why? Because the truth is unafraid of lies. And in this miscarriage of justice, in this suffering, Stephen shows us- PRESSURE CANNOT PREVENT PURPOSE.

12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. -1 Peter 4:12-14

PRESSURE CANNOT PREVENT PURPOSE

Some of you are battling personal attacks on your character, but I wish I had a few people that could say:

• “I may be under attack but I am unmoved in my allegiance!”
• Because I serve a suffering Messiah, who like a lamb led to the slaughter was silent in the face of persecution
• I know you may be fighting through illness. I know you didn’t ask for the cancer or the organ failure, but is there anyone here that knows
• “You can break my body, but you can’t break my boldness.”
• Because I serve the one who was pierced for my transgressions, and crushed for my iniquities… and by HIs wounds I am healed
• You can shake my circumstances but you cannot shake my conviction.

Stephen does not allow the injustice to make him indignant. Look at verse 15

15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Here’s what I found interesting about this, in order for Luke, the author, to get this insight- that means some of the men in the Sanhedrin reported it to him later and he put it in the Bible. Catch this, don’t miss it- some of Stephen’s ACCUSERS become ATTESTERS.

If you want to SUFFER WELL realize: How you process persecution and pain, will preach to the very people provoking you!

In other words- your response to HATE is a revelation to your HATERS.

Do you realize some people are watching how you persevere through this season in your life and your testimony is the breakthrough they need? It is not in vain my friends.

You can walk FULL of the Spirit, and not be in despair.

Just like Stephen – You can be going through HELL and still look like HEAVEN.

I love that old church mom phrase- “I don’t look like what I’ve been through”

See we all, suffer that is a universal human exprerience. But you can go through the hardest seasons of your life simply focusing on the LACK- what you DON’T have. OR, you can go through those same seasons focusing on what you are FULL of- the Holy Spirit.

And be able to say- I may be losing it all, but if I have Jesus I have all I need.

2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. -Hebrews 12:2-3

They ask Stephen what do you have to say for yourself? And homeboy starts PREACHING. We get a hole chapter of Stephen recalling the history of Israel, just to get the audience to the point of no return. He essentially says you think I’m the one guilty of blasphemy… it’s actually you. You killed the Son of God. You’re just like your ancestors who murdered the prophets. In other words, the words that can take you from 0-100- “You’re just like your father.”

54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

Stephen on the brink of death, gets this beautiful divine revelation of our Lord and Savior. Btw this vitriolic response is the same response Jesus gets when questioned by the high priest, when He essentially says you think you stand in judgment of me but I’m the one Daniel spoke of and the next time you see me I’ll be riding on the clouds in judgment of you.

I felt like the Lord showed me this- look at the reaction of his accusers- it says “they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him”

Gnash- it’s the same verb btw when Jesus gives this description of hell throughout the Gospels. Gnashing of teeth in this moment shows their fury, hatred, deep anger, resentment. Which shows you hell isn’t some torture chamber you accidentally wind up in- but rather a place of your choosing a state perpetual anger, rage, resentment, and unforgiveness.

Juxtapose that for a second with Stephen… WHO IS THE ONE BEING UNJUSTLY LYNCHED… and he says “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

Friends if we are to SUFFER WELL, it’s time to let go of the bitterness in your heart. To deal with your unforgiveness before it deals with you.

Some of you are living in hell right now because you have allowed the hurt to define you. You’ve allowed the abuse to embitter you. You’ve allowed the lies to make you resentful.

Don’t let bitterness be your story.

How do you know you suffer well? You can forgive. Bitterness is not your story. Unforgiveness has no roots in your life.

Because you serve a God that forgives you. A God in Jesus who took your punishment. And gives you HIs Spirit that allows you to:

• To no longer HATE and wish hurt on those who abused you
• To no be bitter at the EX who handed you a reality you didn’t see coming
• To no longer resent the doctors who steered you the wrong way and now your body is suffering for it

You can live FREE. Free from the chains of bitterness. Free from the prison of trauma. Free fromt the poison of hatred and resentment.

What’s the mark of suffering well- You would not wish what you went through on anyone, and you no longer wish it away.

Stephen says  56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

How do you suffer well? You keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and remind your soul- He is still on the throne!

You keep your eyes on Jesus.

He sees me. He has not forgotten about me. He will not forsake me. Even if this sickness lasts a lifetime- in light of eternity-  it’s still TEMPORARY. My God is still on the throne!

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.” -Job 1:21

Friend, keep your gaze on His glory. I know it’s hard. I know they hurt you. I know you are suffering. But it all dims in the light of who HE IS.

You have no idea what He is up to. That does not mean “everything happens for a reason” please don’t say that. Sin is senseless. Evil is chaotic. We don’t serve a God that needs to use evil.

But in a broken world and fallen world we do believe in a God that can turn anything for GOOD.

What if the suffering is accomplishing more than just the present pain?

The verse says the men stoning Stephen lay their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. This same Saul who is looking at Stephen… who is looking at Jesus… in 2 chapters will have his own radical encounter with the resurrected Christ on the road to Damascus. Jesus who will say to “Saul, why do you persecute me?”

And while Saul is struck with blindness for 3 days. He’s got time to think. I wonder if he thinks of Stephen. We know the rest of the story, Saul in his conversion becomes Paul who goes onto be the greatest church planter and writes 2/3rds of the New Testament.

And I think the testimony of Stephen NEVER leaves him. Because he was there. Paul will face the same persecution he dealt out. And I think everytime he feels like falling into self-pity he remembers Stephen and he writes words like:

Philippians 3:10- 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

What if the suffering of Stephen was the seedbed of perseverance in the life of Paul when he says

Romans 8:18- 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

What if your suffering is producing fruit you can’t quite see yet? But if you keep your focus on Jesus you will get to know Jesus through suffering in a way you could not otherwise. You can’t see it yet, but trust that He SEES you.

And he wastes nothing. The pain is not in vain. The suffering can be leveraged for His glory. And He still brings life out of dead things. Your story is not over.

The post “Acts: Suffer Well” appeared first on Eric Bryant.