From Suffering To Praise

Acts 4:13-22

The power of God working through the apostles in the New Testament, was typically accepted by the crowds of onlookers, yet shunned by men who were of distinct sects including Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees. These men were religious leaders, who held fast to the traditions of men, more than obeying the words of the Lord. Unlike the other heretical groups, the Sadducees did not believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus from the dead, and were vocal (in our text) in acknowledging their distaste with Peter’s teaching through Jesus, and the resurrection from the dead.

In the previous chapter, Peter had healed a crippled beggar who was lame from birth, which caught the attention of many who witnessed the man walking, leaping, and praising God, all the way to the temple. There are many today, who receive a great blessing from God, then turn around and continue in their sin, but the man who was healed, took a straight path to church, after receiving his miracle! Many who heard the words of Peter (while teaching in the temple) totaled nearly 5,000! Wowzer!

After those pesky rulers arrived to the temple, they inquired by what power Peter healed the man. Peter’s response was led by the Holy Ghost, and threatened the religious leaders, who were more concerned with their reputations and positions, than the mighty works of the Lord. Rather than accepting the fact that an obvious miracle had taken place in a man who was lame over 40 years, coupled with the fact this event was also witnessed by many who knew the man, the Sadducees and rulers tried hard to find something to accuse the apostles for. The evidence of a miracle was irrefutable and overwhelming, yet the religious leaders refused to submit to Christ, and continued their efforts to suppress the truth.

How much more evidence does God need to reveal to you, before you surrender your life to Him? The obvious miracle is, we’re still alive, and in decent health, but God has much more in store for those who submit themselves to His will. Don’t be like the Sadducees and religious rulers, who witnessed God’s great work with their own eyes, yet rejected His way. Instead, yield yourselves to the Father, and allow Him to perform great works through you, as you live according to His purpose in the earth.

Traditions Of Men

Mark 7:1-8

Fighting the good fight of faith ain’t always easy, especially when there are always those who are content with finding fault in literally everything you do. As I approach the 40 year age mark, I’ve come to the conclusion, when a person receives God’s salvation, they are automatically assigned certain haters, who will make it their business to slander their name, no matter the cost.

Whether you do go, or not so good, your haters will make everything you do, seem as if it’s the end of the world, while at the same time, neglecting to correct the faults and issues in their own lives. This was an accurate account of the life of Jesus and those who followed after Him. Whether Jesus taught in synagogues, or in desert places, there would oftentimes be certain groups of Pharisees and scribes, who would investigate all that Jesus and His disciples did, in order to find fault in them. The sole purpose of those who hated Jesus was, to silence Him from speaking truth, but Jesus knew how to handle them in a way that actually should have change their hearts. Unfortunately, some had hearts of stone, and were too engulfed in themselves, until even the Son of God recognized when to let them be.

In our text, the Jews had a tradition that involved washing themselves in a proper way, before eating. Even after coming in from the market, the Jews would wash themselves accordingly, and only eat after they were considered clean. On a certain day, while performing their usual investigation, the scribes and Pharisees noticed some of Jesus’ disciples eating bread, without washing themselves beforehand, according to their tradition. As expected, these shallow-minded men were quick to bring their concern to Jesus. The Pharisees and scribes asked Jesus, “Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?” If these men truly knew God as He was taught from generation to generation from the days of Moses, until their present time, they would have understood that man’s traditions can never supercede God’s commands, and would have refrained from mentioning this issue altogether. But, Jesus knew the intent of the men’s hearts, and exposed their wickedness by using Scripture. Jesus mentioned how the prophet Isaiah spoke of the future, when men would honor God with their lips, but not from their hearts. The Son of God continued and spoke how men were prophesied to worship God in vain, and teach doctrines of man’s commandments, while ignoring the commandments of God. Obviously, Jesus was referring to the scribes and Pharisees before Him, and literally called them, hypocrites, for caring more about keeping traditions to look holy in the midst of others, rather than humbling themselves by honoring the commandments of the Lord.

Never allow yourself to get caught up in what men deem as proper living, especially if it’s not taught in Scripture. Learn to live, not by the experiences of others, instead, by aligning your life with what’s taught in the Word. This way, you’ll never be deceived into making the traditions of men, more honorable than the commandments of God.

Divine Connection

Acts 8:26-35

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9). God cares for all men, whether they do evil, or good. In fact, one of God’s most amazing and unappreciated characteristics is, His patience. Oftentimes, men take for granted, the time God grants them in the earth, but soon that time will expire.

King Solomon helps us understand, “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Prov. 15:3). God wants all men to submit themselves to His will and authority, so they can reap the best benefits of this life, and the next. Unfortunately, the world has become so corrupt to the point men, women, and children alike, are dying at unfathomable rates. Many pass away too soon, before they can even begin to enjoy the benefits that come with living a saved life. God the Father sees all, knows all, and desires that all come to Him, before their time is cut short. For this reason, the Spirit of God works through those who are attuned to His will, and joins them with others who diligently seek the truth of God’s Word. God is good, and His mercy endures forever, so all who have a strong desire to known Him, will indeed discover the depths of His unparalleled love, grace, and mercy.

Our text introduces a certain man; one who was of great authority, and served under queen Candace of the Ethiopians, who had come to Jerusalem to worship. While it may seem strange for an Ethiopian eunuch to seek worship in Jerusalem, tradition tells that king Solomon taught his religion to the queen of Sheba, who established it among her people. So it was only right for the man to travel to give honor to the God of the great king Solomon. As the man sat in his chariot, he struggled to understand the readings of the prophet Isaiah. It’s evident he had a desire for godliness, but couldn’t grasp its concepts. This was the perfect opportunity for God to connect a man seeking the truth, with another who understood and lived the truth.

During this time, persecution of the church had elevated to astounding rates (spearheaded by Saul, who had recently ordered the death of Stephen), yet the apostles and disciples of Christ continued to branch out to spread the Gospel to different lands. While watching the Ethiopian man from Heaven, struggling to understand the Word, God sent an angel to Philip, instructing him to get up, and go to Gaza. Not knowing the reason for the urgent request, Philip arose and did as he was instructed. When he arrived, the Spirit told Philip to join himself to the same chariot which the Ethiopian man sat upon. I’m certain God was smiling, as He observed the willing and obedient servant, approaching the chariot of someone seeking to know and abide by the truth. After Philip literally ran to meet the man, the Bible says, “Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.” (vs. 35).

God knows what we have need of, and He always has someone in place, to assist in whatever way possible. The Ethiopian man may have left his estate with questions, but I’m certain he arrived back home with more than he expected. Trust God to help you find answers to questions you may have concerning His Word, or life in general. When you seek God with all your heart, He’ll always send someone to help you gain a better understanding of those hard things you are unable to grasp.