Peter Misselbrook's Blog

Feb 26 2020 - Acts 7:51-8:13 – Driven into all the world

Steven’s accusatory sermon so enraged his hearers that they ground their teeth at him. But what maddened them all the more was his assertion that, as he gazed upward, he could see heaven opened up “and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56). This blasphemous assertion echoed words which Jesus had uttered at his trial and had led to his condemnation (see Luke 22:69-71; Matthew 26:64-65). They could not bear to hear any more. Shouting at the top of their voices and with their fingers stuck in their ears they rushed upon Steven, dragged him out of the city and stoned him to death. Steven’s last words echo those of Jesus as he was nailed to the cross, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (7:60, cf. Luke 23:34).

His death must have struck the church as a terrible blow – and worse was to follow. But God was at work to accomplish his own purposes.

Jesus had told the disciples that they were to be witnesses to him in Jerusalem, and in Judea and in Samaria and to the ends of the earth. Thus far in the book of Acts the gospel has scarcely got beyond Jerusalem – though it had made considerable impact there. All of that changed with the death of Stephen.

After Stephen’s death, the church in Jerusalem began to suffer persecution. This seems to have been directed particularly at the Greek speaking Christians for whom Stephen had been a spokesman; the apostles (along perhaps with other Aramaic speaking Christians), seemed on this occasion to have avoided the worst of the trouble. Christians fled the city and wherever they went they spoke of Jesus. Philip, one of Stephen’s companions among the Seven, settled for a while in Samaria where his preaching and miracles brought many to faith in Jesus. The gospel is on the move. The very attempt to extinguish it is the means by which it is propagated – from Jerusalem to Samaria and on to the ends of the earth.

Sometimes God has to bring trouble our way to drive us out of our comfort zone and into new areas of service.

And this will become a continuing theme in the book of Acts. Saul the Pharisee, pleased with Stephen’s death and determined to destroy the church of Christ will become Paul the apostle, sent by Jesus Christ to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. The rejection of the message and persecution of the messengers by Jewish hearers will drive Paul to the Gentiles. God delights to turn those who oppose him into his key agents for the accomplishing of his purposes. That’s what happened with the death of Jesus; that’s what happened here with opposition to his disciples.

In Samaria, Philip “proclaimed the Messiah” (8:4) and performed many signs such as healing the sick and casting out demons. One who was greatly impressed by these signs was a man named Simon (of whom we shall read more tomorrow). He was a notable practitioner of sorcery whose activity had previously amazed the inhabitants of the city. He had been called “the Great Power of God” (8:10). But now his power had been put in the shade, not by the power of Philip but by the genuine Great Power of God at work through the name of Jesus. There is no name in all the universe greater than this name.

Living God, thank you that those opposed to your kingdom cannot stamp it out but only promote its advance. Strengthen and encourage those who today face threats and persecution. Give them the wisdom and courage they need to be faithful to you and your calling. Above all, may they know that you have not abandoned them but are with them as their help and their God. Help us also to be faithful and courageous in the work of your kingdom and gracious towards those who oppose us, knowing that there is no greater name than Jesus.

Feb 26 2019 - Exodus 15:1-21 – The song of Moses

As we saw yesterday, when the Israelites seemed to be backed up against the sea with the Egyptians coming towards them they were full of fear and cried out in complaint against Moses and against God. But Moses had said, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still" (14:13-14). And that is precisely what had happened. The opening verses of Psalm 44 are probably recalling this event when they say, "You give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name for ever" (Psalm 44:7-8).

When God saves his people they cannot but respond with praise. That is what we read in Exodus 15. This psalm of praise is called a song of Moses, but it also involves Miriam, Moses' sister, taking up her tambourine and joining in along with all the Israelites, both men and women. Just imagine the scene on that day.

I wonder how deeply the Israelites were affected by this psalm taught them by Moses and Miriam. The psalm rehearses what God has done using the most dramatic language, see, for instance, vv. 8-10. In response, it expresses his people's faith new-found in him:

The Lord is my strength and my defence;
    he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him.  (v.3)

The people seem to be acknowledging that the Lord, Yahweh, is the living God, a God like no other god (v. 11), a God who hears and acts to save.  They at last acknowledge that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is now their God also. They seemed determined to praise him rather than complain against him both now and in the future. Maybe, at that moment, they were genuine in their praise and in their intentions, but how long would it last?

The psalm also expresses the assurance that God will perform all that he had promised to do for his people. He had delivered them from the Egyptians and will not now abandon them, but will bring them into the land he has promised them:

In your unfailing love you will lead
    the people you have redeemed.
In your strength you will guide them
    to your holy dwelling.   (v. 13)

Revelation, the final book in the Bible, pictures those whom God has brought safe to glory singing "the song of God's servant Moses and the Lamb" (see Revelation 15:3-4). God has saved us in a remarkable way through Jesus Christ; through an even more remarkable demonstration of his power than the Israelites witnessed in Egypt. Jesus, the Lamb of God, has defeated the powers that held us in captivity and slavery, the powers of sin and death. He has promised that he will bring us to live at last with him in the glory of a world made new. Surely our hearts should be filled with thanksgiving and our mouths filled with songs of praise. This should be more than a momentary enthusiasm; it should become the settled character of our lives even as it will be our theme in glory.

Father God, we acknowledge that there are no other gods like you. You loved us when we were far off from you and sent your beloved Son into the world to bring us home. We thank you for the salvation we have in him; we thank you that you have forgiven our sin and rebellion and have owned us as your children. Help us to glorify you in all we say and do and to tell others of your goodness and saving power. May all the ends of the earth come to acknowledge that you alone are God and that you are an almighty Saviour.

Peter Misselbrook