Anchors

Our world is changing so rapidly that it is hard to know where to set our anchors to find truth, meaning and purpose.  We yearn for seasoned experience and authentic truths to help us set our compasses for life’s challenges and opportunities.

ANCHORS IN A PEOPLE AND THEIR HISTORY

When we choose to receive God’s grace through His Son, Jesus Christ, He anchors us to an ancient history of God’s chosen people, Israel.  Their history reaches back more than 3,500 years to the times of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and beyond.  Their sacred texts record God’s interactions with them.  At the same time, those same texts point forward to a Savior, a cross and beyond.

The apostle Paul pointed to their rich heritage (Romans 9:1-5).  He  also spoke to the desperate circumstances of those who did not share their history (Ephesians 2:11-12).  The contrast between these two peoples–Jews versus non-Jews–created a barrier between them.  Many have attempted to eliminate this barrier by genocide of the Jewish people over the years.  They have all failed.

ANCHORS IN THE CROSS

Only one effort to remove this barrier between peoples has been successful.  The apostle Paul makes this point clear in Ephesians 2:11-22.  It is the cross of Christ that has removed this barrier between the chosen people of God and the rest of the world.

 For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.

Ephesians 2:14 (NLV)

The result is a new definition of God’s chosen people so that all who respond to the gospel message now share in a history and a heritage.

19 So now you Gentiles [non-Jews] are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. 20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

Ephesians 2:19-22 (NLV)

Now the anchors of the Jewish people pointed towards the anchor for everyone found in the cross of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice.  This truth is bearing fruit as non-Jews realize their rich heritage in the God of ancient Israel.  Conversely, this truth is also being realized as more and more of today’s Jewish people see the fulfillment of prophecies in their Messiah, Jesus Christ.

CONCLUSION

I believe that Luke, a non-Jew, is writing to a primary audience of non-Jews.  He strove to connect the dots between the Jewish Scriptures and the cross and the early church.  While he could have glossed over them, he preserved these references to their ancient prophets, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses and Samuel in Peter’s sermon (Acts 3:12-26).   He preserved them for our instruction and affirmation as the new Israel that shares in the heritage and history of God’s chosen people from their very beginning.

“Anchors - Acts 3” Church on Fire - Studies in Acts Stephen Pylkas
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Grow!

Talk about how to grow a church!  3,000 new converts in one day, soon to grow to more than 5,000 with at least 16 dialects represented. Many were from far-away places like Italy, Northern Africa, Asia Minor and beyond.  Most would be the only Christians when they return to their native regions.

Question

How would the apostles prepare them to return home to remain faithful and to plant new churches?

Answer

Acts 2:42-47 – They focused on the Apostles’ teaching, fellowship, sharing meals and communion, and prayer.  They provided for each other’s needs and did good works.  They met in the temple courts and in each other’s homes (i.e., large, medium and small groups).

What a great way to grow a church spiritually while they were growing “as the Lord added to their number” (Acts 2:47).  As these ‘last days’ continue until Jesus returns, it was the apostles themselves who gave us the template for coming together as the body of Christ.

This is what we do.  This is who we are.

“Grow! - Acts 2:42-47” Church on Fire - Studies in the Book of Acts Stephen Pylkas
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Gospel

The Gospel: Acts 2:12-41

After Jesus’ ascension into the sky, the angels told the apostles that He would return the same way (Acts 1:11). The first Gospel Sermon introduces ‘these last days’ with the core message of salvation through Jesus Christ.

It’s Pentecost Day and the apostle Peter is presenting the Gospel for the very first time.  The prophet Joel had prophesied about this day with a glimpse of the future (Joel 2:28-32).  Now, in ‘these last days’ Peter introduces the gospel message that will stand until Jesus returns.  This is the ‘Good News’ and it is echoed repeatedly in the remainder of the New Testament.

REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED

As Peter said, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God” (Acts 2:38, NLT).

“Gospel” Church on Fire Stephen Pylkas
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Above is the Youtube posting of the music video entitled “The Gospel” by Ryan Stevenson.  The video can be purchased and downloaded at Worship House Media.

Fire!

God’s Fire would mark major events in the days of Israel. God’s Presence was marked by fire with Moses and the children of Israel (Exodus 3; 19-20; Deuteronomy 4), Elijah  (1 Kings 18:16-46), and Solomon ( 2 Chronicles 7).  John the Baptist had announced that the Messiah would come with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:1-12; Luke 3:15-18).  Now the Holy Spirit announces His presence with tongues of Fire (Acts 2:1-4).

PENTECOST’S FIRE

Luke continues the crescendo of activity of Jesus and the Holy Spirit as God’s unfolding kingdom takes on new dimensions.  Thus begins church.  Indeed, preparations for the Day of Pentecost began with the coming of Christ.  After His death, burial and resurrection He  spends 40 days with His disciples.  Then, Jesus ascends back to heaven.  Now, a mighty wind is heard in Jerusalem and tongues of fire confirm God’s presence through His Spirit.

TONGUES OF FIRE

Suddenly equipped to speak languages to the different people-groups there in Jerusalem, the apostles begin the process of ‘speaking the wonders of God in our own tongues’ (Acts 2:11).  Of what wonders did they speak in advance of Peter’s sermon?

Today, we pray for the wind of the Holy Spirit and His fire in our hearts.  We pray for the ability to speak of God’s wonders as well by our lives, our words and our actions.

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Church on Fire – Introduction

In this Introduction to a “Church on Fire” we note two significant bookends that will mark the beginning and end of our study in Acts.

HEROD ANTIPAS

The first of two bookends begins in Luke 23 when Herod Antipas places his royal robe on Jesus while mocking and ridiculing Him.  Jesus, of course is silent.  The second of the two bookends is found in Acts 12:20-23 where Herod Antipas appears before an audience who proclaim him to be like a god.  Luke tells us that because Herod accepted the people’s worship instead of giving glory to God (vs. 23) he was consumed by worms and died.

Herod Antipas

Josephus is a helpful with more detail of this event, noting that Herod’s robe was woven with silver and that in the bright sun his image was radiant.    Further, he observes that Herod’s death was both excruciating and lasted for five days (Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, Book XIX, 343-352).

In Acts 13 Paul’s first missionary journey begins and so does Luke’s chronicle of the Gospel as it spreads beyond the borders of Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria (Acts 1:8).  So, these two bookends inform the scope and sequence of our studies in Acts.

A CRESCENDO’S FIRE

Luke 23 walks us through the trial, execution and burial of Jesus with special notice given to not only the Jews but also to Jewish women and non-Jews as they witness the events of that day.  The 3-hour darkening of the noon-day sun, the tearing of the curtain of the temple and the death of Jesus conclude with specific mention of the reaction of the crowd who “went home beating their breasts” (Luke 23:48).  It is as though they leave the scene of the cross asking themselves, “What have we done?!”  As two religious rulers quietly take Jesus’ body from the cross and lay it in a grave, the women are watching to see where Jesus’ body is interred so they can return, after the Sabbath, to lay the spices beside Him.

With this observation, I believe, Luke describes a pall that falls across the land as people reflect upon the events of the day, contemplating the possibility that they themselves had, indeed, murdered their own Messiah! A perfect setting for the unfolding story as we begin Luke 24 with an empty tomb, the men on the road to Emmaus, Jesus’ appearances to the disciples, and His ascension.  Acts 1 picks up the story from there, then, and Luke describes the explosive crescendo of events of Acts 2 that will carry us through Acts 12 and beyond.

“Introduction - 10/07/2018” Acts Stephen Pylkas
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Build

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

-Matthew 7:24-29


THEREFORE BUILD

“Therefore” is a great word to use when you wish to issue a final summary comment based upon everything said before.  In this case, summarizing Matthew 5:1-7:23, Jesus is ready to conclude the Sermon on the Mount.

To whom do these concluding comments apply to?  Jesus says “everyone” who listens and does will be building a house that will stand up against the storms of life.  Conversely, “everyone” who listens but does not do what Jesus says, will be constructing a house that will collapse in life’s storms.  The word everyone obviously means every single person who hears what Jesus has to say.  The only question is whether or not those who hear will do what He says to do, or not.

BUILDING

So, what did Jesus say that everyone is supposed to hear and do?  While it is tempting to go to other places in the gospels or the writings of Paul I think it is important to stay within Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount as the starting place.  This keeps us away from the temptation of chasing our own rabbits rather than hearing a clear message from Christ, Himself.

That is what this lesson is about.  To know what Jesus has said and to know that to which He is most certainly referring it is important to survey the Sermon of Matthew 5-7.  To do this as simply as possible I have condensed the teachings of the sermon into a simple list summarizing each point for quick reference:

BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS AND MATERIALS OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT

The process of listening to what Jesus has to say and applying His teachings to every aspect of our lives is a process that is life-long.  The key understanding rests in His grace.  Without it, these lists become legalistic commands that leave us feeling empty and condemned, incapable of living up to God’s expectations.  Under His grace, however, we are free to grow in surges and spurts as life leads us through insights, opportunities and challenges that shape us more and more into the image of Christ.  This skit illustrates how this works:

BUILD WISELY

Building our house wisely on the correct foundation is so important. Jesus has just told us in the previous verses that it is a matter of choosing the right path (7:13-14), discerning truth from error (7:15-20) and forming a relationship with God so that His Son will recognize us on Judgement Day (7:21-23).    Not only will the obedient citizen of the kingdom successfully weather the storms of life but they will be welcomed home by name!

“Build - Matthew 7:24-29” Sermon on the Mount (Conclusion) Stephen Pylkas
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Choosing

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Matthew 7:13-23


How horrifying to contemplate showing up on Judgement Day only to have Jesus say, “I never knew you” (vs. 23).  In this passage He is talking to people who thought they knew Jesus well enough to use His Name to prophesy, drive out demons and perform miracles.  Their expectation was that they had done enough to admit them into the kingdom of God.  So, Jesus is addressing His followers: Christians who were religious; but, never strove to form an intimate walk with God.

The contrast He is making is between those believers who do what He says and those who do not. This passage, also, is primarily referring to all Jesus has said to this point in the Sermon on the Mount.  This is not to exclude what He said in the rest of Matthew’s Gospel or in any other gospel, for example.  While it is tempting to draw on Paul’s letters to expand on Jesus’ teachings the risk is making these teachings bend to our own agendas.

Matthew 5-7 is a great place to start our walk with God.  Coming back to this Sermon again and again helps us keep the edge of Jesus’ words sharp for the ‘heart surgery’ that we so desperately need.

WIDE OR NARROW GATES

There will be believers who will not take Jesus seriously and will not do what He says in the Sermon on the Mount.  They did all of the right things and they outwardly gave every impression of walking with the Lord.  Nonetheless, broadly speaking, their walk involved justifying ungodly attitudes (Matthew 5), a superficial relationship with the Lord rather than an intimate walk (Matthew 6) and a habit of asking God for the wrong things (Matthew 7).

GOOD AND BAD PROPHETS

There will be believers who just do not submit to the self-examination that is required in the kingdom of heaven.  Rather, they do the right things in the right way but harbor attitudes that do not belong to citizens of the kingdom (Matthew 5).  They are not interested in examining their beliefs and traditions so they can walk more closely with the Lord (Matthew 6).  They are judgmental towards others but eschew the self-examined lifestyle that is required (Matthew 7).  Their fruit betrays their relationship–or lack thereof–with the Lord.

LISTENERS WHO CHOOSE

Jesus is talking to people  who have been attracted to Him, appreciated His teachings, and chosen to follow Him.  At this point, however, Jesus makes it clear that these teachings about the kingdom are critical life or death decisions for our eternal destinies.  The contrast is between those who take Jesus seriously and those who do not.   Choose to listen and do!  This is what kingdom people do because their deepest desire is to be like their Father.  For Jesus to not know someone simply means there was no relationship.

THE GREATEST TRAGEDY

From Michelangelo’s “Last Judgement”

It seems to me that the greatest tragedy of tragedies will be for a person to have followed Jesus; but, from a relational distance that led them to totally miss the most important things.  Being religious will not suffice.  Doing great things for the Lord will not be enough.  Doing all of the right things in the correct ways will fail to save us. The real question, in the end, will be whether or not Jesus knows me as I have striven to know Him by listening to Him and doing what He says.


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Doing

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 7:12


MY NEIGHBOR

The great Jewish scholar, Hillel, was asked if he could summarize the Law and the Prophets for a potential convert to Judaism.  Hillel told him:  ‘What is hateful to you, do not to your neighbour: that is the whole Torah, while the rest is the commentary thereof; go and learn it” (Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Shabbath, Folio 31a).  This passive love stands in contrast to the proactive love that God had commanded the Israelites in Leviticus 19:18 “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”

The kind of love that Hillel describes is one of non-engagement.  An example of the logic involved would begin with the observation that I do not want another person to physically harm me.  It’s logical conclusion would, then, be Therefore, I will not physically harm that other person.  This understanding is common in a wide selection of ancient literature.

This interpretation was under debate at the time of Jesus causing a Jewish teacher of the Law to inquire, “And who is my neighbor?” This question prompted Jesus’ telling the parable of The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) and, I believe, stands behind Jesus’ reaffirmation of the teaching in Leviticus.

DOING LOVE

“The Golden Rule” underlines that citizens of the kingdom of God proactively seek to do good for others in the same way they would want someone else to do good to them (Matthew 7:12).  Jesus accurately interprets the passage in Leviticus 19:18 and states that this one rule of the Kingdom “sums up the Law and the Prophets.”  With this final phrase, I believe, Jesus summarizes and concludes The Sermon on the Mount which began back in Matthew 5 where Jesus first refers to the Law and the Prophets.

TWO BOOKENDS

The Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-10 depict the qualities of the Kingdom’s citizens, concluding with the observation that persecution will be the result whereupon they are called to rejoice. Why? “…for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were  before you” (Matthew 5:12).

These Kingdom citizens practice these beatitudes in their daily lifestyle.  They do it publicly in the world in much the same way as light and salt function to enhance their environments (Matthew 5:13-15).  Then Jesus makes it clear that this is not new.  These principles are anchored in the Law and the Prophets.

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:17-19

These comments about the Law and the Prophets, I believe, marks the first bookend of the teachings that are to follow.  The other bookend comes with Jesus’ final observation about the Law and the Prophets in Matthew 7:12.

DOING KINGDOM

In between these two bookends, then, we see Jesus giving clear teaching that both clarifies the Law and Prophet’s teaching.  He  amplifies it and makes it personal.  It pierces the heart.  It challenges us to carefully examine our motives and intentions.

WORSHIPING GOD

Beginning in Matthew 5:20, Jesus establishes that true worship to God is more than paying lip service and looking for loopholes in the Law.  These attempt to justify one’s anger, marital unfaithfulness, oaths and vows, revenge and hatred (Matthew 5:21-47).  The call of the kingdom is to: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

INTIMACY WITH GOD

Then, in Matthew 6:1, Jesus warns people of the kingdom to beware of trying to exalt their religiosity before others in order to gain notoriety.   This path is a dead end before God.  When it comes to the common religious practices of charity, prayer and fasting it is best to keep these things between you and God in order to grow in intimacy with Him (Matthew 6:2-18).

SEEKING GOD

Matthew 6:19-34 then asserts that there is only one treasure, one light and one Master that is to control our direction in life.  Do this and there will be no need to worry about anything because you have entrusted God with everything.

FINDING GOD

Finally, in Matthew 7:1-11 Jesus insists that we must resist being judgmental towards others  and look at ourselves so we can be truly helpful.  This discernment will then enable us to determine how to approach those who cannot appreciate the path we have chosen.  It is far more important to seek God’s will in everything so that when you ask, seek and knock you will find a God who will answer “Yes!” every time.

This leads us to Jesus’ summary and conclusion; the other bookend.

“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want [b]them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 7:12 (NASB)

The first word in this sentence, “So” is also translated as “Therefore” in the New American Standard Bible.  It means that what I am telling you now is based upon everything I have said to this point.  It is a word that introduces a concluding statement.  For Jesus, that concluding statement is the Golden Rule. This rule wraps up everything God has been trying to tell you about His Kingdom and His People.

THE LAW, PROPHETS, JESUS, PAUL….

Is it any wonder that the apostle Paul would echo this teaching in his ministry to churches across the Roman Empire:

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Romans 13:8-10

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Galatians 5:13-14

The Bible Project: The Law

Jesus is Our Shoreline