The Gospel is centered on. . . .

While he (the man who had just been healed) clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. (Acts 3:11–21)

This week, Lord reminded me that the gospel needs to be centered on Jesus Christ and His resurrection. Peter did this, as well as speaking of OT prophecies that were familiar to his audience. 

Another reminder is to do both these days. We often speak of God yet our listeners could have a far different idea of a god than we do or that the “men of Israel” had when Peter spoke. When we talk about Jesus, His identity is more specific than whatever may come to mind for our listeners. When we talk about the resurrection we tell people the event that is unique to our faith. Others pray to a god, and claim faith in that god, but their spiritual leader did not die and rise from the grave.

The testimony of a former atheist also illustrates this truth. He decided the only way to make a loved one give up her new faith was to prove that the Bible is wrong. He focused on the resurrection and after studying historical records realized that Jesus was a real person, is who He claimed to be, and actually died and rose from the dead. This atheist became a Christian also.

Again, I can talk about God but may not connect with others for there are many gods. Also, it is important to know the background of people and, if they are asking questions, to determine their motivations. Some just want to argue. Some are seeking proof. The Holy Spirit helps His people to meet others and talk to them in the most helpful way.

Jesus, I am on the prayer team today. People come to the front with requests or questions and I have no idea what to expect. May You guide me to glorify You as I pray for others. Amen.
Later: two important prayer requests and two people who came just to encourage me. Lord, what a wonder You are, a surprise and a blessing.

 

Speaking truth in love

 

 

READ Proverbs 25-28

While childhood experiences are not excuses for adult behavior, they can be explanations. I missed most of elementary public school up to grade seven. Children of that age learn social skills from experiences like saying the wrong thing and being laughed at or doing the right thing and making a new friend. Missing all that has made me wonder how I can be so happy in solitude, or if I’m autistic in not knowing how to talk to others, and so on.

However, this ‘blank slate’ sensation has a plus side — when I became a Christian I also became more open to learning social skills from God rather than avoiding people or learning the hard way of trial and error. Even though Proverbs and the rest of Scripture teach that God’s way is not like human ways, which is another plus, even if it leads to some challenges.

A few verses in today’s reading go against the common way of doing things. For instance, if someone is sad, the usual method to cheer them is by saying positive things, but this bit of wisdom says, “Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, and like vinegar on soda.” (Proverbs 25:20)

A person told me that his ill spouse becomes easily depressed. He is very positive about everything with a view to a better future and tries to cheer her with those thoughts. But she isn’t helped by that, even gets angry at him and tells him to stop. I’ve learned from our conversations that depressed people can be frustrated by “be happy” because they are craving understanding and sympathy, not a solution. Telling them to be happy comes across as ‘your sadness bothers me so stop it’ and thus sounds selfish on their part.

My study in Job shows another side to this also. Job needed his friends to put their arms around him and be with him in his suffering, not try to explain it or ‘fix’ it with reasonings about its cause and what Job should be doing and thinking. Jesus did not insist that we sinners should smarten up. Instead, He took our place and bore our sorrows.

I’m no expert at compassion and sympathy. It does not come naturally to listen rather than my tendencies to offer solutions, but this verse does help me to listen and commiserate rather than trying to cheer up someone who is suffering.

Another verse that goes against popular thinking says, “A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.” (Proverbs 26:28) Saying what is not true and flattery are both used to get on the good side of another person or sometimes to ‘help’ them when they are discouraged or feeling like a failure. But God says that words that build up need to be true words — and it may take time and thoughtfulness to find out the root issues and deal with them in a wise way.

Saying things like, “Oh, never mind how your boss treats you, you are a good worker” to someone who has been slacking off is not helpful. Truth may hurt, but kindness is never a lie or flattery. Two other verses show how God’s way is different and opposite to what many do in cases like this:

Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy. (Proverbs 27:5–6)

Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor than he who flatters with his tongue. (Proverbs 28:23)

Yes, truth can feel like someone is wounding me, but if my sadness or struggles are caused by an attitude or behavior in my own life, telling me I’m okay is a lie and not helpful at all.

Jesus said to the Jews who believed in Him: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:31–36)

As a child of God, I’d rather hear truth that hurts and be set free than be governed by bad habits or wrong doing. And I ought to have that same desire for others to the point that my words reflect what God says rather than be conformed to the way the world operates. The challenge is always to speak those words in love that edifies — not with any attitude that puts anyone into a deeper pit.

 

Shut up and Speak

Ezekiel was a prophet of God during the time His people had been exiled to Babylon. He was there with them and God gave him much to say and do. He is most known for his vision of the valley of dry bones and the restorative power of God.

Being a prophet had to be one of the most difficult callings. The Lord expected total obedience and total dependence on God for everything, including what to say. In a short section where Ezekiel was instructed to warn people to repent, the focus seems more on what would happen to him if he obeyed or disobeyed, and not as much on the people who needed to hear his message.

After God told him what to say, Ezekiel records this: “So I arose and went out into the valley, and behold, the glory of the Lord stood there, like the glory that I had seen by the Chebar canal, and I fell on my face. But the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and he spoke with me and said to me, ‘Go, shut yourself within your house. And you, O son of man, behold, cords will be placed upon you, and you shall be bound with them, so that you cannot go out among the people. And I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be mute and unable to reprove them, for they are a rebellious house. But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord God.” He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house.’” (Ezekiel 3:23–27)

Last week I had the strange experience of being given words to say. My preparation for the retreat was nearly finished. The assigned topic was “spiritual gifts” and I had it covered for Friday and Saturday. However, I’d been given a time slot on Sunday morning and had no idea what God wanted me to do with it. On Thursday with desperation nipping at my heels, I prayed again asking the Lord what He wanted. In a moment, the Scripture references began to come to mind. As I wrote them down, they were in a logical sequence and glorified God in His greatest gift to us, the gift of Jesus Christ.

That presentation was the most difficult. I knew the material and the prior presentations went well with an ease I didn’t expect. This one was different, perhaps because it was so filled with the Word of God and my comments on “thus says the Lord” were few.

Today’s devotional reading says that when God speaks His Word through those who proclaim it, the one speaking needs to realize that His glory is the issue, not my oratory skills or even what my emotions are doing in the delivery. Yet at the same time, when I or anyone else honors God, that honor is important in my spiritual life. God wants me to be deeply convinced and convicted of His glory. When I am, then I am able to glorify Him.

For Ezekiel and for any other follower of God, this is not about how well we can speak but about how well we can obey. God even shut his mouth and shut him up in his house so he could deeply understand that obedience had to be from God. There was no way he could do it himself. Then God opened his mouth and put His Word into it, enabling this man to do what God asked.

For the first time in my life, I can relate a very small little bit to the prophet Ezekiel.