Acts 13:15-45

There were two things that really stuck out to me today. The first is that Paul was asked to speak at the synagogue. I'm not sure why this is sticking out so much maybe it's just a difference in how I think Paul use to do it. I have this view of him that he would go to the town centers and synagogues and teach without being asked and with this completely prepackaged message. But clearly Paul was ready to give an answer for the hope that he had regardless of the time or the setting. He is just sitting there and gives this baller reason and history behind why he has his belief in Christ that is highlighted by God through the old testament and Christ fulfilling the words of many of the prophets. His response was so good and different that they invited him back to speak at the next sabath and Acts says the entire town showed up. That is an incredible act of the holy spirit. I don't really view God doing that any more or the holy spirit working like that anymore. I have this very simple, very logical, very predictable view on how God is going to work through the things I say. i.e. - if i give a really good message one week a few more will probably show up the next week. If i continue to give what i consider 'good messages' then those people will consistently show up and potentially give their life to Christ. This needs to be changed

The second is an observation of the Jews reaction 45"When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealously and talked abusively against what Paul was saying." This stuck out to me because it seems that there is a constant undercutting of anything spiritual that has size. 'If it is big that must mean they are watering it down' or 'they may be wide but we are deep' or a number of other different attacks. There certainly may be some basis for this in some places but that doesn't mean there is an automatic correlation between size and spiritual bootlegedness. The writer notes that when they saw the crowds they were filled with jealousy. Not when they heard how bootleg the teachings were. In fact they were the ones who invited them back the next week. It is normal to get jealous to see a true work of God happen through someone else. Inside selfishly I have a difficult time seeing that happen in other people but not in me. I also see people who try and undercut what I do because we have a large number of students for a small church and for amount of money we have. We don't see it as much now but certainly we saw it before. I pray that as I continue in what God calls me to do that when crowds come I can reject the things that others say as long as I know the people that come are from Godlyness and not bootlegedness. Also, that while I see others in ministry I can authenticly celebrate what's happening in their lives and their ministries and see it as a pure victory and not a potential point to get upset and jealous about.

Acts 13:9-11

"Then Saul who wa also called Paul, filled with the Holy spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 'you are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything tht is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?'

Interesting thought. Paul had such a heart for the lost and the people that are far from Christ that he couldn't stand people who adamately opposed to Christ get in the way. He seems very blunt if not extremly judgemental. There is an interesting thought behind why he did this. Paul really wanted the proconsul who was seeking God to hear the word of God and accept it. elymas was trying to turn the poconsul from the faith. Paul thus rebukes Elymas from doing so. There is incredible insight in these verses. To want someone to come to Christ to the point where you are willing to sound judgemental to someone else for the sake of the person hearing God's word.

God honors this and blinds Elymas for a time and this becomes a sign to the proconsul and elymas about the power of God and their teaching. I hope and pray that God will continue to increase my heart for people who don't know Him. I pray that I would have the nuts to boldly rebuke someone who is getting in the way of someone coming to know Christ. The awesome thing is in an incredible way all of them are blessed by God through his boldness.

In addition I think it's awesome how Paul's teaching and words brought about change. The procounsul was amazed at the teaching and Elymas was blinded for a time. This was all due to the power of the holy spirit as Paul spoke God's word. I pray that the Holy spirit can be that obvious when I speak God's word, that people would be amazed at God and the power of His word. As james said Elijah was a man just like us.....I think Paul was a man just like me and the power lies in the Holy spirit but I often don't trust it as much and don't lean into the power that I have in God and often take the burden on my shoulders. I pray again that the power of the Holy Spirit would just be so apparent and everyone would be blessed as I remain faithful to saying the things that God as put inside of me to say.