Contemplative Bible Reading

Acts 26:1-3 (New International Version 2011)

¹ Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”

So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: ² “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, ³ and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.

This is one instance when Paul becomes all things to all people. To King Agrippa, the Jews were a small, insignificant people who happened to live in a back corner of the world. They were best known for living on the shoulder of one of the world’s busiest business highways. Paul understood that perspective and addresses the king in that manner.

To paraphrase Paul,

Mr. King, you are well acquainted with our little Jewish squabbles.

Too often, as a life-long Christian who was “raised in the church,” I only see the perspective of the church as the center of the universe. I often find myself talking to people unfamiliar with that perspective. Can I do as Paul did?

Luke 18:1 (New International Version)

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Jesus taught that we should not give up. Is that practical? Is that sensible? Is He speaking of everything?

If I quit my job and start a business that is failing miserably, should I pray for business success and not give up? If I borrow money and study for medical school, but fail the entrance exam ten times, should I keep trying and not give up?

Am I reading too much into this passage and asking too many questions?

Luke 24:19-21 (New International Version 2011)

19 “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.

These verses occur after the crucifixion of Jesus. The followers are walking with Jesus, but they haven’t recognized Him. In verse 19, Jesus asks the subject of their conversation.

Notice how they describe Jesus; they say Jesus of Nazareth.  They don’t say, Jesus Christ (in Hebrew Jesus the Messiah, in English Jesus the anointed one). They emphasize their disbelief by saying that Jesus was a prophet.

Then they said, but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. They had the expectation that Jesus of Nazareth would be the redeemer, the Christ, but they concluded that was not to be.

I doubt that I would have believed any differently. Such is part of the human condition. And God so loved us that He gave His only son for us. Amazing.

Genesis 43:17-18 (New International Version 2011)

17 The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph’s house. 18 Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, “We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys.”

Joseph is the number two man in Egypt. He controls all the food in the second year of a seven-year famine. Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt a second time to buy food and bring it back to their families in Canaan.

They are about to go to Joseph’s house for a meal. Joseph has not yet revealed himself to his brothers. To the brothers, Joseph is another extremely powerful Egyptian who can do whatever to them.

They are scared. The Egyptian might:

• attack them
• overpower them
• seize them as slaves
• take their donkeys

Take their donkeys? Do their donkeys rank up their with their  becoming a slave? A friend, who has some history with mules on farms, described to me the importance of a good mule or donkey in an agricultural world. Perhaps this makes sense, but still, donkeys?

1 Corinthians 14:3 (New International Version 2011)

But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.

This is pretty simple, but often “simple” things in the Bible carry much.

Why do someone prophecy or, more like what we would say today, preach? Paul writes to the Corinthian church and gives three reasons:

1. strengthen people
2. encourage people
3. comfort people

When delivering a sermon, ask:

1. Will this make people stronger in their faith?
2. Will people be encouraged to walk closer to Jesus?
3. Will people feel comfort in their struggle?

And, if asked to comment on a sermon or a sermon provider, ask yourself:

1. Do I feel stronger as a result?
2. I am encouraged in my Christian walk?
3. Do I feel comforted?

Galatians 5:19-21 (New International Version 2011)

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Here is a list of the acts of the flesh, and these items are obvious. Christians sometimes delve into these acts. Often, the Christian confesses the act and is forgiven. Sometimes not.

Let me say something simple about these acts:

they are  bad for us humans

I know people who

• worship satanic beings
• worship the gift, not the giver (idolatry)
• hate almost everyone they meet
• are jealous of most people they meet
• fly into fits of rage
• cling to what they have selfishly
• will do anything to get ahead
• consume large amounts of alcohol daily

These people are miserable. They have lousy, unhappy lives. Many of these people are Christians.

Here is an experiment that you might try. I describe it, but don’t recommend it. For one week, everyone person you see – hate them. Think terrible, hateful thoughts about every single person you see. At the end of the week, how do you feel?

I believe that God isn’t telling us these acts of the flesh as a warning of eternal damnation, “don’t do these or you will go to hell!” (Yes, I do read the words at the end of verse 21).

I believe that God is telling us these acts of the flesh as an encouragement to a better life, “After all we’ve been through (creation, the fall, redemption through my son), do you want to be miserable?”

Avoid these acts of the flesh. These are not in the Thou shalt not part of the ten commandments. I believe these are in the you are saved through the blood of Jesus Christ and you can now live free of sin and its painful consequences part of God’s grace.

Jonah 3:5 (New International Version 2011)

3 Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” 5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

Jonah is sometimes called the most successful missionary in history. In one day, he converted a city of 120,000 people (see chapter 4 of Jonah for that number).

I recently heard a sermon wherein the speaker used the phrase

Jonah’s success.

I disagree with the phrase (no criticism of the speaker as I think we use this as a figure of speech without great thought. I would rather use the phrase

Jonah’s obedience.

Jonah obeyed the LORD (after a little or a lot of delaying actions). I believe the LORD turned the hearts of the people of Nineveh.

I believe that God asks us to do things (love, spread the gospel, love, care for the poor, love, and love). Our task is to obey. God takes care of the rest (the other 99.9999999…%). (Yes, I know people who obey with the greatest heart and the best of intentions and aren’t any good at what they attempt and need training and guidance in their obedience.)

Often in my life, I have heard Christians refer to an event as “successful” (we met X days and Y people committed to follow Jesus). I, however, prefer to call these events “obedient.” We obeyed, and God took care of the rest.

I look to Jonah as someone who obeyed, and God took care of the rest. I pray that I will do the same.

Luke 11 (New International Version 2011)

42 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.

Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees. Those poor guys, they are blinded by a devotion to a cause, and a good cause at that. They are devoted to the practice of their religion as they see it.

The Pharisees, however, neglect justice. Let’s consider that one.  The Jews are a family nation. They all descended from Abraham. True, it was hundreds of years earlier, but they are all cousins. And, this nation of cousins is occupied by a foreign army – the Romans.

This situation cries out for justice. The family  nation should come together and take care of one another. Perhaps one day, perhaps a hundred or a few hundred years in the future, the foreign army will go away and the family nation will be free again. Until that day, however, come together and care for one another.

What, however, was happening? See version 41:

41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

Jesus scolded them to be generous to the poor – their poor cousins who were being dominated by the occupying army.

Sigh. Blinded by religious practice to the fate of your cousins. I guess the world hasn’t changed much.

Luke 10:17-20 (Common English Bible)

17 The seventy-two returned joyously, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit themselves to us in your name.”

18 Jesus replied, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19 Look, I have given you authority to crush snakes and scorpions underfoot. I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will harm you. 20 Nevertheless, don’t rejoice because the spirits submit to you. Rejoice instead that your names are written in heaven.”

Jesus had sent out 72 “missionaries.” They return with great news (vs 17). Jesus tells them that better things are coming with nothing will harm you.

This is great. Let us, however, keep things in perspective. This all pales when we think of the big picture – names written in heaven.

Pause, think of the big picture, and give thanks.

Mark 9:25 (New International Version 2011)

When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”

Jesus casts a demon or impure spirit out of a person. Note the instruction that Jesus gave to the spirit: never enter him again.

Never is a long time. Something that is never holds for all eternity. That is real power, the power to declare something for all eternity. Our God is without end, yet He loves me and came here to die for me. There are days when I can fathom just a tiny bit of that. Those are amazing days.