The Witness of Life

“Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”

Acts 14:15-17

Paul implores the people of Lystra, who were attempting to deify Paul and Barnabas who had been healing and preaching, to honor God not mere men. They go so far as to tear their robes in anguish at the misunderstanding of the people. To clarify their thinking, Paul gives them a stunning refutation of the worship of mere idols. His words, which were spoken to a very spiritual yet ungodly people two thousand years ago, are particularly relevant for our world today. He acknowledges their spiritual fervency by calling them to: “turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in it.” Paul calls them to worship a bigger God, the living God, not a mute idol, not some dead pantheon.

In a world such as ours, which questions absolutes, worships honestly yet incompletely, and settles for cultural traditions rather than a living God these are words which should challenge us. Who do you worship? Is it a partial understanding? Is it an incomplete picture?

Even as believers we pick and choose the elements of the Lord we worship. We love Jesus the teacher but don’t like his challenging words of judgement. We love the freedom of grace but ignore the prickly realities of truth. We love the power evidenced in Acts but grow uncomfortable when we ponder its role today. Do we Christians worship the true God today? The whole God? The living God?

“In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”

Paul shows the people the real world, everyday examples of the grace of God--- the common grace. This parallels his exposition in Romans 1:18-21.

How often do we attribute those acts to the power of God today? How often do we see God working through the rains and harvest and food and gladness? In the agrarian culture he was speaking to, these things were equated to sustenance and bounty; goodness and plenty. These are the thing the living God provides. The good things in live, Paul says, the things you need to live and live well, come from God. They come from God in a very real and tangible way. Do we acknowledge that?

For those of us who identify themselves as Christians, do we praise God for all he does? If we, who claim to honor God and praise God, don’t acknowledge him, who will? How can we call those who do not yet know him to praise him if we ourselves are silent to the countless ways he provides for us?

The world needs to hear the call to worship the One God, the true God, the living God who has bestowed grace, common and saving upon us and we all need to praise him for all he has provided.

Eating the Unclean (A short note)

The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And he became hungry and wanted to something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter, kill and eat.” But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

Acts 10:9-16

Peter’s revulsion at the notion of eating the unclean animals is by no means irrational. All of his life, training, and social upbringing told him that this was not only immoral but also abhorrent. He does not understand the context of this vision at the time (as is so often the case when we are being taught or led) but comes to understand its significance when visited by Cornelius, the gentile, who, along with his whole household not only accepts Christ as Lord but is also given the Holy Spirit. 

Undoubtedly, Peter came to see the connection between the vision and the real world circumstance. This was a time, of course, when the question of whether the Gentile was able to follow Christ (let alone experience the filling of the Spirit) was very much still in debate. The (understandable) Jewish bias against Gentiles and Hellenistic Jews was deeply rooted in the hearts of the early Christ-followers (showing that we are all in the process of becoming more Christ-like).

Despite Peter’s initial complaints in the vision, he surrenders his will to the Lord when the parallel challenge occurs. Just as he had when the Lord sought to wash his feet, he gave over his misunderstanding and pride to the Lord.

The implications of the gospel constantly challenge our preconceptions. It is human nature to seek comfort above all things. The gospel, though, is constantly affecting us, shaping us into the image of Christ through the Holy Spirit. Though our very soul might cry out in protest, we must follow the challenge of the Lord no matter how disagreeable or uncomfortable. The aim of the Spirit is not our comfort but our sanctification. The Lord is concerned with making us holy first and foremost. Our happiness or comfort may follow but only after we have surrendered our will. In fact, true happiness and comfort can ONLY come following true surrender. The critical paradox of faith is that only in surrender can we ever experience true happiness.