READING FOR SEPTEMBER 25, 2024: NUMBERS 9, ACTS 13, PSALMS 102:19-28 NUMBERS 9 Israel had been in been in the wilderness a little over a year and was about to put in practice one of the major events God had told them to observe: the Passover. This was all about how God’s power and faithfulness had saved and brought them out of slavery. God wanted them to remember this always because what God had done for them in the past should impact how they live in the present and the future. The same is true for Christians today. Because of what Jesus did for us at the cross, we are freed from slavery and able to live with joyful obedience today and hope of heaven tomorrow. This should always be in our minds, but as a corporate body of Christ, we remember together at each communion: “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He come” (1 Cor. 11;26).
One way, among many, to describe Moses is as an administrator. He implemented policies given to him by the Lord. All administrators soon come to learn that not every situation is covered by policy that is meant to cover normal situations. Moses is approached by some men who were unclean due to some interaction with a dead person. “Command the sons of Israel that they send away from the camp every leper and everyone having a discharge and everyone who is unclean because of a dead person” (Num. 5:2). These men wanted to know if they could at least bring an offering for the Passover. Moses did what many middle-level administrators do. He said, “Let me check.” Being a man of his word, he actually checked with the Lord—as opposed to some less trustworthy managers. God did honor their desire to bring an offering. The men were right to ask Moses and Moses right to check with the Lord. This kind of checking with God is seen elsewhere in the Bible where the rules don’t cover all the possibly contingencies. Given that there are situations that arise today that were not covered by the Biblical authors, many times we will need to seek wisdom from the Lord to apply scripture truth to current realities.
Speaking of current realities, today many people are fond of their GPS devices. A few are annoyed by its scolding whenever its directions are not followed. Israel had a supernatural system: the cloud by day and the fire by night. When either the cloud or fire moved, the entire camp followed. If there was no movement, the camp stayed in place. Imagine the kind of watchful flexibility this arrangement would require. A move could happen at any moment. Consider ways the Lord might move us geographically or behaviorally today. One way might be a combination of God’s word and circumstances. For example, Jesus said,”As for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off from your feet as a testimony against them” (Luke 9:5). Connect that guidance with a passage from today’s NT reading: “The Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their region. But they shook off the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium.” (Acts 11:50-51). Paul shows how to put God’s Word in action.
READING FOR SEPTEMBER 25, 2024: ACTS 11, PSALMS 102:12-18 ACTS 13 When Paul writes letters to the various churches, it doesn’t seem he is addressing any one person whom we would call the “senior pastor” today. His personal letters to Titus and Timothy, however, do seem to imply these men had leadership roles. In the case of Titus, his leadership applied to several cities in Crete: “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you” (Titus 1:5). Paul gave Timothy a leadership role in Ephesus: “Remain on at Ephesus so that you would instruct certain people not to teach strange doctrines” (1 Tim. 1:3). The situation Luke describes in Antioch where five leaders are highlighted may have been the norm. Here is also an example of the relationship between fasting and serving the Lord leading to clear direction from the Holy Spirit. This is followed up by more fasting, praying, laying on of hands, and sending out—an exciting spiritual combo.
Saul and Barnabus were sent by the Spirit to Cyprus. John Mark assisted their evangelism. Their MOO was to preach the Word of God in synagogues. To state the obvious, if Saul and Barnabus preached the Word, it’s likely best practice for pastors to do so today rather than wander off on other topics. No advance of God’s word will proceed without opposition from Satan. At Paphos, this took the form of the magician Bar-Jesus, who had influence with the proconsul Sergius Paulus. In a face-to-face spiritual showdown, Saul (also called Paul) blinded the magician and Paulus believed in Jesus. We can defeat Satan today in Jesus’s name!
When Paul and Barnabus attended the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch, they were invited to speak. Give Paul a little opening, then watch out. He proceeded with an overview of Jewish history, much as he watched Stephen give, starting with the time in Egypt all the way to Jesus. He masterfully explained how the Psalms, Isaiah, and Habakkuk spoke clearly of Jesus. This brilliant tour de force left the people begging for more the following week. A standing room crowd awaited them next Sabbath, including not surprisingly, those Jews with a vested interest in stopping the Gospel. Although the word spread, persecution led Paul and Barnabus to leave for Iconium to begin focusing on the Gentiles. THE GOSPEL CANNOT BE STOPPED.
PSALM 102:19-28 In verse 19 the Psalmist reasserts God’s sovereignty over the world. He emphasizes God’s compassion in setting the prisoners free, as He did in Egypt and again at the cross. Then he correctly anticipates what Paul is experiencing in that the truth is moving to all nations, not just within Israel. He briefly mentions that God has allowed his pain and asks that he not die in middle age. But he quickly moves to consider that even the worlds that God created will also wear out. God will not change. God will endure forever and so will His children. What might be the key takeaway from this Psalm? Enfold our little life stories into God’s grand story for all peoples. When God ultimately triumphs, then so will we.
