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What Do I Do Now? Repent, Find Your New Identity, and Be Used of God

ACTS 8:25-40

“Oh come on!” You mutter as you shove your head under any sort of available cover to dampen the noise.

The numerous roosters crowing both inside and outside of the home is annoyingly loud. You, Philip, Peter and John stayed awake into the wee hours of the night, and sleep is now seen as an unaffordable luxury. The crowing stirs the other animals inside the room, and they begin contributing to the existing noise made by the roosters. You and Philip look at each other with the resigned reality that these farm noises are here to stay. 

“Where’s an axe?” Philip chides. “Chicken for breakfast sounds pretty decent.”

You prop up to your elbows. “Can you believe what happened last night? I’m blown away by the responsiveness and hunger of all of these Samaritans.”

Conversations lasted well into the late hours of the night, where people brimmed with excitement of a new hope placed in front of them. Like the Jews, the Samaritans hoped for a chosen of God to come and make things right. That time has now come, and things would be different. 

You gather your things and thank your host for another night of lodging. She is truly grateful for your life changing visit and invites you and the others back soon for an indefinite stay. 

The four of you reconvene in the middle of town. Smiles of amazement are seen on all four of your faces as you exchange looks with one another while looking around at the village around you. 

Stretching your arms above your shoulders, you say: “Quite a night, right?” You see the nods on each man’s face, and you continue. “Now what?”

Peter and John share a look, and Peter speaks up. “Well… I would’ve never believed you had I not seen this for myself. That the Spirit of God would consider the Samaritans as worthy for the Kingdom of Heaven is beyond my understanding. To be honest, I’m struggling with this a bit because I didn’t know God would move beyond the house of Israel. This is one more major issue I have to work through in my own thinking.”

Peter rubs his face and head in a gesture that communicates his bafflement. “I thought I had this figured out, but Jesus has been confronting my understanding of the world quite a bit lately.”

“Yup,” You all agree in unison. “That he has.”

“I don’t know what to do with this!” Peter continues. “I’m thrilled the Samaritans have come to know the Lord, but as a Jew I’m needing to rethink how this all works. They don’t follow the Law of Moses, or at least a clear version of it, so in the minds of the all of other rabbis for the past several hundred years, they wouldn’t measure up to God’s expectations because they follow a bogus law.”

“But that’s the point,” interrupts John. “The Law could never make someone right with God. The Law was a teacher to best understand what God expected, but it never empowered us to keep it. It never changed our self-absorbed hearts.” 

Philip agrees and shares: “What’s more is that God is plainly up to something here as you witnessed when the Holy Spirit evidenced himself into the lives of these villagers. Are you suggesting to keep a lid on what God is using us to accomplish among the Samaritans… or even Gentiles?”

“I get it, I get it,” Peter says. “I’m just struggling to understand it all.” 

Silence ensues as you all look down at the ground. 

“So, now what?” You ask again with a playful tone. 

John looks at you with knowing smile. “I guess we keep discovering where God will place us next. There are lots of other villages nearby that still need to hear our story.”

Peter nods. “You’re right, John. We should connect with other Samaritan villages on our way back to Jerusalem.” He then looks at you. “Hey newbie, you coming with?”

You look at Philip, and he says, “Hey don’t look at me. I’m just along for the ride, same as you.”

The four of you begin your journey south towards Jerusalem, sharing your stories in the Samaritan villages along the way. 

On your quiet journey back to Jerusalem, you reflect upon the tense moments shared between Simon and Peter and recall how the villagers had stepped back to place some distance away from the two powers. You think about what they were seeing, and it dawns upon you that this was much more than a simple rebuke aimed at Simon.

For years, the townspeople have lived their lives in fear of Simon. While they appreciated his magical powers, they also kept a healthy distance from him. Now that they have just seen him on his knees before Peter, begging for God’s forgiveness… well, that has placed things in a different light. 

You know they will see things differently from this point on. There is a new sheriff town. This Jesus who has raised from the dead has now come and occupies this city, and this sorcerer’s powers are no longer welcome. 

…

You look at Philip. “I noticed you didn’t say much on our walk to Jerusalem. Something on your mind?” 

Philip rubbing his shoulder looks up at you and says, “Would you believe it if I told you I had a vision?”

This gets your attention. “Go on.”

“Last night when we were about to turn in, I kept on thinking about the times Jesus sent us to the villages throughout the Galilee, Judea and the House of Israel to proclaim how the Kingdom of Heaven has arrived. As ambassadors of the coming King, Jesus sent us to proclaim how the Kingdom of Heaven was about to be set in motion. So, we went into many Jewish towns filled with people who were awaiting God to start His revolution. Jesus gave us the ability to heal and remove evil spirits from people, and it was amazing to see God at work in our midsts.”

“Okay,” you say.

“Well, the turn of events that happened after Jerusalem welcomed its coming King… He wasn’t supposed to die. Or so, everyone thought. So, when he was crucified, that seriously confused everyone who then thought he was just a fraud. But, you couldn’t had written a better story. When God raised him from the dead and then had him show up to more than 500 of us at various times, then things began to become clear. Our time spent proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven when we were with Jesus was a preparation for our future time with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.”

You look a bit confused.

Philip grows with excitement. “Don’t you get it? All of our time spent in ministry with Jesus was only in preparation to the way God would use us here and now. We’ve only just begun!” 

“So, last night as I was putting this all together, I had a vision. I kid you not—an Angel of the Lord came to me and told me that these villages throughout Israel need to hear about how the Kingdom of Heaven is now here and how the Spirit of God is transferring those who believe out from the kingdom of darkness and into God’s Kingdom of Light.”

“Okay, okay.” You say. “We’ll go to the villages then.”

Philip puts up his hand. “Yes, but first we’re supposed to walk south through Bethlehem and down towards Gaza.”

You can’t control your look of surprise.

“I know,” Philip says. “I don’t get it either, but the Angel said that I needed to walk on the desert road that goes through Bethlehem, Lachish and winds up at Gaza.”

“Oh,” you say. “When.”

“Well… now, I think.” Philip says.

…

You appreciate the road heading south of Bethlehem, as it is well traveled and paved. The Roman milestones placed along the side of the road are helpful for tracking your progress, though the walk is long as it winds around the plateaued hills.

Keeping a good pace, you ask. “So… Philip… did this Angel by chance tell you what to look for?”

“Well, not exactly.” Philip responds.

You roll your eyes in a teasing manner. “Oh, be sure to let me know when He does.”

Philip punches your shoulder. 

As you round a bend, a chariot comes into view. Immediately, you think is must be someone of significance and power. How many people had a chariot afforded to them? 

“Did you hear that?” Philip asks. 

“Hear what?” You say. 

“I was just told to walk along side of the Chariot.” Philip responded.

“Wait, what?” You ask. “Are you serious?”

Philip doesn’t wait around to respond but runs over to where the regal chariot is situated. It begins to move as he comes near, but the passenger notices Philip running towards them, and he commands the driver to halt the team of oxen. A parasol sits atop of the chariot seat where the deeply dark skinned man sits reading a scroll in its shade. 

You walk in closely behind to see Philip assess the passenger seated in the chariot. He’s dressed in colorful and ornate robes wrapped by a brilliant sash. His neck brimming with necklaces of gold chords, gems, and valuable medallions. He was obviously not from here, but perhaps here on royal business?

Philip notices the scroll in his hand and recognizes his interest in the Hebrew Scriptures. Upon a more focused look, Philip sees this as an Isaiah scroll in the man’s hands. 

With a kind face, Philip asks. “Do you understand what you’re reading?”

Holding the scroll, the man throws up his elbows to gesture confusion. “How can I unless someone instructs me?” He sizes Philip up and gestures him to sit down next to him. “Come, come sit down next to me and help me better understand.”

Philip looks back at you with a smirk and smiles to the man seated before him. “Let’s have a look.” Philip then climbs onto the chariot and begins to examine the scroll. The scroll was unrolled to a passage in the latter part of Isaiah. 

The passenger points to the particular passage under consideration and reads it aloud.

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. He was humiliated and received no justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.

“Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” The passenger asked?

“Hi, I’m Philip by the way.” Philip interjects. “It’s funny but I sense you are the reason why my friend and I have taken this road.”

The man looks back to see you behind them. You wave hello. He instructs the driver to continue on, and the oxen team begin to pull the chariot forward.

“Yes, yes.” The man says upon the realization that introductions haven’t been properly made. “I am an ambassador for the Kandake, queen Amantitere of Ethiopia. She is a powerful queen who comes from a lineage of great queens who have ruled our nation for the past 250 years. She has afforded me the opportunity to come and worship with fellow Jews in Jerusalem.”

He continues: “I have made my pledge to the God of Israel, for my family has known of your God’s reputation for many generations—even as far back as when God rescued your people out of the hands of Egypt.”

Philip looks amazed at such devotion from a man who has known of the reputation of the God of the Jews for so long. 

The man points back to the passage in the scroll.

Noticing the redirection, Philip gets back to the task at hand. “Yes, well curiously enough this passage was written by the prophet Isaiah some 700 years ago, but it was written in anticipation of God’s coming servant who would unjustly suffer for the benefit of the people of Israel. What’s crazy is the people who cause his suffering would be the very people he would suffer for.”

The Ethiopian shakes his head in disbelief. “You mean to say he would sacrifice himself for the benefit of a people who caused his agony?”

Amazed with his quick grasp of what’s happening, Philip goes on. “Exactly.”

“But why would any man aim to do such thing? What benefit would it cause for the person who lays down his life for the sake of his persecutors?” The man asks with a painful tone.

“Great question,” Philip says. “But look right above this passage to these previous verses. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our inquiries. Our well being has come at his expense, and by his punishment we are healed. Like sheep, we have wandered astray, ever aiming to satisfy our own interests. But the Lord saw to it to place our sin, our rebelliousness, upon his shoulders. God caused this suffering servant to sacrifice his life in exchange for ours so that we could be made whole. He made his life an offering to God to bring about our healing.”

For a moment the man is speechless. “I don’t know anyone who would die for anyone who wished ill upon him.”

“Yet that’s exactly what happened.” Philip says.

“Wait… what do you mean that is what happened?” The Ethiopian looks up from the scroll at Philip.

Philip changes direction. “How long were you in Jerusalem?”

The man thinks. “For several weeks during the most recent feast.” 

Philip smiles: “Surely you’ve heard people talk about the man who raised from the dead?”

“Yes, of course,” The man says. “There are many people who have said as much, and I know how the Sanhedrin has changed their minds about the Jesus followers and have begun attacking them.” He looks up at Philip. “Are you saying this has happened?”

“How can a suffering servant be a conquering King?” Philip bluntly asks.

“That is the issue.” The man looks with confusion. “How can this anticipated chosen one of God become the one God uses to sacrifice for the sake of his wayward people while conquering the nations?” 

“Resurrection!” Philip says.

“Resurrection?” The Ethiopian replies.

“Yes, the suffering servant who has died for the hopeless people of Israel is now raised to new, immortal life. He has shown himself to many even in his resurrected state. I had the privilege of not only personally spending time with him for forty days but saw him rise from the Mt. of Olives to the heavens above.” Philip grows animated in telling his story.

“You saw him?” The man asks.

Philip responds: “Not only did I see him, but over 500 of us have seen him in his resurrected body. Prior to his resurrection, I had the privilege of spending nearly four years following this man. He’s the real deal, I tell you, and God is changing the hearts of the Jews and now even the Samaritans. He is writing His laws not on the scrolls in front of you, but permanently on the hearts of those who seek God out. The Holy Spirit is seeing to this. This is the promise God has made back with Moses and the prophets when he originally gave the Law. One day the people of Israel would no longer need a teacher; instead God would permanently inscribe his wishes upon the hearts of those who have pursued him. I’m telling you, sir. The Kingdom of Heaven is now here upon you, and God wishes to change your heart from the inside out so that you desire what He desires for you.”

The Ethiopian can’t contain himself as the chariot continues to roll along the paved road. “What do I do now?”

“Humbly beg for God’s forgiveness, be baptized, and chart out a new course as a Jesus follower.” Philip says in a straight forward tone. 

The chariot continues along well past Lachish and veers west towards Gaza. A small river is spotted nearby the roadside.

The man’s countenance brightens as you get closer to the water. “Look, I see some water. Why can’t I be baptized here and now? Driver! Stop this chariot by the riverside.” 

Following at a distance, you see the team of oxen come to a stop, and both Philip and the Ethiopian man climb out of the chariot. You hurry your pace to see what is happening. The man begins to move down towards the river with Philip in tow. He has a great smile on his face, as he makes his way towards the waters. Philip glances, shrugs and smiles at you before stepping off the road and onto the river bank towards the waters below.

From the side of the river, you watch the man come out from the water and embrace Philip with a wet, bear hug. Philip’s body contorts with the hug, but the Ethiopian joyfully laughs in the moment. They both climb out from the river and onto the bank. 

Philip walks over towards you and says. “Well, let’s go.”

“Wait, what?” You ask, as you notice the Ethiopian climb into the chariot, commanding the driver to move on. You swear you hear him singing a song in a hearty and joyful voice. “That’s it?” 

“That’s enough for now.” Philip responds. “We have much more to do. Let’s go.”

“Go… go where?” You ask. 

“Wherever the Spirit leads. Remember, the house of Israel needs to hear what we’ve seen and experienced.” Philip responds. “Let’s make our way up the coast. We’ve got work to do.” 

…

“Humbly beg for God’s forgiveness, be baptized, and chart out a new course as a Jesus follower.”

It’s really not difficult to understand. However, God does require us to submit, take on a new identity and begin a new course. Isn’t that at the heart of every single on of us? We might be willing to follow Jesus in one aspect of our lives, but God isn’t interested in just one aspect of our lives. Remember, God fully rewards those who sincerely seek after him, as they are the ones who will be flexible enough to be used by Him for much greater purposes. 

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The Kingdom of Heaven’s Gate Opens Wide in Samaria. Who Enters Through? You Might be Surprised…

ACTS 8:14-24

“Who do men say that I am?” These words echo in your mind with each stride. “Who do you say that I am?” You think. “Wow, that must have been a defining moment for Peter and the others. “How would I have answered that question—especially given the clear instructions of the Shema that was to be handed down to each and every Jewish child?” 

You flashback but only a few years and think about how your dad faithfully gathered you and your family in the upper room of your home once the sun had completely set. Each night before bed he had your recite the Shema (Dt 6:3-6), and then he told stories of how God interacted with Israel throughout the years. 

Listen closely, Israel, and be careful to obey. Then all will go well with you, and you will have many children in the land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, promised you.

“Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.

You’ve known the Shema inside and out since you could speak. Mom and dad made sure of that. While sometimes this exercise seemed mundane, you took solace knowing your friends families were doing the same thing as your family once the sun went down. While some of the ancient stories scared you as a child, you have come to appreciate the warnings that often went along with them. 

Back to the question, you think. “Was the Shema violated on the night when Jesus asked Peter that critical question? Isn’t that why Jesus himself was crucified? Wasn’t that the reason for Stephen’s stoning? Isn’t that the very reason you have been driven out of Jerusalem? Wasn’t Jesus’ regard of God as His Father a clear indicator of his origins? So Peter’s confession of Jesus as Messiah, who came from the Father, would indeed be a deeply radical notion. No wonder Jesus told his followers not to share this confession with anyone.”

You continue: “Yet, hasn’t there been the promise of such a deliverer who would come from God in the minds of most Jewish people? Wasn’t that the reason why so many Jews went to see John the Baptizer down at the Jordan River? Wasn’t that the reason why so many Jews showed up to lay down their jackets at the Servant King’s donkey ride into Jerusalem? Wasn’t that the reason why the disciples began to follow him in the first place? Heck, even the Samaritans were expecting it. So, when he finally arrived, how did they miss it? How do they still miss it?”

“Is it possible the Shema hasn’t been violated now that we better understand the complexity of God’s nature? Let’s face it, we knew God only through the lens of a distant school master who would approve or disapprove based upon our compliance with His revealed Law. He was high and lofty; whereas, we were down and lowly. Isn’t it true that the definitiveness of God is completely based upon His willingness to reveal what he chooses to reveal?”

“I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” And, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.

…

The road ahead directs you out from the tall brush and into a clearing where Mt. Gerazim comes into view. You trip over a rock while taking in the fullness of the mountain in front of you. You look around in each direction and say to yourself, “Oh man, I wonder if anyone saw that.” You laugh at your misstep thinking, “I should probably watch where I am going.” But you can’t take your eyes off of the two mountains that encompass you. You spin around to see Mt. Ebal just north of the valley and drink in the history your ancestors experienced right here in this very spot. 

This is the valley where Abraham first settled when he arrived in Canaan. God told him to leave Mesopotamia and go to a land of promise, so Abraham went without fully knowing and pitched his tent beside the gnarly Oak of Moreh. It was right here where God revealed Himself to Abraham for the second time and reminded him of the promise of this very land and the millions of descendants (Gen 12:6-7). “Could Abraham have walked right where I am walking?” You wonder aloud.

This is the valley where Jacob settled after having his scary reunion with his twin brother, Esau. The last time they had seen each other, Jacob had tricked Esau out of his birthright and skipped town. 

This is the valley where Jacob’s sons tricked Hamor’s family—a well respected Canaanite family that had been settled in the land for some time—to get circumcised as wedding gift for Jacob’s daughter, Dinah. Hamor’s son, Shechem, had forced himself upon Dinah and later wanted to marry her. Jacob’s sons weren’t too enthusiastic about the idea, so they deceitfully “agreed” to the marriage between Dinah and Shechem, but they first required every male in the village to be circumcised. All of the village males agreed. Crazy, right? So, they all went to the chopping block and got circumcised to honor their town’s new guests. Unsurprisingly, they were quite sore for the next couple of days. During these days of recuperation, two of Jacob’s sons came in and slaughtered all of the adult males of the village—including Shechem and even his dad, Hamor. This happened right here (Gen 34)!

You continue to take it all in with each stride.

This is the valley where Jacob built a well for his livestock later in his years, and it is still used to this day. In fact, this is the very well where Jesus interacted with the Samaritan woman and gave new hope to the Samaritan people (John 4).

The two mountains before you are the locations where Moses instructed Israel to shout out the blessings and curses as indicated in the Law. God promised blessings unto Israel for its obedience and curses unto Israel for its disobedience (Dt 27). Later, Joshua led Israel right up to the top of both mountains—those mountains right there—to carry out Moses’ instructions (Josh 8).

You turn back to face Mt. Gerazim. That is the mountain where Jotham—the only remaining son of Gideon—warned the indifferent and self-preoccupied people of Shechem about the pending dangers that would come with appointing Abimelech as their leader. Once appointed, Abimilech then slaughtered the 70 sons of Gideon, who was considered as the hero of Israel at the time, and only Jotham was able to escape.

“This tiny valley is so rich with the history of our people—so fascinating!” you think aloud. “To be fair, we’ve made quite a mess of things… But… I can’t believe how I get to be a part of God’s solution. Crazy!” 

You pick up your step.

The ridge road from the hill country of Ephraim to Jerusalem is one you’ve never traveled before. So much history! The stories of your ancestors tumble in your mind. So much has happened here, yet you’ve never been afforded the opportunity to take it all in. 

“Why is that?” You know the answer: “Because the Samaritans live here, and no self-respecting Jew seeking out personal holiness could live in this spot.” You laugh out loud. “Is it possible we have mistaken holiness for isolationism and exclusivism? Ironic,” you think to yourself. “How much of life have we missed because of our misappropriation of the Law? God has set us apart to be His representatives throughout a dark world, yet here we are… retreating under the ever-constricting nature of the Law—always finding new breaches and loopholes. Sigh! Not only does it seem we’ve misappropriated the Law, it appears that we have misunderstood the intent behind the Law.

Coming in from the North, the Holy City comes into view. In the distance, you identify the enormous wall and the Damascus Gate, and you suspect that will have to be your point of entry. “I can always climb over the wall,” You think with a moment of bravado. “Uh, maybe not.” Through some common friends, you eventually are able to find Peter and John who immediately welcome you in.

“We heard you went with Philip to Samaria, so we’re super excited to hear what became of your trip.”

Well into the night, you grow fatigued, though you don’t want this time of sharing to end. Every unique detail of your trip has been exhausted, and both Peter and John take some time to confer with one another in private. 

You fall asleep, and you’re awakened by John nudging your foot. “Hey man, you’re welcome to sleep here, but we’re headed back up to Samaria right now. Wanna join us?”

You jolt awake, “And miss this? No way!”

John laughs at the response and says, “Better eat kid. We’ve got some traveling to do.”

Under the cover of darkness, the three of you leave the city and work your way back to Samaria some 30 miles to the North.

“So tell us more about this guy, Simon.” Peter asks.

You shrug: “Big guy… sorcerer… super intimidating… yet very responsive when Philip explained how Jesus is the coming King who has taken the sins of the world upon himself as a sacrificial lamb. His eyes grew huge when Philip shared the resurrection story, so when the whole town went out to get baptized, Simon was there with us.”

Peter and John exchange a look, and turn to look back at you. They see you deep in thought and eventually you realize two sets of eyes are staring at you.

Peter is amused: “Well, out with it. What’s on your mind?”  

You start. “On the night before walking here to find you, Philip mentioned something that I’m still trying to understand.”

John smiles. “Oh?”

“Yeah, well.” You continue. “It’s about how the Holy Spirit hasn’t yet evidenced Himself among these people yet. We saw Him supernaturally appear when we heard all of the various languages spoken by new believers who didn’t know the languages. We also saw him evidenced through you two and the others in Jerusalem when people were healed and made whole during your time at Solomon’s Porch.”

Peter paces himself along side of you. “Are you suggesting that the Holy Spirit wasn’t with you while in Samaria? Didn’t you witness the healings and demonic cleansing of people in Samaria? What do you attribute that to?”

The light goes on. “Wait, the Holy Spirit was there for the that to happen. He had to be.”

Peter continues: “Did you see the Holy Spirit transfer from Philip or you to any of the Samaritans? Did any of them evidence the power of the Holy Spirit while you were with them?”

“No.” You reply. “Does that mean you two have to be there to make that happen?”

“Well, in a way, yes.” Peter says. “Did you ever hear about what happened to us in Caesarea Philippi?”

“Ha ha,” You reply. “Philip shared what took place between Jesus and you that evening. I would love to hear the story again though. 

“While I had no real understanding beyond the moment at hand, when he asked, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ I knew he was from God, so I shared as much.” Peter says. “What I heard next blew me away—the idea of me being granted the privilege to unlock the ‘gates of heaven’ so to speak and unleash the work of the Holy Spirit… well, I just had no idea with what to expect. I still don’t.”

Peter continues: “The fact that we’re making this trip is still a bit of a mystery, but I just get the sense that we need to be present to see the Lord possibly open the gates of heaven to not only us Jews but also to the Samaritans. Is it possible that we are now living out what Jesus promised to us before he left us on the Mount of Olives?” 

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” — Acts 1:8

“Is it possible that we’ve seen Jerusalem and Judea’s gates open back on the day of Pentecost and now it’s Samaria’s turn? I guess that’s what we’re here to discover.”

You emerge again into the village late in the day fatigued with two full days of hiking. The villagers immediately recognize you and run out to greet you. Some run to grab Philip and bring him to you. The villagers continue to swarm around you, delighted to see you once again. 

Sizing up both Peter and John, the villagers ask: “Are these the guys we’ve heard so much about?” By now, Philip has shared numerous stories amongst the townspeople. Since many of his stories have had Peter and John in them the villagers are thrilled to meet these new celebrities.

Philip arrives with a hulking guy with jet black hair behind him. 

Peter looks up and sees the formidable man. “Simon?” he asks in Philip’s ear.

“Yup.” Philip responds. 

Peter nods. “Big guy.”

Philip smiles. “Yup.”

The crowd continues to press in around you, Peter, John and Philip. Peter looks at John, and says. “Well, I guess this is as good a time as any.”

John smiles and begins lay his hands on the heads of those around him, praying for the Holy Spirit to come upon them. Peter does in kind, and the Samaritans begin praising God and speaking in other languages. You slowly turn around, taking in the overwhelming sight of hundreds of Samaritans now praising God and speaking in foreign languages. 

“Truly God is in this place!” You exclaim. 

Peter, John, Philip and you stand amazed at what is taking place in front of you. The implications of God validating those who are not Jewish is a game changer for all of you. God has indeed unlocked a part of the Kingdom that none of you knew to exist. 

In the euphoria of the moment, you now wonder why not all of the Samaritans present seem to be evidencing the Spirit of God. As you continue to look over the hive of people gathered around you, you see Simon approach Peter. With the voices projecting at such a loud volume, you can only see Peter’s face turn from smiles to what appears to be anger. 

“Uh oh,” You think. “Simon must have ticked him off.” You see Simon put his hand down as Peter publicly chastises him.

“Put away your money!” Peter warns. “May your silver perish with you. The Holy Spirit cannot be purchased!” All eyes are glued on Peter. “You have no right to the Kingdom of Heaven because God rewards those who seek Him without reservation. Your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray that God will forgive you for such actions. You’re flat out jealous of what is happening here and you’re in bondage to the false kingdom of Satan for wanting such power. I say again, repent!”

What you’ve suspected has finally taken place. Simon was a sorcerer, and as such he has seen the power of the Holy Spirit through you, Philip and now Peter and John. He thinks the magic can be purchased.

Simon appears desperate. “What have I done?” He says aloud while looking around at the crowd then back at Peter. “Please pray to the Lord so that nothing you’ve said will come upon me.”

…

As we wrap up this week’s story, I want you to flesh out one key idea:

People often may come to the Lord for different reasons. We all have “needs” we want to have met, but one core concern emerges out from those of us who have made commitments to follow Christ. Are we ever-willing to fully surrender our wants for God’s wants? Are we willing to set aside our own desires and replace them with God’s desires? This is at the heart of the New Covenant promise whereby God is “writing His Law on our hearts.” God is actively instilling within us an internal desire to yield to the Holy Spirit. This is the Divine exchange that Israel wasn’t able to experience. They were given the Law but they couldn’t obey; whereas, we have been given the Holy Spirit who is in the process of writing God’s Law onto our hearts. When we yield to Him, the Law is no longer needed in our lives. How so? Because we desire to live like God wants us to live—which is above and beyond the “school master” role that came with the Law.

Do you desire what God desires? Isn’t that at the very heart of what God wants in you?

Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart 

— Psalm 37:4

So, what does God desire in you?

  • Surrender – For some of you, this is really difficult in some areas of life. Call it a vice, call it whatever. What I can say is that if you’re repeatedly getting angry over an issue, maybe you’re not surrendering and giving the issue to the Lord.
  • Time and attention – We know this is the obvious answer, but what in your routine evidences that you are giving either?
  • Persistence – Faithfulness in seeking God’s desires for you will give you strength for the tougher seasons.
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God’s Tools – What Happens When We Yield To Him…

ACTS 8:8-13

“…There we were, walking across the Kidron Valley to begin our ascent up the Mount of Olives, glancing at one another in disbelief as we followed…a dead man. With each surreal step we made up the rocky trail, we took note of the tomb entrances along the hillside—each with a ‘rolling stone’ placed in front of the entrance in an effort to secure the tomb.” Philip takes in the engagement of his audience. They hang on every word. 

He continues. “Another disciple named Nathaniel and I couldn’t help but look at each other with a level of incredulity. Walking by tomb after tomb, rolling stone after rolling stone, we couldn’t help think of the impossible reality standing only a few feet away from us, leading us up the hill. He was supposed to be dead—resting in a tomb like any of these.”

You can hear the breathing of those next to you. Not a word is spoken in the lamp-lit room of your Samaritan host. With bodies pressed in against one another to accommodate too many in the smaller room, all ears await the next words out of Philip’s mouth. You can’t help but smile at the idea. You’ve heard Philip and the other disciples share similar stories, and you wish you would have been there to encounter the whole set of events yourself. 

The room is filled with anticipation with each passing moment. You and the crowd alike wonder what might happen next. Since your arrival, you’ve seen a horde of demons removed from a man, who is now back in his right mind and sits only a few feet away. You’ve seen a woman who was paralyzed from the waste down and has been considered an outcast since birth. Tonight she walked into the room without assistance and stands only ten feet away from you.

Philip goes on: “Perhaps some of you have been there, so as you know the Mt. of Olives overlooks the temple mount in Jerusalem and allows you to take in the grandeur of the city below. As we neared the top, wondering what might happen next, I circled around towards Peter, one of Jesus’ closest followers who has since become our appointed leader. Peter bent his head over to hear what I might whisper and nodded after I asked if he could believe what was happening. Peter, his brother Andrew, Nathaniel and I grew up together, so to experience this magical moment next to one another was truly transcendent. How far had we come?”

No sooner than when Philip utters the word “magical,” those in the room exchange glances at one another and turn to hear the heavy footsteps of a larger man who ducks through the door to enter. Squeezing through the bodies near the entryway, his visage fixing on Philip, the man makes his way in. Accustomed to having others move aside, the heavily bearded man walks towards the center of the room. Intimidating? Very! 

Standing more than a head taller than those next to him, his brutish body size in and of itself is no doubt feared. His deep black eyes match the brushy black beard which hides the majority of his face. Hair…? Or beard… you’re not totally sure. 

Around his neck is an assortment of amulets—numerous tangled necklaces made up of stones, shards of pottery and even bone. He smells as if he just finished boiling some alchemic concoction to kill a mule or to curse a rival tribe. “This is no holy man,” you think to yourself. “This is a sorcerer, and a powerful one at that.”

He holds the fearful reverence of those in the room, you can tell. If for no other reason the threat of him thrashing any one of you would be enough to bow humbly out of the way.

The room is heartbeat silent. Along with the others in the room, your eyes move from Philip to the man standing only a few feet away, back to Philip. This was more than a face-off between men, you think. This is a contest between two spiritual realms—between darkness and light. What is about to happen? Sensing the grave discomfort in the room, you look at Philip and find him gazing at the impressive figure before him. 

Philip and the man stare at each other for what seems an eternity.

Finally adjusting his gaze, Philip gives a hearty smile to welcome the man who now seats himself some four feet away. The man has obviously heard and seen the happenings in the village over the past few days. He’s here to learn. The room lets out a collective sigh of relief, as Philip continues his story. 

“We moved towards the top of the hill, and formed a half circle around Jesus. After experiencing the better part of four years with Jesus, watching him tortured and killed, only to then see him rise from the dead in this new body that doesn’t seem to have any limitations, we were quick to listen to everything he had to say. You would too if you were hanging out with a god!”

The Burly man’s expression lights up when he hears the word, “god.” Philip smiles at the “a ha” moment, looks up at the rest of the room, and continues: “‘Stay in Jerusalem,’ Jesus told us. John baptized you in water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in the days ahead.”

Confusion comes across the sorcerer’s face. “Holy Spirit?” he utters to himself.

Looking directly at him, Philip goes on. “Yes, the Holy Spirt, my friend. He will come upon you to fulfill a covenantal promise that the God of Israel made to Israel when giving the Law to Moses.”

“Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.” — Deuteronomy 30:6

Philip excitedly continues: “People, God made this promise over 1300 years ago and He reiterated that promise to the nation of Judah just before they were captured by the Babylonians.”

“The day is coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt. They did not remain faithful to my covenant, so I turned my back on them, says the LORD. But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the LORD.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already. And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins. — Hebrews 8:7-12 (referencing Jeremiah 31:31-34)

“The Holy Spirit has come, and He has begun this process of changing our hearts so that we now see and think like God sees and thinks.” Philip grows louder as he continues to share. “The Holy Spirit is now here, as you have clearly witnessed those who have been healed—those who have had demons removed out from them. Those who have personally experienced such healings are present right here in this room.”

Eyes begin surfing the crowd to locate those who had benefitted from the Holy Spirit’s work. You see nods of affirmation on the faces of the Samaritans who are present and able to locate those affected. Even the burly bearded guy notices the guy who had the demons removed seated only a few people away. “He seems in his right mind,” he thinks to himself. Then he looks back at Philip. “Tell me more about this Holy Spirt.”

 

Someone in the room speaks out. “Yes!” gesturing to his fellow Samaritan villagers. “Do you see what has happened here? God is truly in our midst!”

 

Philip takes the opportunity: “Yes, my friends, the Holy Spirit has been permitted to come because of the work of Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus came from God, yet he was born as an infant and was raised not far from here. He has walked among us, among you. He demonstrated how the power of God is with him, in the same manner that you’ve seen the Power of God come out from us. As I mentioned earlier, we’ve been here before, and some of you have met us. This man Jesus is the Messiah, God’s chosen deliverer, who you Samaritans and we Jews have come to expect.” Those in the room exchange more glances with each other, nodding affirmatively, as if to collectively remember Philip’s previous visit.

 

“We met him, remember?” Exclaims one of the village elders. “When the woman came and told us she had found the Messiah.” Those in the room nod their heads in agreement with the elder’s statement.

 

“Yes,” Philip agreed. “You were there, and you were introduced to Jesus, weren’t you?”

 

The elder gives a toothy grin.

 

“This Messiah, Jesus, came for one primary reason—to make it possible for you to know and love the One who created you and to be with Him forever. Jesus had to live among us and understand what it meant to be fully human. Yet, at the same time, he needed to live in full satisfaction to the perfect God and Father who sent him—and live here on earth without sin. He fully demonstrated the love and truth of our God which qualified him as God’s perfect substitute who would willingly take the sins we have committed and suffer the penalty of such sins—namely death and separation from God for all eternity. He died, so he could take our place.” Philip let this sink in.

 

One of the elders stands to address those in the room. “My beloved people, we have suspected this man we met some time back to be the Messiah—God’s chosen deliverer. We have long awaited his coming, and now thanks be to God of the Jews we may confirm his arrival. We know we do not satisfy God, but this man, Jesus has made it possible for us to know and fully satisfy the perfect God of heaven.”

Philip smiles. “Yes, you’ve got it! When He raised Jesus from the dead, God proved that death, the ultimate destructive weapon of Satan, would be vanquished and could not keep God’s Kingdom from advancing. And now God has begun to usher in His Kingdom, with Messiah as the promised King about to take his seat on the Eternal Throne of David. Do you understand what I am saying? God’s Kingdom is here, and we are his emissaries!”

 

The room is electric with excitement. “Praise be to God who has made Messiah Jesus our coming King.”

 

“Now, repent of your sins and be baptized. Let God give you a new identity—a new life!” Philip charges.

 

The people shout in joyful exuberance. Even the burly bearded guy stands to shout in joy. Within moments, the group of Samaritans parade with you into the center of the village and move towards a nearby spring. Those in the room scatter around the village collecting others who had not joined in earlier. Upon arriving at the spring, you help Philip baptize what seems like the whole village.

 

You lose count, and you look over at Philip, amazed at the harvest God has placed before you, and you see Philip’s eyes are diverted. He is looking towards the bluff, below which the burly bearded guy begins to wade into the spring towards him.

 

Philip’s and the burly bearded man’s eyes meet. 

“Baptize me as well,” said the man. 

All the eyes of the villagers along the banks are riveted upon the scene developing in front of them. This man has held their respect, and has inspired their fear. This man was considered a god. He has done unspeakable things to others in the past, and now he is about to surrender? He’s about to yield?

 

Philip takes in the scene before him, as the man removes his clothes to be baptized. “You wish to be baptized?” Philip asks. “What is your name, sir?”

 

“Simon.” He says.

 

Philip continues. “Simon, do you understand what you’re doing?”

 

“Yes.” He says.

…

An entourage forms and sees to it that neighboring villages throughout Samaria would afford you and Philip the same hospitality. Even Simon provides leadership in this area, as he studies each and every interaction you and Philip have.

 

“How do they do these miracles?” He would often question to no one in particular.

It has been a full day. You and Philip aim to recline in a dimly lit room prepared for your stay.

“Hey rookie,” Philip looks over at you.

 

“Yes?” You ask with a laugh.

 

“In the morning, I need you to walk back to Jerusalem and let the others know what is happening here. They need to hear what is happening here.” Philip says.

 

Bummed to hear that you need to leave, you realize Philip is right. The Holy Spirit needs to be made available to the Samaritans just as He has shown up among the Jews. Then you wonder, “Why hasn’t the Holy Spirit come upon the Samaritans as He did with the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea? What is restraining Him?”

 

Before turning in for the night, you ask Philip why the Holy Spirit hasn’t been made available to the Samaritans. 

 

“Now that’s an observant question,” he shares. 

 

“Yeah, doesn’t the Holy Spirit come at will to those who believe in Jesus and now partake of the New Covenant blessing?” you ask. 

 

“Ha, not yet,” he responds. “No, that’s a job specifically given to Peter to unfold. I didn’t understand it at the time, but in hindsight, I’m able to grasp it better now.”

 

With an aim to recline for the evening, Philip stretches out as he shares his story. “We were on the side of a hill, just able to see the face of another mountain across a small valley where Caesarea Philippi is situated. It’s a gorgeous setting at the base of a large mountain with plenty of trees and a beautiful spring running through it. 

We were at a place we weren’t supposed to be. No Law respecting Jew would be caught dead in Caesarea Philippi. Yet, we were looking at it some 300 yards away. At the base of the mountain on the other side of the valley looms the cave of Hades, the temple of Zeus and a bunch of other pagan shrines. I can’t emphasize the nasty and dark things that routinely take place here. Yet there we were, some 30 miles away from home, wondering what we were doing. But then it became clear during our time together. Jesus was bringing us to a whole new level of understanding of who he was. 

Straight out, he asked us directly. ‘Who do you say that I am?’ It was in a clear moment of reality when Peter exclaimed how Jesus was the Messiah, sent by God, to fulfill the covenantal promises made by God to Abraham, Moses, David, and the Prophets. Jesus commended Peter by explaining how this was not revealed to him by another human but that the Holy Spirit made the revelation clear. God revealed it to Peter and chose him as his honored gatekeeper who would roll out His promises on the earth that had been permitted or restricted first in Heaven” (Matthew 16:13-20).

 

You take it all in… “Yeah, but why was Samaria on Jesus’ list?”

 

“Haha, that’s right! You do ask a lot of good questions, don’t you?” Philip cajoled. 

“When we met up with Jesus on the top of the Mount of Olives just before he rose into the sky, he tasked us with a clear goal after we asked him about when Israel’s restoration would take place. We thought the Kingdom of the Heaven was arriving and that He was going to kick butt and take names. He told us God had other ideas and that in the meantime we are to be his ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven to the whole world, beginning first with the Jews, then moving on into Samaria, and finally to the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8). Believe it or not, Samaria has had a tender spot in God’s heart. The Samaritans were taught a lot of falsehoods, yet they still tried to search God out, even though the Jews have despised them for all these years.”

 

He then paused for only a moment to gather his thoughts and propped himself up onto his elbow. “Remember when we were walking up here to Samaria and I pointed out how the Samaritans were a group of people forced to relocate from the distant lands of Nineveh to begin new lives here? The king of Assyria then had a false Israeli priest teach them the customs of the Jewish Law—only that he wasn’t a real priest but one who was appointed by Jeroboam, the renegade king who divided Israel after King Solomon died. Maybe Jesus has included the Samaritans just tick Israel off and to arise them to jealousy. But I suspect the bigger reason is because God has a heart for anyone who seeks Him out.”

Flesh this out…

As we wrap up this week, here is something to consider:

God allows the Sanhedrin to hunt the Jesus followers down in an effort to deal with them as they did with Stephen. Arrest them, charge them for blasphemy and take them out back to stone them to death. So, the Jesus followers scramble and move to other cities beyond Judea and Jerusalem. While we may look at this plight as quite unfortunate for the Jesus followers, and it was most unfortunate. Yet, this policy change made by the Sanhedrin is the very thing God uses to move his greater cause of carrying out Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

In other words, what man has intended for evil, God uses for a larger good purpose. Much like Joseph who was literally ditched by his brothers and eventually became second in command next to the King of Egypt, God allows for great discomfort among the Jesus followers in order to accomplish something far greater. In this case, the loathed Samaritans were the target of God’s love and transformation. Would that have happened if they weren’t persecuted in Jerusalem? Maybe. Consider this in terms of today’s thinking. Like those in the early church, you can expect an increasing hostility towards you as a Jesus follower. My recommendation? Pack light, stay content in community, and be ready for what will come.

One other thought. Philip intentionally went to Samaria, which violated the Jewish idea of pursuing holiness. The Samaritans were “dogs” in the eyes of the Jews, and if demonstrated by behavior alone, the Samaritans were unworthy of God’s transformation. Nope, the Jews were too busy being holy to be used by God. Ouch! Lesson… pursuing God will require a new flexibility on your end. Make sure not to confuse self-discipline with dependence. Aim for dependence, yielded-ness and flexibility. Yes, habits need to be formed, but God is far more interested in your willingness to be used and moved by Him.

Have a great week, and may God mold you into what He wants you to be!

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When You’re Open to God Showing Up, Don’t Be Too Surprised When He Does!

Acts 8:3-8

Bam, bam, bam! The door shakes in the late hours of the evening. 

Most of you have fallen asleep wherever there was room to do so. Much of your night had been spent praying with one another, fearful of what might be happening in other parts of the city. Not knowing what else to do, the fifteen of you have sat quietly in the lower and upper rooms of the Jerusalem home, and most of you in the home have drifted off to sleep.

Bam, bam, bam! The door moves again, waking many of you on the lower floor. Not knowing who was on the other side of the door, you decide to climb up the ladder into the upper room and out the back entry way. You walk across a shared wall towards the front of the house, and you peer over to see if this is a friend or foe at the door. Is this a fellow believer or a troop of temple guards coming to arrest those inside? One figure. It’s way too dark to tell, so you widen your eyes as if that might help. You see a solo silhouetted figure working diligently to be both quiet and forceful at the same time. 

You call out. “Hey, up here.”

He looks up. “Open up the door. Hurry!”

You retreat to the back of the house, and into the upper room. All are awake and all eyes are on you in the dimly lit room. You deftly work through the bodies around the upper and lower room and remove the large board that has secured the door shut. Philip quickly gets through the door and secures it behind him. He has a fearful look on his face.

“You know with Sanhedrin’s trial and stoning of Stephen, they are now coming after us. Never mind the good we have done—they want to arrest us, throw us in prison, and even put us on trial for blasphemy. Many have escaped already, but some have been caught and arrested. There is little time to spare, so you need to gather your things and scatter in different directions. Now!” Philip says with a firm voice.

“Where will we go?” Asks another in the room. “Our families are here.”

“You’re not safe with them either.” Says Philip. “If the Sanhedrin, Temple Guard or local authorities associate you with us, you will be arrested. Do you have family out in the country side? Do you have friends or anyone outside of Jerusalem? If not, I know your new brothers and sisters in Christ will certainly help you in your time of need. But the closer you are to Jerusalem, the more at risk you are to be arrested.”

You all look at each other, not knowing what your next step might be. Others begin to grab their belongings, hugging one another in the room, and carefully spill out into the vacant streets of the dark city.

“Philip?” you ask. “Where are you going?” 

Philip looks back at you and smiles. “Wherever the Lord needs me. Wanna come along?”

You nod your head, grab your stuff, and the two of you head out the door.

Getting out of Jerusalem wasn’t easy. You think to yourself, “When these walls were first put up they were design to keep us safe from outside threats. I never thought they would be walls to keep us from escaping.” As you pass through various parts of the city, you catch glimpses of the first and second walls and the multiple towers looming above. While darkness is in your favor, getting out unspotted would be challenging. You think about the others who scattered as well and pray for their safety. 

(Side note: The third wall would be built by Herod Agrippa in 44 AD in order to surround the developing newer city sprawl that moved to the North and West. Fortunately, those leaving under the cover of night wouldn’t have to contend with the third wall.) 

As the dawn arrives, you’ve already made headway into the hills north of Jerusalem. You already feel much safer as you have moved out from the reach of the temple guards and the search parties being led by Saul. “What a nasty character!” You think to yourself. 

Neither you nor Philip talk much. There is quite a bit of walking in front of you, and as you move north, you find yourselves hiking in and out of steeper ravines. Eventually, you connect with the road headed directly to… Sychar? “Wait,” you mutter. “We’re headed right for Samaria.” You want to ask, but the significance of the terrain and the 700 years of divisive history immediately captures your thoughts.

“Whatever you do, don’t go into Samaria.” That has been a warning given to your parents by their parents, and your parents shared the same warning with you—several times. There was something quite fearful, yet curious about why Samaria was so off limits. 

(Side note: Samaria was home to Israel’s kings some time after Judah and Israel were divided. In 722 BC, Samaria was finally raided and destroyed by the Assyrians. Those they did not kill or leave to maintain the land as tribute, they took captive back to Nineveh. Meanwhile, Assyria’s King ordered the relocation of foreigners from foreign cities to Samaria. He then hired an Israeli priest (from Jeroboam’s lineage of selected priests and not sons of Aaron) to teach them the Law of Moses (well, kind of). Because the priests used were not genuine priests from Aaron’s lineage, they were not as well studied in the law and used more of a hybrid approach, combining the Law of Moses with local pagan customs. This was carried out over the years, and the Samaritans became especially disliked during the Hasmonean period when the Law was being scrutinized at new levels. 2 Kings 17:27ff speaks to this direction). 

You finally break the silence…

“Where are we headed, Philip?” You ask. 

“See that?” pointing to the ridge rising above to your left.

“Yeah?” You ask, wondering where he’s headed with this.

“As he was finalizing God’s terms of the Covenant (The Law) with the fledgling nation of Israel, Moses instructed the generation crossing over the Jordan and into the promised land to hike up to the top of that mountain and shout out the blessings that come with keeping the Covenant made between the Lord and Israel. That is Mt. Gerizim.” Philip let this sink in as you continued walking. 

You take it in, and a flood of memories stir your thinking. Your dad and mom both instructed you with many of Israel’s stories over the year. You remember fidgeting with your siblings when sitting in a circle in your upper room, as your dad would require you to recite each story with precise accuracy. “Boy those were painful times.” You think to yourself. But they were also good times, especially as you recall sharing your understanding of each story and having your dad correct you every step of the way.

Moving around the northern face of the bulbous hill, Philip continued: “And that, across the valley, is Mt. Ebal. Remember what happened there?” 

“Yes,” you say. “Mt. Ebal is where a part of Israel hiked up to the top to hear the Levites shout out the curses that would come should Israel fail to keep their part of the Covenant.

“Cursed is anyone who carves or casts an idol and secretly sets it up. These idols, the work of craftsmen, are detestable to the Lord.”

“Cursed is anyone who dishonors father or mother.”

“Cursed is anyone who steals property from a neighbor by moving a boundary marker.”

“Cursed is anyone who leads a blind person astray on the road.”

“Cursed is anyone who denies justice to foreigners, orphans or widows.”

More curses followed, as you remember. What stands out to you though are the curses aimed towards anyone who works in secret to destroy the innocent. “That’s pretty much us,” you think to yourself. “Here we’re trying to do something quite good, and we’re being hunted down for it.”

(Side note: It should be noted that many believe Philip the Apostle to be a different person than Philip the Evangelist. While the primary argument for this distinction is the segmentation between the Apostles and those appointed to serve the deprived widows in Acts 6, that is hardly enough evidence—in my mind—to justify such a distinction. Could it be that Philip is geared towards service? Could it be that those serving require a point person for leadership? We’re all apostles carrying out the same duties, or is it possible that each Apostle carried out his duties based upon his inherent gifting? We also see Philip here in Acts 8 as one who is compelled to share Jesus’ resurrection and one who is demonstrating apostolic characteristics such as preaching and performing miracles. Philip the Apostle would have shared Jesus’ experience at Jacob’s Well with the Samaritan woman. He’s been here before and feels compelled to return.)

…

As you look ahead, you begin to see the outskirts of a village. Phillip shares with you about his visit here a few years back with Jesus.

“I was surprised that we came this way,” Philip begins. “No doubt your parents told you to avoid Samaria, just as mine have.” 

You nod in agreement.

“So, when we arrived, we were so out of place. But, we were hungry and decided to get food. Jesus wouldn’t go with us, and told us to go on without him. We didn’t think anything of it until we got back. There he was seated at the well of Jacob talking with a Samaritan woman—and she was an outcast at that. She got herself into so much trouble that she was shunned by her family and peers, destined to live out her life with a nasty reputation. That just doesn’t happen. Not only was Jesus talking with a woman who was a Samaritan outcast, he was talking with her alone… with nobody else around them. It was the middle of the day, and he was… well, let’s just say that if any of us were caught talking to a Samaritan woman, we would have our hides handed to us on a platter. Jewish men who pursue holiness before God do not talk to loose Samaritan women.”

You’re stunned to hear that Jesus did the unthinkable. “What did they talk about?” You ask.

“That’s just it, we were in shock. We didn’t know what to think, but none of us had the guts to ask what was happening. But here is the crazy part. The woman left her water jar, which was the reason she came to the well in the first place, and ran back to her village. We were looking at Jesus, just wondering… okay, now what? Within just a few minutes, a bunch of townspeople bee-lined back to where we were. I started to panic. I was thinking, ‘let’s get out of here,’ but Jesus wouldn’t hear of it.”

Philip continues. “They wouldn’t stop coming out to see him. So many questions! So many considerations—especially since they were the rejected ones in the minds of every Israelite out there. With such a negative history, Israel’s purist mentality would not allow us to have any affiliation with them. But there we were, surrounded by a people who had no reason to like us. As the day turned into evening, Jesus was engaged in so many conversations, we were nudging him to eat. ‘Rabbit, eat something,’ we would say. Jesus looked back for just a moment and said, ‘I have food you know nothing about.’ And, we’re just standing there with food in our hands looking at each other in disbelief. ‘Did you get him food?’ One of us would ask. ‘No.’ ‘Well, who got him food?’ Jesus then shook his head and got back to his conversations.”

Philip laughs. “It was quite a funny scene as we tried to wrestle with what was happening.” Then Philip pauses and sizes you up. “You want to know why we’re here? We’re here to continue on with what Jesus started. These people were so receptive to Jesus as God’s chosen covenant king that we can no longer keep these people in the dark—especially when they are so hungry to know God.”

As you walk into town, immediately some local villagers come out to greet you. Immediately, they know you’re Israeli and they wonder why you’re there. You’re nervous, taking into consideration your quickest escape routes should things turn sour. You look over at Philip and see that he is all smiles. “What is he thinking?” You mutter to yourself. “What does he know?”

“Greetings, you wonderful people!” Philip starts off. The crowds begin to form and gather in an ever tightening circle. Philip nods affirmatively as if to read their minds. “Yes, you have met us before, and you now have some of us even in your midst.” People begin to look around at one another with some level of confusion. “Remember the Jesus of Nazareth who visited you here at Jacob’s well some two years ago? Remember how he told one of your women about some personal things in her life as if to read her thoughts? Remember how she ran to tell you that she thought she had found the Messiah you’ve all been awaiting?” The faces of the crowd began to lighten and even smile. “Do you remember spending several days with this Jesus who talked about how God was ushering in a new kingdom and covenant promise? Well, that time has come, and I am here to share with you the good things God is doing right here and right now.” 

Affirming nods come from the Samaritans. “We have heard much about Jesus of Nazareth.” One of them replies. “Some here in our village have given us the news that He has risen from the dead. Is this true?”

Philip puts up his hands as people keep pressing in. “Yes, yes! What you’ve heard is…” 

A violent scream is heard nearby, and heads immediately turn. The scream and interruption gets louder as a man moves towards the group. His gate is unsteady, and he looks like he’s the victim of several violent attacks.

Both yours and Philip’s gazes are upon the man who stumbles in front of you.

“What do you need?” Philip asks.

Hi speech is slurred, and he looks like he can barely function. He clearly isn’t in his right mind. When suddenly a surge from within appears to strengthen him. Clearly upright now, he speaks’ “What do you have to do with us Philip of Bethsaida? Get out of here!” 

Stunned, all eyes are on Philip now, as Philip identifies the man in front of him as one who has a demoniac spirit possessing him. The crowd, once tightly circled around Philip and you, flinches and takes several steps back. Unfazed by the figure commissioned from the false Kingdom of Satan, Philip speaks directly to the demon. “You do not belong here, and by the authority of Jesus, I call you to come out of this man.” 

All eyes are now on the demon possessed man. What happens next has only been spoken about in the stories told of the prophets of old. The man slumps over and twists in a heap on the ground. He begins to convulse as if in a quiet inner rage. Now you know where the noticeable bruising has come from, as he thrusts and flings the man’s body around on the ground like a rag doll. This was something radically different than a mental illness. This man was possessed by something far greater than himself—something purely evil. The screaming continued, but it was more than one voice. You can’t tell if it’s the man or something, or many things, inside of him.

Philip stays quiet but resolved. You look at Philip, then at the crowd, then at the man.

A final scream is bellowed, and the body falls limp on the ground. One quick glance at Philip, and he nods for you to attend the body. You rush to lift his head in your hands, and he looks like he will recover. You glance over at Philip who has come by your side, and smile. “I think he’s going to be okay.” You say. 

Somebody from the crowd comes through to offer water. The man drinks, and is eventually able to sit upright. Unwilling to let a moment pass without their complete focus, the crowd watches intently to see what happens next. Eyes are riveted on Philip, you and the man in your care. People start talking amongst each other, partly to break the tension and partly to exclaim their amazement with what just happened. 

This is just the beginning of the amazing things happening here in Samaria. The miraculous evidence of God is clearly among these Jesus followers. Many from the crowd urge you and Philip to stay. They have many questions and would love to be your hosts for as long as you wish to stay. 

You marvel… “How is it that a work of God can be welcomed by those who don’t seem to fully understand the nature of the God? Even more crazy, how is it that a work of God would be considered as an unwelcome guest and even attributed as a work of Satan—only 30 miles south of here? Weird,” you think.

It goes to show… 

“The deeply religious can end up being enemies of God.”

“Those searching for God with open hearts and curious interest are often surprised when He shows up.”

“God uses those who are flexible and yielded to Him.”

“Satan’s False Kingdom is all about deceit, deception, and destruction. When these motives are present, so is the influence from Satan’s False Kingdom.”

“Conversely, the Kingdom of Heaven rejoices when truth and love win out—at all costs.” 

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How God Can Use Such a Terrible Event for His Greater Purposes

ACTS 7-8:3

“Oh no, this isn’t good!” you say aloud to nobody in particular. Things were getting heated in there. Men were shouting and their voices were echoing throughout the chamber. From the debate with the four foreign Jewish guys who came from the Synagogue of the Freedman in the lower city, you had witnessed what transpired throughout the morning. You followed the mob once Stephen was arrested and forced into the Hall of Hewn Stones to be immediately tried by the Sanhedrin. 
 
Stephen was one of the good guys, you thought. When a number of people were being deprived from receiving a portion of food from the daily distribution, you saw Stephen step up to the plate and offer to right that wrong. He always had a smile on his face, and you could tell he was simply happy to be there giving himself unto any kind of service that might be needed. He was also a bright, ‘straight shooter’ who could see where a discussion or an excuse was heading, stop the individual in his or her tracks, and get to the heart of the issue. He was so good at doing that. 
 
You always knew where things landed with Stephen. He had no trouble cutting through to the heart of any matter. He was a faithful guy truly used by the Lord.
 
And this morning was no different. Stephen was magnificent in front of the Sanhedrin, shaping his message to begin with an agreed upon assumption. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses were definitely the key figures used by God to shape Israel. Stephen knew that the Sanhedrin nearly worshiped Moses, so to include a deep appreciation of Moses within his message was wisely done. 
 
You also knew where Stephen was headed when he shared how Israel’s deep affection of Moses should also be tempered by a time of introspection. Did they understand Moses’ greatest concern over a people who were constantly rebelling and moving away from learning more about God? Did they understand that as they sought to be 100% compliant with the Law of God that they have missed out on knowing the God who gave the Law in the first place?
 
As Stephen is making his case in the other room, you wonder about how the Sanhedrin is receiving it. Do they understand the bigger picture of the Law? Have they become so entrenched with the 500 years of “Case Law” and the precedent brought upon them by the Mishnah (Study by Repetition) that they have inadvertently lost touch with the purpose of the ancient Law of Moses? You are well aware that knowing the Mishnah was a priority for any Rabbi, Pharisee or student of Law, and it’s commonly understood that a venerated Rabbi’s interpretation of the Law would strongly influence current understanding. But what if the venerated Rabbi got it wrong? What if he missed the point somewhere along the way? “The elephant in the room,” you think to yourself.
 
You hear Stephen become direct if not accusatory. 
 
“You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become; You who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it!”
 
“It needed to be said,” you think to yourself. “But, dang!” 
 
Silence… but for only a moment. The rumbling begins, and voices begin to flare. You hear Stephen say one final thing…
 
“Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
 
That does it… The final straw and reason why Stephen was arrested and immediately tried in the first place. Blasphemy! After this, it comes as no surprise as to why you begin hearing the shouting and the subsequent attack. 
 
What happens next is insane. This group of highly sophisticated, intelligent, and elderly men has snapped. Their venomous sneers reveal their most primal of instincts. You watch them physically drag Stephen out of the chamber and across the temple courtyard. His clothing quickly turns to shreds as they take turns dragging, hitting, and spitting on him as they violently throw him down the stairs and out of the temple gates. Vigilante justice? Not in their minds. No, the judges immediately think they are carrying out the command of God found in Deuteronomy 13. They think Stephen has performed the miracles with the intent of leading Israel astray. They think Stephen wants Israel to pursue other gods. 
 
How do you explain the concept of the Son of Man to an unreceptive if not hostile audience? In a hurry… Before they kill you… In only a few minutes…
 
You follow the crowd outside of the southern temple gates, and some fellow believers have come with you. Moving eastward towards the Kidron Valley (ravine really), your heart goes out to Stephen. With a full head of steam, these elders of Israel have picked up fist-sized rocks and have begun throwing them at Stephen. They continue pushing him forward towards the ravine, stripping him of his clothes as they go. Gashed and bruised a nearly naked Stephen is now surrounded by a mob of people anxiously awaiting for the opportunity to throw a stone and make his mark. 
 
Your fellow followers of Jesus look at you, and you wonder what can be done. Do you get in the way of what’s happening? Do you run and hide? What are you supposed to do when this is going down so quickly?
 
You skirt around the mob and come across a high ground to catch a better look. This is so difficult to watch, yet something compels you to be there for a brother you so admire. As you climb atop of the larger boulder, you’re surprised by what is happening on the other side. Each member of the Sanhedrin is removing his outer garment and laying it at the feet of a young man. You’ve seen the guy before. He’s Gamaliel’s, the leader of the Sanhedrin, star pupil. 
 
“This isn’t good,” you murmur to yourself, as you take cover so as to avoid being seen by the guy. Something is about to go down, and you know it. This guy looks like he is evil incarnate and dead set on watching Stephen suffer. “Think, c’mon think.” You say to yourself. “What’s happening here?” It then dawns upon you…
 
For just a moment, you flash back to a time when you were a kid and how your dad told you the story about King Jehu. Under King Ahab and Queen Jezebel’s rule, Israel grossly moved away from God. So, God had Elisha send a servant across the Jordan to anoint Jehu, a captain of Israel’s army, for the ultimate mop up campaign. As soon as those in his troop heard the news, they immediately removed their garments and laid them at his feet—recognizing and affirming his new role as King.
 
From behind the rock, you also remember a similar occurrence when you joined with hundreds of others to lay your own garment down so that Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Man, could ride over them while on a donkey. Along with the others, you helped commission him to rise up as the promised heir to David’s throne. In hindsight, you now understand much differently as to what he was doing, but back then you wanted him to take his seat on the Throne of David and begin his eternal rule as Messiah. He was supposed to take over the world, right then and there… or so you intended. 
 
So what’s happening here? This star pupil of Gamaliel, this guy with the look of complete resolve is being commissioned by the highest authorities in the land. But what are they commissioning him for? What do they want him to do? What’s happening here?
 
“This will have to wait,” you think as you move around the other side of the boulder to get a good look at Stephen. You’ve never felt as helpless as you do right now. Looking around for other believers, you finally catch the eye of a sympathetic brother. Now you understand what Peter must have felt when he watched Jesus go through his ordeal. “What could he do?” You think. When you first heard of Peter’s actions, you immediately thought, “What a coward!” How could you walk away and deny your Lord so quickly? But, this brings a whole new level of understanding. Now you muse, “How am I any different?” Blow after blow, you grow numb as you see blood splatter across the ground and the people around him. “How am I any different?” You ask?
 
Then it happens… You see something unmistakably bold take place. Such courage! How could one who was inches away from his own death extend mercy and forgiveness to the killers set on taking his life? “How does one even do that?” You ask. “That is impossible!” You see Stephen fall to his knees and cry out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
 
How does Stephen not curl up in a ball and die? How does Stephen extend the love of God with his final breath? With each repetitively thrown stone landing exactly as intended, Stephen finally dies. The blows keep coming. 
 
“He’s dead!” You scream out loud. “Stop it!” Nobody hears you. They keep on throwing the stones. 
 
The men of the Sanhedrin feeling fully vindicated, dust off their hands and go to retrieve their garments. Gamaliel’s pupil, Saul, watches as they approach and circled around him.
 
“You understand what you must do.” Said one of the elders. “Things will be different now. You must do what is necessary to eradicate this problem.” That was all that was needed, and Gamaliel’s star pupil would understand his commissioning.
 
…
 
“If we stick around today, they will throw us into prison!” Peter said. “Go and meet in your homes today, but be prepared to leave Jerusalem. We will stay here, but your involvement with us has compromised your safety.”
 
Some didn’t stick around at all, but moved back to their hometowns and aimed to figure out what would come next. 
 
You stick around though. What you just witnessed is just beginning to tear you up inside. You look at some of your fellow believers and ask them to go with you to at least provide Stephen with a proper burial. The four of you grieve so heavily as you labor to bury Stephen, the pain is unmistakably real. But it’s far from over.
 
“Lord, what am I supposed to do? What do you need from me, now?” You ask. “Do I run? Do I go back home? Do I hang out with the apostles who don’t seem interested in leaving? What do I do?”
 
That evening, messengers come to the home where you’re staying and report about the house invasion that took place in another part of the city. They knew that followers of Jesus were gathering in that home, so the Sanhedrin has authorized Saul to make a mass arrest of those in the home. What follows? You already know. Prison, a speedy trial and a quick death sentence would be come the norm. What began with Stephen within short order has now become policy. Saul was the Sanhedrin’s enforcer. Saul was the evil henchman.
 
“Lord, please do something with Saul! Please take him out, or help him see. Please do something!”
 
Everyone scattered. Throughout Judea, Samaria, into the Galilee and beyond, those who were not arrested fled and would have to think of what would come next. 
 
Saul seemed quite satisfied. He was effectively cleaning up Jerusalem and ridding it of this cancerous uprising. He had the support of his elders, and he felt quite confident that he was on a mission from God. What Saul didn’t count on, however, was the responses from those whom he displaced. What Saul didn’t count on was the vocal outpouring of enthusiasm from these followers of Jesus. They were being torn up. How is it that they are becoming evangelists for this Son of Man they claim to worship? 
 
“Grrr… I hunt them down, and they happily go elsewhere and share more about Jesus.” Unintentionally, the Sanhedrin commissions Saul to start a fire that will change the world.
 

That’s it for now, gang! Have a wonderful week, and may you repeatedly visit this narrative to get you thinking and praying about how God is at work in your lives!

Blessings,
Andy
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How Deeply Religious People Miss Out on God

Acts 7

I’m going to try something fairly audacious with chapter 7 this week, if for nothing more than to give us a very different point of view of Stephen’s interaction with the Sanhedrin. 
 
Imagine… you’ve been a member of the Sanhedrin for many years, and you’ve witnessed some pretty turbulent times. 
 
You’ve enjoyed some of the perks of sitting on the council, but you wonder if the ulcer has been worth it. You live well above the commoner, though you’re not nearly as ostentatious as some of your Roman or Herodian counterparts. They seem to be in it for the position and the money. Admittedly the exemption from taxation hasn’t been terrible, but you’ve wondered at the fairness of it over the years. 
 
You think. “It’s part of the position, so why not take advantage of it?” 
 
You’ve seen much. Way too much. There are 71 of you on the Sanhedrin board (70 council members and a high priest), and it hasn’t been easy. You’ve questioned the motives of some of guys on the board, and you’ve wondered—in your mind if not aloud—if these guys ever realize the jerks they are at times. But you’ve held your tongue for the most part, and you’ve pressed through over the years. Man, that guy Eli sure gets on my nerves. Should I meet him down a dark alley…. and I could get away with it… Okay, I need to get my head right.” 
 
If you had a day to live over again, how would you have done it differently? Today could have easily been one of those days where a “do over” would have been helpful. My how things escalated so quickly. The events of the day would result in a tragic change in the direction of the Sanhedrin. Gamaliel, our Nasi (chief elder and leader of the Sanhedrin) warned us not to inflame the issue not long ago, saying that if the Jesus of Nazareth followers were of God there would be nothing that could be done. Otherwise, Gamaliel instructed us to let it burn out on its own accord and not exacerbate the matter. 
 
Would we listen? Well… that’s why you think it wouldn’t be a bad idea to start this day over again. So, what happened?
 
On your way to work this morning, you enjoyed walking by your favorite shops and sites of the old city. “My how it’s grown over the years,” you wonder as you pass a series of shops with a large wall looming in the distance. As you arrive at the temple grounds, you enter through the Southern gate and into the larger court of the Gentiles on the Southern side of the temple mount. As you walked through the courtyard, you consider your route options—knowing you can walk along the Western Wall, or you can go by Solomon’s Portico along the Eastern Wall of the temple mount. You think the Western Wall would be much easier, but with all of the activity lately happening at Solomon’s portico, your curiosity gets the best of you.  
 
“Crazy” isn’t exactly the word to use to describe the events happening here over the past couple of months. These followers of Jesus have continued to increase, much to your own frustration. They prey upon the poor and the weak by coming along side of them as if to help. What’s their angle?
 
While at Passover only a few months ago you felt like you delivered the final ‘blow to the head’ and rid yourself of this Jesus problem. He gathered a following everywhere he went too. You tried him and found him guilty of blasphemy against God and demanded to have Pilate, the main Roman authority in the area, to make an example of him to ward off any other potential dissident who might rise up against Rome. That was your persuasion anyway. Pilate didn’t buy it, but gave in after you threatened to riot and cause significant upheaval to Judea should you not get your way. While you didn’t like how that all turned out, the problem has gone away, and it’s been business as usual. Or, so you thought…
 
You’re first struck by all of the noise going on, even at this time in the morning. The Jesus followers have gained some momentum over the past couple of months, as demonstrated by the amount of people that keep showing up at Solomon’s portico. You know they gather elsewhere in local homes on a regular basis, but you watch amazed as to what seems to be happening here. 
 
As you get closer you begin zig-zagging throughout the courtyard so as to not step on the mats of those either sitting or laying on them. They listen intently to the words coming out of the mouths of the key disciples. They seem pretty well informed, which strikes you as odd—especially considering the region they are from. What good can possibly come from the Galilee? Some are huddled into smaller groups while listening to another speak to them; others are visiting and tending to the needs of one another. Perhaps what causes you to marvel most is how some who have been previously ill or handicapped are no longer so. 
 
What do you do with that? What can you do with that? What happens when you see and experience something that goes against your understanding of how God works? Yet, there are those in the midsts of these Jesus followers who have been made whole. 
 
You had the same problem with their leader who died. Jesus was known to heal many, but you wrote it off as the work of Satan. Isn’t that what you do when you can’t explain something? You vilify it so as to discount its veracity? 
 
You continue to pass by the groups of people swarming around the disciples, coming and going, some engaging others, some singing together, and some just sitting silently. It’s an odd sight. 
 
“What an irritant,” you say to yourself. They have been a nuisance for too long already.
 
You take notice of five guys in a bit of heated debate. Four appear to be from elsewhere, and one appears to be one of the Jesus followers. “Pretty sharp guy,” you think to yourself. “He seems to be handling the other four with relative ease. I’ve seen him before.” You continue. “Stephen is his name, and from what you could tell, he just seemed like a gracious guy.” Yet Stephen is also quite articulate and well grounded in the Law of Moses. Again, surprising, and it creates mixed emotions.
 
As you arrive to take your seat in the Hall of Hewn Stones on the Northern side of the Temple, you hear a commotion in the direction of Solomon’s portico. Some sort of heated argument has broken out, right where the four guys and Stephen were debating. Things must have escalated. 
 
You hear shouting in the distance. Crowds have gathered, and while you’re not sure what is happening, eventually you see a number of people dragging Stephen along the ground slowly towards your way. You and some of your fellow elders move out the hall and into the courtyard to address the commotion. Several men come to you with accusations against Stephen and his dissident intent. 
 
Does this sound like the same gracious guy you saw moments ago? 
 
“We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.”
 
The temple guards and elders agreed to arrest Stephen and bring him inside away from the mob. The crowd continued to be swept into a frenzy as more allegations flew. The other rabbis heard the allegations and found themselves deeply distressed. So, the elders had Stephen brought into the hall for further questioning.
 
Once the crowd was dismissed, witnesses were allowed to join in and share the turn of events to the elders. 
 
They accuse, “This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and the Law of Moses. We heard him say that Jesus will destroy the Holy place and change all of the customs and laws of Moses.” 
 
Your fellow elders look aghast at one another for such divisive allegations. You then look over at Stephen who appears very much at peace—even hopeful.
 
…
 
In The Lesser Sanhedrins scattered in cities around Israel, only 23 served on those councils. Should the lesser Sanhedrins not be able to resolve an issue or if the matter was much more weighty in nature, the Great Sanhedrin would take it on.  
 
The Sanhedrin had morphed a bit over time. When originally intended to be presided by the High Priest, that changed in 191 BC when the Sandhedrin lost confidence in the High Priest and the office of Nasi (Prince) was created. Curiously enough, most of the Nasi were descendants of Hillel the Elder, and it eventually became a Presidential sort of office appointed by the Romans and supported by Jewish taxes. 
 
The Sanhedrin governed Israel in “religious matters” which caused the curious Romans and Greeks in the area to shake their heads at the weird ways of internal government. To the Israelite, however, “religious matters” in what was supposed to be a theocratic government were what shaped life in general for them. Upholding the Law of Moses which dealt with religious ceremony matters and most types of political matters was the goal of the Great Sanhedrin. 
 
Whereas the Romans and Greeks tended to separate religion from Roman or Greek Law (when convenient), the Jews saw it as inextricably linked. You can’t have one without the other. So, Rome not only stayed out of the way, they endorsed the Sanhedrin and encouraged its internal functioning, as long as it didn’t encourage any dissidence with Rome’s agenda.
 
Fortunately, cooler and much wiser heads have prevailed over the years, though that hasn’t always been the case. It wasn’t long ago when a pretty significant breach of conduct took place within the Sanhedrin. At least that’s what you and some others have thought. The original intent of the Sanhedrin was to bring about a fair hearing when certain Laws of Moses were violated. 
 
Hearsay was not to be considered, which is why the Law of Moses required at least two witnesses to be required when allegations were made. But what happens when the courts themselves have been known to violate this law? The Sanhedrin was not above finding and training false witnesses when it felt threatened—which went against the 9th commandment that warned Israel to stay away from bearing false witness against one another as a people.
 
“But that’s what we do,” you think to yourself. “All walks of life think ‘self-preservation’ at all costs. When we’ve done wrong, isn’t it a part of our very nature to rationalize our behavior to ourselves and others? We think, ‘Well, we wouldn’t had taken that action unless they (whoever they might be) forced our hand.” But that’s why the Law was put into place. So this sort of thinking wouldn’t prevail. 
 
“But what happens when that becomes the mindset of Israel’s highest courts?”
 
National security issues, and issues dealing with rogue zealots who wish to lead themselves and others away from the Law of Moses. Most of them have crashed and burned. Gamaliel, your chief council elder, was right to point out that this Jesus of Nazareth thing was either of God or would fade away. We accepted his counsel—for the moment—but it didn’t mean we liked it. 
 
But that’s the problem. Things haven’t faded away, and here we have another Jesus on our hands. Things have quickly escalated and here we are… again. But, this Stephen, how can he be so calm? Doesn’t he realize how serious this issue is? He has the full, vitriolic attention of the 71 faces staring down at him—people who may determine whether he is innocent or guilty, alive or dead. 
 
“Are these accusations true?” one of the elders cries out. “Well… answer me!”
 
Surprisingly you see a man who looks as if he has been waiting for this key moment his entire life. It’s like he was made to step up to the plate for this amazing opportunity. No fear. Instead, you see a man who is in his right mind and has a clear head.
 
As you listen to Stephen begin, you hear him address a common ancestor—Abraham, who was attended by God and promised a land for his future, his legacy. So, out of obedience, Abraham left Ur to Haran, and when his father passed away, he continued to journey west along the Euphrates, into Syria and eventually into the land of the Canaanites. 
 
Even at the time when Abraham had no land or children, God promised an inheritance of extensive land and numerous descendants. 
 
“Check,” you think. “So far the story is accurate.” Israel as you know it is the result of God’s covenanted promise made to Abraham.
 
But even as Abraham was promised, God spoke of a time of proving for these descendants—a 400 year time of exile and slavery underneath the harsh leadership of a foreign land. 
 
“Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and his siblings, who would be known as the patriarchs? Check, check, check, and check x12.”
 
You know the story, and evidently Stephen knows the story too. But where was he going with this? Why is he retelling a story that we’ve all known since childhood? Is Stephen a bit off, or is he taking this message somewhere?
 
As a lawyer, you understand the nature of what is needed to prove your case. As you hear Stephen working through Israel’s history, something dawns upon you by the time Stephen reviews the life of Moses. Stephen is clearly articulating a case, and he’s using God’s big picture to explain what God has been trying to accomplish through a stubborn people. So, Stephen covers:
 
  • God’s covenant promise to Abraham (vss 2-5)
  • God’s covenant promise reiterated through Abraham’s descendants (vss 5-19)
  • God’s raising up of Moses to fulfill His covenant promises (vss 20-38)
  • God’s promise of a future prophet like Moses (vs 37)
  • God’s continuation to bring His representative leaders, Israel’s unwillingness to listen and hunger for other gods (vss 39-50)
 
Despite God’s promises, Israel has demonstrated an unwillingness to take God at his promises—rebelliously kicking and screaming through their whole 1500 year history. Ironically, Israel has pridefully counted itself as a deeply religious and spiritual bunch, yet in its preservation to maintain its religious fervor, Israel has dismissed God’s promises and even killed His representatives. What is even more ironic is how each of Israel’s generations has venerated God’s representatives that preceded them, only to kill God’s present representative because they regarded him as a heretic worthy of death. This is seen nowhere else quite like the way Israel has crucified God’s ultimate promise representative—God’s Messiah and King. 
 
Even now it’s happening right in front of you as Stephen pleads with you and your fellow judges to be made right with God.
 
Finally, you understand where Stephen is headed. Time and time again, God has promised and led Israel, but time and time again, Israel has been an unfaithful, spoiled brat. 
 
“How dare you insult me! I have dedicated my whole life to serve God. So devout and personally holy is my everyday life, yet here you are, some lowlife who wants to accuse me of playing the whore with God?”
 
You feel the anger as you glance around the room at your constituents. They feel the same way as you, as all of you take insult after insult from a guy who says he speaks for God. Then you hear the direct attack.
 
“You pride yourselves on fully knowing the Law, yet you have failed to live it.”
 
“That does it!” You’re fuming, and you’ve heard enough. This issue isn’t against Israel, this issue is now personal. It’s an attack against you. Then one more thing to ice the cake:
 
“Look, heaven is opening up right now and the Son of Man is standing at the right hand of God.” 
 
“The ultimate blasphemy,” you think. “We’ve all heard it. The witnesses were right. This man must be put to death.”
 
Eager to get this done, a mob of you rush to violently grab Stephen, drag him out of the temple grounds, pick up one to five pound rocks, and commence a Lawful stoning. 
 
If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you to find out if you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from among you.
 
“If your brother, your mother’s son, or your son or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul, entice you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods’ (whom neither you nor your fathers have known, of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end),you shall not yield to him or listen to him; and your eye shall not pity him, nor shall you spare or conceal him. But you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. So you shall stone him to death because he has sought to seduce you from the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of [slavery. Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such a wicked thing among you.
— Deuteronomy 13:1-11
 
Here’s your rationale. Stephen is obviously a false prophet. So you judge against him.
 
With each pounding blow, you marvel at how Stephen is connecting with God as if he knows him. Even at his very worst, as each rock leaves its impact, Stephen simply trusts that Jesus will receive him. Even his final words are a plea on my behalf. “Stephen is thinking about me and my offense more than he is about his own pain and imminent death. How is that possible?”
 
Steven’s story is to identify who God has been with and who God has been against. The human condition has always been to assume that we are in alignment with God. That’s exactly what the Jews have been fighting over for years. Then Jesus comes and clearly evidences that he is from the father, and deeply religious people kill him. This is Steven’s point. You’ve crucified the one who God was with. A slam at two levels—1) that the Jews were in the hook for Jesus’ death and 2) that the Jews who were convinced that they were aligned with God missed out when God showed up.
 
Flesh this out…
Deeply religious people do not necessarily know God. God evidences Himself into the lives of those who know Him. Do you bear the evidence of God?