Philip's Greatest Prize

“Philip had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.”  Acts 21:9

Philip might not have been in the spotlight, but neither had he been in the shadows.  Years before, when the Spirit’s fire had first fallen on the church at Jerusalem, Philip was in the middle of the divine blaze.   Though not one of the twelve apostles, he was chosen to be one of seven deacons—men “full of the Spirit and wisdom”(Acts 6:4) who would care for the needs of the ever-increasing congregation.  But Philip’s ministry went way beyond looking out for widows.  He began to teach and preach, and after Stephen’s martyrdom, “went to Samaria and proclaimed Christ there”(Acts 8:5).  Miraculous signs and wonders flowed through his words and from his touch.  “With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed”(Acts 8:7), and people were astonished at what they saw.

In the midst of the Samaritan revival, the Lord sent Philip down the desert road to meet a government official searching for God, and as soon as the man was baptized, the Spirit suddenly took Philip away.  “He appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea”(Acts 8:40), and then for thirteen chapters we hear no more about Philip until Paul is making his way to Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey, and we find him spending the night “at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven”(Acts 8).  What had Philip been doing in the intervening years?  Obviously still sharing Christ, for he was referred to as “the evangelist,” but the next verse gives us a more complete picture.  “Philip had four unmarried daughters who prophesied”(Acts 21:9). Philip had been busy raising Godly girls. 

Maybe it’s because I have three daughters of my own, maybe it’s because I’ve often been guilty of focusing on others before my own family, maybe it’s because I spend part of each week with teenage girls seeking their place and their purpose, but most likely all these reasons cause this verse to grab my heart and not let go.  Girls—and boys—need God.  And they need parents who seek, sacrifice, and ensure that they get Him. If you’ve been given the gift of kids, you’ve been given the great responsibility to pour the truth of Jesus Christ into their lives by every possible means—and that mostly means that moms and dads must love Him in real life in their own lives.  Your family should be your priority over your employment, your entertainment, and even your ministry at church.  The spiritual growth of your children should be a bigger focus than their academic development, their athletic involvement, and their social interactions.  Our great commission from Jesus is to make disciples—to nurture, encourage, and develop followers of Christ, and obedience to this command begins at home.

It is no random coincidence that this verse just happened to be in the passage from Acts for today.  For the past few days I have been pondering whether to accept or decline a position of service which would be exciting, fulfilling, and is quite suited to my gifts and talents—but not to my schedule, not if I am to keep my commitment to be home and to be here for my girls for the next few years as they grow and go through the middle school and high school.  The position is a great opportunity to serve others, to expand contacts, to travel several states and meet new people, but the three sweet, sleepy faces around the breakfast table need me more.  There are no books I could write, no conferences I could lead, and no board meetings I could attend that are more important and more effective right now than the noisy swim meets, the quiet tennis matches, the endless lunchboxes, the messy counters, the math homework, and the prayers for history tests that make up my days, and so I will say no.

“Philip had four unmarried daughters who prophesied”(Acts 21:9).  Let this verse be an encouragement and a reminder of what really matters and why He matters.  We can give our children everything, but unless we give them a rich knowledge of God, they will be very poor. 

Don’t let life schedule you.  You schedule life, and be busy raising Godly kids.

You only have a few years to get the job done.

Giving Over

“When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, ‘The Lord’s will be done.’”  Acts 21:14

What do you do when those you love won’t do what you want them to do?  It’s not that their plans are wrong; it’s just that they’re not so safe, or not so sane, or not so sensible—at  least not to you.  What do you then?

Paul’s friends faced this exact problem.  One could say Paul was bound and determined to go to Jerusalem, but the truth was that if Paul went to Jerusalem, he would be bound and detained.  God’s Spirit had said so through a prophet named Agabus.  While visiting in Caesarea, “he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, ‘The Holy Spirit says, “In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles”(Acts 21:11).

When Paul’s friends heard this prophecy, they pleaded with him to stay put or to go to a different place.  Why walk directly into danger?  Why head straight into harm?  Earlier in the trip, other Christians had “urged Paul through the Spirit not to go on to Jerusalem”(Acts 21:4), and with tears, pleas, and “please,” these friends now begged the same.  But Paul simply answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart?  I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus”(Acts 21:13).  Paul’s words weren’t impromptu bravado.  He knew what suffering for Jesus meant.  His back bore scars from beatings.  His bones had been bruised when stoned.  Paul realized the road ahead wasn’t safe, but he was sure he wanted to take it—and nothing anyone said was going to stop him, so they stopped.  “When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, ‘The Lord’s will be done’”(Acts 21:14).

Professors, preachers, and theologians still debate whether or not Paul should have gone to Jerusalem, but since we can’t be sure, let’s stick to what know.  Paul wanted to go, but his friends didn’t want him to.  At some point they had to give up what they thought was best and trust God to do what He knew was best—“The Lord’s will be done.”  This is hard to do and still hold someone close, but Paul’s friends didn’t send him on alone just because they didn’t agree.  Luke records, “After this, we got ready and went up to Jerusalem.  Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us”(Acts 21:15).  As the old saying goes, “A good friend will bail you out of jail.  A great friend will be sitting in the cell with you.”  I’m not advocating lawlessness but loyalty—even when God’s path isn’t so plain.

Sometimes we just can’t be sure where God is leading those we love.  We can plea and please as we think best, but when we throw up our hands and place them in God’s hands, they’re in the best place they could be.

It goes beyond giving up to giving over.

Common Ground

“Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days.”  Acts 21:4

My oldest daughter and several others in her youth group returned five days ago from a Spring Break out-of-state mission trip.  If offered the option, all would gleefully head back this very moment.  Why?  Was picking up tornado debris really that exciting?  Was clearing abandoned fields and cleaning neglected yards that exhilarating? No, it wasn’t what they did but who they met which makes them want to return. 

They have little in common—our group and these people to whom they have become so attached.  They are from different cultures and different continents.  They aren’t close in age and are in separate stages of life.  The students are focused on homework and facebook.  Their new friends have small children and are trying to scrape by.   But the love and grace of Jesus created a connection that will long endure. 

It’s supposed to be that way.   Christians, no matter our various backgrounds or diverse bank accounts, should quickly bond with those who share belief in Jesus.  As we mix and mingle in the different locations of life, we should tell God’s good news to those who don’t know Him, and we should also look for and link up with the ones who do. 

As soon the Apostle Paul’s sailing ship landed at Tyre, he started searching.  “Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days”(Acts 21:4).  The boat’s cargo was being unloaded, and all Paul and his travelling buddies had to do was wait, but instead of whittling time away at cafes near the docks, they started looking for those who also loved Jesus.  Their fraternity was based on faith—and not much else.  Paul was Jewish, and the people of Tyre were Phoenicians.  Just like our youth group and its newfound friends, their cultures were different, their ages weren’t all the same, they were in separate stages of life—and they only had a few days together.  But the love and grace of Jesus created a connection that will long endure.  “When our time was up, we left and continued on our way.  All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray”(Acts 21:5). 

Before our group left last Friday, they also shared a prayer—not on a beach but by the bus.  To them, it didn’t matter where they were; it was who they were with—the family of faith. 

We don’t have to be alike to really like each other. 
Our common ground is at the cross.  Let’s stand together.

Never Say Goodbye

“I know that none of you…will ever see me again.”  Acts 20:25

Prom 1987.  Guarded by vigilant chaperones and photo-popping parents, scores of sharply dressed students danced the night away under the boldly glittered theme of “Never Say Goodbye.”  But we did.  The clock struck twelve. Graduation arrived.  And I haven’t seen my date in over two decades.  Seasons change, time rolls by and life goes on, but I still don’t like saying goodbye.  Few do, for though some farewells come easy, others are excruciating.

Rewind time two thousand years.  You’re at a Turkish harbor watching crowds come and go when a certain group of men catches your eye.  They’re huddled together, hugging and holding on for as long as possible.  At the center is the Apostle Paul, and those around him are Ephesians. Since the city of Ephesus is inland, these men had traveled to the shore to meet Paul’s ship to say hello—and goodbye.  For good.

“I know that none of you…will ever see me again” (Acts 20:25), Paul told them as tears streamed down all their faces.  For three years, Paul had lived with them and loved them.  He had taught them the truth of Christ and the Christian life, but he was much more than a teacher or preacher.  Paul was their friend, and he was their family.  Their connection with him and their affection for him moved beyond the ordinary boundaries of the natural world to the binding, bonding love of God’s Spirit, and none wanted to say goodbye.

But they knew they had to, so Paul left them with an exhortation, an encouragement, and an embrace.  “Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock.  Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.  I commit you to God and to the word of his grace which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.  When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.  They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him”(Acts 20:28,32,36).  Then they walked him to the boat.

Luke describes their leaving like this—“After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Cos”(Acts 21:1).  On the sea and on the shore, hearts were breaking at the sadness of separation.  Perhaps you’ve been there—at an airport, at the front door, by a casket.  Sometimes the separation is for part of life.  Sometimes it’s for all of life.  But, in Christ, it’s not forever. 

Don’t be ashamed of the tears.  Don’t be afraid to embrace.  But always remember to hope.  When the ones we love are committed to God and to the word of His grace, we can trust Him to bring us back together.

Perhaps the prom theme should be our theme.  Never say goodbye, for in Christ we can truly say, “See you later.”

On The God With God

“The next day we set sail from there and arrived at Kios.  The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus.”  Acts 20:15

As of midnight, our Spring Break officially ended, and now we need a break!  Not really, but the past ten days were a wonderful blur of many miles, five states, and more money spent on gas than I care to compute.  For all of our family, this vacation would best be described as “On The Go.”  I felt a bit weary recounting our wanderings until I read these verses about Paul.  “When Paul met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene.  The next day we set sail from there and arrived at Kios.  The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus”(Acts 20:14-15).

Whew! At least I travelled in a climate-controlled car!  Paul mode of transportation was boat, and the cruise line wasn’t Carnival, but Paul wasn’t on a pleasure trip.  He had a purpose for his pace—“He was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost”(Acts 20:16).  We had reason for our roamings too—visit our oldest daughter on her first week-long missions trip, redeem our repaired vehicle from its out-of-state breakdown spot, and spend time with parents, cousins, and siblings who live far but stay close, so we hit the road, had a great time together, then headed home.

Sounds a lot like the Christian life.  Though heaven is our ultimate destination, our journey with Jesus on earth is preparation and practice for eternity.  Every minute and every mile make a difference.  This path will take you higher and farther than you have ever dreamed, but the road also dips deeper and darker than you would ever plan.  Trust the One who set the course.  As a Christ-follower, you need not wander aimlessly.  He has purpose for each step you take and for every person you meet along the way.  He wants to have a great time together while you’re here, and He’s the One who is the way home.

Christians can’t be “homebodies” because we’re not there yet, so enjoy the journey, know the reason for your roaming, and don’t miss the much along the way.

Be on the go with God, and you’ll really get somewhere—no matter where you are.

The Sermon and The Snooze

“Seated in the window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on.”  Acts 20:9

We’ve all heard the story of the young seminarian who fell asleep during a less than engaging chapel sermon and was awakened by a jab from a next seat buddy mischievously informing him with that he had been called on to pray.  Though it’s just hearsay, I’m sure it’s happened somewhere—a speaker, locked behind the pulpit and droning on and on between points two and three, is hastily interrupted by a loudly issued, “Our Heavenly Father, we call on Thee today…” voiced by a lone student standing awkwardly in the crowd.

We laugh, but when Paul preached in Troas, the one who slipped to sleep didn’t stand up, he fell down—down three stories down and died.  No one was to blame.  Paul and company were on a good-bye tour, backtracking through Greek and Turkey, “speaking many words of encouragement to the people”(Acts 20:2).  When he got to Troas, emphasis would be on the word “many,” for Paul wanted to make his last day last and “because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight”(Acts 20:7).  Surely what Paul said wasn’t boring, and we know it was important, but after 11 pm, it’s hard to pay attention.  “Seated in the window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on.  When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story window and was picked up dead”(Acts 20:9) 

You would think the gasps, distress, and rush downstairs would have ended the service, but, no, it was only interrupted, for Paul threw himself on the young man, put his arms around him, and declared, “Don’t be alarmed.  He’s alive!”  Then Paul headed back upstairs, had a snack, and talked on till daylight.

And you thought your preacher was long-winded!

From Greece To God

“What you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.”  Acts 17:23

Where do you start when people need God but are so far from the truth that they don’t even know what to look for?  You start where they are.

Need an example?  Greece is the word—Athens, Greece, more specifically.  The Apostle Paul arrived there alone, sent by ship for safety, and while waiting to be joined by his missionary cohorts, headed out for a look around town.  “He was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols”(Acts 17:1) and began speaking the truth of Jesus in the synagogue and in the streets.  Seems that all in Athens considered themselves philosophers, and Paul’s comments about the resurrection caught their attention because “the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas”(Acts 17:21). They invited Paul to the Aeropagus (the meeting hill of Athens’ judicial council) to listen to his “new teaching” and “strange ideas.”

Standing in the midst of a place crowded with statues and temples of gods and demigods, where would Paul begin?  A lecture on Abraham, Moses, or Elijah wouldn’t go far.  A lesson in Jewish history pointing to Jesus wouldn’t work here, and even a repetition of the Sermon on the Mount would fall short, so Paul started with what the people knew—idolatry.  But instead of condoning or condemning their practice, he simply commented on their fervor and on a statue he had seen in town.  (And he said it far better than anyone else ever could.)

“Men of Athens!  I see that in every way you are very religious.  For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:  TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as unknown I am going to proclaim to you”(Acts 17:22-23).

And starting there Paul spoke the truth of Jesus.  “The God who made the world and everything in it…does not live in temples built by human hands.  And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else…He determined the times set for men and the exact places where they should live.  God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.  For in him we live and move and have our being…He commands all people everywhere to repent.  For he has set a day when he will judge the world by the Man he has appointed.  He has give proof of this…by raising him from the dead”(Acts 17:24-31). This teaching of the resurrection caused some to sneer but others to say, “We want to hear you again”(Acts 17:32), and several more believed.

Twenty years ago in a mission training session, I heard this statement and it stuck.  “God meets people where they are to transform them into who He wants them to become.”

Don’t start where they aren’t.
Begin where they are, be bold with the truth, and trust God to do the rest.

You Can Always Look It Up

“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Acts 17:11

We want to take people at their word, but when it comes to God’s Word, it’s best to look it up.  Lots of folks have lots to say about Jesus.  Some are right. Some are wrong.  Some misguide by ignorance; some malign on purpose—and the only way to know who’s speaking truth is to see for yourself. 

In the Greek city of Thessalonica, some residents accepted what the Apostle Paul said at face value while others rejected it on the spot, but up the road in Berea, those who listened looked it up. “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true”(Acts 17:11).  What Paul said sounded good, but the Bereans wanted to make sure it was God.  They received Paul’s message with enthusiasm and then checked the Bible each day to confirm his teaching with God’s truth.

When a preacher, priest, or pal talks who God is and what the Bible says, verify their words with God’s.  Modern technology puts Bible dictionaries and concordances at your fingertips—literally.  You can quickly search keywords, phrases, and topics for exact references.  When someone quotes a verse, look it up and consider its interpretation in the context of the situation and the whole of Scripture.  If a person is offended or upset because you are seeking to validate what they said God said, he or she is someone you shouldn’t listen to when it comes to such things.  An honest teacher of God’s truth is thrilled when those who hear go straight to the Source and look it up.  In Scripture, God has revealed Who He is, what He desires, and what is to come.  Of all people, His people should be people of the Book.

Don’t take my word for it.
Take His.