Category: Resurrection

Acts 18 — Paul In Corinth Part I

~ mikethemissionary

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Christ!

In Acts 17, Paul was in Athens, where he wrote his first Epistles: I Thessalonians and II Thessalonians. In this post, Paul will move on to Corinth.

Fill us with your Holy Spirit, Father, and give us understanding as we read your word, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Acts 18:1-11
1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;

Before the Battle of Corinth in 146 BC, Corinth was a powerful city-state, with many Corinthian settlements extending far beyond the city walls. After being conquered by the Romans, however, the entire region became Roman public property. By the time Paul arrived, Corinth was a Roman colony, the capital of the Roman province of Achaia.

In Athens, it was Athena who looked out over the city from high atop the Acropolis. In Corinth, it is Aphrodite. Aphrodite was the patroness not just of Corinth, but also of the many prostitutes in the city. These prostitutes took an active role in the annual festival of Aphrodesia, a celebration held in honor of Aphrodite. The temple to Aphrodite was built on the highest point of the acropolis overlooking Corinth, called Acrocorinth. As a licentious and hedonistic city, the word ‘Corinthian’ has become synonymous with licentiousness and hedonism. Corinth was also a center of trade. Because of Corinth’s unique location, there were always travelers coming and going.

Road leading to Acrocorinth

Ruins of the church, then the mosque, built where the temple of Aphrodite was.


Map of Corinth in Paul’s day

2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.
3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

Rabbis in the first century generally supported themselves with a trade. The rabbis famously said, He who does not teach his son a trade teaches him to be a thief. Paul’s trade was tentmaking. Paul said he had power to live off the gospel, but he did not use it in Corinth. (I Cor 9:11f)

Pricilla and Aquila were a dynamic Christian couple. They became Paul’s fellowservants and even risked their lives to help Paul. (Rom 16:3) They went on to host a home church in their house in Asia (I Cor 16:19) and also later in Rome (Rom 16:5). They will be instrumental in discipling Apollos, a mighty leader in the early church (v 28).

4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.

Although Paul was busy tentmaking to pay the bills, he was faithful to evangelize in the synagogue on the sabbath. Opportunities probably arose throughout his workweek as well.

5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

II Corinthians 11:9 says that Silas and Timothy brought a gift from the Christians in Macedonia, which was undoubtedly a great help to Paul. It probably allowed him to spend more time ministering the gospel and less time tentmaking. We are seeing a real team effort here: Paul’s friends back in Macedonia, Silas, Timothy, Priscilla and Aquila, plus more to come below (Justus, Crispus and his family, Apollos). This is among the most rewarding aspects of ministering the gospel, the friends and fellowservants who you meet who help you along the way.

6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

Paul also said this in Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13:46), yet he continued going to the synagogue whenever he went to a new town, and he will continue to do so. Paul did not mean he would go unto the Gentiles, period. He meant he would go unto the Gentiles in Corinth. When he goes to Ephesus in Acts 19, he will go to the synagogue as he always does.

7 And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man’s house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.

Justus’ full name may have been Titus Justus, or possibly even Gaius Titus Justus. I will leave that for you to investigate further should you feel so inclined.

8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:
10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

This part of the narrative reminds me of an experience I had in Mudzimurema, Zimbabwe — a little town that was full of thieves. When my friends and I arrived there, we were not received warmly, and I was thinking about moving on to a different town, but one of my friends had a dream telling us there was fruit in the town that was ripe for picking. We ended up having great meetings, and the next night, people were knocking on our door to get saved. Some of the people who seemed least likely to get saved did get saved. We also found there were many others in the town besides the rough-looking guys we met when we first arrived. There were families and nice people there.

Corinth was a wicked city with a bad reputation, but there were lots of people there, and where there are people, there is a mission field. Verses 9 and 10 have spoken to me personally in many different cities I have visited throughout my travels. I have found that when I will just open my mouth and give out the gospel, people will almost always respond. I have never had a hair of my head harmed for doing so. I have been harassed in lots of different ways, but I have never been worse for wear. One guy tried to hit me once in Vasco Da Gama, but I slipped out of it, and he didn’t connect well enough to get me. I told him I wasn’t afraid of him, and he eventually left. He got his hand broken (or hurt badly) almost immediately after leaving us. I didn’t have any more trouble from him after that.

11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
Acts 18:1-11

I think Paul was discouraged after the opposition he met in verse 6, or else Jesus would not have had to encourage him in verses 9 and 10. Paul was encouraged, and he stayed to teach the word in Corinth for another year and a half. Paul did not give up; he persevered with some help from his friends.

Ajay Haridasse collapsed from exhaustion as he was approaching the finish line at the Boston Marathon last week, but he did not give up. He fell three more times and was getting ready to crawl when another runner, Aaron Beggs stopped to help him. This inspired a third runner, Robson De Oliveira to help as well. All three, from three different countries, and all dying of exhaustion, crossed the finish line together. Never give up, and when you see someone who needs help, be sure to help. (Matt 7:12) Paul could not have accomplished all he did without help.

Paul’s life illustrates the principle that the more you put into practice the truths that God reveals to you, the more He will continue to reveal. As Paul obediently went where God sent him, the going got harder and harder, but Paul kept going. As Paul continued in obedience, God continued to reveal more and more to him. He was given sign gifts and worked miracles. He spoke in tongues. He wrote beautiful Epistles that are still changing lives today. The fruit of Paul’s journeys was not just the souls that were saved, but the formation of the New Testament. Now that’s what I call a Lifetime Achievement Award.

In closing, let’s take a closer look at verse 2. Priscilla and Aquila had to leave Rome when Claudius Caesar kicked the Jews out of the city. Persecution because of antisemitism is something that we Gentiles do not think much about, but for a Jew, antisemitism is an ever-present danger, and it is drastically increasing in our day. The closer we get to the rapture, the more antisemitism we are seeing.

Antisemitism will not last forever. We even see a subtle allusion to this in Romans 16:3-5. Priscilla and Aquila eventually moved back to Rome. When Jesus returns, Jerusalem will be the capital of the world, and people from every country will annually flow to Israel to worship Messiah and keep the Feast of Tabernacles. Those who do not go up to Jerusalem during the millennium to worship Messiah and keep the Feast of Tabernacles will not receive rain. (Zec 14:16f)

Acts 17:15-34 – Paul In Athens

~ mikethemissionary

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Christ!

When we left off in our last post, the troublemakers from Thessalonica pursued Paul to Berea, causing him to flee once more. This persecution kept Paul moving and, in turn, spreading the gospel even more.

In Acts 17, we get a closer look at the world of the New Testament period. Before Christianity triumphed over paganism, the ancient world was a very bizarre place.

As our section opens, Paul is being conducted by sea to Athens, while Silas and Timothy stay behind in Berea and Thessalonica. This allowed them to minister to the new believers who needed discipleship.

Father, fill us with your Holy Spirit and open our understanding as we read your precious word. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Acts 17:15-34
15 And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.

After they drop Paul off in Athens, he gives them a message to take back to Silvanus and Timothy: Come to Athens as soon as possible. When they come, they have a list of questions from the Christians in Thessalonica. It was at this time that Paul wrote I Thessalonians. Then they returned with more questions, so Paul wrote II Thessalonians. Later, Timothy and Silas joined Paul again in Corinth to continue on the mission trip. (Acts 18:5)

16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

The patroness of Athens was, of course, Athena. According to legend, Athena bested Poseidon in a contest for patronage of Athens by creating an olive tree. Her idol in the Parthenon atop the Acropolis was 39’ tall, 43’ tall including the base. Made of ivory and clothed in gold, the statue of Athena was a powerful idol, inasmuch as its aesthetic beauty made it very enticing.

For example, many in Southern India worship the folk deity, Muneeswarar, which is nothing more than an oval rock, about 15” long, painted orange, with a horizontal thick black line for a mouth and two X’s for eyes, also made with thick black lines.


AI-generated image

If people will worship that, how much more would they be enticed to worship the colossal image of Athena Parthenos, “Athena the Virgin”? I suspect this is why the Acropolis Museum in Athens does not have a replica. The museum has a small hologram that shows what the idol looked like:

    If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
    And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:
    This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.
Job 31:26-28

The Roman counterpart to Athena was Minerva. She was therefore worshiped in one form or another throughout the empire. Expanding on the teaching of the Old Testament, Paul wrote that behind every idol a devil is waiting to be worshiped (Deut 32:17; Ps 106:37; I Cor 10:20f), whether it be the sun, the moon, Athena, or Muneeswarar.

Athena was just one of the many idols worshiped in Athens. (More on that below.) Seeing how the city was wholly given to idolatry, a righteous indignation was stirred in Paul. If there is one sin that God really hates, it is idolatry—so much so that God forbade his people to even utter the names of the idols worshiped by the heathen nations. (Ex 23:13)

17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.

What was it that Paul was disputing in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons? The Jews did not worship idols. The Babylonian captivity cured them of that, even unto today. Paul was disputing the same thing he preached everywhere he went, the resurrection of Christ.

In the market (Gk agora), Paul got the attention of the Epicureans, who were libertines, and the Stoics, who were ascetics.


The market, viewed from the north
(The Areopagus is directly behind the market, below the Acropolis.)

18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?


This screenshot shows where Paul started in the marketplace (the upper-left quarter of the image) before they took him to the Areopagus (lower-left quarter of the image).

20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

The Areopagus was dedicated to Ares, the god of war. His Roman counterpart was Mars. Dr Luke gives us the Greek name, Areopagus (lit Hill of Ares), as well as the Latin name in verse 22, Mars’ Hill. This is where the Areopagus Council met to judge cases of murder, sacrilege, and arson.


The summit of Mars’ Hill viewed from the Acropolis

The fact that they led Paul to Mars’ Hill shows that they were interested in hearing what he had to say. Paul had a captive audience, as they are very much into the art of oratory. Paul does not disappoint:

22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

It is commonly said today that a better translation of ‘too superstitious’ would be ‘very religious’. Those who make this claim say that Paul would not start by rebuking the Athenians but would rather compliment them. I suppose these same folks would have John the Baptist beginning with ‘O generation of religious brethren, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come’. All kidding aside, Paul’s message is filled with rebukes against idolatry. It would not make much sense, therefore, for him to begin by commending them for it.

23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

The Athenians had an altar for every god, but if there was a god they did not know about, they did not want to offend him, so they made an altar for him, just in case. Paul is here to tell them about their UNKNOWN GOD.

24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

Paul made this declaration in the midst of a city filled with temples—on Mars’ Hill, where there were many sanctuaries, including that of the Erinyes, or the Furies to the Romans. Directly above was the temple of Athena on the Acropolis.


The Acropolis viewed from Nymphs Hill at nightfall

25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

First Paul attacks their temples, then he attacks the idols inside their temples. Paul’s reference to ‘men’s hands’ was a direct reference to idoatry, ie the work of men’s hands. (Deut 4:28; II Kings 19;18; Ps 115:4; Ps 135;15; Isa 37:19) The Athenians felt their idols honored God, but Paul dispelled this idea. If for no other reason, you have to admire Paul for his bravery. Preaching against idolatry in Athens would be like preaching against basketball in the Crypto.com Arena. 

26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

Because of their fine architecture, their famous philosophers, their theaters, and the arts, the Athenians thought they were a ‘cut above the rest’. Paul is rebuking their conceit. We have all been made of one blood (ie Adam). The ‘time before appointed’ in their day was the beginning of the church age following the first coming of Christ. In our day, the ‘time before appointed’ is the closing of the church age and the second coming of Christ. They owe their Greek pedigree, which they are so proud of, to God, as He set the bounds of their habitation.

27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

The idea that you are closer to God when you go to a temple (or a church) is still widespread today. This was one of the tenets of the Reformation, and born-again Christians understand that one can be just as close to God in his garage or his basement as in a church.

Paul drives his point home by quoting a couple of their Greek poets, Aratus of Soli and Cleanthes. Both had written odes to Zeus, which said, ‘We are his offspring.” Paul does not put a fine point on it to clarify his meaning. They know what he means. Luke 3:38 says Adam was the son of God (cf Gen 2:7).

29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.

Again Paul strikes at their false gods, which were made of gold, silver, and stone.

30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

The age in which God closed his eyes to their idolatry was so brief from God’s perspective that it was just a wink, but now that Christ is risen, Paul says that all men everywhere need to repent.

31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

The ancient Greeks, heavily influenced by Plato, saw bodily resurrection as a foolish idea. Nevertheless, whenever the gospel is given out, there are always those who respond.

33 So Paul departed from among them.

Paul drops his mic and walks away. But some of them follow after him:

34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
Acts 17:15-34

To the west of the summit, Mars’ Hill sloped down toward the marketplace. On this slope was the Areopagus residential area, which belonged to the prestigious district of Melite. Dionysius lived there, which means he was a well-to-do individual. According to tradition, Dionysius was Athens’ first bishop, but I wonder who Damaris was? When I was in Athens last year, I noticed that the women were into health and beauty. Many of them could be described as chic. I like to think of Damaris as a Greek matron with style and grace.


Images of Greek matrons

There is no Epistle to the Athenians. Paul preached in the center of Greek philosophy and learning, but the message was not received as well as it was in Thessalonica and Berea. I think it was because they were too smart for their own good. (Pr 26:12; Luke 10:21; I Cor 1:26)

I believe another reason the gospel was not well received in Athens was because of their idolatry. I have never met anyone so blinded to spiritual truth as those who worship idols. There is something of a revival taking place in the Muslim world, but not among Hindus. My experience with them was similar to Paul’s in Athens. There were some who believed, but most were not open to the gospel.

15 The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;
17 They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.
18 They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.
Psalm 135:15-18

The Bible begins with a commandment not to worship idols (Ex 20:3-5), and ends with people worshiping the image of the beast. (Rev 13:14f) Then, as the canon of Scripture closes, those who worship idols are cast into the lake of fire. (Rev 21:8)

But before we are too quick to pass judgment on the Athenians in our text, let us take a look at ourselves. Concerning idolatry, the Bible says:

     For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
1 Samuel 15:23

Have you been resisting God’s will in a certain matter? According to the Bible, that is idolatry, and idolaters will not get into heaven. In I Corinthians 6:9, Paul says as much and gives a long list of other sins that will keep people out of heaven. But then he writes, And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (I Cor 6:11) In other words, our sins are forgiven. If you have not yet received Christ as your Saviour, do not delay. Repent of your sin, and abide in the word which will cleanse you of your sins. (Ps 119:9)

In closing, I do not think there is any question that AI is the Parthenon of our day. I used AI to generate an image for this post, which is a story in itself. First, it denied that such an idol as I described existed in India. Then, I used a more advanced version that conceded the idol existed, but said there are no images available on the web. So I had it generate one, which was laughable, as it made it look shiny and spiffy. After some more tries and Photoshoping it to make it look realistic, I asked the AI how it was able to generate the image if it could not find a picture to go by. It then denied generating the image. The amount of money and energy consumption being poured into AI is nothing short of obscene, but that is nothing compared to the effect it is having on society. It is all leading to the mark of the beast and the image of the beast in Revelation 13. Jesus is the way out. I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Acts 17:1-14 – Amphipolis, Apollonia, Thessalonica, and Berea

~ mikethemissionary

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Christ!

As Chapter 16 concluded, Paul and Co (Silas, Timothy, and Dr Luke) were in the Roman colony, Philippi. As Acts 17 opens, they are continuing along the Via Egnatia. First through Amphipolis, north of the Strymonian Gulf; then on to Apollonia, south of Lake Volvi; then on to Thessalonica, on the northern tip of the Thermaic Gulf.

To us, this was the ancient world, but to Paul, it was the modern world. God was speaking again after 400 years of silence. Paul was travelling on a Roman road that stretched from the Adriatic Sea to the Bosporus Straight, connecting several Roman colonies. Being fluent in the universal language of Greek served Paul the same as English serves us when we travel today.


Via Egnatia shown in maroon

Paul may have seen the Lion of Amphipolis on his way, an ancient artifact that was lost to time but recently rediscovered early in the 20th Century. There is a landmark in Apollonia called the Stand of the Apostle Paul, where, according to tradition, he taught. Other than the flat rock itself (the Stand), there is not much there except for some plaques and a couple of small shrines. We do not know what Paul’s ministry looked like as they travelled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, as Dr Luke does not tell us. 


The Stand of the Apostle Paul in Apollonia

Father, thank You for the ministry of the apostle Paul, and for keeping your promise to preserve his precious Epistles for us. (Ps 12:6f) Your word is more precious than the finest pearls, the most precious diamonds, or anything else this world has to offer. Fill us with your Holy Spirit and give us understanding as we read it, Father, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Acts 17:1-14
1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:

Dr Luke notably uses ‘they’ here, indicating he stayed behind to pastor the new church in Philippi as Paul and Co continued without him. They will collect Dr Luke again when Paul returns to Philippi on his third mission trip with a new team. (Acts 20:6) The synagogue where Paul preached was probably on the south side of Thessalonica by the port. The Jewish quarter there was destroyed and later rebuilt, then destroyed again in the Fire of 1917.

According to the Jewish Museum of Thessalonica, Thessalonica had a Jewish community from before the time of Paul until the Holocaust. There is an extensive list of Thessalonian Jews who died in the Holocaust at the museum. Most of the survivors left Thessalonica when they returned after the war to find others living in their houses.


List of victims of the Holocaust from Thessalonica (on two opposing walls)

2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ [Messiah].
4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.

Paul’s message is received well, but there’s a but:

5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.

We keep seeing this word believed in Acts. What did they believe? They believed that Jesus rose from the dead (v 3; Rom 10:9). Whenever the gospel was preached, some believed, but some believed not. Dr Luke does not usually record whether they were ‘good’ people or ‘bad’ people. What mattered was whether or not they believed. 

In Thessalonica, the Jews which believed not were moved with envy, for which cause they hired certain lewd fellows of the baser sort — whatever that means, it isn’t good — to stir up trouble and oppose the gospel. Envy, of course, is the same reason they crucified Jesus. (Pr 27:4; Mk 15:10)

6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

Paul and Co were getting quite well-known. While the enemies of the gospel said they turned the world upside down, I say they turned it right-side up. The rulers of the city that Jason and certain brethren were drawn before were probably in the Roman Forum, which was next to the Jewish Quarter. (Like the Lion of Amphipolis, the Roman Forum in Thessalonica was discovered fairly recently by accident in the 1960s.)


Ruins of the Roman Forum in Thessalonica

7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cæsar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

This is the same accusation they levelled against Jesus, that He was contrary to the decrees of Caesar, and was setting Himself up as King. They accused Jesus of forbidding to give tribute to Caesar (Luke 23:2), which was a false accusation. (Mark 12:17) The title placed above Jesus, showing the accusation against him, said JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. (John 19:19)

8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.

Jason and the other brethren who were arrested had to make bail, but were let go. According to Greek Orthodox tradition, the Vlatades Monastery is associated with the site of Jason’s house.


Entrance to the Vlatades Monastery compound

10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

There is a very old synagogue in the Jewish Quarter in Berea that has not held services since World War II. The Jews never returned to Berea after the Holocaust.

12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.
13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people.
14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.
Acts 17:1-14

As our section ends, Paul is getting chased out of town again. My takeaway verse in this section is verse 11. The Bereans were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Verse 12 says Therefore many of them believed. Paul wrote that faith cometh by … the word of God (Rom 10:17), and we see this in the example of the Bereans.

What every Christian wants to hear at the end of his road is Well done, thou good and faithful servant. The Bereans are commended for believing the gospel and searching the Scriptures daily. That tells me this is a good place to start if I want to hear Jesus say Well done, thou good and faithful servant.

We are living in a time of changing ideas and slippery slopes. Accepted scientific ideas are continually being revised and updated. Accepted morals are in a constant state of flux. Yet the Bible has not changed since it was written. It doesn’t have to change because God got it right the first time. Times change, but Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Heb 13:8) 


Memorial to Paul in Berea

Prophecy Update: You may have noticed, as I have, that the same old line about UFOs, the same thing I have been hearing for the last thirty years, that some ‘big thing’ is about to be released, has recently ticked up. I believe the reason for this is that Satan does not know when the rapture will be, but he knows it is soon, the same as the rest of us. Therefore, he always wants to be ready to release his story at a moment’s notice. He has made plenty of preparations, with false prophets who say they can predict the day and the hour, with predictive programming in movies like Avengers: Infinity War, so people think aliens did it. The Bible says Satan is transformed into an angel of light (II Cor 11:14). The Bible says Satan is the prince of the power of the air. (Eph 2:2) If you are reading this after the rapture, do not take the bait. We are in heaven, and the alien deception is just that — deception. If you have not yet received Christ as your personal Saviour, pray this prayer: Father in heaven, I am a sinner. I receive your Son as my personal Saviour. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart. Thank You for the precious blood You shed for me on Calvary. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit and take control of my life. I pray this in your holy and precious name, the name above all names. Amen. If you prayed that, you probably already feel something different. That is the Holy Spirit. Jesus lives in your heart now. Read your Bible now and pray for Jesus to give you the next steps. If you do not want to pray that, then,

     Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.
Acts 13:41

PS: If prophecy seems sensational or superfluous to you, consider that Paul started the Thessalonians on prophecy teaching (II Thess 2:5), and he only had three Sabbath days to work with. (Acts 17:2) Prophecy is not everything, but it’s something — something important enough that Paul taught it in his New Believers class. Do you love his appearing? (II Tim 4:8) The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Maranatha. 

Acts 17:1-3 – Christ Is Risen In Our Hearts!

~ mikethemissionary

Dear Friends,

Greetings in Christ!

In this Resurrection Day post, we come to one of the many resurrection verses in the Book of Acts. Let us pray for God to open our hearts and minds to his word before we read it:

Father, thank You for the precious Bread that came down from heaven, which is more than our necessary food. Open our understanding as we read it, that it may renew and transform our minds, that we may be conformed into the image of your Son, that He may be pleased to dwell in our hearts, that we may know the power of his resurrection. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

1 Now when they [Paul and Co] had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
Acts 17:1-3

As we have been going through Acts, I have been thinking a lot about how to be led of the Spirit, how to be filled with the Spirit, and how to walk in the power and authority of the Holy Spirit. Yet I find that sometimes this is easier said than done.

I know that Christ is risen. I want the power of his resurrection in my life. But when I get behind the wheel to jockey for position in the rat race, my old man takes over. I then wonder, Why do I get defeated this way? In other words, if I am born again and raised with Christ in newness of life, why does my old man dominate as if I am still dead in my sins? For the believer, the resurrection ought to be an ever-present reality that powers us through each day, as the risen Christ now lives in our hearts in the Person of the Holy Spirit.

I recall reading an article in Car and Driver magazine, some 30+ years ago, titled “Snake Dance.” The author relayed her experience driving a Shelby Cobra 427 on a road trip, while her partner drove a Dodge Viper. At one point in the article, a guy on a beater motorcycle with a plastic milk crate bungeed behind the seat notices her and says, “That’s a Shelby Cobra 427,” to which she replies, “Yes, it is.” He then said, “That car should not be driven.” The author then wrote something like, Is it possible that I have just met the stupidest man alive? (1)

I think a lot of us are like the guy on the motorcycle. We have immeasurable power at our disposal through prayer, yet we do not pray. We have a supernatural Book at our fingertips, a Book that some people on this planet would do almost anything to obtain, yet we do not read it.

So we get defeated because we have forgotten the basics. The demands and pressures of life pull us away from our lifelines to God (prayer and the Bible). As we neglect prayer and the Bible, our old man asserts himself. Before long, instead of being raised with Christ in newness of life, we are slipping back into our crypt where the old man feels at home.

Recently, after calling unto God for help concerning this matter (Ps 86:7; Jer 33:3), I heard a preacher on the radio saying research shows that looking at your phone the first thing in the morning is about the worst thing you can do to start your day. That sounded to me like the answer to my prayer, so I made sure to take the preacher’s advice and spend 10 minutes praying with my Bible when I woke up the next day before I did anything else. The effect was nothing short of miraculous. I had a great day and felt 1000 times better than before. A couple of days later, I heard a DJ on the radio say the same thing. (II Cor 13:1)

The morning news feed is usually about death, but God is life and light. Our cellphones point us to the technocracy, which is fostering a dying culture of death, but prayer and the Bible link us to God, who is creating a living kingdom of everlasting life. The times in my life when I felt the most victorious and the most Spirit-filled were times when I was spending every spare moment either praying, reading the Bible, preaching, witnessing, or getting Bible instruction of some sort. When we live that way, the old man does not stand a chance. He is too weak to put up a fight because he has not had anything to eat.

Jesus is coming back soon. He is putting the finishing touches on the New Jerusalem, where we will live for eternity if we have received Him as our personal Saviour through faith alone. In the meantime, Jesus wants to be risen in our hearts and minds each day, that the world may see Him living in us; but they will not see Him in us unless we do our part.

    Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
    And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
John 11:25-26

If I believe this, I’m going to pray and read the Bible. When I pray and read the Bible, I start thinking like a Christian. When I start thinking like a Christian, I start feeling like a Christian. When I start feeling like a Christian, I start acting like a Christian. Then I see I do not just want to act like a Christian, I want Christ to live through me. And He will, when I focus on Him and not on the world.

In closing, we can either feed on the rotting fodder the world offers, or we can feed on the Bread that came down from heaven. We can stumble about like the living dead, or we can walk in the power of the Holy Spirit like the living stones that Christ has called us to be.

Lord Jesus, cleanse my heart with your perfect word, that You may feel at home in my heart, that You may be risen in my heart as King of my soul, a Light that shines brightly through me, lighting the way for myself and others each day as I follow You in all things. Amen.

1 Louise Ann Noeth, “Snake Dance,” Car and Driver, July 1992, 104-109.

PS: When you wake up tomorrow, remember to pick up your Bible and give God 10 minutes before anything else. Whatever it is, it can wait.

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
I Corinthians 15:55-58