Zeal To Behold

Some think sermons last too long today,
Though few extend beyond one-half hour;
Paul preached from first dark to full light of day---
All night long---in Troas; the Spirit’s pow’r
He needed, when a young man went to sleep,
And died by falling three floors to the ground!
Paul went down, hugged the youth, his life to keep;
Then told the crowd, his life was returned sound!
It was midnight; Paul ate; and next resumed
His sermon on Jesus, until the morning;
He bade them adieu, as the new sun bloomed;
The crowd left glad, with no need for mourning!
The zeal of Paul was something to behold,
And it was matched by listeners of old!

“On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. Seated in a 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 and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. ‘Dpn’t be alarmed,’ he said. ‘He’s alive!’ Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.” (Acts 20:7-12)

The personal pronoun “we” in the scripture above refers to Luke, the author of the Books of Acta and the Gospel of Luke. He and Timothy, along with several others, accompanied Paul on this third missionary journey. The passage describes an amazing all-night sermon given by Paul in Troas, Macedonia, in a third-floor room of a house. The expression “broke bread” can refer either to eating a regular meal, or the sacrament of observing the Lord’s Supper, or the Eucharist. The reference to the “many lamps” in the room is probably given as partially causing the young man to fall aleep. Since Paul was not known for his eloquent speaking talent, I expect the interminable sermon was the chief cause of his falling asleep. I can’t imagine a modern congregation sitting through the first portion, until midnight, much less going back up three floors to stay until daylight. It is true, however, that the earliest Christians were known for their ebullience and zeal for hearing the “good news” of salvation; but it is not likely that Paul was able to hold the attention of many congregations all night. Thankfully, the young man’s life was spared by the power of the Holy Spirit, but it is hard for me to picture him going nack to finish the night listening to Paul. Did he have bruises and broken bones? If so, the next 6 hours must have been difficult for him. Maybe Paul healed those injuries, too. The Bible said the crowd was “comforted” when they went home because he was alive; I hope the same could be said for his mother or wife when she learned what happened!

Maybe there wasn’t but one door, and Paul was standing in it. That’s what most preachers today would have to do! Seriously though, the good news of salvation by the free grace of God is well worth sitting through fifty or any number of all-night sermons for the individual who accepts the free gift by believing in Jesus as Lord and Savior, and that's the gospel truth!

Two Errors Set Straight

In Ephesus Paul found a group of men
Who were disciples; they truly believed
In Jesus; they sought for others to win,
But the Holy Spirit they’d not received!
John had baptized them, not in Jesus’ name;
Paul taught and baptized them in the right way;
Laid on them his hands; and the Spirit came;
These rwelve bore much fruit for God from that day!
Some lost Jews tried to use the name of Paul
To cast demons out, but did not succeed;
The demon said, “I don’t know you at all!”
Refused the expulsion order to heed!
The fallen angels are evil spirits;
A false Spirit they know, and don’t fear it!

John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus, called on the men of Israel to repent from sinning, and many did; he baptized them for repentance in the Jordon River. His baptism was a symbol of their commitment to turn from sin, but it was not in the name of Jesus; therefore it was not a symbol of being born again to new life by belief in Jesus. John urged them to believe in Jesus, whom he also baptized. Many did believe in Jesus, but they did not receive the gift of the Holy Spirit until they were baptized by a disciple in the name of the Lord. John baptized by immersion, which is adhered to today by Baptists and some other denominations; however, Catholics and some other groups baptize by sprinkling. Baptism by immersion is also a symbol of the burial of Christ and His resurrection; a believer is called “born-again” by undergoing baptism as a symbol of the death of his old sinful life (going underwater) and re-birth (emerging from water) to a new sinless or “sanctified” life.

“Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, ‘In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I order you to come out.’ Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day, the evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?’ Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.” (Acts 19:13-16)

Demon possession is not recognized by modern science as the cause of people with schizophrenia and other types of mental disease, but many persons did and still do believe it to be genuine. Evil spirits, or “demons” can enter a person and take possession of his mental faculties. Exorcism is a real therapy that can be invoked by the power of God. It would be well for a would-be practicer of exorcism that is not a believer and does not possess the Holy Spirit indwelling to not attempt to cast out an evil spirit for several reasons. First, all demons are fallen angels, meaning that once they lived in heaven, and they know whether the therapist possesses the Holy Spirit or not. Second, fallen angels have the same power and strength they had in heaven, which means that a non-believer cannot possibly defend himself from him. The name of Jesus cannot be bought, stolen, or borrowed; the only way to receive His Spirit's power is to truly believe.

Ephesus: The First Preaching License

Apollos was a learned Jew, like Paul;
He knew the Scriptures, and could rightly prove
Jesus was the Christ; he felt the Lord’s call
To preach the gospel, and stay on the move!
He came to Ephesus; to Jews boldly preached;
Aquila and Priscilla met him there;
Though his message was correct and unbreached,
His faith from John was somewhat unaware!
So they taught him what he needed to know,
And since he wanted to go preach in Greece,
The elder brothers approved him to go;
They signed a letter; approved him to preach!
So Ephesus was the first church of all
To grant a license for a preacher’s call!

Every Christian denomination (Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, etc.) has its own system of training and certifying men and women to serve as ministers or pastors of its own churches. Since my mother took me to a Southern Baotist Church when I was rwo weeks old, and I’ve been a Baptist all my life, I am familiar with their system of certification of ministers. The following remarks are derived from the Baptist practice.

All believers are commanded by Jesus Christ to witness (communicate) with non-believers the good news of salvation, and because it is our obligation to love others, to try to get them to believe in Jesus as Lord, so that they will be saved from condemnation when they die. In that sense, every Christian is called upon to “preach” the gospel. But, like Paul was given a special call to “be apostle to the Jews and Gentiles” by Jesus, in like manner certain men and women believers feel a special call from God to give their entire lives to Him as preachers or ministers of the gospel, or to serve in other ways. When a Christian feels God is calling him into full-time Christian vocation, he or she usually answers the altar call or “invitation” the pastor gives at the end of his sermon, and the call is announced to the congregation of the church. If the person being called is a long-time member and well known within the church, at some later time, a special “licensing” council is held. This council is private and its few members are pastor, deacons, or mature Christians of the church. If the council feels the licensee is sincere and known to them as a true believer, it authorizes a written certificate to be issued by the church to the called person. This is what happened at the church in Ephesus for Apollos. Aquila and Priscilla, husband and wife believers who had been with Paul for years in Corinth, and traveled with him to Ephesus, noticed that Apollos was accurate in his gospel doctrine of Jesus, but was a disciple of John the Baptist. They counciled with him, so that his knowledge of Jesus was completely sound; after that the elders wrote a letter of approval to the brothers in Greece. This could be called the “first license” to preach given by any church.

If and when the licensee is “called” to work in another church or Christian organization, he is “ordained” by the home church. He is then authorized to perform marriages, conduct funerals, lead in liturgical ceremonies like baptism, the Lord;s Supper, etc. A certificate of ordination is issued by the church that licensed to person usually. An ordination council meets to ascertain his training and genuine calling into the ministry.

“Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke withr great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him." (Acts 18:14-22)

Paul Succeeds At Corinth

It was at Corinth that Paul had good success;
He was allowed, at first, to preach to Jews
In their synagogue, and some did profess;
Many Greeks, as well, believed the good news!
At a lecture hall he preached ev’ry day;
A vision from God came to him one night:
God told Paul, No harm did in Corinth lay;
Not to be silent; so he spread the light!
Once the Jews brought Paul to the Roman court,
Charging he preached against the Jewish laws;
The Roman ruler did their case abort,
Saying, he would not judge a private cause!
The Jews beat up their own synagogue chief
In front of the court, who ignored their pique*!

*Acts 18:17

“After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, ‘Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles!’ “ (Acts 18:1-6)

Corinth was a large city south of Athens, a very busy seaport, for many ships stopped here before sailing the long distance around the end of the peninsula into the sea west of Greece. In fact, it was here that the peninsula was narrowest, and small ships often crossed on rollers, as safer and faster. Today there is a steep cut in the rocky land across the peninsula and a canal for ships. Corinth proved to be an ideal place for Paul to linger and preach the gospel. He stayed there eighteen months, established a strong church, and wrote many letters to churches he had founded earlier in Syria, Galatia, and Asia. His letters were authoritative in Christian doctrine; they were read to the churches, copied, and passed from one to another. About the end of the first century the New Testament canon (the books and letters considered by the pastors of the churches to be inspired by the Holy Spirit) was adopted, and it included thirteen of Paul’s letters. He is responsible for the majority of doctrines of Christianity.

It has been my pleasure to visit the ruins of the old Corinth in Greece, and to see the remnants of buildings and homes in which Paul preached and lived. He actually sailed from Athens to Corinth, and you can visit the small, almost-deserted cove in which he landed. I had goose-pimples looking at the actual spots where Paul lived and preached 2,000 years ago.

Athens: Enchanted With Man's Lpgic

Athens! Lux Mentis*! When Lux orbis** came,
You listened, but so few of you perceived!
You allowed Paul the gospel to proclaim
At the Areopagus: One believed!
Were your minds all puffed with logic so much,
That the thought of God creating your brain,
Proving Him the smarter than you by such,
Was too repugnant for you to sustain?
Dionysus was saved; he accepted,
As did Damaris; but where were the rest?
Were they too proud of truths they’d precepted?
Of the world’s Councils, weren’r Athens’ best?
A few believed; the gospel was planted;
Of man’s logic, Athens was more enchanted!

*Lux mentis = Light of the mind
**Lux orbis = Light of the world(Jesus)

“Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: ‘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 the inscription TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you the God who made the world and everything in it. It is the Lord of heaven and earth and 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. … we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone---an image made by man’s design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this in all men by raising him from the dead.’ When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, ‘We want to hear you again on this subject.’ “ (Acts 17:22-32)

When Paul spoke before the daily Council in the Areopagus, on the hill in Athens next to the revered Parthenon, we can see that he was chosen for such a task as this. If humankind had a center of culture and knowledge in the first century A. D., it was in Athens, Greece, and the one man in the world who could speak to the world’s leading philosophers and wisest men on an equal footing was Paul of Tarsus. His speech is a masterpiece to such men as these, but they received it in much the same way as the elitists of today would---with sneers and doubts. A few believed, like Dionysus and Damaris, but most were so steeped in their puffed-up intelligence, honed by years of practice in debates with other wise men, they prided themselves on applying the rules of logic to the degree that they discounted every new philosophy that required some things to be believed by faith. These were the men that provided the world that followed with the scientific model of establishing truth, and it allowed of no gaps in the trail of proof. As Jesus said of the very rich, it is harder for them to be saved than “for a camel to go through the eye of a needle”. O, the rich can be saved, and so can the intellectual, but you will surely note that it is the poor and uneducated, oppressed peoples of the world that the gospel finds ready acceptance.

Paul established no church in Athens and did not remain there long. He headed south to Corinth, where more success awaited.

Christ's Light In The Jail At Philippi

Jesus wants all believers to be light*:
To live so the lost see Jesus in them;
As did Paul and Silas in jail that night;
Praying; teaching gospel; and singing hymns!
Brutally scourged; ankles held in stocks;
Midnight; their wounds undressed; yet praisung God;
Light to those who, like them, were behind locks,
Wond’ring what could cause them to act so odd!
The jailer washed their stripes, so well impressed,,
And asked them, How could he become as blessed?
Believe in Jesus Christ, and be baptized,
They said, happy, his whole family oblige!
When we live as Jesus taught, we are light
To a world lost within blackness of night!

*” ‘You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.’” (Matthew 5:14-16)

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul declared, ‘Don’t harm yourself. We are all here. The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ “ (Acts 16:25-30)

This experience reveals what Jesus meant in His Sermon on the Mount when He told us, “You are the light of the world”. It is how we live that is our best witness to lost people. If our lives are governed by our desire to live as He taught, we will be noticed for the difference in them and the lives of worldly people. If we put God first in everything; love others 100% of the time; show no anger; turn the other cheek; and so on, we will be noticed by those who do not live in that way. When we are noticed, it will open an opportunity for us to tell them about Jesus and how they can be saved.

Paul and Silas were missionaries in Philippi, Macedonia (Europe). They were arrested, whipped severely and put in jail for the night, facing new and unknown problems in the morning. Did they whimper about their mistreatment, curse and rail at the jailer, and beg God to save them from more harm? No, they sang hymns, prayed, and talked to the other prisoners about their blessings since becoming believers in Jesus Christ. When God sent the earthquake to open the prison doors, they did not run for freedom. The jailer noticed their behavior, and it must have been so odd, yet so admirable to him, that he and his family were all saved. That is Jesus’ plan for spreading His gospel to the world; it depends on us to be light in the way we live. If we live just like non-Christians, people won’t see anything in our lives that draws them to Jesus.

The First Council Of Churches

A day is coming when all men agree
That Jesus is God and not another;
No one questions how worship is to be,
Or that its order ought be some other!
But the world has never seen such as yet;
No man is content in another’s wake,
Until his way has been proved unworthy set---
Adam’s sin of pride did ours stronger make!
Christian’s love for all’s easy to proclaim,
But human nature must abolish pride;
The Holy Spirit within has that aim:
To teach us to love like Jesus inside!
Ev’ry human’s nature is selfish at birth;
And’ll stay that way till Jesus is put first!

Pride in each human’s nature is the greatest sin-maker of all. In an ideal world, a world without Satan, men and women of all races would be truly repentant for their sins committed, sincere in belief in Jesus as Lord, and would be constantly at work changing their birth-natures into the new ones taught by Jesus during His ministry on earth. Pride-in-self would be abolished; love would keep relationships with all others harmonious and cooperative; there would be no disputes over how things are best done, and no need for councils of churches, or more than one church denomination. This world is not ideal.

The Judaizers’ persistent insistence on requiring Gentile believers to be circumsized in first century Christianity caused Antioch church to send a delegation, including Paul and Barnabas, to the church in Jerusalem for an authoritative ruling on the matter, The 12 apostles were members of the Jerusalem church, which made it the most reliable source of divine answer for such a vital question as to what is specifically required for salvation. So the First Council of Churches was held at Jerusalem in about 40 A. D. In the years following, there have been several such councils convened for Important decisions to be made. Not every church participated in every council, and not every church followed all the decisions made by such councils. But this practice marked the beginning of denominations. The Catholic (catholic means universal) Church began as the largest network of cooperating churches affiliated themselves together and committed to following the same doctrines and practices emanating from the earliest councils; other churches who did not accept the decisions of the various councils eventually led to different denomunations with slightly, someimes radically, different doctrines or beliefs.

The decision made at the Jerusalem church was that Gentiles were not required to be circumcized or to keep the Mosaic Law in order to become Christian or be saved. Peter made the most convincing speech to the council.

“Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, ‘The Gentiles must be circumcized and required to keep the law of Moses.’ … After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them. ‘Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a shoice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, but he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.’ “ (Acts 15:5-11)

This was a wonderful decision for us and all the world, for it guaranteed that non-Jews (which number infinitely more than Jews) are not burdened under an impossibly large number of ticky-tacky rules and laws to be saved. We are saved by grace through faith; believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved!