Bent Oak Church

Luke chooses Ephesus as the final image of Paul's missionary work. It proves to be fruitful and frustrating with miracles, converts, riots, and persecution. Luke uses the stories to give us a picture of how we respond to the gospel. It's an important final perspective.

Paul was finished with his second missionary journey and on his journey back to his home church in Antioch. But Luke takes us back to a new character, Apollos.Apollos is a common name in the New Testament but a relatively minor character in Acts. It's puzzling why Luke would take the time to introduce us to him without him ever being mentioned again in Acts. Eventually, Luke's reasons come through. For as prominent as Paul is in Acts, this is not Paul's story. This is the story of how Jesus is continuing his work through the Spirit. Luke leaves no room for celebrities in his story. 

Corinth is Paul's furthers point from home on his second missionary journey. It's also a time, in his own words, of fear and trembling. Paul had been beaten, stoned, jailed, isolated, smuggled out of towns and drug before rulers. Arriving at Corinth, Paul was alone and worn down. He couldn't have imagined how his time in Corinth would have proved so encouraging. 

Paul arrives in Athens. The great church apostle is in the great city of Greek philosophy.The Greeks weren't too impressed with his preaching. They taunted him as a babbler and after listening to his message mocked his hope in the resurrection. 

It is hardly the first time accusations have been made against Paul or the church. From the beginning, Christians found themselves defending their faith before religious leaders and politicians.But unlike the great speeches of Peter and Stephen, these accusations against Paul go unanswered. They are left hanging—left for us to consider. Wherever the gospel is preaching, the world is turned upside down; Christ is king. 

No sooner had the church reconciled its disputes at the Jerusalem council than we discover another dispute, this time in the most unexpected place—Paul and Barnabas. Two of the church's most prominent leaders ended up in sharp disagreement, and this time there was no reconciliation. Frustrated, the two friends split and each when their own way. Luke is careful not to take sides, but he doesn't white-wash the embarrassing moment. He wants us to see how easily our personalities drive wedges between friends. He also hopes we will see how God works even the worst of our personalities for his good.

No one likes talking about conflict, but we all experience it. For all of the early church's successes, they weren't exempt from conflict. Paul and Barnabas are surprised to find teachers from Jerusalem teaching their congregations in Antioch that without circumcision, you can't be saved. Paul adamantly disagrees. The dispute leads to the first church council in Jerusalem.It's not a blueprint for handling conflict, but paying attention to their conversation helps us learn about how to better handle our own.

The crowds are becoming a major theme in the book of Acts. From Pentecost to the preaching in the temple, from the mob of the Sanhedrin at Stephen's stoning to the frenzy of the crowd at Lystra, crowds play an increasingly important role in the narrative.But look never presents the church as a crowd. Christians never take to the streets to make their points. Instead, we are given the stories of individual lives: Ananias, Cornelius, an Ethiopian servant, Dorcus, Joseph, Rhoda.

Paul and Barnabas were becoming used to persecution. They were frequently being run out of town. But not at Lystra. At Lystra they were declared Gods. The Bible routinely warns us of the temptation to play God. Paul and Barnabas recognize it. They go running into the crowd, tearing their clothes, and declaring, "we are men just like you." In what ways are we tempted to be God? What does it mean to be human?