GOSPEL MEDITATION

Hebrews 12:18-24

The Sevenfold Destiny of the Believer

1. Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions.
2. Be comfortably alert, still and at peace.
3. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer
4. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself.
5. Slowly and carefully read the passages of Scripture.
6. Reread them. From memory, determine the central points.
7. The writer of Hebrews clearly and strongly makes it clear that the follower of Jesus has been given a destiny that cannot be shaken, changed, or destroyed.
8. It is thought that some believers, aware of their own tendency to sin and rebel, were fearful that they might earn the wrath and judgment of God.
9. Indeed, the believers were now firmly part of the “city” of the living God, the assembly of the firstborn.
10. Since the believer does not rely upon his or her own ability to be free and forgiven of sin, but rather depend solely upon the work of the firstborn, the first to rise from the dead, the mediator between God and men, Jesus Christ, they were then perfectly safe and saved.
11. Hebrews, the letter, speaks to a people who knew only the first covenant, the first testament, that of obeying the commandments of God. And therefore, their history was abundant with stories of failure.
12. For the first time then the “pastor” of the Hebrews letter speaks to his and her Jewish compatriots of grace, truly good news but so good as to be almost unbelievable.
13. Much of the wording and the use of symbols found in Hebrews will make it difficult for a Gentile or non-religious Jewish person to understand what God has done in the death, burial, and resurrection of the “firstborn” Messiah Jesus. This incredible communication is a blessed one indeed.

GOSPEL MEDITATION # 68

Acts 28:1-31

Paul on Malta, Paul Arrives in Rome, Paul in Rome

1. Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions.
2. Be comfortably alert, still and at peace.
3. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer.
4. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself.
5. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.
6. Reread it. From memory, determine the central points.
7. All on board the Alexandrian grain ship are saved. The majority of early New Testament manuscripts say there were 276 persons on board while Codes Vaticanus and a key Coptic mss have 76. I go with the 76.
8. Paul is bitten by a viper and survives, thus changing the locals idea that instead of a criminal getting his just deserts he is a god. (Mark 16:18, most certainly not the original ending of Mark’s Gospel, may have been inspired by Acts 28:5)
9. Along the way, Paul is treated with kindness by Julius, and is able to have fellowship with Christians at ports the ship visits. This demonstrates that Christianity has spread widely throughout the Mediterranean eastern to mid region.
10. Publius, a local land baron, receives Paul, who later lays hand on Publius’ father who is healed. The miracle greatly magnifies Paul ministry.
11. Paul arrives in Rome where Paul is allowed to stay by himself, but guarded by, probably lightly chained to, a Roman soldier.
12. In Rome, Paul’s accusers do not show up, but Paul remains in custody. Local Jewish leaders do not accuse him either but state that the “sect” is “spoken against.” Paul is able to present the gospel to the Jews in Rome and expresses again that he is sent to the Gentiles.
13. Paul is there for 2 years until AD 65 when Nero turns against the Christians. Paul is likely released then.

GOSPEL MEDITATION # 67

Acts 27:1-44

Paul Sails to Rome, The Storm at Sea, The Shipwreck

1. Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions.
2. Be comfortably alert, still and at peace.
3. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer
4. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself.
5. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.
6. In custody of the Roman authorities, commanded by a centurion named Julius, Paul begins the long trek to Rome. He had appealed to Caesar and to Rome he would go thus fulfilling the promise of Jesus that he would testify to the Gospel in Rome.
7. The eastern portion of the Mediterranean Sea, in the area of the Adriatic sea, could be tempestuous. It was an especially dangerous time of year to make the voyage.
8. There arose a terrific storm called a ‘northeastern’ and there was great fear for the 276 persons on board, many of whom were prisoners. It is probable that there were also 100 Roman soldiers on board as well as much cargo, especially grain.
9. Jesus, having appeared to Paul early on, told Paul that he would reach Rome safely and no person on board the large ocean going cargo ship would perish.
10. Despite all efforts on the part of the ship’s captain and crew, there is a ship wreck. History tells us the place was the island of Malta. Attempting to head for a bay of the island, the ship becomes stuck on a reef.
11. Desperate measures are taken, and some soldiers wanted to kill all the prisoners on board lest in the melee some might escape. But Julius intervenes and all are spared, including Paul.
12. Luke concludes this section by saying: “And so it was that all were brought safely to land.”
13. This would be a testimony that against all odds, Jesus would keep His word.

GOSPEL MEDITATION # 66

Paul Tells of His Conversion

Acts 26:12-32

1. Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions.
2. Be comfortably alert, still and at peace.
3. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer
4. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself.
5. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.
6. Reread it. From memory, determine the central points.
7. Paul is at Caesarea, in protective custody, and is called by Festus to address King Agrippa, his sister Bernice, and other prominent officials from the surrounding area.
8. For the third time in Acts Paul gives an account of his conversion while on the road to Damascus. It is interesting to note the slight variations, likely due to different audiences, that Luke provides.
9. In this account is an interesting phrase, “kick against the goads.” This would be a reference to sharp spikes that prevented an animal, donkey, etc., from kicking a person riding a drawn cart. The injury from kicking the goad ought to be enough to prevent more kicking.
10. Here again we find that Paul’s persecution of followers of the Way is tantamount to persecuting Jesus Himself. And most obviously, Jesus is alive then, having been certainly resurrected from the dead. There would be no other way for Paul to so interpret the event.
11. Again Jesus commissions Paul, appoints him, an apostle, whose work it would be to be a witness to the Gospel. This is the role of an apostle both then and now.
12. There are five aspects to the witness Paul is to bring: 1- open their eyes; so then, 2 – turn from darkness to light; 3 – from the power of Satan to God; 4 – receive forgiveness of sins; 5 – receive a place among the sanctified.
13. Paul states he was faithful to the call and appointment by Jesus, which stirs up Agrippa who is obviously under Holy Spirit conviction.