B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #223
B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #223
I Cor.. 16:9 ‘For a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
Aug. 27, 2012
East Africa – Pastor Nathanael Mayhew and Russ Schmidt are with our brethren in East Africa enjoying the fellowship and sharing the Word. Pray for faith to be increased, problems to be solved, outreach to go forward in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.
Excerpted from BILD International
Keys to the Effective Establishment and Expansion of the First Century Church.
(Toward a Theology of Acts)
A Last Look at the Ministry of Paul and the Life of the Churches He Established:
(Acts 19:21-28:31)
1. Paul suffered intense and unjust opposition when he upset aspects of the worldly system of life around
him. (19:23-41)
2. Paul regularly revisited the churches and encouraged them to continue in the faith. (20:1-12)
3. The meetings of the local churches were geared to meet needs and to encourage, not merely for passive
attendance. (20:7; 2:42)
4. Paul modeled for the elders what he desired of them after his departure. (20:17-38)
a. he sacrificially carried out his ministry (20:24)
b. he was willing to pay any price to have the will of God fulfilled in his life (20:22-24)
c. he was committed to the Scriptures (20:20,21,31,32)
d. he modeled a :21-26,28team concept of leadership. (20:31,33,34)
g. he had learned to discipline his life (20:19,31,34,35)
h. he spent much of his time developing leadership (20:31)
5. Paul instructed the elders concerning their responsibilities after he left: (20:17-38)
a. they were in charge – he passed on his authority to elders of a local church (20:28)
b. they were to shepherd the flock (20:28)
c. they were to rely on God and His Word (20:32)
6. Through his imprisonments, Paul left us a godly model of respondong to adversity and making a defense
for our faith. (21:33-28:31)
a. he clung to God’s direction for him even though the opposition many times seemed insurmountable
(19:21; 20:22-24; 21:10-13; 23:11; 25:11; 27:21-26; 28:16)
b. Paul understood the role of authorities in God’s workings and used them as tools of God (Rom.13:1-6)
1) he honored spiritual authorities (21:17-26; 28:17-22)
2) he honored governmental authorities (21:37-40; 24:10; 26:1-3,25)
3) he honored antagonistic authorities (23:2-5)
4) he was not afraid to stand up to authorities if necessary and to defend himself
a) he demanded his legal rights (21:37-40; 22:25-29; 25:9-11)
b) he admonished them if needed (25:10,11)
c) he spoke to them with confidence and with an authority of his own (26:24-29)
d) he wasn’t afraid to enter into intense dialogue with an attempt to persuade others to
accept the truth. (26:25-29)
5) he used authorities to protect himself (23:16-23, 25:10,11)
c) Paul recognized that God had given him enough information to evaluate his surroundings and
make good, logical and confident decisions (23:11; 25:9,10)
d) Paul was characterized by a level head (27:30-37), compassionate spirit (27:33-35) and
servant’s heart (28:3), even though under the tremendous stress of a shipwreck. How?
He believed that in these adverse circumstances God had not abandoned him, but in reality was directing events
despite all external appearances. (23:11; 27:21-24: 28:11) This was also his secret throughout all his trials. (26:22) Paul
instructs on this truth in II Cor. 2:12-7:5)
7. For two years Paul continued unhindered in his establishing while under house arrest in Rome, as Acts concludes –
(28:30,31)
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Rabbi Jesus – Master Teacher
His Art of Questioning –continued
4. Challenge – For those who have faith He seeks to have them exercise their faith that it may grow.
• Jn. 6:5 He asks to test Philip.
• Mt. 9:28 “Do you believe I am able to do this?” They are put on the spot.
• Mt. 20:32 “What do you want me to do? The blind at Jericho must rely on Jesus.
• Mt. 14:31 “Why did you doubt?” It did not require an oral answer, but was to be pondered beyond the immediate for improvement.
• Mt. 15:16 “Are you also still without understanding?” Listen better and have faith expand.
• Mt. 15:34 “How many loaves have you?” It is a fact question with broader implications and it will underline the power of the miracle.
• Mk. 9:33 “What were you discussing on the way?” It is an opportunity to confess sin and based upon confession to advance to the more spiritual.
• Lk. 7:24-25 “…What did you go out into the wilderness to behold?…” He gets them thinking with a string of questions. No longer be superficial.
• Mk. 5:30 “Who touched my garments?” This is to draw out the confession of faith.
• Jn. 21:5 “Any fish?” This will be to emphasize the reality of the resurrection and His rule.
• Jn. 11:26 “Do you believe this?” Martha’s opportunity to speak the faith.
5. Hammer – The opposite of the challenge question that presumes faith increase, is the hammer which is even harsher than the poking stick. This is to shatter what had been built by the sinful ingenuity of man’s mind like glass that is shattered with a hammer.
• Mt. 11:23 “And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down…”
• Mt. 23:33 “…how are you to escape from being sentenced to hell? Jesus is in the attack mode.
6. Transitional – Here you can recognize movement from what is understood to new knowledge, from the physical to the spiritual, from what is understood to application.
• Lk. 17:7-9 Three questions are asked to move from the understood to application
• Mt. 16:13, 15 “Who do men say that I am?..Who do you say that I am?” Jesus moves from the general to the personal.
• Mt. 7:9-10 Jesus goes from the normal everyday to the spiritual. Son-bread-stone-fish-serpent. “How much more your Father…?”
• Mt. 12:48 “Who are my mother and brothers?” It has implication within the question. He moves from the physical to the more important spiritual.
• Mt. 16:8-11 The questions reinforce the previous lessons. It goes beyond the physical to the spiritual.
• Mt. 17:25 “What do you think, Simon?…” This is a fact question with broader import. The Lord builds on the known to move to the unknown which He makes known.
• Mt. 9:4 “Which is easier to say…?” The Teacher goes from words to actions to words that have power.
7. Fishhook – In many of the questions the Lord is seeking to move people toward faith if not directly then indirectly so that later it can come. He casts a line to hook people. When he asked
Pilate “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” Jn. 18:34, I can’t help but think that Jesus is reaching out to the Governor. We have no record of Pilate later believing. Jesus words are more than words as He has a purpose.
8. And of course any study of His questioning art has to include the scene at the Sea with the resurrected Lord preparing breakfast, but more than that. This is transitional for Peter for sure as the Lord moves Peter through the questions to a true humility. It is challenging in that the mind of Peter had to have been racing to reflect and answer.
Jn. 21:15 Jesus asks “Do you love me more than these?” Then in v. 16 Jesus drops the “more than these” in the question. In v.17 Jesus uses a less ardent word for ‘love’ to ask Peter. It is a lesson for Peter not to be so foolishly proud, but humble and realize his denial in the face of his previous proud pronouncements should cause him to be more careful in what he says. In v.22 Peter’s distraction in looking at John is answered with “What is that to you?” Jesus seeks to keep him on the track.
Pastor David Koenig