A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services

regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the preacher decided to visit

him.

It was a chilly evening. The preacher found the man at home alone, sitting

before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his preachers visit, the man

welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.

The preacher made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, he

contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some

minutes, the preacher took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly

burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone then he sat

back in his chair, still silent.

The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember's

flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire

was no more. Soon it was cold and dead.

Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. The preacher glanced

at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked

up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire.

Immediately it began to glow,once more with the light and warmth of the

burning coals around it.

As the preacher reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running

down his cheek, 'Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the

fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday.'

We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too little. 

Consequently, few listen. Sometimes the best sermons are the ones left

unspoken.

The Lord is my Shepherd ----- that's a Relationship! 

I shall not want ----- that's Supply! 

 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures ----that's Rest! 

He leadeth me beside the still waters -----that's Refreshment! 

He restoreth my soul ----- that's Healing! 

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness --that's Guidance! 

For His name sake ----- that's Purpose! 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death--that's

Testing! 

I will fear no evil ----- that's Protection! 

For Thou art with me ----- that's Faithfulness! 

Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me -----that's Discipline! 

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine

enemies------that's

Hope! 

Thou annointest my head with oil ----- that's Consecration! 

 My cup runneth over ----- that's Abundance! 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life----that's

Blessing! 

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord -----that's Security! 

Forever ----- that's Eternity!

A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services

regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the preacher decided to visit

him.

It was a chilly evening. The preacher found the man at home alone, sitting

before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his preachers visit, the man

welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.

The preacher made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, he

contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some

minutes, the preacher took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly

burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone then he sat

back in his chair, still silent.

The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember's

flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire

was no more. Soon it was cold and dead.

Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. The preacher glanced

at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked

up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire.

Immediately it began to glow,once more with the light and warmth of the

burning coals around it.

As the preacher reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running

down his cheek, 'Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the

fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday.'

We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too little. 

Consequently, few listen. Sometimes the best sermons are the ones left

unspoken.

The Lord is my Shepherd ----- that's a Relationship! 

I shall not want ----- that's Supply! 

 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures ----that's Rest! 

He leadeth me beside the still waters -----that's Refreshment! 

He restoreth my soul ----- that's Healing! 

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness --that's Guidance! 

For His name sake ----- that's Purpose! 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death--that's

Testing! 

I will fear no evil ----- that's Protection! 

For Thou art with me ----- that's Faithfulness! 

Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me -----that's Discipline! 

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine

enemies------that's

Hope! 

Thou annointest my head with oil ----- that's Consecration! 

 My cup runneth over ----- that's Abundance! 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life----that's

Blessing! 

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord -----that's Security! 

Forever ----- that's Eternity!

Key Passage: Acts 12:20-25

Topic: Pride/Humility

On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. And the people were shouting, "The voice of a god, and not of a man!" Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last. (Acts 12:21-23, ESV)

For those of us who are used to an "all love, no judgment" God-of-the-New Testament concept, this story is packed with Old Testament-style divine justice smack-down!

A king sits on his royal chair and delivers a speech. The people listening to him begin to praise him as a god, not merely a man. The king, no doubt pleased by this, does not correct them.

And the result: an angel struck his body so it was afflicted with "worms." According to the Jewish historian, Josephus, Herod died five days later. All because the king did not give God the credit.

So, what can we learn from this story?

First, God doesn't like it when people take the credit He deserves.

Second, sin has its consequences. Even though the consequences don't always come as quickly as the king's did, they will come.

Last, this story is a good reminder that everything we have--money, talents, life--comes from God. As a result, we should always be quick to give God the credit for anything good in our lives.

 

Key Passage: Acts 11:19-30

Topic: God's Love

"Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch...And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord" (Acts 11:19,21, ESV).

There are a couple interesting things in this passage and one that's sometimes overlooked.

One big event is that the believers became known as Christians for the first time. Just like a person who practices mathematics is called a mathematician, the people who practiced Christ's example were called Christians.

Here we also see the beginning of a relief effort which would become part of Paul's message during his first missionary journey.

But the overlooked fact is found in Acts 11:21. The persecution of Christians actually helped spread the message of Christ! One of the great themes of the Bible, and of our personal lives as Christians, is that God will take the evil that men do, and use it for His glory.

Joseph's brothers hated him and sold him as a slave. God took this and made Joseph a prince of Egypt at a very crucial time (Genesis 37 and 39-46). And back in the Gospels, we read about a violent mob which beat and crucified Jesus. God used that evil event to accomplish the way of salvation, the greatest gift He ever gave to mankind.

Persecution wasn't easy on the Christians who lived through it, and the troubles in your life won't be easy either. But God is always working, always shaping the future.

Key Passage: Acts 11:1-18

Topic: Salvation; Holy Spirit; Pride/Humility

"And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?" (Acts 11:16-17, ESV).

I don't know about you, but sometimes I have a superiority complex. You know, when you start thinking you know better than someone else, that you're smarter, maybe even more spiritual. For whatever reason, you're the better person...maybe not in everything, but in at least one or two areas.

Well, we see a little of that attitude in Acts 11. Some believers saw themselves as just that much better because they were circumcised and ate only what was clean (both practices instituted by God in the Old Testament).

However, something had changed radically.

In Acts 10, God used a dramatic vision to instruct Peter to take the Gospel to a group of people who weren't circumcised and who ate what was unclean. But they were devout, God-fearing, praying, generous people. God shows Peter that the Good News of Jesus Christ is for all, and old restrictions shouldn't keep people from new life.

Peter witnessed this change as these Gentiles put their faith in Jesus and received the Holy Spirit. Now, as he makes his report in Acts 11, he answers this challenge of superiority with a humble reminder: "If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?" (Acts 11:17, ESV).

Who are we to stand in God's way when He wants to work? Who am I to think He can't save some people? What makes me so much better that I think the Holy Spirit won't work in people who aren't like me?

That's the big question, isn't it? Let's be honest, why should Jesus save us anyway? What entitles you or me to the Holy Spirit? We're just as unclean and unfaithful as anyone else.

But, as Peter said, the Good News is for all who believe--Jew and Gentile, clean and unclean. The same gift those early Christians received is the one you and I enjoy--the saving grace of Jesus and the daily power of the Holy Spirit. There's no room for superiority in that!