SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 5/7/2018 7:47 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
PT-2 “Content”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Acts
17:2b-3, 11
Message of the verses: “and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ."… 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”
In our last SD we kind of had an introduction to these
verses, and so today we want to begin breaking down what is found in these
verses. We first want to talk about how Paul confronted the Jews in
Thessalonica as seen in verses 2b-3. As
we look at these two verses we see that Paul had to reason with these Jews that
the Messiah had to suffer and then rise again from the dead. This goes against what most Jews at that
time, and most Jews even today believe, and that is that the Messiah is going
to be a political leader who would restore the fortunes, and defeat the enemies
of the Jews as He reigns in the kingdom.
When we looked at the first chapter of Acts we saw that this was a question
that was on the hearts of the disciples as this was the way they were brought
up, and even though they now understood that the Messiah had to suffer and die
for their sins they still wanted to know when He would return and reign in the
promised kingdom. I have to say at this
time that this is one of the important features of knowing what is in the book
of Revelation, as it picks up what will happen to Israel in the last seven
years of Daniel’s prophecy from chapter nine and then goes on to tell us how
long the promised kingdom will last, which is 1000 years. This of course was all written after the
death of Paul and also after the destruction of Jerusalem.
The Old Testament speaks of both comings of the Jewish
Messiah, and I suppose that it is human nature to look at the sections which
speak of the conquering Messiah who would do everything for the Jews as far as
conquering their enemies and also bringing the fortunes back to Israel, similar
to the days of David and Solomon where we read that silver was not really
thought of as being worth much. It is
not in human nature to see ourselves as sinners in need of a Savior, thus
having the Messiah come and suffer and die for our sin nature and also for our
sins.
John MacArthur writes the following about the word “reasoned.” “Reasoned is from dialegomai, which the English word dialogue derives. It describes not a formal sermon but a discussion, during which Paul repeatedly fielded questions from his hearers. That was the way he commonly ministered in the synagogues (cf. Acts 18:4, 19; 19:8-9). Effective Christian witness includes being able to answer questions about the faith. Peter commanded believers to ‘sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence’ (1 Pet. 3:15).”
How did Paul reason with these Jews, and not only these
but that entire times he came in contact in the synagogues that he taught in? Paul’s teaching was what is called
“apologetic” teaching. He stood for the
truths found in the Old Testament which taught of the Messiah having to suffer,
die and be resurrected. Apologetic teaching
not only teaches the truth about the Messiah, but truth that is found in the
Scriptures, including the New Testament since it has been completed.
Luke did not include in his writing of Acts of what Paul was teaching, but we know from other instances that he was teaching about the Messiah. In the thirteenth chapter of Acts, which we have already studied, from verse 16 and following we see a summary of one of his messages. Paul may have been teaching about how the OT sacrificial system or the Law of Moses as types, and He must have also looked at the 22nd Psalm which speaks of Christ crucifixion more clearly than even from the gospel writers. Isaiah 53 would surely have been another section of Scripture that he covered as it speaks clearly of the Messiah. Once Paul went over these different descriptions of the OT speaking of the Messiah he then told them that “this Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” And of course Christ means Messiah. Let us look at what Paul wrote to the Corinthians in 1 Cor. 15:3-4 “3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”
We still have some more things to look at from these
verses, but we will have to wait until our next SD to try and finish this
section on “content.”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: I like what John
MacArthur had to say about the word “reasoned” as it kind of reminds me of
teaching Sunday school and how I reason from the Scriptures what they are
saying to me and then pass it on to those in the class.
My Steps of Faith for Today:
I trust the Lord as I go to have my
eyes looked at to see if I need to have cataract surgery. I am thankful to the Lord for the doctor that
I am going to today as he is a friend of our children and has a wonderful
reputation, and of course is a very fine Christian who loves the Lord and loves
his work.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Shem, Ham, and Japheth”
(Genesis 7:13).
Today’s Bible
question: “Which book tells about the
conquest of the Promised Land?”
Answer in our next SD.
5/7/2018 8:27 AM
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