A Dollar Short and a Day Late

March 13

(Acts 5:21b-25 NIV) ““When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin--the full assembly of the elders of Israel--and sent to the jail for the apostles. {22} But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, {23} "We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside." {24} On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this. {25} Then someone came and said, "Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.””

(Isaiah 42:16-25 NIV) ““I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. {17} But those who trust in idols, who say to images, 'You are our gods,' will be turned back in utter shame. {18} "Hear, you deaf; look, you blind, and see! {19} Who is blind but my servant, and deaf like the messenger I send? Who is blind like the one committed to me, blind like the servant of the LORD? {20} You have seen many things, but have paid no attention; your ears are open, but you hear nothing." {21} It pleased the LORD for the sake of his righteousness to make his law great and glorious. {22} But this is a people plundered and looted, all of them trapped in pits or hidden away in prisons. They have become plunder, with no one to rescue them; they have been made loot, with no one to say, "Send them back." {23} Which of you will listen to this or pay close attention in time to come? {24} Who handed Jacob over to become loot, and Israel to the plunderers? Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned? For they would not follow his ways; they did not obey his law. {25} So he poured out on them his burning anger, the violence of war. It enveloped them in flames, yet they did not understand; it consumed them, but they did not take it to heart.””

Religion ruled the lives of those who opposed the apostles -- and when religion rules our lives, we will always be a dollar short and a day late when it comes to the movement of God’s Spirit. Focusing on the rules of religion, rather than on their relationship with the Ruler, caused them to be unaware of what God was doing in their time. They didn’t get it, and were “puzzled” by God’s miraculous delivery of the apostles. Religion blinded them to the workings of God, and deafened them to the gospel. They were more concerned with being in control of the situation, than with being conscious of the Spirit. One of the keys to successful ministry is finding out where God is moving and then going there. We can’t do that when we focus on the wrong stuff. When we follow a religion rather than Jesus, we will always be a dollar short and a day late when it comes to sensing the Spirit’s moving. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

The Zealous Disciple

March 12

(Acts 5:21 NIV) "At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.”

(Romans 12:11 NIV) "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."

(Psalms 69:8-9 NIV) "I am a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother's sons; {9} for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me."

The apostles had been jailed for preaching Christ and warned not to teach again in His name. But when the angel freed them, they went right back out and began preaching again. This is zeal for the Lord. Their zeal for obeying God and telling others about Jesus overpowered their natural fear of being chastised, imprisoned, or even killed. Their calling became more important than their personal safety or their personal agenda. When Christ rules in our lives, our zeal for witness grows, and our concern for personal prestige wanes. Our zeal for sharing his name with others multiplies to the point that we can’t hold it in any more. Is your zeal increasing or waning? Have you committed your life to being a witness for Christ, or are you more committed to being popular? Was it the “In crowd” who saved you? Or was it Jesus? Allow zeal for Christ to consume you. Become a zealous disciple. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

The Full Message

March 11

(Acts 5:19-20 NIV) ““But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. {20} "Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life.””

(Romans 10:17 NIV) "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."

(2 Timothy 4:17 NIV) "But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth."

The angel commanded the apostles to tell people “the full message”. The “full message” goes like this. We were created to be with God, but we have all sinned, and our sin separates us from Him. We have all gone astray, but the Lord came looking for us. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He loved us so much that He paid for all our sins by dying on a cross. To prove that His payment was sufficient, God raised Jesus from the dead. He lives today, and calls us to become His followers. To be saved, we must believe God, and believe that what Jesus did was sufficient. We must put our faith in God’s grace and provision. When we believe, we are born again and given a new life. We are called to be Christ’s disciples -- to witness to His grace with our changed life. God works through us to call people to Him. This is the “full message” in a nutshell. Have you believed this message? -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day     

High Risk Preaching

March 10

(Acts 5:17-21 NIV) "Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. {18} They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. {19} But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. {20} "Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life." {21} At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people."

(Matthew 10:16-20 NIV) "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. {17} "Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. {18} On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. {19} But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, {20} for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you."

The apostles preached and many came to faith in Christ, but not everyone was happy. The Sadducees were jealous, and had the disciples arrested and jailed. But that did not stop these pioneer Christians. An angel freed them and told them to keep preaching. The disciples had a choice: would they leave town and protect their lives, or would they return to preach and face great danger? They chose to obey the angel and continued to witness and teach in Christ’s name. This was high risk preaching. Today we worry that people might criticize us or leave the church if we preach the hard stuff. Many a sermon has been “softened” up so as not to offend anyone. Tickling ears is much safer than cutting to the heart. But while we worry about our popularity and jobs, we see the apostles, like sheep among wolves, risking their lives to share the gospel. We would do well to follow their example. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day