The Great Melting Pot

August 13

(Acts 16:14 NIV) “One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message.”

(Acts 16:16 NIV) “Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.”

(Acts 16:29-34 NIV) ““The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. {30} He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" {31} They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." {32} Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. {33} At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. {34} The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God--he and his whole family.””

The early church was a melting pot. In Philippi, God put an upper class wealthy female business executive together with a formerly demon- possessed slave girl and a sturdy middle class Roman jailer. People who would never have associated before Jesus came together around the cross of Christ. Lives that had nothing in common except salvation had their hearts melted together by the fire of the Holy Spirit. What a grand idea! Christ still wants His church to be a melting pot. But today, instead of asking God, “Where could I be used the most for the glory of your Kingdom?” we go church shopping for the group that is most like us. We look for a church that will serve our needs, rather than a church where we can serve the needs of others. We end up in churches with a common income level, a common skin color, and a common family status. And we’re all poorer for it. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day 

The Greatest Question

August 12

(Acts 16:23-34 NIV) “After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. {24} Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. {25} About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. {26} Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. {27} The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. {28} But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" {29} The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. {30} He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" {31} They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." {32} Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. {33} At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. {34} The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God--he and his whole family.”

(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV) “Be joyful always; {17} pray continually; {18} give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”

After Paul and Silas freed the slave girl from an evil spirit, they were arrested, beaten, and thrown into jail. Later, they were heard singing praises to God. Light can shine, even from dark prison cells. One of those listening was the Roman jailer. Rome had strict rules for jailers. If anyone escaped during your watch, you were executed. So when an earthquake came, and the cell doors sprang open, the jailer assumed everyone had escaped. He was about to kill himself when Paul assured him that no one was missing. Realizing it was a miracle, the jailer fell on his knees and asked the greatest question one can ever ask: “What must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas shared the gospel with him, and he and his household became believers. We can learn from this. When we praise God in difficult times, He can make great things happen. And if you haven’t asked the greatest question… ask it! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

A Gospel for Those in Bondage

August 11

(Acts 16:16-18 NIV) “Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. {17} This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." {18} She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.””

(Luke 4:31-37 NIV) ““Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people. {32} They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority. {33} In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, {34} "Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!" {35} "Be quiet!" Jesus said sternly. "Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him. {36} All the people were amazed and said to each other, "What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!" {37} And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.””

Jesus came to set the captives free. He died for the poor as well as for the wealthy. He saves the weak and the powerful. Paul’s first convert in Philippi was a wealthy businesswoman… his second was a spirit-possessed slave girl. That’s diversity! The slave girl would have been the polar opposite of Lydia. She was part of a lower class of people who were seen as human chattel by those who owned them. To her owners, she was a possession, not a person -- but Paul saw a woman possessed by more than just men. She had an evil spirit that told fortunes, and her owners used her to make money. She was a spiritual prostitute. But then she heard the name of Jesus as Paul spoke freedom into her life, silencing the voices of darkness that came from her mouth. The Most High God set her free. Christ wants to do that for you. Are you free? In the name of Jesus, be free! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

A Gospel for the Wealthy

August 10

(Acts 16:11-15 NIV) ““From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day on to Neapolis. {12} From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. {13} On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. {14} One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. {15} When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.””

(Luke 19:1-10 NIV) ““Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. {2} A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. {3} He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. {4} So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. {5} When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." {6} So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. {7} All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.'" {8} But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." {9} Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. {10} For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.””

(James 2:19 NIV) “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.”

Paul’s mission team traveled to Philippi in Macedonia, where they met a woman named Lydia who was a “dealer in purple cloth”. Purple cloth was worn by royalty, high government officials, and the very wealthy. Lydia didn’t just run a small retail store, she was a wholesaler. This means that a wealthy business woman was Paul’s first convert in Macedonia. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not just for the poor. Jesus also died for those who are rich. Lydia believed in God, but was not a Christian. She was “a worshipper of God”, but still needed to hear the gospel, believe, and be born again. Many people today say they believe in God, and think that this makes them a “Christian”. But believing in God, even being a worshipper of God, is not enough. We must be saved by grace, through faith, and surrender our lives to Jesus Christ. Rich or poor alike must come to know and follow the Son. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day