Insightful Musings on the sScriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
3 Mar 10
Good morning, special disciples.
Wow! It's already 8:10am. We had a late night. Plus it takes more time to process and edit two little essays than just one. I actually refer back to some files I have of writing I did years ago following this same reading schedule. I decided to snatch and revise a couple...another two-for-the-price-of-one deal. Oh, oh...the phone is ringing. The day has begun. Do I have time for a jog now? Oh my...I see Thano's dog, Max, out the window, which means Thano is here. If I jog, it will be another 3-dog parade. I better get on with it. Bye.
May the Lord richly bless you...and give you peace. Is. 26:3 ... Ray
3 March 2010
Passage: Acts 12
Focus: “The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers…” Acts 12:6
Some of these Biblical real-life stories are just plain fun. In my estimation, this chapter in Acts ranks on a par with David and Goliath, the 3 Jewish boys before Nebuchadnezzar, and Daniel and the Lions! But don’t try to figure out the precise why and wherefore of it all—like why James was martyred and Peter delivered. You won’t sleep well.
Peter has already demonstrated the wrong kind of SLEEPING when in the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus, sleeping at a time when he should be awake. But now he demonstrates a very good king of SLEEPING. He is actually sleeping like a baby in total rest and peace in the will of God – amidst circumstances that would normally prevent sleep from most people. He’s a prisoner under ridiculously strong measures to keep him bound. Can you imagine all the locked gates and chains manned by 16 guards?…all directed at containing one little Pentecostal preacher? There is no reason to believe that Peter is unaware of the great probability that he will be executed on the following day. But he sleeps on. Take note of that fact.
The success and delight of this episode is rooted in the heart condition of Peter. He’s been doing a lot of growing up lately. He has tested his faith in the face of a lot of different situations. In every case, Christ his Lord has proven Himself altogether worthy of his trust. His peace was based on knowledge and experience.
How about you? Are you at rest in the will of God? Is the God you serve really in control and works for your good? Can you confidently quote Rom. 8:28, 38-39 and Phil. 1:21? Or are you intimidated by the circumstances of life and bound by a fear of the designs of men?
Focus 2: “This is the voice of a god, not a man.” Acts 12:22
This is amusing to me. If Herod had been a truly objective and intelligent man, there is no way he could have been comfortable with the applause of the people that day when they shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not a man.” I mean, all he had to do was consider the evidence. Without being arrogant, I think I could have helped him that day if I could have been there…though he probably wouldn’t have let me. I would have said to him something like this: “Say, Mr. Herod, let’s do some tests. Please remove your sandal, and try taking this brick here…OK, now drop it on your toe and we’ll just see if it hurts.” Thud! “Yeowwww! It hurts!!” “Oh, sorry, but we’re just doing some tests. Now try this: Take your hand and stick it in this fire here for a few minutes.” Singe, blister, sizzle! “Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!” “Oh, yes, that kind of burns, doesn’t it? Kind of what I expected. But let’s do one more little test…one that shouldn’t be quite so painful: Simply stick your head in this tub of water and see if you can keep it there for about 30 minutes without passing out.” Splash, gurgle……….splash, gasp, sputter! “I can’t do it!” “So I see…that was only 32 seconds. But that’s OK. We’ve done enough. I think our tests are successful in turning up some pretty convincing evidence: YOU ARE NOT A GOD! I mean, if the brick hurt, the fire burned, and the water was suffocating, there is no way you can be truly supernatural.”
The thing that is equally amusing—maybe most amusing—is that there are so many like Herod in our world who not only convince themselves that they are virtually gods (the measure of all things), but when they hear the True God speak through His Word they turn the whole thing around and shout, “This is not the voice of a god, but a man!” They don’t take time to truly examine the evidence. They prefer to accept fiction over fact, comfort over caution, and rejection over reason. They strive for that which feeds their pride and power more than they strive to know the TRUTH.
If only Herod and his modern-day counterparts could more carefully process Jesus’ words, “If you hold to my teaching (i.e., pay attention to the true voice of God), you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). Think about it.
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4.