“The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” (Acts 11:26)

                For two millennia, all over the world, followers of Jesus Christ have been identified as Christians. What does it mean and where did in begin?  The meaning is simple – a Christian is someone who has placed his faith in Jesus and is now following in the footsteps of his Savior. “Christian” was first applied to the believers in Antioch.  Ancient Antioch was located at one of the southern-most parts of what we now call Turkey, at the northeast corner of the Mediterranean – a vitally important ancient city.

                After Stephen was stoned to death, God providentially caused the first Christians to scatter from Jerusalem. Some went south and west, as far as Cyrene (modern-day Libya).  Others traveled north through Samaria, then on to the Mediterranean coast, and even to the island nation of Cyprus. What made the Antioch group of believers so special?  The Bible leads us to believe it was the presence of two men – Barnabas and Saul.  The encourager Barnabas sent for the teacher Saul and the rest is history.

                The Bible says that the dynamic duo stayed in Antioch for one year where “they assembled with the church and taught a great many people” (Acts 11:26). Though Saul probably provided a great deal of instruction, there’s no doubt that Barnabas did his part exemplifying the Christian life.  “He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith” (Acts 11:24). You may know what “Christian” means and where it began, but can others tell what a Christian looks like when they evaluate your life?

“Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man?” (Prov. 20:6)

                Did you ever hear of the man who was proud of his humility? Even when we try to be humble, sometimes we just can’t help but toot our own horn. Some people just come right out and tell you how great they think they are – how much money they make, how many miles they can run, etc. Most of us know that it’s improper to brag too much, so we find ways to veil our self-praise.  For instance, we’re guilty of telling stories that are supposed to be about something else but end up focusing on us.

                Though “most men will proclaim each his own goodness,” it’s hard to find someone whose walk is as good as their talk. We should all take this as a personal challenge.  Rather than talking about how good we are, we should demonstrate our goodness to others through the way we live our lives. Where do we begin?  We need to start with the first and greatest command – love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30).  Our lives should be an offering of love to God.

                Loving God means that we will also dedicate ourselves to the second greatest command – love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31). Loving others means that you won’t serve others to be recognized.  Instead, you’ll selflessly give of yourself because you’re living for Jesus, and thus you won’t need any recognition. This world is filled with people who need to be recognized.  In a world of vanity and pride, commit yourself to be that rare faithful man that Solomon wrote about 3,000 years ago.

“And a voice spoke to him again the second time, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’”  (Acts 10:15)

                The early church grew exponentially, even after the martyrdom of Stephen.  But, the growth was contained primarily to Judea and Samaria.  By Acts chapter 10, it was time for the Gospel to move beyond just the Jews.  Remember, when Jesus ascended to heaven He said, “You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).  The early church did an outstanding job with Judea and Samaria, but now it was time to go to the end of the earth.

                Taking the Gospel to all the nations meant that the Gospel would have to go beyond the Jews.  Acts 10 is the story of God initiating the advancement of the Gospel to the nations (Gentiles).  There we find the story of a devout solider named Cornelius.  The Bible says he “feared God with all his household” and “gave alms generously to the people and prayed to God always.”  As holy as Cornelius was, he still had a problem – He had not received God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

                God enlisted Peter to lead Cornelius to Christ, but before he sent him away God gave him an object lesson – a sheet descending from heaven and filled with unclean animals.  When God commanded Him to “kill and eat” (Acts 10:13), Peter objected because he didn’t eat things that were forbidden by God.  God used the vision to help Peter understand that just as Jesus fulfilled the Law, those people that were previously seen as unclean were now being invited to receive God’s grace.  The good news is that the Gospel is for everyone – even sinners like you and me.

“How often they provoked Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert! Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.”
(Psalm 78:40-41)

                If you’ve ever owned a pet and some sort of cage, then you probably have a good idea what this verse is about.  If you own a dog, there might be times when you need to put him in a kennel – so he won’t destroy the house, use the bathroom on the carpet, etc.  That said, a kennel is a temporary solution to a temporary problem, but it’s not intended to be a long-term home for your dog.  Why?  If a dog lives his entire life in a kennel, he will never develop completely and reach his full potential.

                  I guess you could all that “keeping dog in a box,” and we would say it is inhumane to keep a dog locked in a box all the time.  And yet, we often seem to have no problem putting God in a box.  Of course, none of us can physically capture the Lord and confine Him to a box, nor would we want to.  Putting God in a box means that we limit the miracle-working power of God because we refuse to believe He is able to deliver.  “Again and again, they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.”

                When the psalmist says that the Israelites “limited the Holy One of Israel,” he means that God refused to do greater works in their midst because of their lack of faith.  Did you know that the church of the 21st century still has the same problem?  We look at the reasons God can’t or won’t do something, instead of believing He can.  As a result, we rob ourselves of some tremendous blessings.  How about you?  Are you putting God in a box, or are you putting Him on display by taking Him at His Word?

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.”
(Prov. 20:1)

                According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 86.4 percent of people ages 18 or older reported that they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime; 70.1 percent reported that they drank in the past year; 56.0 percent reported that they drank in the past month.  That being the case, it’s safe to say that about half of American adults drink alcohol on a regular basis.  And though the legal drinking age is 21 years old, a good number of young people use alcohol as well.

                As a pastor, I’ve heard all the reasons that alcohol use should be considered acceptable.  Some say, “The Bible doesn’t say ‘Thou shalt not drink.’”  That’s a true statement, but it doesn’t tell the whole story.  There are many verses that discourage the use and abuse of alcohol, and today’s verse is one of them.  Solomon tells us that “wine is a mocker.”  The Hebrew term translated “mocker” carries the idea of scorn, so Solomon is saying that the use of wine can turn your life into mockery and shame.

                He also tells us that “strong drink is a brawler.”  To the ancients, “strong drink” would’ve been wine allowed to ferment for a longer period of time, thus increasing the alcoholic content.  Those who’ve had too much booze are infamous for becoming combative and fighting.  Solomon leaves us with a word of wisdom – “whoever is led astray by it is not wise.”  In my opinion, the best way to never be led astray by alcohol is to abstain from using it.  Remember, every alcoholic started with his first drink.

“Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?’ Then Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ And he answered and said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’ So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.”
(Acts 8:36-38)

                In Acts 8 we find the amazing story of Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch.  Philip was one of the first deacons selected by the early church to serve the needs of the congregation (Acts 6:5-6).  In addition to serving tables, he also did the work of an evangelist.  The Bible tells us that “an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip” and instructed him to travel down the road that runs between Jerusalem and Gaza (modern-day Egypt).  Philip obeyed the instruction and thereafter he had a divine appointment.

                A eunuch was someone who had been castrated, usually so they could work in service to kings and queens.  This particular eunuch served the queen of Ethiopia, and he was returning to his country after worshiping in Jerusalem.  When Philip encountered the eunuch, he was reading the Scripture and he had just come to the Suffering Servant passage in Isaiah 52-53.  When the eunuch asked Philip about the identity of the man Isaiah wrote about, Philip was happy to explain that Jesus was the man.

                As Philip continued to preach to the eunuch, he came under conviction and placed his faith in Jesus.  The eunuch was ready to declare his faith publicly – “What hinders me from being baptized?”.  While there are many different ideas about baptism, Philip set the record straight – the only requirement for Christian baptism is faith in Jesus Christ.  The eunuch believed and so he was baptized.  That’s why it’s called “believer’s baptism.”  Do you believe in Jesus?  Have you been baptized?

“At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria…therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.”
(Acts 8:1, 4)

                No one enjoys the trials of life, but all of us experience them.  I once heard a man say, “You’re either going into a storm, you’re in the midst of a storm, or you’re coming out of a storm.”  I think there is a lot of truth in that statement.  Sometimes we wish we had a crystal ball to see what lies ahead, but it's probably a good thing we don’t know the future because it would surely scare us to death.  When we go through hard times, we’re tempted to ask “Why me, God?” as we question the Lord’s plan.

                We need to start seeing adversity as an opportunity for God to do great things in and through us.  Today’s verses provide a great example.  After the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7), “a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem.”  The assault was led by a man named Saul, whom you and I have come to know as the Apostle Paul.  This is Saul before he was converted on the road to Damascus (Acts 9).  Consequently, the persecuted church was scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

                Most anyone would’ve seen that as a terrible tragedy, but the early church didn’t see it that way.  They saw their adversity as an opportunity to reach more people with the Gospel.  As a result of their expulsion from Jerusalem, the Gospel began to spread north to Samaria and beyond.  If God would not have permitted the church’s persecution, the Gospel wouldn’t have spread.  What are you going through right now?  Whatever it is, trust that God can take it and use it for your good and His glory!

“But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’”
(Acts 7:55-56)

                We’re all well-acquainted with the story of Jesus – born of a virgin, raised by a carpenter, ministering to all, dying for our sins, buried in another man’s tomb, raising back to life, etc.  The last time we saw Jesus on earth, He was gathered with His disciples and then He ascended to heaven (Acts 1).  The author of Hebrews tells us that Jesus sat down at the right hand of God (Heb. 10:12).  So, the last mention we have about Jesus’ location is seated at God’s right hand – the place of privilege.

                And yet, when Stephen (one of the first deacons) was bold enough to preach the resurrection to the same Jews who crucified Jesus, something amazing happened.  The Jews “were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth” (Acts 7:54).  That kind of reception would’ve been enough to silence some preachers, but not Stephen.  “He, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.”  What an amazing sight!

                After Jesus presented His own precious blood to the Father, He sat down at the right hand of God because His atoning work was done.  Yet, when Stephen was martyred, Jesus stood up – not because He needed to sacrifice, but because He was about to welcome one who had sacrificed Himself for God.  What an amazing reception into heaven!  If you have placed your faith in Jesus, you will also be welcomed into the presence of God when your life is through.  What a day that will be!

“There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.”
(Prov. 19:21)

                We make all sorts of plans for all sorts of reasons.  If we want to go on a vacation, we plan where we will go, stay, eat, visit, etc.  If we want to get an education, we plan what school to attend and what program of study to pursue.  Sometimes our plans go incredibly well, and other times they fail miserably.  Sometimes the failure is not our fault, but other times the failure is a direct result of a bad plan.   Being fallen humans, it’s often hard for us to discern whether a plan is good or bad.

                Solomon accurately depicts the human condition – “there are many plans in a man’s heart.”  No matter the situation, we’re often tempted to think that we’ve got an answer among all our internal plans.  When we attempt to execute a plan that didn’t begin with the Lord, we can find ourselves embarrassed and ashamed.  Rather than concocting our own plans, it would be much better for us to seek “the Lord’s counsel.”  God’s primary counsel comes through the Word of God.

                Though our schemes often falter, we can be confident that the Lord’s counsel “will stand.”  It will stand against the onslaught of deceitfulness and the attacks of the Devil.  All of us go through the storms of life, much like ships get caught in bad weather.  When a ship is being tossed to and fro, it’s nice to know that it won’t be destroyed because the anchor is secure.  As you plan all the remaining days of your life, anchor yourself to the Word of God and your plans will be established.

“He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given.” (Prov. 19:17)

In a house of 8 people, we borrow things from one another all the time. If my son can’t find his jacket, his brother lends him his. If my girls can’t find their hairdryer, my wife lends them hers. Like all parents, we teach our children to share. When we think about the Lord, we “borrow” things from Him all the time, except they’re really gifts because we have no way of returning them. I’m talking about things like the air we breathe, the blood that runs through out veins, etc. God is generous to us!

You might be surprised to know that there’s actually a way you can lend something to God. Solomon said, “He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord.” That’s an amazing statement. Of course, we know that God doesn’t need anything we have. Here, Solomon is using a human concept to help us understand the way God repays generosity to those who are in need. When we give to the poor, we not just doing it for their sake. Ultimately, we’re doing it for the glory of God.

Solomon said, “He (the Lord) will pay back what he has given.” The old saying is that “you can’t out-give God.” In my own experience, I’ve found that to be very true. There have been times when God has prompted me to give away resources that I needed for myself. In those times that I was willing to give toward others in faith, I can say that God repaid me many times over. Getting should never be our motivation for giving, but when we lend to the Lord we should always expect a return.

“Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, ‘It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.’” (Acts 6:2)

                The early church did a great job of sharing the Gospel and reaching many people for Christ, both Jews and Greeks.  All those new converts presented a challenge to the church – how are we going to effectively minister to all those that God has entrusted to our care?  Initially, the church didn’t do such a great job because the Greek widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of resources.  I’m sure the leaders of the church must’ve felt like something needed to be done quickly to avoid a conflict.

                For that reason, they said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the Word of God and serve tables.”  The apostles sympathized with the Greek-speaking widows, but God did not call them to serve tables – He called them to preach the Gospel.  So God granted them a wonderful idea – select able-bodied men out of the church who can serve the material needs of the congregation.  That way, the apostles would be able to dedicate themselves to “prayer and to the ministry of the Word” (Acts 6:4).

                The church set aside seven men to meet the needs.  The seven men (Acts 6:5) are called deacons.  The word “deacon” comes from the Greek diakonos, which literally means “through the dust.”  Just picture a person kicking up the dust by rushing around from person to person.  God has blessed the church with deacons who are supposed to minister to the needs of the congregation so that pastors and ministers can fulfill the calling God has placed on their lives.  When deacons serve the church faithfully, they are a tremendous blessing to the Body of Christ!  Please pray for the deacons in your local church.

“So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.” (Acts 5:41)

                There are many things in life that cause us to rejoice and celebrate.  We rejoice when two people marry.  We rejoice when a sweet little baby is born.  We rejoice when a child graduates from school.  We even celebrate trivial matters – when our team wins the game, when our favorite pizza is on sell, etc.  Of all the things you could celebrate, there’s probably one that’s not on your list – suffering.  No one wants to suffer for any reason, and we certainly don’t see it as a reason to rejoice.

                And yet, today’s passage reminds us of an occasion when the apostles actually celebrated over their suffering.  Acts 5 tells us that the apostles were arrested because they continued to preach the Gospel of Christ, even after they had been warned by Jewish leaders not to do so.  After they were incarcerated, a miracle occurred – “an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out” (Acts 5:19).  They were instructed to go back and start preaching again, and that’s just what they did.

                The religious leaders apprehended them once more, and after they questioned them, they released them.  But, the apostles were not released until they had been thoroughly beaten.  How did the apostles respond to their suffering?  “Rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.”  If you are suffering for the cause of Christ, you shouldn’t let it discourage you.  Instead, you should wear it as a badge of honor and thank the Lord that He’s using you for His glory!

“The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook a transgression.” (Prov. 19:11)

                One of the many amazing things about God is that He is “slow to anger and abounding in mercy” (Ps. 103:8).  Though He certainly deserves to be enraged with us over our sin, He mercifully sets aside His anger as He awaits our confession and repentance.  Though God is slow to anger, unfortunately the same often can’t be said of us.  When someone offends us, or gossips about us, or simply beats us to the punch on something, we allow our emotions to get the best of us by lashing out in anger.

                Solomon has a lesson for us today – “the discretion of a man makes him slow to anger.”  One man defined discretion as “the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense.”  The word is often interchangeable with “wisdom.”  In this case, wisdom says that it’s much better to avoid anger than to be overcome with rage.  Why?  Because we can say things and do things that can never be taken back.  No amount of apologizes can take back many things we later regret.

                We need to understand that “his glory is to overlook a transgression.”  Let’s be honest – this is something we ALL struggle with.  When someone mistreats us, our natural inclination is to retaliate with something similar or worse than what they did to us.  Even though we don’t want to, we need to suppress the desire for revenge and learn to overlook things that have no eternal significance.  Is there someone you’re currently at odds with?  Perhaps it’s time for you to forgive and put away the anger.

“And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31)

                After Peter and John were released from their temporary incarceration at the hands of the religious leaders, they went right back to the church and reported the things they had experienced.  When the church heard their report, they gave praise to God and lifted their voices in prayer.  With their prayer, they praised God as the Creator, reflected on the Word of God, lifted up the name of Jesus, and even asked that God would give them more boldness by performing more signs and wonders.

                Verse 31 is the result of their prayers.  First, “the place where they were assembled together was shaken.”  God answered their prayers for more miracles immediately by superseding the laws of nature and shaking the room they were gathered in.  In addition, “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.”  That should be a challenge to every one of us.  If we’ve placed our faith in Jesus, we are inhabited by the Holy Spirit, but it should our goal to be daily filled with His power (Eph. 5:18).

                Furthermore, “they spoke the word of God.”  The same Holy Spirit who authored Scripture filled their mouths with His own words.  Being Spirit-filled and Word-focused, the church was blessed “with boldness.”  Notice the progression – prayer lead to a miracle, then the Holy Spirit’s presence, then sharing the Word with boldness.  If God was able to accomplish those mighty things when His church prayed, He’s able to do the same today.  Let us spend much more time on our knees seeking the power of heaven!

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)

                Sometimes the evidence of our activity is simply too hard to deny.  If your clothes smell sugary-sweet, then you’ve been around the donuts at Krispy Kreme.  A temporary inability to talk properly might indicate that your mouth has not recovered from the numbing medication at the dentist.  At times, we’re tempted to be less than forthcoming about our recent activity, but other times we’re proud of it.  Such was the case for Peter and John – they had been with someone they could not deny.

                Let’s consider the context of today’s verse.  In Acts 3, the disciples were making their way to the temple when they came to the Beautiful Gate.  There they found a man who had sat there many times before, begging alms from those who came to worship.  Peter and John didn’t have any “silver or gold” to give the man, but they gave him what they had – the miracle-working power of Jesus.  The lame man jumped up immediately – walking and leaping and praising God!  He let everyone know he was healed!

                Not everyone was happy about the miracle.  The religious leaders questioned Peter and John about the power that provided the miracle, and of course they said it was Jesus.  When the religious leaders saw their boldness, even though Peter and John were uneducated fishermen, they “realized that they had been with Jesus.”  What a testimony!  I wonder if others can tell that we’ve been Jesus when they encounter us?  Don’t let the busy-ness of life keep you from spending precious time with Jesus!

“We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks!  For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.”  (Psalm 75:1)

                We have so many reasons to give thanks to God.  Just a quick consideration of His attributes should cause us to rejoice forever.  A theologian once explained to me that all the attributes of God flow out of His two main attributes – holiness and love.  Holy means “set apart,” so we give thanks to God because He is exalted high above our wickedness.  Theologically, this is called the transcendence of God.  When Isaiah got his own glimpse of the Lord, He witnessed God’s holiness first-hand (Isa. 6:3).

                And yet, today’s verse emphasizes the love of God in that He is near to all of us.  The “nearness” of the Lord is what theologians call the imminence of God.  The psalmist said, “Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.”  What works of God is Asaph talking about?  Creation proves that we serve a God who is near.  The fact that there is intricate design in creation and that it is all held together by a higher power proves that God is near.  The fact that you are breathing proves that God is near!

                Think of the wonderful comfort this verse provides!  We don’t serve an ivory tower god that refuses to look on the affairs of man.  We don’t serve a god that wound up the world and is now allowing it to spin out of control.  We serve a God who is intimately involved in every detail of His creation.  He even allows blessings to come to the holy and the unholy (Matt. 5:45).  And never forget that God is only a prayer away if you’ve placed your faith in Jesus.  You and I should draw nearer to Him!

“So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.  (Acts 2:46-47)
           
     It’s very sad that the church of the 21st century does not more closely resemble the early church of the 1st century.  If it did, we would see many more people transformed for the glory of God.  Let’s look at just a few of the things that made the early church so special.  First, the Scripture says there were unified – “continuing daily with one accord.”  If a church has no unity, it will not accomplish great things for God.  Also, they maintained consistent fellowship with one another – “from house to house.”
     
           Further, these verses tell us that they “ate their food with gladness.”  The joy of the Lord was evident in their midst and noticeable by others.  They were also a simple people, living with “simplicity of heart.”  They were not overwhelmed with many of the modern distractions that have hampered the church of today.  Furthermore, they spent their time “praising God.”  When a group of believers fails to worship, they have ceased to be the church.  Glorifying God is our highest goal!
       
        Finally, Scripture tells us that the Lord caused the church to have favor with all people.  In other words, the Lord blessed them to find good graces even with those outside the church – true evidence of revival and awakening!  And what was the result of a church of fire for Christ?  “The Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”  Contrast that with churches across our country who may not baptize one person all year long.  May God help us not simply to “come to church,” but to be the church!

“Better is the poor who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.”
(Prov. 19:1)

                I think everyone yearns for what we call “a better life.”  What does a better life look like?  It depends on who you ask.  If you ask magazines, TV commercials, and social media ads, they’ll tell you that a better life is a bigger home, a nicer car, and designer clothes.  They say it includes physical fitness, a large bank account, and the acclamation of others.  Yet, it’s entirely possible for a person to have all these things and still be “perverse in his lips” and foolish.  It takes more than money to fix a fool.

                If you look to the Bible for a definition of “better life,” you might be surprised to know that it has very little to do with cash, cars, and clothes.  Instead, it has much more to do with holiness and love.  A better life is probably best defined in Gal. 5:22-23 in what we call the fruit of the spirit – “love, joy, peace, etc.”.  In other words, the Bible’s definition of better living is a life of integrity.  You may not have much money in the bank, but if you live with integrity before God, then you are very rich indeed.

                Understand this – it’s better for you to be poor and holy than to be rich and wicked.  A person’s riches bring them great pleasure in this life, but what happens when this life ends?  Those material things that brought us so much joy on earth won’t do one thing for us in the hereafter.  Take comfort in this – you may not have everything you want, but if you have Jesus you’ve got everything you need.  Don’t worry about someone else’s possessions – concern yourself with your own integrity.

“A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
(Prov. 18:24)

                The Proverbs are wisdom literature that provide us general guidelines for living.  In this case, Solomon wants us to understand that a man with many friends may have lots of companions, but he many not have many true friends.  The NIV translates this verse, “a man of many companions may come to ruin.”  Just because a person has a lot of friends doesn’t mean that he is destined for success.  Have you ever known someone with tons of friends?  It can be like a full-time job keeping them all satisfied.

                Solomon wants us to understand that it would probably be better for us to have fewer, truer friends than to have a bunch of half-hearted acquaintances who won’t be there to stand with us when the going gets tough.  “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”  That said, we shouldn’t be using our time trying to “win friends and influence people.”  While it’s perfectly fine to be winsome and personable, we should focus on trying to find friends that truly love the Lord and truly love us.

                There is an application of this verse that goes well-beyond any human friend you can find.  Even the best and most loyal of friends you have is a fallen sinner.  He/she could betray you at any moment, but there is a Friend who will never betray us.  Jesus said, “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Heb. 13:5).  If you are a Christ-follower, the Friend who sticks closer than any brother is Jesus.  Though every other person in the world may turn their back on you, Jesus will remain faithful & true.  Trust in Him!

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
(Prov. 18:21)

                It’s amazing how something can be used to do so much good, and yet the very same thing can be used to do so much evil.  For instance, money can be used to feed the hungry or it can be used to purchase drugs and alcohol.  The internet can be used to do research on a school project, or it can be used to solicit sex acts from a child.  In both cases, the user is the one who determines if his resources will be used for good or evil.  We all need to understand that the tongue falls into this category.

                Solomon tells us that “death and life are in the power of the tongue.”  Does he mean that we have to the power to give birth to someone or to kill someone just by saying a few words?  No – what he means is that our words will either bring life to ourselves and others, or they can be used as instruments of destruction and death.  For instance, if you know someone who is struggling with sin, you can talk behind their back (death), or you can lovingly confront them and encourage them to change (life).

                Think about the ramifications of this verse – with every word you say, you are either giving life or taking life from someone else.  I don’t know about you, but I wanted to be counted among those breathing life into other people – the kind of person that someone doesn’t want to avoid when they see me coming.  And be warned – “those who love it will eat its fruit.”  In other words, if you love to talk, then you need to be prepared to live with the consequences of your words.  Let’s choose to speak life!

“And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30-31)

                 From any early age you probably learned that the four Gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – the first four books of the New Testament.  Each one of them has their own uniqueness.  Matthew’s Gospel was written to a primarily Jewish audience, Mark is a condensed version covering Peter’s testimony, and Luke was written to a Gentile audience – these three are the Synoptic Gospels.  John’s Gospel is in a category all by itself as it was the last one written and very theological.

                At the end of his Gospel, John placed a good summary on the purpose of all the Gospels.  While there are many more things the Gospel writers could’ve shared, the things that were included “are written that you may believe.”  Believe what?  “That Jesus is the Christ.”  The Gospels were written to show us that Jesus is God’s only Messiah – the Anointed One of God.  Also, they tell us that Jesus is “the Son of God” – conceived of the Holy Spirit and fully God.  He is the Son of God and the Son of Man.

                Not only did John write so that others might believe, but “that believing you may have life in His name.”  John didn’t just write for the sake of information – he wrote for transformation.  It was his desire that every person who read His Gospel would have their life transformed through faith in Jesus.  All those who trust in Christ “have life in His name.”  That means abundant life on this earth (John 10:10), and eternal life in heaven (John 3:16).  Thankfully, the purpose of the Gospels is salvation.

“And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds’” (John 19:39)

                Nothing has the power to take a person from cowardice to courage better than faith.  Just consider the example of Nicodemus.  We’re introduced to Nicodemus in John 3.  There we’re told that he was “a man of the Pharisees” and “a ruler of the Jews.”  That means he was wealthy, educated, and powerful.  Nicodemus is not the sort of man that would’ve shown any interest in a messiah-type figure, but when Jesus began His ministry, something inside of Nicodemus was intrigued to find out more.

                For that reason, the Bible says “this man came to Jesus by night” to ask him some questions that were on his heart.  If you wonder why Nicodemus chose to approach Jesus at night rather than during the day, it’s because he couldn’t afford to be publicly associated with a “rebel-rouser” like Jesus.  Christ proceeded to tell him that a person must be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven.  When Nicodemus left the encounter with Jesus, he still had questions but he was intrigued to learn more.

                Fast forward to Nicodemus’ second appearance in John 7.  There he was willing to defend Jesus to his fellow Pharisees, saying that no man should be condemned before he’s had a full hearing.  That took boldness, but it took even more courage for him to do what he did in John 19.  There, he came to bury Jesus in the heat of the day (instead of night), bringing with him very expensive supplies for burial.  What made the difference for Nicodemus?  Only one thing – faith that Jesus Christ is Lord!  God will change your life if you’re willing to believe that He’s everything He said He is.

“Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, ‘Behold the Man!’”
(John 19:5)

                The word “behold” is a transliteration of an old English word bihaldan – “bi” means “thoroughly” and “haldan” means “to hold.”  In other words, to behold something is to fix your attention on it for the purpose of thorough examination.  In his attempts to appease the Jewish leaders, Pilate commanded that Jesus be scourged.  Following the severe beating, Pilate instructed the crowds to behold Jesus – not so they could worship Him, but so they could see how thoroughly He was beaten.

                It would do you and I some good to behold Jesus right now.  Look at the crown of thorns thrust down onto His head.  The thorns are about 1-2 inches long, and as they dig down into His scalp and forehead the blood flows into His eyes.  Look at the bare spots in His beard where the hair was plucked from His face.  See the bruises on his cheeks where He was beaten with a rod and with soldiers’ fists.  Look at the purple robe they placed on Jesus in an attempt to mock Him as a fallen King.

                Look at little closer and see deep lacerations all over His body – the result of the chords of a whip driving into His skin time and again, then ripping away the flesh as they were pulled out.  Behold the man Jesus!  Stop and fix your gaze on Christ!  This is what Jesus was willing to go through to secure your pardon and mine.  Let’s make a commitment to behold Jesus like this much more often.  In beholding the broken and battered Jesus, we will never forget all that He endured for us.

“He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him.” (Prov. 18:13)

                Have you ever noticed how we don’t like to be interrupted, but we don’t seem to mind interrupting others?  Why is that?  We all think that what we’ve got to say is of great value and deserving of a hearing.  For some reason, we don’t place as much value on what others have to say.  That being the case, we’re tempted to answer a matter before we’ve given it a full hearing.  Having only a fraction of the story, we think we’ve got more than enough information to make a statement.

                How many times have you put your foot in your mouth by doing this?  When I was in 8th grade, I remember my teacher showing me a picture of her children.  I’m sure she was about to tell me they were her children, their names, their interests, etc.  Before she had a chance to explain those things, I interrupted, “Are those your grandchildren?”  She said, “No – they’re my children.”  Her late 80’s frosted hair threw me off and I embarrassed myself because I spoke when I should’ve been listening.

                How many times have you pre-judged someone when you only heard half the story?  I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve not only misjudged innocent people, I’ve even perpetuated the half-story I was told.  In doing so, I brought shame to myself and others.  We need to remember that God gave us two ears to hear and one mouth to speak.  When we hear something, we need to make sure we have all the details before we respond.  If not, it’s only a matter of time before we wind up looking foolish.

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” (Prov. 18:10)

                In the city I live in, there is an old fort called James White’s Fort.  I can remember taking field trips there as a child.  From our studies in school we learned that a fort is a place of protection.  As a youngster I can remember standing outside the walls of the fort and thinking of how hard it would be for an invader to get inside.  That’s because the walls of the fort are made of long, individual branches that have been cut down to a sharp point at the end.  No one would attempt to cross the wall.

                Today’s verse tells us that God is like that old fort – only much better.  “The name of the Lord is a strong tower.”  The very name of God itself is a refuge for the children of God.  When we’re in the midst of despair and tempted to be afraid, we can all on the name of Jesus and find the help we need.  This verse reminds us that God is our protection.  He is forever a strong tower that we can run to when we need to seek refuge from our enemies and from our main adversary the Devil.

                When others are spreading rumors and lying about your integrity, run to God and He will protect you from the verbal assaults.  When sickness and disease ravage your body, run to God and you’ll find out that He is the Great Physician.  When family or friends have betrayed your confidence, run to God and discover that He’s a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Prov. 18:24).  This life is spiritual warfare.  Don’t fight by yourself – find refuge in the very name of your Protector.