Episodes

  • July 16th - Acts 17:17–18

    July 16th - Acts 17:17–18
    Jul 16 2024
    Acts 17:17–18 [Paul] went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there. He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. We have much to learn from Paul. When he went to a new place it was his usual practice to make contact first of all with those attending the synagogue. There he found not only Jews but also people who were interested in the faith who hadn’t made a full commitment. It was clearly a good place to talk about his faith and he was ideally qualified to speak with understanding to both Jews and Gentiles. But he didn’t leave it at that. He also went regularly to the public square. That was a more random activity and I love the way that Luke records him meeting those “who happened to be there”. And, as if that wasn’t enough, he also entered into lively debate with the philosophers. The Stoics taught the development of self-control as a means of overcoming destructive emotions and the Epicureans believed that pleasure, enjoyed moderately, was the greatest good in life. Paul was delighted to engage in debate with them. Paul’s approach teaches us the need for flexibility in spreading the good news. It is natural that we will want to speak about Jesus in our churches and celebrate our faith. Happily, most churches are mixed communities embracing people with strong Christian convictions and others who are interested but uncommitted. But we shouldn’t for a moment imagine that speaking about Jesus inside our church buildings is enough. Jesus told his disciples to “Go” 2,000 years ago – and he says the same to us today! We need to take the good news to coffee shops, pubs, places of work, retirement homes, youth clubs, on social media and wherever people meet. Just like Paul, we need to grab every opportunity for speaking about Jesus. Question Can you think of a new place where you could speak about Jesus? Prayer Lord God, thank you that you have given us such wonderfully good news to share. Help us to be bold and imaginative in sharing it with others. Amen
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    4 mins
  • July 15th - Acts 17:16

    July 15th - Acts 17:16
    Jul 15 2024
    Acts 17:16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city. We have no reason to think that Paul intended to spend time in Athens. He was merely there for a few days while he waited for Silas and Timothy to catch up with him. The threats to his safety had got too serious in Berea and so he had been escorted down south to the relative safety of Athens. He needed a good break after the dangers and pressures of the recent months of ministry. But Paul wasn’t one for holidays and so he spent his time walking round the city reflecting on all that he was seeing. Politically Athens had become far less significant than it had been in the past, but it was still a leading centre of culture. It was famous for its sculpture, literature and philosophy and Paul was clearly fascinated by all that he saw, but was also deeply troubled. The city was full of temples and images of pagan gods and Paul, who had been brought up as a very strict Jew, was distressed by what he saw. True to form, within a short period of time, Paul was engaged in fervent debate with the leading thinkers of Athens. I find this a deeply challenging verse. We too live in a society full of idols and it seems to me that the Church is hardly troubled by this at all. We have come to accept that it’s just the way things are. Vibrant Christian mission occurs when the Church wakes up and feels, as Paul did, deep distress at the idolatry of society. It will never be appropriate for us to force anyone to believe the Christian message. But if we are convinced that only Jesus can set people free to live life to the full, and that all other options are life-less and bound to disappoint, surely we should feel a deep sadness that will lead us to action? Paul’s distress at the idolatry of Athens led him to engage boldly with the city’s philosophers. It was a tough and cynical audience but nothing would hold him back from declaring the good news of Jesus. I believe we have a lot to learn from Paul’s example. Question What are the main idols in contemporary society? Prayer Lord God our Father, give me courage to share your good news with those around me, however cynical and critical they may be. Amen
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    4 mins
  • July 14th - Acts 17:11

    July 14th - Acts 17:11
    Jul 14 2024
    Acts 17:11 The people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. Every preacher and Bible teacher longs to meet people like these Bereans! They were really open to the Christian message but they didn’t simply accept everything that Paul and Silas had to say. They looked carefully at the Old Testament scriptures to make sure that what they had been taught was right. Having been a preacher and Bible teacher for many years I can’t tell you how much I love it when people question what I’ve said. Although I will always seek to write and preach carefully, I’m far from perfect, and I need to be kept on my toes. I find it really exciting when I hear that people are seriously studying scripture and reflecting on what it means. I almost always learn more when people ask questions. If these daily notes help to interest you in God’s word that’s great, but don’t leave it there; do more digging. It is particularly valuable to get to grips with the whole range of the Bible. Some parts of the Bible are easy to understand and bring immediate encouragement. Others are harder work and you will need to spend much more time to understand their meaning. But it is all the word of God and you will gain enormous blessing from getting to know it better. Premier now produces a very helpful podcast that takes you through the Bible in a Year. For about 15minutes a day you will be transported through the amazing unfolding story of God’s love for the world. Or perhaps you want to dig even deeper and follow one of the many excellent Bible study courses that are on offer. We are all different and there isn’t one right way of studying the Bible. What matters is that, like the Bereans, we are open minded and always eager to learn more. Question What are you doing to get to grips with the Bible? Prayer Lord God, thank you for the gift of the Bible. Thank you for the way it shows me who you are and how you want to be at work in the world today. Amen
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    3 mins
  • July 13th - Acts 16:25–26

    July 13th - Acts 16:25–26
    Jul 13 2024
    Acts 16:25–26 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. The ministry of Paul and Silas in Philippi soon hit the buffers when they healed a slave girl who was a fortune teller. She had made good money for her owners until she was healed. They were furious when they realised that their source of income had disappeared. They dragged Paul and Silas into the marketplace, where they got the support of the magistrates to beat and imprison them (vv16–24). I wonder how you or I would have responded to this. Paul and Silas had been severely flogged and must have been very injured and bruised. Having had a very specific call from God to serve him in this Macedonian area, they could have felt very let down by him too. But, instead, they were in a top security prison cell praying and singing hymns to God! To cap it all, the prison was suddenly shaken by an earthquake. Its doors were thrown open and the jailer, presuming that the prisoners had escaped, decided that his only option was to commit suicide. Paul and Silas assured him that the prisoners were all there. The jailer asked what he must do to be saved and Paul and Silas told him to believe in the Lord Jesus. This he gladly did, and he and his family were baptised (vv27–34). What a gripping story! And it helps us to see what Paul meant when he wrote in Ephesians 5:20 about always giving “thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”. On the face of it, Paul and Silas didn’t have much to give thanks for when they were slung into prison. But when the focus of your life is God himself then, however wretched the circumstances, you will always have reason to give thanks. Question For what reason can you give thanks to God right now? Prayer Lord God our Father, I praise you that whatever is going on in my life, I always have reason to praise you. Amen
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    3 mins
  • July 12th - Acts 16:15

    July 12th - Acts 16:15
    Jul 12 2024
    Acts 16:15 [Lydia] and her household were baptised, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed. Paul’s first convert in Europe was a businesswoman. Lydia came from what we now know as western Turkey and was a dealer in the purple cloth that her home area was famous for. As Paul travelled around, he normally began his ministry in a synagogue, but it would seem that there wasn’t one in Philippi. So he went to the river where he met up with a group of women who met together to pray. As Paul spoke with them, Lydia responded to his message and was baptised. It is fascinating to see that her first response was to offer hospitality, and it seems that she was very insistent. Hospitality was crucial for the early Church because there were no Christian buildings for many years. The only way they could meet was if people generously opened up their homes. Our homes are interesting places aren’t they? In many ways they are an extension of our personalities, and it is possible to become extremely possessive of our homes. The phrase “their home is their castle” isn’t a joke. It conveys the profound truth that, for most of us, our home is a place of safety and comfort. We long to go home at the end of the day and to relax with those we love and where we feel secure. It is, therefore, very easy for us to be selfish with our homes and to use them merely as a way of satisfying our own needs. However, the New Testament encourages us to open up the door of our homes. It is good if we have a loving and secure home. It is a gift of God. But it’s a gift that needs to be shared. In recent years my family has had the privilege of fostering. At first it felt like a big thing to do but it has actually proved to be a huge blessing to us. We have been made richer through sharing the gift of our home. In common with all God’s gifts, our homes are given so that we can give them away. Question In what ways have you experienced the blessing of Christian hospitality? Prayer God our Father, I thank you for the gift of my home and for the privilege of being able to share it with others. Amen
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    3 mins
  • July 11th - Acts 16:9–10

    July 11th - Acts 16:9–10
    Jul 11 2024
    Acts 16:9–10 That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once. We should never put a limit on the ways in which God might choose to speak to us. Yesterday we saw God putting a block on Paul’s plans. But in today’s passage he makes it crystal clear where Paul should go next. In a vision Paul saw a man from Macedonia pleading with him to go and help. We receive no information about what this vision was like, although we might presume that it was while Paul was dreaming. I wonder how you interpret your dreams. Much of the time dreams are, in my experience, extraordinary and impossible to unravel. If I can remember mine at all beyond breakfast they still don’t seem to have any lasting significance. But dreams play an important role in many parts of the Bible and so we should definitely be open to the possibility that they can, from time to time, reveal God’s plans to us. Paul was clearly entirely sure that the vision was sent from God and so he and Silas immediately set out to Macedonia. We need God’s guidance on a continual basis. We often refer to guidance in relation to the big decisions of life – whom we should marry, our career or moving to a new area. But the truth is that every day we are making decisions about our relationships, our homes, our jobs and our purchases and so we need to live with a continual openness to God’s guidance. God will often guide us through our experience, prayer, the Perhaps in the future he will choose to speak to you through a film, a painting, a flower, a bird – or even a dream. Question In what different ways has God made clear his guidance to you? Prayer Loving Father, help me to hear your voice, however you choose to speak to me. Amen
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    3 mins
  • July 10th - Acts 16:6

    July 10th - Acts 16:6
    Jul 10 2024
    Acts 16:6 Next Paul and Silas travelled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. This is a remarkable moment. Paul clearly had a carefully worked out plan for his missionary journey but, at the same time, was intensely sensitive to the guidance of the Spirit. Here we meet him in what we now know as central Turkey heading towards Ephesus, but then the Spirit prevented him from going in that direction. So, he then set off north until, in verse seven, the “Spirit of Jesus” told them not to enter Bithynia. We have no idea how Paul received this guidance. Perhaps it was through a dream or a word of prophecy. We don’t know and, what is more, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that Paul was ready to go wherever the Lord led him, and he was eager to respond immediately to the breath of the Spirit. Planning is good. It is wise to think through plans for the future whether we are thinking about family holidays, career, retirement or the mission of the Church. It is good to do thoughtful research and to talk with lots of people and, as a result, to devise a plan that makes sense and wins general approval. However, we still need to remain ready to adjust to new circumstances or the voice of God. During the pandemic we all had to adjust our plans to a huge extent. That didn’t mean that our planning was wrong or inadequate. It just meant that we needed to reflect on our plans in the light of the new circumstances. And there will be times when, even though we have set our heart on something, we may suddenly lose a sense of God’s peace about it. Guidance is often not neat and clear cut. It involves listening with all our attention to the voice of the Spirit and making sure that we stay light on our feet at all times. Question Has the Spirit ever said no to any of your plans? Prayer Lord God, thank you that you love me so much that you are willing to stop me going the wrong way. Amen
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    3 mins
  • July 9th - Acts 16:2–3

    July 9th - Acts 16:2–3
    Jul 9 2024
    Acts 16:2–3 Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium, so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek. This is a fascinating moment. Paul had just come away from the Council of Jerusalem where the decision had been clearly made that it was unnecessary for Christians to obey all the Jewish law. He, more than anyone, passionately believed that it was not necessary for men to be circumcised and in his letters he was scathing of those who insisted on it. So why did he insist that his new companion, Timothy, should go through a ceremony which he believed was entirely unnecessary? The answer is clearly that he believed that their priority was to preach the gospel and that they must ensure that nothing got in the way of that. If Timothy was to work effectively among Jews then it would be much more helpful if he were circumcised. Timothy’s mother was a Jew and so he already had much in common with Jews, and his circumcision would make it much easier to relate to them. Paul set out his thinking on this subject in 1 Corinthians 9:20. He wrote: “When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law.” The particular challenge that Paul was facing may feel very far removed from our own situation, but the principles are the same. There are many people for whom the good news of Jesus is a completely foreign language. That means that we need to go out of our way to make connections. We also need to look at ourselves and see if there is anything that we could change in order to get closer to them. For Paul nothing in the world was more important than bringing other people to Christ – and that should be the same for us too. Question What could you do to reach out more effectively to your family, neighbours or work colleagues with the good news of Jesus? Prayer Lord God, thank you for Paul’s example. Help me to be humble enough to learn from it. Amen
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    3 mins