Seek God's Guidance - 1 Samuel 8:1 - 12:25

I started teaching school in 1949 at a yearly salary of two hundred dollars a month. At the close of the 1955 school year I was offered a contract to teach the following year at a salary of three hundred dollars a month for nine months. It finally began to dawn upon me that with a wife and two children to support, I really needed to seek a job that paid more than teachers were making.

This was the period in our history when the great electronic companies such as IBM, General Electric, and Westinghouse were new and expanding rapidly. I applied with GE and was offered a position in their Chicago plant that would pay slightly more than five times what I would make if I stayed with the school contract. Our expenses were paid to go to Chicago to view the plant and search for housing, and we made the trip with great anticipation. It was hard for us to believe that we could improve our salary that much in one move. Our hopes were high and all the way home we used the time discussing the things we would need to do during the time left before we would have to go to work in Chicago.

At that time I was teaching in Judsonia, AR and commuting from Griffithville where we were living in a small home of our own with no rent or payments to make. We had two young daughters and we were attending and working in the First Baptist Church. Juanita was working with the children and I was Sunday school Superintendent and teacher of high school youth. I will not try to explain why, but simply say that God led us to remain in education and stay in Arkansas. We have been willing to move and open to change, for we have moved six times. However we prayed more and sought God’s guidance in this matter more than at any other time, about any other changes. I believe that God guided us in this decision. Was it for our good? Yes! Can you imagine raising a family in Chicago?

We will never forget the exasperation and disgust expressed by the agent that had solicited us to work for GE. He never understood how we could refuse their offer. I did not understand it either at that time; but I have been thankful a million times that we did not move to Chicago at that time in our life work…That was just before Chicago became one of the leaders in Anti Establishment, Anti American, and Anti God movements that extended through the 1960’s. And I still would not want to live in Chicago! It seems like a paradox to me but now in 2008 one of the greatest threats to our American way of life is coming out of Chicago

Whether the changes are intentional or forced, making important life transitions can be unsettling, and adults are wise to seek guidance in helping them make good decisions or navigate unavoidable changes successfully. I wish that I could tell you that I have always done this, but I haven’t. When we have sought guidance from the Holly Spirit, at the proper time, and in the correct way, God has never let us down. Do you seek His face? Do you pray for His guidance? I will admit that we did not hear God auditable tell us “Don’t move to Chicago.” But we did not go and have been happy that we did not go. Isn’t that evidence enough? This lesson has been chosen to help adults confirm that it is absolutely necessary to seek God’s guidance before making important decisions. For example:

Pray about and before getting married. Know that your spouse believes in prayer. Pray for the right person, time and place to be married. Pray about having children. Teach your child to pray for guidance while he/she is still young. Pray before having more children. Pray about job selection and any changes you contemplate. Pray before you buy a home. Pray before you join a church. Pray for your church. We could close this lesson right now, because you already know that you are to “SEEK GOD’S GUIDANCE” in every thing that calls for change in your life. Samuel was a special person in God’s plan and he chose God’s way and walked in it. There are no exceptions—each and every important character named in the Bible made it their practice to “Seek God’s Guidance.” At least one of the most important prayers ever prayed was when a servant said, “Here am I Lord, send me.” “I will do what you want me to do, dear Lord; I will go where you want me to go.” “I will say what your want me to say, even if it is not politically correct.”

Hannah was old and did not have any children…she prayed and promised God that she would dedicate her son to Him and He heard her prayer and blessed her life with a special child that grew up to be the greatest of all the judges, Samuel. Following the direction set by his mother, Samuel began as a young boy to develop his walk with the Lord and to be sensitive to His guidance. As long as the people obeyed the word of the Lord, faithfully presented by Samuel, they enjoyed rest from their enemies, including the menacing Philistines. However, as Samuel grew older and the ministry increasingly fell to his sons who “did not walk in God’s ways,” the people began to pressure Samuel to appoint a king as all the other nations had done to judge them.

The change from Theocracy to Monarchy came while Samuel was Judge. Israel was constituted as a theocracy, a country ruled by God, according to the rules written in stone at Mount Sinai in Exodus 20. The covenant stipulations provided divine providence and protection in response to the obedience of the people in doing God’s will. At first God led his people through Moses and Joshua. Then the Judges took responsibility…the last one was Samuel. When he was old, his sons took charge and were not as dedicated as their father. The people rebelled and demanded a King. You must read 1 Samuel 8 through 12 to get the entire story of this change in rule. Note: It seems so trite to me that our political figures today are basing their campaign on “need for change.” They try to make it sound like a new theory in government. It is not new.

The Israelites wanted change—but it was not God’s plan; they made the change anyway—but it was in the wrong direction and they suffered the consequences. People need to know that the change is in accordance with the will of God which will always be for the good of the people. We may not like the situation we are in, but we should be careful in that some change may make things even worse than they are now. I am not naïve; I realize that God does not audibly tell us who we should elect to rule over us. However he still demands that rulers believe in Him, the one and only God and any prospective leader that trust in any other god should be rejected. If you are inclined to be of the Christian faith [faith in Christ] you know with certainty that Mohammed IS NOT A GOD—and even more certain that he IS NOT THE ONE AND ONLY GOD.

In 8: 4 the people demanded Judge Samuel to appoint a king. The change was made from Judge Samuel to King Saul. Samuel did not want to do it but God said, “Let them have their way—it is not you that they have rejected, but they have rejected Me. Samuel explained the mistake they were making, but they still rejected his counsel. The cause of the problem is a parallel to that of Eli and his sons. We like to brag about learning from our experiences. However, many times we do not learn from experience. Samuel is an example. He failed to learn from the mistakes that Eli made. And just like Eli, when Samuel was older he appointed his sons to help him with the work that was his responsibility as the high priest. Even if they were Godly men in every decision and action they were not supposed to take their father’s place; they were not permitted to enter the Holy of Holies.

Samuel had two sons; they were Joel and Abijah, and when Samuel was older, just as Eli had done, he appointed his sons to help him with the heavy load of service. They were the priest’s boys. And, like the sons of some preachers today, they were not dependable. They turned toward dishonesty by accepting illegal gain; they accepted bribes and perverted justice. The people were not blind; they knew the boys were at least a part of the cause for their problems, and they demanded a change in their government. In our election ongoing this fall, the clamor is for change in government when the need is for change in the personnel administering our government. Someone says that it is futile to burn a ship in order to get rid of the rats. I say it is futile to destroy our democracy thinking that will get rid of the rats [crooks].

They demanded that Samuel appoint a King to rule over them, even when it was not God’s will. This request was not against the Law of Moses in Deut. 17 that authorized Kingdom rule. The error was that they did not seek God’s guidance and God’s timing in making their request. They made this a personal demand for change because they were not happy with Samuel’s sons. And their trust in the Almighty God was not strong enough to help them to know that He [God] would take care of their problems if they would only leave their problems to Him. Dear friends in Christ: tell yourself the truth. Have you ever? And do you still take things into your own hands and try to solve some of your most severe problems by yourself?—or do you SEEK GOD’S GUIDANCE FIRST?

Nepotism has always been repugnant to the people. Both Eli and Samuel were guilty of nepotism. Public office is a public trust; and has never been the distribution of family patronage. Samuel knew he had made a mistake and he did not deny it. He knew why the people were upset and demanding that a King be appointed. God assured him that they were really not as opposed to him as they were to God; and therefore he rejected their request. But God did not reject their request even though He knew they were making a mistake.

I often find scriptures that lead me to warn you that you should be very careful what you pray for—you should be very sure that you need the thing or condition that you pray for. Sometimes God grants our prayers when He knows that it is not what we really need. Why?—because he wants to teach us a lesson. The lesson is simply that we should seek his guidance before we ask or pray for anything.

God instructed Samuel to anoint Saul as their King. Under his reign the people lost most of their individual freedoms. Continuing wars required additional soldiers and the men, husbands and sons were drafted into the armies. Wives and daughters were forced into the service of food preparation and weaving and sewing clothing for the King’s army. They soon knew that their demand for a king had not really brought the kinds of improvements they had desired. God is the only source of change for good. They finally were blessed with David’s rule and that was because David was God’s choice for them. I humbly pray that God will choose our next president and exert his power to see that His man is elected.

Trusting in the Lord Alone - 1 Samuel 4: 1b - 7: 17

For thirty-four years it was my privilege to sit in one of the VIP chairs in the auditorium, gym or on a foot ball field, on a day in late spring, and watch several thousand graduating seniors march by to receive their diplomas. There are always exceptions to the rule, but generally speaking these young people had trusted parents to love, feed and clothe them; the police system to protect them and the educational system to educate them; and this had proven to be successful. They have been right for eighteen years and they feel sure of themselves. Few, if any, realize that a Higher Power has been at work giving cause for their success.

If you ask them what they plan to do about half will tell you that they plan to get a job, make money, and buy the things they want and go and do what they desire to do. The other half will say they intend to attend college first and then do the same kind of things. They are trusting in their education, their abilities, and worldly things to make the wonderful life possible. To be more specific—they have put their trust in money and things to help them be what they want to be. There are very few of these young people that have realized that God has a purpose in mind for each of them individually and that their success depends upon whether or not they find his will and walk in it. To place your trust in making life’s important decisions based upon people and things is a sure path to failure. Absolute trust can only be and must be in THE LORD ALONE.

I submit to you that these young graduates from high schools all over America represent, in a symbolic way, the mighty army of the Israelites that declared war on the Philistines in the early verses of chapter four. Eli had failed to teach his people that their dependence must be totally in God and instead they were depending upon their superiority in training and numbers to defeat the Philistines. The Israelites were defeated and 4000 died on the battlefield. They decided that they would go to Shiloh, retrieve the Ark and bring it back so that it would assure their success.

The two evil sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas were at Shiloh guarding the Ark. They allowed the Israelites to take the Ark, knowing that it should not be. There was a great celebration in the Israelite camp, and when the Philistines learned that they now had the Ark, they were greatly disturbed. They remembered that this was the God that had won in Egypt and that he had protected these people for forty years in the desert. They charged the army to be brave and fight as never before or they would too be destroyed. So they attacked the Israelites and defeated them. This time the Israelites lost 30,000 foot soldiers. The Philistines captured the Ark and took it with them, and to fulfill Samuels prophesy, Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas died.

From a religious standpoint, the people in our lesson today had placed their total trust in the Ark of the Covenant; a man made box covered with gold that contained the ten-commandments and a rod that had always led the Children of Israel. They either had not learned or had forgotten that this Ark was a symbol, a reminder of who God is and what he can do. They were to respect it as God had taught them to do…but they were not to worship it as God and they were not to depend on the Ark to win their battles, when that power lies only in the hand of Jehovah God.

A carrier hurried back to Eli and told him what had happened. The 98 year old blind weak, fat priest fell out of his chair and broke his neck, ending his forty year reign. His daughter-in-law, wife of Phinehas, died as she was giving birth to the son she named Ichabod, which meant that God had departed from them.

Chapter five tells the story of the woes that came upon the Philistines for as long as they kept the Ark. They moved it from town to town and in each setting their people developed tumors and died. They placed the Ark near their main god, Dagon and the next day they found Dagon had fallen and broken to pieces. The people cried out for fear all would die, and the Ark was sent back to the Israelites. They prepared a special new cart, pulled by two cows with young calves, and also sent with it a piece offering of gold rats and gold tumors.

The Ark arrived at the field of Joshua of Beth Shemesh, and placed on a large rock that is a witness to this day. Still, the Israelites had not learned their lesson, they opened the Ark and as a result God struck seventy men to death because they had been told not to touch the Ark. They too, wanted to get rid of the Ark and they sent messengers to Kiriath Jearim asking him to take it back to his place. He complied. And now we go to chapter seven for an explanation and the meat of our lesson for today.
Chapter seven says that Kiriath Jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord and consecrated Eleazar his son to guard the Ark of the Lord. The Ark remained there twenty years. During this period, God’s people were made to believe, and they sought after the Lord. Samuel observed the change in his people, and told them that if they were sincere, and would turn to God only and put away their other Gods [Baals and Ashtoreths] that God would deliver them out of the hand of the Philistines.

The people were sincere. Thy repented and turned to God only, and as a result they were successful in defeating the Philistines. They regained control of the towns from Ekron to Gath and all the neighboring territory, and peace returned to His people. Samuel continued to judge over the people the rest of his life.

The summary and heart of this lesson follows. Why wasn’t the Ark taken back to Shiloh and placed in the tabernacle? No one knows for sure, but think that it had been destroyed during the war. Shiloh is not mentioned again in the history books of the OT. Samuel made Ramah his home for the rest of his life. The people mourned for 20 years while the Ark was hidden away, and God seemed to have forsaken them,

Samuel, now a grown man, used some means [maybe he preached to them] to arouse them to action in God. They listened. They repented. They acted.
Maybe God is giving the coastal areas of the southern states twenty years of one hurricane after another to cause them to wonder if he has forsaken them. Or, just may be that he is giving California a few years of wild fires, floods and mud slides, and earthquakes to get their attention. Several states along the Mississippi flood plains have been flooded out more than once…just this year alone…maybe it is for a reason. How easy it is for us to complain about our problems. It is the state’s fault. It is the government’s fault. And we even complain to God, while we refuse to act for ourselves and do what he has commanded that we do.

Do you personally ever feel that God has abandoned you? Check the Good Book and see if you are carrying out the charges he has made on your life. I doubt seriously that God will give us the opportunities to do other things that we want to do until we have been obedient regarding what he has already directed us to do. One thing for sure if there is something in your life that is more important to you than God, it is your idol. Idols have to go. He alone is worthy of our service. The Ark was not an idol; but man made it an idol when they depended upon the Ark to protect them. There was nothing wrong with the Ark, it was being used wrongly. There is nothing wrong with wealth until it is used wrongly, in a selfish way or even as an idol.

I will close out the lesson today by reminding us that Samuel was really an outstanding person from birth to death. He really defied all of the rules of life that seem essential to parents today. He was given away by his earthly parent at an early age. His mother did not abandon him—but dedicated him to God. He was brought up in the tabernacle of an honest and sincere priest who was actually weak in his faith and ability to follow God’s will. We wonder where he obtained and maintained his total trust in God. It could only have been because of the prayers of his mother. God heard her prayers. Have you prayed that your son who has left home, or is associating with bad company [at least associations that are weak] –have you prayed that he might become like Samuel.

The most of the examples that were being set around this boy had to do with two evil sons that were outside of God’s will. Would you have been strong enough in your faith to have survived in his surroundings and still be faithful? His peer pressure was not good. The peer pressure that surrounds your children or grandchildren is usually not good, either. Will they be able to survive, and become as great in their field and he was as the best Judge Israel ever had? What is your responsibility in this matter? Are you taking your responsibility seriously and are you making positive moves to carry them out? You ask: “How can I be sure?” There is only one way and that is by: TRUSTING IN THE LORD ALONE.

This is not just an abstract thought! It will show up in a positive way when you read your bible often, pray without ceasing, deal with others fairly and honestly, attend your church, and work in its ministry, TRUST AND OBEY.

Serving the Lord Faithfully - I Samuel 2 - 4

Is there anything wrong with fishing or playing golf on Sunday? I will leave the answer to you. Should a Christian have a priority system by which he determines when, where and to what he dedicates his life? Our answer should be a resounding yes! Christians ultimately spend their time, money, energy and resources doing the things that mean the most to them. Some claim loyalty to God but their calendars [including the hours in the day] and their canceled checks betray a more worldly focus. Serving the Lord faithfully is a 24-7 commitment and it includes our work, rest and recreation, as well as our worship and praise time. There is a personal challenge in this lesson that is as relevant to us as it was to Samuel. We are to compare the selfish, wicked lives of Eli’s sons to the life that Samuel lived.

The first ten verses of chapter two is a lengthy prayer offered to God by a Godly mother, Hannah, who has kept her promise to God in exchange for His answered prayer. She was an older barren lady who prayed for a son and God heard her prayer. She promised God in her prayers that she would dedicate the son to Him, and now the time has arrived. She took Samuel when he was about three or four years old to Eli the priest, and left him at the temple to be trained in the priest hood.

This prayer praised God for his answer to her previous prayer for a son. It is a poetic prayer stating her complete confidence in God and thanking Him for what he will do through her son Samuel. This is a model prayer, in that Mary modeled her own praise song called the Magnificat after Hannah’s prayer. {It is important that you turn now to Luke 1: 46-56 and read and compare the prayers of these two ladies.}

Hannah and Mary were confident of God’s ultimate control over the events in their lives and they told him so in a meaningful way. This is a prime example for each one of us today. We must realize that God is in control over our lives and we must tell him so. He expects us to offer our prayers of thanksgiving for the blessings he affords us each day of our lives. We must make sure that our prayer life has a balance—first thanking God for what we have and will receive, and then intercessory pleas for others, as well as the requests we have for further blessings. Our ability to talk to God and know he is listening is one of our most precious gifts—and should never be neglected.

Hannah praised God for being a Rock, firm and strong and unchanging. Can you name me one other thing or person that can be described this way? We dedicate our lives to a profession only to find that circumstance change so severely that we are no longer happy or even feel needed. We dedicate our lives to achievements, causes, or possessions that have as their security that which is finite and changeable; here today and gone tomorrow. All of our plans fail because something unforeseen changes. We work our lives away for family, home, and possessions only to loose our love ones and see our possessions diminish. Only God remains always present, and our hope in him will never fail us. To Him is all the Glory. Be happy in Him only.

In chapter three the lord calls Samuel. Three times God spoke to Samuel while Samuel was young and unlearned, and he thought that it was Eli calling. And then Eli told him that the call was from God and that he should recognize His voice and let Him speak to him. The fourth time, Samuel answered God and told him he was listening. It appears to me that God would have spoken to Eli, because of his life experiences, work and dedication. There is too little time to explain all the reasons, but Eli had been faithful in every way except that he had allowed his sons to become his downfall; and he showed extreme weakness when he failed to discipline his sons for their terrible sins.

There are very few lessons in God’s word that are more explicit than this one that proclaims that parents are responsible for the beliefs and actions of their children. Parents are responsible for ascertaining the right way and practicing their beliefs and insisting that their offspring to follow them. Some may ask who these wicked sons were, and what did they do, to bring God’s judgment against Eli?

Eli was in his latter years and was high priest at Samuel’s birth; however according to Jewish law, he was not legally qualified to be a high priest. Even so, he had judged Israel for the last forty years. There is a genealogical table listed in 1 Chronicles that tells us that Eli was a descendant of Aaron, but not Eleazar, who was the oldest son, and therefore was not eligible to become high priest. He was what we might call a good hearted man, but was a weak leader. He must have desired to be a Godly ruler, and tried in his own way, but just did not have strong leadership ability. It seems almost unfair to say so, but a weak leader in a big job is in some ways a curse. America needs to remember this fact when they vote to elect the next President. Diplomats that are trying to rule fairly and well will tell you that a blunder {bad decision} is sometimes worse than a crime. At the time of this lesson Eli was 98 years old and almost blind.

Because of his age and blindness, Eli allowed his two sons Hophni and Phinehas to act for him. Some of their decisions actually degraded the worship of God. There were incriminating reports that came to Eli telling him about the infamous, non-Christian character and deeds of his Sons who were being allowed to degrade this holy office that belonged to God. Even though Eli knew about their sinful ways, he did not take a stand to prevent it from happening. The bible says that his only action was a weak statement—“My sons, it is not a good report that I hear about you” and that is all he said or did to them. God was not pleased with Eli’s weak response.

If you will study the last part of chapter two, beginning with verse 27, you can find that God sent a man who reprimanded Eli, and told him that his sons would both die on the same day, and that He would raise up a faithful priest who will do according to what is in the heart of God.

In Chapter 3, when God called Samuel the fourth time, He told Samuel what would happen to Eli and Samuel did not want to tell him. However, Eli insisted that Samuel tell him what the voice had told him. Samuel reluctantly told Eli what God had said. It could not have been a surprise, for he already knew God was unhappy with him. Eli accepted the message as being what God decided to do to him.

It is easy to see that though Samuel was only a young boy in training, this experience caused him to grow into a young man in authority in a very short time. Verses 19 through 21 state that Samuel grew up and people listened when he spoke. All through out Israel, from the north to the south, people understood and accepted Samuel as God’s new messenger to His people.

In my mind’s eye I can see the plight of Eli taking place in many of the homes in America today. Eli had spent his entire life in service to God. As high priest his responsibility was to oversee the worship in the country of Israel. He took the job seriously and proudly and spent all of his time dedicated to the task. He was a proud man and wanted to be successful—so much so that—he neglected the responsibilities he had in his own home and to these two boys that had not been disciplined to also live a dedicated life. This is a personal message to all fathers and grandfathers that tells you that you can not become so dedicated to your job, business, or profession that you neglect your responsibilities to your family. It even says to me and you that we cannot let our desire to do God’s work cause us to neglect our family. Eli did this very thing, and his family suffered the consequences of Eli’s neglect.

It is an interesting thought when we realize that Samuel grew up with Eli in charge of the tabernacle, which was a precedent of the Holy Temple. It had a room set aside where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. It was the Holy of Holies, and only the priest could enter once each year—just as it was to be later in the Temple. There was an area set aside where the priest lived. Samuel probably had a bedroom somewhere close by; it may have been only a few feet from the Ark, and he may have known of some of the desecration that was taking place there.

This reminds us that we are to be in the world but not a part of the world. We may live next door to a place where sin is taking place, but we do not have to be a part of it. Samuel, even though very young, lived near the sons of Eli and probably knew some of the sins they were committing, but he did not allow their ways to become his ways. As the title of this lesson charges each of us…WE ARE TO SERVE THE LORD FAITHFULLY.

Declaring the Lord Grace - I Samuel 1:1 - 2:11

1 SAMUEL 1: 1 TO 2:11, SEPT. 7, 2008 By: John Vandiver
Some of us may have assumed that the Lord’s grace was reserved for those of us who live under and abide by the teachings of the new covenant. We are quick to remind ourselves and others that we are saved “by grace” through our faith in Jesus Christ. There is no doubt that it is one of the most precocious promises and gifts proclaimed in the New Testament. However, when you look at the meaning of the word ‘grace’ and understand that it simply means ‘unmerited favor’ or ‘unearned blessing’ then it is easy to understand that all of creation, from Adam to the present has been living under grace. Every breath that we breathe, the food that we must have to sustain life and the water we drink are all gifts of grace. We have not earned and have done nothing to ever deserve God’s grace toward man.

I remember that several years ago there was a country song that became quite popular. One of the lines in it simply stated: “Oh Lord, it is hard to be humble.” There has never been a statement that was or is truer. It is very difficult for us to realize and admit that man is nothing without God. We can do nothing, not even live and/or die without the hand of God intervening. Every breath we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat is provided by the God of grace.

As adults we are faced with many trying circumstances in our lives. Some of these trials are short in duration while other might span many years. Many times we wonder just how long we will have to wait for God to answer our prayers and deliver us from what ever problem we are in. I am afraid that most of the time we fail to admit and declare that God has heard our prayers and delivered us from our troublesome situation. This lesson today will help us to declare that our success has been a direct result of the Lord’s grace extended for those times when we need him most. Folks, He has blessed us and answered our earnest prayers and we need to learn to give him credit, and declare that it is by His grace that we are survivors.

There are only a few men listed in the Old Testament that lived lives and influenced the lives of God’s people for good in the way that Abraham, Noah, Moses, Samuel and David did. If you want to think of these as ‘mountain top’ men, then you can think of Samuel as one of the highest peaks. The book of Samuel covers the area of Israel’s history that starts with his birth around 1100 BC to the end of King Saul’s reign and his death in 1010 BC. Israel has been ruled by judges for over 200 years. Eli and Samuel are the last of those judges. Samuel is born near the end of Eli’s life. Samuel grew up in the tabernacle as a “priest in training’ under Eli and was well qualified to be either a priest or a judge. You will soon learn that the nation has drifted away from God and that God raised Samuel up as the man to bring the nation back into his fold. I hope that we can have the faith to truly believe that God has the power to bring America back to Him. Those of us who have that kind of faith are obligated to pray each day for our country.

If you only learn one thing from this lesson it will be one of the most important lessons I have ever taught. When God raises up a nation that he is proud of and really wants to preserve—and that nation fails to keep his commandments, fails to honor him, fails to praise Him and worship Him, He does not immediately cast them out. America can repent and He will forgive us. All we need to do is repent and turn back to God and he will continue to BLESS AMERICA.

The book of Samuel in 1:1 begins when the judges still ruled Israel…possibly during the closing years of Samson’s life. He was the last judge and first priest and prophet to serve during the time of the first two kings. He established the first university with the primary goal of training prophets, and was well qualified as the founder and teacher of the prophets. He knew what it was to judge and govern people according to God’s will and not by man’s impulses. He was privileged to be the one to anoint Israel’s first king, Saul. He also had a hand in the training and dedication of King David to the greatest kingship recorded in the bible.

The heritage of Elkanah was a noted one; he had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. He loved Hannah but she was barren and she agreed for him to take her maid as wife to bear him children.

In 1:2—admittedly, some of the OT leaders such as Abraham, Jacob and David had more than one wife, but this was not God’s intention for marriage. In Gen. 2:24, God said that two people become one flesh and there is no place anywhere in the bible that God condoned three or more in a marriage. No one knows for sure why polygamy ever started, but it was probably because some women could not have children…and it was important for each man’s name to be extended into history. The practice had nothing to do with the will of God…but was a status symbol among men to have large families and to be able to obtain great wealth. Polygamy has always caused family problems. Regardless of the Mormon teaching, it can not be successful as you will see by studying the life of Hannah and Peninnah.

The tabernacle [tent meeting place] was practiced during the exodus from Egypt because they had not arrived at the Promised Land, and this was the temporary temple, that was built later when His people settled especially at Jerusalem. During the days of Samuel the tabernacle was located at Shiloh, the religious center of the nation at that time. Three times each year the men were required to attend a religious feast held here—the Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the feast of Tabernacles. You can find the instructions give for this in Deuteronomy 16.

In 1: 6 you see that Hannah had been unable to conceive children and in OT times a barren woman was a failure. Children were needed to help with the work—and children were also responsible for the care of aging parents. It is too bad that somehow the Liberals of today seem to feel that caring for the elderly is the responsibility of the government. The barren wives would often give one of her maid servants to her husband in order for him to have children that would keep his name alive.

As usually happens in the practice of polygamy, the two women did not get along peaceful; Peninnah tormented Hannah intentionally. Hannah was a godly woman; she turned to God for help. Her prayer life increased to the point that she sometimes appeared to be talking to herself and was accused of being drunk on wine. She promised God that if He would hear her prayer and give her a son that she would dedicate the son to God with no reservations. In God’s time she conceived and had Samuel—and true to her promise to God, after he was weaned she dedicated him to the work of God. I think this is a good place and time to remind each of us that we should be very careful about praying and promising God. Our prayer has a good chance of being answered—and when it is answered; we then have the obligation to keeping our promise to God.

In order for Hannah to keep her promise, it cost her the one thing she loved most…her young son Samuel. She felt so strongly about her promise that she took him to Eli for his dedication and then left him to live, work and grow up in the work of the Lord. Her gift was more than just a tithe, it was definitely a sacrifice.

In the last part of the chapter it is noted that she took a three year old bull to the temple also to be sacrificed. It was at the time of the weaning of the child, and Jewish history indicates that children were often as much a three years old before they were weaned, and it is thought that Samuel was about three years old when Hannah left him with Eli at the temple where he learned how to be priest and Judge.

There is an extensive list of Godly mothers in the Bible, and all have accomplished great things for God. Hannah has come down through history as one very close to Mary and Martha. It actually appears that the contrast between good and bad women named in holy script is far more extreme that the contrast of men. An evil woman is more evil than a snake; and evil man is the snake.

Paul in Rome: Facing Limitations - Acts 27:1 - 28:21

No mortal man, living or dead, has ever faced as many problems and limitations as Paul did and still remain successful in his witness for Christ up to the day of his martyrdom. His life is a perfect picture of the life of Jesus Christ all the way from his experience on the road to Damascus to his grave with the exception that he did not die on the cross in order to save lost sinners. His life was totally dedicated to the promotion of his Lord and Savior—he forsook all, even his family, for the cause of Christ. He spent all of his time preaching, teaching, even to the performing of miracles trying to reach the lost. He suffered the same kinds of ridicule, and rejection as Christ did including false acquisitions, imprisonment, floggings and beatings, and was stoned as unto death. Many of his most profitable years were spent in prison or under guard on the way to prison. He survived shipwreck, and being lost at sea without a life preserver, snake bite and total rejection by his own Jewish people. In what so ever condition or place without exception, Paul used every circumstance as an opportunity to preach the crucified Christ. All Christian people should follow his example. Fields are ripe for harvest.

Chapter 27 records Paul’s last journey that started in Ephesus at the sea port on the southern shore of Judah. He had dodged the trial in a Jewish court, and any ambush that had been planned to prevent him from receiving a pardon. Paul was still a prisoner with a hardened Roman centurion named Juluis assigned to guard him on the trip. There has never been any doubt, Dr. Luke wrote the book of Acts, and he is present at their departure and all the way to Rome. This is verified by the use of the pronouns “we” and “us” in the first verse of this chapter. The plural pronouns refer to three people, Paul, Luke and Aristarchus who was from Macedonia and who went with them.

This trip started in October of AD 59. If Christ died in AD 33, this means that Paul had been on his journeys for Christ for the last twenty-six [26] years. The date is known because Luke mentions that it was during the time of the fast and that referred to the Day of Atonement which is in October. Ships of that day had no guidance equipment and the captain used the stars, moon and sun to plot his ship. September was considered as the last safe time for a ship to leave the east on a journey westward toward Africa and Italy; therefore they knew they were taking a chance on this dangerous route.

Julius the guard soon became attached to Paul, and trusted him enough to respect him and even allowed him certain privileges that were not common for a prisoner. Later on in the voyage, he intervened in a plan to kill all prisoners to prevent their escape, and Paul’s life was spared. Have you ever wondered how your life would look up close and personal? Would your captors gain that much respect for you in less than a month?

History and the bible both record that bad weather can be expected in October, and that November and December were the two most dangerous months to sail the Mediterranean. The bad weather days were so predictable and so dangerous that the storms during these months were called “Northeasterners” with all prevailing winds blowing from west to east, making it impossible for a ship to successfully sail against the winds. Actually this year the Northeasterners had already started to move in October, and they soon realized it when they started having delays by the time they reached the southern shores of Asia. They sailed north up the coast and their first stop was at Sidon. From there they had to take the route on the lea side of Cyprus to avoid the prevailing winds.

Their second landing was at Myra in Lycia where they changed to an Alexandrian ship that was sailing for Italy. They sailed west holding close to the southern shore of Asia and landed in Cnidus. Trying to sail on west from Cnidus, the winter storms forced them to drift south to the isle of Crete where they went ashore in Lasea and Fair Havens which was not a favorable place to spend the winter. Paul advised the pilot and owner of the ship not to try to get to Phoenix which was less than a hundred miles west. He warned them saying they would lose their ship and cargo and endanger lives.

They decided to reject his advice and the centurion decided to stay with the ship. The next day the winter storm hit and they lost all control of the ship. They immediately had to start trying to save their ship by passing ropes underneath and binding it like a bale of cotton to prevent it from tearing apart. They used all manpower available to throw everything over board to lessen the load, and were soon in fear of being dashed against the treacherous northern banks of Africa since they were traveling south instead of west.

They went several days without food, sleep or rest. Paul was led by the Spirit to address the men. He spoke sternly to them by telling them that he had warned and they did not listen. And their failure to heed his advice had caused them to lose everything but a battered ship and their life. Now that they were beginning to lose all hope, he tried to encourage them by telling them that if they would have faith and continue to work they would be saved from death at sea. He was not being critical but was trying to convince them that he got his wisdom from God. Then he predicted that they would wash ashore and be saved.

There must have been several prisoners on board. Roman law demanded that centurions who allowed prisoners to escape would be punished and they were making plans to kill all prisoners. Julius had gained faith in Paul and was able to save all the prisoners from the massacre. The storm was in its fourteenth day when Paul finally got them to stop rest and eat. They took readings and found the water was less than a hundred feet deep. The next day they run aground on the island of Malta sixty miles south of Sicily and were greeted by friendly strangers.

They were all wet and cold and started fires by which to warm. 376 men made it ashore without the loss of any life. They had begun to respect Paul, and while gathering driftwood, he was bitten by a poisonous snake, which he shook off and did not suffer any effects. This caused everyone to really believe that he was a protected man. God had made Paul a promise and He would let nothing prevent him from preaching in Rome. God was not finished with Paul yet and had some important things left for him to do and Paul had the faith necessary to believe that he was still in God’s protective hands.

The natives on the island were of Phoenician ancestry. They were a superstitious people and believed in many gods. When some of them observed the snake on Paul’s hand, they predicted sudden death. And when this didn’t happen they believed him to be a god. During Christ’s ministry he performed miracles that caused others to believe. And now in Paul’s ministry living through this storm at sea, and the saving of the lives of 376 people, the healing of many who were ill, as well as surviving a deadly snake bite provided the miracles that caused the governor of Malta, some of the centurions, and others to believe in Christ.

No wonder Paul’s ministry was so fruitful. Three months later Paul boarded another Alexandrian ship destined for Italy. He landed first at Rhegium and then Puteoli they traveled by foot the last 150 miles to Rome. A group of Christians heard that he was coming and they met him at the three taverns at the Forum of Appius about thirty-five miles south of Rome and walked back with him. Have you ever thought so much of a minister that you would walk thirty-five mile to meet him just to get to walk back with him, to talk to him and to hear hem expound the gospel?

28:15- Some may wonder where these Roman Christians came from. The answer is that the Gospel message had already traveled to Rome by different methods. There were Jews living there that had traveled back to the motherland and been converted. It is thought that some of these Jews had been present at Pentecost while Christ was preaching, and then had moved to Rome. And then, Paul had written his letter to the Romans ten years before he arrived there, many had read the letter and believed.

28: 17-20- Paul’s ambition was to preach in Rome and he finally got there but in chains, after shipwreck and many other trials. Because of experiences like these he had written in Romans 8:28 that we should not worry because all things work to our good. These things worked to Paul’s good; gave him a message that men would believe; and solidified his message so that it would never fade.

28:22- Christians were denounced everywhere by the Romans because they were seen as a threat to the Roman government. Christians were committed to one God while the Romans had many including Caesar. Christians taught that the Almighty God was higher than any including Caesar and this was an insult to the Romans.

28:30-31- While under arrest he did more than just preach. He wrote the prison letters, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philippians. He also wrote his personal letters like Philemon. He had several visitors while in prison…Luke, Timothy and Mark and there must have been others.

Tradition says that Paul was released after two years of house arrest in Rome and then set off on his fourth missionary journey. In Philippians, which was written while in prison in Rome, he implied that he would be released from prison and would do further travel. Some think that he traveled to Spain during these years.

The book comes to a sudden end in verse 31, probably because this book is really not about Paul. Can you believe that? No it is not about Paul…it is about the establishment of the church, the growth of the new church and the absolute necessity for the church and its teaching of the new covenant based on the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Ephesus: Facing Religious People - Acts 18:23 - 19:41

I do not know about you but I enjoyed the research and study that went into the lesson for last Sunday. Each degree in college requires the student to take one or more classes in sociology, psychology, or philosophy. It is sometimes difficult for a college student to understand how some of these classes will ever be of benefit to them in their chosen field. This has been my position for sometime but as I studied Paul’s observation of the Greek people I became aware that he got to know them by the symbols of their personal beliefs—their religion—which reflected their philosophy regarding life, death and the hereafter. One symbol was of a god that they didn’t know. That one alone told Paul that they were all mixed up and unsure.

The American People are living in a day of dutiful decision making and we have learned from history that decisions are made based on the philosophy of the individuals involved. Therefore, the result of the election to be held in November, in America hinges on the way the majority of the American people believe. Church attendance depends upon the philosophy of the people living in the different areas of the nation. The percentage of the population serving time in prison depends upon the philosophy of the people living in the area where the prison is located. The percentage of inmates that are white, black or other will reflect the philosophy of each race. The early Greek people are best known for their ability to determine what people believe, how they think and how they will act or react in accordance with their philosophy. Their beliefs and arguments were based on reason. Good teachers need the power of reasoning.

We know that the number of members belonging to any designated church or other religious organization, including cults, depends on the philosophy held by the membership. Digging deeper, we find that the choices made by individuals depends upon what literature they read. Baptist and other true believers accept the Bible to be the Truth; The Word of God, and therefore the best guide to produce the philosophy for life on earth and preparation for life in the hereafter. Therefore it is imperative that you study God’s Word in order to grow in faith and works, or to show thyself approved.

During the past century Christians have settled into congregations with trends that we know as “traditional” “liberal’ and “seeker-friendly” churches. The last two groups directs their out-reach programs and worship services toward those that are not Christians but claim to be religious. Being religious at least produces a mind that is open to the teaching of salvation through faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. It is sad, but those who have not personally studied the Bible often have an incomplete view of what it means to trust, follow, or surrender to Jesus.

During the past 63 years, I have been an active believer in six different Southern Baptist congregations. A} The philosophies of the majority of members in these different churches have ranged from the ultra traditional to the seeker friendly; and some of the seeker friendly churches were more liberal than others. B} Some believe that the church should be for Christians and should focus primary attention on helping Christians grow in discipleship. These usually feel that strong churches are made up of members who are familiar with Baptist teachings. These would have heard of “faith only” and “not by works” and would understand that baptism is by immersion, the security of believers, etc. C} Some churches think their outreach program should focus on all unbelievers, even those who have expressed no interest in any religion. They go into the highways and hedges.

This lesson based on Acts 18:24 through 19:41 gives us insight on how the early Christians, during Paul’s Third Missionary Journeys [which lasted three years, from AD 53 to 57] worked with the “religious people” to bring them to a saving knowledge of Christ. [You will note that the term “religious people” must have pertained to those who worshipped other gods.] How-ever some were seeking the truth but still did not fully understand what it meant to be a true believer in Christ. Today many join but never show any support. They did not have the Holy Spirit, and we know that religion without the Spirit is dead.

Apollos is an example of one searching. He was a learned Jew that had great knowledge of the scripture and had studied about repentance as taught by John the Baptist as the first step in becoming a Christian. He did not know about the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ; neither did he know about the coming of the Holly Spirit and his purpose and mission. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him speak in the synagogue, they invited him to their home where they taught him the complete way to Christ.

Apollos grew up in Alexandria, Egypt which was the second most important city in the Roman Empire; second only to Rome, the Capitol. One of the most noted universities was located there, where Apollos was educated. He was a noted scholar of the University, a renowned debater and orator. And after his full knowledge about Christ he became great in his ability to reason the truth. The power of reasoning was the Greek’s greatest asset in the field of teaching. He became one of the most noted of the converted Jewish leaders—and God used him to do a great work in the church. Time has proven that the gift of reason is a mighty tool in the hands of a devoted teacher. It is sad when we realize that some of the greatest minds have become so contaminated with sin that they are never used for God and good in the classrooms of our universities in America. You ask why, and I say that it is because of their philosophy regarding evolution, their denial of creation. Many deny the truth in God’s Word…the bible.

Chapter 19 begins with Apollos teaching in Corinth, and Paul arriving in Ephesus, the capitol of the Roman province of Asia [a part of the present day Turkey] and the hub of sea and land transportation. Paul was there about two years. On his arrival [the first thing that happened…even before he went to the synagogue to preach] he found about twelve disciples that were still restricted because they only had the teachings of John. Paul asked if they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed. They admitted that they did not know about the Spirit. Then he asked them what baptism they had received and they said… the baptism of John. Read Verses 5, 6, and 7 they are very important. What is your belief regarding speaking in tongues? When asked, can you say?

Note Again: There is some Vandiverism in this explanation—but it is what I believe to be truth—and it is scripture that you must be fully responsible for in your belief. You read, study, get help from sources you have faith in and draw your own conclusions. Then pray for me that I may have rightly divided the Word.

Paul said they had believed. I believe they had accepted Christ but still did not understand that he had died, was resurrected and sent the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost; therefore they did not know about the filling of the Holy Spirit that came to the believers there, and did not know that they had spoken in other tongues—therefore these believers in Ephesus were not complete Christians. That is; they had believed and turned from sin—but had not fully committed their life and turned to Christ—THROUGH FAITH. They knew of him but did not know him personally.

In order to give them a sign [perform a miracle] that would prove to them that they were now a NEW CREATURE Paul laid hands on them and they spoke in tongues. It does not say “other tongues” and it does not indicate that anyone there heard them in their own language. Usually the Holy Spirit filled those who repented of sin and placed their faith in Christ—and I believe it still does. Here in Ephesus, the filling of Spirit happened later because these disciple’s knowledge was incomplete. God was confirming to these believers who did not initially know about the Holy Spirit, that they were now a part of the church. The Holy Spirit fully endorsed them as believers. Again, I believe it was a miracle delivered by God as a sign to them. On the day of Pentecost “speaking in other tongues” was a miracle that was a sign to all present that God was present and working his might and power which from this day forward would be shown to others by their good works. And not by speaking in tongues. Paul advised that we use English. He said that a few words understood was worth more than many that no one knew.

I believe that the incident at Pentecost was the formal outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the church. The other outpourings in the book of Acts were God’s way of uniting new believers to the church. The mark of the church is not merely right doctrine, but it includes right actions, therefore today, here in Heber Springs, our right actions is the evidence of the Holy Spirit at work in each one of our lives…and speaking in tongues is not necessary. Praying, supporting the poor, & good deeds speak louder than tongues.

[It is believed that Apollos faced some problems in the church at Corinth and called on Paul for help. So while in Ephesus, Paul wrote the first letter to the church in Corinth to help solve their problems. Then a few years later this church in Ephesus began having problems that led Paul to write them the Ephesians letter from his prison cell in Rome.]

Paul’s third journey started at Antioch and traveled North and West, visiting the original churches that he had started earlier. Many times we find that there seems to be a skip in the word, and this is one of those times because nothing is said about all of the towns that he visited on his way to Ephesus. Here he entered the synagogue as usual and spoke there for three months. When opposition arose, he took his disciples and moved to the lecture hall of the university where he preached for two years. This is a dry and hot country, and the professors used the school until eleven each morning and then closed until four PM. Paul used the building from eleven to four during the heat of the day and the bible indicates that many were converted. Would you attend five hours daily in a hot auditorium with no air conditioning even if Paul was preaching?


For two years Paul must have made tents early and late in the day and held services five hours in the heat of the day when university people thought it was too hot to work. Hidden in this thought we find Paul and his followers willing to sacrifice in order to have a place to preach and teach. He was there two years; therefore he had to practice his trade to pay his bills. There is no mention of others supporting him financially.

Ephesus was known for the practice of magic and other occult practices. Superstition and the practice of sorcery were common; these are powers of the Devil and can lead to demon procession. Some of these men saw Paul performing miracles in the name of Jesus that were greater than they were able to do. They tried using the name of Jesus in order to gain strength for their work. On one occasion a demon processed turned on the fake healers and overpowered them, tore their clothing and ran them out of the temple. Using Christ’s name in vain is dangerous. Praying in any other name is useless.

Paul’s desire to go to Rome grew and he started making plans to preach there.

Athens: Facing Questions - Acts 17:16 - 19:31

Five days from today, the first athletes will compete in the Olympics in China and lay their lives on the line for the privilege to wear the gold medal. It is impossible for the general public to know the hours spent and the torture endured during years of preparation. It is beyond our minds to know what drives people to work hard and long for a bit of recognition that will be as the fog of the early morning; easy to recognize, but completely gone after a few minutes of the rising sun. If athletes would prepare as well to win eternal life, there is no doubt that we would play a lot of games in heaven. Do you know where and when the first Olympic Games were held?

A short review reminds us that early Gentile Christians were in conflict with the early Jewish thinking and that they were able to settle the dispute by allowing Gentiles to become members of the church without having to observe certain Jewish rituals. The decision supported Paul in his argument that salvation is by grace through faith with nothing else necessary. You can find the final decision recorded in 15: 28-19. The remainder of the chapter addresses plans that were made to make a second Missionary Journey that named churches to be revisited and indication that they would also visit new locations. The lesson today involves the places visited and the work that was done on the second journey; however the major emphasis will be on the work in Athens Greece…the original Olympic city.

Paul and Barnabas decided to split and the result was that Paul and Silas formed one team and Barnabas and John Mark formed another, and now there are two teams involved in this second Missionary Journey. Luke says that Barnabas and Mark went back to Cyprus where Barnabas was born, and then he does not mention them again but follows Paul instead. I am prone to wonder again about the spread of the gospel that is unmentioned. One can assume, I believe, with a high degree of accuracy that Barnabas and Mark made this a profitable missionary journey. Since the first team had laid the foundation, they may have won a majority of the islanders to Christ. You should be aware that this is not the last time John Mark is heard from in the NT, because his witness led him to write the gospel of Mark. Though Paul had been critical of Mark, he actually turned out to be more active than Barnabas and his witness had a greater influence on those who read Mark.

Paul and Silas began and ended their second journey from Antioch of Syria [same place as the first journey] however the second journey was longer and required more time than the first one did. This trip included a follow-up on their work that had been done in the Province of Galatia and a new ministry in the Province of Macedonia. This lesson will zero in on their notable preaching opportunity in Athens Greece and if time permits it will cover the organizing of new churches in Corinth.

The major thrust of this lesson will begin with the first verses of chapter 17 and in Thessalonica where we find Paul in the Jewish Synagogue which was his custom. The first three weeks of his stay were used as a witnessing tourist during the week and he was in the Synagogue each Sabbath reasoning with them from the scriptures. This was a profitable stop in that some Jews and a larger number of Greeks and prominent women accepted Christ before a group of Jewish objectors started a riot in the city. Paul and Silas escaped but Jason was arrested and jailed and had to post bond for freedom.

Under cover of night Paul and Silas escaped and went to Berea where they were accepted and were able to reach a larger number of Jews, and both Greek women and men. The trouble makers from Thessalonica followed them to Berea and soon made it impossible for them to remain successful. Silas and Timothy remained in Berea to distract the agitators while Paul escaped and went to Athens; he left instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him in Athens as soon as possible.

Paul was amazed and greatly distressed to find that Athens was full of idols dedicated to many different gods, even one monument had been built in honor of THE UNKNOWN GOD. He spent his time in the markets of the city during the week and in the Synagogue on the Sabbath. Greece was then and still is a country known for its Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Much of the background for the philosophers [thinkers] stronghold comes out of this area and still has inroads into our universities that are now teaching the big bang theory, evolution, and who deny the creation story. They soon were openly disputing his message and labeled him as a babbler. They were especially upset at his contention that Jesus was the Son of God, who was crucified and was resurrected. They did not believe in the resurrection as a possibility.

The Epicureans and Stoics were the dominant philosophers in the Greek culture. They believed that seeking happiness and pleasure was the primary goal in life. The Stoics were more disciplined and they placed thinking above feeling and tried to live in harmony with nature. The Greek Council or Court was called the Areopagus and they met in the Acropolis which was built on a hill that allowed people to look down upon the city. Paul addressed the court while being able to look out over the city at numerous idols that dotted the expanse of the city and he referred to them as worthless and meaningless. Paul was convincing and even the elite Philosophers were amazed at his presentations even though they did not totally agree with him.

We must realize that Paul was a noted philosopher in his own right. He was educated in Tarsus, an educational center, and had the knowledge and training to present his beliefs persuasively. Paul was a Jewish rabbi, taught by the greatest teacher of his day, his name was Gamaliel, who had spent his life thinking and reasoning through the writings of OT authors. Both the bible and secular historians applauded both Gamaliel and Paul. Josephus is especially complementary.

Why do Southern Baptist believe strongly in the benefits that regular bible study brings to the church? Our pastors support Sunday school. Every attempt is made to train and appoint teachers that have the ability to teach others and lead people to know Christ personally. When the truth is preached and taught, people listen and respond and the whole process is necessary to accomplish the commission given the church. No teacher is naïve to the point of claiming to be teachers like Christ or Paul, but we must have self-confidence, and that can only come through prayerful study of the word and a desire to serve Jesus Christ and give him the Glory for all positive results.

In verse 22-23 you will note that Paul did not start in a Synagogue…but in their court. He did not begin by teaching Jewish history as he usually did, for this would have been meaningless to the Greek. [Note: We still have a saying today; when we do not understand something we say—“well, that is Greek to me;” and this is the incident that birthed the saying. Paul began by building his argument for the one true God, using examples that they could understand. He moved on into the life of Christ and especially the death and resurrection. [Paul uses good psychology in that—when you are about ready to criticize someone, it is best to brag on them about something they are doing well.] He bragged—“Men of Athens, I see that in every way, you are very religious. As I walked around I found one altar with the inscription: TO AND UNKNOWN GOD.” Then he proceeded to tell them that this unknown god was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. He reminded them that some of their Greek poets had said that we are the offspring of this god, and they are correct even though they do not know Him. Things have not improved; but rather it is even worse now than then. We have far more religions than they had…but vast majorities do not know who God really is. They do not understand that the Creator God transcends His creation. For example, God created Mohammed; Mohammed was a man who lived and died and is still dead. He can not be God because he was not his own creator. But the Greek proclaimed him as a god, which he cannot be. God was, is, and will always be—He said, “I Am.” This means that God is SOVEREIGN AND IN CONTROL, while at the same time he is as close as a brother and very personal. Paul told the Greeks that they must let God, the Creator of the universe rule their life.

Paul brought them a new point of view…he presented Christ who died and was resurrected and what that meant to people. It meant that He was a blessing to them if accepted—but that it also meant punishment to those who did not accept Him. Just as today, they had no concept of judgment and preferred to worship many gods instead of just one…and they did not believe in the resurrection. Just as today, some sneered, some kept on searching for what they wanted to hear, however, a few believed. Paul never changed his message. He moved on to Corinth in chapter 18 still preaching the truth.

The lesson for us is plain and tells us what we should do. Never hesitate to tell others about Christ and how He died for all people, everywhere. Do not be distressed when some do not believe your message. Sadly, I must warn you that many will not believe you. Your message and your life example will not win some to Christ—you must not expect a positive response to your message. Your warning removes their blood from your hands; if they die in their sins it will never be your fault; and if only a few, or even just one believes and is saved…it is worth your effort. Oh, what a joy it will be when you meet that person who was saved in Heaven and he/she explains what your message meant to them. No Christian should desire to go to heaven alone: their greatest desire should be to take friends, loved ones and other lost people with them. Don’t be surprised to find that God is left-handed, he is and will be for Jesus is sitting on his right hand to help His Father welcome you and you enter the pearly gates.