Thursday, February 16, 2006

A Personal Moment With Abraham - Genesis 20

Abraham had been sent into a land that was filled with those who did not fear God - and he was afraid. Genesis 20.11 Abraham tells Abimelech that the reason he told him Sarah was his wife was because I said to myself, 'There is not fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. This is a very personal moment with Abraham - friends sitting down to coffee, talking honestly. Abraham, the man of faith, after a sip says "I was afraid." And why not? Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19 shows us the wickedness of the day. Abraham wandered primarily among people who he ought to fear, humanly speaking. Do we not fear what wickedness can do to our wives and children?

But Genesis 20 tells us of His protective grace over the life of His people. Behind the scenes God worked for the good of His people. His promise to guide and protect Abraham never failed - despite Abraham's lack of faith in God's sovereign protection.

What Christian hasn't looked to God and said I am afraid - God protect and keep me (and my family). But thank God we can be afraid and He still protects and keeps us. When Peter walked on the water to meet Jesus and his eyes began to look at the waves and he began to sink, the hand of Jesus pulled Peter to him. Abraham - a man of great faith was afraid. God - a great God guarded and guided His son. We are reminded that we have a gracious Father who guides, protects and keeps His people in a land filled with those who have no fear of God - and so we need not be afraid.

Thanks for the coffee Abraham.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Speaking the Gospel Message Today: A Lesson from Acts 17

Acts 17:16 tells us that as Paul was waiting in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. The word distressed is also used in 1 Cor 13.5 when Paul speaks of love being not easily angered. Paul was distressed, irritated, provoked to anger at the gods that spread throughout the city of Athens. So what did Paul do? He preached the gospel. Did he preach an "angry gospel"? No. His anger at the idols led him to preach a message of grace and truth to a people who loved works and tolerance.

Today, we ought to be "distressed", "irritated", and "filled with anger" at the idols of the age. It is not enough for people to be interested in "another idea". But how do we preach or speak the gospel? Paul poured out his heart as he spoke of the glory of God and the resurrection of the dead. The lesson: be distressed and angry at the gods of the age but speak graciously of the glory of God.