Tag: Travis Peterson

Acts 16:19 – But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.
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In my reading of Acts today, I came to a verse that interests me, not for its own meaning, but for the meaning of a particular Greek word. The Greek word translated “dragged” in the verse above is the verb helkuo. The reason that it interests me is that it is also used by Jesus to speak of how God saves us.

John 6:44 – “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”

In John 6, the word is translated “draws,” and this translation can lead to some confusion as to how our souls are saved. When we, in English, think of the word “draw,” it can mean one of several things. Of course, we are not here thinking of drawing a picture. But there is some debate as to whether or not the word means draw in the sense of entice, woo, tempt, allure. Such a drawing would describe a man who is drawn to a woman by her beauty, or to the kitchen by the sound and smell of sizzling bacon. It would describe a person being brought somewhere by a desire that is resistible.

If we look, however, at all the occurrences of the word helkuo in the New Testament, including the Acts verse above, we will see that it does not ever clearly mean a wooing or enticing sort of drawing. It is used eight times in the New Testament. In John 6:44 and in John 12:32, the word has something to do with people being “drawn” to Jesus; but that does not help us to know what the word means. All six other uses of the word helkuo in the New Testament make it clear what the word means. In John 18:10, it refers to Peter drawing his sword. In John 21: 6 and 11, it refers to men pulling in or drawing a fishing net. In Acts 16:19 and 21:30, the word is twice used to refer to people who were seized, dragged off, and beaten. In James 2:6, helkuo refers to the rich personally dragging Christians into court.

Looking at the evidence, it is clear what meaning is behind the word in John 6:44. It is not to enable or empower somebody. No one would say that Peter enabled his sword or empowered the fishing net. No one would argue that the crowd wooed Paul away from the temple and beat him in Acts 21. No one believes that James meant that the rich were persuading Christians to desire to go to court. In every instance, this word means to take hold of something, and to move it somewhere by your power.

So, in John 6:44, the Son of God tells us that no one can come to him, unless the Father who sent him takes hold of them and moves them there by his power. This is not a wooing, encouraging, or enabling. It is a forcible moving. It is God taking hold of those whom he has chosen to give to the Son as we read in verse 37, and bringing them to him; and without this act of the Father’s, no one will come to the Son.

Yes, there are a million implications of this doctrine, and a million questions that it raises. I can not answer them all, because God’s thoughts are higher than my thoughts and his ways are higher than mine. He knows how this all works out, and why he chose to do things in this way. But make no mistake, if you or anyone you know is a Christian, it is because, and only because, the Father chose them as a gift for his Son and then brought them as a gift to his son. And let me be clear about this, all who are chosen by the Father will come to the Son. They can not resist that drawing, that moving of the Father any more than Peter’s sword could have resisted his drawing it or water can resist being drawn out of a well in a bucket.

Lord, I worship you this morning, because I again see you in your sovereignty. I do not understand exactly how all of this doctrine impacts all of my life. I do not fully grasp what is the level of human freedom and what is not a free choice. What I know for sure is that all who are saved are saved because you drew them to yourself. I know that you took me, someone who would have not chosen to come to you, and you pulled me, dragged me, drew me to yourself so that I might see and believe in Jesus. I can take no credit for my faith, because it was something you gave me without me seeking it. It is all of you and your doing. My salvation is to your glory from start to finish.

Acts 13:48 – And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
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Without spending a great deal of time on this, I want to point out one word of this verse. It is the word “appointed.” Earlier this morning, I spoke on right belief about how we are saved in a message entitled “God’s Glory in Our Salvation” (click here to read or listen to that message). A major part of right thinking about our salvation and understanding the working of God in our salvation is to grasp that salvation is from God completely.

In this verse in Acts 13, which I did not plan for today, we see that many people believed in Christ after hearing that the gospel was available to the gentiles. Wonderful, however, is the fact that those who believed are said by God to have been “appointed” for eternal life. This is, without question, an evidence of the sovereignty of God. God chose who would be saved that day. He appointed them; he chose them. Then, he brought them to himself. Of course, they believed. No one will ever be saved apart from faith in Christ. No one will be denied salvation who truly desires to be in Christ. However, this fact does not, in any way, take away from the truth that God first appoints people to life, and later they believe.

God is fully sovereign. If you are saved, it is because, before you came to Christ, God had already appointed you to eternal life. Thus, he deserves more thanksgiving than ever you could imagine. He chose you before the dawn of time. He chose you not based on anything you would ever do or become. He chose you for himself. Then, he worked it in your heart that you would desire to come to know him. It is God’s moving, and it is glorious; regardless of whether or not we can fully grasp all its intricacies.

Joshua 7:10-12 – The Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.”
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After the victory at Jericho, the people of Israel came upon a much smaller town. They sent a small contingent of men to take the little city of Ai, believing this to be a simple task. But, one of the people of Israel had stolen from God during the conquest of Jericho. This man had taken things that God commanded that Israel destroy. He took them out of greed, and disobeyed the Lord. So, when Israel attacked Ai, though they should have easily taken the city, they were driven back from the city in defeat.

Disobedience is deadly. It saps from us the ability to do the will of God in the future. Its effects can reach much farther than we imagine. Of course, the man who stole the gold and silver from Jericho did not think that his little act of disobedience would lead to the deaths of several soldiers at the following city, but it most certainly did. His supposedly secret sin cost him, and others, a great deal.

In my own life, I can think of places where my disobedience has cost me for long periods of time. Failure to obey God in one area of life brought down my spiritual life in many other ways. It hurt, and it most certainly impacted others around me. It was destructive, and most certainly was much bigger than I would have ever imagined.

We thank God that he is gracious. He does not deal with us as our sin deserves. God does not have the people take us out and put us to death for our disobedience as he did in Joshua 7, and that is simply his mercy at work. He is gracious to us, and he will forgive our sinful disobedience when we, in Christ, confess it to him and repent of it. He restores us to fellowship with himself, because he is gracious and he loves us.

Is there an area of life where God is calling you to follow him? Is there an area in your life where you are presently living in disobedience? Do not hesitate, today, to seek God’s mercy. Come to him, in Christ, and seek his forgiveness. Turn away from your disobedience, and avoid the self-destructive consequences of that sin. Seek God’s mercy, and he promises you will have it.

Lord, I recognize in this account the great cost of disobedience. While we often feel that obeying you will cost us something, disobeying you will cost us more. It is dangerous and destructive to fail to follow you. I renounce any of my past disobedience to you. I desire to obey you fully today. Please forgive me for my past sin, and lead me to full obedience to you that will honor you. Thank you that you have been so gracious to me. Even in my disobedience, you did not punish my sins as I deserved. I pray that I will now live a life of obedience and devotion to you for the glory of your name.

Acts 8:40 – But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
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This verse tells where Phillip went after sharing the gospel with the Ethiopian official. What catches my attention about it is the simple description of what Phillip does as he goes along. Everywhere Phillip goes, he preaches the gospel. When he is in Samaria, he preaches the gospel. When he is sent by God to the Gaza road, he preaches the gospel. When he ends up heading toward Caesarea, he preaches the gospel in every town he comes to. The theme, the pattern, here is that Phillip preaches the gospel.

It can be very easy for us to get side-tracked from the simple preaching of the gospel. There are so many great doctrines and important social causes that can take up our time and energy that we sometimes fail to return to the cross of Christ. However, our lives must be marked by the gospel. No message that we can ever share is more important. No cause can ever take precedence over our first calling, to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations.

Perhaps you have gotten caught up in a pet project, political cause, or some other kind of good distraction. Let this picture of the life of Phillip call you back to an essential component of the Christian life. Wherever you go, make it a priority to preach the gospel. Tell people about Jesus. Tell people about the cross and the empty tomb. Tell people how they can be made right with God. Tell people what they need to do to bring ultimate glory to God and ultimate satisfaction to their own souls. Let such telling mark your personality.

Lord, I recognize this morning that I want to be like Phillip. I want to be one who preaches the gospel wherever I go. I do not want to be one who hides behind social issues, even good ones. I want to boldly, honestly proclaim the gospel wherever I go. Please help this to be something that defines my life. Help me to be one who preaches your gospel. Grant me an opportunity, even today, to share the good news of Jesus with someone.

Acts 8:18-20 – Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!”
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The Simon in this account is a magician who had lived for a while thinking himself to be of some importance, that is, until the gospel reached his town. But when the followers of Jesus came to town, the people turned to Jesus. Even Simon believed, according to verse 13. Then Simon witnessed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on people that came after the laying on of the apostles’ hands (something which uniquely happened in the Book of Acts when the gospel spread to a new people group). Simon, who was used to having the power and getting what he wanted, approached the apostles asking to buy from them this ability. But Peter, as we see above, responds to Simon with a very strong rebuke.

I wonder how many of us live our Christian lives looking for the next source of power. How many would offer money to buy a gift from God if we thought it might work? How many of us live as though we do buy gifts from God, not with money, but with good behavior or faithful service? How many feel that we buy favor from God every time we enter the church, sing a song, or drop an envelop into the offering basket?

How ever many of us do the things listed above, none of these things are acceptable. God never called us to seek after the thrill of spiritual experiences. He calls us to seek him, not to seek the power rush that his Holy Spirit can give us. And he most certainly can not be bought. God’s gifts are just that, gifts. You can not buy a gift from God. No amount of good behavior, money, worship, or obedience will ever earn you some sort of earthly favor from God. Good behavior certainly does not guarantee earthly comforts; just look at the fact that this account comes in the middle of tremendous persecution of the Jerusalem church. The Lord specifically warned us in Matthew 6 not to seek treasures and rewards on earth, but to seek the true treasure that is in heaven. Such a treasure is not bought with money.

The ultimate example of the evil that we see in Simon from this passage is present in the person who believes that their good behaviors will earn them access to heaven. Many, if not most, in the world today believe that their eternal destiny depends on how well their good deeds outweigh their bad. They are trying to buy the gift of eternal life by paying in a certain number of good works like church attendance, financial giving, charity work, kindness, etc. But God’s greatest gift, the gift of eternal life, is not for sale. Eternal life is a gift that can only be received by the one who humbly accepts it from Christ. We offer God nothing to earn it. We can not pay him back. To try to pay for it is, in fact, the most insulting thing that we could ever do, because it shows how little we think it to be worth.

Lord, I come to you this morning, and I ask that you forgive me for any time in my life that I have ever sought earthly gifts ahead of seeking you. I want to be in your presence, to know you and love you. I do not need earthly comforts for that. I pray that you will also forgive me for any time that I have had the audacity to believe that my giving of worship or money would ever buy for me worldly comforts. You did not design me for such trivialities. You designed me for eternity. I long for the eternal treasure of being in your presence. I know that I can not buy such a reward, for it is a gift from you. I will not try to earn your gifts. I will receive them from your gracious hand. Please, Lord, grant me the greatest gift of all, to be involved in the honoring of your name.

Acts 7:59-60 – And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
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The death of Stephen, the first recorded Christian martyr, is an inspiring event. Stephen was brought before the Jewish teachers and asked if he was teaching against God’s law. Stephen began with Abraham, and told the Old Testament story through Solomon’s building of the temple. He showed the Jews that they had not obeyed God’s law, and they had overestimated the meaning of the temple. Stephen then explained to the Jews that they had killed the very messiah they awaited. When the crowds became angry with him, Stephen looked to the heavens, and God opened his eyes to see Jesus standing to receive him. Stephen told the crowds what he saw, and they considered it such a great blasphemy that they rushed him and put him to death.

The verses above are Stephen’s last words. What I find beautiful in them is that Stephen’s words are mirror images of the words of Jesus on the cross. He committed himself to God, and he asked that God forgive those putting him to death just like Jesus did. Without question, Stephen was given supernatural guidance by God to be able to speak like Christ. But with that said, the fact is that Stephen looked like Jesus in his death. He died well.

Our purpose in life is to honor God in every area of life. We are to live for his glory, and we are to die for his glory. The more we know Jesus, the more we are filled with his word, the more our lives and our deaths can mirror our Lord’s. Let us make it a goal that in life and in death, we want to look like Jesus. Let us love and speak truth in our lives. Let us sacrifice our own rights for the benefits of others. Let us point others to the glory of God. And when it comes our time to die, let us continue to mirror Jesus. Let us point people to his death. Let us fully entrust our spirits to him, and seek that his name be honored above all.

Lord, you are the God who created me for yourself. You made me with the purpose of honoring you in all that I do. I pray that I will live to tell others of the glories of Jesus. Let me point others to the truth of the gospel as long as I have breath. Help me to live a life that looks as much like Jesus as it can. I also ask to die well. I ask that, when it comes my time to join you in eternity, I will point people to your glory. Let my death honor you for the sake of your glorious name and kingdom.

Deuteronomy 30: 19-20 – I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
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Sometimes when we read the scriptures, the simplest statements strike most deeply. Here, as Moses nears the end of his last speeches before the nation of Israel, he sets things out as plain as can be. The people have a choice before them. They can choose life or death, blessing or a curse. They have before them a clear fork in the road, and God commands them to make their choice. There is no middle ground. There is no neutral position. There is no half-hearted answer to be had here. It is simple, all or nothing, true or false, yes or no.

This is the kind of choice that has never stopped being before the people of the world. Though this verse, in its context, is for Israel and their obedience to the old covenant, it applies so well to everything around us today. God sets before every person a decision to be made. We all must respond to Jesus. We all must say what it is we will do with him. Will we believe him or reject him? Will we trust him or deny him? Will we serve him, or serve ourselves? Will we receive from God a blessing or a curse? There is no middle ground. There is no half-hearted decision to be made. It is all or nothing, life or death, heaven or hell.

If, for some reason, you are reading this blog and you have not placed your faith in Jesus for the salvation of your soul, let me urge you to do that today. Jesus is God’s very own Son. He came to earth as a man, and he lived an absolutely perfect life with no sin before God. He died on the cross, and in his death, paid the penalty for the sin of all who believe in him. He rose from the grave, proving to all that God was satisfied by the work that Jesus did. Now, the question stands before you as it stands before all people: What will you do with Jesus? Today, I set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life, that you may live. Choose Jesus, and let his death on the cross pay for your sins. Choose Jesus, and be forgiven of all the wrong you will ever do, past, present, or future. Then thank God, because you would never choose Jesus without God first choosing you.

Lord Jesus, I know that you are perfect and holy. You are God the Son, who died to pay the penalty for my sin. I know that I am a sinner, and I deserve to be eternally condemned for my sin. I thank you that Jesus paid the full price for my sin. I trust myself to Christ’s finished work on the cross. I trust in Christ’s promise of grace for all who believe in him. I believe in you, Lord Jesus, and I ask you to forgive me all my sins. I yield my life to you, and ask that you will do with me anything that will honor you. Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you are faithful, and that you will not cast away any whom the Father gives you. I thank you, God, for working your grace in my life when my heart was too dead to respond to you on its own. May your name be honored in my life forever.