Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder

Antioch (Antakya) Turkey describes itself as a "City Famous Forever." the Bible tells us WHY. It is that some foreigners went to Antioch because of a persecution in Jerusalem after Jesus died.  When most were preaching JUST TO THE JEWS, some of these JEWISH CHRISTIANS  began to speak the word to GENTILES.

We find out that God was pleased with this, as "the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number who believed turned to the Lord." 

We find out that the main church in Jerusalem, which was all Jewish, was a little suspicious of this whole idea.  They send Mr. Encourager, previously named Joe, now called Barnabas.  He thinks it is great because he saw the GRACE OF GOD and the fruit. 

And so starts the important Jewish and Gentile church at ANTIOCH.  Which, made the city FAMOUS FOREVER.  There is a lot more about Antioch in the Book of Acts.  Please come back tomorrow for 7 more minutes and find out more.  Subscribe on bewithme.us.

Like a good movie, the scene shifts back to Jerusalem from the previous action in Caesarea, 75 miles away. They have found out that the Holy Spirit has FALLEN directionally, and efficatiously, and forgiving-ly on the we-thought-they-were-unclean GENTILES.  Their response?  THEY DON'T LIKE IT! They criticize Peter for 1. going there and 2. the horror:eating with them.

Remember God has been working in the heart of Peter first.  "Don't call anything unclean that I am calling clean.  Associate with the gentiles without hesitation. Go inside Cornelius' house. Watch me work in the lives of the non-jews of the world." Peter has lots more information and experience in this opening of the floodgates of forgiveness. The Jerusalem leaders now have a chance to respond to the whole story.  Will they find where God is working and join Him? Will they begin to "make no distinction?" Listen and see how they do.

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The Spirit has a fall today.  It is directional, it is weighty, it is generous, it is abundant, it is unexpected, it is uncomfortable and it is toward people I am not that fond of. Welcome to another great moment in Church history.  The HOLY SPIRIT VOTES WITH HIS FEET and lands on gentiles.

The specifically-mentioned-circumcised-historically-Jewish believers have been pointedly WITHHOLDING baptism for a number of years from those who don't look just like themselves. 

The Holy Spirit says it is time to change that paradigm.  The Spirit is the main actor in the book of Acts.  The people then and now have trouble keeping up.  Peter is a little ahead, but he's had 3 visions and an audible Spirit, so he has no excuse.  The early Jewish-Christian church (almost everyone in the Christian Church at this moment were JEWS.) gets rocked today. Listen and get your world rocked a bit.  Then subscribe on Apple or Google podcasts so you won't miss getting rocked tomorrow.

Knowing and Believing are two different things.  One is a head thing.  One is a heart thing.  The people that hear Peter's message KNOW everything.  But they lack one thing: BELIEF. 

 Unfortunately, we all sit under the reality of sinfulness.  Do you doubt it?  Then just go for a drive and listen to the words that come out of your mouth.  Or, record your words for a day.  Worse, record your THOUGHTS for a day or an hour. And of course we want a JUST God and a just world, and this means JUDGMENT for me.  That's the bad news we all face.  You can deny it with a bumper sticker, but the reality of it doesn't change.  

Here's the good news: With BELIEF comes BENEFITS.  The one highlighted today is forgiveness.   That is a separation of MY sin from MY penalty.  It doesn't disappear, it just disappears FROM ME. Jesus takes it.  I want a part of that equation!  If you do too, subscribe and come back tomorrow to see what happens.  bewithme.us

Cornelius makes the mistake of MIS-WORSHIPPING Peter.  
Peter makes the mistake of MIS-FELLOWSHIPPING Cornelius.

The Lord smashes both these PEOPLE together to help fix both PROBLEMS. It is an important moment in Church history.  It is important to the Lord for us to worship HIM only.  It is important to the Lord that we open the doors of the church to the people He values.

We still struggle with the same issues today.  What do we hyper-value? My diet? Nature? Pleasure? My RIGHTS? My health? The STUFF of church? The Stuff of the World?  I definitely like the POSTURE of appreciation and value, but the Lord wants us to get it right.  Otherwise we fall into idolatry.

Also, we have the issues of "who's in? who's out" in the Church today.  Oh, to see with the eyes of God of who HE wants in HIS Kingdom!

Join me as we follow the knuckleheads Cornelius, who mis-worships Peter; and Peter, who mis-fellowships Cornelius.  Share with somebody who has got one of these wrong.  bewithme.us.   Spotify, Deezer, Apple Podcasts to subscribe. Like, share, re-tweet.

The lightbulb finally turns on for Peter.  The three visions about Iguanas and birds weren't just about dietary habits.  The Spirit then verbally chimes in to say, "ACCOMPANY THEM (the gentiles) WITHOUT HESITATION."  This is big, as there has been a couple of thousand years of hesitation. Of note, this is Peter's perception and understanding and interpretation of the Old Testament principles.  Unfortunately, there were lots of "add-ons" from Jewish custom that were not what God intended.

Finally, he gets it.  Don't call any FOOD unclean.  Don't call any PERSON unclean or common.  Associate with the Gentiles.  Give the Good News to the Gentiles. Accompany them WITHOUT HESITATION. God is breaking down barriers. Obey what God has shown me.  EMBRACE CONVICTION.

There are some big moments in history in today's reading: "he invited them in...he went away with them...don't call any person unclean." Share this podcast with the most unclean person you can think of .  Like a chain-letter of unclean-ness. And subscribe at bewithme.us

Iguanas are a picture of something once not chosen that are now chosen. Jewish dietary regulations, founded by God are now being changed by God.  He's sovereign.  It is His prerogative.  But I don't LIKE IGUANAS.  I never have and never will.  Such is Peter's response.

So the Lord runs through the vision AGAIN.  Still Mr. Knucklehead.  Then a THIRD TIME.  You'll never believe this, but STILL Mr. Knucklehead Peter. Get this, Peter, says NO to the Lord's voice either 3 or possibly 6 times and STILL doesn't get what the Lord is trying to tell him.

Gentiles are literally out by the mailbox trying to get Peter's attention.  They are out there because of SEPARATION of Jew and Gentile.  God has made them clean and sent a memo to Peter THREE TIMES.   God has JOINED Jew and Gentile into His kingdom.  Peter keeps missing the memo.  Good news:  God persists.  Please like, share and send to your most stubborn friend.  Try listening on Pocket Casts or Spotify. bewithme.us

The Lord tells Peter what He thinks about Iguanas.  Peter basically says to God, "No. You don't think like that." And, this being Peter, he is quite emphatic about what he (Peter) thinks the Lord is thinking.  This is one second after the Lord tells Peter what He thinks about iguanas.  

This is to free Peter and his people with regard to DIET, but also with regard to PEOPLE.  The Lord is busting His Church out of Jewish-uniqueness into EVERYBODY.  He does this first by illustrating this point with Iguanas.  "Welcome Iguanas into your diet." "Welcome GENTILES into your churches. Let's break down the barriers separating Jew and Gentile.  I used FOOD for 1000's of years to SEPARATE my people from the others in the world, but now I am using FOOD to UN-SEPARATE people.  Welcome iguanas into your mouth.  Welcome Gentiles into your church."

Peter's response?  NO WAY.  Never have. Never will.  Gotta love Peter.

Please share this podcast with a person in your church who you think the Lord was referring to by the Iguana picture.  And subscribe on bewithme.us so this reptile can join you every morning.

Some of you will be "listening in the New Year," as this drops for my first responders on New Years Day, 2022.  You will not be the first to consider your priorities, your strategies and your disciplines.  If this is part of your auditory resolutions, then I am humbled to be a part of it.  

Join me in thinking ahead towards the end of 2022.  Wouldn't we all like to think back on 2022 and find evidence of the faithfulness, steadfastness and mercies of God.  I think it is a wonderful idea to prioritize the Lord's WORD and his PEOPLE.

I recount the story of Martyn Lloyd-Jones running into a dorky Salvation Army Band and thinking, "These are my people, these are the people I belong to, and I am going to belong to them."  It is the best summary of fellowship that I have ever heard.  Of note, the most popular download of all these podcasts has been Season1Episode #77.  It is also titled, "These are my People..."

Cornelius and Peter are on a CRASH Course with each other.  Both of their worlds are going to get rocked relationally.  At the end of this, they are going to be looking at EACH OTHER and  saying, "He is 'my people'. I belong to him. He belongs to me." My hope is that in 2022, you will be surprised and pleased with the people the Lord crashes into your life.

Think about your disciplines as you subscribe and listen and event-stack this tool to put a God-thought in your head each day. bewithme.us.  Google podcasts, Apple podcasts, Spotify, Deezer, etc.

Good giving is like a fragrant offering before the Lord.  If so, what does your giving smell like?
Today we are introduced to a gentile man with an incomplete view of God, but a spot-on view of giving.  His name is Cornelius, a roman Centurion.  

He demonstrates excellent HABITS OF THE HEART including this generosity.  He is devout, that is, his spiritual efforts are priorities.  He is prayerful.  It is always a good thing to reach out towards God in mental conversation.  

The Lord is going to use this good gentile man to rock the spiritual world and the tangible world.  Listen 7 minutes and admire this guy.  Be like him.  Share this podcast with the most centurion person you know.  

Subscribe at bewithme.us. Thanks for making this podcast part of your spiritual-year.  Keep going.  See you tomorrow if the Lord gives us Both another day.