Missions Paul

Acts 4:3

“They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.”

Htin Lin Oo – Burma
Zhang Kai – China
Saeed Abedini – Iran
Aftab Masih Gill – Pakistan
Medhat Ishak – Egypt
Kaithong – Laos
Eun Hee – North Korea
7 names, no faces.
There are many more nameless faceless Christians who will spend Christmas Day in prison simply because they believe the story.
Think of them this year. Pray for them all.

Acts 4:2

“They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.”

When Jesus appears there is always a disturbance. When light comes into the darkness the darkness reacts often angrily. We find disturbances throughout the Christmas story.
The disturbance of a young virgin girl called Mary.
The disturbance in Joseph battling feelings of betrayal.
The disturbance by Caesar Augustus issuing a census that meant everyone had to travel to their home town, as did Joseph and Mary.
The disturbance of the fearful shepherds by the glory of the Lord.
The disturbance of the night sky that the Magi interpreted correctly.
The disturbance in King Herod afraid of competition arranging for the massacre of the innocents.
The disturbance of Joseph and Mary who had to flee like asylum seekers into Egypt.
The first Christmas disturbed so many.
Jesus coming disturbed.
Jesus’ resurrection disturbed.
Jesus’ followers speaking of Him disturb.
It is not about baby Jesus meek and mild.
He is a disturbance!

Acts 4:1

“The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.”

As they spoke … In the midst of their work. The attacks come to those who are doing something. When your life is centred around Jesus then you should not be surprised when people come up to you or in another translation ‘come on you’. Not everyone appreciates what you do.
The priests had been delighted to disprove the resurrection by saying the disciples had stolen the body.
The Sadducees didn’t believe in the possibility of any resurrection.
The captain of the temple guard was the controller, the one who made sure everything was done orderly in the Temple.
The problem was not that Peter and John believed in the resurrection, it was the fact they were telling other people.
More than contradicting the priests interpretation of the events and the Sadducees beliefs it destabilised their position.
Those who have the power. Those who are in control. Those who call the shots. Those who have the titles. They don’t like it when the cultural atmosphere changes. They don’t want to lose their hold over others. They don’t want to be ordinary. They don’t want to be humbled.
From the virgin birth to the resurrection many will say it didn’t happen and for those who say it did, well, they just may face opposition from those who face losing the most if it is true.
If this is true then how does it affect me?
The story of Jesus challenges some, it is more than a story, it is a game-changer. Some will throw the board-game in the air if they don’t get their own way.
Christmas and Easter, the highlights of that story can be difficult times for those re-telling it and for those who feel they are more important than they actually are.

Acts 3:26

“When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

Jesus the servant. This shows us that Jesus followed the plan and purposes of His Father. God in flesh followed and obeyed the commands of the God of heaven.
This Christmas as you serve others remember you are serving Him.

Jesus sent. To send indicates purpose. He didn’t meander into this world.
Last night I was on the phone to a friend who told me his wife had gone to the neighbours houses with the Christmas cards. It is a small thing but intentional based on love and caring enough to go. This Christmas find that voice again which gave you that first sense of being sent into your world.

Jesus for all. Being sent “first to you” would indicate there is a second. He came to the Jews. But here we see Peter maybe not fully realising it yet but that Jesus came to the non-Jew as well.
Wouldn’t it be lovely if this Christmas you believed you were sent to the whomsoever? The next person you see. That’s who you are sent to.

Jesus the blesser. Blessing is not always what his followers bring the world. Some of them like to shout and declare, rant and condemn. I recently visited a church and a member grabbed me at the end of the service to inform me that what Britain needs is judgment. I happen to think my nation needs blessing from Jesus. This Christmas I would much rather spend time with those who bless than those who judge, wouldn’t you? Be one of those blessers, be like Jesus.

Jesus the attraction. So how does Jesus bless? He blesses by attracting people to him. Like a magnet he pulls people from their paths of life to His path.
Christmas is attractive. But let Christ rise as the supreme attraction this year. In your parties and celebrations don’t forget to turn to Him. He is calling you even today to come to Him.

Acts 3: 25

“And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.”

Peter has been showing his audience that the coming of Jesus was foretold. However, this is his piece de resistance, the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12).
He was saying, “The greatest promise of all, that what is central to your faith, which guides your life and you share with every generation, that the nations will be blessed, that everything will be righted, this has happened now in Jesus!”

There are approximately 395 sections of the Bible that refer at least in part to this covenant. Not even Peter knew how important it was. This would come in Acts 10 when he would realise the promise was for the non-Jewish world too.

Peter looks outward here, far and wide, to the whole earth. He doesn’t use the Great Commission that was given very recently, but he goes way back in time to the Abrahamic covenant. Jesus Commission wasn’t new, it was Him taking hold of the covenant and presenting it again.
The offspring of Abraham would come and from him the earth would be blessed. Who is that offspring? Apostle Paul in Galatians 3:16 states it is Christ though also shows us how all those who are in Christ are heirs to the promises of Abraham.
But there was one offspring in Abrahams line that would bless the world.
Peter is using this to say: this offspring is Jesus!

In our approach to Christmas let us be ever thankful for Jesus. In and through Him we are blessed. Jesus in our lives means blessing to others. That’s what Christmas is about.

Acts 3:24

“Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days.”

David in Psalm 2:7 prophesied that Jesus is the Son of God
That was 1,000 years before Christmas.

Hosea 11:1 Jesus spending a season in Egypt
That was 750 years before Christmas.

Micah 5:2 Jesus born in Bethlehem
That was 730 years before Christmas.

Isaiah 7:14 Jesus born to a virgin yet Immanuel
Isaiah 9:1-2 Jesus a light to the Gentiles
Isaiah 9:7 Jesus heir of David’s throne
That was 700 years before Christmas.

Zechariah 9:9 Jesus called King.
That was 520 years before Christmas.

Christmas was in the making a long time before it happened.
At some point during this season stop and declare this:
This is that. What was prophesied of generations prior to the happening, this is it, this is what we are celebrating still today.

The story was planned, prepared and told to man before Christ came to man.
The task for us all as it was for Peter is to tell people that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah. He is the one what was foretold of. This is that.

Acts 3: 23

“Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.”

Peter continuing to present his case for Jesus in the context of Moses uses a command heard on the day of atonement: “Anyone who does not deny himself on (this) day must be cut off from his people” Leviticus 23:29

The Atonement weaves its way through the Advent as one strand. No advent no atonement and vice versa.
He came to reconcile man to God.
This baby born in humble surroundings is the King of glory.
This baby born to die, born for a powerful resurrection descended from an ascended position for you and me.
And the law within the atonement is simply this: listen to him/deny yourself and you will live; don’t and you will die.

Approach Christmas this year with a renewed sense of bowing before Him and listening to His voice. This Life will then be your life.

Acts 3:22
“For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.”

He was like Moses but He was more than Moses.

Moses was a deliverer but Jesus is the Saviour.
Moses was a man but Jesus existed before he became a man.
Moses had to bend his knee and say ‘Here I am’ but Jesus is the great ‘I AM’.
Moses built a tent for God to dwell in but when Jesus came He was the tent.
Moses arranged for the generation to paint the blood of the lamb in their door posts so that they would be safe from the pass-over Angel. But Jesus blood was superior for He was the true Passover lamb.
Moses saw the glory of God (as did Isaiah, Peter, James and John) but Jesus is the glory of God.
Moses had the law but Jesus carried the grace.

And all we are called to do is to listen to Jesus today.

Acts 3:21
“He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.”

One of the most important truths of discipleship is that God has perfect timing.
Jesus is in heaven until the time comes for Him to appear again.
Paul wrote in Galatians 4:4, “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son”
The Christmas story is centred around God sending Jesus at the perfect time and it is a signpost to the second coming of Jesus which will also be the perfect time.
So let me use the story of Mary to give 3 keys to this important principle in our discipleship.
1. God’s perfect time may be our imperfect.
Mary was from Nazareth. There was no one more powerful than Caesar and his law meant Mary had to travel to Bethlehem. In Bethlehem there was no family and there were no rooms. It looked like God was not providing.

2. Do what you should do in the imperfect situation.
Mary became responsible for the newborn. She swaddled the baby, the usual cultural practice. She had learnt that. She did it alone with no mother to help her. But she did it with joy!

3. She used what she had in the imperfect surrounding.
The manger was a feeding box for domesticated animals. Some people don’t see correctly, “I don’t have a cradle!!” “Yes you do, that manger can make for a cradle!” We need to see the possibilities of what we do have not what we don’t have.

All of this sits in the hands of prophetic declaration, as Peter said, “as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.”

The imperfect time for Mary was promised 650 years previously by the prophet Micah who singles out Bethlehem as being the chosen place (5:2).

It may be imperfect, the situation and surroundings may be so, but today, right now, this is the perfect time for God to fulfil His purpose in your life.

Acts 3:20

“… and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you-even Jesus.”

Christ is the sent one. Mass simply means ‘Go you are sent’. Christ-Go you are sent. That is Christmas.
Christmas is a celebration of Christ who was sent and who sends you and me into the world as a mission light.

When Christ came it was after a time of 400 silent years where there had been no prophetic word from God. God’s people were going through a time of barrenness. That generation were groaning for a Messiah.
Christ is still sent to a world who are broken, in need of a Saviour and desperate for healing.
We celebrate His birth as answer to the world today.

But Christmas is about being sent.
And this verse today shows us He will be sent again.
However at that time it will be different from the first coming.
The previous verse shows us that Christ will return at a time of returning to God for His people. It will be a time when although the world will still be desperate God’s people will be refreshed and enjoying freedom!

In the mean time ask God to send you today as He sent Christ for you.