Category: 843 Acres

Scripture Focus: Acts 25.18-19
18 When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. 19 Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive.

Acts 26.24-27
24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.” 
25 “I am not insane, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26 The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.” 

Reflection: True and Reasonable Faith
By John Tillman

Festus is confused by the false charges against Paul. He didn’t even know how to describe the case when sending it to Caesar. Paul’s claims seemed like madness to him.

Many within Greek-influenced Roman culture thought the spirit was a superior form of reality and the body was an inferior shell. The resurrection of the dead was nonsense—more like a curse than a miracle. Later, as Paul spoke of resurrection during his defense, Festus would interrupt, saying, “You are out of your mind!” (Acts 26.24-27)

Paul’s defense included telling the facts of his own life, his previous persecution of “The Way,” and his meeting with the risen Jesus. Paul presented his claims as verifiable facts that “did not happen in a corner” (Acts 26.26) and invited scrutiny of everything, including the resurrection. Even in Paul’s day, all the authority and power of Rome couldn’t disprove Paul’s testimony about Jesus.

Paul’s defense also claimed that his testimony about resurrection was “reasonable” from the Jewish perspective and in light of what was written in the prophets. To Agrippa, a man well-studied in Jewish anthropology and the scriptures, the resurrection of the dead was not madness and Paul’s story apparently seemed quite compelling. (Acts 26.28)

Paul demonstrated that he was innocent of the charges against him. But what is more important is that he demonstrated that Christian claims sprang logically from promises in the Jewish scriptures and that the facts of his life merited serious consideration of his religious claims.

The TV series, The Chosen, imagines a conversation between Nicodemus and Mary Magdalene. In that scene, she says, “I was one way… and now I am completely different. And the thing that happened in between… was Him.” Even as far removed from the events of the Gospels as we are, we still can bear witness, like Paul and others did, using our own stories.

You may think, “I don’t have a dramatic story. I wasn’t arresting Christians like Paul or possessed by demons like Mary.” But surely Jesus has made a dramatic change in you? Hasn’t he changed the way you think about yourself? Hasn’t he changed the way you think about others? Hasn’t he rooted out of your heart stones and weeds and planted new growth?

Keep testifying to the truth of the resurrection and living out its implications. It is our lives, paired with our words, that make our faith “true and reasonable” to the watching world.


Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading
Jesus said: “In all truth I tell you, whoever welcomes the one I send, welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me, welcomes the one who sent me.” — John 13.20

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.


Today’s Reading
Numbers 2 (Listen 3:47)
Acts 25 (Listen 4:40)

Read more about Implore Them to Stay
Christians are engaged in evangelism by living ordinary lives and glorifying God.

Read more about A Bad Day Fishing
Peter’s first recorded words to Jesus in response the miracle are “go away.”

Scripture Focus: Acts 24.14-16
14 However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, 15 and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

Reflection: Winning People > Winning Arguments
By John Tillman

Acts gives many examples of followers of “The Way” on trial. When we are on trial, in courts or in conversations, do we follow their examples?

In every case, those who were handed over to the local councils, flogged in the synagogues, or brought before governors and kings served as witnesses about Jesus both to their accusers and to the authorities they stood before. This is as Jesus said it would be. (Matthew 10.16-20) They were sheep among wolves. They were as wise as the snakes that accused them and yet as innocent as doves. Jesus said that when they were put on trial the Holy Spirit would speak through them. 

Paul is on trial for his life and, in a sense, his faith. His accusers charged him with blasphemy, yet Paul was the one confessing the true God. Their denial of Christ was blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Paul was accused of rebellion, yet it was they who crucified the rightful King. Their execution of Jesus was a rebellion against the only kingdom that matters.

Inspired by the Spirit, how does Paul respond? Does he spit fire, pronounce curses, and call them blasphemers and heretics? No. 

Paul defends himself against lies but he doesn’t need insults to do it. He simply tells the truth. Not only does he not insult them, Paul emphasizes his common ground with his accusers. “I have the same hope in God as these men,” Paul says.

We have little control over what courts or kings may judge us or demand an account from us. On social media or in conversation, there are many judgments or arguments we might face.

Unlike Paul, we may face accusations that are true. “The church abused me.” “The Bible was used to harm me.” Even if, individually, we are innocent, rather than being defensive, we should address these with compassion and humility. We should heal, not deny, people’s wounds.

Paul’s trial was a platform for him to find common ground with all people and to explain the gospel publically. (Acts 26.28-29) Whatever trials we face, formal or informal, keep Jesus’ words and Paul’s example front of mind. Even when accusations are unfair or false, those putting us on trial are not our enemies. We aren’t there to win the trial or win the argument but to win people for the gospel and bring honor to Jesus.

Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading
Jesus said to us: “…Everything now covered up will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops.” — Matthew 10.26-27

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Reading
Numbers 1 (Listen 6:21)
Acts 24 (Listen 4:11)

Read more about Portrait Shaped by Scripture
If we can show the beauty of living in a way that shows the Father’s love, people will be willing to consider trusting our Father’s words.

Read more about None Excluded or Excused
Are you one of those sharing the gospel? Who are you bringing along? Who are you collaborating with? Who is learning from you and from whom are you learning?

Scripture Focus: Acts 20.4-6
4 He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia. 5 These men went on ahead and waited for us at Troas. 6 But we sailed from Philippi after the Festival of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days.

Reflection: None Excluded or Excused
By John Tillman

Paul was rarely alone and rarely did his work alone.

In Acts 18, we see that a group of believers accompanied Paul. Many of them are representatives from the communities he has just visited. Believers from Berea, Thessalonica, and Asia, as well as others, joined Paul. They left their own cities and situations to travel and work with Paul, taking the gospel to other communities.

We can sometimes forget that Paul’s ministry was never a one-man show. Seven of the thirteen “Pauline letters” open saying, “from Paul AND…” Paul and Sosthenes sent 1 Corinthians. Paul and Timothy sent 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon. Paul, Timothy, and Silas sent 1 and 2 Thessalonians.

Bible nerds debate whether these men were co-authors or scribes or letter carriers. To me, it seems scribes and letter carriers were typically mentioned at the end, not at the beginning and co-authorship does not threaten the quality of the letters or their authority or inspiration. Paul is, undeniably, the main voice but what the others might have contributed is a fun topic to think about.

More important than the question of co-authorship is recognizing the importance of teamwork in Paul’s ministry. If we have an idea of ministry as a top-down power structure, we’ve misread the book of Acts and Paul’s letters. We need to reimagine what ministry looks like in our heads. 

People often talk about “red flags” when visiting churches but when we first visited our current church, we saw a “green flag.” Instead of saying, “I’m the lead pastor” or “the senior pastor” or even “the teaching pastor,” the pastor said, “I’m one of the pastors at this church.” Those other phrases wouldn’t be sinful and would all be truthful. But consistently referring to himself as a collaborative leader was a sign of good things.

For Paul, ministry was collaborative. Paul’s ministry team included all races, men and women, young people and elders, slaves and free, rich and poor. Paul brought others with him because he valued them and their contributions. Not only was no one excluded from sharing the gospel, no one was excused from doing so. 

Are you one of those sharing the gospel? Who are you bringing along? Who are you collaborating with? Who is learning from you and from whom are you learning? 

Are you collaborating through funding, preaching, prophesying, serving, writing, traveling, or other means?

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
Your testimonies are very sure, and holiness adorns your house, O Lord, forever and forevermore. — Psalm 62.6

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Reading
Leviticus 24 (Listen 2:58)
Acts 20 (Listen 5:22)

Read more about Embrace Your Mission
Paul’s mission brought others together and molded diverse people into unified disciples.

Read more about Facing Wolves
In hunting for “wolves” we can injure a lot of sheep. People who hunt wolves often become wolf-like themselves.