Author: John Johnstone

Sermon: Sunday, 21st April, 2024
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: Acts 12

A few months ago, we looked at the first Christian martyr, Stephen. At the time of his death, persecution broke out against the church, with Christians being scattered – forced to flee their homes. But God brings good from evil, as we read: ‘Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.’ (Acts 8:4) Satan’s attempts to silence the church by persecution backfires. After that, the church enjoys a time of peace and prosperity, for around 10 years. However, it would not last long. A new king comes to the throne and he is intent on persecuting Christians once again: ‘It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them.’ (Acts 12:1)

There are several king Herods in the New Testament. This one is the grandson of Herod the Great, responsible for the slaughter of the infants in Bethlehem, which we read about in Matthew chapter 2. The Herods were of mixed race – Jewish and Edomite. Essentially, they were politicians, who acted out of self-interest rather than principle. This king craved popularity and would do anything to curry favour with the Jews. Jewish opinion had turned against Christians, perhaps because of all the Gentiles who were becoming Christians, and the old prejudices against them resurfacing, or perhaps because of the number of Jews who were becoming Christians. The Jews felt Christianity threatened their customs and way of life. Herod murders James, one of the 12 disciples. We are told (verse 3) that this pleases the Jews so Herod continues on this course, by arresting Peter, fully intending to murder him also.

1. The real King

What sort of a man is King Herod? He is a puppet king of the Roman Empire, but nonetheless, does have considerable power. David Cook: ‘The Herodian kings… were men given to political expediency, a lack of integrity and no compassion’. This is a dangerous combination. Herod is murdering the Lord’s disciples, purely to keep the Jews onside. He will do anything to maintain his popularity. He is ruthless.

Imagine being a Christian at this time. It must have seemed to many that real power lay with Herod. After all, he has murdered James, one of Jesus’ closest friends, has arrested Peter and many other Christians too (verse 1). Where is God in all of this? Clearly, Herod is using his power to persecute the church. We see this power in action in Peter’s imprisonment. Peter is not only thrown into jail, but is put under maximum security, with sixteen soldiers responsible for keeping him locked up (perhaps his reputation for escaping goes before him). The situation for Peter seems hopeless. He is heavily guarded day and night, locked in a cell, and chained to soldiers. Within 24 hours, Peter would receive a ‘show trial’ and then be executed just like James had been. It looks and feels as if Herod is firmly in control. He seems to have the power of life and death. This is a dark time for the church. Even the apostles seem like pawns in Herod’s game.

Today, if we’re honest, it can often seem as if power of the world, whether political powers, enormous corporations, or particular rulers, are far more powerful than the power of God. The church seems so feeble when placed beside the power of a Kim Jong Un, Putin, Modi or the UK rulers. For example, in India, 12 out of the 28 states have anti-conversion laws, which makes sharing the gospel or becoming a follower of Jesus much more dangerous. Open Doors: ‘In May, ethnoreligious clashes in Manipur have shaken the region and the country, disproportionately impacting Christians; the violence left 400 churches in ashes and 50,000 believers displaced. This hostility in India is often driven by an ongoing belief among some Hindu extremists that Indians ought to be Hindu, and any faith outside of Hinduism is not welcome in India.’

In the UK, Christians don’t face such violence at the moment; however, as the years go on, anti-Christian forces in our media and government are on the increase. We are under enormous pressure as Christians to keep silent about our faith, and to go along with the majority on moral issues. Sometimes it seems as if celebrities have more power than God in Scotland. Each census seems to show Christianity in decline. We too might ask, ‘Where is God in it all?’

This is an enormously encouraging passage. God is showing us here that yes, the power of Satan is real and painful, but the power of God is supreme. Herod is no match for the Creator of the heavens and the earth. We see how effortlessly the Lord rescues Peter. The iron doors of the prison, the 16 soldiers and the chains – these things are as nothing to God. He is unimpressed at such puny efforts. The door opens by itself. God is on the move. I think this is meant to be amusing to read. It reminds us of Psalm 2: ‘The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed… The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.’

Herod is not in charge of human history, but God is. Satan is not in charge of human history, but God is. Sometimes, this side of Heaven, this is not obvious. Satan seems to have the upper hand. This passage is reminding us this morning that God’s good plans will always come to pass. Evil will not have the last word; God will bring evil down. And the Kingdom of God shall prevail. Make no mistake: there are only two sides we can be on, Satan’s and Christ’s. Only Christ will be victorious. He is the true King. Whose side are you on?

I wanted to consider the whole of chapter 12 this morning, as the end of the chapter clearly highlights just who the real King is. In verse 22, we find Herod in Caesarea, receiving praise as if he himself were God. Herod’s pride is enormous here. The historian Josephus also records this event and informs us that Herod is wearing a magnificent silver robe which glitters in the sun. Clearly, his power has gone to his head. Herod takes the glory which belongs to God, and so God brings him down. There is now justice for James and for the Christians Herod has persecuted. It did not come immediately, but nevertheless it arrives in God’s time. Herod might look good on the outside, but on the inside, he is being eaten by worms.

I believe there’s a warning for us here. Sure, we might never have actively killed or persecuted someone like Herod. But we can be more like him than we think. If we live our lives as if we are in charge, and not God, and if we ignore God and fail to honour him, then in that sense we are just like Herod. We have dethroned God. We have placed ourselves upon the throne instead. God is unlikely to bring us to justice immediately for this folly and pride. His justice is likely to be delayed, but it will come, at the end of the world, when we will all stand before God to be judged: people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment. (See Hebrews 9:27)

2. A real mystery

What mystery is there in this passage? Well, God allows one apostle, James, to be put to death by the sword, but miraculously steps in to save another, Peter. This is the mystery of God’s providence. We believe God is good and that God’s plans are perfect, but from our own limited, human perspective, it can be hard to understand the ways of God. He lets one die and spares another. This is far from easy for us to accept when our own circumstances are dark.

And yet, it is important that we think about these things. Here’s an interesting question – is Peter better off than James at the end of chapter twelve? That might seem like a stupid question, but it is not. James is called to be with God in Heaven. The Lord’s time for him to be on earth has come to an end. James’ work has come to an end, and the Lord knows it is now the right time to take him. ‘Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.’ (Psalm 116:15)

Spurgeon, reflecting on this verse says that Christians: ‘… shall not die prematurely, they shall be immortal till the work is done; and when their time comes to die then their deaths shall be precious. The LORD watches over their dying beds, smooths their pillows, sustains their hearts, receives their soul.’

Even as we face death, may this passage help us to keep on trusting in God’s timing and God’s ways. We need to step back and see the big picture, the eternal picture. And we need to keep trusting that God is good. Does God know what he is doing?

“The chapter opens with James dead, Peter in prison, and Herod triumphing; it closes with Herod dead, Peter free, and the word of God triumphing.” (J Stott)

‘But the word of God continued to spread and flourish.’ (Acts 12:24)
This is the big picture.

3. Real power

If you gather on a Wednesday evening to join us at the prayer meeting, from one point of view it might seem like a small, insignificant meeting. You might even see it as a waste of time. What difference is it going to make to the towns and villages in Fife, or to our own lives? But let me tell you this: the prayer meeting is the place of power.

We see that in this passage. Peter looks to be in an impossible situation, guarded by 16 highly trained soldiers. There’s no escaping. He will end up like James. Yet, what do we find God’s people doing? ‘So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.’ (Acts 12:5)

I love this prayer meeting! Why? Because it tells us that while the situation seemed impossible, these Christians have great faith, believing that no situation is impossible for God. Prayer is never a waste of time. This is doubly impressive if we consider the fact that they had probably prayed for James too, and that seemed to make no difference. It would have been easy for them to have said: ‘We’ve tried praying and it didn’t work.’ Perhaps that’s where you are at today. You tried prayer, and it didn’t bring the change you wanted, so you’ve given up. They do not give up. Don’t give up!

We are in a spiritual war. Satan’s weapons include the persecution of God’s people, violence, intimidation, false accusations, mockery and the like. What is our weapon? How do we respond? With prayer. We don’t look on life’s circumstances ignoring what God might do. Rather, the eyes of faith look beyond our current circumstances, and factor in what the Lord is able to do.

How can we respond as a church? We need to copy the example of the early church. We need to pray earnestly. This word earnestly also describes the way in which Christ prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. Prayer is often hard work. But prayer is also part of the chain of cause-and-effect which God uses to run the universe. In other words, prayer does change things. Not always when we want or how we want, but God does use our prayers to bring about his purposes.

Do you believe this? If so, it’s more likely you’ll meet with other Christians to pray. It’s what Christian families do. After Jesus ascends to Heaven we read: ‘They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.’ (Acts 1:14) After Pentecost and the outpouring of the Spirit, what do we read? ‘They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.’ (Acts 2:42) We must not treat prayer casually in this church. We must pray with devotion and passion and earnestness. That’s what Spirit-filled Christians do together. May God help us to do this more and more.

This is an encouraging passage. Sometimes life looks a mess and it hasn’t worked out the way we would have wanted. Sometimes the church seems so feeble and ineffective. Sometimes so little seems to be happening. Think about this passage. Rub it into your hearts today. Jesus Christ is the true King, not the Scottish or UK government. Yes, life is full of hard mysteries, but we can trust that God knows what he is doing. And when you see circumstances which look bleak, instinctively get on your knees and pray with faith and fervour. This is where true change comes from.

Sermon: Sunday, 7th April, 2024
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: Acts 10 – Acts 11:1-18

Recently, I started going to a folk club in Kirkcaldy. I love the music. The last few times I went on my own, I don’t know anyone there. Usually there are around 50 people. Most of them have been going for many, many years. Before going along, I had a few thoughts. Will they be a friendly group? Will I be accepted? Will I make new friends? It’s not always easy going into a new place as an outsider, especially when those in the group know each other well. To be honest, I did feel a bit awkward and nervous. We all have a deep longing to be accepted by others.

It made me think about our church here. Who is welcome in Kirkcaldy Free Church? Are we good at accepting new people here? Do you have to attend for five years before you can get involved or can you get involved straight away? Are there barriers we put up which make it difficult for people to join in? It also made me think about what it means to be accepted by God himself. Who does God accept? Is anyone excluded? Does God accept everyone no matter what? What barriers are there which prevent us from friendship with God? Let’s explore these issues through Acts chapter 10.

1. A temporary barrier

In order to understand Acts chapter 10, we must appreciate just how large the cultural barrier was between Jews and Gentiles in the time of the apostles. It was God who had created this barrier in the first place, in order to stop his chosen people, the Jews, from assimilating with the nations around them. This was to ensure his people did not practice the evil false worship and immoral behaviours of neighbouring peoples. God called his people as his own to be a holy people. This was the reason for the dietary laws which God gave Israel; they underlined that God expected his people to be different. The barriers existed to preserve the moral and spiritual lives of his people. Sadly, sometimes this resulted in Jews looking down on the other nations. The added to God’s wise restrictions with unwise ones, and created man-made rules, such as Jews being forbidden to even enter the home of a Gentile or eat with them.

However, these barriers were always meant to be temporary. God had always promised that when the Messiah came, the blessing of God would widen, and be poured out to the whole world. The Lord promised Abraham that: ‘… all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’ (Genesis 12:3) The prophet Isaiah received a vision of what would happen in the ‘last days’ which are the days after Jesus’ arrival: ‘In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it’ (Isaiah 2:2) God’s plan for broken humanity was never focused solely on one nation. We see this so explicitly in Ephesians chapter 2, where Paul speaks of God destroying the barrier between these two groups, the Jews and the Gentiles: ‘For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.’ (Ephesians 2:14-16)

Now, as we read Acts 10, Christ has already been crucified and raised again, and the Holy Spirit has been poured out on both Jews and Gentiles. This left the Jewish Christians with a huge dilemma: should they continue to be separate from Gentiles, even if these Gentiles have become followers of Jesus? Or should they integrate with them normally. After hundreds of years of separation, you can imagine they instinctively desired to remain apart from the Gentiles. It’s what they’d always done. But they were wrong. So, God is going to give them a massive wake-up call, to make sure they change their mindsets completely. Using visions, God orchestrates a meeting between a prominent Jewish Christian, Peter, and a well-respected Gentile soldier called Cornelius.

Sometimes it takes a bit of work to bring people together. Before going out with Sarah, our mutual friend Peigi arranged the circumstances so that we would end up going out on a walk together by ourselves. We needed a bit of help. That’s what God is doing here through the visions; he is arranging things so Jews and Gentiles come together, and will realise they are meant to be together!

Peter receives a vision not just once but three times. This underlines how big a shift is taking place here. God is abrogating the dietary laws laid out in Leviticus chapter 11. God is changing things big time. His people can now eat things which they weren’t allowed to in the past, such as pork, lobster, and birds. Peter is shocked. He says, ‘Surely not, Lord.’ (Acts 10:14) This is typical Peter, forgetting his place before God. The Lord has to rebuke Peter, reminding him that he alone is the only lawmaker: The voice spoke to him a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ (Acts 10:15)

But it would have been shocking and hard to take in. Imagine we went to our local restaurant and now dog and cat and horse and frog was on the menu. It might well turn our stomachs. You just don’t eat these things. Even though he receives it three times, at first Peter does not understand what it means: ‘While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision…’ (Acts 10:17) Understanding comes later.

But God will use Cornelius to help Peter to understand, and when he does understand, he will see just how important this vision is. It’s not just about what you can eat. Peter knows it has been God who has brought him into Cornelius’ home. He now understands the full import of the vision: ‘Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.’ (Acts 10:24-35)

We read in Acts 11:1-2 that the Jewish Christians criticise Peter for meeting with Gentiles. However, when Peter explains the respective visions which he and Cornelius had received from God, they too begin to understand that God has now removed the barrier between Jew and Gentile: ‘When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, ‘So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.’ (Acts 11:18)

Imagine the joy in Germany when the iron curtain came down in 1989, and they could be one nation again. This is something much more significant and joyous. They praise God because they now see that the church is an international family, no longer focused on one nation.

What are the main lessons for us today?

2. Race is no barrier to God

In other words, God’s attitude to you has nothing to do with your nationality or the colour of your skin or your gender or social class. God does not judge us on the basis of such external things. ‘I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. God shows no partiality.’ (Acts 10:34-35)

Peter is part of the church of Jesus Christ. But so is the African eunuch we were introduced to in chapter 8. And so is Cornelius, who is a Roman soldier of all things! He is the first European convert we read about in Scripture. We don’t need to have two separate churches, one for Jewish Christians and one for Gentile Christians. God has ripped that barrier down completely.

Who is welcome in Kirkcaldy Free Church? Well, if God welcomes those of every nation and language, then we must do the same. And we do! And we are thrilled to have people from so many countries coming together each week, united in our love for the Lord Jesus Christ. Scots are not more important than Romanians. Slovaks are not more important than Nigerians. We are the same in the eyes of God. We are equally welcome.

This is actually something enormously refreshing in our dark world, where so often there is favouritism based on looks, race, gender, class, occupation, and age. God’s church is inclusive. In fact, the church is the most inclusive place in the whole world. Everyone is welcome.

Rebecca McLaughlin describes the church as: ‘the greatest movement for racial diversity in all of history.’ Christianity is not something for white westerners, but for them, and the Chinese, and Australians and South Americans and so on. Looking at current trends, Rebecca McLaughlin says: ‘It seems that by 2060, forty percent of all Christians will live in sub-Saharan Africa, and China could be a majority Christian country at that point with far more Christians than the US.’ Race is no barrier to God and it is no barrier to his church. The doors of KFC must be open to all.

So, let’s not take the international flavour of this church for granted. Let’s celebrate and guard the unity we have. It is a beautiful thing.

If race is no barrier to God, this also means that the church must engage in mission all over the world. Again, I’m glad that we don’t just take an interest in our own ‘patch’ here in Fife, but care about what is happening to the church all over the world. We pray for and financially support those in need around the world.

3. Look out for unnecessary barriers we erect in the church

What do I mean by that? Well, it’s fine to say that we should welcome everyone and we should. But the truth is, we are all still sinners, and continue to have certain prejudices. We must pray that God would show us these. James teaches about the way money can still be a real barrier in churches: ‘My brothers, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favouritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, ‘Here’s a good seat for you,’ but say to the poor man, ‘You stand there’ or ‘Sit on the floor by my feet,’ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?’ (James 2:1-4)

Here’s a challenge for us all. Do you have favourites in the church? Do you tend to talk far more to people from your own kind of background or culture? If so, that is wrong. Do you treat people who are more like you with greater love and greater enthusiasm? That too is wrong! People from Free Church or presbyterian backgrounds should not get special treatment. Nor should young people, or wealthier people, or those successful in the workplace.

Do you have prejudices against certain kinds of people, and do you tend to avoid becoming friends with them? Do you avoid praying for them or being kind to them? If we think about this deeply, I am confident that we all need to repent of wrong attitudes here. God welcomes all and so must we.

4. There is one true barrier between God and all human beings

What is that barrier? Sin. It’s not true to say that God just accepts people no matter who they are or what they have done. Listen to Peter’s words; ‘And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’ (Acts 10:42-43)

Peter clearly states that all people will be judged by God – the living and the dead. This means everyone. You are accountable to God for how you live your life, whether you want to be or not. This is his world, and he made you. That’s the way it is. Peter also clearly states that what we need from God is his forgiveness. Religious people need God’s forgiveness because they have still broken God’s rules. Secular people need God’s forgiveness. You need it. I need it. There are many things God has told me to do, and I have not done them. There are many things he commands not to do, and often I have rebelled and done those very acts. This is what causes the barrier between us and God.

5. God has provided a way for this barrier to be removed

God has provided a way for us to be accepted by God, even though we don’t deserve it. The solution to this barrier is to believe in Jesus as our Saviour and Lord. Not everyone goes to Heaven. It is only those who receive by faith Christ’s free offer of forgiveness. You need to give up trying to be good enough yourself. You need to give up thinking that if you are ‘spiritual’ enough or keep the rules often enough you can save yourself. You cannot. Only Jesus through his blood shed on the cross can cleanse us from our sin. Only Jesus can remove the barrier between us and God and bring us eternal peace with God.

If you are drowning, you need to stop thrashing around in the water, and allow the lifeguard to pull you to safety. Why not admit to Jesus today that, morally speaking, you are drowning. Ask Jesus in prayer to pull you to the shore and he will. He invites everyone to call out to him promising to save.

Sermon: Sunday, 17th March, 2024
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: Acts 9:10-31

Last Sunday morning we looked together at Saul’s conversion. We thought about the man Saul was; one obsessed with destroying the church and travelling far and wide like a roaming wild animal, preying on Christians. We focused too on the man Saul met, the risen Lord Jesus. Saul realises on the Damascus Road that, truth be told, the Christians were right all along and that Jesus is the Messiah. Through his encounter with Jesus, Saul becomes a Christian. Although our stories of conversion are all different, we all share this element with Saul; we must all encounter the risen Jesus, usually through the Bible being read or preached. And we began to look at the man Saul became. Becoming a Christian radically changes us.

‘Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.’ (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I’d like us to continue to consider ‘the man Saul became’ this morning, as we only began to scratch the surface last time. And I’d also like us to consider the commission Saul receives from the Lord, and the ways in which we share something of this commission today.

1. Signs of true change

It’s good for us to return to the basics of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. In a nutshell, it means receiving Jesus as both the Saviour of our sins, and also the Lord of every area of our lives. Often, people like the first part; Jesus died for my sins and everything is now ok, but then they refuse to accept Jesus’ rule over them. This is not true Christianity. Jesus must be both our Saviour and Lord. We see this immediately with Saul. Jesus instructs Saul (verse 6) to go into the city of Damascus, and Saul does just that. Saul has a new master. He’s now willing to go where Jesus will send him, and to do whatever Jesus commands. That ought to be true of each one of us. Is this true of you? Is Jesus and his will, as revealed in the Bible, the one who governs the way you use your time and money? Does Jesus govern your relationships and your service in the church? We must never keep an area of our lives separate from our faith and think that we can live any way we want there.

Saul’s conversion to the faith is so shocking that it took some time for Christians to trust him. After all, in human terms, he’d been the church’s greatest threat. Surely, many Christians must have wondered if Saul was a spy, faking his conversion in order to infiltrate the church and cause even more damage. How could they be convinced that this change was the real deal? Was this an authentic conversion? In his kindness, the Lord raises up men like Ananias and Barnabas to encourage Saul, welcome him into the church, and to encourage other believers to do the same.

I love how specific Ananias’ vision from the Lord is. He is told to go to Straight Street, which incidentally, can still be found in Damascus today. Understandably, Ananias himself is reluctant to meet with Saul at first, but the Lord graciously assures Ananias that Saul is the Lord’s instrument. Three things happen when Ananias arrives in Judas’ house on Straight Street. Firstly, Saul’s sight is restored, with something like scales falling from his eyes. This movement from blindness to sight is a sign of the spiritual change which has taken place in Saul. Before, Saul was blind to his own sin, being a self-righteous Pharisee. And he was blind to the identity of Jesus, believing him to be to be an ordinary man who had deceived his fellow Jews. However, now Saul can see, spiritually speaking. He is able to see spiritual realities. He sees his own lack of righteousness and he sees how wicked he had been in his persecution of the church, the body of Christ. He also sees Jesus’ true identity as the Son of God and the long-expected Messiah.

Secondly, Saul receives the filling of the Holy Spirit, which was another sign of the inward change which had taken place. This empowering of the Spirit would enable Saul to fulfil his duties as an apostle to the Gentiles. Without God equipping him, this would have been impossible.

Thirdly, Saul is baptised, as a public sign and seal that he now belonged to Christ. The encounter between Ananias and Saul is a moving one. Ananias knows many Christian widows and orphans whose lives have been devastated directly by the actions of Saul. And yet, in a spirit of Christian forgiveness and reconciliation, Ananias is able to call this man his brother in Christ. This is the power of the gospel.

2. A pattern for Paul’s life and for ours

When the Lord speaks to Ananias in a vision, he identifies two key strands which will follow Saul all the days of his life: proclamation and suffering. ‘But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.’ (Acts 9:15-16)

Paul is commissioned by the Lord to proclaim the name of Jesus to the Gentiles; Gentiles are all those who are not Jews, so most people in the world are Gentiles. We have to notice just how surprising God’s chosen instrument for this task is; the man who hated the name of Jesus with a passion, will now become its greatest ambassador. Saul, best known as Paul, will now devote his life to preaching and teaching all about Jesus Christ. He will never tire of telling people who Jesus is and what he has done. He will tell Gentiles and kings and Jews about Jesus, no matter what the cost.

And the cost will be very great indeed. Some of these sufferings are summarised as follows: ‘Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; for a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.’ (2 Corinthians 11:24-30)

“…faithful witness to Jesus is a costly task in terms of the suffering that it may cause for the bearer of the good news’. Of course, we have not been called and commissioned in the way that Saul was. However, these two strands- proclamation and suffering- are not unique to Paul. In fact, again and again, the Bible teaches that all followers of Jesus have been called to be his witnesses, his ambassadors, and that all of us can expect some degree of suffering a result.” (Howard Marshall)

“Once we come to Jesus, we become his ambassadors and have the responsibility and high privilege of representing him on earth and communicating his message to the world.” (Ajith Fernando)

Fernando is quite right. ‘Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.’ (2 Corinthians 5:20)

As we look around this room in our church, we can see many surprising instruments of God. In spite of our weakness, God has chosen us to be his witnesses. This ought to be seen as a high privilege. Evangelism is not something we are meant to be guilt-tripped into. So why is it that sometimes we don’t see evangelism as a high privilege but a burden we try to forget about?

I’m happy promoting different products and places. I love memory foam mattresses and tell people with bad backs how much it has helped me. I don’t get any commission, but it doesn’t cost me anything. I’ll tell people about how beautiful Fife coastal path is, and encourage them to put on their walking boots and go exploring. It doesn’t cost me anything. I’ll share places I’ve been on holiday to and say, ‘You should go, you’ll love it!’ You all know what it means to recommend things to others. The question is, why don’t we recommend Jesus more than we do? Part of this must be we are scared of what it might cost us. People might treat us differently. We might even be excluded from a friendship group.

Let’s go back to 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and read more: ‘Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.’ 2 Corinthians 5:20-21) Perhaps if we understood Jesus’ love for us and willingness to be made sin and to suffer for us, then we’d see it as a privilege to suffer in a small way for him.

‘I want to know Christ – yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings…’ (Philippians 3:10)

The Underwoods are hoping to be with us and share in this task of evangelism. It will be costly to them, both in terms of leaving their culture and resistance they will face here in Fife as they seek to live out and share the gospel. We cannot and must not leave the task to them. As followers of Jesus, we should all be able to say, as we reflect on our own new identities in Christ, ‘I am an ambassador for Jesus and I fully expect to suffer for him’. Can you say that?

Paul is a prototype here for our lives. And Jesus is the ultimate prototype for us. The righteous will suffer this side of eternity. ‘In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…’ (2 Timothy 3:12) Do you remember the small flyers we gave out last year – ‘5 minutes for 5 people’. We encouraged you to pray for a friend, family member, work colleague, and so on. This has to be an ongoing thing. Let’s take our identities as ambassadors more seriously. Let’s take witnessing for Jesus more seriously. How, then, can we be better witnesses?

3. Paul’s witnessing and ours

If you want to be a better witness then learn from Paul. There are some key features which stand out to us in this chapter, and these are things we can copy.

As we witness for Jesus, we must be Christ-centred. We read in verse 20: ‘At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.’ Paul wasn’t focusing on his amazing spiritual experience on the Damascus Road, but on the person and work of Jesus, and we must do the same.

“To witness is to speak of Christ. Our own experience may illustrate, but must not dominate our testimony.” (John Stott)

Verse 22: ‘Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.’ This word ‘proving’ means that Paul opens up many Old Testament Bible passages and shows how they all point to Jesus as Messiah and the Son of God. If we want to be good witnesses then we need to have minds and hearts dominated by what Jesus has done for us, and focus on this as we share with others. Are you delighted by Jesus?

As we witness, like Paul we need to depend on the Spirit’s power. When we read in verse 22: ‘Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.’ we know that this power was from the Holy Spirit. Keep praying for the Holy Spirit’s help and strength before, during and after speaking to people about Jesus. This is basic and crucial.

As witnesses, like Paul we need courage. In verse 27, Barnabas tells the apostles: ‘… how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.’ Paul also shows great courage speaking of the Lord Jesus in Jerusalem, to the same group in which he had once played such a prominent role. Let’s pray for such courage in our own church. Pray that the Lord would give us courage in our families, and amongst friends, as well as work colleagues.

Yes, witnessing will be costly; Paul ends up fleeing from both Damascus and Jerusalem, and so we need God-given boldness.

Sermon: Sunday, 10th March, 2024
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: Acts 9:1-19

1. The man Saul was

If ever there was an unlikely candidate to become a Christian it was Saul. He was the arch enemy of the church. We first hear about Saul in Acts 7:58. When Stephen is being stoned to death, Saul is present giving his approval and clearly part of the group involved in the death of the first Christian martyr. Then in Acts chapter 8, we have this description of the man Saul was: ‘But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.’ (Acts 8:3)

Saul is ringleader of those persecuting Christians. His hatred towards Christians is so evident; he doesn’t even spare women but drags both men and women off to jail, leaving their children in an horrific situation. Saul sees Christians like rats which need to be caught and disposed of. He is obsessed with ridding the earth of them. Acts chapter 9 opens with these words: ‘Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.’ Imagine being a Christian back in Jerusalem in Saul’s day and hearing him say: ‘If you carry on believing this blasphemous teaching about Jesus of Nazareth, you will end up dead, just like him – I will make sure of that.’

Saul’s hatred of Christians was so strong that it wasn’t enough for him to deal with those in Jerusalem; he even wants to pursue those who had fled to Damascus. It’s really astonishing to think about. He is willing to travel for 150 miles, a week’s journey, in order to track down Christians as far away as Damascus. Saul is utterly convinced that Christianity is a false and dangerous sect and a threat to Judaism and everything Saul held dear. Listen to Saul’s own description of himself, after he had become a Christian : ‘I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.’ (Acts 26:9-11)

‘For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.’ (Galatians 1:13)

Why does Saul hate Christians so much? He’s like a wild animal hunting down his prey. This man is a Pharisee and so he knows the Scriptures better than most. He’s an expert in the law of God. He knows that God in the Scriptures had promised that one day the Messiah would come and rescue the people. The Christians were claiming that Jesus himself was the true Messiah of God, the Saviour. This claim makes Saul sick to the stomach. How could the Messiah be crucified, dying in shame and humiliation. He knows that anyone who dies in that way is cursed by God. (Deuteronomy 21:23) So, in Saul’s mind, it was impossible for Jesus to be God’s chosen one.

I think it’s likely that when Stephen was debating with the Jews in Acts chapter 6, Saul was there. Even though he, and the other religious leaders, were experts in the Scriptures, we read: ‘But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave [Stephen] as he spoke.’ (Acts 6:10) Sometimes, when people are unable to defeat the truth through argument, they turn violent, or grow hard-hearted.

Another possible reason for Saul’s hatred is his self-righteousness. As a Pharisee, Saul’s whole life had been one of trying to earn God’s favour by doing his best. He thought that if we only keep the rules, then God will accept us. Christianity was a threat to Saul’s whole belief system, rightly teaching that none of us can use God’s law as a ladder to climb up into Heaven. None of us can earn God’s favour, because the truth is, we all break God’s commands again and again. These followers of Jesus rightly taught that we can only become holy by accepting Jesus’ death for our sins. Only the blood of Jesus can pay for our moral debt to God. We have nothing to pay off our debt to God with because that debt just gets bigger and bigger. In other words, Christianity contradicted the very things Saul had devoted his life to.

Never doubt that Saul was sincere as he persecuted Christians. He was sincere; but he was sincerely wrong. This is a reminder to us that we might sincerely think that we don’t need Jesus. However, the truth is that Jesus is the only one qualified to forgive our sins and the only one able to take us to Heaven. He is the rightful King of the universe. If we reject this, we might be sincere, but like Saul, we are sincerely wrong. We need to be sure about the truth about Jesus. Are you?

2. The man Saul met

As Saul approaches Damascus, the whole course of his life is about to change, and for the better. Jesus breaks into his life to save him. Saul had not been looking for Jesus; he was an enemy of Jesus. But Jesus goes looking for Saul. ‘As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ (Acts 9:3-4)

Saul knows he’s in the presence of God. This is something supernatural. It’s like the call of Moses, when the LORD appears to Moses in a burning bush, and calls his name twice: ‘Moses, Moses’. The blinding light signals the presence of the divine, as does the voice from Heaven. Even the fact that Saul falls to the ground is another indicator of God’s presence, as again and again, this is the response of sinners before a holy God. ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. (Acts 9:5)

Can you imagine how Saul must have felt hearing this reply? This was the last thing he was expecting. He had believed that Jesus was a liar and a traitor. He had thought he was doing God’s will as he zealously dragged men and women off to prison. He was wrong. For Saul, this is the moment of shocking realisation. Jesus was the Messiah after all. The Christians were right to worship him. No wonder they were willing to die rather than denying that Jesus had risen from the dead. Now Saul understands. His old certainties have been blown away. Saul had thought he was the gatekeeper of orthodox Judaism and that Christians were heretics; for the first time he sees the truth – he is the heretic. For, by persecuting Christians, Saul was persecuting Jesus himself! That’s how connected Jesus is to his church. We are the body of Christ.

Saul is blinded by this divine light. For Saul, this must have felt like the judgment of God. As an expert in the Bible, he knows the covenant curses for the disobedient outlined in Deuteronomy 28. One of them says: ‘At midday you will grope about like a blind person in the dark. You will be unsuccessful in everything you do…’ (Deuteronomy 28:29)

What a transformation. The man who had hated Jesus, now comes to realise that he is the Lord, and obeys Jesus’ instruction to get up and go into the city. What’s this dramatic conversion got to do with us today in 2024? I’ve never seen the risen Jesus or heard his voice like this. What can we learn from this event?

Application 1. We learn about the grace and patience of God. Saul did not deserve to receive God’s mercy. None of us do. He was a bitter enemy of Jesus. And yet, Jesus does not treat him as his sins deserve, but with grace, forgiveness and love. Paul writes, ‘Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.’ (1 Timothy 1:15-16)

In Saul, God is giving us an amazing example of his mercy. This means that for you, even if you have ignored God for most of your life, and refused to trust in Jesus, and done many things for which you are ashamed, God is willing to forgive you, if you but submit to Jesus’ rightful rule in your life. If Jesus is willing to save Saul of Tarsus, then he no one is beyond his mercy. God’s love is so incredible that it extends even to the man who dried to extinguish his church. Never think: ‘I’m too bad for Jesus to save’. That’s not true. Perhaps you’re thinking this morning, ‘I’m not like Saul. I’m no persecutor.’ You might be more like him than you think! Like Saul you might reject Jesus’ rightful rule in your life! Just by being your own boss, you share in the main problem Saul had.

Application 2. We also learn that God specialises in saving the most unlikely people. We might look at someone in our family or a friend and think: ‘That person will never become a Christian’. But perhaps, like with Saul, Jesus is already pursuing that person, and is about to break into his or her life. Keep on praying for more people to come to faith in Jesus. You might know people who ‘slag off’ the Christian faith. You might know people who claim to be atheist. They might blame God for the suffering in the world. They might say they believe in science. They are not beyond the grace of God. ‘The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.’ (Zephaniah 3:17) Don’t lose hope – keep praying for your loved ones.”

Application 3. We are reminded that God is always in sovereign control. It might have seemed to the early Christians that Saul was unstoppable. His efforts to extinguish the church seemed successful. There seemed no end to the amount of damage he could inflict on the church. But God had other ideas. God was in control all along. Jesus is the good shepherd, who even now goes after the lost sheep of this world and brings them into his flock. And when he does that, he is irresistible. Listen to how Paul describes his coming to faith : ‘I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me’. (Philippians 3:12) When Jesus gets a hold of you in his loving arms, he’ll never let you go. That’s our ultimate hope for the church plant in Leven. Our confidence isn’t ultimately in the core team, or their skills. Our confidence is in Jesus, who seeks and saves the lost.

Application 4. We see what it means to become a Christian. Granted, we’re unlikely to see a blinding light or hear a voice. We might not be changed in such a dramatic way. We don’t need to be. But in many ways, Saul’s experience is common to all who become Christians. What do I mean? John Stott puts it so helpfully: ‘For we too can and must experience encounter with Jesus Christ, surrender to him in penitence and faith, and receive his summons to service’.

All the Christians in this room have a different story about how God has worked in our lives. But we have this in common – even though we haven’t seen Jesus physically, we have met with him in the pages of the Bible, and in the preaching at church, and have talked to him in prayer and put our trust in him. In other words, we have encountered him and have a relationship with him. We talk to him in prayer and he talks to us through the Bible. We know he loves us as he died on the cross for us. Jesus has become our Saviour and our King. We submit to his rule in our lives, just as Saul did here.

3. The man Saul became

Saul becomes Paul. His life is so utterly changed that the persecutor of the church becomes a missionary and church-planter. God has an amazing job for Saul: ‘But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.’ (Acts 9:15-16)

I find verse 17 incredibly moving. Ananias knows the havoc and misery Saul has brought upon the church, and yet he says: ‘Brother Saul…’. Saul now trusts in Jesus. The crucifixion of Jesus was once an enormous stumbling block to Saul. But now he knows Jesus’ death was necessary to pay the price of his sin. He trusts in Jesus, and so joins the family of Christians. He is baptised and receives the Holy Spirit. ‘Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.’ (Acts 9:19-20) We don’t have time just now to go into detail about the man Saul became, but he became one of the most influential Christians of all time, evidence that Jesus truly is God, has risen from the dead, and is willing to change anyone who asks him to.

Perhaps today we can reflect on our own lives and share our stories with others. We can share something of the people we used to be before we knew Jesus. We can remember the time when we met with the risen Jesus and became Christians. And we can consider, imperfect though we are, the new people God has made us.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,
that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found;
was blind but now I see.

Sermon: Sunday, 25th February, 2024
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: Acts 8:1-25

Last Sunday we were thinking about Stephen, the first ever Christian martyr who is brutally stoned to death by the Sanhedrin. Just like Jesus, Stephen is falsely accused and killed. And like Jesus, Stephen prays for the forgiveness of his murderers. We shouldn’t be surprised at this event.

‘Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.’ (John 15:20)

Stephen’s death unleashes a huge persecution against the fledgling Christian church. And so, Stephen’s death and the ensuing persecution seems to be a crushing defeat for the church. In verse 3 , we read of Saul’s fanatical persecution, who like a wild animal is going from house to house looking for followers of Jesus to imprison. It seems like the church could be snuffed out in its infancy.

When gardening, when you prune a bush it stimulates new growth, and likewise, the martyrdom of believers serves to multiply believers and counterintuitively, often increases the commitment and zeal of the Christian community. I love the fact that as Satan tries to smother the church – as Satan is the one ultimately behind all this persecution – God uses his actions to actually spread the gospel.

We can see a clear chain of events: Stephen’s martyrdom leads to increased persecution which results in Christians being scattered through Judea and Samaria; however, as they are scattered, they gossip the gospel wherever they go, and gospel reaches tens of thousands of new people. So, if you bought a copy of the Jerusalem Journal back in the days of the apostles, the headline might have been: ‘Christians forced to flee their homes’. But the truth is, a more accurate headline might be: ‘God is so powerful that he uses persecution for his own purposes.’ That’s what’s going on here.

1. Why does God allow suffering?

Imagine you were one of the families in Jerusalem who had just become followers of Jesus. Perhaps you were one of the 3000 people saved on the day of Pentecost and for weeks there was just a spiritual buzz at the changes within your family as you see the power of Jesus at work. You’re absolutely loving the fellowship and love in the newly formed church and it truly is the highlight of the week to meet with your brothers and sisters in Christ there. There’s such a sense of sharing and worship and lives are being changed. Some of your friends have become Christians too. But it’s been a hard fall from such heights. As your eyes fill with tears and you fill a bag with essentials, you wonder what the Lord is doing as you are forced to flee. Why is the Lord doing this? Why now, when things are just getting going? It makes no sense.

I don’t think there’s ever an easy answer to the question ‘Why does God allow his people to suffer?’ But here, one answer is clear: God allows the persecution so that the gospel will spread. I’m sure there were other reasons too. Jesus promised: ‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ (Acts 1:8) It was Jesus’ plan that the gospel would spread to Judea and Samaria, but I doubt many would have guessed he would fulfil this plan through persecution. But that’s what he allows. Acts 8:1 echoes Acts1:8. ‘On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.’

2. Sharing our faith in good times and bad

‘Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.’ (Acts 8:4) The word ‘preached’ here probably just has the sense of ‘shared the good news’. Let’s take notice: these are untrained, ordinary Christians in a time of crisis. And what are they doing? They’re gossiping the gospel. People would have asked these fleeing people, ‘Why are you moving here to Samaria?’ They would have answered, not with bitterness, but with earnestness and joy: ‘We’re moving as we follow Jesus, who died to save us from our sins. He is the Messiah! Yes, we’ve had to flee, but we’ve no regrets and if you know Jesus as your Saviour, that’s all that really matters.’ I think these are the kind of conversations which took place, and took place naturally.

This is a huge challenge for us today. Many of us are going through challenging times. Many of us as struggling to care for loved ones, or with our health, or with work or family circumstances. Do we wait until life is easy before sharing our faith with friends? No. These Christians are our example.

Howard Marshall says this: ‘It seems to be the natural thing for early Christians to share the gospel’. Who is spreading the gospel in Judea and Samaria? Is it so-called full-time Christian workers? No. Gordon Keddie puts it this way: ‘They were simply full-time Christians.’ We’re all called to be full-time Christians. We’re all called to speak to others about what God has done in sending his Son to die on the cross. And here’s the challenge from this passage, we can do that even when we ourselves are in the middle of a crisis.

Friends, I think the message is clear. Evangelism is a team effort, and not just something church leaders should do, or the that the core team in the Leven church plant should do. If ordinary refugees fleeing Jerusalem told others about Jesus, then clearly, we ought to as well. So, please pray that God would give you opportunities, and please as you have opportunity, become more engaged in sharing your faith. This is the way church is meant to be. This is the way a church must be if we are expecting growth and conversions.

3. Sharing our faith is an international activity

It might not seem so to us, but verse 5 is a shocking verse: ‘Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there.’ Why is this shocking? Because Jews hated Samaritans and Samaritans hated Jews. It had been that way for thousands of years. The Jews thought of the Samaritans as racial and religious hybrids. Israel split into two about 1000 BC and when Samaria was captured by Assyria in 722 BC, thousands of their people were deported and the country re-populated with foreigners. This meant that racially and religiously they were far from pure. They also set up their own temple at Mount Gerizim which rivalled the one in Jerusalem. This was a wicked thing to do. No wonder the apostle John comments: The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?’ (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) (John 4:9)

Philip crosses the border into Samaritan territory because he knows that they need the gospel just as much as he does. And as a herald of King Jesus, we read that he ‘proclaimed the Christ’. That’s what it means to share the gospel – it’s telling others who Christ is and what he has achieved on the cross, dying in the place of sinners. Unless we talk about these things, we are not sharing our faith.

It’s wonderful to read: ‘But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women.’ (Acts 8:12) This is an amazing revival. This is a moment in history far more significant than even when the Berlin wall fell in 1989. Here, the ethnic walls of division which used to exist are broken down; the church is now international. God is creating a new humanity through the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is made up of all the nations of the world. That’s why we really do love and value how international Kirkcaldy Free Church is becoming! This is the way the church is meant to be.

The challenge for us in Fife in 2024 is this: are we willing to take the gospel to people the rest of our culture hates? Will we take it to be people totally unlike ourselves? We might have a neighbour who is a drug dealer. The gospel is for them. They might be a different religion or an atheist. The gospel is for them. We might have almost nothing in common – it doesn’t matter. Will you do that?

Before moving on, let’s consider the puzzling section of the story: ‘When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.’ (Acts 8:14-16) Why is there a gap between the people becoming Christians and receiving the Holy Spirit? These things normally go together. I think the best explanation is that this is the equivalent of Samaria’s ‘day of Pentecost’. As I’ve already said, this is a unique time in church history, as the gospel, for the first time, advances beyond Jerusalem and into Judea and Samaria. By doing this, God seems to underlining to the church in Jerusalem that the Samaritans really are now part of the covenant community.

It also sends a message to the Samaritans, as the Spirit is conveyed by the Jews whom they had despised for so many centuries. In other words, through this mini-Pentecost experience, which is atypical, the unity of the church is confirmed.

4. Sharing our faith has mixed results

We now come to consider this perplexing character called Simon the Sorcerer. It seems at first that Simon has become a Christian: ‘Simon himself believed and was baptised. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.’ (Acts 8:13) John Stott comments: ‘New Testament language does not always distinguish between believing and professing to believe.’ James writes, ‘You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder.’ (James 2:19)

I think the best way of explaining what happens here to Simon is through Jesus’ parable of the Sower. Remember the seed which is sown on rocky soil: ‘Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.’ (Luke 8 v13) Simon appears to have true faith at first. However, time shows that he does not. I think Peter’s assessment of Simon clearly shows that he doesn’t have authentic faith in Jesus. He has never truly repented of his sin and placed his trust in Jesus: Peter answered: ‘May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.’ (Acts 8:20-23)

Rather than listening to Peter’s advice, and repenting, Simon seems to continue in unbelief. He might ask for prayer, but he doesn’t repent. He remains captive to sin, and the old sorcerer is still very much in him. He’s more interested in the power of Jesus, than submitting to the Lordship of Jesus.

Sadly, today, as we share the gospel, we’ll see true conversions – authentic change but we’ll also be disappointed by those who appeared to believe and said all the right things, but they had no root – no saving faith in Jesus. We all must examine our own hearts to ensure that, yes, we have admitted our sinfulness to God and cast ourselves on Jesus alone to save us.

Sermon: Sunday, 21 January, 2024
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: Acts 6:1-7

1. Problems in the church

As we come to the next section of Acts, once again there are problems in the church. This section is bookended with massive encouragement, in that both verses 1 and 7 speak about the growth of the church. The number of disciples is increasing, the word of God is spreading and even priests are being converted. However, sometimes problems accompany church growth. These are the problems I’d love to have!

What is the problem exactly? It’s clearly stated in verse 1: some of the widows who have a Greek background are being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. I don’t think that this was deliberate. But it was happening. Needy and vulnerable women were slipping through the net, in terms of their practical care. So, the basic problem is that women who had come from faraway countries and so who had no support network and could not provide for themselves, are being missed out. Because those being missed out are from a Greek-speaking background, this had the potential to be construed as favouritism towards the Hebrew widows, and had the potential to split the church along racial lines. That would have been a disaster, especially at such an embryonic stage on the life of the church.

Looking after the vulnerable, such as orphans and widows and the disabled is close to God’s heart. We see this throughout the Bible.

‘Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.’ (Exodus 22:22)

‘A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.’ (Psalm 68:5)

The early church knows this, but because the church is growing so rapidly, the Twelve are not able to keep track of all of those in need. The situation has become unmanageable.

It would have been good if the Greek widows had directly approached the leaders of the church and brought their problem to them. Instead, we are told that the Greek Jews just complain or murmur about the situation. It’s always better in our churches to communicate problems as they arrive, to give the leadership the opportunity to deal with them before they grow ‘arms and legs’. The complaining we read of here in verse 1 echoes back to the murmuring of the Israelites in the wilderness. I hope everyone in our church will be quick to bring problems to the attention of the leadership, rather than letting a matter fester and grow.

But there is another significant problem in the church. It is related to the first problem, but is a little more subtle, though just as serious. The Twelve are in danger of becoming distracted from their God-given role of ministering the Word of God to the people. If the Twelve deal with the problem of the widows on their own, it will mean much less time on doing the work God has given them to do. They will not be able to teach and preach properly, because their week will become too cluttered with things other people could and should be dealing with.

Once again in Acts, we can see Satan working behind the scenes. He is trying to divide the church on racial grounds. His plan is for this problem to drive a huge wedge between the Jews and Gentiles, who had been divided throughout history, on had only just come together through the gospel. And Satan wants to overload and distract the leaders of the church, so the Word of God becomes something secondary in the church. Satan, then and now, attacks us in all kinds of different ways; he tries persecution and intimidation and moral hypocrisy and now distraction.

2. The solution

I love the fact that the Twelve deal with this issue quickly and wisely. They’re sensitive to the genuine needs of the Greek widows, but are also aware of how this problem could threaten the unity of the church. These leaders are watchful and prayerful. They are ‘on the ball’ here. Their solution is to divide up the work of the church so that different people are doing different jobs, according to the gifts the Lord has given them. The work of preaching was vital. The care of the widows was also vital. Both body and soul matter to God. The answer is to delegate the work more widely.

“A vital principle is illustrated in this incident, which is of urgent important to the church today. It is that God calls all his people to ministry, that he calls different people to different ministries, and that those called to ‘prayer and the ministry of the word’ must on no account allow themselves to be distracted from their priorities.” (John Stott)

This passage is one of the foundational passages in the Bible which highlights the two different kinds of leadership in the New Testament church, that of the elder and the deacon. Elders are called to deal with the matters of the soul, and focus on teaching and preaching and prayer. Deacons are called to deal with more physical needs, such as the needs of the poor, the upkeep of church buildings and ensuring church money is used in a godly way. It’s interesting to note that the Bible stresses the importance of both of these offices. In fact, they have the same job qualifications, except that elders must be able to teach.

‘Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.’ (1 Timothy 3:8-13)

Our church is led by elders and deacons. Deacons are men who have the spiritual maturity to lead in these areas, combined with the practical skills to do so. Both the spiritual maturity and giftedness are necessary to serve in the church. Stephen is the first one identified to take on this new rule. He’s described as: ‘a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit’. That’s what we want both our elders and deacons to be.

3. Practical application

How can we apply this short passage to our live in Fife today? There are many direct applications, I believe.

3a. All Christians have been given a spiritual gift to use in the church.

We have been given different gifts in the church and so have different callings. This passage reminds us that if the work of the many is left to the few then nothing will be done properly, and God’s Word will be neglected.

The 5th part of our vision statement is this: ‘That we should all prayerfully seek to identify the spiritual gifts we have and use them in the church for the benefit of the church family.’ There are many gifts being used in KFC and we are thankful to the Lord for that. There are those looking after finance, those teaching Sunday School, preachers and teachers, musicians, those who welcome on the door and those gifted in hospitality. However, in all churches, including ours, there will be Christians who have either stopped using their gifts, are underusing them, or aren’t using them at all. And so, the challenge isn’t to judge other people, but to reflect on our own lives and ask ourselves- what gift or gifts has the Lord given me and am I using them to serve others?

‘There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.’ (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)

This is a hugely important passage as it underlines two things: all Christians have been given a spiritual gift; God expects this gift to be used for the good and edification of others in our church.

In other words, there should be no spectators in KFC. We are a family. We’re not meant to come to church passively, let others shoulder most of the work, and then go home. What does that do? It puts more pressure on those who are helping. Or perhaps you do a little in the church, but you could be doing so much more. There are even those who are probably doing too much, and need to take a step back in case they burn out. Again, focus on yourself. Ask yourself, how can I serve Jesus by serving others in the church here? Speak to the elders if you’d like to do more in the church.

3b. Preachers must not divert their attention away from the Word of God.

‘It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.’ (Acts 6:2) For myself and Geoff, as pastors, we are constantly asked to use our time in certain ways. We could easily fill our week with good things, such as being chaplains of all sorts of different groups, helping out at community initiatives, helping to run clubs and cleaning and janitorial needed in the church and admin like the website and Facebook and church lunches and fundraising and school lunch clubs. But these things must not be our focus. Our focus is and must continue to be preaching God’s Word and prayer. Of course, we can do a certain amount of the other stuff, and we do, but there’s always a danger of becoming distracted, and the good pushing out the best. The good is often the enemy of the best.

I’m thankful to the Lord that, as ministers, we do have time assigned to us during the week to focus on sermon preparation.

“Men must give themselves wholly to these matters, devoting themselves single-mindedly to reading, teaching and preaching, and to prayer. They must fan into flame the gift God has given them, making it their foremost determination to be workmen who do not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth. How else can they be prepared to preach the Word in season and out of season, correcting, rebuking and encouraging?” (Donald Macleod)

What is the first point of our vision statement? ‘To train and develop church leaders for the future, for the deacons’ court, kirk session and preaching.‘ Friends, it is vital that we train future leaders and then allow them the space to use their gifts to do the worship of teaching and preaching. And I’m excited that we now have five men in our church who are preaching God’s Word. More than ever before, we are helping one another to become better preachers of the Word. Please do pray for us, that our confidence would be in God’s Word and in God’s power.

There’s another challenge here – if the preaching of the Word is stressed so much in the Bible, are you making the most of the opportunities to hear the Word? Are you regular in church? Do you prepare your heart before you come? Do you make use of the evening service? It’s so encouraging to see what often happens when the church majors on the major things: ‘So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.’ (Acts 6:17)

3c. We must always be caring well for the needy and vulnerable in the church.

Our last, but by no means least point of our vision statement is this: ‘To grow closer as a loving church family, through mutual support and practical care.’

In modern Scotland, there is a welfare state, and so there is not the same need to financially provide for widows, in the way that there was in the days of the apostles. Does that mean that we have no one in need? Does that mean widows have no needs? Of course not! There are times when some of us need to be helped financially. There are times when we are lonely and need to be visited. There are times when we are in hospital and need to be helped in practical ways. Sometimes people need meals or help with their children or help to learn English, or help to apply for a job. Someone could be made unemployed and have a temporary financial need. As a family, we help one another. ‘They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.’ (Acts 2:45)

The question is, what are the needs within KFC today? May the Lord help us to have open eyes, so we will see the needs which exist and meet them as we can. Perhaps there are isolated people you can visit. Perhaps there is someone you can drop some food off to. Perhaps there is someone hurting and by going round for a cup of tea you show your care.

‘There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore, I command you to be open-handed towards your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.’ (Deuteronomy 15:11)

‘Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.’ (Galatians 6:10)