SERIES
Acts: Empowered to Extend
2018-02-04T12:00:00-06:00
37:1 Jacob lived in the land of his father’s sojournings, in the land of Canaan.
2 These are the generations of Jacob.
Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him.
5 Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more.
15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.
22 So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father’s house. Joseph lived 110 years. 23 And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph’s own. 24 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26 So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright (c)2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. http://www.esv.org
This passage is a pivotal one in the book of Acts, as the gospel continues to spread out from Jerusalem to reach the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Peter delivers to Cornelius and his household one of the most straightforward gospel proclamations, declaring God's redemptive purposes for all men through the person and work of Jesus Christ. And what happens? As Peter is speaking, the Holy Spirit falls on the Gentiles, just as The Spirit did the Jews. Utter amazement fills all the believers with Peter. God saves even the Gentiles. Even them!? The power of God was at work on the frontier in unexpected and unimaginable ways.
We would do well as a church to dwell on God's power on the frontier. The church needs the frontier, and the frontier needs the church. As one who is genuinely passionate about God's glory and work in the nations, but also simultaneously apathetic and distracted, I'd like to offer a few points of application:
First, let us be honest before God about our reaction to His global mission. Let us in a spirit of humility acknowledge where our priorities are different from our Father's, and let us repent when we seek our personal kingdom's priorities more vigorously than His eternal and everlasting one. He is a God of grace.
Second, let us ask Him to give us a love for that which He loves. This is so much broader than His saving work in the nations, but no smaller! He is faithful to fill us with greater joy and fruitfulness as He conforms us to His character.
Third, let us ask Him to give us a vision for His kingdom that stirs our imagination to worship and pulls our heart toward action. For me, I love to hear stories of God's work around the world, through friends I know, but also videos. This is one of my favorites.
Fourth, let us consider how He may be calling us to go to the unreached, give financially to God's global gospel work, and/or pray for gospel doors to be opened so that every tribe and tongue may confess Jesus Christ as Lord.
Fifth, what are the "frontiers" that God may be calling us to cross in our city? Consider what are the ethnic, racial, and socio-economic boundaries that God may be calling us to cross for our good and the sake of the gospel? (To do so may require addressing a prejudice, even a subtle one, or de-emphasizing a recreational activity to create time in our calendars to serve and be served by someone different than us).
Lastly, how is our prayer life shaped by a concern for His power in the frontiers of our neighborhood, families, workplace, city, country, and truly to the ends of the earth? Who are the people that we would be surprised to see God save - even them?!
Yes, let's pray for even them.
God has always been about the work of reaching the lost and unlikely from all parts of the globe. Remember: we were once an "even them". He redeems us to join with Him in His rescuing work for all people, everywhere. Let His gospel of grace move us today to joyful, radical, worshipful service for His glory!