An opening statement needs to be made. The message really has no connection to the 1980s rock band Men at Work or their album "Business As Usual". Other than Barnabas and Paul are the men at work and what they attempt to do is simply live their lives for Jesus as if business is usual and nothing strange or spiteful is going on. But, there has been plenty going on.  Persecution. Prison. Misunderstanding and misinterpretation. Misconstruing their words and message. Attempted stonings and attacks. Our fearless disciples and apostles have been through much already in the Acts account of the early church. How does a person carry on? How do we just do the work without getting sidetracked or held up by our own fears and inhibitions? Somehow, Baranbas and Saul do exactly that. 💯 Somehow, they learn that this work that needs to be done is about more than themselves or their own agenda. The plan and direction come from above. Look at the wording in the opening sentence of chapter 14...

 Do you love/like history? Is the History Channel your favorite place to chill? Our past is what explains who we are and where we come from. It doesn't have to define us. It is a good and clear explanation of what happened and what brought us to the place we find ourselves in the current moment. How well do you know your own history? If someone wanted to know about your own story could you share with them clearly what went on in your world? We have already made mention of the Apostle Peter's words in a previous chapter. "Always be ready to give an account of the hopes that lies within you." Part of that sharing and where we find hope is in recalling what the Lord has brought us from and where he is taking us. It's all part of the history lesson that makes up our lives.  Later in our chapter with the help of Saul, now called Paul, we will get a deep historical account of where the Jewish people have come from and what they have been through as he adequately and cle...

  We learn many times as we read he scriptures that history tends to repeat itself.  There are countless times where similar circumstances tend to happen. Often times prophetically. Many times simply as a sign that we as human beings haven't changed. We make the same haphazard choices over and again.  Sometimes histoy repeats itself as a way to remind us of what did before and that He still wants to work in our lives. How many times have the disciples and apostles cheated death so far? many have not. Many have given their lives so far in belief and trust for the Gospel. And, God has used a great many of these people to further the work of spreading the Good News.  Peter, as we will see, has met the fate that John and himself have met before. Locked away.  This time with much protection and guard so as to prevent any escape or interference of any kind. I was reminded just a few days ago of the brilliant ending to the now cult classic The Shawshank Redemption . I...

  We walk into Acts chapter 11 today and find Peter having to explain himself. It's no fun many time having to explain your actions or intentions to an audience that many times won't understand. People are funny, meaning "strange", by nature. We are raised with certain biases. We are taught certain traits. We even learn racial tones and familiar inflections by following what the generation before us has always done. The Church can fall prey to these tendencies as well. The church is made of human beings who have those natural or even carnal inclinations built in. Walking across those lines in a counter-cultural fashion can be deadly to one's familiar friendships, or even to one's own life.  There's two sides to every story. I just explained one side. That should be easy enough to understand. And, from those well taught inclinations and biases would come feelings like, " Peter is out of his flipping mind! " " Who does he think he is? Going of...