A People for His Name

"Burnt Alive"

May 28, 2011

As Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons went to sleep in their station wagon on January 22, 1999, they surely had no idea what was soon to happen to them:

. . . [Dara] Singh and his mob approached [them] at around 12:20 a.m. . . ., running [in] from the fields, armed with lathis [sticks] and trishuls (tridents – three-pronged spears). . . . [A]s they approached [the station wagon], they began screaming.
Singh struck first, wielding an axe at the tyres, deflating them. The others broke windows and prevented the Staines from escaping. Graham was beaten mercilessly and his boys were not spared either. All three were pierced with trishuls. Singh then put straw under the vehicle and torched it. In seconds, the vehicle was on fire. Graham held his two boys close to him. Anyone who knew him would say that the one name on his lips would be—Christ Jesus.
The killers stood there and watched the three roast alive as the fire consumed the vehicle.

—Burnt Alive: The Staines and the God They Loved, 35

As the news of the martyrdom of this great man and his two sons spread around the world, speedy and widespread criticism abounded for this horrific display of inhuman wickedness. The authorities dealt with the perpetrators, punishing them for murdering these helpless people.

Graham Staines and his sons suffered martyrdom for the sake of their faith. Let us allow the memory of their martyrdom to motivate us to be true to Him even as they were.

In Quotes

Guitar Music for "Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart"

May 27, 2011

Melody and chords for Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart in my format for guitar.

In Guitar Music

The Only Inspired Record of the Final Words of a Christian Martyr

May 26, 2011

The final verses of Acts 7 provide us with the only inspired record of the final words of a Christian martyr. The uniqueness of this revelation is interesting because Scripture informs us that other believers were also martyred (James [Acts 12:2]; Peter [John 21:18-19]), but God for some reason did not choose to give us any information about their final words.

Luke records the two prayers that Stephen prayed before he died:

And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep (7:59-60).

Both prayers address someone as Lord. Both prayers parallel prayers by Jesus on the Cross (Luke 23:34, 46).

The first prayer was to Jesus as Lord and concerned Stephen himself. The second prayer concerned Stephen’s persecutors.

When I wrote my dissertation, I argued that Stephen prayed both prayers to Jesus. I was challenged by a committee member who held that Stephen prayed his second prayer not to Jesus, but to the Father.

Whom do you think that he prayed to (Jesus or the Father) and why do you think that way?

In Dissertation, Interpretation, Prayer

Quotes from Church Fathers & "The Apostle's Creed"

May 25, 2011

In the Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, we read of apostolic proclamation of Christ as the God-appointed Judge:

But after ten days from the ascension, which from the first Lord’s day is the fiftieth day, do ye keep a great festival: for on that day, at the third hour, the Lord Jesus sent on us the gift of the Holy Ghost, and we were filled with His energy, and we ‘spake with new tongues, as that Spirit did suggest to us;’ and we preached both to Jews and Gentiles, that He is the Christ of God, who is ‘determined by Him to be the Judge of quick and dead.’

—The Anti-Nicene Fathers: Translations of the Writings of the Fathers down to A.D. 325, Vol. VII, 448; emphasis added

In the Apostle’s Creed, we read concerning people who desired to be baptized:

Although the received text of the Apostle’s Creed occurs first in the eight century, the contents are essentially an expansion of the positive form (the Old Roman Symbol) of the questions asked candidates for baptism at Rome at the end of the second century. The baptizer asked the one to be baptized, ‘Do you believe in God the Father Almighty?’ After the confession, ‘I believe,’ there was the first immersion. Then the baptizer asked, ‘Do you believe in Christ Jesus, the Son of God who was born of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, who was crucified in the days of Pontius Pilate, and died, [and was buried,] and rose from the dead and ascended in the heavens and sat down at the right hand of the Father, and will come to judge the living and the dead?’

—Encyclopedia of Early Christianity, Second Ed., Vol. 1 A-K, 90; emphasis added

These historical records show that Apostolic and post-Apostolic ministry continued to include proclamation of God’s appointment of Christ as Judge and belief in that truth. We need to include the same points in our evangelism today. This is especially true because people have taught in our day that we should just tell people of the love of God for them and not speak to them of judgment.

In Evangelism, Quotes

Gentecost as a Fulfillment of Psalm 2:8!

May 24, 2011

More than 15 years ago, I first became aware of the importance of the Gentecost account in Acts 10. Since then, I have spent much time over the years studying that passage, including many hours in my dissertation work.

Recently, God showed me some more truth about that passage that I had never seen before. It is amazing to me that after so many years of what has often been very intense study, I am still discovering additional significance of that account!

In Psalm 2, David records the Messiah’s declaration:

I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel (2:7-9).

At the Jerusalem Council, James urged the people to listen to him and said, “Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name” (Acts 15:14). Although there had been Gentiles saved prior to Gentecost, this statement informs us that what took place then was the first instance of God’s in an official manner taking out from the Gentiles a people for His name.

Comparing Psalm 2:8 with Acts 15:14, we learn that it was at Gentecost that the Father first began officially to give His Christ the heathen for His inheritance! Gentecost thus was a fulfillment of the Father’s promise to the Son that the Son had declared many centuries earlier!

Truly, the riches of God’s Word are inexhaustible!

In Dissertation, Interpretation

Guitar Music for "Jesus, I Am Resting"

May 23, 2011

Here are the melody and the chords for Jesus, I Am Resting in the key of G.

In Guitar Music

Profiting from the Accounts about Stephen

May 22, 2011

Five considerations about the accounts in Scripture about Stephen show that we should profit from this material:

They are inspired Scripture intended for our profit (2 Tim. 3:16-17)
Their vast overall length shows their importance – 73 verses in the NT (6:5-6; 6:8-15; 7:1-60; 8:1a; 8:2; 22:20)
The unique information they provide – the only inspired record of the final words and actions of a Christian martyr (7:56; 59-60)
The emphasis on the Spirit’s role in his life throughout the accounts (first mention of him highlights his being Spirit-filled [6:5; cf. 6:3]; irresistible ministry through the Spirit [6:10]; Spirit-filled testimony [7:55-56] and prayers [7:59-60] at his martyrdom) shows that he is an exemplary believer
Striking parallels between his experience with the Jewish council (and others) and Jesus’ experience with many of the same people (see my earlier post)

In Interpretation

Pray and Act

May 21, 2011

King David fled from Jerusalem when his son, Absalom, conspired against him to overthrow his rule (2 Sam. 15:13-30). Learning that Ahitophel, David’s counselor (15:12), was among the conspirators, David prayed, “O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness” (15:31).

After this, Hushai, a key friend of David (15:37), came to him (15:32). David instructed him that if he were to remain with him, he would burden him (15:33). If, however, he would return to serve Absalom, he would serve for David to “defeat the counsel of Ahithophel” (15:34).

Hushai returned to Jerusalem (15:37) and served under Absalom (16:16-19). At this time, Ahitophel was continually giving Absalom exceedingly wise counsel (16:23).

At a key moment, however, Absalom consulted both Ahitophel and Hushai (17:1-14). Although Ahitophel again gave Absalom wise counsel (17:1-4), Hushai persuaded Absalom and all the men of Israel to reject that counsel (17:5-14). David’s prayer was thus answered through the actions of the agent whom he sent.

The juxtaposition of David’s prayer for the defeating of Ahithophel’s counsel (15:31) and his acting to dispatch Hushai to be his agent to bring about that defeat (15:32-37) appears to illustrate how God sometimes answers our prayers. Although we are not explicitly told that such was the case, it is entirely possible that God directed David’s mind so that he employed Hushai as his agent (cf. Prov. 21:1).

David both prayed and took appropriate action concerning the matter of his prayer. His action ultimately resulted in his prayer being answered. Has not God given us this account in part to promote at least our considering doing likewise with appropriate actions in appropriate circumstances?

In Prayer

Striking Parallels between Jesus and Stephen

May 20, 2011

The following table presents strikingly parallel statements concerning the experiences of Jesus and Stephen at the end of their lives:

Jesus	Stephen
And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled (Matt. 26:57). Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death (26:59).	Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God (Acts 6:11).
	And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council (6:12).
But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses (26:60),	And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law (6:13).
And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days (26:61)	For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us (6:14).
And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God (26:62-63).	Then said the high priest, Are these things so? (7:1).
Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven (26:64).	But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God (7:55-56).
Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death (26:65-66).	Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him. . . . (7:57-58)
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34).	And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit (7:59). And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep (7:60).
And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost (23:46).

How do we account for these striking parallels between Jesus’ and Stephen’s responses and actions in very similar circumstances? Surely, the explanation is found in the references to Stephen’s relationship to the Holy Spirit, who produced Christ-likeness in Stephen: “They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost (Acts 6:5) . . . And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake (6:10). . . . But he, being full of the Holy Ghost (7:55) . . .”

God has given us these accounts to teach us that we are to honor Him through Christ-likeness that is produced by His Holy Spirit’s working in us in all the circumstances of our lives.

This sermon provides much more about Stephen as a man who honored God.

In Interpretation

Bible Reading Update 5.19.11

May 19, 2011

I began this year with the intention of reading through the entire Bible in Greek this year. I hope also to finish reading again through the KJV this year.

Here is the progress (chapters read/total chapters) that God has allowed me to make so far!


Section	Greek	English
OT	412/920	196/920
NT	1/269	269/269
Bible	413/1189	465/1189

As God directs, I would strongly encourage any of you who know Greek to consider reading extensively in the Septaguint. Having read nearly half of it this year, I can attest to the tremendous value of such immersion in biblical Greek.

My hope is that when I read the NT in Greek later this year, Lord willing, the growing familiarity with biblical Greek that I am developing from my reading the LXX will provide me with numerous valuable insights into the Greek NT. I have experienced that many times in the past, and I look forward to what God will give me this year through such study!

In Bible reading

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