Acts 28:25-31

²⁵They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet: ²⁶“‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” ²⁷For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ ²⁸“Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” ^[29]After he said this, the Jews left, arguing vigorously among themselves.

³⁰For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. ³¹He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!

Introduction

Our study in the book of Acts may end. The application we wish to have is to personally experience God’s grace as demonstrated in the Apostles’ life. God’s grace makes us more assured of our eternal life. As we submit to Christ as our Lord, His grace becomes more realistic. How can we know that we have submitted to Christ as our Lord?

Does the presence of Christ’s Spirit in our life prove that He has become the Lord of our life? What indication would prove that we have received the Spirit of Christ?

It says in Acts 1:8, ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…

There’s power-like-dynamite to witness! There’s dynamism to tell others about the practical changes that Christ has done in our life. The word come is properly understood that the Holy Spirit has appropriate, inevitable, unstoppable effects in us. It stresses the “fitting results” even more than the initial impact of the coming itself.

In short, when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, the dynamic effect in our life is neither trivial nor silent. No passive effect. The Holy Spirit is no passive observer. He empowers, inspires and compels believers dynamically and boldly to witness for Christ.

There’s dynamism and boldness to declare the gospel as oppose to passive and idleness. Those who disagree to the gospel of Christ do not have Christ’s Spirit in them.

1.  Disagree

²⁵They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet: ²⁶“‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” ²⁷For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’

Paul explained God’s kingdom to those who came to see him from morning till evening. Paul explained that Moses and the Prophets prophesied about Christ. He did his best to convince them that Jesus is the Messiah. Some were convinced but some did not. Those who believed and those who did not believe have argued with each other.

As Isaiah prophesied it, not everyone who can hear understands or perceives the gospel. The meaning of gospel of Christ is perceived through the heart not just with mind. There’s practical application when one understands the gospel.

Zacchaeus

In Luke 19:5-10, ⁵When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”

 ⁶So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. ⁷All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

⁸But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

⁹Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Trivia: Who was the first person whom Jesus declared assurance of salvation? Zacchaeus was the first person who received assurance of salvation from Christ Himself. Their conversation was not clearly specified. The practical response of Zacchaeus to live a righteous life was more important to the writer than anything else.

Zacchaeus declared what he would do. And the Lord Jesus declared that salvation has come to his house. Meaning: Zacchaeus’ family including his servants were assured of salvation as Christ has declared. Jesus did not just try to give him some positive appreciation. Christ has decided it right there and then that Zacchaeus is saved.

The word of Christ is final. His declaration is good as it happens.

2.  Declare

²⁸“Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” ^[29]After he said this, the Jews left, arguing vigorously among themselves.

³⁰For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. ³¹He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!

Many church-goers become active in the ministry when they are elected to the leadership. Like artists or performers, they are motivated by appreciation and not by the Holy Spirit. Spirit-filled disciples would rather please God than humans.

In contrast, good or bad situation, Paul never quit declaring the gospel. Why did God allow Paul to be imprisoned? Paul had the worst experience in life and his lifestyle serves as exhibit of God’s grace. Dynamism and joy of witnessing testify to God’s grace.

Paul was already in his advance years. His physical body cannot take any more beating or physical abuses. Being in prison, Paul was secured and he was free to do the things he wanted to do. Paul was guarded 24/7. Every 4 hours another guard would relieve the other. At least 6 guards would regularly come to secure him every single day.

Without hindrance, without any organized group to oppose him, and with guard securing his safety, Paul freely and boldly proclaimed the kingdom of God.

In Philippians 1:12-14, ¹²Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. ¹³As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. ¹⁴And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

Being in prison, Paul was not bothered by hostile Jews in Rome. God’s grace was apparent in his life. God’s grace does not necessarily reject personal choices or preferences but with God’s plan, His grace changes our perspectives in life.

Why would a mighty God allow dramatic exposure for believers? It is for us to know that God has unlimited creativity that we will cherish in His heaven for eternity.

Have you been experiencing tough and dramatic situations in your life? Can you sense the work of the Spirit of Christ in your tough situation? Can you perceive His grace at work? God’s grace defies human reasons or common understanding.

Heart-shaped Watermelon

Perhaps, you’ve heard of square watermelons from Japan, but how about heart-shaped ones? After many years of research, a Japanese farmer, Hiroichi Kimura, creates the world’s first heart-shaped watermelon.

Mr. Kimura originally grew standard round watermelons. One day, a neighbor was interested to see a watermelon in the shape of a heart. With curiosity, from that moment on, Mr. Kimura began researching how to produce a heart-shaped watermelon.

At first, all of his efforts ended in failure, but he never give up until he finally succeeded.

Heart-shape watermelons grow in a heart-shaped box. Recently, farmers are producing extra-ordinary shaped fruits using different shapes of boxes. Heart-shaped watermelons attract more customers than the ordinary (round or oblong) watermelons.

If those fruit are humans, they would have been complaining that they were given boundaries to grow. They don’t know the beauty that the farmer wanted to see.

Similarly, God has designed series of situations to shape and form us by His grace. Disciple with dynamism and boldness to witness is the spiritual shape God has designed to form in and through us. Disciples who are empowered by the Holy Spirit to witness dynamically and boldly are more pleasing to God than ordinary church-goers.

How does heart-shaped watermelon relate to God’s grace at work? Heart-shaped watermelon reveals that changes makes life more attractive and unique. Human plants, waters, or cultivates it but God makes plants grow. In our personal life, we may dream, imagine, plan and wish things but God directs our steps without knowing it.

Do not be satisfied with the ordinary things. Allow God’s grace to change things in our life attractively and uniquely. Instead of complaining of our tough situation, let’s ask God to help us accept willingly His ways of shaping us according to His design.

Aspire and pray that God would shape and form you into a dynamic witness to His grace rather than be just satisfied as ordinary church-goer.

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