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Stepping Across Your Chicken Line Tomorrow morning at Pioneer Join us at 11

Operational Gifts – The Gifts Of Tongues And Interpretation Sunday morning at Pioneer Join us at 11

Operational Gifts – The Gift Of Prophecy This morning at Pioneer Join us at 11

Seeing Is Believing, NOT Seeing Is Proof 7 The fifth thing we do NOT see is the body. We do not see a dog digging up the partially decomposed body of Jesus and exposing the Resurrection claims of the disciples as fraud. We do not see the Romans or the Jews producing and parading the body of Jesus to put the whole matter to rest. In fact, we do NOT see a very convincing “spin” put on the story of the missing body. The Roman soldiers were told to say “His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.” (Matthew 28:13). That spin on the story has all of the problems of a total lack of military discipline that were covered earlier. It should have resulted in the soldiers being executed. Nevertheless, this unbelievable story that the chief priests and elders came up with was widely believed. “While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, ‘You are to say, “His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.” If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.’ So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.” -- Matthew 28:11-15 (NIV)

Seeing Is Believing, NOT Seeing Is Proof 6 The fourth thing we do NOT see is the body in the grave clothes. In both John’s and Luke’s account it was the empty grave clothes that is the clincher that leads John and Peter to believe. “Both were running, but the other disciple [John] outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.” John 20:4-8 (NIV) The first thing that struck the disciples was not the empty tomb, but rather the empty grave clothes – undisturbed in form and position. If the body had been stolen, then it would have been taken grave clothes and all. But even if the thief decided to take the time to remove the grave clothes, then they would be in pile – not in the original outline of the body. It was the intact grave clothes that caused John and Peter to believe immediately.

Seeing Is Believing, NOT Seeing Is Proof 5 The third thing we do NOT see is an in-place stone. All of the Gospels mention the stone the very first thing in their accounts of the Resurrection. ** The stone was there to prevent grave robbing so it would have been so massive that a couple of thieves could not have rolled it away. The tombs in Palestine were somewhat like a cave hewn out of the rocky side of a mountain or hill. The opening to the Tomb was covered by a large circular stone or heavy disc of rock set in a slanting groove so that when the stone was released it would roll by its own weight and cover the entrance. Because of its enormous weight (possibly several tons) it would require the combined efforts of more than a few men to move the stone back up the groove and block it in place. ** Who rolled away the stone? 1. It wasn’t the Romans or the Jews – they wanted to keep Jesus’ Tomb sealed. 2. It wasn’t the disciples – they would have had to deal with over a dozen armed Roman soldiers. 3. It wasn’t the women – they knew that they did not have the strength. 4. The only other alternative is that an angel rolled it away as Matthew tells us – Matthew 28:2 ** But why roll the stone away? Jesus’ Resurrection body could walk through walls, remember? (John 20:19) The stone needed to be rolled away so that the disciples could see the empty Tomb.

Seeing Is Believing, NOT Seeing Is Proof 4 The second thing we do NOT see is the Roman guards. Not seeing the Roman guards meant that something extraordinary had taken place. “There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men … While the women were on their way [from the Tomb], some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.” -- Matthew 28:2-4, 11 (NIV) The force of Roman soldiers guarding the Tomb was substantial. Sixteen guards would have been stationed at the Tomb. Four would take their post immediately in front of the tomb. The remaining twelve would have been in groups of four fanning out in a semi-circle. These were not Jewish temple guards, but Roman legionnaires – they were the Green Berets, not the Gomer Pyles. Roman soldiers were terrified of falling asleep at their guard post. The punishment for falling asleep at your guard post was being stripped naked and being burned to death in a fire started with your own clothes. These soldiers did not merely fall asleep and allow the disciples to steal Jesus’ body. Roman soldiers were terrified of desertion. The punishment for desertion was crucifixion. These soldiers did not merely run away and allow the disciples to steal Jesus’ body. What is extraordinary is that the Roman guards, upon realizing that the tomb was empty, did not go back to their superiors, but went to the Jewish priests. They did not go to their superiors because they would not have believed the soldiers’ story and would have crucified them – literally. They went to the chief priests because something so supernatural had taken place that they knew that only someone very religious would believe them rather than crucify them.

Seeing Is Believing, NOT Seeing Is Proof 3 The second thing we do NOT see is the Roman guards. Some have argued that the guards were Temple guards and not Roman soldiers, but this does not fit the facts. “The next day [after the crucifixion], the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.” -- Matthew 27:62-66 (NIV) The first evidence we find that these were Roman soldiers is that the word for guard in Matthew 27: 65 (custodia) was Latin, not Greek or Hebrew. The second evidence we find that these were Roman soldiers is that the chief priests and the Pharisees had to ask Pilate, the Roman Governor, for them to be assigned. The third evidence we find that these were Roman soldiers is that if only Temple guards were involved, the chief priests would not have to talk to the Roman governor when word of the Resurrection reached him, nor would the chief priests have to bribe anyone.

Seeing Is Believing, NOT Seeing Is Proof 2 The first thing we do NOT see is an intact Roman seal. “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. -- Matthew 27:65-66 (NIV) The Roman seal was made up of a rope slung across the surface of the stone, and attached to the sides of the tomb wall. Breaking or removing a Roman seal had dire consequences. The Roman Empire’s equivalent of the FBI was called in to find the person or persons responsible. The punishment for defacing a Roman Seal was death, carried out by being crucified upside-down. Not seeing the Roman seal on Jesus’ tomb meant that something extraordinary had taken place. People were terrified of breaking, let alone removing, a Roman seal.

Seeing Is Believing, NOT Seeing Is Proof 1 Immediately after dying, the 9/11 suicide bomber finds himself with his feet encased in concrete facing a long line of very angry-looking men dressed in the attire of the days of the American Revolution. The first man walks up to the suicide bomber. He says, “What you did is despicable,” then he slaps him. The second man walks up the suicide bomber and says, “I am Thomas Jefferson. In the name of the great Commonwealth of Virginia I declare you beneath contempt,” and slaps him. The third man walks up to the suicide bomber, but the bomber recognizes him. “Aren’t you George Washington? You cannot tell a lie. Please tell me what is going on here.” President Washington says to him, “Mohammed did not get it right. God did not say that for all of eternity 100 anxious virgins would serve you. He said that for all of eternity 100 angry Virginians would slap you.” Is it possible that we do not have it right, and that the Buddhists, Hindus, or atheists do? What if the Buddhists are right, and the best we can hope for is to be absorbed into a cosmic cloud called Nirvana? What if the Hindus are right, and that we face thousands of reincarnations over millions of years to work our way into heaven? What if the atheists are right, and at the last moment of our life we discover that after death there is nothing more? As Paul told the Corinthians, our whole faith hinges on the empty Tomb: “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” – 1 Corinthians 15:14 (NIV) If you have doubts about the truth of Christianity and of the Resurrection let’s take a walk in our sanctified imagination back to the First Easter morning and take a look. What do we NOT see? Seeing is believing, but NOT seeing is proof that we have it right.

Seeing Is Believing, NOT Seeing Is Proof Tomorrow morning at Pioneer Join us at 11

Maybe you can do an “ordinary miracle” There are miracles, and then there are great miracles. In Acts 8:13, Luke reports that “great miracles” were taking place. The Greek adjective that modifies miracles is “mégas.” I would suggest translating that adjective-noun pair as simply “mega-miracles.” There are ordinary miracles, and then there are extraordinary miracles. In Acts 19:11. Luke reports that God was performing “extraordinary miracles” by the hands of Paul. The Greek phrase that the NASB translates as “extraordinary” literally means “not common” = not ordinary. Perhaps you, like me, do not have enough faith for mega-miracles, or extraordinary miracles, but we might have enough faith for ordinary miracles. Some months back, the team from Pioneer Presbyterian was feeding chicken spaghetti to the homeless in Weiss Park. By then, they were pretty good at estimating how many would show up and how much food they would need to prepare. That day, more people showed up than they were expecting. As they were serving them, they realized that they were going to run out of food, so they did what Jesus did at the Feeding of the Five Thousand and blessed the food. They continued to serve full portions to the people, but—dare I say miraculously—the food did not run out and there was even some left over. Maybe that wasn’t a mega-miracle, like parting the Red Sea. Maybe that wasn’t an extraordinary miracle, like raising Lazarus from the dead. But I would call it an ordinary miracle—if any miracle dares be called “ordinary.” We might not have enough faith for mega-miracles. We might not have enough faith for extraordinary miracles. But we might just have enough faith for some ordinary miracles.

Operational Gifts – The Gift Of Working of Miracles Sunday morning at Pioneer

Operational Gifts – The Gifts Of Healings Sunday morning at Pioneer Join us at 11

Operational Gifts – The Gift Of Faith Sunday morning at Pioneer Join us at 11

Operational Gifts – The Gift Of Discerning of Spirits Sunday morning at Pioneer Join us at 11

Operational Gifts – The Gift Of Words of Knowledge Sunday morning at Pioneer Join us at 11

Operational Gifts – The Gift Of Words of Wisdom This morning at Pioneer Join us at 11

Some Insights Into How God Works In Ministry 2 The second insight into how God works in ministry is this: Our ministry may support us financially, or we may support our ministry financially. Paul supported his ministry in Corinth by tent-making, but later his ministry supported him. When Paul first got to Corinth, Paul made his living and supported his ministry by making tents (Acts 18:1-4), hence our term “tent-making ministry” for those who work secular jobs to support themselves so that they can minister. However, when Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia Paul was able to move into full-time ministry. “But when Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting himself completely to the word…” (Acts 18:5a NIV). Paul was able to move into full-time ministry because of the monetary contributions of the churches in Macedonia. “And when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren [referring to Silas and Timothy] came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need…” (2 Cor 11:9 NASB). Sometimes our ministry may support us financially. When sending out his twelve disciples to minister Jesus said, “…the worker is worthy of his support.” (Matt 10:10b NASB). Paul would write to the Corinthians and say, “In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.” (1 Cor 9:14 NIV). Sometimes we may need to support our ministry financially. However, right after telling the Corinthians that “those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel” Paul goes on to say in the next verse, “But I have made no use of any of these rights…” (1 Cor 9:15 RSV). Luke also records Paul telling the Ephesians “I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.” (Acts 20:33-34 NIV). Paul would remind the Thessalonians, “My dear friends, you surely haven’t forgotten our hard work and hardships. You remember how night and day we struggled to make a living, so that we could tell you God’s message without being a burden to anyone.” (I Thess 2:9 CEV).

Some Insights Into How God Works In Ministry 1 I. The first insight into how God works in ministry is this: Disaster can lead to destiny in ministry. Aquila and Priscilla would have a great deal of destiny in ministry come about as a result of the disaster of the Jews being evicted from Rome. Acts 18:1-2. Aquila and Priscilla experienced a disaster: they lost their home … they lost their business … and they had to start completely over in a new country. But destiny would result from the association Aquila and his wife Priscilla would have with the Apostle Paul. The first aspect of their destiny that resulted from their association with the Apostle Paul was their accompanying him when he left Corinth and sailed for Syria. Acts 18:18a. The second aspect of their destiny that resulted from their association with the Apostle Paul was Paul releasing them into independent ministry in Ephesus. Acts 18:19, 26. The third aspect of their destiny that resulted from their association with the Apostle Paul was their encounter and subsequent relationship with Apollos in Ephesus found in the last half of the 18th chapter of Acts. Luke describes Apollos as “an eloquent man, well versed in the scriptures.” Acts 18:24 (RSV). Luke also says that Apollos “had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John.” Acts 18:25 (NIV). And in the following verse, we are told that “he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue.” Acts 18:26 (NASB). Enter Aquila and Priscilla: “But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.”Acts 18:26 (NASB). They “took him aside” (proslambánō) a Greek verb that means “to extend a welcome’ and to “receive in(to) one’s home” as well as to pull off to one side to have a short private conversation—as we might assume from the English translations. But we might more accurately say that they took Apollos under their wing. Perhaps Aquila and Priscilla were able to take Apollos under their wing because Paul had taken them under his wing while he worked with them making tents. They explained the way of God to Apollos, a Greek verb (ektíthēmi) that is translated as to “explain” or “expound” and means “to convey information by careful elaboration.” Perhaps they were able to expound the way of God to Apollos because Paul had expounded the way of God to them while they made tents together. Apollos would be a powerful counter to the forces that would try to drag the fledgling Christians back into Judaism. Acts 18:27-28 (NIV). Apollos would go on to become an important force in the Church at Corinth—so much so that Paul would remind the Corinthians: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” 1 Corinthians 3:6 (RSV). By the time of the writing of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans three years later (55 AD) Paul would describe Aquila and Priscilla as his “fellow workers” (Romans 16:3) a Greek noun (sunergós) that “pertains to working together with” someone. Paul uses it in two places to refer to someone whose name we recognize immediately, Timothy. Romans 16:21 and 1 Thessalonians 3:2. Aquila and Priscilla would have a great deal of destiny in ministry come about as a result of the disaster of the Jews being evicted from Rome. * They were taken under Paul’s wing in Corinth. * They accompanied Paul on his trip from Corinth to Syria. * Paul released them into ministry in Ephesus. * In Ephesus they took Apollos under their wing; and in turn, Apollos would become a real powerhouse in the early church. * Within three years of being evicted from Rome Paul would describe Aquila and Priscilla as his “fellow workers”—a term that Paul would also use for his powerhouse son in the faith, Timothy. None of this destiny would have come about had Aquila and Priscilla not been kicked out of Rome in 52 AD when Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews. Disaster in our lives can lead to destiny in our ministry.