The Vow

Acts 18:18

“18 After staying there [Corinth] for a considerable time, Paul said farewell to the believers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had his hair cut, for he was under a vow.” 

The Nazarite vow could be taken for a limited period or for a longer period of time.  Samson was born a Nazarite and was faced with living as a Nazarite for all of his life (which he never did).  

The vow included no strong drink, no going near or touching dead bodies, and no hair cuts.  The Nazarite vow was taken when a person wanted to draw closer to God; when added focus on the tasks at hand was needed; or in a time of trouble or concern.

In Corinth, Paul took the Nazarite vow, maybe for the period of time he was there, which would have been a year and six months. This meant that the work there required extra focus, extra dedication, and an extraordinary sense of God’s presence.

In founding the Christian church in Corinth, Paul called on God’s help in a special way, a way that recalled his Jewish heritage.

Paul used various methods, and practices to communicate the gospel message (see 1Corinthians 9:19-23), changing from one practice to another, depending on the place, the time, or the person.

I do all these things, Paul said “so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share its blessings.” (1Cor.9:22-23).

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

Tent Making

Acts 18: 1-4

“1 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3 and, because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them, and they worked together—by trade they were tentmakers. 4 Every sabbath he would argue in the synagogue and would try to convince Jews and Greeks”

Paul supported himself on his missions, renting temporary work spaces and working as a tentmaker. He would talk with and get to know people while he worked, which is a method of evangelism that is used still today.  Each sabbath, Paul would enter the synagogue and evangelize in a less subtle manner.

I often wonder which of these two methods is more effective and I expect, for Paul, that both were effective.  In today’s world, I think that a person has to come to know you and trust you before they follow you into the faith.

God gave Paul the gifts of intellect, speaking, teaching….and tent making.

All for the purposes of sharing the gospel.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

Turning the World Upside Down

Acts 14: 1-7

1 The same thing occurred in Iconium, where Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who testified to the word of his grace by granting signs and wonders to be done through them. 4 But the residents of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 5 And when an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, 6 the apostles learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country; 7 and there they continued proclaiming the good news.”

Jesus once described the division that his life and words would bring to the world, “father against son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother…” (Luke 12:53).  Christ knew that his example of love and mercy and his words of hope and redemption were words that would unsettle the existing order.

In the verses above we see that Christ’s prophetic words came to fruition.  After Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel in a synagogue in Iconium, a great number believed, but a great number also did not believe.  This naturally caused tension and strife among them and hatred towards the Disciples, such that the unbelievers plotted to kill Barnabas and Paul.

To Christians, the gospel is the word of God offering salvation to the world.  It is the hope of the world.  To unbelievers the gospel is a challenge to their way of life, turning it upside down, destroying their world.

In the midst of this tension, Christians are to show love and forgiveness, to be a beacon of light in the darkness for all who would believe.  We are never to conform to the world.

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12).

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

The Turning Point

 Acts 13: 1-3

“1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the ruler, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.”

Reading the names of the prophets and teachers we find that the church at Antioch was a diverse church.  There are people from Cyprus, North Africa, Romans, aristocrats, and finally a man from Tarsus.

The Holy Spirit worked in and through the members of the church at Antioch and led them to the decision to appoint Barnabas and Saul to carry the gospel throughout the known world, a decision that was the turning point for Christianity, and vital to its survival.

Of course, we see the wisdom of this decision now, looking back.  I wonder if they knew it at the time?  I am sure there were disagreements as to who should be sent or to whom they should carry the messages.  Nevertheless, God’s will was done.

Sometimes I worry about our divided Church; so many denominations, so many interpretations of scripture, so many opinions and emotions.  

But then I remember that the gospel was once carried by two men into many foreign lands, and they were beaten, stoned, imprisoned, robbed, left for dead, and shipwrecked.

Yet,  the good news survived.

And the word of God transformed millions of people.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

The Spread of the Gospel

Acts 12:20-25

“20 Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him in a body; and after winning over Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for a reconciliation, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. 21 On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat on the platform, and delivered a public address to them. 22 The people kept shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a mortal!” 23 And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. 24 But the word of God continued to advance and gain adherents. 25 Then after completing their mission Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem and brought with them John, whose other name was Mark.”

King Herod, who allowed himself to be thought of as a god, who may have thought of himself as a god, died.  Meanwhile, the word and the work of the one true God continued to live and grow and flourish.

The crucifixion of Christ, the stoning of Stephen, the death of James and all of the other Twelve with the exception of John, did not stop the will of God or the spread of the gospel throughout the world.

The Apostle Paul wrote,  “What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

God’s will…. will be done.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)

Memorial United Methodist Church

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