The Heaton File

Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. (Luke 8:38-39)

Giving Honor To God

The healing of the man from Gadarene was a powerful testimony to the human tragedy of sin, the compassion of Jesus, and the power of the word of God. Jesus arrived in the country of the Gadarenes opposite Galilee and immediately was met by a man from the city who had demons for a long time. The possession of the man was intense as the unclean spirit had often seized the man and, driven by the demons, forced the man to dwell among the rocks in the wilderness. Nothing could bind the man as he tore off chains and shackles with ease. Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones. His life was total misery and heartache.

When Jesus arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, the possessed man met Jesus and fell down before Him worshipping Him. Jesus commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. He asked the demon his name, and the unclean spirit replied, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” Begging the Lord not to cast him into the abyss, the demon begged Jesus to cast him into a herd of swine feeding on the mountain. Jesus permitted the evil spirit to leave the man and enter the swine, who ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned. When the people of the city came to see what had happened, they found the demon-possessed man sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. This frightened the people, and they begged Jesus to leave their shores. As Jesus was leaving, the formerly demon-possessed man begged the Lord to allow him to accompany the group, but Jesus had other plans for the man. He told him to go home and tell everyone what great things the Father had done for him. With great joy, the man went his way, proclaiming throughout the whole region what great things Jesus had done for him.

Jesus told the man to say to his friends, neighbors, and family what great things God had done for him and how He had compassion on him. Mark records the man began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him, and Luke says he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. Telling what great things God has done and all things Jesus has done is the same story, identical message, and brings glory to the Divine. Jesus had healed the man through the power of the Holy Spirit and the authority of God, the Father. Showing the saving power of Jesus gives glory to the Father and inclusively brings honor to the Godhead of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Throughout the ministry of Jesus, the Son of God gave praise and honor to His Father. Every word came from the Father. The miracles were manifestations of the Father’s power, and every prayer offered by the Son was given to the Father in humble obedience. What a man saw in Jesus was the Father because the Son had become the image of the Father. The Son wanted the world to see the Father. Jesus told the man from Gadarene to preach the Father, and the man obeyed Jesus when he preached the Son. To reject Jesus is to reject God. Obeying the Father is obeying the Son. The two are inseparable. A child of God should reflect the Father’s image in every part of life so the world can see the Divine character of the Father. The imagery of a Christian’s life should be so full of the Father the world can only see the light of truth, righteousness, holiness, godliness, and humility in the picture of Jesus Christ living through the lives of obedient servants. What the world sees in my life should be Jesus Christ so the world can know God. If a man preached the story of my life, who would they preach? Let the light of Christ fill my life so that all men can see God.

That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. (Ephesians 4:14)

No Longer Children

A child’s heart can easily be persuaded to believe a lie. Without the maturity of knowledge, a story can allow an innocent heart accept a cleverly told falsehood. This may not mean a bad thing in the child’s world, as childhood stories often are based on creative fantasies that fill the mind with imagination. The warning of the apostle Paul is the danger of spiritual children being led away with the imaginations of Satan’s lies that have eternal consequences. This is the greater danger when those born into Christ never grow in spiritual discernment and maturity. Paul warns the brethren not to be immature like children who can easily be swayed with any new teaching or doctrine. A child can be influenced and tricked into believing lies so clever they sound like the truth. The child of God must protect themselves from such dangers.

Knowledge is power, and it takes time and energy to equip the mind with the word of God. The power of Satan is immense, seeking on every turn to trick the soul of man into believing a lie. When the serpent came to Eve in the garden, his first words were dishonest to the command of God. He convinced Eve that God did not mean what He said and that she and Adam deserved to eat the forbidden fruit. Satan did not force or compel Adam and Eve to disobey God. He merely suggested they disregard the will of God and enjoy what was forbidden. The devil tricked them, and they immediately discovered his scheme was a lie, but it was too late. Shame, guilt, and the burden of sin had overshadowed them, and they hid from the presence of God.

The church’s work is to equip its members with the necessary tools to be edified, increase in knowledge, and fortify their souls against the wiles of the devil. God has put the tools required to build a wall of defense around his children, but these defenses will have no value if the individual does not implement those plans in his life. The Christian should always seek ways to grow in Christ so they will not be like a child in the knowledge of God’s word. There are many doctrines that stand against the truth of God’s word. If a Christian is not diligent in their knowledge of the Bible, they will easily be tossed about with every wind of doctrine. This is where apostasy plants its seed. Ignorance is the vast field of Satan’s farm where he tends the hearts of those who do not know the word of God. Any trickery of men filled with the devil’s lies will become what a person believes to their destruction. Is that not why there are so many churches and why so many different faiths?

Children are expected to grow, and when this does not happen, concerned parents seek medical advice to correct the problem. In the church of Christ, the only infants and babies in the church should be newborns. However, there is a large population of older Christians by virtue of how long they have been in the kingdom of Christ that are still unlearned, ignorant, and feeding on soy milk. They have no substance, depth of knowledge and are so unlearned in scripture; they are unable to find a chapter and verse in the Bible. These poor souls are fertile ground for the devil’s deceptions who seek people who are still childlike in heart and mind that he can fill with the deceptions of his lies—grown adults in the kingdom with minds of a child.

Paul warns the Ephesians to grow up in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Children must grow in maturity to become productive citizens of the church of God. Unity of faith comes from a knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man. The measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ is when a man says he will no longer be a child tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. He will spend the time filling his heart with the word of God, leading his family and others to the redemption found in Jesus Christ. Truth stands upon the hearts of those men and women who grow each day to be stronger and bolder in proclaiming the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan is not afraid of children of God who remain infants. He is terrified of children who have grown up to be mature, responsible, and capable teachers of the word.

Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” For behold, He who forms mountains, and creates the wind, who declares to man what his thought is, and makes the morning darkness, who treads the high places of the earth—the Lord God of hosts is His name. (Amos 4:12-13)

When Nations Do Not Listen To God

In the days of Jeroboam II, Israel experienced a period of social, economic, and cultural revival that brought unprecedented prosperity to the northern tribes of Israel. It was a false sense of security that settled over the nation because, in less than forty years, Assyria would destroy Samaria and take the people of the ten tribes captive. A sheepherder from Tekoa came to warn the people of the impending doom if they did not repent. Throughout the previous one hundred and seventy years, the Lord had sent His prophets to turn the hearts of the people back to Him, but without success. Every king that reigned over the northern tribes was wicked without exception. There was little hope as the hearts of the nation had turned to idolatry. With prosperity filling the land under Jeroboam, there was no urgency to turn to the Lord.

God sent His prophets to preach a message of repentance, but the Lord had also taken an active role in punishing the nation through His power. He had brought famine, drought, pestilence, plague, and destruction against Israel. In all their cities, the Lord took away their bread. He withheld the rain from the land. When there were still three months left to harvest, God made it rain in one city and withheld rain in another. In some places, it never rained, and the crops failed. People wandered from place to place, seeking water. Their gardens, vineyards, fig-trees, and olive groves were destroyed with blight and mildew, and locusts. Some cities were destroyed without cause. In all of these things, the people did not return to the Lord. No matter what the Lord brought against the people, their hearts would not turn to Him.

There comes a time in the heart of a man when repentance is impossible. As a nation, Israel had turned entirely away from righteousness, truth, holiness, and the desire to follow the word of God. When a nation turns its heart away from God, refusing to repent, judgment awaits. The cry of Amos was for Israel to prepare to meet their God. The Lord God of Hosts is His name, and He was coming with the firebrand of divine judgment. Assyria completely destroyed the northern tribes leaving no trace of their existence except in the seeds of the Samaritans, who were a mixed breed of Assyrians and Israelites. The Lord God brought the kings of Assyria against His own people as punishment for their refusal to repent. Amos warned the people to repent, and they did not listen. Israel was doomed.

The judgment of God against Israel demonstrated His will among the nations. As Creator, the Lord is the one who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals His thoughts to mankind. He turns the light of dawn into darkness and treads on the heights of the earth. There is no excuse for any nation to reject the workings of the Lord among them. While the events of Israel and the prophecies of Amos are nearly three thousand years old, the message of the Lord working among the nations remains. He continues to show Himself to the world as the Lord God of Hosts. Throughout history, the Lord has revealed Himself to nations as He did to Israel but to no avail. In times of national crisis, momentary feelings of religious fervor rise to the surface but never last. When the tragedy of 911 struck the United States, an immediate response of consciousness arose in the hearts of many people. Sadly, it did not last. With the pandemic of COVID-19, the world has seen the tragedy of disease that could have turned many hearts to God. Sadly, again, it has not happened.

National and world events should be markers of time to show the power and glory of the Lord God. Sin has brought the misery of disease, natural disaster, and death upon all mankind, but the hope to overcome comes only through the will of the Lord. Tragedy should not drive men away from God but draw them closer. In the case of Israel, it did little to change their hearts. For the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin, captivity came because of their rebellion but a remnant of faithful returned. The wrath of God brought repentance. Return to the Lord and seek Him. He is the only answer to face the trials and hardships of life. Nations turn to the Lord when the hearts of their people turn to the Lord. When men do not seek the Lord, the nation is destroyed. As the spirit of the American people goes, so goes the nation.

“Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” But He perceived their craftiness and said to them, “Why do you test Me? Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” They answered and said, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Luke 20:22-25)

Serving God Or Serving Caesar

The chief priests and scribes tried vainly to trap Jesus in some philosophical, religious, or moral question to prove He was not the Son of God. They sent spies among His disciples pretending to be righteous, seeking some proof of deceit. On one occasion, they challenged Jesus about allegiance to the Roman government and allegiance to God. Using taxes as the framework of their question, the critics of the Lord wanted to know if God’s people should pay taxes to the Roman government. Jesus perceived their craftiness and trickery and, taking a Roman coin, used the image of Caesar to answer that all things that are owed to the government are to be given, but all things required of God are His.

The answer of rendering to Caesar the things belonging to Caesar and to God the things that are God’s was not a new teaching. Joseph lived in the pagan world of Egypt and gave allegiance to all things Egyptian except his devotion to God. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four young men thrust into the ungodly world of the Babylonians when Israel was taken captive. Throughout their life in the Babylonian culture, they obeyed the laws of the land until those laws came in conflict with the law of God. Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were thrown into a fiery furnace when they refused to obey the king’s law, and Daniel was cast into a den of lions for disobeying government policy. They rendered to ‘Caesar’ the things that belong to Caesar, but they held true to their obedience to the law of God first and foremost.

It is easy to fall into the trap of civil obedience at the expense of spiritual directives. Everyone wants to be a law-abiding citizen without repercussions of disobeying civil law. The Bible commends the people of God to honor the king, pray for the rulers, and be subject to the government’s will. As the scribes and Pharisees tried to trap Jesus, the challenge to obedience to God is a decision the Christian must make about answering the mandates of our changing world. A year ago, the country was shut down by the power of government. State governments began to ban the assembling of churches, including making the singing of songs against the law. Fear spread across the land as confusion filled the hearts of the people of God. The United States Centers for Disease and Prevention, a federal agency of the national public health, began to mandate, monitor, and manage the lives of 329 million Americans. If the CDC again takes the country back to the early part of 2020 with its directives, how will the church react?

Peter and John were arrested for preaching Jesus and His resurrection. When questioned by the Jewish leaders and warned not to teach in the name of Jesus, the two apostles declared their obedience to the law of Caesar when required, but they would follow the word of God foremost. Later, when the twelve apostles were arrested for teaching in the name of Jesus, they answered they must obey God rather than men. A clear line was drawn they would not shun from doing the will of God – even in the face of a government decree that forbade them from doing so. The twelve apostles were not civil anarchists or rebels, but men of God devoted to following the divine precepts of Jesus Christ above the mandates of men. Their faith in God fortified their conflict.

Rendering to Caesar the things belonging to Caesar is a noble example of Christian duty. This cannot be at the expense or denial of what God has commanded His church to do. There must be faith in the providence of God to care for His children even when it puts the child of God at odds against the government. Faith comes from serving the Lord and His word; not the CDC, White House, or Supreme Court of the United States. The church will be tested. Let the child of God find in the fires of trial the courage to stand for truth, righteousness, and obedience to the will of the Lord God. What’s the worst that can happen? If we die, is that not joy? Lord, come quickly.

Who has declared from the beginning, that we may know? And former times, that we may say, “He is righteous”? Surely there is no one who shows, surely there is no one who declares, surely there is no one who hears your words. (Isaiah 41:26)

There Is No One Like Jehovah

An idol is made of wood, stone, or metal with no voice, possesses no knowledge, and cannot foretell the future. There is a futility in how an idol is created when a man cuts down a tree, uses some of the wood to build a fire and warm himself, and uses the remaining wood to carve an idol and fall down and worship it. It is folly. The nation of Israel was destroyed for seeking after idols. Through the word of the prophets, the Lord showed the uselessness of seeking after human totems of false gods compared to the power of the Divine. Idols could not tell the future, but God could. Isaiah describes how the Lord will punish His people but then raise up a man named Cyrus to bring His people back. Cyrus will be named by the prophet Isaiah as the shepherd of the Lord to perform all the pleasure of God’s will. Only the Lord can declare from the beginning what will come.

Foretelling the future is a trait left only to the will of Jehovah God. The prediction of Cyrus was made 150 years before it came to pass. Throughout the Old Testament, prophecies were made that could not have been imagined by the wisest of men. Prophecies concerning the Messiah fill the pages of the Old Testament. David spoke of Jesus one thousand years before His birth. Isaiah declares the glory of the suffering servant seven centuries before Calvary. The prophet Zechariah spoke of prophecies to be found in the life of Jesus five hundred years before his death. Within 24 hours of the betrayal, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus, at least sixteen prophecies were fulfilled by the word of David, Isaiah, and Zechariah. All of this came through the mouth of God to his holy prophets.

Nations that include Israel, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and Egypt fill the Old Testament pages with prophecies from the word of the Lord. Moses declared the future of Israel before the nation crossed the Jordan River. Everything came to pass as the Lord had spoken. Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar the kingdom of Babylon would fall to the Persians, and in 539 B.C., Cyrus the Mede captured the city of Babylon. Daniel’s dreams of the beasts are direct prophecies of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. In one of Daniel’s dreams, Gabriel interprets the ram as the kings of Media and Persia and the male goat as the kingdom of Greece. Cities like Nineveh, Babylon, and Tyre all find their futures declared by the Lord through the prophets Ezekiel, Isaiah, Zephaniah, Nahum, and Jeremiah.

God asks through Isaiah, “Who has declared from the beginning, that we may know?” That question must be answered in today’s world of skepticism and doubt. The Bible is not a book of cleverly devised fables but a declarative book of divine truth. Humanity may not worship a wooden image or stone god, but the Bible is the only hope of salvation. The righteousness of God is fully declared in the Bible as truth because there is no one who shows and who can declare the future of nations and cities like Jehovah. Human wisdom is like a stone god – there is no one who hears what they say because it is folly and grasping for the wind. Jesus said that He was the only way to God, He was the only truth of the Divine, and that only through His blood will eternal life be granted. There is none like Jehovah. He gave His Son to die for you and proved He was the Almighty.

Go, tell Jeroboam, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Because I exalted you from among the people, and made you ruler over My people Israel, and tore the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it to you; and yet you have not been as My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only what was right in My eyes; but you have done more evil than all who were before you, for you have gone and made for yourself other gods and molded images to provoke Me to anger, and have cast Me behind your back.” (1 Kings 14:7-9)

Casting God Behind The Back

Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, was the usurper of the throne of Israel. After the death of Solomon, Rehoboam, his son, reigned in his place. Following the advice of younger counselors, Rehoboam caused the people of Israel to turn against him, and Jeroboam was made king over Israel. Only the house of Judah followed Rehoboam. To secure his rule firmly, Jeroboam set up calves of gold in Bethel and Dan and changed the feast to the fifteenth day of the eighth month. He made priests of every class of people who were not sons of Levi. The people flocked to the reign of Jeroboam as he turned the nation to the wickedness of idolatry. His reign would last twenty-two years when he would die shortly after the prophetic death of his son, Abijah.

When the son of Jeroboam became sick, Jeroboam sent his wife in disguise to find from the prophet Ahijah whether their son would recover. God told Ahijah who the woman was, and the prophet proclaimed a curse upon the family of Jeroboam. The child Abijah would die the day his mother stepped on the threshold of her home. Shortly after that, Jeroboam would die. God brought judgment upon the house of Jeroboam because the king did not live after the commandments of the Lord as David had done. The king had led the people of God into idolatry and done more evil than any man before him. In charging Jeroboam, the Lord declares the king had gone and made for the people other gods and molded images to provoke the wrath of God and cast God behind the back.

Sin is a rejection of God. To walk in the way of wickedness is to cast the Lord behind the back. Figuratively, this is a symbol of contempt, hatred, disdain, and disrespect of God. Rejecting God’s will is to willfully disobey the command of the Lord with a spirit of despising the nature of the Divine. Jeroboam had fully sought to please himself and his carnal nature satisfying his lusts and desires with no regard to God. His heart was so firmly set on the evil he had no pleasure in righteousness. Rebellion can lead to a soul hardened with the deceitfulness of sin where there is no return. Casting God behind the back is the final act of defiance against a righteous and just God.

Jeroboam had gone so far away from the path of truth, he could not be redeemed. Sin is a transgression of God’s law, but the son of Nebat had totally turned his back on God and sought salvation in his own way. There is no hope when a man goes that far. Turning away from the only source of salvation is the greatest tragedy of men.

It is difficult to battle sin on a daily basis and find victory at every turn. The constant battle of a child of God is to seek the mercies of the Lord while fighting the dangers of sin. Through the grace of God, forgiveness is granted to penitent hearts and willing minds ready to seek the Lord. Jeroboam is an example of a man who had gone so far away from God no redemption could be found. Casting God behind the back is a final act of disdain. He had turned his life away from the will of the Father. Sin can affect God’s children to the point of destruction. Satan is seeking to destroy the life of the Christian, and his great success is when he can convince a child of God to turn his back on God. Once accomplished, the soul is lost, and Satan has gained a minion.

The lesson would be to keep the Lord before the heart, always seeking the favors and mercies of God to forgive sins, obeying the commandments of the Lord, and living as close to the Divine nature as possible. It is easy for a soul to cast God behind them and what danger awaits those who reject the will of God. Jeroboam lost his child, his life, and his soul. He may have cast God behind his back, but the Lord God will be in front of him on judgment day, and there will be no place to cast God anywhere. Sadly, it is Jeroboam who will be cast away. Where is God in your life?

And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.” (Acts 8:18-24)

Mistakes Of Newborns

Babies are perfect, but that does not mean they will not make mistakes. When a child is small, he does not understand the world’s complexities and can often find himself in a difficult place. His knowledge does not prepare him to realize what he is doing may be harmful or a habit that is not appropriate. The characteristic of an infant is used in scripture to describe the child of God. Jesus told Nicodemus a man must be born again to enter the kingdom of God. This suggests a new birth as an infant who has realized the grace of God but still knows very little about the word of God. Peter exhorts the disciples to desire the sincere milk of the word like babies long for milk. Clearly, a man who obeys the gospel has much to learn in the years to come. It is just as crucial for older siblings of the new child of God to realize the process of growth in a new Christian.

The evangelist Philip brought the good news of Jesus Christ to the city of Samaria, and there was great joy in that city. One of the converts was a prominent magician named Simon, who had done great things before all the people. Hearing the preaching Philip, Simon himself believed and was baptized. He continued with Philip being astonished at the miracles and signs which Philip was doing. Later, Peter and John came to Samaria to pass along the spiritual gifts given to them by the Holy Spirit. Simon was impressed by the power of Peter and John to pass along the Holy Spirit. Through the laying on of hands, he saw the Holy Spirit was given, allowing some to perform miracles and work signs. As a former magician, this intrigued Simon, and he wanted to have that power.

In the world of Simon, the sorcerer, offering money to learn the craft of another artist was common. With his background, Simon went to Peter and John and asked for the Holy Spirit’s power, offering them money. He wanted the ability to give the Holy Spirit to others. He was a babe in Christ with little understanding of what the Holy Spirit did and how the power was given to other men. Peter’s rebuke was with a specific purpose to correct the false notion Simon had about the Holy Spirit. Peter did not condescendingly rebuke Simon but, as a newborn babe in Christ, he needed to know and understand the importance of the Holy Spirit. The apostle tells Simon that money cannot buy the Holy Spirit because Simon’s heart was not right before the Lord. There were still remnants of the old world in the heart of Simon, and it needs to be purged out. Peter told Simon to repent of his wickedness. The heart of Simon had obeyed the gospel, but he had many things to rid himself of to perfect himself in the image of Christ.

Simon is often viewed with disdain for his desire to buy the Holy Spirit’s power. Peter rightfully rebuked the new Christian for his action, and sin should be addressed in the manner that is needed. But what is often overlooked in the story of Simon is that he did have a good heart begging Peter to pray for him to help him be forgiven for his sin. Luke leaves the story at the appeal of Simon for forgiveness which can only be assumed Peter then prayed for Simon, and in the hope of God’s grace, Simon became a productive and vital part of the church in Samaria. Simon did a terrible thing, but how many new Christians have found themselves following the old man of sin in the early days before they could learn deeper lessons from the word? The mistakes of new Christians should not be viewed in the same manner as one who is a seasoned soldier of the cross. New Christians will make a lot of mistakes. Sometimes they make some pretty big mistakes – like Simon. He asked for something that was not possible – motivated by the wrong things with the wrong intent. Peter correctly rebuked him for his sin and challenged him to repent. The strength of the story is that Simon did repent and beg forgiveness. He did not get mad and turn away. Luke leaves the story with Simon seeking the Lord, and that is the kind of man Simon proved himself to be.

It takes a lot of patience to train young children. They have curious minds and often find themselves doing things, saying things, and going places they should not. There is a need for gentle correction and sometimes harsh discipline to drive the point home. Such is the case for young Christians that often say and do the wrong things because they have not grown up in Christ yet. It is easy to rebuke a young Christian, who is often doing what an older Christian does. Both should be rebuked, but hope should be given to encourage and exhort them to be better disciples of the Lord and learn how to walk in Christ. Thank you, Simon, for your faith and example of repentance.

So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities and for those who were with me. I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:32-35)

Paul’s Divine Inspiration

The apostle Paul was born in the city of Tarsus, the capital of Cilicia. Tarsus was a free city of the Roman Empire, governed by its own laws and magistrates. It stood on the banks of the river Cydnus, about 12 miles north of the Mediterranean. Paul was named Saul and was brought up in the strict teaching of the Law of Moses. His father was a Roman citizen by some means when Paul was born, granting him the birthright of Roman citizenship. He learned the trade of tentmaking that would serve him often in life, although his family was blessed with a certain status of wealth to send their son to Jerusalem to study at the feet of Gamaliel. His training in Jerusalem would introduce him to the sect of the Pharisees, where he would rise to a place of prominence. As a noted member of the tribe of Benjamin, Paul possessed a zealousness unmatched by many of his contemporaries.

It is impossible to know the parallels in the life of Saul of Tarsus and Jesus of Nazareth. Their lives did cross the historical time together. Jesus was thirty years of age when He began His ministry and was crucified three years later. By the time of the establishment of the church, Paul was already a man of influence. Within a year of Pentecost, the young man Saul was consenting to the death of Stephen. He began a severe persecution of the church to eradicate the teachings of Jesus Christ, having the authority of chief priests in Jerusalem. Nothing suggests Saul met Jesus or heard Him teach. Their lives were separate from one another, with Saul coming later on the scene of divine history. It is here the pattern of divine inspiration is found in the writings of Paul.

During the final days of Paul’s third missionary journey, he sends for the elders of the church of Ephesus to meet him in Miletus. His bond with the shepherds of the Ephesian church is strong, and he embraces them with great passion as he knows his work will carry him far away from his endearing brethren. In his final words of goodbye, Paul reminds them of the words of Jesus that said it was more blessed to give than to receive. What is remarkable about this quotation is that Paul was not present when Jesus uttered those words, and none of the four gospel writers record these words. Peter could have quoted these words of Jesus, and it would have been accepted because the apostle spent many hours with Jesus. Paul never sat at the feet of Jesus as a disciple. Paul’s quote of Jesus was a pure example of divine inspiration. There were other examples of inspiration when Paul quoted the words of Jesus during the last supper. The gospel writers record these words in detail. What Paul told the Ephesian elders was a direct quote from the mouth of God unknown by other writings of the early disciples.

The Bible is not a jumbled book of human wisdom written by men who conspired to deceive the world. Luke, as a historian, tells the story of the early church with exacting detail through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Peter will later affirm that all of God’s word was the work of holy men of God speaking as the Holy Spirit moved them. The Bible is the word of God. It must be accepted as divine because it is divine. There is no other book in the history of man that has the seal of divine inspiration as placed upon the books from Genesis to the Revelation. Other books were written by holy men filled with the inspired directives of the Lord, but the sixty-six books of the Bible are preserved to serve the needs of men to know God and find salvation in Jesus Christ. The example of Paul quoting words of Jesus not found in the gospels shows the character of the divine word given to men from the mouth of God. Accept the Bible as God’s word. There is no other book that will show the way to Heaven.

But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy. I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Acts 2:16-21)

The Prophet Joel And The Beginning Of The Church

Little is known about the prophet Joel who prophesied approximately eight hundred years before Christ. As a contemporary of Hosea and Amos, Joel faced a nation a century removed from the division of the land following the death of Solomon. The northern tribes would never recover from the onslaught of idol worship and be destroyed in less than eighty years. Judah would remain for another two hundred years but fall to the Babylonians. The prophets of Joel’s day saw the hearts of the people waxing worse in following the nations around them. Sin would destroy the people of God. The central message of the book of Joel was an invading locust swarm devastating the land. Some have suggested the locusts were an allegory of an invading army, but it seems more likely Joel is using an actual event of locusts that stripped the land, bringing drought and fires and utter destruction. Natural catastrophes were used by the messengers of God to remind the people of the wrath of the Lord with a call to repentance. Using the locust invasion as a backdrop, Joel proclaimed the coming of the day of the Lord.

For the people of Joel’s time, the message was very stern yet clear. There was no doubt the judgment of the Lord was coming upon a rebellious people. The day of the Lord is great and very terrible. Repentance is called for to return to a gracious and merciful God slow to anger and of great kindness. Great blessings will come upon the people if they turn to the Lord. Joel tells the people that afterward, the Lord will pour out His Spirit on all flesh. Their sons and daughters will prophesy, the old men dream dreams, and young men see visions. This was the prophetic language of the coming of the kingdom of God spoken about in Psalm 2, Isaiah 2, Daniel 2, and fulfilled in Acts 2 and Ephesians 2. Peter would use Joel 2 to explain the events of the coming of the church of Christ on the day of Pentecost.

Following the resurrection of Jesus, the apostles were commanded to tarry in Jerusalem until they had been endued with power from on high. When the Day of Pentecost had come, the twelve apostles received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. A sound from heaven, as of a mighty rushing wind filled the house where the apostles were sitting. When the sound occurred, a multitude came together and was confused by what they saw. They saw twelve Galileans speaking in multiple languages. Some thought the men were drunk. Standing up with the eleven, Peter raised his voice and began to explain the meaning of the events. He declared what was occurring was the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy eight hundred years earlier. This is an example of “divine commentary” when Peter, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, declared the words of Joel were fulfilled that day in the city of Jerusalem. Homer Hailey writes, “It is concluded, therefore, that what took place on Pentecost marked the beginning of the complete fulfillment of Joel’s word.”

The New Testament church was not an afterthought of God to fill a space of time until Christ comes and establishes some earthly kingdom. Joel prophesied the day of the Lord would come with great signs, and Peter confirmed the prophet’s words pointed to the beginning of the church. The words of Joel looked beyond the condition of Israel in rebellion to a time God would bring Jew and Gentile together in the church of Christ where there was neither male nor female, slave or free, for all were one in Christ. Joel would not see the coming of the kingdom of Christ, but he prepared the faithful to accept the fulfillment of his words as the day of the Lord when God established His divine family, the church. The bridge of God’s grace reached eight hundred years to show the eternal purpose He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

From there we circled round and reached Rhegium. And after one day, the south wind blew; and the next day we came to Puteoli, where we found brethren and were invited to stay with them seven days. And so we went toward Rome. (Acts 28:13-14)

The Church At Puteoli

Luke was a historian of the first rank detailing the early development of the church and the work of men like Peter and Paul throughout the Roman Empire. The gospel was first preached in Jerusalem by the twelve apostles, followed by many saints going throughout Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth teaching about Jesus Christ. In the first part of Acts, Luke details much of the work of Peter and the missionary journeys of the apostle Paul. Antioch of Syria was a hub of evangelism with men like Paul, Barnabas, and Silas going on preaching trips establishing churches in Salamis, Paphos, Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. Through the letters of Paul, churches in Corinth, Ephesus, Colosse, Philippi, Thessalonica, Rome, and the churches of Galatia are detailed with the early struggles of the first-century disciples.

Many churches attributed their beginnings to the work of Paul and his companions. While much of the New Testament will focus on the work of Peter and Paul, there were many unsung heroes of scripture that quietly worked to establish churches throughout the world. On Paul’s journey to Rome, his party was shipwrecked in Malta, fifty miles south of Sicily. After three months, the group began the final journey to Rome, landing at Syracuse and then reaching Rhegium. The next day they arrived at Puteoli, five miles west of Naples, where Paul and his companions found brethren and remained seven days. It must have been heart-warming for the apostle Paul to find a church of Christ in the city of Puteoli. The brethren were very hospitable and kind to the Romans and Paul and his fellow workers, including Luke.

Preaching the gospel is done by men of note like Paul, Peter, Barnabas, Timothy, and Silas, but there is a lot of work done by men and women whose names will never be known. Where did the church in Puteoli have its beginnings? When did the first convert in this Roman town learn the truth? How many members did the group have, and what challenges did they face? Luke offers no details, but it can be easily imagined how refreshing it was for Paul to find brethren in this little town 170 miles south of Rome. He would have warmly remembered the week he spent with the Puteolian brethren. It would be wonderful to think that Paul would occasion to visit them again, but nothing is known.

Many churches throughout the ages have quietly gone about their work of teaching, preaching, and showing kindness to others the world will never know. Their beginnings were not inscribed in the works of Paul. They may never leave a story for historians to write about, but churches like the one found in Puteoli are bastions of divine glory for the small work they carry out. One day a group of Romans soldiers with prisoners in tow came to the town of Puteoli, and the brethren showed Paul and his companions the grace of God. They quickly passed from the eternal canvas of God’s word, and yet their legacy remains today. This should inspire all of the churches of Christ to do everything they can do – wherever they are – with the means they have available – to show the world Jesus Christ. One day a man of God in chains may show up and need some encouragement and hope. There can be little doubt the week in Puteoli invigorated the apostle Paul to keep fighting the fight. A small band of Christians did what they were called to do. Let the congregation I am a part of follow the example of brethren in Puteoli.