Dear Friends,
Can you name the only hit song recorded in 1997 by the group Chumbawamba?
You probably know the chorus of the song even if you can’t come up with the title (which is Tubthumping, by the way). Over and over again, the band sings this refrain:
I get knocked down
But I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
I get knocked down
But I get up again
You're never gonna keep me down
The song is a defiant statement of fortitude and perseverance. The kind of fortitude and perseverance that marked the ministry of the Apostle Paul, and that ought to mark each of our lives as well.
In Acts 14, the Bible reports on the ministry of Paul and Barnabas in the town of Lystra, located in what is today south central Turkey. There, the two men encountered a man who had been lame from birth. The Bible says the man had never walked. When Paul saw him, “seeing that he had faith to be made well, he said in a loud voice, ‘Stand upright on your feet.’ And he sprang up and began walking” (Acts 14:9–10).
The crowd that witnessed this miraculous healing were convinced that Paul and Barnabas were the incarnation of the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes. The priests of Zeus, who had a temple in Lystra, brought oxen and garlands to offer sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas.
Paul and Barnabas used the occasion as an opportunity to point the crowd to the one true God, the God who made the heavens and the earth. Acts 14:14–15 says that “when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, ‘Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.’”
When the Jews who lived in the neighboring cities of Antioch and Iconium heard what was going on with their kinsmen in Lystra, they arrived and persuaded the crowd that these men were not Greek gods who had come to earth, but were dangerous and evil – evil enough that they rallied the crowd to stone Paul. The Bible reports that they dragged his body out of the city, presuming he was dead.
We have no record of the extent of Paul’s injuries. We don’t know if bones had been broken or if he had suffered a concussion. He must have passed out, since the crowd thought he was dead.
But of course, he wasn’t dead. The Bible says the other disciples who were traveling with him found his body and ministered to him.
Now imagine for a minute that you were the Apostle Paul. Imagine you had experienced the stoning, had passed out and had been left for dead. When you were revived, what do you think your next move would be? Maybe take a little time to rest and recoup? Or even take some time to reevaluate your calling as a missionary? Maybe call off the whole endeavor?
Here’s what the Bible says Paul did. “He rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:20–22).
Paul kept going. He got knocked down, but he got up again. He was back to work the next day. And before long, he was back in the same city where he had been stoned by the crowd.
Perseverance. And fortitude. These were hallmarks of the Apostle Paul’s ministry. And hallmarks of the other apostles in the early church. Having seen the resurrected Christ and having a clear understanding that this life is not all there is and that death has lost its sting, they were bold and undeterred in their commitment to advancing the gospel.
Me? I can easily back down or move along if I sense someone doesn’t like what I’m saying about Jesus. Or worse yet, I never get around to saying anything about Jesus in the first place because I don’t want to unnecessarily offend anyone.
But the Bible tells me the gospel message is going to be offensive. It’s a stumbling block and an offense to those who are perishing. If I’m being unnecessarily offensive, that’s one thing. But if the gospel message is offending someone, I shouldn’t be surprised.
The example of the Apostle, stoned and left for dead one day and back sharing the gospel the very next day, is a challenging one. It’s a reminder that for Paul, the urgency and the primacy of gospel ministry compelled him more than it compels me. He expected suffering. It did not deter him from his clear assignment from the Lord.
His calling is our calling. Sharing the gospel with others is not something optional. Jesus has commanded it. We are to go and make disciples. We should expect the work to be hard and unpopular. But like the Apostle (or the boys from Chumbawamba) when we get knocked down, we get up again. We persevere. We press on.
TRUNK OR TREATTomorrow night (Thursday) is Trunk or Treat night. I hope whatever costumes your kids are wearing will be warm! The high tomorrow is supposed to be 59°!
FALL WOMEN'S RETREAT
Last call to sign up for the Women’s Retreat. Only a few beds remain!
Click here (https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=275885e61a&e=aa5d310849) for info or to register.
NXTGEN GET TOGETHERThe next get together for young singles and young married couples is a little more than a week away. The NxtGen get together is the first Saturday night in November.
STEVE SMITH MEMORIAL SERVICEThe Memorial Service for Steve Smith is set for Friday, November 7 at 2:00 pm at the church. The service will be live streamed.
CHRISTMAS GIFTS
FOR BRINKLEY HEIGHTS KIDS
As you know, our students spend a week each summer in Memphis, interacting with children who live in the Brinkley Heights neighborhood.
At Christmas time, we try to do something special for these kids.
Beginning this Sunday, you’ll see a Christmas tree in the church lobby. The tree will be filled with ornaments that represent each of the 100+ students we’re hoping to provide a Christmas gift for this year. Each child will be receiving an age-appropriate book that shares the gospel with the student, along with a practical gift (warm gloves or a stocking cap or ???) and a fun gift of some sort.
Our students will be traveling to Memphis in mid-December to deliver the gifts, along with a Christmas card for each of the children.
This is where you come in.
We’d like to invite you to select one or more names from the tree and sponsor the gift for each child whose name you select. We’d ask that you would do the following:
Your completed Christmas cards will need to be turned in no later than Sunday, December 7.
This is a great project for you and your kids to do together. I hope you’ll take part in this special outreach during the Christmas season this year.
TIME TO FALL BACK
I have a gift for you this week. An extra hour of sleep on Saturday night! Here are Johnny and Chachi to remind you to turn your clocks back!
(https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=9d0ffba325&e=aa5d310849)PREPARING YOUR HEART FOR SUNDAY
Here’s our New City Catechism questions for this Sunday.
Here is the link to this week’s video (https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=abc18b1b84&e=aa5d310849) where David Bisgrove talks about this week’s question and answer.
(https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=132c58ed03&e=aa5d310849)
And here is this week’s catechism song (https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=daaac495d0&e=aa5d310849).
(https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=5755331f5f&e=aa5d310849)
And finally, as always, here is the link (https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=431084c844&e=aa5d310849) that will take you to the Spotify playlist of the songs we’ll be singing together this Sunday.
SUNDAY'S COMING
As you pray for others, are your prayers more often focused on their material needs or their spiritual needs? It’s not wrong for us to pray about material things, like daily bread for example. But when the Apostle Paul prayed for the people in the church in Ephesus, what was as the top of his list was their need to grow in their knowledge and understanding of all that God has done for them – and for us – in Christ. Because as we’ll see on Sunday, when we wrap our minds around the blessings that are ours in Christ, that understanding changes everything.
See you in church.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Bob
- Pray for the child or children whose names you select both during and after the Christmas season
- When you select a child’s name, take one of the Christmas cards we’ll provide for you and write a short note to the child wishing him or her a Merry Christmas and letting them know you are praying for them
- Write a check for $40 to cover the cost of the gifts we’ll be giving each child
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