9/6/17
The earliest Christians followed a Jewish tradition of pausing to pray, preferably together, first thing in the morning, about mid morning, at noon, about mid afternoon, and in the evening. “Just a Note” posts are brief observations made from Scripture readings not related to a lectionary. If I have one to post, it normally appears about 9:00 in the morning, at “the hour of prayer.”
As Paul’s journey continues, once he arrives in Caesarea, he meets up with someone we have seen before. Philip, here called an evangelist, is the same person we met in Acts chapter 6. He had been one of the people we normally call deacons in Jerusalem. He has since relocated. He has a wife and four daughters, who are prophets.
This passage gives us a glimpse of a New Testament culture in which people are engaged in the work of prophecy, much the same way we saw prophets in groups throughout the Old Testament. Those who were spiritually sensitive found themselves engaged in the process of encouraging the saints. We read about the work of prophets in other early Christian documents as well.
What can we note especially about this passage? The only prophecy which is recorded for us is that of Agabus, who graphically tells Paul that he will be arrested and bound. The prophecy will be fulfilled. It is completely accurate.
When the Lord makes something clear to us, we do well to seek complete clarity about it. Even then, we may do well to keep the prophecy to ourselves. We can watch and see God bringing about exactly the situation we thought he would. As we grow in confidence, we can tell some things which we know are clear. However, we can always feel free to take God’s Word and speak the clear, revealed truth to others. That is also the work of a prophet.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
The earliest Christians followed a Jewish tradition of pausing to pray, preferably together, first thing in the morning, about mid morning, at noon, about mid afternoon, and in the evening. “Just a Note” posts are brief observations made from Scripture readings not related to a lectionary. If I have one to post, it normally appears about 9:00 in the morning, at “the hour of prayer.”
As Paul’s journey continues, once he arrives in Caesarea, he meets up with someone we have seen before. Philip, here called an evangelist, is the same person we met in Acts chapter 6. He had been one of the people we normally call deacons in Jerusalem. He has since relocated. He has a wife and four daughters, who are prophets.
This passage gives us a glimpse of a New Testament culture in which people are engaged in the work of prophecy, much the same way we saw prophets in groups throughout the Old Testament. Those who were spiritually sensitive found themselves engaged in the process of encouraging the saints. We read about the work of prophets in other early Christian documents as well.
What can we note especially about this passage? The only prophecy which is recorded for us is that of Agabus, who graphically tells Paul that he will be arrested and bound. The prophecy will be fulfilled. It is completely accurate.
When the Lord makes something clear to us, we do well to seek complete clarity about it. Even then, we may do well to keep the prophecy to ourselves. We can watch and see God bringing about exactly the situation we thought he would. As we grow in confidence, we can tell some things which we know are clear. However, we can always feel free to take God’s Word and speak the clear, revealed truth to others. That is also the work of a prophet.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
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