16th Sept 2010

Acts 13:1-3 – Paul and Barnabas Sent off

• “Labels must be our Servants; we must not become their Slaves”
• As the church was developing in Antioch it attracted and grew some very gifted people.
• This first verse teaches us some profound truths about God’s Kingdom.
• In Jesus’ day there were many Jewish sects or sub-groups but 4 stood out.
• The Pharisees
• The Zealots
• The Essences
• The Sadducees
• In this short list there are two Christian leaders from two different sects.
• Manaen was an Essene.
• Depending on which historian you read he was either;
• The prophet Manean son – adopted by Herod
• Or the Prophet Manean himself.
• History records that Manean prophesied to Herod and slapped him on his bottom saying that he would one day be King, that he would be successful but ultimately his life would end in tragedy;
• This man once saw Herod when he was a child, and going to school, and saluted him as king of the Jews; but he, thinking that either he did not know him, or that he was in jest, put him in mind that he was but a private man; but Manahem [Manaen] smiled to himself, and clapped him on his backside with his hand, and said," However that be, thou wilt be king, and wilt begin thy reign happily, for God finds thee worthy of it.
• Antiquities of the Jews 15:10:5
• Either way, he was born and perhaps grew up as an Essene. The Essenes were a hippy like community whom Jesus had a lot in common with when it came to the way they treated the poor and organized their community.
• NB: A few say John the Baptist was an Essene for some of his life.
• Paul was a Pharisee. Nothing shocking about that. Except that most people do not realize that he remained a Pharisees. Paul never stopped being a Pharisee when he followed Jesus.
• He did not have to.
• Jesus said to his disciples “do what the Pharisees teach you”.
• Paul did not change his denominational label to follow Jesus.
• Paul did however use his other name. Saul was his Jewish name and denoted his Jewish background. Paul was his Roman name and denoted his Roman citizenship. He used his Roman name to reach the gentiles.
• Labels must become our servant; we must not be their slaves!
• I sometimes wonder if in the modern Christian church we spend far too much time ‘releasing and healing’ people of their past.
• I sometimes wonder if our emphasis should not be on helping people understand the purpose of their past?
• I've noticed how rarely God seemed to heal people's past and yet how often He used it for His purpose.
• Praying today I will learn from Paul, Manaen and the rest; we may all have a different label but it should not make me its slave but should become my servant.