Peter Cundall, the late presenter of Gardening Australia, once spent 6 months in solitary confinement in a Yugoslavian prison. He said the experience strengthened him because it was the first time he had a room all to himself! This is an odd thing to be strengthened by. Jesus, however, also uses unexpected things to strengthen and build his church. We can be encouraged that Jesus uses circumstances which look simply hopeless or hopelessly simple to advance His kingdom.

The Antioch congregation is troubled by visiting speakers who preach that a person must be circumcised to be saved. This controversy gives rise to an assembly in Jerusalem to deliberate and give a determination on the matter. The Jerusalem assembly illustrates the blessing of church government and polity. God uses church polity under the authority of His Word and led by His Spirit to provide certainty on the gospel, wise counsel on living as followers of Jesus and confidence to local congregations in their ministry and mission.

As Paul's first missionary journey comes to a close and together with Barnabas reports back to the church at Antioch, there is time to evaluate the mission. Was it successful? Were the commissioning church's expectations for gospel expansion met? These are questions that also confront current gospel ministry. Thus, Paul's first missionary journey helps to have realistic gospel expectations.

The Greeks believed that history was circular. Things went from chaos to order and back to chaos again. History, thus, has no purpose. In stark contrast, the Bible presents history as linear. Paul preaches at the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch that all of history hinges on the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Thus, it's in Jesus that we have the purpose and direction of human history.

Paul and Barnabas are sent out of the first missionary journey from Antioch, the first Gentile congregation. At the beginning of this journey we are taught that gospel mission involves commission, proclamation, opposition and conversion. 

Sometimes we find ourselves in circumstances that are dark and oppressive. What can we hold on to when the lights go out? The early church finds itself in a dark place as Herod has James the apostle executed and Peter imprisoned. However, the three cord rope thrown to the church is God's salvation, God's judgement and God's Word. This 'rope' gives us assurance and confidence that God always triumphs and His kingdom will continue to advance, no matter the obstacle.

Jesus' church planting strategy may surprise us. He uses Christians scattered because of persecution to plant a church in Antioch. There, through the preaching of the gospel and the direction of godly leadership, the church thrives. This first Gentile church plant reminds us that Jesus doesn't need human strategy and ideal circumstances to advance His kingdom. If Jesus' hand - representing His presence and power - is with us, He will accomplish His good purposes in and through us.

Peter was eating with Gentiles and baptising them. Some in the early church wondered if a beloved apostle had gone rogue! Was Cornelius' conversion and baptism a genuine work of God? How could the church identify that this was God's work? In Acts 11:1-18, we're given 3 marks to identify a true work of God: it's Word-centered, it's God-glorifying and it's repentance-producing.

The gospel is the good news of the impartial God concerning Jesus, who is Lord of all. Peter's meeting with Cornelius and the subsequent ‘Gentile Pentecost’ demonstrates this truth. Thus, the great redemptive-historical moment where Gentiles are grafted into the one people of God brings us back to basics – the ABC’s, the 1-2-3, the do-re-mi of the gospel. Acts 10:24-48 reminds us that the gospel is for everyone, is about someone and unites as one.

Acts 10:1-23 is Luke’s series 1 of Stranger Things. We're reminded that there is Someone behind the strange veteran, vision and visit: the God who is advancing His kingdom through the proclamation of His Son. These ‘stranger’ things teach us that salvation is only through faith in Jesus, that God uses His people to declare Jesus and that the good news of Jesus is what aligns us in our life together as God’s people.

If we were to do an industry super fund compare the pair on Saul's and Peter's ministry in this passage, who would be ‘performing’ well? We could be tempted to conclude, “Saul’s ministry – failure; Peter’s ministry – success.” After all, we’re comparing resurrections to death threats; gospel advancement to going home. Yet, the way Jesus measures the church’s progress isn’t the same as ours. Luke’s performance review in verse 31 – the church was being built up, experiencing peace and multiplying – applies both to Saul’s and Peter’s ministry. The church’s progress isn’t measured by our KPI’s, but through Jesus glorifying Himself in doing all things for the church.

In this passage, the great hunter of the church is hunted down. Jesus arrests Saul on the way to Damascus and powerfully brings him to faith and repentance. Saul's conversion is one of the major catalysts for the gospel entering the Gentile world and spreading across the Roman Empire. However, this account is given not just to show Jesus' strategic plan of building His church. We also learn valuable things about the nature of conversion, how we evangelise and our calling as followers of Jesus. 

From a thriving ministry, Philip finds himself in the desert at God's direction. It must have been a strange command to receive, but Philip trusts and obeys. We learn in this account that though God moves in ways that are often mysterious to us, they are always meaningful. We're also reminded that salvation belongs to God alone, is personal and is for all types of people.

We're often tempted to believe that God is really active in flashy demonstrations of power. Perhaps we only see God at work in the positive things that come our way. However, this passage reminds us that God is also active in ways that we don't always recognise: in difficulty, in the different and in the deceived. 

We see Stephen opposed despite his positive community engagement. He is hauled before a court by false witnesses. The Sanhedrin force him to defend himself against unfounded charges. Though making a passionate presentation of Jesus Christ by unpacking the history of Israel, Stephen is stoned to death by an enraged crowd. This account reminds us that we live in a world that is hostile toward Christ and His church. However, Stephen's martyrdom also fuels our courage by reminding us to expect opposition, to trust God to be with us and to 'look up' for assurance.

The early church faced two problems: widows being left out in the daily distribution and apostles unable to abandon the preaching of God's Word. Thus, the diaconate is born! The deacon's office reminds us of the priority placed on the preaching of God's Word, the primacy of service in light of the gospel and how good order promotes unity, discipleship and evangelism.

In the face of persecution, the apostles walk away rejoicing. How can we both endure persecution and receive it with joy? Luke shows us in this narrative that even when we are harassed for our faith, God gives us assurances of the truth and His presence in the midst of them.

It is rare for a pastoral visit to result in death. Yet, this is exactly what happens in this passage. The striking down of Ananias and Sapphira sent shock waves through the church. This event teaches us of God's holiness, the seriousness of sin and calls us to find refuge in Jesus Christ.

In this passage we're given a snapshot of what it was like to be part of the earliest church community. They showed their love for one another through their attitude toward their belongings, their commitment to the gospel and their response to the needy. This example of how the Holy Spirit changes people through the preaching of the gospel shows us how to care for each other as a local church in Mandurah.

When times get tough for the church, the knee-jerk reaction of God's people is to pray. Praying in opposition looks like praising God for His sovereignty, petitioning for boldness to continue to be faithful and resting in His presence to cheer and to guide.