Are Corporations People?

<—- Playing to a stereotype.

I’m not sure how Saturdays became my “economics” posting day… but that seems to be the case. My reason for including these posts on economics is to add some balance to much of the discussion in my circles on issues such as, mercy, social justice, poverty, etc. I feel strongly that there is only one template in many UMC circles and I happen to think that it’s a very faulty template at that.

The good folks at Learn Liberty have put out a great (and brief) video to teach us just who these “greedy corporations” really are. Very instructive to watch and then to consider as we move forward in our conversations and ministries regarding how we might do the most good we can.

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Taxes, Part 3 (A Sermon)

Special Guest Contributor: Rev. Michael Hudson
Preached on April 29, 2012

11) And what do we do when we see these problems? We say, “the govt needs to….” Government has replaced fathers with a welfare check leaving men in many communities unwanted in the home.  Do you know what the most common denominator of men in prison is?  No fathers.  An act of “compassion” ends up destroying families and locks people into dependency for life.  The government has undermined the authority and role God gave to the family.  We think we are being compassionate by giving people money, but putting our trust in government has brought more devastation than help.

 12) I have found that in most cases, the people coming to the church have families but they can’t or won’t go back to them for help.  They need reconciliation.  Think about the prodigal son for a minute. (Luke 15:11-32)   Poor, hungry, homeless, destitute.  He needs help.  He could go to the welfare office and get an EBT card but does that bring transformation in his life?  It hasn’t for millions of Americans.  It can’t because there is no individual accountability, no care and nurture.  His problem only continues.

 13) How can we bring transformation to the prodigal son’s situation?  What is his biggest need? Reconciliation with his father.  His father is waiting for him to repent and come home.  Not only are his material needs taken care of (finest robe, ring for his finger, shoes for his feet, and a beef brisket bbq) but, forgiveness and new life are found as well.  That does not happen with a tax-funded government program.  All he has to do is swallow his pride and go home.  Do you think God is in the business of getting people to swallow their pride?  Family keeps us humble.  The family is instituted by God and is the most effective and efficient way to care for individuals in society. 

 14) But what if they have no family?  The second question I ask someone who comes into the church looking for help is, “Where do you attend church?”  Why? Because a church family is going to know you!  It is still about RELATIONSHIPS.

 15) God also institutes the Church for the betterment of individuals and society.  Through the church we have the sacraments to receive God’s grace, the Scriptures to preach salvation and the good news of Christ to society, and to know right and wrong.  How is the family and the government to know what pleases the Lord, what right and wrong is if the church remains silent?  The church is to be the conscious of the state.  To put that in the vernacular, we must speak truth to power.  The church is also instituted by God to be agents of mercy.  But she has abdicated her role to the government.

James 2 ¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

We have allowed the government to be the dispensers of mercy and charity.  It requires faith on behalf of the church to be able to supply people with needs.  The church must look to God to provide, especially when the need is bigger than it can handle.  But since we have allowed the government to handle those needs, little faith is required by the church. No wonder the church is anemic and everyone ignores what she says.   

 16) So much so that society no longer prefers to use the word mercy.  What do we call ministries that feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked?  They are not mercy ministries, we now call them “social justice”.  Do you know why?  Because you cannot demand that people give mercy, but you can demand justice.

 The church cannot seize your bank account or throw you in jail if you don’t tithe.  But the government can if you don’t pay your taxes to support their mandated charity.

 17) Mercy, in order to be mercy, must be freely given.  When mercy and love are freely given they become redemptive and transformational in people’s lives.  But if acts of love and charity or mandated, then they are no longer acts of love and charity.  You cannot require people to be merciful.  When mercy is mandated it ceases to be mercy and becomes tyranny. 

 19) Politicians are quick to promise other people’s money to demonstrate how much the care.  And we are quick to say look how compassionate they are.  If they we so compassionate they would give out of their own pocket and not take from the public’s money.  I out gave the Vice President last year in charitable contributions 2 to 1.  I’m not talking about percentage of income, I mean dollar for dollar.  But he will go around and tell me that unless I pay more in taxes I’m not compassionate.  I recommend you read  Davy Crocket’s speech “It’s not yours to give” in Bill Bennett’s The Book of Man, pg. 245. Or you can google it.

 20) But, I have plenty of colleges that think the Kingdom of God will come through a government program.  I had a seminary professor say, “You’d better vote Jesus and not you wallets!”  I don’t ever remember Jesus being on my ballot.  But what he was saying essentially was I was being selfish and uncaring if I voted for candidates who wouldn’t raise taxes.  He was suggesting that the government would be more compassionate and caring with my money than I would.  Really?  Think about this for a minute realistically.  Who will be more effective with the money God has entrusted to me in bringing about the Kingdom of God in my community?  Me or the US Federal Government?  Who will bring God more glory with the resources I steward, me or the US Congress?

 21) This is not a political problem it is a spiritual problem.  We have put our trust in government and it has given us entire communities without families, a dead church and 15 trillion dollars in debt.  My unborn grandchildren will be paying this debt off their entire lives.  That is slavery.

 22) You might say, “But Mike, this is too big a problem for broken families and an anemic church.  The government has to have some role in providing for the welfare.”  Remember the preamble to the Constitution?  It says the government is to promote the general welfare.  That happens best by allowing the family and church to do what God has instituted them to do and not replacing them.

 It is a big problem, but is the arm of the Lord too short to save?  Was the Red Sea too big to part?  Was Goliath too big for a shepherd boy?  Was the crowd too big to feed with only 3 loaves and 2 fish?  Was the grave stone too big to roll away?

Ps. 118:8-9 says, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.   It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.”

 Looking to the government to provide for us instead of the Lord is idolatry and God hates it.  It is a blatant violation of the 1^st Commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3)  We must repent and look to Him to be a our source and solution.  We do that best in families and the church.

Let us pray.

Almighty God, You are the God of all nations, the God of our fathers.  Forgive our idolatry.  May the motto, “In God We Trust” be written not just on our coins but our hearts as well.  Hear our prayer for deliverance.  Come quickly and heal our land.  In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

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Taxes, Part 2 (A Sermon)

Special Guest Contributor: Rev. Michael Hudson
Preached on April 29, 2012

5) Knowing that leads us to this question: Is that where our taxes are going?  According to the Office of Management and Budget at the Heritage Foundation about 30 cents of every tax dollar pays for those things.  70% of the federal budget goes to pay for welfare and dependency programs. 

 A fundamental spiritual shift took place in our culture during the great depression.  Our country began to look to government to provide and solve our problems instead of God.  This spiritual problem accelerated with the Great Society plan in the 1960’s.  All of these compassionate programs to help the needy, the underprivileged, those who are down and out began to be funded by the government.  The war on poverty is now almost 50 years old and are there less poor people? Actually there are more people on food stamps now than ever before.  In 2010 we spent almost $900 billion on welfare programs, more than we spent on the war in Iraq during all of GWBush’s presidency.

 6) Since the beginning of the war on poverty in 1965, the US has spent 15.9 Trillion dollars on welfare.  The price tag for all the wars the US has fought is only 6.4 trillion.  (Please don’t get me wrong.  I am not in favor of war nor do I think, as some might accuse, that it is cheaper to kill people than help them.  I am simply comparing numbers.  Both Republicans and Democrats have suggested that fighting wars is the cause of such large spending and deficits.  I am simply pointing out that this is not the case.  These numbers come from the Heritage Foundation.)

 Having said all that let me emphasize that this is not a political problem.  Both Republicans and Democrats have controlled the government and contributed to this.  This is a spiritual problem.  Why?

 7) We have made an idol of the government and we worship it instead of God.  I know our national motto is “In God We Trust.”  But our actions are “In Govt we trust.” 

 Who do we look to for food, housing, jobs, education, child care, health care, and retirement?  Whenever there is a problem or crisis the first thing out of people’s mouth is, “The govt should….    The govt needs to…”  And politicians are quick to say, “We need a program that provides…..for all Americans.”  Whenever a person looks to anything other than God to provide, that other becomes an idol.  America is guilty of idolatry.  We worship at the altar of big government.  The only thing lacking is little wooden statues of Uncle Sam that we can bow before and pray.

 8) Now I’ve heard many Christians, even Bishops say things like God judges nations on how they treat the poor and marginalized, the widows and orphans, the aliens and the unwanted.  It is true.  God will judge us on that scale.  But God also sends nations into exile and slavery for idolatry.  (See ancient history of Israel.)

 We are to love our neighbor as our self, so how are we to care for the least of these if we don’t look to the government?

 9) Whenever someone comes into the church looking for assistance (food, rent money, electric bill, gas) the first thing I ask them is “Do you have any family?”  Why?  Because just as the government is instituted by God to maintain justice in society, the family is instituted by God to care for individuals in society.  

9a) Family is to provide for the basic needs of a person: food, clothing, shelter, etc.  1 Tim 5:4,8.  

⁴ But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.

⁸ If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

 10) Family is the best institution for this kind of care because it is most able to adapt to the specific and individual needs of each person.  I care for each of my children differently because they respond differently to discipline, attitudes, even food on the table.  “One size does not fit all.”

 It does not take long to trace every social problem to the root. Pick one: poverty, poor education, crime, drug use.  The root is simple: the breakdown of the family.  Do you know what the #1 cause of childhood poverty in America is? Unwed motherhood.

Check back tomorrow for the conclusion of this series of posts on Taxes.

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Taxes, Part 1 (A Sermon)

Special Guest Contributor: Rev. Michael Hudson
Preached on April 29, 2012

1) As I read a little bit of the history of the Midway Society and especially their contribution to the founding of our nation, I thought I would preach about a spiritual issue that sent Dr. Lyman Hall and Button Gwinnett from here toPhiladelphiato sign the Declaration of Independence 236 years ago. A spiritual issue that gave birth to our nation.  A spiritual issue that affected everyone one of your ancestors that lived here and will affect every one of your descendants for generations.

 2) That spiritual issue is: taxes.  Read Mark 12:13-17.  Taxes have always been a controversy for preachers.  Some people get upset when you talk about money from the pulpit, how much more so if you talk about taxes?  Which is exactly why the Pharisees ask Jesus this question.  They want to get Him in trouble.  It is a trap.

 But Jesus doesn’t do what most of us do (avoid the issue) He answers the question.  “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”  Well, the Lord’s answer leaves us to ask a few follow up questions.  “What is Caesar’s? And what is God’s?”

 3) Let’s start with easiest question, “What is God’s?”  The answer is obviously, “everything.”  Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”  It is all God’s.  We are just stewards of His creation.  All the gifts (materials, talents, breath in our lungs to the beat in our hearts) that we possess are really His and we will give an account of how we used them on judgment day.  (For further reading see Matthew 25:14-30, Parable of the Talents.)

 Did we use all of our resources to glorify Him and expand His kingdom or not?  So what does God require of us with these resources? Jesus summed it up nicely, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. And love your neighbor as yourself. (Mark 12:30-31)  In the Old Testament, the prophet Micah put it this way,  “What does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

 4) Now, what is Caesar’s?  What is owed to the government?  I’m sure you’ve seen the bumper sticker, “If 10% good enough for God, good enough for the IRS.”  In order to answer that question we need to know what God has established government to do.

Romans 13:1-7.  ¹ Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. ² Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. ³ For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. ⁴ For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. ⁵ Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.

 ⁶ This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. ⁷ Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

4a) God establishes government for maintaining justice in society.  Commend those who do what is right and punish those who do wrong.  You see the Bible says that all of us are sinners.  Left to ourselves we have a natural inclination to sin and do evil.  We are not basically good.  The Bible calls this condition of humanity original sin.  (See Romans 7:14-25). 

 God gives us government for the benefit of society to bring order from chaos, provide the rule of law and ensure justice is done among the people.  We pay taxes to pay for the courts, police, prisons, salaries, maintain defense, roads, etc. 

 The preamble to the United States Constitution gives us the reason our founders established our government.

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

God institutes government for these reasons and we owe Caesar for these services. 

Check back tomorrow for Part 2 of Taxes

Click here if you would like to read Mike Hudson’s article on social justice.

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The Gospel to the Poor, Part 1

by Timothy Keller at The Worldview Church

The original question I was asked to address was “How does our commitment to the primacy of the gospel tie into our obligation to do good to all, especially those of the household of faith, to serve as salt and light in the world, to do good to the city?” I will divide this question into two parts: (1) If we are committed to the primacy of the gospel, does the gospel itself serve as the basis and motivation for ministry to the poor? (2) If so, how then does that ministry relate to the proclamation of the gospel?

Click here to read the whole article.

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Transforming the World: Reclaiming Our Methodist Legacy, Part 3

by Dale Tedder
click here to read Part 1
click here to read Part 2

Story #2

To begin our next story, we need to fast-forward about 1,700 years. John Wesley was born on June 17, 1703, in the small town of Epworth in northeastern England. Here are just a few descriptive phrases about this England into which John Wesley was born.

England had just come out of a bloody civil war. Political tensions were high. There was extreme poverty.

 Regular employment was uncertain. Housing was often inadequate and unaffordable.

 Pure drinking water was scarce. Food was in short supply. Disease was rampant.

 Alcohol, violence, prostitution, and gambling were popular means to escape feelings of desperation and hopelessness.

 Children as young as four or five were employed as chimney sweeps or in mines and factories. Life was insecure. (I got these excerpts from a biography of Wesley’s life by Charles Yrigoyen. Its title is, John Wesley: Holiness of Heart & Life. It’s a great biography and could be used very profitably in a small group.)

 That was the condition of England that still existed as John Wesley began his ministry. It has some pretty remarkable similarities to our own day, doesn’t it?

I wish I could spend a few hours with you telling you all that Wesley preached and did. But here’s the short version of his ministry (and this is key): He preached the whole Gospel for the whole person.

He didn’t preach merely a Gospel message that promised heaven once you died. It, of course, included that… but it was much bigger than that. He preached a Gospel – the biblical Gospel – that changed lives in the here and now.

And as people were won for Christ, Wesley made sure that they were discipled. That means that he encouraged them to get involved in what we would call Bible studies, small groups, accountability groups. It would be in those settings that they would worship God, study his Word, take communion, pray for each other, hold each other accountable for growing in holiness.

As the Apostle Peter would put it, they were seeking to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Wesley gave these early Methodists “General Rules” that served to keep them moving in the right direction. Our church family here at Southside studied a basic summary and explanation of those rules a few years ago when we all read the book, Three Simple Rules, by Rueben Job. I want to share just a few of these rules so that you can get a sense of what was being emphasized…

“It is therefore expected of all who continue therein that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,

 First: By doing no harm, by avoiding evil of every kind, especially that which is most generally practiced, such as:

• The taking of the name of God in vain.
• Drunkenness:
• Slaveholding; buying or selling slaves.
• Fighting, quarreling, brawling, brother going to law with brother; returning evil for evil,
• The giving or taking things on usury—i.e., unlawful interest.
• Uncharitable or unprofitable conversation;
• Doing to others as we would not they should do unto us.
• Doing what we know is not for the glory of God, as:

 It is expected of all who continue in these societies that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,

 Secondly: By doing good; by being in every kind merciful after their power; as they have opportunity, doing good of every possible sort, and, as far as possible, to all men:

• To their bodies, of the ability which God giveth, by giving food to the hungry, by clothing the naked, by visiting or helping them that are sick or in prison.
• To their souls, by instructing, reproving, or exhorting all we have any intercourse with;
• By doing good, especially to them that are of the household of faith; helping each other in business,.
• By running with patience the race which is set before them, denying themselves, and taking up their cross daily;

 It is expected of all who desire to continue in these societies that they should continue to evidence their desire of salvation,

 Thirdly: By attending upon all the ordinances of God; such are:

• The public worship of God.
• The ministry of the Word, either read or expounded.
• The Supper of the Lord.
• Family and private prayer.
• Searching the Scriptures.
• Fasting

 Now let me ask you something: What might happen to a city where genuinely Spirit-empowered, Spirit-guided people were faithfully and regularly practicing these things? Well, I’ll tell you what happened in England. It turned England upside down, just like it began to do in Rome 1,700 years earlier.

The Methodist movement, according to secular historians with no special fondness for the church, saved England from the same bloody revolution that happened in France.

But there was a cost. There’s always a cost of discipleship… which is why Jesus wants us to count the cost before we commit our lives to him.

These disciples of Jesus Christ, called Methodists, were insulted, slandered, attacked in newspapers. And just like what happened in Thessalonica 1,700 years before… mobs physically attacks them. They were beaten, their houses were burned down, their property was stolen: Simply because they were Methodists!

And so, what happened? Did they give up and return to their old ways of living? Far from it! Methodists grew in faith and numbers. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was declared in more places with greater impact. Lives were changed. That little corner of the world called England was transformed. What a great witness for Christ!

As I draw to a close, let me leave you with two big ideas.

Scripture says that the early disciples turned their world upside down with the message of the Gospel and that lives were changed by it. History shows us that John Wesley and the early Methodists turned their world upside down with the message of the Gospel and that lives were changed by it.

And so here’s my first big idea: The Gospel of the Kingdom doesn’t actually turn the world upside down. It turns it right-side up!

You see, our fallen, sinful, broken world is already upside down. It’s values, beliefs, attitudes, desires, actions –and all the rest – are contrary to those of God’s Kingdom. Jesus came to set things right – in every sphere of life.

But that far-reaching, socially impacting, worldwide transformation that we all want has to first begin in the hearts of individuals. Each of us must become new creatures in Christ who will faithfully follow him as his disciples. Only then, as we take our new life – our new values, beliefs, attitudes, desires, and actions – with us, wherever we go, can we transform the world… or at least our little corner of it.

It starts with us. It moves to our families. It affects our church, our workplaces, our friendships, our community, our city, our state, our country, and eventually our world. But we have to first start where we are. We have to first be faithful where we are.

That’s my first big idea.

Here’s my second big idea: As followers of Jesus Christ, and spiritual descendents of the Apostle Paul and John Wesley, this is YOUR spiritual legacy as United Methodists. You see, their stories belong to you. In fact, this is YOUR story. You are a part of it.

And so, let me ask you this: What legacy will you leave to those who follow you? How will you keep the story going?

Grace and Truth,
Dale

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Transforming the World: Reclaiming Our Methodist Legacy, Part 2

by Dale Tedder
click here to read Part 1

Story #1

Our first story beings with Paul and his companions, who had just come from Philippi. In fact, they had just gotten out of prison there and had been escorted out of the city by the officials. Their next stop was going to be Thessalonica, which was about 100 miles away. On their way there, they passed through a couple of cities, Amphipolis and Apollonia, staying at each only to spend the night before heading out the next morning.

When they arrived in Thessalonica, Paul began his usual routine of going to the local synagogue of the city. Why did he go there first? Take a look at verses 2 and 3…

As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, [3] explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he said.

 Paul was a Jew. His heart was for his fellow Jews. He loved them. So even though he was called to be the Apostle to the Gentiles, he just couldn’t help himself. He would always go to his own people first. What did he do with them? He reasoned with them. He taught and preached from the Old Testament. He used it to explain and prove that Jesus was just who he said he was… and that the prophecies in the Old Testament were fulfilled in Christ.

Furthermore, he showed them that Christ had to suffer and die on the Cross for the sins of the world – but that he had to also rise from the dead for our salvation. Paul proclaimed that Jesus of Nazareth was no less than the Christ – the Messiah of God.

Beloved, this is the Gospel of Jesus Christ… the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. The Gospel first calls us to turn away from our own sin – our fallen, broken, and selfish thinking, desires, words, actions, and attitudes.

It also calls us to trust in Christ alone to forgive us, to save us, to heal us, to mend us, lead us, and to make us holy. That’s the Gospel… and that’s what Paul preached and taught in Thessalonica… and people responded. Take a look at verse 4…

Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.

 People responded. Lives were changed. Supernaturally speaking, disciples of Jesus Christ had been made.

But, as often is the case, some folks weren’t happy about this. In fact, where the Gospel is preached and where God is doing a great work of deliverance, there will often be opposition.

Take a look at verse 5…

But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.

 You see, the Jews weren’t at all happy about this work of Paul and company… nor the message they proclaimed. So they got the meanest, toughest, nastiest folks they could find to stir up trouble for Paul and Silas and their newest converts. Thessalonica was something of a harbor town. There were plenty of drifters roaming around the market place with a lot of time on their hands. It wouldn’t have been a great effort to round up and “encourage” some of these folks to cause a little trouble for Paul and company.

And that’s exactly what they did.

But there was a problem. Paul and Silas evidently got word of this and got out of there. And so the mob did the next best thing. They grabbed Jason and a few others. Jason was one of the converts who was hosting Paul and Silas. It seems that Jason and some of his new brothers in Christ were guilty by association.

At any rate, I’ve now arrived at the whole reason I chose this text. Let me read verse 6 for you…

But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here,

 Those who have “caused trouble all over the world”… have now come here.

That translation from the NIV is my least favorite. Here are a few other translations of that verse that help to capture what was being said…

These men who have upset the world have come here also; (NASB)

 These people are out to destroy the world, and now they’ve shown up on our doorstep, attacking everything we hold dear! (The Message)

 Here’s my favorite…

These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, (ESV and KJV)

 What were they referring to? How could this little insignificant group of people do anything to the mighty Roman Empire? They weren’t even armed. Or were they?

They were indeed. They were armed with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which Paul tells us, is the power of God for the salvation for Jews and Gentiles alike. And everywhere that disciples of Jesus Christ went throughout the Roman Empire, both Jews and Gentiles were being transformed into new creatures in Christ. Their lives were changing. Their values were becoming different. Their new beliefs were colliding with their old beliefs.

They were upsetting the established comfort zone. The kingdom of this world was being turned upside down with the message and order of a new kingdom.

Look at the second part of verse 7…

“They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.”

 Do you see what their accusers were doing? The same charge that was brought against our Lord Jesus – namely treason against Caesar and the Empire – was now being leveled against Paul and Silas. They were accusing them of declaring that there was a new king, one called Jesus. They knew that was the way to get Rome’s attention.

Well, after the city officials decided that there was no reason to hold Jason and his companions, they basically made Jason promise that Paul wouldn’t preach anymore… or at least until they were out of office. Paul probably wasn’t happy about having to leave, but he seems to have honored Jason’s promise and left for a season. Of course we know from the two New Testament books, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, that Paul had an extended relationship with them. This doesn’t appear to be his only time there. That’s the first story I wanted to share with you.

We’ll take a look at Story #2 tomorrow.

Grace and Truth,
Dale

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