Series: Advancing
Message: All I Do Is Win . . .
Preacher: Japhet De Oliveira
Reflection: Sam Millen
Live Wonder: Jessyka Albert
Live Adventure: Jessyka Albert
Live Purpose: Jason Calvert
Editor: Becky De Oliveira
Refresh: Open with prayer. Ask for the Holy Spirit to open your heart to new understanding and for God’s character to be revealed.
Read: Acts 9:1–9 in the New Living Translation (NLT). Note 1–3 insights or questions.
Reflect: We find in this passage a surprising example of gender equality. Reflecting on Acts 9:1–9, the Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Garrison points out how Saul arrested both men and women (Acts 8:3, 9:2). “Generally, in first century Palestine, and especially within the religious debates of the day, women didn’t matter much. The fact that Luke, the author of Acts, notes that Paul was out to arrest both sexes shows the power and prestige women had in the early church.”
Garrison goes on: “We know women were helping finance Jesus’ ministry [Luke 8:1–3]. Women were there at the crucifixion, they were the ones that stuck around when most of the disciples had fled [Matthew 27:55, Mark 15:40, Luke 23:27 and 23:29; John 19:25-27]. They were present at the open tomb and at many of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances [Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1, Luke 24:5, John 20:1]. They were there in the Upper Room at the coming of the Spirit on Pentecost [Acts 1:14].”
I am embarrassed to admit how, even as a seminarian, I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of women being ordained to pastoral ministry. I was raised to believe that although men and women may be equal, each gender has different roles in the home and the church. It wasn’t until a classmate at Andrews University challenged me with the reality of how we are fine with women occupying all of the church offices except one—pastor—that I began to rethink my position. This office is not listed separately. It is right there among all the others. “So Christ Himself gave the apostles [Junia], the prophets [Deborah, Miriam, Huldah, Anna], the evangelists [the Samaritan woman], the pastors [ _______ ] and teachers [Priscilla], to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11–13, NIV).
It was a conversation in a parking lot at Andrews University I will never forget. I finally realized how unwarranted my prejudice had been and have tried to encourage women in ministry ever since. I want to apologize to my sisters in Christ for not always being supportive. Thank you for showing so much grace. You have been called to suffer for Christ, but not to carry an added burden. We are called to serve together and to suffer together.
Recalibrate: When was the last time you realized you were wrong? Have you tried to make things right?
Respond: Let a female pastor know how much you appreciate her willingness to serve and suffer for Christ.
Research: Read “The Biblical Case for Ordaining Women” (Chapter 4) in Surprised by Scripture by N.T. Wright.
Recharge: Wonder/Adventure/Purpose
What are some ways that you see your child is created in the image of God? Share those attributes and pray a prayer of thankfulness for the love and devotion that God has for your little one.
Have you ever been told you couldn’t do something because you were a boy or a girl? What was it? Do you think that Jesus would ever tell you something like that? Thank God today that He made you in his image.
The enemy God chose to chase and embrace mentioned yesterday is a dude named Saul. Now Saul's religion literally put people in chains leading to their death—he was basically a religious
extremist terrorist. And this is the man God chose to chase and embrace. How’d God do it? He literally knocked him to the ground to get his attention. Once on the ground, Jesus called him by name. Why do you think Jesus invaded Saul’s life in such a dramatic way? What does this say about God’s love? God’s plan for our lives? Have you ever wondered why sometimes God seems to allow perceived “bad things” to happen? How easy is it for God to get your attention? It is your attention He’s choosing to chase. Jesus called Saul by name. How is He calling you? Right now? What would it look and sound like for you to look at and listen to Jesus today?