Search

Type your text, and hit enter to search:
Close This site uses cookies. If you continue to use the site you agree to this. For more details please see our cookies policy.

40 Days Blog - Day 38 

Acts 25:1-26:32 Before Festus & King Agrippa

 

Response and Responsibility

Two years in captivity have passed - The Roman Governship has been handed over to Festus and within days he finds that he has to sort out ‘the problem of Paul’.  The Jews in Jerusalem still want Paul silenced once and for all, but Festus wisely and reasonably convenes a proper court on his own turf. Clearly Festus is bewildered by what he sees as an internal matter for their own faith. Paul, however, takes the opportunity to ‘Appeal to Caesar” and have his case heard in Rome taking it out of the hands and influence of the Jews.
 
The second hearing, before Agrippa is important.  The Gospel was proclaimed very clearly to this, the very last Jewish King. The message of the King of Heaven was given to the last earthy king of the Jews.  But Agrippa rejected it.
 
Can you picture the dramatic scenes here? The frustration of Festus; the pomp of Agrippa’s entourage arriving at court; and Paul standing before them in chains telling his story?

Response

The response of the Governor and the King reminds us that not all will believe the Good News.  Wherever the Gospel is proclaimed, some will hear and believe, some will reject it, some will be bewildered.  Jesus said as much. We should not be disheartened by that, but rather continue faithfully to proclaim it. The Spirit applies the Gospel to the hearts and consciences of people. 
 
In speaking to Agrippa (a Jew) Paul tellingly asks “Why should any of you find it incredible that God raises the dead?”  25:26.
 
Why indeed?  If God can create an intricate universe beyond our comprehension - why should he be unable to manage this? His account of his own conversion (the third time we hear it in Acts) is tailored for specifically for Agrippa’s ears and understanding.
 
Festus thinks Paul is mad.  Agrippa dismisses him as ‘trying to make me a Christian in a short  time.’
 
But Paul’s statement in verse 25 stands out.
Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.

Responsibility

Sometimes we are in for the long haul. Our responsibility remains to spread the word as Jesus commanded. Paul’s longing is that all would hear and respond to the Gospel.
 
Agrippa’s comment that Paul could have gone free if he had not appealed to Rome, might make us think that Paul made a mistake in making this appeal.  Yet he had wanted to go to Rome and meet the Christians there for a long time - and in the context of 2 year’s incarceration and delay this might be the very opportunity he had been waiting for. Again we see the Spirit moving in the action bringing about God’s purpose.
 
Today as we near the end of our 40 days of prayer pray specifically for response in the community to the truth of the Gospel. Pray that it will be received and understood.  We are praying for revival, renewal and regrowth.
 
Psalm 105 (1-3)
Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

 
Prayer
Lord thank you that there is nothing that you cannot do.  We pray for this community again and for the progress of your Gospel in the hearts of its people.  We pray that there will be renewal of understanding and response to your Gospel; we pray that there will be be revival in people’s hearts as they listen to and accept the truth we proclaim; we pray that there will be regrowth in our church and the Christian community in the towns and villages round us.  In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Glenys
Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Hello 

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

The church meets every Sunday at 9.30am at Drumclog and 11am at Avendale.

Sunday worship continues to be live-streamed from Avendale each Sunday at 11am on the Avendale & Drumclog YouTube Channel

At Drumclog we meet at:
Drumclog Memorial Kirk
Drumclog
South Lanarkshire
ML10 6QG

At Avendale we meet at:
Avendale Old Parish Church
59A Kirk Street
Strathaven
South Lanarkshire
ML10 6LB


For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you should be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it at both Avendale & Drumclog. Please let one of the Welcome Team know on your arrival and they will help you to get set up and show you where the disabled toilet is located if required.

Our Service - Drumclog Memorial Kirk

                                        Drumclog

At Drumclog, the service begins at 9.30am with a warm welcome from our Minister, or the person leading the service. During the service we usually sing 2 or 3 songs/hymns. The Minister or a member of the Worship Team will usually read aloud from the Bible and lead the congregation in prayer. This might seem strange the first time you hear it but it’s all part of our connecting with God. The Minister, or person leading the service, will then give a sermon that is Bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life. We then share news and notices, usually about what’s going on in the life of the church.

The service lasts approximately 45 minutes.  Sometimes there is an opportunity to receive prayer at the end of the service.  After the service we serve refreshments (tea, coffee and biscuits) in our church hall.  This is a great way to meet people and enjoy fellowship together.  We would love to chat to you there!

Our Service - Avendale Old Parish Church

                                       Avendale Wide

At Avendale, the service begins at 11am with a warm welcome from our Minister, or the person leading the service.  Before the service begins, we will show a loop of news and notices on the screens in the church.  This is a good way to find out what's going on in the life of the church.  During the service we usually sing 3 or 4 songs/hymns, often led by our church praise band 'The Elastic Band'.  The Minister or a member of the Worship Team will usually read aloud from the Bible and lead the congregation in prayer.  This might seem strange the first time you hear it but it's all part of our connecting with God.  The Minister, or person leading the service, will then give a sermon that is Bible based and that we can apply to our everyday life.  Throughout the service, we may also show videos on the screens in the church to help us reflect on what is being shared during worship or in the sermon.  We then share news and notices, usually about what's going on in the life of the church.

The service last approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.  After the service we serve refreshments (tea, coffee and biscuits) in our church hall.  This is a great way to meet people and enjoy fellowship together.  We would love to chat to you there!

images: Services

What about my kids?

At Avendale, we have a great programme lined up for kids of all ages:

  • Creche (0 months to 4 years). Children under 6 months are welcome but must be accompanied by their parent/carer at all times.
  • His Kids (5-10 years)
  • Yoof (11-18 years)

Children stay with their parent or carer at the start of the service for the welcome, songs and short Children's Talk. We really value worshipping God all together as a family. At the end of the Children's Talk, someone will announce that it’s time for the younger members to go to their various groups. You will need to go with your children to their groups and register them as part of our child safety policy the first time you come along to church.

The kids group activities vary depending on the age but usually there is a friendly welcome, Bible stories, testimonies, praying, music, craft, drama, fun games and free play. Please pick your children up as soon as the service finishes.

For more information about what happens in the children's and youth work please visit the Children's Ministry page and/or the Youth Ministry page.

N.B. - there is no children's programme or youth programme during the service at Drumclog.

Children

Getting Connected


Home Groups

While Sundays are a great way to meet new people, it is often in smaller gatherings that you can really get to know someone. Being part of one of our Home Groups allows you to make new friends, share together and support each other. We have a variety of groups that meet throughout the week, some afternoons and some evenings. Check out our Home Groups page and see if there’s one that you could join, or we can put you in touch with a Home Group leader who will be more than happy to invite you along to their group.  If you would like us to put you in touch with a Home Group leader, please let us know via our Contact Us page.

Serving and Volunteering

If you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team here

Other Ministries

We also run the following ministries:

Other Groups in the Avendale & Drumclog Community

The following groups are also part of the life of our church:
 
Get in touch with us to plan your visit
If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome! Get in touch and we can arrange a time that suits you.
 
Name:
Telephone:
Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

Next, we will contact you by email to say hello and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.
 

Leadership 

Calum Stark (1)   David Moreland
Rev Calum Stark - Minister   David Moreland - Session Clerk
     
To find out more about our staff and leaders, please visit our Staff & Leadership page.
We hope that whoever you are, you will feel at home at our church.

Best Wishes

Calum Stark - Minister