Friends in High Places

Acts 12:23 ESV

Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.

It was to be a great day for Herod the Agrippa. He got all dressed up and walked out giving a stirring oratory to a group of people longing to make him happy. His political maneuvers had succeeded in bringing them to a place they were willing to “bend the knee” or “scratch his back” as it were. (He denied them food in the midst of a famine, Acts 11:28; Acts 12:20) At this very moment his life was taken from him because he sought the glory for himself. In the midst of Superbowl season and the end of Bowl season, as I see multiple athletes basking in the cheers and screams of the crowd, I wonder why Herod was so singled out. How many times have I sought my own glory with the gifts that God has given me, for his? Apart from God’s grace I am no better than Herod, my motives are not purer, apart from God working in me. God chose at this moment to judge Herod and found him unworthy of life, eternal or otherwise.

The section ends with Barnabas and Saul returning to Antioch having delivered the collection for the famine to the church in Jerusalem (Acts 11:30). The narration of events seems to simply move on with the growth of the church as Barnabas and Saul are called by God in the midst of Worship and fasting with the elders in Antioch. In the midst of this list of elders one name sticks out, Manaen. It sticks out not because of anything more than he was “a life long friend of Herod the tetrarch” (Acts 13:1 ESV). As friend counts skyrocket on Facebook a great amount of research has been done on the shrinking number of friends people have. Given how often young people are required to move for jobs and the age of those that no longer have to move the idea of having a life long friend still with us is one hard to understand in our current culture. A friend who we have played with, fought with, competed with and against, worked with, raised children with, all from the earliest memory we have. This is a life long friend.

We don’t know how much time transpired between chapter 12 of Acts and Chapter 13, but we know that Manaen was one of the teachers in Antioch. I imagine such a role in the church was not quickly won. Given Paul’s direction against new converts taking leadership I would assume Manaen was an established Christian at the time of Herod Agrippa’s death. He had watched Herod Agrippa rise from close at hand. Manaen had been raised in Herod the Great’s court. He knew the life and trouble of the nephew of his friend Herod Antipas. Maybe even watched him betray Antipas ending Antipas’ reign. How many times had Manaen tried to bring the Gospel to bare on the family of Herod? To know and be raised with the man that would mock the Christ during his passion. It is one thing to pray for your leaders it is another when you know them. To feel for them and hurt for them with a depth and hopelessness because you have known them so long, recognizing that the soap opera of their lives has dire consequences that they can’t see.

As we look into the lives of our leaders. Setting once again on the precipice of change, having to make choices between men, and women, of less than ideal character, it is a struggle for us to find much hope. I look at Manaen and wonder how many are converted in high places? How many Christians sit in the administration of both sides, and I find hope. They may never have rule, or power as we would like, but they bless and serve as they are able. Let us not grow hopeless and know we serve a great God who converts the rich and poor alike, who judges men unworthy of life, and to others gives the grace of eternal life.

CRUCE, DUM SPIRO, FIDO