A GOOD PLAGUE

November 5

Bible Reading: Acts 24:4-9

Acts 24:5, “For we have found this man a plague.”

Plagues such as cholera, the bubonic plague, smallpox, and influenza have killed between 300-500 million people in human history.  In the recent COVID pandemic, we’ve our own experience with the horrors and widespread suffering associated with such brutal killers.  Plagues are something we all want to stay far away from.

Tertullus deemed the Apostle Paul to be a “plague.”  The term he used in describing Paul was used literally in secular Greek most often to describe a deadly pestilence or any infectious malady.  His point was that Paul, by his mere existence, was a malignant threat to public well-being. This even though no one on earth, except for Jesus Himself, had done more to elevate the well-being of folks than the Apostle Paul through his preaching of the good news.

Vance Havner commented on this: “Wherever Paul went, there was either a riot or a revival! So, in a sense the charge has some truth, but it was not Paul who was guilty but the Jews who opposed his Gospel message! Indeed, the Gospel does ‘stir up’ the status quo in the lives of sinners! So, remember that Paul is on trial for preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We need not be surprised when we proclaim the Gospel to others, that they in a sense ‘put us on trial’ for the Gospel stirs up folks, especially religious folks who are satisfied with their ritual without a relationship with God.”

By this time in the Acts account, Paul had already written the following to the Corinthians: “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life” (2 Corinthians 2:14-16).  Paul in his ministry was “the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved;” a beautiful “fragrance from life to life.”  But those rejecting the gospel sense things differently, for in their refusal of Jesus, all that is left to them is the awful scent of the plague that is associated with their pending judgment.  The gospel message is the sole answer to the plague of sin that besets humanity.  It is a glorious message that brings glory to God!

“You cannot be neutral to Jesus Christ. There is no neutrality in dealing with Jesus. If you are not for him, you are against him.”—John Piper

THERE’S ROOM AT THE CROSS FOR YOU
The cross upon which Jesus died
Is a shelter in which we can hide
And its grace so free is sufficient for me
And deep is its fountain as wide as the sea.

Refrain:
There’s room at the cross for you
There’s room at the cross for you
Though millions have come, there’s still room for one
Yes there’s room at the cross for you.

Though millions have found him a friend
And have turned from the sins they have sinned
The Savior still waits to open the gates
And welcome a sinner before it’s too late. [Refrain]

The hand of my Savior is strong
And the love of my Savior is long
Through sunshine or rain, through loss or in gain,
The blood flows from Calvary to cleanse every stain. [Refrain]

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Author: looking2jesus13

Jerry L. Conklin was born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years in the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He was assigned to the USS *Omaha* (SSN-692), a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, where he served as a reactor-plant electrical operator. His military service took him to ports and locations throughout the world and provided extensive technical training, leadership experience, and an enduring appreciation for those who serve in the Armed Forces. Following his Navy service, Jerry earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Technology from Thomas Edison State University. He worked at the Trojan Nuclear Plant near Rainier, Oregon, first as a reactor operator and later as a training specialist. After sensing God’s call to pastoral ministry, he left the nuclear-power industry and earned a master’s degree in theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Jerry served for twenty-seven and a half years as senior pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, Oregon. During those years, he preached and taught the Scriptures, provided pastoral counseling, performed weddings and memorial services, trained church leaders, and served individuals and families throughout the community. He also served as a fire department chaplain and participated in a variety of community ministries. After retiring from full-time pastoral ministry, Jerry and his wife, Laura, moved to Heppner, Oregon. There he served for approximately four years as a chaplain with Pioneer Memorial Home Health and Hospice, providing spiritual and emotional support to more than 150 patients and their families. In 2023, the Oregon Association for Home Care honored him as its Chaplain of the Year. Jerry also helped establish South Morrow County Seniors Matter, a nonprofit organization created to address the needs of older adults following the COVID-19 pandemic. As chairman, he worked with community leaders and volunteers to develop a weekly senior meal program, a monthly veterans’ lunch, and other activities and services. The organization served hundreds of seniors, mobilized more than 200 volunteers, and received statewide and national recognition. In 2025, Jerry was named Heppner’s Man of the Year, and his community service was later recognized by United States Senator Jeff Merkley. International missions have also been an important part of Jerry’s ministry. He has made ten trips to Uganda, where he has taught at pastors’ conferences, preached in churches, participated in Bible-school graduations, distributed Bibles and Christian materials, and encouraged local pastors and ministry leaders. He developed the discipleship booklet *First Steps with Jesus* to help new believers understand and grow in their faith. Jerry is the author of numerous books, Bible studies, devotionals, and teaching resources, including works centered on prayer, Christian hope, spiritual growth, and the person of Jesus Christ. His decades of preaching and teaching reflect his commitment to presenting biblical truth clearly, practically, and faithfully. Jerry and Laura were married for nearly forty-two years and raised four children. They were also blessed with three grandchildren. Laura passed away in August 2025 following an eight-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Jerry currently lives in Hillsboro, where he helps care for his elderly father. He continues to preach, teach, write, and serve others through pastoral and community ministry.

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