9:1 - He is breathing threats and murder against people...and he considers it godly work! When confronted with the gospel of Jesus Christ, everything changes...he becomes a man who faces violence against his person with prayers for his abusers and praises on his lips. The message of Jesus Christ is foolishness to the world, but it is powerful - it is far more powerful than oppressive violence...Paul understood that after his conversion. It is dangerous for us as Christians to get into the mindset of forcing people to believe what we believe through power...whether that be in the voting booth or through the legal system. Christianity thrives when it is lived out as unshakable love- unmovable faith...in the face of persecution and worldly oppression. The power is stripped from the sacrificial servant message of Jesus when we become the dominators trying to force people to bend to our will.
9:16 - Those are some real words of comfort. But there should be comfort in the fact that we know what we have to face. If we truly live as followers of Christ - we will suffer for the sake of his name. We will give up things we like...live according to a different standard than the rest of the world...we will be mocked and considered ridiculous for our beliefs...we will suffer, but that is part of what it means to take on the name of Christ. As a Christ follower, we are plugged into the way and the hope and the life that comes along with Jesus, but we are also plugged into the suffering and the sacrifice of Jesus. Paul transitions from a Jewish belief system with a code of behavior that you can save yourself with and look down on others because of...into a belief system where man seeks to humble himself and understands that he will never be good enough, but he will always be loved.
9:20ff - I love how Paul just goes...he understands he was wrong, and he completely pulls a 180. Everything changes. He came to imprison Christians and a few days later he is converted people into Christianity. He doesn't wait for proper training or get a few years under his belt before he begins evangelizing...he just does it - immediately.
9:39 - I think this is beautiful, and it always makes me ask, "What is my legacy?" When I have gone on - will people notice a difference, because I was reflecting Jesus Christ into the lives of people I came in contact with?
1 comment:
I love this idea that the movement for Christ is a whole lot more effective when it is done because of love and faith and not because it is being forced on people with power. Father, continue to use me as you see fit. Continue to teach me about love, and help me to have a faith that people can see, that it may lead them to a deeper connection with you, Father.
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