Main Point and Overview:
The Apostle Paul knew from the beginning that when Jesus called him to Gospel ministry, his purpose would include great suffering. In fact, every time he suffered, he used it as a catalyst for preaching the Gospel. He didn’t see comfort or security as his top priority. Some may say that he was reckless in how he lived; I prefer to say that he was relentless in what he believed. Ultimately, toward the end of his 3rd missionary journey, he began making his way back to Jerusalem. Many of his closest friends would warn him that there were people waiting there for the opportunity to kill him. That reality did not derail him from what he believed he was meant to do. When he returned to Jerusalem, there were even rumors swirling around about his leadership. Some Jews believed that he was dismissing their customs all the way to the point of telling other Jews not to have their children circumcised. Of course, these were unfounded rumors that needed to be squashed, so Paul was willing to do “whatever it took” to keep from unnecessarily offending others. Remember, these Jews were committed to Jesus by faith alone, but they still believed in the importance of following their traditional customs. Soon after solving this debate about Paul’s Jewish loyalty, he was arrested again. What’s amazing about what happened next is that Paul demonstrated that he was willing to experience this pain for yet another Gospel platform. This time, he used his Roman citizenship to force both Jews and Romans to listen to his “defense,” which was ultimately his testimony of salvation in Jesus. He was always willing to do whatever it took to gain an audience, not so he could speak of himself, but so he could speak of the Christ who revolutionized his life. Once a religious zealot, he was now a “slave” of Jesus! The question has to be asked: how do we handle pushbacks against our faith? Are we quick to hide or defend ourselves? Are we quick to lash out in anger against an antagonistic culture? That is the farthest thing from what Paul did! Paul was always calm, collected, and in control of his words and actions. Are we willing to experience some personal pain in culture for a greater purpose?
The Apostle Paul knew from the beginning that when Jesus called him to Gospel ministry, his purpose would include great suffering. In fact, every time he suffered, he used it as a catalyst for preaching the Gospel. He didn’t see comfort or security as his top priority. Some may say that he was reckless in how he lived; I prefer to say that he was relentless in what he believed. Ultimately, toward the end of his 3rd missionary journey, he began making his way back to Jerusalem. Many of his closest friends would warn him that there were people waiting there for the opportunity to kill him. That reality did not derail him from what he believed he was meant to do. When he returned to Jerusalem, there were even rumors swirling around about his leadership. Some Jews believed that he was dismissing their customs all the way to the point of telling other Jews not to have their children circumcised. Of course, these were unfounded rumors that needed to be squashed, so Paul was willing to do “whatever it took” to keep from unnecessarily offending others. Remember, these Jews were committed to Jesus by faith alone, but they still believed in the importance of following their traditional customs. Soon after solving this debate about Paul’s Jewish loyalty, he was arrested again. What’s amazing about what happened next is that Paul demonstrated that he was willing to experience this pain for yet another Gospel platform. This time, he used his Roman citizenship to force both Jews and Romans to listen to his “defense,” which was ultimately his testimony of salvation in Jesus. He was always willing to do whatever it took to gain an audience, not so he could speak of himself, but so he could speak of the Christ who revolutionized his life. Once a religious zealot, he was now a “slave” of Jesus! The question has to be asked: how do we handle pushbacks against our faith? Are we quick to hide or defend ourselves? Are we quick to lash out in anger against an antagonistic culture? That is the farthest thing from what Paul did! Paul was always calm, collected, and in control of his words and actions. Are we willing to experience some personal pain in culture for a greater purpose?
Posted in Devotional