I shared in a previous post how that my desire for this year is to really get to know God ~ how that I want to forget about past circumstances ~ whether they be good or bad ~ and focus on the day at hand.
This past Sunday, the sermon was about the Apostle Paul's conversion ~ more specifically the transformation that occurred immediately after the event.
Here was a man whose pedigree was impeccable by Jewish standards ~ a full-blooded Hebrew whose family descended from the tribe of Benjamin ~ the tribe that boasted the town of Bethlehem, the birthplace of King David ~ a tribe that stayed loyal to David's throne when the other tribes rebelled. He was educated at the feet of Gamaliel, a renowned and highly respected doctor of the Jewish Law in the Sanhedrin. He was also a Pharisee, one of the most strict, "religious" sects of the Jewish faith. He was zealous for the Jewish faith, going as far as to persecute and even kill Christians. He was considered to be "blameless", which means he observed the finest points of the Law. He knew and practiced the rules of the rabbi. He was considered to be beyond reproach. In other words, he scored 100% in Judaism.
However, that changed in an instant when he met Jesus. His view of Christianity changed as he was blinded by Christ's glory. His pride melted into brokenness. His former zeal did a 180 as he began to preach Jesus the crucified. Again, Philippians chapter 3 was the scripture for the day.
"...and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.
and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith;
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death...
...but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
What stood out to me was that Paul didn't let other people's perception of him alter his course. When he returned to Jerusalem after his conversion, the disciples didn't believe his conversion and were afraid of him because of his past. Paul could have easily gotten discouraged and given up. He could have gotten angry and returned to the prestige of his former position.
However, now that he belonged to Jesus, God had a specific plan for his life. Barnabas, known as the son of encouragement, befriend Paul. He took him at his word and pleaded his case to the brethren. The KJV Bible Commentary states, "Paul spent the bulk of his life as a loner. He was one solitary man on a dedicated mission to the Gentiles. But when a friend was needed, God always saw to it that a friend was there." Because of Barnabas' declarations, the leaders accepted Paul, even to the point of later whisking him away to his hometown in Turkey when the Jews wanted to kill him.
Because of Paul's conversion, the church "weathered its first great storm of persecution, withstood its first great critics, and won its first great adversary, Saul of Tarsus." (The KJV Bible Commentary)
Which brings me back to my first point. God is truly speaking to me through this passage. In less than 2 weeks, this scripture has been taught.
No matter what my past victories or failings, I want to "know him, and the power of his resurrection"...
and be in hot pursuit of Christ-likeness ~ a call from heaven and a call to heaven ~ to be like Christ, and someday be with Christ.
Who knows what God has planned for me to do for the rest of my days. It doesn't matter what I've done or what people may think of me. I just need to keep my eyes focused on the goal.
No comments:
Post a Comment