This morning, I spent some time reading again one of the most remarkable stories in the book of Acts.
There once was a verrrryyy zealous Jew, one of the most schooled in Hebrew Scriptures, one of the most devout, one of the most revered. He hated those who believed in the risen Jesus. His name was Saul of Tarsus.
When Stephen, one of Jesus’ followers, was stoned for his faith, those who took part in his stoning laid their coats at the feet of Saul. He was their hero, the one they admired for his fierce loathing of Christians.
As Stephen was stoned, he said, Father, forgive them.
I wonder what impact that prayer had on Saul? Did he think of it when not long afterward, Christ appeared to him in a blinding light, and said, basically, why are you picking on my children?
It wasn’t long before Saul had “done a 360“ and was preaching along with the disciples who were understandably still a little wary of him.
Saul soon had a new name along with his new purpose. He became Paul, and he would go on to pen much of the New Testament.
This story always amazes me. How God basically grabbed one who had the utmost religious devotion by the scruff of the neck, gave him a little shake, and essentially said, you’ve got it all wrong, buddy. This is how it’s done.
Saul the lawkeeper became Paul the grace preacher. Paul preached that grace for the rest of his life, and suffered mightily for it.
Today there is still plenty of tension between religious rule keepers and those who have experienced grace.
Grace seems too easy for the legalist, who wants to try to insert a condition or two. In Saul’s day, that was commonly circumcision. Don’t ask me why.
In our day, it might be something like, don’t wear this or don’t go there, where those sinners hang out.
From the moment Saul was converted, he resisted mightily the natural human tendency to try to earn God’s favor.
In fact, he says in his letter to the Philippians that he was “appointed for the defense of the gospel.”
The gospel (meaning good news!) being this:
“For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”
Paul knew better than anyone that his own righteousness was like filthy rags, but true righteousness is instead received by faith.
In the book of Ephesians, Paul prayed for believers, ..”that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
He goes on to say, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.
“Amen”
So be it.
Sounds to me like He loves us sooooo good.
Every single one.
Amen
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