“When [Saul] had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
“So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied." [1]
The most powerful argument against the Christian Faith is Christians. The most powerful argument for the Christian Faith is Christians. Let’s face it! We Christians either attract people to the Faith, or we repel people. Far too many of us have proven more effective at repelling people from exploring the Faith than we have succeeded at attracting people to consider the Faith of Christ the Lord. Though we had no intention of offending, our actions have sometimes proved offensive to those outside of the Faith; and even we have been embarrassed at the impact of our actions at times.
As a young preacher, I conducted an extensive and an effective ministry itinerating throughout the United States. I am humbled to note that many who came to faith under my ministry are still serving Christ, honouring Him in a full-time capacity. I conducted a number of successful ministries in some morally dim regions of the United States. The Lord powerfully blessed my efforts, though I confess that I did not deserve such mercy. Despite what God did during those years, it is some glaring failures on my part which seem somehow to linger in my memory, plaguing my mind and leaving me feeling ill at ease. Something like that scenario must have disturbed the Apostle Paul.
We cannot speak of Paul without admitting that he was central to the spread of the Faith in those early years. Personally, and through his considerable influence on others, the accidental Apostle did more to advance the Faith of Christ the Lord than all the other Apostles combined. It is true that Paul did not do this alone or because of his great intellect; God deliberately chose this man and then equipped him to fulfil the divine will.
When the Saviour sent Ananias to Saul, the faithful servant at first demurred, arguing, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name” [ACTS 9:13-14]. The divine account informs us that the Risen Lord commanded, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” [ACTS 9:15-16].
Saul of Tarsus was a vicious and an unyielding opponent of the people known as Followers of the Way. This rabid rabbi made havoc in the vineyard of the Risen Saviour, hounding both men and women into jail, instigating violence against them, and even lending his considerable influence to see that they were killed. Doctor Luke gives us insight into Saul’s effectiveness in decimating the faithful when he writes, “Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem” [ACTS 9:1-2]. Remember, this was immediately after Stephen, the first follower of Christ to seal his testimony with his own life, had been stoned.
This man’s testimony given in his latter years was that he had been “a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor” [see 1 TIMOTHY 1:13 NASB]. In his defense, this man testified before a mob howling for his death, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished” [ACTS 22:3-5].
Later still, when arraigned before Agrippa II, who was then serving as king of the Jews, this man who had viciously persecuted the Christians would again testify, “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities” [ACTS 26:9-11].
If bona fides for this man’s violence and the evil he perpetuated is required, his own testimony should suffice. Saul of Tarsus was determined to do all within his power to extirpate from the earth what he saw as the scourge of Christianity. When such an evil man threatens the Faith, what can transform him? What can change an evil person, someone known primarily for the wicked deeds that he or she perform? What can make an individual cease performing the evil that they do to follow the Risen Son of God?
THE CONVERSION OF A WICKED MAN — We are prone to forget that the first opposition to the Faith was Jewish. It was their own countrymen who persecuted the early saints, just as persecution to this day is more likely to arise from our fellow countrymen than it is from foreigners. Jewish leaders were rabid in their hatred of the followers of the Way. They had crucified the Founder, and they were astonished when they were powerless to keep Him in the grave. When stories of His resurrection began to circulate, they considered their options. When those first disciples began to openly proclaim that Jesus of Nazareth was alive, the Jewish leaders censured them and beat them and warned them to keep their silence. These men who were proclaiming that Jesus was alive and that He was very God were threatened that they would receive more severe punishment if they persisted in speaking as they did. But threats appeared powerless against those who were identified as Followers of the Way.
When those first Christians would not be silenced, the leaders sought a means by which to intimidate them and kill off the nascent movement. The most virulent opponent of the Christians was a zealous young rabbi from Tarsus. I am of the opinion that Saul of Tarsus was enraged because some of his own family were converted to Christ and were baptised into this sect. We are uncertain how many of his family members were among the Synagogue of the Freedmen who were persuaded by the preaching of Stephen, but that some of Saul’s family were convinced seems apparent.
“Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking” [ACTS 6:8-10].
The ambitious rabbi we know as Saul was from Tarsus. It is probable that he regularly worshipped at this Synagogue of the Freedmen since it was composed of individuals from his home region. Among those he may well have known prior to Stephen’s martyrdom are included Andronicus and Junia, identified elsewhere as Saul’s fellow countrymen and fellow prisoners [see ROMANS 16:7]. These two were also said to have been in Christ before the Apostle. Herodian, likewise, is identified as one of Saul’s fellow countrymen [see ROMANS 16:11]. It is not unreasonable to think that this man Herodian might have been one of the Jews who were convinced and converted under Stephen’s preaching. We must wonder about the mother of Rufus who is identified as Saul’s mother [see ROMANS 16:13]. The point is that it is not only possible, but even probable, that this Saul from Tarsus was personally acquainted with people who met at the Freedman’s Synagogue; Saul may even have worshipped there more frequently than we might imagine. And if that is the case, he would have been quite aware of the inroads Stephen had made as some began accepting the Faith of Christ the Lord.
Regardless of whether Saul was impelled by the thought that some of his own family and friends had become Followers of the Way or whether he was simply driven by religious bigotry against all who embraced this novel faith, Saul was enraged, and his rage became evident in his determination to extirpate what he saw as a threat to Judaism. Saul lent his personal stature in agreement with and encouragement of those who murdered Stephen, one of the first deacons appointed by the congregation in Jerusalem. And years later the rashness of his actions at that time would haunt the memory of the erstwhile rabbi. That this is the case becomes evident when standing before an enraged mob, Saul’s defence included this testimony looking back at his conversion to Jesus. “Lord, [this crowd knows] that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him” [ACTS 22:19-20].
Whatever sense of remorse Paul may have felt over his actions during the years of persecuting the faithful, no remorse was manifest until after he had met the Risen Saviour. That is always the situation. People who oppose the Faith often imagine they are doing the right thing, and they feel no particular sense of guilt about their actions. However, after they are confronted by the Lord, they look back and grieve over prior actions. That was certainly the case for Saul of Tarsus. He did meet the Lord, and he was transformed. Here is what happened, according to the scriptural account.
“Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’ The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
“Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ And he said, ‘Here I am, Lord.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.’ But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.’ But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.’ So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened” [ACTS 9:1-19a].
Then, Doctor Luke, no doubt writing the account as related to him by Paul, notes, “For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus” [ACTS 9:19b]. During this time, the disciples had opportunity to get to know Saul of Tarsus. They were able to observe him, noting both the strengths that he brought to the Faith and the deficits that his presence would bring. You see, just because someone has come to faith in the Risen Son of God does not mean that they will be ready for leadership; and Saul of Tarsus was at this point a problem for the nascent congregation in Damascus.
Saul was a learned rabbi. He had trained at the University of Tarsus, afterward sitting at the feet of Rabbi Gamaliel. The young firebrand had absorbed all the teaching his Pharisee instructors could provide and then bolstered that education with the insight provided by some of the greatest teachers available. Now he was fired up to serve the Risen Saviour. But there was a problem.
We read of this new convert, “Immediately [Saul] proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’ And all who heard him were amazed and said, ‘Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?’ But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ” [ACTS 9:20-22]. Clearly, he was capable. I might note that he knew the words, but he had not yet learned the melody. His presence would create a problem for the people of God.
Saul was such a problem to the Jews, that the persecutor who once sought to unleash death and destruction on the Followers of the Way was now in danger of himself being killed by those same individual with whom he had once identified. Thus, we read, “When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket” [ACTS 9:23-25].
Fleeing Damascus, Saul raced back to his old familiar haunts. However, he didn’t return to Jerusalem as the henchman of the Jewish Council; now he was the spokesman for the Risen Head of the Way. Again, Doctor Luke permits us to look into the events that were swirling about this once-maddened rabbi, writing, “When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus” [ACTS 9:26-30].
No matter where he went, Saul was a lightning rod. He brought unwanted attention to himself and to the Faith. And this was at a time when the Followers of the Way could do without such scrutiny from people that wanted to kill them! What was to be done? The answer was to spirit Saul out of Jerusalem and allow things to cool down. So the brothers hustled Saul out of Jerusalem, transporting him to Caesarea where they put him on a ship sailing for Tarsus.
Take special note of the verse that follows; it is especially insightful. “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied” [ACTS 9:31]. When the most vocal rabble rouser was sent away, peace again settled on the people of God. Send Saul away, and the church was no longer attacked.
THE DANGER OF NEWFOUND ZEAL — The THIRTY-FIRST VERSE is a commentary on Saul’s removal from the scene at Jerusalem. Focus once more on those opening words, “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up” [ACTS 9:31]. Saul had been present with the Jerusalem congregation, and the result of his presence was conflict for the saints of God. Saul was compelled to flee from Jerusalem, and when he was gone the churches throughout the entire region had peace. This is not a theological lightweight of whom we are speaking. This is the man destined to spread the knowledge of Christ throughout the entire civilised world. He will single-handedly turn the world upside down and send the Roman Eagle screaming across leaden skies as the Faith of Christ penetrates the pagan darkness.
Zeal can carry one only so far. Paul speaks of his zeal as he writes the letter that was sent to the churches of Galatia. There, we read, “You have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers” [GALATIANS 1:13-14].
Writing the Christians gathered in Rome, the Apostle spoke of his love for the Jewish people, observing that they were zealous for their religion. However, Paul recognised that their zeal actually drove them farther away from walking with God. Remember how Paul testified, “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness” [ROMANS 10:1-3].
It is difficult for me to say whether zeal without knowledge is more dangerous than knowledge without zeal. Either condition is a threat to the spiritual health of one who follows the Saviour, and when either condition prevails within the assembly of the righteous, the congregation is imperiled. The zeal of youth is necessary for a growing congregation, but that zeal must be tempered by the wisdom of those who have walked with the Lord through the trials that have marked the path of the congregation. Both zeal and knowledge are required for a healthy church and a holistic faith.
Some glaring incidents from my younger days as a servant of Christ stand out in my memory. I am dismayed, and somewhat ashamed as I recall some of my earlier antics. I thought I was doing what was right when I was needlessly abrupt with people. No one can question my boldness. I was prepared to charge hell with a squirt pistol, believing all the while that I would win every battle in my own strength. God had a very rough piece of work from which to mold a preacher who could be useful to His cause. Fortunately for me, I was blessed with the friendship of some godly mentors who were willing to direct my zeal into productive paths that brought honour to the Lord Jesus.
Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles, but sometimes we forget that he was a Jew. Sometimes we forget that Paul was thoroughly immersed in Judaism until he was accosted by the Risen Saviour as he travelled toward Damascus. He had the credentials, the bona fides to lay claim to being well-versed in the tenets of Judaism. Recall how he felt compelled to defend his Jewish credentials when he wrote to the Christians in Philippi. “If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless” [PHILIPPIANS 3:4b-6].
Apparently, Paul’s Jewish credentials were questioned on multiple occasions, and he felt it necessary to defend his roots. Writing to the Corinthian congregation, the Apostle defended himself against people whom he identified as “false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ” [see 2 CORINTHIANS 11:13]. Paul wrote, “Whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death” [2 CORINTHIANS 11:21b-23].
There is no question that Paul had the credentials to speak of religious matters and to detail the way in which the Faith of the Christ intersected with Judaism. Was Paul zealous? The answer is that Paul was indeed zealous for the Faith of Christ the Lord, just as Saul of Tarsus had been zealous for Judaism. At issue is not whether he was zealous, but the way in which his zealousness honoured God. When he was zealous for Judaism, he was defending a religion. When serving Christ, Paul was zealous for God.
Before he met the Risen Christ, Paul, who was then known as Saul, was noted for his zealotry for Judaism. Indeed, looking back to that earlier time, he testified to the churches situated throughout the Galatian highlands, “I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers” [GALATIANS 1:11-14].
It was well-known that Saul of Tarsus was a zealot for the Jewish religion. However, commitment to a religion is vastly different from commitment to the Risen Son of God, as Paul makes clear while writing these Galatians. The Apostle continues, “When he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus” [GALATIANS 1:15-17].
You may recall some men who seemed eager to follow the Son of God, but their ardor was not matched by commitment. Here is the account as Doctor Luke presented it. “As they were going along the road, someone said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ To another he said, ‘Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Yet another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God’” [LUKE 9:57-62].
You see from these interactions that the call to follow Jesus demands your full commitment. You have often heard me say, and I will say it once again in this context, “Either Jesus is Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all.” Jesus our Master is not seeking part-time followers. And Saul of Tarsus, who would ever after be known as Paul, cried out when he was confronted on the road to Damascus, “Who are you Lord?” And from that moment, there was no question, he would follow Jesus from that point onward. For Paul, Jesus was Master and because Paul had been mastered by this Risen Saviour, there was no question but that henceforth he would serve this Jesus as Master over life.
That is a powerful testimony Paul includes in the letter he wrote to the Christians in Philippi. You will no doubt remember that the Apostle testified concerning his life, “Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” [PHILIPPIANS 3:7-14].
It is obvious that there is a significant contrast to be drawn between Paul’s earlier zeal for Judaism and his later zeal for serving the Risen Christ. People change as they mature. That was certainly true for Saul of Tarsus as he transitioned to Paul the Apostle. Zeal for Judaism would give Saul licence to assume that he was justified in killing in the cause to which he was committed. Zeal for Christ led Paul to willingly sacrifice himself in order to give life to others. Zeal for that which is unholy and ungodly is destructive; zeal for that which is righteous and holy is constructive. The zealous Muslim seeks to kill others—even other Muslims who disagree with him. He does this in a maddened effort to appease the desert demon he worships. No one questions the zeal of those Muslims who killed Yazidi peoples, or of those Muslims who crucified Christians on the streets of Iraq, or Muslim men who torment and kill women for failing to wear the hijab. However, rational people see these zealots as vicious, unreasonable fools without understanding.
We read of zealous Hindus rampaging, killing Muslims or killing Christians. No one questions the zeal displayed by these raging Hindus, but reasonable people recognise that they are acting irrationally. Religious Catholics can justify persecuting, even killing, other Christians because a priest is offended that the non-Catholic Christians show him no deference such as he imagines to be his due. So, the rampaging Catholics, their hatred stirred to a white heat, will attempt to compel the non-Catholic Christians to worship in the manner approved by Rome. But no reasonable person can ever justify such intolerance, such mindless violence. And the religious Evangelical may imagine that he or she is justified in speaking harshly of the lost who oppose the Faith; yet the follower of Christ knows that such harshness dishonours the Son of God. The Christian knows that her or his responsibility is to give life through pointing others to Christ, the Son of God Who sacrificed His life because of our sin and Who was raised for our justification.
Now, here is the thing that must be kept in mind in light of our study to this point—the newfound zeal of one who has experienced a dramatic conversion is often not the best demonstration of God’s grace. I am not suggesting that we should be cowardly in declaring our faith in Christ as Master over life, but I am recommending the need for balance. I am suggesting that speaking boldly for Christ does not give me licence to be rude or crude. There is a place for abruptness, and there is a place for showing a measured response to the challenge before us. There may well be need to tell a Bar-Jesus, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time” [ACTS 13:10-11a]. But there is also a time to reason, as did Paul when he was hailed before Agrippa. Then, Paul testified, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe” [ACTS 26:25-27].
THE NEED FOR BALANCE — We do need to possess zeal in living out the Faith of Christ! We Christians need zeal if we are to serve Christ as Lord of life, and that is never weird. We are told by the Apostle to the Jews, “Who is going to harm you if you are devoted to what is good? But in fact, if you happen to suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. But do not be terrified of them or be shaken. But set Christ apart as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about the hope you possess” [1 PETER 3:13-15 NET BIBLE].
Be ready to speak, because the Spirit of Christ will give you what needs to be said at the time you need to speak. You need only be ready! He will do whatever is necessary and He will give you what must be said when you need the words. Do you remember that Jesus has sent us out and equipped us with precisely what must be said at the appropriate time? “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” [MATTHEW 10:16-20].
I know you’ve had the experience of thinking after a time when you were challenged, “I should have said…” Or you’ve found yourself thinking, “I wish I had said…” That is second guessing. Were you controlled by the Spirit? Or were you relying on your own intellect? If you were controlled by the Spirit of Christ, He spoke through you to say precisely what needed to be said. You may not have thought that what you said was polished or catchy, but that is because your thinking is often coloured by the ideas of this fallen world. We admire the person who has a cutting retort, or the person who is able to put down those challenging her. God’s purpose is not to put people down or to exaggerate their ignorance; God seeks to turn them to righteousness!
Our repartee seldom glorifies the Master. Our quick witted reply may destroy people, may make them appear foolish in the eyes of others who witness what is done, but we will not honour the Spirit of the Saviour through out put down. You may recall an incident that occurred during the final days of Jesus’ service before His Passion. He had been rejected by a Samaritan village that refused to receive Him. James and John took umbrage at this rejection of the Master. So, they magnanimously suggested that with the Master’s permission they would call down fire from heaven to destroy the village. Jesus was not at all enthusiastic with their suggestion. We read, “[Jesus] turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them’” [LUKE 9:55-56 NASB95].
The disciples thought it would somehow honoured the Master by destroying people who dismissed Him. How wrong they were! The Spirit of Christ does not seek to destroy; the Spirit of Christ seeks to save. Much later, Peter would remind us who follow the Saviour, “To this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” [1 PETER 2:21-23].
Refusing to respond as the world responds is never easy. In fact, it is well-nigh impossible to continue acting in a godly manner when you are being mocked, or when the truths you hold dear are ridiculed. Nevertheless, what is impossible for you to do is what honours the Saviour Who redeemed you. And that is why He has given His Spirit to live in you, so that what is impossible for you will become possible through the power of Christ’s Spirit. What you could not otherwise do, the Saviour does through you. To be sure, you won’t receive any accolades from those who witness your response, but Christ will be glorified and He will accomplish His will through you as He works in you in power. Amen.
The balance that is needed is the balance that comes from refusing to surrender to the thought that you must act as the world acts in order to do the work the Savour has assigned. Your great need is to allow His Spirit to work through you. That work He performs will seldom be flashy, and it will seldom allow you to feel good about yourself. His work in your life will, however, glorify His Name and reveal power that you could never imagine.
In his maturity, the Apostle would say of his life, “I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed” [1 CORINTHIANS 15:9-11].
In a similar manner, in your mature reflection upon what Christ has accomplished through you, you will confess that you are the least of His saints, but you allowed Him to reign over your life to accomplish precisely what brought the greatest glory to His Name. You will at last see the souls that have been gathered to the Master as all the redeemed of God are assembled before the throne of the Lord God. Among those souls will be those who are present because Christ worked through you. The Saviour will recognise you as His servant, one who humbly submitted to His reign and allowing His Spirit to work through you. The evidence that the Spirit of Christ worked in you will be the redeemed souls for whom you prayed and to whom you witnessed. Amen.
[1] Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
