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Paul

Guilty By Association

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After leaving Philippi, Paul and Silas travel 33 miles southwest on the Via Egnatia through Amphipolis and Apollonia, on their way to Thessalonica. They were consistent as they found a synagogue and shared God’s Word with the people.  Some of the Jews were persuaded as were “a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.” (Acts 17:4).

But, other Jews became jealous.  They went into the marketplace where the idle unemployed were rounded up, formed into a mob, and they stirred up a riot in the city. With these rabble-rousers, the Jews go to Jason’s house with the goal of capturing Paul and Silas to bring them before the city officials. But, the mob could not find Paul and Silas. So instead, they drag Jason and some other Christian before the officials.

The accusations: “These men (Paul and Silas) who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, and Jason has welcomed them into his house.”  As their host, Jason is held responsible for their actions and for their proclamation of the Gospel. Guilty by association! The crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. What did Jason do? He did not join the jealous Jews. . .or the rabble-rousing mob.  He did not deny his association with Paul. . .or his faith.

The officials ordered Jason and the others to post bond for the missionaries, thus assuring them that there would be no further trouble. Because of his faith, and his association with Paul, Jason was held responsible for the “turmoil” caused by people becoming Christians. In essence, he was guilty because of association. . .guilty because of his association with Christ!

Would you be held “guilty” in the world’s eyes because of your association with Christ? Or do you look like everyone else? How does your lifestyle reflect Jesus to others? When has your life persuaded others to look closer at God?

Who are you more like – the jealous Jews? The easily influenced mob? Or Jason?

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Meet You At The River!

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From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day on to Neapolis. 12 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. 13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us. (NIV) Acts 16:11-15

Paul and his team travel about 150 miles from Troas to Neapolis, the port of Philippi. The journey took them 2 days. Once they landed in Neapolis they traveled northwest, approximately 10 miles, inland to Philippi. After several days, Paul and his fellow workers go outside the city to the Gangites River. At the river they meet a number of women who had gathered for prayer. The women welcome the men and Lydia’s life changes.

Luke, the author of Acts, writes that Lydia was originally from Thyatira, a city located in western Asia Minor. She had taken up residence in Philippi. She was a businesswoman who sold purple cloth. Most likely, Lydia was a wealthy woman. “The purple dye applied to fine linen was obtained from the secretion of shellfish (mollusks) that live in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea.’Since approximately eight thousand molluscs were required to produce one gram of purple dye, purple cloth was extremely expensive.’ Purple garments were worn by emperors and by private citizens as a status symbol. . .We conclude, then, that Lydia belonged to the class of wealthy merchants and was the owner of a large house.” (Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. New Testament commentary: Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles.)

God had been preparing Lydia’s heart. She was a “God-fearer,” a Gentile that believed in the Jew’s God. When she heard Paul share the Gospel, she accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior. God knew that Lydia was one of His children. And He knew that Paul was His messenger to share His Word with her. Lydia’s life was eternally changed!

Today, we are surrounded by people who claim to be religious or spiritual or perhaps even, “God-fearers.” God knows who needs to hear His Word. . .He knows where they are right now. . .He knows when Truth will become more than an idea to them. . .and, He knows who His messenger of the Gospel will be. Yes, God still uses ordinary people like you and me to be His missionaries, His messengers of Good News!

Are you watching for the “God-fearers” (those who are remarkably receptive to God) in your life? They may not know His Name or who salvation comes through, but they are searching for meaning and purpose in life. Please take a few moments right now to stop, to pray, and to ask God to show you who around you is searching for Him. Then, meet them at the “river” and share His hope of salvation!

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Who Are You, Sir?

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Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. (NIV) Acts 9:1

In his own words, Paul said: “… I went after the Christians mercilessly, hunting them down and doing my best to get rid of them all” (Galatians 1:13). Threats and slaughter become the very breath of Saul.  His fury included the arrest, imprisonment and death of Christians. Paul was “breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1-2). As if no disciples of importance in Jerusalem, Paul focuses on pursuing those, beyond Judea. He goes to Damascus to determine if are any Christian believers there so that he might persecute them.

Damascus had become a dominant trading and transportation center. Perhaps, strategically Paul wants to keep the lies from spreading to other areas of the world. His objective is to search out all those of the Way – the phrase that’s a scornful label for the early Christian movement used by their enemies. Paul set out for Damascus as an aggressive persecutor of the disciples of Jesus, but will becomes a champion of their cause.

Damascus was about 135 miles from Jerusalem or a journey that would take at least a week using donkeys or mules for transportation. As Paul neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him in his native language of Aramaic: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

Paul responds by saying “Who are you, sir?” To his surprise the answer is: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”

Paul’s conversion is due to the personal appearance of the risen Lord, who appeared as literally as He did when He appeared to the disciples for 40 days before He ascended to Heaven. It is not a mere vision. It is not a figment of Paul’s imagination. It is not a dream, but a manifestation of the risen Lord.

Paul saw Jesus Christ, “risen, living, speaking, and His face shining with light above the brightness of the sun.” When have you seen the risen Christ with the eyes of your heart?

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A Hebrew of Hebrews

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. . .they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep. 8:1 And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. (NIV) Acts 7:57-8:3

Saul, named after the first king of Israel, grew up in Tarsus, a Roman city. Saul was also called Paul, which was his official Roman name. Tarsus was 400 miles due north of Jerusalem. It was a prosperous city that housed a university and a school of philosophy. The city had an academic atmosphere.  Strabo a first century scholar said: “The people at Tarsus have devoted themselves so eagerly, not only to philosophy, but also to the whole round of education in general, that they have surpassed Athens, Alexandria, or any other place that can be named where there have been schools and lectures of philosophers.”

Growing up in a Jewish family meant Saul was well trained in the Jew Scriptures. At an early age he entered synagogue school, where he learned to read and write by copying select passages of Scripture. Every Jewish boy also learned a trade. Paul’s trade was tentmaking. Sometime between 13-18 years old, Paul went to Jerusalem to study under the famous rabbi, Gamaliel who was the best Jewish teacher of that day. Paul, a Pharisee, became committed to the study of the Old Testament laws and enthusiastically embraced the teaching and customs of his people. Years later he described himself as “advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers” (Galatians 1:14). Paul was a young up and comer with promise of a great future. He was intelligent and strong in his beliefs. Paul’s diverse background resulted not only in his complex personality, but also in his amazing ability to relate to many different people from various cultures and backgrounds.

We are first introduced to Paul at the execution of Stephen, who opposed the very foundations of Judaism that Paul embraced. Paul knew the law: “…anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse” (Deuteronomy 21:23). In Paul’s mind a crucified Messiah was a contradiction in terms. It was against all reason. Paul thought that in making the claim that Christ rose from the dead, one was either being deceived or was self-deceived.  Stephen’s sermon apparently further stimulated Paul’s intense persecution of the church. In his own words, Paul said: “… I went after the Christians mercilessly, hunting them down and doing my best to get rid of them all” (Galatians 1:13). Threats and slaughter become the very breath of Saul. His fury included the arrest, imprisonment and death of Christians.

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O That I May Gain Christ!

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Paul was chosen by God. Jesus told him that he was appointed “as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me” (Acts 26:16-18).

Once his sight is restored, Paul begins to preach. He doesn’t wait. What does he preach? Everything that he had previously stood against:

…that Jesus was the Son of God, the anointed King of Israel
…that Christ was the true representative of God and God’s chosen Son
…that He was the Son who was perfect in obedience, the ultimate revealer of God, and the authorized agent for God

Paul accepted the claims of Jesus and the church, the very thing he had sought to destroy. Saul suddenly shifted his loyalties from Gamaliel and the Law and it baffled those who heard him. This was the man who had raised havoc in Jerusalem. He came to Damascus to take prisoners back. They were baffled as Paul stood there proving that Jesus was the Christ. Paul had come to kill…he had come presenting letters of authority and demanding the extradition of the followers of the Way. He came as a man with a commission issued by the high priest’s authority.  He left as a messenger of a higher authority, THE AUTHORITY…of life. He left Damascus filled with the Spirit…filled with words of power and life.

But, along with his calling came suffering. He was imprisoned, beaten, exposed to death again and again. He was stoned and left for dead. He was shipwrecked, in danger on rivers…from bandits…from his own countrymen…from his enemies. He went without sleep, left in the cold and naked. He knew hunger and thirst. He learned what it meant to suffer! Was it worth it to Paul? He wrote near the end of His life: “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8). It was all worth it to Paul…is it worth it to you to lose everything in order to gain Christ?

Written by Marji “Mike” Kruger

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A Prayer to Pray

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For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. (NIV) Ephesians 1:15-16

Whether he was in Troas or Philippi or Corinth or Ephesus, Paul seized every opportunity to share share God’s Word. He invested deeply in people. And as a result, many came to know Jesus Christ and grew in their relationship with Him.

When was the last time you shared God’s Word with someone? Who around you is seeking God? How are you investing in them? When was the last time you prayed that someone’s heart and mind would be open to God’s message? Ask God to bring someone to mind right now. Then take the time to pray for him or her.

Fill in the blanks with names of people that you pray for:

I continually thank You, God for _________ and I will never give up praying for _________.

I will keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give _________ spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that (he\she) may know God better. And that _________ might grow in (his\her) knowledge of God making (him\her) intelligent and discerning in knowing God personally.

I pray also that the eyes of (his\her) heart may be enlightened in order that (he\she) may know how great is the hope to which He is calling _________. That _________ will understand the wonderful future He has promised to those He called. And that _________ may know the riches of His glorious inheritance – the magnificence and splendour of the inheritance promised to Christians.

And so that _________ can know and understand what is the immeasurable, unlimited and surpassing greatness of God’s power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength. That power is the same divine power which was demonstrated in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and gave Him the place of supreme honour in Heaven – far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. Amen

(Compiled from Ephesians 1:16-21)

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Imitators of God

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Be imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1)

Ephesus (population of around 200,000) was located on the River Cayster in Asia Minor only a few miles from the coast of the Aegean Sea. Its location made it a major trade center connecting the sea routes to the west with the land routes to the east. Ephesus was the chief communication and commercial link between Rome and the East. As a melting pot of nations and ethnic groups, it also became the major commercial center and capital of the Roman province of Asia Minor.

Ephesus was 1 of the top cultural cities. Architecturally, the city was magnificent. Its main thoroughfare has been called “the most splendid street of the Roman Empire.” It was the home of an open-air theater seating 24,000. Ephesus was also the center for the worship of Artemis, also known as Diana, the goddess of fertility. The city housed the temple of Artemis which drew multitudes of worshipers. It also provided income for those who made the idols. The temple of Artemis, constructed of marble, was the largest building in the Greek world measuring 377 feet by 235 feet (about the size of a football field) and was 1 of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. But, interest in Artemis was not only for religious purposes. The temple fueled the economy of Ephesus through the “tourists” who visited the temple.  People from all parts of the world deposited money in the bank of her temple.

Paul’s words to the Christians living in this wealthy pagan city ring true for us today. He challenges them to “be imitators of God” (Ephesians 5:1). They were to be Christ’s hands and feet and mouths. They were to live different lives than their neighbors. As they imitated God, others would see a life that reflected Christ.

How are you being Christ’s hands and feet in your world serving others? When do you use your mouth to speak God’s Words? How does your life look different than the life of your neighbor? How do you reflect Christ to those around you? Would others say that your lifestyle imitates Christ? How can you change your life to better imitate God? It’s never too late to become an imitator of God. Why not start today?

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Coming Alongside

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Paul is received in Ephesus and is asked to spend more time there but, he declines at this time. “But as he left, he promised, ‘I will come back if it is God’s will.’ Then he set sail from Ephesus” (Acts 18:19).

“Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. 27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ” (Acts 18:24-28).

There are now a number of Christians in Ephesus. People like Priscilla and Aquila who understood the gospel clearly and nurtured the faith and understanding of others like Apollos, whose understanding was growing. They not only explained the “way of God more” clearly to him, they also encouraged him and sent a letter of commendation with him as he traveled to Achaia. They were sensitive to God working in him and came alongside to help him in his faith journey.

How sensitive are you to God’s working in others’ lives? How do you come alongside younger Christian? When was the last time you explained the Word of God to someone with a lesser understanding? How are you investing in others and investing in God’s Kingdom? Ask God to make you more sensitive to the individuals that He is actively at work in their lives. Then take the Word of God which transforms hearts and minds and wills and invest it into their lives. How will you become an Aquila and Priscilla in your community?

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