June 25, 2012
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

On a Mission: First Steps

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Lord, You are the Holy God of the past, present, future—and eternity. I bow in worship before You.

Read ACTS 9:19-31

For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.

[19] and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. [20] At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. [21] All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” [22] Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah. [23] After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, [24] but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. [25] But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall. [26] When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. [27] But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. [28] So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. [29] He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews, but they tried to kill him. [30] When the believers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. [31] Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Reflect

“Lord, take my lips and speak through them; take my mind and think through it; take my heart and set it on fire” (W.H.H. Aitken).

We might be surprised that Saul starts to preach immediately, but he was well trained in the rabbinical schools and was known and respected in the synagogues. He is continuing to do what he has done for some time, but with a completely new thrust to his message. In accordance with God’s message to Ananias, he “carries” the name of Christ. His message makes two points that give rise to opposition. First, that Jesus is the Son of God (20) and, secondly, that he is the Messiah (22). The idea of sonship would not have been totally unacceptable to the Jews—Psalm 2:7, for example, describes the king as God’s son—but the early Christians interpreted this in a radically new way (Acts 13:33; Heb 1:5). For them, this was a statement about the deity of Jesus, his oneness with the Father. There had been other messianic claimants and the Jews would not have been unduly surprised at Jesus’ claim—except that he did not fit the popular model.

Jesus Christ is still the content of our message, but titles like Son of God and Messiah do not create the same impact in our world with its very different terms of reference. The heart of our message is that Jesus has entered the world, God in human flesh, and has done so in order to save a lost humanity, bring wholeness to broken people and bring in God’s reign of peace and justice. These are truths that the world desperately needs to hear. Perhaps we can take a lead from v. 29. Debating implies that there was a dialogue, listening and responding. This does not involve a dilution of the message, but it does mean a sensitive presentation to which others can relate.

Apply

How could the good news of Jesus be made intelligible to those who live and work around your church? What could you do to enable that?

Closing prayer

Lord, I know You have not given me the gift of evangelism, but You have called me to witness. Fill me with Your Spirit and use me for Your glory.

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