Saul’s Meditation

00:00:00 Speaker 1: I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives. In me Galatians two twenty. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of freedom through Christ, who has crucified our sins and shame on the cross. We are no longer bound by the weight of our past, but walk has free people, redeemed and renewed by your grace. Lord, We acknowledge our deep need for you and ask that you guide our hearts to fully embrace this freedom, living in a way that honors You. Strengthen us to pursue what is right, to seek Christ daily, and to be a light in this world. Empower us to live boldly in this new life, reflecting Your love and truth in all we do. In Jesus name, Amen, thank you for praying with me to day. You are listening to the Jesus Podcast, Remain here for our many series on the birth of the Church. If this podcast has blessed you, we would love it if you left a review. Doing so makes a huge impact on our team. The two of them made it to the Vanna River. The water glistened in the sunlight and invited the men with enthusiasm. Saul felt the coolness of the river crawl of his spine and wake him up. He breathed in deeply and held in a nice hand. And Annius looked at Saul and smiled. And Annius grasped Saul's hand with his left hand and placed his right hand upon his back. He dipped him back into the water, then lifted him out. The cascading sunlight split into a million directions as Saul emerged from the water. Saul emerged under the radiance of Christ's unending love. Saul could not see it, but every angel in heaven was rejoicing over him with a cacophony of praise. The water represented a tomb for Saul, the persecutor. That man was buried and would never return. Emerging from the water was a new man. Just as Christ rose from the grave, Saul was resurrected from the water. 00:03:03 Speaker 2: The Church's greatest enemy became its greatest advocate. What does that say about our potential if we are to yield our pride and follow Jesus. Welcome to the Jesus Podcast. I'm Zachwipray dot Com. Here to lead you through another story about the birth of the Church. We've been taking the better part of this month to go through the early Church to see how Jesus works and moves through ordinary people like you and I. Today, we're diving into an episode from the Book of Acts that reads like a plot of an ancient thriller. In Acts nine twenty three through twenty five, we find Saul, soon to be known as Paul, in a precarious situation that teaches us profound truths about God's ways, humility, and the unexpected paths of obedience. 00:03:48 Speaker 1: Saul followed Ananias through the narrow alleyway, dimly illuminated by torchlight. Their shadows slid across the walls and then upwards as they climbed the stairs to the room. Under a canopy of stars, was a large group of people reclined on rugs and pillows. Lanterns were firmly set around them, showing their laughing faces. They were all facing one another, enjoying a simple meal of bread and wine. Saul knew about the people of the Way. He had studied them with great detail to persecute them. He knew that they met in holmes and talked about Jesus. He knew that they shared bread and wine together to remember his crucifixion. Although he knew these things, seeing them was a different thing entirely. He beheld the most eclectic group of Jews he had ever seen. Slaves and prominent merchants sat beside each other and shared stories. A lame beggar broke bread with a whi, wealthy noblemen from Ethiopia, and children of different classes played together. Saul peered at a table in the corner. He watched an elder of the city poor wine for a widow. She kissed him on the cheek in gratitude, and he left to break more bread for the children. Saul had never seen anything like it. These people who should have been separated by class and creed, shared laughter and love under the warm torchlight. Saul stayed a few paces behind ananias he saw the faces of a few people he had sent to the flogging beam in Jerusalem. Many had fled to Damascus because of his cruelty, and now he stood before them to share a meal. He paused and turned back in shame. How could they accept him after all the brutality he had shown them, Images of children cry as their mothers were taken away flooded his mind. It was nearly unbearable. He closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands. 00:06:13 Speaker 3: Who am I to be among them? 00:06:16 Speaker 1: As Saul reeled in guilt, a reassuring hand touched his shoulder. Saul looked up to see Anonius smiling at it. 00:06:26 Speaker 4: Brother, Saul, I would like to introduce you to your new family. 00:06:31 Speaker 1: He gestured to the crowd and took Saul by the arm. The two of them stepped closer, and Anonius addressed the crowd, Brothers. 00:06:39 Speaker 4: And sisters in Christ, This is Saul of Tarsus, a new friend and brother. No doubt many of you recognize him. 00:06:48 Speaker 1: Some women clutched their children, and the men tensed up, rolling their shoulders back. Initially they were all afraid. Paul symbolized death to many of them. The reaper himself and an Eye smiled and patted Saul on the back. 00:07:06 Speaker 4: Truly, no one is past the reach of our Lord. 00:07:10 Speaker 1: The crowd's intensity slowly subsided, and many stood to their feet to come and greet him. They kissed him on the cheek and welcomed him. They shared bread and wine with him, and brought him over to sit. Saul was swept away in a current of love and acceptance. In mere minutes, he was eating communion, singing hymns, and experiencing the body of Christ. The following day, Saul awoke in the same bed he had lain in for three days, only this time he could see the sunrise. He looked out the window and caught a glimpse of the sun's rays scattering over the mountain range with hues of bright orange, painting Damascus in splendor. Saul looked back at his pharisee garments. To day, he was supposed to address the synagogue about the Nazarenes. The elders had been waiting for him with anxious excitement. Before meeting Jesus. He planned to rally the people against the Nazarenes. But things had changed. Saul was a new creature with a new purpose. He washed his face, put on his blue fringed robe, and secured the leather amulant to his turban. He looked like a Pharisee, but he would no longer teach like one. The congregation was in for a jarring surprise. The synagogue was overflowing with people. The Jews had come to hear Saul's famous prose while some christ following Jews arrived to support him as he gave a new message. The Hassan a scored warded Saul to the dais. He gripped the edges of the dais and paused. He looked out at the sea of faces, recognizing many of the believers he had met the previous night. Their smiles reassured him, and he knew they were preying on his behalf. Everyone else gathered to hear Saul the zealous Pharisee. They had no idea what had transpired in the last three days. The Hazan placed a scroll in Saul's hand and gestured for him to read. He opened the scroll and smiled. It was a powerful song. The elders had probably chosen it, hoping he would apply it to the Nazarenes. However, now equipped with the spirit of Christ, Saul could see the scripture more clearly. He cleared his throat and read. 00:09:57 Speaker 3: Ah, there are are none that are righteous, no not even one. No one understands or seeks God. All have turned from Him and become worthless. No one does good, not a single one. Their throats are open graves, and their tongues deceive the venom of asps is under their lips, and their mouths are filled with curses and stench. They are swift to shed blood, and in their paths are ruined and misery. And they do not know the way of peace, for there's no fear of God in their eyes. 00:10:35 Speaker 1: Saul closed the scroll and looked out at the crowd. He stroked his beard and stepped away from the dais. The people were leaning over in anticipation. Saul had always spoken confidently, but this time he spoke with a different type of authority. E. 00:10:55 Speaker 3: This song tells us that there is none righteous for God. None. So tell me what advantage does a Jew have over any random Greek, Ethiopian or Barbarian By works of the law, no human being is justified before God. The law is a mirror revealing every sin we've ever committed. With a greater knowledge of the law and God's righteousness comes a greater knowledge of our sin and depravity. If we cannot attain righteousness by any sort of obedience to the law, how do we attain righteousness? 00:11:36 Speaker 1: Sol rhetorically asked the question and paced to and fro from the platform. He was giving a sermon but also working out his new beliefs in real time. It was as if God was teaching him as he taught others. He raised his voice for everyone to hear. 00:11:57 Speaker 3: What if the law and the prophets weren't pointing us toward human righteousness, but God himself? What if faith in God is what gives us a right to stand before him. If God is the only one who is righteous, then he alone can give us righteousness. We cannot hope to attain it on our own. We need saving, We need the righteousness of another to act on our behalf. And I have come to know deep in my heart that God has made a way to righteousness through Jesus Christ. 00:12:35 Speaker 1: The entire crowd gasped. The religious leaders were taken aback by Saul's statement. Saul did not have much more time, so he continued. 00:12:45 Speaker 3: All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. But there is forgiveness for sins through the grace of Jesus. We are justified by His grace and brought near by the redemption that is in Christ, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood to be received in faith. Blasphemy, Silence, you, traitor, You dishonor Moses. I do not. This is what Moses was speaking of. 00:13:15 Speaker 5: This is why we have the sacrifices established by Moses and Aaron. 00:13:20 Speaker 3: Don't you see? 00:13:21 Speaker 5: It was all to point toward the ultimate sacrifice of our Messiah. God has passed over the sins of those who believe in the cleansing power of Jesus's blood. 00:13:36 Speaker 1: The crowd became more unruly, and Saul slammed his fist on the dais. The room was silent for a long drawn out moment. Tears welled up in his eyes, and his bottom lip quivered. 00:13:52 Speaker 3: I have spent so much time boasting about my own righteousness, in my own works, as if they have given me favor with God. But none are righteous, not even a Pharisee like me. So I will no longer boast in the law of works. I will boast in the law of faith. I will boast in Jesus Christ. 00:14:21 Speaker 1: Saul could have spoken for hours, but the congregation what happened? None of it. They seized him by the robes and threw him out of the synagogue, and Anaias and the others picked him up and took him away. Saul looked back at the scowls of the Jews. He had worn that scowl too, He had raged against God and felt the hatred deep in his bones. But Saul no longer felt hatred. He felt a burden to proclaim the name of Jesus to every person he met. Saul lay awake that night thinking about Jesus. The followers in Damascus were kind people, but very few of them had actually spent time with Jesus or seen his face. Saul longed to connect with Christ again in the whirlwind of light. He had many questions and very little answers. He sat up in his bed and rubbed his face. He held his head up to the heavens and prayed for guidance. Time was of the essence. Every day Saul remained in Damascus increased his chances of being arrested by the High Priest. No doubt, word had already been sent to the Sanhedrin that their most loyal watchdog had broken free from his chains. I need to know more, Saul whispered into the night. He gathered his scrolls and tucked them securely into his pack. He threw it over his shoulder, grabbed a walking staff, and left the house of Anonius. The next move was simple. He needed to escape, meditate, and get clear direction from Jesus. 00:16:12 Speaker 3: He needed to be. 00:16:13 Speaker 1: Unhindered in listening and undisturbed by the barrage of questions that would inevitably come his way. The spice routes provided a clear path for his escape. As the sun rose in the distance, he followed a caravan of camels to the soft and sandy shores of Arabia. 00:16:38 Speaker 2: Paul, being humbled by Jesus and nurtured by Anonius, is now boldly proclaiming the Gospel. It doesn't take Paul long, since he is a prolific teacher. He's a speaker. It's kind of who he is on the inside. You see, when you come to know Jesus, what you had previously used for the Kingdom of darkness, he now wants you to use for the Kingdom of light. And so naturally in this story, Paul shifts his focus to now teaching the Gospel. He's been leading people away from Jesus for so long, with so much passion and zeal, But when Jesus flips the script and shows him the error of his ways, Paul hits the ground running. He proclaims and preaches the Gospel. We have all been given certain gifts by our creator. Some of this is inate in us, and some of these are skills and talents that we've acquired over time. No matter how you acquired these skills, these gifts, and these talents, God wants to use them for his kingdom. I remember in my own life using some semblance of charisma, speaking and writing skills that the Lord gave me, and using them for my own gain, I would schmooze people. I would try and manipulate conversations to get a rise out of people or to get exactly what I wanted. But as the Holy Spirit worked in my heart, I was able to use these gifts for the Kingdom of God. I became a pastor, a preaching pastor, and now a writer here at pray dot com. What the enemy intends for evil and what the world intends to bolster your pride the Lord wants to use to expand his kingdom. But what had to happen for Saul first is that he had to be humbled by God. He had to come to this place of brokenness before he can truly use his gifts and step into his potential, but he also needed the nurturing of a community around him. You see, the early church in Antioch really Embra saw despite his past, and isn't it funny? This is the church that he had planned on persecuting, but now they are coming in and providing this safe haven for him to learn and to grow. These are the two key elements for being effective in ministry and in the Kingdom of God. We need to first be humbled and receive humbly the correction that God would give us. You see, those who are unable to be questioned do questionable things. We need to open up our lives to be questioned by the Gospel. We need to open up our lives to be corrected by the Gospel and the people around us. Which leads me to my second point. If we are going to be effective for God's kingdom, we need a nurturing community around people who are willing to be patient with us, people who are willing to hold our hands and walk through all these hard things with us. If Paul wasn't accepted by the church in Antioch, I don't know how far he would have gotten. If Annonius had disobeyed God and said no, He's a persecutor of the church. I want nothing to do with him. Who knows where Paul would have ended up would have ended up, maybe going back to the Pharisees, or maybe he would have just been blind for the rest of his life. But the Lord wants to use the community around you, and the soft and sometimes harsh rebuke of his word and the truth of Christ's Spirit to transform our lives. He wants to do that with you, my friends. So today let's embrace the humility of Paul and be members of a community just like Paul had found. Thanks again for listening to the Jesus Podcast. If you've been enjoying this podcast so far and found it enriching for your faith, we would love it if you left a review and for prayers, daily devotionals in a library of content that will bolster your faith and empower you for the battle ahead. Download the Preydal comment