Jump Start # 1179

Acts 9:1-2 “Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.”

  We are seeing more and more threats to those who love Jesus and to those who believe in democracy, especially by radical Islam. It’s hard for many of us to understand. Why and how can they hate us so much when we’ve done nothing to them. Their aggressive nature is offensive not defensive. It’s not in response to what we have done, but it is a strike against what we believe.

Our passage today, from the early days of the church, shows the aggressive Saul running down Christians for the sake of what he thought was right. He hated them. He wanted them eliminated. The verse says, “still breathing threats and murder.” He was not only purging Jerusalem of Christians, he now set his sights on Damascus. He received letters giving him permission to raid known places of meetings for the Christians—the synagogues. These letters gave Saul permission to arrest and bring them back to Jerusalem where they would face severe punishment. His letters allowed him to arrest women as well as men.

Women—they were not apostles. Women– they were not the preachers. Yet Saul understood the threat that the women posed. Without a pulpit, women could influence. Without a leadership role, women could share the story of Jesus. Removing the men wouldn’t stamp out Christianity. Saul realized that. The women had to go as well. This speaks well of the great influence that they had and how he viewed the potential that they held.

Under the Old Testament law, blasphemy was punishable by death. This is where Saul was standing. He felt that he was doing God a favor and was obeying the Old Testament law. These Christians were claiming that Jesus was the Messiah. They quoted Jesus as saying that He was the Son of God. More than that, they claimed that this Jesus, who everyone knew was crucified, had arisen from the grave and was now seated in Heaven, along side of the Father. This was most offensive to the Jews. There is no way Jesus was the Messiah. Saul took it personally. What offended God, offended him. Within the Jewish law, what he was doing was right.

He seems more aggressive than others. He seems to have more hatred that others. He seems to have made this a personal battle. He wanted Christianity wiped out. He wanted the name of Jesus to be forgotten.

There are two immediate lessons for us:

First, Saul didn’t understand Christianity. Once he did, he changed. But early, in his persecuting days, he did not understand. He didn’t see the connections to prophecy. He didn’t see the evidence. His hatred was misguided, even though he thought he was right. Some things never change. Much of the hatred and attacks upon Christians, not just from Islam, but from radical theology, extreme homosexual movement, atheistic evolution—most of it comes from those who do not understand Christianity. They don’t know what it is supposed to do. They do not know what it is based upon. They do not know the evidence supporting it. For many, it’s fear. They have heard things. They have seen things from a distance. They may have experienced a few bad apples and they feel that all are like those. The early Christians did not fight back, but neither did they keep silent. They preached. When imprisoned, they found ways to continue to speak. So must we today. Don’t throw mud. Don’t attack character. Don’t generalize. Defend what you believe. Know the facts. Present evidence. Give proof.

Second, after Saul changed, the Christians had to accept him. It was hard for some of them. They needed the leadership of Barnabas to help them with that. But they allowed Saul to change. Don’t pour concrete on anyone’s views. People change. People no longer accept what they once accepted. People now see things differently. Saul’s change was based upon the evidence of Christ. If someone changes because it’s easier or it allows him a moral loophole and it’s not Biblically based nor Biblically driven, then he’s not really honest with what he is doing. There are those who will have nothing to do with Christ today, that may in a few years. Allow them to change. Love them. Accept them. Help them.

Will more and more attacks upon our faith take place? Probably. It won’t be the first time. Soon after the Bible was written, many rose up to stomp Christianity into the soil. Church funds were seized. Buildings were leveled. Preachers were arrested. Elders were told to sacrifice to the gods or die in prison. Jobs were lost. Food was restricted from those who would not acknowledge the emperor as god. I read about this recently in a book covering the third and fourth centuries. There was a statement, a very sad statement. It said, “Most church members compromised their faith.” Most compromised. Most sold out. Most saved life. Most turned on Jesus. Most…but not all.

Tough times will drive the weak away. Resistance will make those uncertain, less certain. It is those whose faith is founded upon the rock that will not waver. Even when chased. Even when letters are signed granting permission to arrest and take away. Even then…the faithful of God stand with Christ.

Will you be counted? Will you be true? The price may be a heavy one some day…but the reward will be out of this world!

We are one day closer to Heaven.

Roger