Needing to take a break from the book of Isaiah, I found myself at the end of the book of Acts this morning, Acts 28:10-31.
In this passage, the apostle Paul had recently come to live in Rome for a time. Just prior, he had endured a shipwreck on the shores of the island of Malta, and ended up staying there for about 3 months. Then, he caught an Egyptian ship in port there, and sailed to Rome. He ended up staying in a rented house in Rome for a couple of years.
Shortly after arriving in there, he gathered together the Jewish religious leaders to tell them about his experiences in Jerusalem. He told them about how the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem had had him put in jail. Did you know this? If I did, then I did not remember it. Somehow, I was thinking that it was the "heathen" folk who had Paul put in jail for preaching Jesus. But, at least in this case Paul is relating, it was the Jews. Interestingly, Paul tells how, during the Romans' investigation of his "crimes", he did not do anything to retaliate against the Jews who had accused him. He remembered his own misplaced zeal, when an unbeliever, I suppose, and had compassion on his accusers.
The Jewish leaders of Rome told Paul that they had not heard much about his exploits in Jerusalem, but that they would like to know more about this "sect of Christianity". They said that all they had heard about it was that "nobody seems to have anything good to say about it" (vs. 23, The Message).
Paul told the Jewish leaders about Jesus. Some of them believed, but others "refused to believe a word of it" (vs. 24, The Message). Exasperated, Paul quoted a passage from Isaiah (Isaiah 6:9-10) and told them (vs. 28) that the gospel would next be preached to the Gentiles, the non-Jews, and that they would "receive it with open arms" (vs. 28).
As a Gentile believer, "oh say, but, I'm GLAD!"
During the two years Paul lived in Rome, the Bible says that "his door was always open". Look at verse 31:
"He welcomed everyone who came to visit. He urgently presented all matters of the kingdom of God. He explained everything about Jesus Christ. His door was always open."
Notice that it does not say he taught regularly in the synagogues in Rome. Instead, it seems as if he established a sort of "home church" and ministered to those the Holy Spirit brought his way.
In defense of the Jews of the first century, I have to reflect on how I would have reacted to Christianity, had I been a devout Jew. My guess is that I would have been just as hard-hearted as they. One of the reasons we have the Old Testament and know so much so accurately about the Hebrew people is that the Jews down through the centuries guarded their Scriptures and their history "like a hawk". No other people group has been so persnickety in preserving their heritage. Unfortunately, it was this same hawkishness that caused them to be so blind as to miss their Messiah. Jesus ran "contrary" to their hundreds of years of man-made traditions. Yet, by His life, death, burial and resurrection, He fulfilled so many Old Testament scriptures that the probability of one person being able to do that is infinitesimally small. The supernatural hand of God, on display!
As Christians, we have to be on guard against false doctrine. Jesus told His followers that "in the last days" false teachers will come, and that even devout Christians will be deceived. Basically, if some "new revelation" comes on the scene, and it runs contrary to the Bible, we are to reject it, hands-down.
In the meantime, back on topic...we should follow Paul's example. He did not back down or deviate from the Truth of the gospel, the Truth that is in Jesus Christ. He preached to anyone who would listen. His door was always open.
I believe that, in the context of these fearful days, we are going to be given more openings to share our faith with non-believers. We need to be ready when those opportunities arise. Some of you, I know, are very uncomfortable with sharing your faith because you are afraid that, somehow, you will "mess it up". But, just pray and ask God to speak through you, and then just tell the truth of Jesus, in love. He will guide you, and remember what God promised in Isaiah 55:11 - - -
"My words will not come back empty-handed. They'll do the work I sent them to do.
They'll complete the assignment I gave them."
Be available. Open your door.
Good morning, Lord! It is a beautiful day here. Thank you for the seasons you gave the earth. We live in the midst of such beauty! Please open our eyes to see beyond the beauty of our surroundings, to see the empty, aching hearts of those around us. Once we see, may we do...minister to them as Jesus, our role model, would. Prepare us, Lord, for the work you have called us to do and will call us to do in the days ahead. Strengthen the flabby muscles, O Lover of My Soul! May Your love rise up in us and Your words flow from us, to this lost, dying world. In Jesus' name, amen.
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