Acts 25:11 “If,
however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die.
But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has
the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!” (NIV)
When the Apostle Paul boldly made his appeal to Caesar,
he was setting in motion a whole process that would have global consequences.
It was the right of every Roman citizen who faced serious accusations to have
their case heard directly by the Roman Emperor. Paul knew that this was also a
risky thing to do because if Caesar rejected his appeal, he would be summarily executed
– which is what happened to him, years later.
Paul’s appeal, however, was not to get him out of a life-threatening
situation; it was to give him the opportunity of extending his Gospel mission
by taking him to the very heart of the Empire – to Rome itself – where Paul
could continue his great task of shaping the Early Church. It was remarkably
courageous of him to do this and very effective. His influence is still evident
over our faith today; his letters that were written from prison contain great
advice for Christians and churches all over the world.
We will never find ourselves in a situation like that of
Paul, however, we are all called to share our Christian faith effectively,
boldly, and compassionately no matter who we are, where we live, or what we do.
Spreading the Gospel of Christ does not require us to be great preachers or
teachers like the Apostle Paul, but does involve using our time, gifts, and
resources for the life, work, and mission that Jesus began, Paul extended, and
we can continue in our lives. Today is a good time to begin; now is the moment
of Christ’s calling in our community.
Point to ponder
How does my faith
influence others? Am I ready to share Christ’s love with my circle and
community?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we
thank You for servants like Paul who pioneered our faith so that one day we
would be given the opportunity to accept, love, and serve You as our Savior and
King. Be with us today and encourage us to share Your Gospel effectively and
compassionately. In your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor
of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville,
Tennessee. Come and join us for worship on Sundays at 11:00 AM. You will be
made very welcome. 😊
Today’s image is one of
John’s lectionary drawings based on Psalm 52. If you would like to view a
larger version, please click this link: OliveTree.
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