Christian devotion: A Chosen Instrument - Acts 9:15

Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.”

            I am very wary of pastors and people who dismiss the teachings and letters of the Apostle Paul, usually because they disagree with what he has written about Christianity. Modern day folks may not like what he expressed 1900 years ago, but they conveniently reject him all too easily, forgetting that Paul himself was chosen by Christ, as God’s chosen instrument, to take the Christian faith beyond Judea and the Jewish faith.

            Paul’s critics seems to think that their own ideas are either better or equal to his own. I have yet to come across any one of them who has advanced the Christian faith as effectively as Paul did. God did not just choose him arbitrarily; God selected Paul for His own divine purpose of seeing the Gospel being preached and the Church being planted all over Europe, even at the very heart of the Roman Empire.

            In my opinion, this means that Paul’s teaching and writings are full of important messages, lessons, and purposes for Christians, no matter where they live, what church they belong to, or in whichever century they exist. If we commonly say that God doesn’t make mistakes, then the choosing of Paul was not an error either. The apostle’s life and letters should be very important to every one of us, especially if we call ourselves ‘Christian.’

Questions for personal reflection

Do I take the teachings of Paul seriously, or am I apt to dismiss his ideas as outdated and irrelevant? Why did God choose Paul in the first place, and how has that decision affected me?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, when You confronted Paul on the Damascus Road, You were setting into motion a major movement in the history of Your Church. Without Paul’s conversion and his teachings, much of who we are as Christians today would not be possible. Remind us that You deliberately chose him to carry out God’s divine purpose, and that selection has even affected us today. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Gospel devotion: The Real Jesus - 2 Corinthians 11:4

For today’s readings: click on these links – Judges 10:6-18 and 2 Corinthians 11:1-11

2 Corinthians 11:4     For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

At this time of year, I always chuckle at the special programs which some cable channels broadcast about the Bible and Jesus. They usually advertise the programs with teasing titles like ‘Secrets of the Bible’ or ‘UFOs in the Bible’ or ‘The Real Jesus.’ I must admit that I've watched some of them through the years, but what they usually present are just old obscure ideas that were rejected by the Church ages ago because their origins were unreliable.

Along with these ‘recently discovered scriptures,’ the programmers roll out some college lecturers who want to make a name for themselves by being controversial. They are just like the paid examiners in high profile trials, who trot out what their legal sponsors expect of them. In return for their fifteen minutes of fame, these religious lecturers relish creating a controversy that some people sadly buy into, and end up causing them to cast aside their simple faith.

Long before cable and television were invented, the Apostle Paul had to deal with the same sort of controversial stuff. In today’s passage (2 Corinthians 11:1-11) he deals with a similar situation where rogue preachers have come into an established Christian community, preaching a different Gospel and Jesus from what was originally expressed. Paul gently berates the community of the faithful for embracing these new and highly questionable ideas about Christ. The Corinthians community is embracing the novelty of a new Christ, instead of holding on to their faith in the real Christ that Paul had introduced them.

With so many different methods of receiving information, people can be easily persuaded to accept something as Gospel truth these days without questioning either the sources or the ideas. In every generation, the Church has had to face this problem and fight for the Truth. And in every situation, the simple answer is still the best solution: people need to get back to the basics of actually reading the Bible.

Questions for personal reflection

What is the source of my knowledge about Jesus? How often do I actually read the Bible?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, Your words and ways have shaped this whole world for almost two thousand years. We thank You for the Gospels and for the messages which continue to captivate our hearts and minds. Keep us focused on Your teaching and protect us from those who would divert our attention, distract our devotion, and diminish our understanding of Who You really are. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to make a comment or ask a question about today’s message, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is John’s latest Nativity drawing. It’s called “Mumbai Madonna” and is an Indian artistic interpretation of Jesus and Mary. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3679/11039323083_c96ac02b69_b.jpg