https://odb.org/MY/2021/12/12/heroes-tyrants-and-jesus
I recently heard someone say that Paul’s story is second only to the story he told, the story of his Jesus and Him crucified. The story of Jesus who didnt remain in the grave but was resurrected and is alive even today! After being turned-over by Jesus Christ Himself in a vision on his way to Damascus to look for and arrest Jews who were following the Way then, Paul became the bridge between Christ and the Gentiles and in the process formulated the theology that formed the tenets of our faith, beginning from a faith by a Jew for Jews to one with universal appeal to all men, that now spans across all corners of the globe, transforming millions and millions who responded to His call upon their lives in the past, in the present age and the age to come. Paul had to suffer more than most of us in the process and yet he never wavered from his goal to preach Christ and Christ crucified to the Gentiles, all the way to Rome, the center of the world then. All this coming from a man born around the same period as Jesus and yet never had the opportunity to have met and interacted with Him in the flesh like you and I.
Can we be as driven as Paul to preach Christ crucified? Can we be as driven as Paul to start and grow churches, to nurture and raise up men and women to take up the cross and fulfil Christ’s calling for them? To support, encourage, counsel and shepherd people, cell groups, outreaches and churches across nations? Paul is a good role model for us to follow and emulate, his passion for his Saviour, his drive to preach Christ crucified to the leader of the known world which he knew would have led him to his death. He followed his Saviour to the tee, he obeyed his Saviour till the end, till death he did his part as he had written before that for him to die is gain but to live is Christ. In other words, while it is an advantage and thus a gain to die for Christ; if he lives, he only lives for Christ and Christ alone.
This morning as we praise God and worship Christ as the Lamb of God in our churches, the One who died for our sins that we may be reconciled to the Father, let’s ponder upon our own lives – are we seeking first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness, are we storing up treasures in heaven and are we fulling God’s calling for us? Let the thoughts, exaltations, lifestory and sacrifice of Paul for Christ to preach Christ crucified be an inspiration for us to realise our full potential in Christ ourselves, no matter how old or young we are, no matter how eloquent we are or not, no matter how bold or confident we are or not. Paul did not speak with the eloquence or wisdom or confidence of man but with the power of God. Let us likewise respond and be like Paul and do like Paul did! Blessed Sunday, everyone!
Ronnie's Thoughts 