May 24: Celebrating His Victory.
HIS IDENTIFICATION.
"Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"--Acts 9:4
The persecution of Christians is growing around the globe. I was startled when I read recent reports that highlight that this problem is worse now than at any time in the past. The Open Door organization, which serves persecuted Christians worldwide, labels many countries as having "high, very high, or extreme persecution" and keeps adding them to the World Watch List. * This is not just an ancient problem, and we can get involved by praying for oppressed Christians.
The first verse of Acts 9 is astonishing: "Now Saul, still breathing threats, and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest." Saul, who had been introduced to the reader back at the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58), went to Caiphas to ask for letters of extradition to bring all the followers of Jesus "bound" to Jerusalem (Acts 9:2). This time he was after those who had taken refuge in the city of Damascus, in the province of Syria. This city, located about one hundred fifty miles from Jerusalem, was outside of the Holy Land, and had a large Jewish population. Saul (Hebrew for Paul), had consented to the death of the first Christian martyr (Acts 8:1) and was now persecuting all those belonging to the Way, an identification mentioned many times in Acts (chapters 18, 19, 22, 24). "As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" (Acts 9:3, 4). Notice that the resurrected Christ speaks to Saul, identifying with the persecuted group. He didn't say: "Why are you persecuting them?" When Saul asked "Who are You, Lord?" once again Jesus responded, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting" (verse 5). Jesus embodied the persecution of His followers as being done unto Him personally. Jesus continues to identify personally with His oppressed followers; whatever is done to them is being done unto Him. Join me in praying for those who are suffering for their faith in Christ. And if you are going through hardships for His sake, may you know that Jesus identifies personally with you.
My Response:_____________________________________________________________
* Open Doors USA, "World Watch List," http://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch-list/.
HIS IDENTIFICATION.
"Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"--Acts 9:4
The persecution of Christians is growing around the globe. I was startled when I read recent reports that highlight that this problem is worse now than at any time in the past. The Open Door organization, which serves persecuted Christians worldwide, labels many countries as having "high, very high, or extreme persecution" and keeps adding them to the World Watch List. * This is not just an ancient problem, and we can get involved by praying for oppressed Christians.
The first verse of Acts 9 is astonishing: "Now Saul, still breathing threats, and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest." Saul, who had been introduced to the reader back at the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58), went to Caiphas to ask for letters of extradition to bring all the followers of Jesus "bound" to Jerusalem (Acts 9:2). This time he was after those who had taken refuge in the city of Damascus, in the province of Syria. This city, located about one hundred fifty miles from Jerusalem, was outside of the Holy Land, and had a large Jewish population. Saul (Hebrew for Paul), had consented to the death of the first Christian martyr (Acts 8:1) and was now persecuting all those belonging to the Way, an identification mentioned many times in Acts (chapters 18, 19, 22, 24). "As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" (Acts 9:3, 4). Notice that the resurrected Christ speaks to Saul, identifying with the persecuted group. He didn't say: "Why are you persecuting them?" When Saul asked "Who are You, Lord?" once again Jesus responded, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting" (verse 5). Jesus embodied the persecution of His followers as being done unto Him personally. Jesus continues to identify personally with His oppressed followers; whatever is done to them is being done unto Him. Join me in praying for those who are suffering for their faith in Christ. And if you are going through hardships for His sake, may you know that Jesus identifies personally with you.
My Response:_____________________________________________________________
* Open Doors USA, "World Watch List," http://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch-list/.
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