Eight months later, I've visited City Church SF two times, and there are many positives about it, and I think that will be the church I'll be attending for now. However, in another 5-6 months, I'll be going to Southern California College of Optometry in Fullerton. So I will be displaced yet again. But considering where I was spiritually 8 months ago, and now it's definitely improved. Improvement wasn't in leaps and bounds, but all the small things culminated and have led to God blessing me during the past 3-4 days.
I visited my friend Jianni, at UCB, and knew she usually has small group Bible study on Wednesday nights. I asked if I could go because the last time I actually participated in a Bible study with a group was back at Davis. Dissecting the Word was amazing, and God just pointed out so many things to our group. The Bible is where amazing happens.
The passage we studied was Acts 9:19-31:
19and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?" 22Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.[a]23After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
26When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.
Acts 9:19-31 (NIV)Unfortunately I will make a list of the 3 things that I took from the passage:
1) Importance of community
2) Words deserving of death
3) Saul's inherent traits
1) Importance of community
When reading the passage, it's noticeable how Saul is dependent on disciples and his own disciples on helping him escape, directing him to the next town, or even vouching for his credibility post-conversion. Also when Saul first enters the town, he looks to join the disciples already there. He actively searches for community when in a different environment. Many people are doubtful of Saul because of his persecution of Christians, but Barnabas advocates him to the Apostles. Also his disciples help him escape; the community is aware of another's struggles and problems. When I was listening to Elijah (a person in the small group, not the OT prophet) talk about dependence on community and how Saul was lowered in the basket. The image of Saul just crouching in a basket with no one to lower him appeared in my head...heh. So, recognizing the importance for community when you need to be apart of the body is important, and as a body recognizing when one of you members is struggling is necessarily in keeping the body strong.
2) Words deserving of death
I thought of this because Saul would immediately preach once he reached a city, and what he said, "He is the Song of God." That phrase along with other things that Saul might have said cause people to plot to kill him. How often do we find ourselves saying something that we would be killed for? Also to grasp that what Saul is saying is the truth, and how the truth can get you killed. I thought of Jack Nicholson, in a Few Good Men, saying, "You want the truth, you can't handle the truth," and how that resonates with the general public when hearing about Hell, and not receiving salvation if not accepting the grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. There is one truth and many lies, and as Christians we accept that truth and try to live lives according to that truth. Are we or do we present the truth in a way that can get us killed, or do we water it down so we can stay safe? Putting the situation in perspective, it's not like what Saul was saying was just some joke that people would ignore, but it was something so against the grain, so different, that people wanted to kill him for it.
3) Saul's inherent traits
Comparing pre-conversion and post-conversion Saul, Saul's skills and personality traits do not change, but their use is redirected for building the kingdom of God. Saul was a zealous pharisee who persecuted Christians from town to town, but after he was converted he was an active, bold speaker spreading the message truth that Christ is and was God. God created Saul, and when the time was right, He used Saul to become His messenger. We are created by God, and He knows what we're capable of, but are we using what He's given us for the kingdom of God? In the a similar aspect, who is to say that Person B is not or cannot be a servant of God because He doesn't act or possess certain traits or skills. We are created by God and all we are can and will be used by Him if we allow it.
This is probably shorter than it could be and longer than intended, but I do need to sleep because I have to work. Praise God for the Book of Truth, and how we only scratch the surface of it. It's been a good week for me, and God again showed me how much I can learn if I dig deep into His Word.
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