Truth That Attracts and Angers

April 26

(Acts 9:22-23 NIV) “Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ. {23} After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him…”

(Acts 9:29 NIV) “He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him.”

(John 8:31-40 NIV) ““To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. {32} Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." {33} They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?" {34} Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. {35} Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. {36} So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. {37} I know you are Abraham's descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. {38} I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father." {39} "Abraham is our father," they answered. "If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would do the things Abraham did. {40} As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things.””

The truth about God’s grace and mercy began to flow out of Saul, and many were attracted to his message. His passion was contagious, and as his credibility and influence grew, his following increased. Truth is attractive to many people, and yet it angers so many others. There were those who hated Saul and his message enough to try to kill him. Some will just never love the truth. The same thing happened to Jesus, and it can happen to us. When we tell the truth about Christ and His influence in our lives, some will appreciate our words and be drawn to the Lord; but others will despise us and the truth of the gospel. Some will be inspired -- others will conspire. Some will work alongside us -- others will work against us. We have no say in what response we get. It’s really none of our business who listens and who doesn’t. God will sort that out. Just keep telling the truth. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Living It Down

April 25

(Acts 9:21 NIV)  "All 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?"

(Acts 9:26 NIV) “When 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.”

(Proverbs 22:1 NIV “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.”

A bad reputation is hard to live down. Saul’s reputation caused fear instead of faith in the people he went to share his story with. You can’t blame them. He had done them harm. It took him a while to live that reputation down. The phrase “live it down”, is instructive. We speak about someone “living down” a reputation. The irony is that the reputation we must “live down” was usually obtained from what culture calls “living it up”. It can take years to “live it down” after some time of “living it up”. We end up being shackled by what we thought was freedom. What we thought would bring happiness, causes despair. Saul had a hard time living down his reputation -- so will we. Be careful about the reputation you are constructing through daily choices. One brick at a time, one day at a time, your reputation is being built. Work at building a reputation you won’t have to live down. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

New Song

April 24

(Acts 9:20-21 NIV) “At once he (Saul) began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. {21} All those who heard him were astonished…”

(1 Samuel 10:6 NIV) "The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person."

(Psalms 40:3 NIV) "He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord."

After Saul was healed of his blindness, he immediately began to preach that Jesus is Lord. He had been changed into a different person. God had put a new song in his mouth. People were astonished that this man, who had once arrested Christians as heretics, was now preaching Jesus in synagogues. He sang his new song anywhere people would listen. He had a passion you don’t get from reading books about God. Saul’s main message in the beginning was his conversion story. He repeated it over and over again to groups and to individuals. He was awestruck at the mercy of God in the face of his sin. Saul preached Jesus with a fervor that could only come from meeting the Lord personally. It doesn’t take a seminary degree to preach Jesus -- all it takes is a conversion. Have you been changed by Jesus? Then you have a message. Preach it! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Keeping the Right Company

April 23

(Acts 9:19b NIV) “Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.”

(1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV) ““Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character.””

(2 Corinthians 6:14-17 NIV) ““Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? {15} What harmony is there between Christ and Belial ? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? {16} What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." {17} "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.””

Saul started off on the right foot in his new Christian life -- he started hanging around with the disciples. The company we keep has an impact on our life. We are influenced by those with whom we choose to associate. One term for this is fellowship. Fellowship is about more than just having fun with Christian friends -- it’s about getting close enough to absorb some of Christ’s character from those who have walked with Jesus longer than we have. Saul learned about faith, love, hope, mercy, and perseverance from the disciples. His life was enriched by his time with them. Hanging around with mature disciples is important to our spiritual growth. The biblical model of discipleship is not just learning stuff from our teachers, but becoming like them. We become like those we hang around with. Saul chose to hang around with genuine disciples of Jesus. We should do the same. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day