Good Saturday May ninth as we come before the throne of grace to learn God’s word.
Prejudice is deep-
The apostle Paul stands on the stairs overlooking the courtyard of the outer temple and begins to share his transformation from his heart mind soul and spirit. Matthew 22:37 “Jesus said to him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Understand in transformation one must allow in one’s life, to love God, first one must believe that the evidence they have accumulated in their life leads them to God, as creator and sustainer of all life, in other wards that life has proven to them that life was not a great random mistake, that things are too orderly and in need of God as the creator. Next Jesus says after making this decision then one is to love the One who created all things and remain with His position in our lives as God. Jesus says now that you love me, love Me with your soul, that is all of whom you are, the conscience the decision maker, to let God govern ones entire being. Then Jesus says with all your mind, understand for our souls to follow the Lord, ones thought patterns, ones world view must be firmly rooted in God’s word, that the word of God is God and is total truth. Paul had the body in religion his soul in belief in God, but his mind was in the religious practices, the extra traditions that man had added to what they declared was God’s entire law. Paul met the Lord and his body soul and mind were transformed in the truth of who Jesus was and is. So Paul shares with these Jews then says Jesus sent me to go to all the gentiles with the gospel. Let’s read together from Acts 22:22-24 “And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!” Then, as they cried out and tore off their clothes and threw dust into the air, the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and said that he should be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him.” When Paul tells them that it was God who commissioned him to go to the gentiles, this ignited the anger in the mob again, and why, because religion is a prejudice that works through one’s mind body and soul and spirit, how? By believing that they are the only ones, the only right ones. Have you ever met an only right one? Absent is the love of God, as God loves the world. You know this verse, John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God’s heart mind soul and spirit are to love all His creation even those who do not love Him. Romans 5:10 “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Paul a religious man as Saul was an enemy of the gospel but God loved him so much that He gave His own life for Paul who now is giving his own life for God’s word for us. Paul is taken into the barracks it says to be examined but look how one is examined,
“He should be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him.” As if Paul didn’t know why. Have you been transformed into a new creation? Do you know why non believers shun you? Remnant
