Acts 9:17-31
So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened.
For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. 20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
23 When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, 25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. 30 And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
When I was first in ministry, my wife lovingly told me, “You don’t have to have a chip on your shoulder about being a Lutheran.” Perhaps she recognized an over-abundance of zealotry on my part. Some of that was bred into me by my seminary education. I had learned so much! And I love Lutheran theology! Some of it may have had to do with being identified by some as an up-and-coming political force in our church body. Whew! Were they wrong!
Whatever the reason, apparently I was pretty zealous in my defense of sound theology centered in Jesus, grounded in his word, and confessed for centuries by faithful men and women. That’s not a bad thing. It’s just a thing.
Saul was a zealous convert to this faith. The reality of Jesus’ resurrection had struck him blind. Now that he could see – both physically and spiritually – he was out to tell everyone he could this great and good news. Luke tell us, “For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’” He reasoned with the Jews, proving that Jesus was the Christ. I’m guessing theirs was a measured response.
A recent Barna poll revealed “Teens’ Perspective of Jesus Christ.” 47% of all Teens and 61% of Christians believe that Jesus was crucified. 33% of all Teens and 50% of Christians believe that Jesus was raised from the dead. 21% of all Teens and 32% of Christians believe that Jesus is active in the world today.
Ugh. It seems clear to me that somehow we must help our teens (and the rest of the generations) realize that Jesus is the Son of God, the Christ, crucified, dead, buried, raised from the dead and coming again to receive his own into his eternal kingdom. I’m not sure how zealous we need to be, but I am sure we cannot sit back and let this trend continue. Measured response or not, let’s make it clear that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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