David Bahn – Reflections

Light from the Word and through the lens

  • At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

    The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance 11 and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

    Intrepid Yellow Flower | Houston, TX | September 2023

    I’m getting a new computer and I’m pretty excited about it. There will be some work I will have to do in order to make fullest use of it. I’ll have to transfer files, reinstall apps, and make certain all the things that work on my current computer work on the new one. It should be faster, better, lighter, and have a longer battery life. But it will take some work to get it, and there will be some getting-used-to-it involved.

    I think about this because of the new ways of thinking and relating that will be required as the gospel message makes its way to more people – especially now that new people are being brought into the fellowship of the redeemed. In fact this will take a lot more adjustments than putting a new computer into service. A. Lot. More.

    God is setting this up intentionally and deliberately. First he will have Cornelius call for Peter. Then Peter will come to Cornelius’ house as requested. The description of Cornelius makes it clear that Peter’s visit there was not thoughtless yet it held the potential for religious conflict. Cornelius was not only a gentile, he was a Roman centurion. As such, he was a leader of Roman soldiers. And these were the agents of a government that oppressed Jewish and Christian believers.

    So Luke also tells us that Cornelius was a God-fearing man who was generous and prayerful. The term “God fearer” refers to someone who was a quasi convert to the Jewish faith, but was uncircumcised. In some way, therefore this was a half-step outside the strictly Jewish nature of the early Christian faith. We forget that the earliest Christians were Jewish believers.

    But now Acts 1:8 is being played out. The followers of Jesus have been his witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea. Soon the Gospel message will go to Samaria and well beyond. But this represents a necessary step toward crossing that barrier. If the message is to take root in remote places and in Gentile hearts, some minds will need to be changed. Peter’s mind is about to be changed.

    There is not an obvious parallel to that transition today. The Gospel message has been around the world. Believers from every tribe, nation, people, and tongue have heard and believed the Good News of Jesus. But there might be someone in your personal sphere of relationships who would test the limits of your gracious welcome. Perhaps God will bring someone into your life who will push out the boundaries of your sensibilities. In the meantime we can be thankful that Peter had this vision and that subsequent to it we who are not of the chosen nation of Israel are of the chosen people of God: no longer unclean.

  • Please pray these psalms with me on this Lord’s Day

    Psalm 5:1-3

    Give ear to my words, O Lord;
        consider my groaning.
    Give attention to the sound of my cry,
        my King and my God,
        for to you do I pray.
    O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
        in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

    Psalm 35:9-10

    Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord,
        exulting in his salvation.
    10 All my bones shall say,
        “O Lord, who is like you,
    delivering the poor
        from him who is too strong for him,
        the poor and needy from him who robs him?”

    Psalm 65:1-4

    Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion,
        and to you shall vows be performed.
    O you who hear prayer,
        to you shall all flesh come.
    When iniquities prevail against me,
        you atone for our transgressions.
    Blessed is the one you choose and bring near,
        to dwell in your courts!
    We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,
        the holiness of your temple!

    Psalm 95:1-6

    Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
        let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
    Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
        let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
    For the Lord is a great God,
        and a great King above all gods.
    In his hand are the depths of the earth;
        the heights of the mountains are his also.
    The sea is his, for he made it,
        and his hands formed the dry land.

    Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
        let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
    For he is our God,
        and we are the people of his pasture,
        and the sheep of his hand.

    Psalm 125:1-2

    Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
        which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
    As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
        so the Lordsurrounds his people,
        from this time forth and forevermore.

    English Standard Version (ESV)
    The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016.
    Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

  • Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. 35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

    36 Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. 37 In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” 39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.

    Grass Spikes | Houston, Texas | May 2023

    IF YOU’RE A CHILD OF THE KING YOU SHOULD ACT LIKE IT The sign caught my attention for sure. It was on a marquee of a church in rural Texas. I think I know what was meant by the sign. If you’re a child of the King, you should live a decent and godly life. I agree with that – albeit with a small caveat. That would be something like, “AND THANK THE KING THAT HE IS MERCIFUL TO REPENTANT SINNERS.” We should love our neighbor. We should obey God’s commandments. We should be kind and gracious. We should live a chaste and decent life. But we don’t always do what we should.

    Some people use that as an excuse for all manner of bad behavior. They think – like Paul suggests in Romans 5, “Since God’s grace is boundless, why not sin more so that we can experience more of God’s grace?” (Romans 5:21). That’s a serious question, not to be taken lightly. God’s grace abounds even more than our sins. But we’ve died to sin. We certainly should not live in it any longer.

    Aeneas and Dorcas were models of redeemed faithfulness. Certainly her good works and charity were beautiful markers of a life filled with God’s grace. Aeneas is urged to rise and make his bed. There was no charge in this case, “Go and sin no more.” He simply received the gift of healing from Jesus through Peter, and stood up and walked. Sometimes obedience is as simple as that.

    Sometimes it is more significant. Acts of kindness and charity are markers of one redeemed by Christ. They are the behaviors that are aligned with being a child of the King. They don’t cause us to be God’s people. They don’t bring God’s grace to us. That’s all his doing. Neither Aeneas nor Dorcas did anything to be visited by Peter or healed by him. This is the work of God. He comes to us. He redeems us. He heals us. He forgives us. He saves us.

    Even if we’re not the one directly touched by God’s grace, the evidence of his mercy, grace, power and healing is meant to turn us to him in faith. In the end the healing is a great gift, but it is not the most important gift of God. That would be Jesus, and his gift of redemption and salvation. That salvation is an eternal healing of all infirmities, brokenness, failures, forgiveness of all sin, and an eternity of joy and praise to God.

    You and I may wish for a healing we have not yet received. We may yearn for a tomorrow that is yet to come. We may be praying for God’s work in the life of a loved one, and wonder whether we’ll ever see it. The most important thing for us is to hold onto the promises of God, and trust him for all good things. Dorcas and Aeneas are wonderful examples (among many others) of God’s direct touch. Peter is an example of a great and faithful servant of God, and the people who see all this and turn in faith to God are great examples for the rest of us. The most important thing is that we receive the grace of God, believe in Jesus Christ and enjoy his gift of eternal life and salvation.

  • Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. 35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

    36 Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. 37 In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” 39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.

    Water Lily | Houston, TX | May 2023

    When we teach pastors and church leaders about leadership we often resort to the tried and true axiom, “Just take the next step.” We say that because so very often we don’t know what the road ahead will bring, and we can be paralyzed with fear rather than emboldened with courageous faith to move forward. Even when we think we know what lies ahead, we must simply take the next step forward to reach our goal. For true progress in God’s kingdom or life itself is never achieved by means of a time warp. That’s the stuff of science fiction – emphasis on fiction.

    Peter is embodying this in his mission trip to Lydda and Joppa. When he left for Lydda, he most likely did not know what awaited him there. He might have heard of Aeneas. But we have no indication that he had. He might have had in mind to perform miracles while there, but we’re not told that explicitly. Jesus had sent him and the other disciples out on more than one occasion to heal the sick and cast out demons and proclaim the kingdom of God was at hand. So it is likely that he had in mind that these things would happen. But there is no indication that he had any kind of detailed itinerary. He simply went.

    There are people who live life that way, and often I admire them. They are spontaneous, unscripted, and able to pivot on a moment’s notice. They can go on vacation, leaving one day and heading out somewhere without knowing where. They arrive and find a place to stay, and head out the next morning to do the same. At least I’ve heard that such people exist. Most of us have a far different approach. We want to make sure we’ve got our agenda clearly outlined. Hotel reservations, tour tickets, sightseeing plans all laid out.

    To some extent it’s good to live a well-planned life that way, with our weeks goals, appointments, and schedules all lined out. That way we don’t waste time. But as we plan our weeks, we do well to leave room for the Spirit of God to interrupt our plans and take us places we had not known of or planned on. Who knows what God may have planned for us? After all, God has prepared good works in advance for us to do, so that we may walk in them (cf. Ephesians 2:10). And in our well-planned weeks there will be times we simply must take the next step; do the next thing.

    Peter did that when he went to Lydda and on to Joppa, and as a result a man who was previously paralyzed began taking his own steps. And a woman whose earthly walk seemed to have been ended, went on from there. May God order our days and our steps in his peace so that we walk in the good works he has prepared for us to do. So let’s just take the next step!

  • Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. 35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

    36 Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. 37 In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” 39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.

    Lake View | Houston, TX | September 2023

    You have to have a cooling bath to get the sauce cooled quickly. That’s so it doesn’t give someone food poisoning. This was the warning of a restaurant manager when Diane and I were making “PB’s Famous Spaghetti Sauce.” PB stood for Pastor Bahn, and the sauce was for a spaghetti dinner at the church I was serving. It’s fame was only in the name. And it was “PB’s” only because I found the recipe and was cooking it up – with the help of my dear wife and our pesky restaurant managing watchdog! Nevertheless, we cooked the sauce and he brought commercial cooling trays and thermometer, and no one got food poisoning! That would have been an altogether different kind of fame!

    Tabitha, however, had a fame to which we would all aspire. She was noted for her good works and acts of charity. She was apparently a seamstress, and her companions there in Joppa were deeply moved by her kindness and sad about her death. They recalled her work by means of showing the garments she had made.

    It reminds me of the Sundays we have had in our church where 50 to 75 quilts have been laid on the communion rail, gifts of charity from the Dorcas Guild. Their name is taken from this woman, Tabitha, “whose name means Dorcas.” The name means deer, a graceful and meek animal. Perhaps it was descriptive of her personality. She may have been unassuming and graceful.

    But since little attention other than the translation for Greek readers is offered, the most important quality of character was her generosity and kind helpfulness. Good works and charity are the marks of a woman or man of faith. They flow from Jesus’ love for us and offer us the opportunity to reflect that love to others. We honor him by such kindnesses.

    People can be famous for spaghetti sauce, space exploration, athletic prowess, financial success, beauty, or any number of things. We are called to a different kind of fame – a fame of love and good works. To be famous for such things requires a spirit of humility. Rather than doing good works to be seen by others, we are commanded to do them in a way that God receives the glory.

    I’m reminded of the women of the Dorcas Guild whenever I walk into our front bedroom where a beautiful quilt made by the Dorcas Guild women covers the bed there – a retirement gift from these gracious women. But I also think of the quilts (less elaborate but oh so useful) that they donate to police officers, fire fighters and Lutheran World Relief each year.

    The benefit of that becomes so very clear to me as I recall a day 37 years ago when our youngest son was hit by a car. He completely recovered. But as he lay on the street and we waited for the ambulance to arrive, a thoughtful police officer took off his jacket and placed the fir collar of the jacket between the rough surface of the street and Stephen’s face. A quilt would offer the same kind of comfort. I wonder how many more people have benefitted from such good works and charity.

  • Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. 35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

    36 Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. 37 In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” 39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.

    Reflections on the Water | Houston, TX | September 2023

    506 years ago today, a little known German monk tacked a list of theological statements on the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany. His name was Martin Luther, and this day is generally thought of as the start of the Protestant Reformation. Today there are some 81 million people who identify themselves as Lutherans.

    Luther’s efforts were not to start a new church, a revolution, or to gain a name for himself. In fact near the time of his death the term Lutheran was a pejorative term. Those Lutherans, some would say derisively, have made a mess of things. But the word got out. People began reading what Luther wrote (thanks to Gutenberg’s printing press and Luther’s prolific writings). More people heard of his stand against indulgences, the sale of forgiveness, and the abuses of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church. Word began spreading. And Luther (100 years after Jan Huss who said many of the same things  previous to Luther) began to gain a following. The Gospel message of salvation by grace through faith began to see the light of day. People were saved. Jesus was glorified.

    Somehow the word gets out. That’s true for churches. Years ago I was serving a church where I sensed that a new wind of the Spirit was blowing. I hadn’t tried to gin up some sort of spiritual awakening. I had simply done what God had called me to do. It was at the right time in the right place. And I was no different as a pastor than I had been in my previous church decades ago where the success had been hard fought and short-lived. Somehow the word got out that God was at work in the people of that new church. And people began to come. It was a wonderful time. It was difficult to leave that church to go to the next church to which God called me.

    The impact of Aeneas’ healing proved to be such a new wind of the Spirit. And the word got out. The people in Joppa learned about his healing and called for Peter to come to their town and heal Tabitha. Peter was God’s instrument for healing, and in this case, also for raising Tabitha from the dead. It seems that God gave that authority specifically to the Apostles. And these signs and wonders were done not for their own sake, but to show the power, grace, and mercy of God – all in the name of Jesus. The word simply got out. Jesus was glorified and people were saved. 

    You don’t have to sell someone a bill of goods. You don’t have to know all the answers. You just need to be a friend who is willing to let someone know that there is a place where they can hear of God’s grace and love, that honors Jesus and his truth, and where the Holy Spirit is at work. When people do that, the word gets out, Jesus gets the glory and people get saved.

    That’s a good thing. Right?

     


  • Acts 9:32-43

    Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. 34 And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. 35 And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

    36 Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. 37 In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” 39 So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43 And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner.

    Tiny Blossom Near its End | Houston, TX | September 2023

    When I was preparing to go to Kenya for a vision clinic mission trip, we learned from a former Muslim about his remarkable conversion. I have no way of verifying what he said, but only the extremely remarkable nature of the events leading up to his conversion. I don’t really recall exactly how it played into the story, but it involved someone being raised from the dead. Yes! Remarkable to say the least. I also recall his joy and infectious faith in Jesus, and a willingness to be part of whatever God would do to reach people with the Good News of Jesus. Miracles in his world were simply a part of the mission. It all seemed genuine and not self-aggrandizing.

    Following Saul’s dramatic conversion, and his time in Jerusalem, Peter strikes out in a missionary journey of his own. He encounters Aeneas, and heals him. The result? “All the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.”

    Then comes his encounter with Tabatha, the disciple in Jappa who was known for her charity and good works. Peter raises her from the dead. The result? “It became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.”

    I notice specifically as Peter meets Aeneas, he makes it clear: “Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” Peter was not interested in his own fame. That becomes clear not only in the case of Aeneas and Peter’s manner of speech to him. It is also clear by the way he puts everyone out of the room before he raised Tabitha from the dead. It is proven, also, by the result of these miracles. People are brought to faith in Jesus. Peter may have done it, but Jesus got the glory. 

    This is so different from my experience with TV healers and so-called televangelists. Their words may say, “Jesus,” but too often it seems the spotlight remains on them. I have little patience with those who seem to want more attention than Jesus. But, I think I should be concerned for anyone who gives into the temptation toward celebrity. Jesus resisted this temptation in the wilderness. He knew its grave danger. It is a temptation to replace God with the poorest imitation of all. Self-idolatry is a grave blasphemy.

    Whether we crave attention, credit, or glory, we all struggle with this temptation of self-idolatry. Thank God for examples like Peter and for a Savior like Jesus. Give him the glory. For some of his most important work is that which he does in people’s hearts who awaken to this danger and seek again to bring him the glory that only he deserves.

  • Please pray these psalms with me on this Lord’s Day

    Psalm 29:1-2

    Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,
        ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
    Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
        worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

    Psalm 59:16-17

    I will sing of your strength;
        I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
    For you have been to me a fortress
        and a refuge in the day of my distress.
    17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
        for you, O God, are my fortress,
        the God who shows me steadfast love.

    Psalm 89:1-2

    I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever;
        with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
    For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;
        in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”

    Psalm 119:1-8

    Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
        who walk in the law of the Lord!
    Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
        who seek him with their whole heart,
    who also do no wrong,
        but walk in his ways!
    You have commanded your precepts
        to be kept diligently.
    Oh that my ways may be steadfast
        in keeping your statutes!
    Then I shall not be put to shame,
        having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
    I will praise you with an upright heart,
        when I learn your righteous rules.
    I will keep your statutes;
        do not utterly forsake me!

    Psalm 149:1-5 [NRSV]

    Praise the Lord!
    Sing to the Lord a new song,
        his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
    Let Israel be glad in its Maker;
        let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.
    Let them praise his name with dancing,
        making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.
    For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
        he adorns the humble with victory.
    Let the faithful exult in glory;
        let them sing for joy on their couches.

    English Standard Version (ESV)
    The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016.
    Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

  • 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.

    Curly Twig | Houston, TX | September 2023

    Years ago I heard the story of the conversion of Nicky Cruz, a notorious gang member. Here’s a snippet of Nicky’s story:

    Arrested countless times, a court-ordered psychiatrist pronounced Nicky’s fate as “headed to prison, the electric chair, and hell.” No authority figure could reach Cruz – until he met a skinny street-preacher named David Wilkerson. He disarmed Nicky – showing him something he’d never known before: relentless love. His interest in the young thug was persistent. Nicky beat him up, spit on him and, on one occasion, seriously threatened his life, yet the love of God remained – stronger than any adversary Nicky had ever encountered. Finally, Wilkerson’s presentation of the gospel message and the love of Jesus melted the thick walls of Nicky’s heart. He received the forgiveness, love and new life that can only come through Jesus. Since then, he has dedicated that life to helping others find the same freedom. – Hachette

    Like Saul’s conversion his was dramatic and his new life profoundly impactful. Most followers of Jesus don’t have stories quite so dramatic. But a closer look at this account raises up two others who are rightly part of this story. Ananias comes to Saul and heals his blindness. This opens the door for Saul to connect with the disciples in Jerusalem. And then when Saul goes to Jerusalem he is not readily accepted.

    Thank God for Barnabas. He will stand in for Saul. He will introduce him to the Apostles. He will be true to his name, ‘Son of Encouragement.’ We don’t know what kind of transformation Barnabas went through to get him to believe in Jesus and want to encourage Saul. It might be a very ordinary progression of growing awareness to the implications of God’s grace.

    There is more at stake here than Paul’s feelings. His future missionary activity will lead him back to Jerusalem and he will need the listening ears of the Apostles there. The mission of God to all nations, Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth is at stake. All this is being set in motion here not only by Saul’s transformation, but aided also by Ananias’ and Barnabas’ ministrations.

    More and more the implications of God’s grace to us must play out in our lives. We must recognize that the grace we have received is grace we also must share. We must hold fast to the idea that God does amazing and far-reaching work through those whose stories are sensational, but also through those whose growing awareness of his grace is less dramatic.

    You may not have a dramatic transformation story, but you may play a part in the impact of those whose story is more sensational. This is the grace of Jesus at work in all our lives.

  • 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.

    Roseate Spoonbills | South Padre Island Birding Center | September 2023

    She asked, “Should I put it in for 11 or 22?”

    “I think 22 would be better,” came the answer.

    It was time to heat something in the microwave. This is a fast method of heating food. We’re talking seconds not minutes most of the time. But this person (real, but not related) had it down to an art. Rather than having to move her finger from the 2 to the 0 on the keypad, she would touch 22. Quicker. More expedient. Same for 11 as opposed to moving all the way from the 1 to the 0 on the microwave keypad.

    We live in a microwave world. We want things now. Amazon is even delivering certain things by drone in College Station, Texas – within an hour from being ordered! That’s faster than going to the store! And speed counts. We want our stuff now. I like next day delivery. If I can get it overnight so much the better.

    But seldom is this the pathway of faithfulness a quick trip. And our spiritual growth comes over time. Microwave Christianity is likely to be like seed sown in rocky soil: they immediately sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. (Matthew 13:5-6) 

    Saul is a great example of this. His conversion was sudden and dramatic. His blindness was lifted in one moment, and the next he was baptized. He took food and was strengthened. Next thing you know he’s confounding the Jews in Damascus, proving Jesus is the Christ.

    But when he goes to Jerusalem, the pace slows dramatically. The disciples there are not so sure about this new convert. It will take Barnabas to intercede for him, and bring him into the fellowship of the disciples there. Eventually he is brought to Caesarea and then to Tarsus. All this takes time. Fourteen years later (Galatians 2:1) Paul will return to Jerusalem. There is reason to believe that Paul actually did missionary work during those 14 years. But he was surely also being trained, refined, taught, and challenged by God during that time. 

    Our path of faithfulness may not be as challenging as was Paul’s. But we are called to a long obedience in the same direction, as Eugene Peterson puts it. Following Jesus requires a deepening life of prayer, service, and faith. It’s no microwave process. But Jesus is with us every second along the way.