I love to watch old TV westerns …
Beautiful horses, beautiful women, and gunslingers …
And always the showdown in town … the camera angle at hip-level, so we can see the guns slung low, ready for action.
A slow walk toward one another … one of them draws, and then the other - boom, boom, and someone drops.
The mortician steps out of his office, gathers up the body; the winner steps into the saloon for a drink with the boys … just another day in the Old West, or so the movies would have it.
Paul the Apostle is challenged by spiritual gunslingers …
Paul says, “You wanna fight with me? You wanna draw on me? Ya’ better be careful. I’m well-armed, and I can draw fast. You think you can brag? Listen to me!”
I was circumcised on the eighth day.
I am from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin.
I am a Hebrew of the Hebrews.
With respect to observing the Law, I’m a Pharisee.
With respect to devotion to the faith, I harassed the church.
With respect to righteousness under the Law, I’m blameless.
Paul wins!
He’s king of the hill; top of the heap … the fastest gun in town.
But Paul asks us a very important question:
Is this what we really want?
A bragging society?
Everyone trying to outgun the other?
Playing the game: Who’s bigger, better, brighter?
It’s a game that hardens the heart, and ends badly …
Before Paul is Paul, he was Saul - a hard-hearted man.
Saul holds coats while the crowd executes Stephen for blasphemy ...
Saul orders lashes without a moment’s hesitation …
Saul throws people into prison …
Saul’s proud of it … I’m bigger, I’m better, I’m brighter.
He’s a hard-hearted man!
On the Damascus Road, an explosion of heavenly light … Saul falls to the ground.
He knows it’s the LORD.
His confidence melts away.
Who are you, LORD? Who are you?
The LORD answers Saul …
The LORD says, I am Jesus.
And you’re harassing me.
Get up and go to Damascus, and you’ll be told what you must do.
Saul meets the ultimate gunslinger … whose draw is lightening-fast - who never kills, and always heals … whose love for us wins the day!
What do we learn from Paul?
Sometimes what we value isn’t valuable at all.
Paul describes what he once valued as skubala (skubala) … Greek for garbage, or dung … the Common English Bible translates it, sewer trash.
Paul lists the things he once valued: we can summarize:
Race, religion and his record of personal accomplishments.
Human temptations:
My race is better than your race … my religion is better than your religion … my personal record is better than your personal record.
Paul has bragging rights on all of this.
But when it comes to the gospel, none of it counts.
God forbid that I should boast about anything except the cross of our LORD Jesus Christ.
Everything Paul formerly valued is nothing more than sewer trash.
Things have to be left behind to move ahead with Christ.
Paul had to leave behind his bragging rights.
The disciples had to leave behind their nets.
Abraham and Sarah had to leave behind their land, their families and their father’s household.
God replaces what is left behind.
For Abraham and Sarah: I will give you a new land … new names, and new family.
For the disciples, I will give you the skills to fish for people.
For Saul on the Damascus Road - You will be my apostle to the Gentiles.
The light of Christ clarifies what’s important.
In God’s light we see light.
That’s why we’re here today … that’s why we study … and share with one another … where two or three are gathered in the name of Christ, Christ is there … in his light, we see light.
Christ becomes our life.
To be found in Christ, says Paul.
His righteousness ...
His sufferings …
His death ...
The power of his resurrection …
Leading to the hope of our own resurrection from the dead.
Growing in Christ takes time.
I’ve not yet reached the goal, says Paul.
I work at it every day.
I forget what’s behind.
I reach for what’s ahead.
The goal I pursue - the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus.
Christ, the bright morning star; the lilly of the valley; the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
Dear friends, we are all tempted by the same base sins: race, religion and personal record. On the Damascus Road, the light of Christ reveals to Saul how wretched these temptations are, and what evils they create.
Saul said, “No more of this!”
And Saul became Paul - the great evangelist of faith, hope and love.
It is our calling, and our joy, to be co-workers with Paul, and lead others to the bright light of Christ. Amen and Amen!
No comments:
Post a Comment