Yes, You Can Ministry

You troublemaker.

Acts 24:1-9-” And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders, with a certain lawyer named Tertulus; and they brought charges to the governor against Paul. And after Paul had been summoned, Tertulus began to accuse him, saying to the governor, since we have through you attained much peace, and since through your providence reforms are being carried out for this nation, we acknowledge this in every way, and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with thankfulness. “But that I may not weary you any further, I beg you, by your kindness, to grant us a brief hearing. For we have found this man to be a real pest and someone who stirs up dissension among the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. And he even tried to desecrate the temple: and then we arrested him. (And we wanted to judge him according to our laws.)”

When Paul was brought was brought before the Governor Felix instead of lashing out and condemning them for treating him so badly he used the opportunity to share his faith in the Lord Jesus.

Paul considered these present troubles unworthy to even be thought about when compared to the glories that await us when we meet our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So he could say, as we should, let them do whatever they want to to my body because it is only a shell. I wait for the glory everlasting that is stored up for me in Heaven.

Now, with that being said let’s look at this example and see how we might apply it to our lives. The Jews who brought Paul before Felix accused him stirring up trouble (dissension), and of trying to desecrate the temple.

Paul was teaching/preaching that the Jews had had Jesus crucified and this was a threat to their way of life. All the way back to the Old Testament the Jewish leaders had been opposing the prophets of God because they were not following (or teaching) the Jewish laws that had been set up by men. Instead, they were teaching the people to follow God regardless of what these men said.

We should take the example of Paul, and ALWAYS follow the word of God. Some people may not like that decision we make because we might step on a few toes, but it really doesn’t matter. The ultimate question that we must answer is would we rather step on the toes of man or be in opposition with God. “Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil things against you falsely, on account of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” -Mathew 5:11-12

I choose as did Joshua in the Old Testament to stay on God’s side. –“Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the river and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord; choose for yourselves today whom you will serve…but as for me and my house; we will serve the Lord.” -Joshua 24:14-15

What about you are you willing to take a stand for Christ against worldly opposition?

The Jews also accused Paul of desecrating the temple. I believe that this comes because of their misunderstanding of the Temple.

(Let me stop here and make a disclaimer. I am in no way implying that the Temple or the Church of God should not be respected or held in high esteem. IT SHOULD!!!!)

But, the Temple that man built should never be placed above the Temple that God built. These Jews were in violation of doing just that. They defiled the Temple that God made in each of us. The Temple as they saw it was a way to keep people under their thumb, and to keep themselves above regular folks.

The priests were/and in some cases still are considered the path that one must go through to get to God. But when Paul was teaching Jesus he taught a new direct line that we have to God, and we can come into the presence of God at any time that we need. That’s why I love the imagery of the veil in front of the Holy of Holies being torn in two when Jesus was crucified because it symbolizes that we now have direct access to God through the blood of Christ.

One of the main statements of Jesus that the Jews hated Him for was when He said that He would tear down the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Of course, He was speaking metaphorically. Saying that He was/is the Temple of God and must be destroyed, but He would raise three days later and erect the new Temple of God in every believer.

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own.” -I Corinthians 6:19)

Father, I ask that You would help me stand strong for Your name, and always remember that it is a priviledge to suffer for You. In Jesus’name, Amen.

(Disclaimer-Nothing written in this BLOG should be construed as anti-Semitic. I love my Jewish brothers and sisters. These are merely facts from the Bible.)

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