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Monday
January 25, 2010
Embodying Hope and Celebrating our Unity in Christ Jesus
Introduction
Acts 9:1-25: Today we begin reading from the book of Acts. Acts begins
where Luke ended, telling the story of Jesus' ascension and following the
story of the birth and growth of the Church. In today's passage, Saul, a
faithful follower of the Law of Moses, is on his way to make trouble for
those who had accepted the Lord's way in Damascus. But Jesus stops him on
the road and chooses him to preach the good news.
Today's Scripture: Acts 9:20He went straight to the synagogues and began to preach that Jesus was the
Son of God.
How is this Scripture passage speaking to me today? Today's Reading
1In the
meantime Saul kept up his violent threats of murder against the followers
of the Lord. He went to the High Priest
2and asked for letters of introduction to the
synagogues in Damascus, so that if he should find there any followers of
the Way of the Lord, he would be able to arrest them, both men and women,
and bring them back to Jerusalem.
3As Saul was coming near the city of Damascus,
suddenly a light from the sky flashed around him.
4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to
him,
“Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?”
5“Who are you, Lord?” he
asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you persecute,” the voice said.
6“But get up and go into the
city, where you will be told what you must do.”
7The men who were traveling with Saul had stopped,
not saying a word; they heard the voice but could not see anyone.
8Saul got up from the ground and opened his eyes,
but could not see a thing. So they took him by the hand and led him into
Damascus.
9For three days he was not able to see, and during
that time he did not eat or drink anything.
10There was a believer in Damascus named Ananias.
He had a vision, in which the Lord said to him,
“Ananias!”
“Here I am, Lord,” he answered.
11The Lord said to him,
Get ready and go to Straight Street, and at the house of Judas
ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying,
12and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias
come in and place his hands on him so that he might see again.
13Ananias answered,
Lord, many people have told me about this man and about all the
terrible things he has done to your people in Jerusalem.
14And he has come to Damascus with authority from
the chief priests to arrest all who worship you.
15The Lord said to him,
Go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known
to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel.
16And I myself will show him all that he must
suffer for my sake.
17So Ananias went, entered the house where Saul
was, and placed his hands on him.
“Brother Saul,” he said,
“the Lord has sent me—Jesus himself, who appeared to you
on the road as you were coming here. He sent me so that you might see again
and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18At once something like fish scales
fell from Saul's eyes, and he was able to see again. He stood up and was
baptized;
19and after he had eaten, his strength came back.
Saul stayed for a few days with the believers in Damascus.
20He went straight to the synagogues and began to
preach that Jesus was the Son of God.
21All who heard him were amazed and asked,
“Isn't he the one who in Jerusalem was killing those who
worship that man Jesus? And didn't he come here for the very purpose of
arresting those people and taking them back to the chief priests?”
22But Saul's preaching became even more powerful,
and his proofs that Jesus was the Messiah were so convincing that the Jews
who lived in Damascus could not answer him.
23After many days had gone by, the
Jews met together and made plans to kill Saul,
24but he was told of their plan. Day and night they
watched the city gates in order to kill him.
25But one night Saul's followers took him and let
him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
Reflect
Blindness and sight are biblical metaphors used to talk about the
experience of deepening one's understanding of Jesus (see also Luke
18:35-43; John 9:1-41). Have you ever had an experience of "seeing" the
light of Christ in a new way? What was it like?
Pray
Lord Jesus, there are many ways to know you. Provoke me to experience your
presence anew, that I may be a witness to your renewing spirit, bringing
your light to those who most need it. Amen.
Prayer Concern
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