February 11, 2011

Acts 18
Paul's 2nd Missionary Journey
Friday

Believers are "Marked" Men and Women

"Paul said good-bye to the brothers and sisters in Corinth and went to nearby Cenchrea. There he shaved his head according to Jewish custom, marking the end of a vow. Then he set sail for Syria, taking Priscilla and Aquila with him." Acts 18:18

Pastor’s Reflections

Do you care what others think? I think you should.

The primary way that others meet Jesus is by meeting you as an individual and you plural as a collection of believers who love another. (John 17:21).

This is a responsibility implicit in being a believer. Therefore Christians are not given permission to say or think “what he or she thinks of me is his/her problem”. What others think of me is indeed “my problem”.

Based on Acts 21:23-25 it seems possible if not probable that Paul got his head shaved in accordance with some aspect of Jewish law or custom. Why would the great anti-legalist adhere to a minor law? Because he was willing to give up almost anything to reach others with the Gospel. If his hair would be an impediment to another’s receiving the Gospel, then he’d cut his hair.

For Paul freedom did not mean claiming his rights. It meant the freedom to the give them up for the sake of others.

Here’s maybe my favorite verse in the whole Bible. Paul wrote it.

“Though I am free . . . I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law. . . so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law . . . so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.

I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.

I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (NIV)