April 8, 2011

Reading for April 4-8 Acts 23:12-24:21 Friday Paul Defends Himself Against Felix the Roman Governor "After several years away, I returned to Jerusalem with money to aid my people and to offer sacrifices to God. My accusers saw me in the Temple as I was completing a purification ceremony. There was no crowd around me and no rioting. But some Jews from the province of Asia were there -- and they ought to be here to bring charges if they have anything againist me! Ask these men here what crime the Jewish high council found me guilty of, except for the one time I shouted out, 'I am on trial before you today because I believe in the resurrection of the dead!' " Acts 24:17-21 (NLT) Here it is again, "the resurrection of the dead". Now we discover why Paul so badly needed to get back to Jerusalem. Pastor's Reflection If you read 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9 you will see that Paul was collecting money on his missionary journeys. The money was for famine relief for those in Jerusalem. For Paul this was central to resurrection. For him, particularly as a Pharisee, resurrection is rooted in what God had begun to do for the world in Genesis 12 when God told Abraham that his descendents (who came to be known as the Jews) would bless the entire world. It is seen in Isaiah 49 and 53 where his people were to be a light of rescue to the entire world. It is seen in Ezekiel 37 where a valley of dry bones comes back to life. It is seen in Isaiah 65 where a New Creation is promised. And now, with the resurrection of Jesus, he saw and we see foretastes of the final restoration of all things (Acts 3:21) in every act of practical help we give to others in Jesus' Name. Paul gives quite a few reasons for his commendation of the Macedonians (2 Corinthians 8, 9) for being sacrifical givers, but they all fall under the heading of this: We get to join God in the healing, restoring, renewing, repairing of a broken world. Do we have a higher privilege than this?