An Intro

An Introduction

“Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 
                                                                               1 Corinthians 1:1
Paul identifies himself here as “an apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God.”
Paul had been a persecutor of Christians but had been converted on the road to Damascus in a dramatic fashion. He then went on to be a dynamic force within the early church. Writing a good portion of the New Testament.
Acts chapter nine records his conversion. Acts 9:27,28, recording Barnabas bringing him to the apostles in Jerusalem stating,
“But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.  
So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.” 
Acts 9:27,28.
Paul is a good example of how someone persecuting the church can be converted. One must remember that Paul and all of the other Apostles were only ordinary men like us.
I’m sure those who knew of Pauls persecution of the church were like any of us would be today when faced with such harsh persecution. They would be scared. They like I’m sure we would be unsure of a man like Saul, a vehement opponent of Christians, suddenly becoming a believer.
Acts 9:26 even notes that scepticism,
“When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple”
   God had indeed intervened and changed Saul for good.
When I was a young Christian I worked in a warehouse. That place attracted anyone an everyone.
Most people were there for the excellent wage and good benefits it payed. Most could have cared less about what I believed.
I was a young Christian at the time and while I didn’t beat people over the head with my faith. I never hid what I believed and for the most part people had a problem with me sharing my faith with them.
Three men however were a problem. One was the rebellious son of a Baptist pastor. He caused me no end of grief. He did not like what his father stood for and in his mind at the time I was the same.
Another was into martial arts and dappled in the occult. He made it clear he wanted nothing to do with my faith. He was also very openly hostile to me at times in a physical way.
Looking back on it with the benefit of four decades, I realize I was too dumb to realize he could have cause me some serious harm. Still thanks to God he didn’t.
The third person was a hard drinking drug taking guy who constantly made fun of me. While he was never a threat to me. His constantly trying to humiliate however drove me crazy.
One day was a particularly bad day. I was so upset with these three that I was almost in tears when I came home from work.
I literally called out to God in my grief and asked them to either convert them or take them out of my life.
Within I believe two or three weeks things changed dramatically.
The one who made fun of me was in a car accident. He wasn’t hurt but it was discovered that he had cirrhosis of the liver and had to stop working.
The rebellious pastors son decided to hitch hike to Florida and back from Canada. On his way back he was mugged and attacked. It shook him up and he changed his ways going on to become a pastor himself.
The one into martial arts met a girl who introduced him into Christ. It changed his life and he entered Bible School also becoming a minister.
I thank God to this day for what happened.
It bothered me to some degree about the man with the cirrhosis of the liver. But I had witnessed to him as I know others did. Ultimately what happened to him I don’t know. It was like all of us between him and God.
Within a year or so later I got married and the Lord led me elsewhere.
The incident with those three men reminded me of Paul. He when persecuting the early church must have been hard on them.
I’m sure people were praying for God to deal with him.
God did making him a pillar of the young church. Paul himself would go on and know what it was to be persecuted and put in prison. To be beaten and stoned and left for dead.
Paul would write to the Romans,
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” 
Romans 12:14
Paul here echoed the sentiments of Jesus who said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  
And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." 
                                                                         Matthew 5:43-48.
We may not like what our persecutors are doing to us. I don’t think any normal person likes to be persecuted. Never the less we are called to love our persecutors. For it is our duty to try and point all men to the salvation that is in Christ alone.
Think about it.