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Word from Scotland

    by Sandy Shaw

Crucial, Vital and Highly Practical Lessons
Date Posted: April 26, 2004

Acts 9:27-31. Saul of Tarsus the man who had set out to persecute the Church of Jesus Christ has been 'born again' to everyone's complete surprise. He has met the risen living Jesus, had his eyesight restored, was filled with The Holy Spirit, and baptised in water, then had something to eat.

He began to preach in Damascus, that Jesus is the Son of God. People were astonished and amazed. This, after all, was the opposite of the main reason for his visit to Damascus. Saul grew more and more powerful as he exercised his faith - this muscle called faith.

He baffled the Jews living in Damascus, by proving that Jesus is the Christ. We have the core of his preaching already - the heart of his message which burned in his bones for the remainder of his life. Soon he is confronted with trouble and opposition. He learns of a conspiracy to kill him and have him silenced - to do to him what he had come planning to do to others.

Verse 25. He has followers already, and his friends enable him to escape at night through the city wall in a basket, and off he goes back to Jerusalem. Jerusalem presented another hurdle. See this clearly. Disciples of Jesus can be confronted by one hurdle after another from the very beginning.

Do not be surprised when you discover things to be exceedingly difficult at times, especially if you have experienced a time of blessing or being used by God. This is why we aim to understand fully what God has said and revealed in His Word. You will not get this anywhere else - only in The Bible. We face blessings and battles - revival and riot - preaching and persecution - testimony and testing.

These disciples in Jerusalem were suspicious. Was Saul a planted spy professing conversion - professing to belong to Jesus Christ - just to get in on the inside? This is a test for him, as well as a test for them. Remember, some of their relatives were in jail because of Saul's violent behaviour. Hundreds had had to flee the city because of Saul's hatred of Christians.

Stephen was dead because this man had commanded that he be stoned. We probably would have had problems with Saul suddenly appearing at our door saying that he had met Jesus, and he was different now. It was hard to accept and believe. They had questions. That is where Barnabas steps in. He was the man who was always going around encouraging people. He had been so generous in his giving.

Barnabas goes to Saul, takes him aside, hears his testimony, listens to his story, and realises that what he is professing and what he is claiming, is for real. The evidence is there. Another friend comes alongside Saul. Another man befriends Saul. This was and is essential and necessary.

Saul has been transformed, and his new friend Barnabas introduces him to the Christian Church in Jerusalem as a brother, and he joins the disciples there. Saul has to start his life all over again.

I have spent much time in these verses simply because the fundamental lessons are crucial, vital and so highly practical. It is important to say what is true at times, rather than rush onto something new.

"Today's Little Lift" from Jim Bullington

The Comfort of the Scriptures (12-20-10)

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Biography Information:

Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!

Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.

Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.

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