Talk of JESUS .com

Tag: Christ

Saul’s Unwelcome Return to Jerusalem
(to join the Church!)

When Sha’ul had come to Yerushalayim, he tried to join himself to the talmidim; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a talmid.
ACTS 9:26 Hebrew Names Version

Do you take this man .. ?

Have you ever wanted to JOIN a group of people who really knew nothing about you? Were you ever the one forced to move to a new town where you tried to join a new church? Did you, in that time of isolation from familiar friends, feel more unwelcome than wanted? Or worse, did those you wanted to join most REJECT you? Did THEY slam the door of hospitality in your face?

NO! No, I say. I CANNOT take this man to be part of ME for life or eternity.

How does it feel?

administration of a church in an empire divided by culture

Σαῦλος: an Unwelcome application to join the church of Jerusalem
- Why did you leave your last church?
  - I escaped some zealous brothers who were trying to kill me.
- Didn’t you try to kill some of them?
  - In fact, I once led these men in trying to kill disciples of Jesus. A brother heard they were in town and they lowered me down to escape. So now we come to join you.
- hmmm. I think we’ll have to pray about that and get back to you…
```
Familiar? 
```
Church Membership + Not so unlike a marriage vow

We understand that Saul was well-known in Jerusalem, as A JEW OF JEWS, zealous to destroy ALL disciples of the Apostles of the Messiah Jesus. But at first even the church in Jerusalem would have been suspicious of Saul’s motives, unaware of Saul’s calling by Christ on the road to Damascus.

They knew Saul of Tarsus, but not this man baptized in the Holy Spirit who had met the Lord Jesus in Person. And you know Paul’s words written later to the church at Ephesus, familiar to all concerning marriage.

For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Ephesians 5:30 KJV

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Ephesians 5:32 KJV
```
YOU MUST leave one to be JOINED to the other.

MEMBERSHIP mattered in the first century. 
(Joining a church should make a difference for you in the 21st c. as well. - RH)
```
Has Saul of Tarsus, disciple of Gamaliel in Jerusalem, really left his former rabbi to JOIN us as disciples of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah?

ACTS 9:

26 And when he had come to Jerusalem he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles..

Saul: Encouragement in Christ from Cypress

Barnabas, disciple of the Apostles in Jerusalem, helped Saul escape Damascus and certain death.

Barnabas demonstrates his well-known encouragement in Christ to Saul.

Do you recall this man Joseph from before he fled to Damascus?

Earlier in ACTS of the disciples of the Apostles:

4:32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.

There was not a needy person among them..
Acts of the followers of the way 4:34A ESV

Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. – ACTS of the disciple Barnabas 4:36-37

5:12 Now many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high honor.

Stephen, Joseph (Barnabas) and many others joined the Apostles; while many jews (and they were ALL Jews) publicly showed the Apostles ‘high honor’ for their obvious works for the LORD, yet formally remained accepted worshipers of the Temple.

Many jews would have respected Stephen with such honor as he defended The Way of the Messiah Jesus before the court of the Temple.

Join us! (or not?)

Early followers of The Way of Jesus had to choose:
1. Join in following the Apostles of the Messiah Jesus?
2. OR remain joined to the designated leadership of Herod’s Temple?
As for the Apostles, rightfully fearful of Saul of Tarsus; they trusted Barnabas even to the point of allowing him to bring their nemesis to them.

κολλάω
```
Click here for definition Strong's G2853 - kollaō 
Root Word (Etymology) From kolla ("glue")
```
- And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples.. – NKJV
- .. he tried to meet with the believers.. – NLT
- .. he attempted to join the disciples… – ESV
- .. he tried repeatedly to associate with the disciples; and yet they were all afraid of him.. – NASB20
Do you get the context of their fear?
1. to glue, to glue together, cement, fasten together
2. to join or fasten firmly together
3. to join one’s self to, cleave to
THIS is the context of the CHURCH comprised of disciples, that is: followers of The Way of Christ Jesus!

The Encouragement of Barnabas

The Apostles did NOT flee Jerusalem. Neither did they deny Saul’s request to join them, though they feared him (but not more than the Lord).

But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
ACTS of the Apostles 9:27 RSV + CLICK HERE FOR CONTEXT IN English & German

WE must bring the flesh and blood of the repentant soul before us in person on occasion so as to discern the authenticity of Christ’s impact on their reborn soul.
Roger@TalkofJESUS.com

Peter and the Apostles did this at the urging and encouragement of the disciple Barnabas.

28 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.

This would not have happened had Christ and Ananias and Judas and Joseph and Peter and the Twelve had not intervened in the reborn life of the Apostle Saul of Tarsus.

And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists..
```
Remember from earlier in Acts 6 several jewish sects opposed Stephen and other disciples of Jesus: Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.
```
..but they were seeking to kill him.

30 And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus.

Saul Joins the Church!

This foremost of sinners and persecutor of Christians now begins Christ’s most important mission to go into all the world and talk of JESUS.

Have you (even in fear) gone to YOUR LOCAL CHURCH & asked them to JOIN your fellow forgiven sinners as a member of their body of Christ?
```
ACTS of the APOSTLES + To be continued...
```
March 11, 2022
Saul: Encouragement in Christ from Cypress
Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement) owned a tract of land. So he sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
ACTS of the disciples of the Apostles 4:36-37 NASB20

Encouragement of Christ’s Apostles by Joseph of Cypress

“Just a moment,” you are likely thinking. “I remember this from That’s Not Fair! Possessions and Community, but I thought that now Luke is talking about Saul of Tarsus in Acts 9?”

Last time, Luke’s account included not only Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus, CALLED BY THE RISEN CHRIST JESUS, but also a two disciples of The Way: Ananias, to whom the Lord spoke in a vision, and Judas of Damascus (in the house on Straight Street where BOTH encouraged the blinded and FEARED Saul of Tarsus.)

παράκλησις – more than just Encouragement
```
click here for more encouragement
```
Of course if the Lord had appeared to you directly, as was the case with both Ananias and Saul, YOU too would obey. But just as Jesus had called James and John a descriptive nickname, “the Sons of Thunder,” and called “Simon son of John, Peter or ‘the Rock,’ so have Peter and the Apostles had named Joseph, Barnabas, or Son of Encouragement.
- paraklēsis Outline of Biblical Usage
  - a calling near, summons, (esp. for help)
  - importation, supplication, entreaty
  - exhortation, admonition, encouragement
  - consolation (14x), comfort, solace; that which affords comfort or refreshment
- thus of the Messianic salvation (so the Rabbis call the Messiah (or Christ, in Greek) the consoler, the comforter)
  - persuasive discourse, stirring address
    (the speech of Stephen to the sanhedrin?)
  - instructive, admonitory, conciliatory, powerful hortatory discourse
- (much of the preaching of Paul we are about to hear on his missionary journeys in Acts of the Apostles and his letters to the Churches.)
נַחֲמ֥וּ נַחֲמ֖וּ עַמִּ֑י יֹאמַ֖ר אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
2 דַּבְּר֞וּ עַל־לֵ֤ב יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ וְקִרְא֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יהָ כִּ֤י מָֽלְאָה֙ צְבָאָ֔הּ כִּ֥י נִרְצָ֖ה עֲוֺנָ֑הּ כִּ֤י לָקְחָה֙ מִיַּ֣ד יְהוָ֔ה כִּפְלַ֖יִם בְּכָל־חַטֹּאתֶֽיהָ׃ ס
3 ק֣וֹל קוֹרֵ֔א בַּמִּדְבָּ֕ר פַּנּ֖וּ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְהוָ֑ה יַשְּׁרוּ֙ בָּעֲרָבָ֔ה מְסִלָּ֖ה לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
Isaiah 40:1-3 “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.

Encouragement & Comfort

Encouragement and comfort become the Gospel Good NEWS to a God-pursued people. And let’s not forget the context of persecution of both Jews and Christians not only in Acts of the Apostles, but throughout the history of the world.

Skipping ahead just a bit in Luke’s account before we proceed with Saul of Tarsus:

ACTS 9:31

So the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace, as it was being built up; and as it continued in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort G3874 of the Holy Spirit, it kept increasing.

And later in ACTS 11:19 Luke gives us the present context of Saul in Jerusalem in Acts 9:

So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone.
Acts 11:19 NASB20

Tarsus of Saul, Cypress of Joseph, Damascus of Ananias, Phoenicia (Lebanon) Antioch is in Syria – God into all the world…

Escape from Damascus
```
Previously..
```
Who is this Saul, Apostle to the Gentiles?

I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.

ACTS 9: of Saul in Damascus

Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some time.

20 Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: “He is the Son of God.”

21 All who heard him were astounded and said, “Isn’t this the man in Jerusalem who was causing havoc for those who called on this name and came here for the purpose of taking them as prisoners to the chief priests?”

22 But Saul grew stronger and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
```
Saul leaves Damascus, spends three years in the wilderness of Arabia, THEN returns.
```
23 After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, but Saul learned of their plot. So they were watching the gates day and night intending to kill him, but his disciples..

[NOTE Luke’s description, that these are now disciples of the Apostle Saul of Tarsus!]

..took him by night and lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall.
```
ACTS of SAUL OF TARSUS to be continued in Jerusalem...
```
March 9, 2022
The Golden Rule
Read: Luke 10:24-26

(Don’t miss the question which sets the stage of this most famous parable of Jesus.)

Parable of the GOOD Samaritan

A Democrat, a Republic and an Indian were going down from Washington to..

NO, that’s not it.

An evangelical christian, a jew and an Indian were going down from the Capitol to..

NO, that’s not it either.

What was the QUESTION of the Lawyer?

Were you listening?
```
(IF you don't know it or don't really care anything about the relationship between GOD and humans in need of charity, no sense clicking ANY of the links below.)
```
‘If you want a religion to make you feel good about yourself I certainly don’t recommend Christianity’ either, but that wasn’t the QUESTION by the lawyer to Jesus, was it?

(For Christians, Jews, and everybody else)

Christians are to love others in a way that's distinct from that of the culture. But are we standing out? Listen to Truth for Life as Alistair examines the Golden Rule, presenting an uncomfortable challenge—and pointing out a surprising reward!: https://t.co/bPH5KK7ie1
— Truth For Life (@TruthForLife) February 19, 2022
```
Facebook link below:
```
https://www.truthforlife.org/broadcasts/2022/02/19/the-golden-rule-part-2-of-2–/?src=22SPBN0P&utm_campaign=2022%20Program%20-%20Social%20Media&utm_content=198236420&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&hss_channel=fbp-47823137261&fbclid=IwAR3WKvO-gZnJpjUpHqTa3ul6MURc02Hd4V6C1Aeght5SqK6ArGq5INp_P7k

What if WE become the one by the side of the road?

Who do YOU hope will ACT like the ‘Good Samaritan?’

A personal application

Near the end of this brief sermon Alistair, after bringing in politics and the like mentions ‘christians’ in rather contemporary terms, then mentions more serious ACTS of the church in earlier generations.

Are we missing it, my fellow Samaritan?

Next week Rochelle will be admitted to Christ Hospital for surgery. I ask your prayers for us, but also your consideration of why anyone would call their hospital by the Name of Christ.

It was Jesus Christ who used the parable of the Good Samaritan as illustration of the question, ‘What must I do to inherit eternal life?’

We could have chosen Jewish Hospital (aka Mercy Health), after all, we have some beloved and blessed Jewish physicians involved who practice at both. When I grew up in the Youngstown area patients with some of the most serious needs could be helped at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital (named for a saint of the church, but now also owned my Mercy Health.)

And yes, we could have chosen a local ‘Good Samaritan’ hospital

Have you asked yourself lately:

What must I do to live after I die?

Read more above OR listen.

Listen
February 19, 2022