Grow! Pray! Study! The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide for Thursday, 13 February 2014 "Obeying the heavenly vision—at all costs"

Grow! Pray! Study! The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide for Thursday, 13 February 2014 "Obeying the heavenly vision—at all costs"
Daily Scripture:  Acts 26:9 “I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 This I also did in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them. 11 Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
12 “Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 at noon, O king, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me. 14 When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15 “I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
“He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of the things which I will reveal to you; 17 delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you, 18 to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
Reflection Questions:
As an apostle and church planter, Paul committed himself to spreading the message of Christ no matter the costs (cf. 2 Corinthians 11:16-33 for a list of the hardships Paul faced). As a prisoner, Paul showed the same resolve and commitment. He told King Agrippa and the Roman governor Festus about meeting Jesus on the Damascus road. He had not been (and would not be) disobedient to that vision, he declared, regardless of the cost.
Paul seemed to make a complete 180 degree turn, from persecuting Christians to planting churches. He began using his Roman name Paul rather than the Hebrew name Saul. But at his core, Paul didn't actually change. He was following the God of Israel with all-out zeal the whole time—God just had to show him the right way, and did! What is most important in shaping your life—your vision or God's vision?
In today's passage, Paul was defending himself to the Roman authorities, facing the threat of imprisonment, even death. As a 21st century American, you are unlikely to face imprisonment or death for following God's vision. But that doesn't mean obeying the heavenly vision is easy. In what ways has following God's vision for your life been challenging? Are you willing to obey God's call on your life, no matter what?
Today's Prayer:
Almighty God, thank you that you have a heavenly vision for my life, and for the world around me. Help me to have the faith and courage to obey that vision. Amen.
Insights from Jeff Kirby
Jeff Kirby serves as Minister of Discipleship and Men’s Ministry at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection.
Read and Reflect:
(Head)
Our passage repeats the dramatic story of the conversion of St. Paul. This is the third and final restating of the apostle’s life-altering story, now told in the first person. Paul is powerful, passionate and full of confidence as he relates to King Agrippa the revelation of Jesus on the Damascus Road. It is in this context that Paul declares to the king, “I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.” (26:19)
It is wonderful when people like Paul have such clarity about their heavenly visions. I feel that I have been living with Paul for the last two years, studying each of his New Testament letters and traveling twice to the historical sites of his ministry. For most of us however, we kind of muddle along unsure if our “heavenly vision” is really from God, or some wishful thinking we hope has some percentage of divine inspiration. Most of us do not have Damascus Road conversions or theophanies where Jesus appears and calls us by name.
So what can regular people like you and I really be sure of? The
gospel of Jesus Christ! Paul would state it like this in his first letter to the Corinthians:
“For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except
Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (I Cor. 2:2)
For us to be obedient to the heavenly vision is to become faithful witnesses to the good news of the birth, life, death and resurrection of the Jesus of history. We bear witness by word and deed of the empowering presence of God by the Holy Spirit and seek to live a life that glorifies God. We are, in a sense, still believing that the story of God’s appearance to Paul on the Damascus Road was true and a reliable witness to Jesus. We are still seeking to be obedient to Paul’s vision. His vision has become part of our own.
Many years ago Aaron Neville and Linda Ronstadt sang a passionate
duet. The refrain declared, “I don’t know much, but I know I love you.
And that may be all I need to know.” We may not be the recipient of a world altering vision like Paul’s. Thankfully, not many are. A life of loving and faithful witness to Jesus Christ is the heavenly vision I
seek to obey—at all cost.
Prayer and Meditation
(Heart)
Spend 30 minutes in silence asking God by the Holy Spirit to bring to your memory thoughts, impressions or convictions that you believe may be God’s vision for your life. Write anything down that you perceive may be significant.
Be, Do & Go
(Hands)
What action steps are required of you to begin to bring your vision to a reality?
For Discussion:
Use this section to help prompt discussion with your spouse, children, small group, etc.
1. In our passage Paul speaks of his “heavenly vision.” What exactly was the vision
given to him?
2. Is there any danger for us in imagining our “heavenly visions” are on a par with the
Apostle Paul’s? How do we discern what visions originate within our own thinking
and those where God is the source?
3. How does the story of Paul reflect a lifetime passionate pursuit of a truly divine vision?

Would faithfulness and loyalty to a vision be a valid way to measure its authenticity?
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