Daily Scripture: Acts 7:55 But he, full of the Ruach HaKodesh, looked up to heaven and saw God’sSh’khinah, with Yeshua standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look!” he exclaimed, “I see heaven opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”[Acts 7:56 Psalm 110:1]
57 At this, they began yelling at the top of their voices, so that they wouldn’t have to hear him; and with one accord, they rushed at him, 58 threw him outside the city and began stoning him. And the witnesses laid down their coats at the feet of a young man named Sha’ul.
59 As they were stoning him, Stephen called out to God, “Lord Yeshua! Receive my spirit!” 60 Then he kneeled down and shouted out, “Lord! Don’t hold this sin against them!” With that, he died;
8:1 and Sha’ul gave his approval to his murder.
Starting with that day, there arose intense persecution against the Messianic Community in Yerushalayim; all but the emissaries were scattered throughout the regions of Y’hudah and Shomron. 2 Some godly men buried Stephen and mourned him deeply. 3 But Sha’ul set out to destroy the Messianic Community — entering house after house, he dragged off both men and women and handed them over to be put in prison.
Philippians 3:3 For it is we who are the Circumcised, we who worship by the Spirit of God and make our boast in the Messiah Yeshua! We do not put confidence in human qualifications, 4 even though I certainly have grounds for putting confidence in such things. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for putting confidence in human qualifications, I have better grounds:
5 b’rit-milah on the eighth day,
by birth belonging to the people of Isra’el,
from the tribe of Binyamin,
a Hebrew-speaker, with Hebrew-speaking parents,
in regard to the Torah, a Parush,
6 in regard to zeal, a persecutor of the Messianic Community,
in regard to the righteousness demanded by legalism, blameless.
7 But the things that used to be advantages for me, I have, because of the Messiah, come to consider a disadvantage. 8 Not only that, but I consider everything a disadvantage in comparison with the supreme value of knowing the Messiah Yeshua as my Lord. It was because of him that I gave up everything and regard it all as garbage, in order to gain the Messiah 9 and be found in union with him, not having any righteousness of my own based on legalism, but having that righteousness which comes through the Messiah’s faithfulness, the righteousness from God based on trust. 10 Yes, I gave it all up in order to know him, that is, to know the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings as I am being conformed to his death, 11 so that somehow I might arrive at being resurrected from the dead.
Reflection Questions:
In the Marigold Hotel film, Mrs. Donnelly says, “You have no idea now what you will become. Don’t try to control it. Let go. That’s where the fun begins.” She could have said that to Saul when he was a young Pharisee in Jerusalem. Acts 26:10 suggests he was a voting member of the Jewish ruling council, very unusual for a man as young as he was. He certainly didn’t expect, then, to become a roving Christian apostle (called Paul). But he followed God’s call, and wrote that he was proud to have “thrown it all away” for the sake of following Jesus.
- As he faced death (at the hands of a Roman executioner), Paul wrote, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day” (2 Timothy 4:7-8). Does it sound like Paul was sad about “throwing away” his promising career to follow Jesus? In what ways has your commitment to Christ given you the kind of sense of purpose Paul showed?
- The young Pharisee Saul had all the human credentials—“proper” birth, great education, and even persecuting the first Christians. What are the family heritages, human accomplishments and credentials of which you are the most proud? If preserving any of them ever conflicted with heeding God’s call on your life, what choice would you make?
Today’s Prayer:
Lord God, it feels scary to even think about not controlling where my life is going. Give me the ability to trust that, ultimately, you are a better life “driver” than I am—and to allow you to direct my steps. Amen.
Insights from Brandon Gregory
Lord God, it feels scary to even think about not controlling where my life is going. Give me the ability to trust that, ultimately, you are a better life “driver” than I am—and to allow you to direct my steps. Amen.
Insights from Brandon Gregory
Brandon Gregory is a volunteer for the worship and missions teams at Church of the Resurrection. He helps lead worship at the Vibe, West, and Downtown services, and is involved with the Malawi missions team at home.
(We’re saddened that Brandon and Janelle Gregory are fully occupied dealing with a health crisis affecting aging parents. Please keep them in your prayers. Because Brandon was not able to write today, we’re sharing a post written for January 3, 2012 by Pastor Molly Simpson, who at that time was campus pastor for Resurrection’s West campus.)
Philippians 3:5-14… this is a great passage to read at the start of a new year (maybe even the start of each new day!) because Paul’s exuberance for life in Christ and a life marked by faith is contagious. Reading these words of passion and commitment are better than any weight loss commercial with a newly slimmer songstress. (There are three different ones out there now, if anyone is counting.)
Paul writes these words with abandon–leaving behind those things which may have been reason for shame and also reason for pride–as he strains to become the person that God has called him to be, the identity that Christ has already taken hold of for him.
There’s a man in our congregation that I think of when I read this passage. In the last few years, there is noticeable, marked change in him. He is more compassionate and less angry. He listens to his children and his former detachment is gone. He serves, giving his time for the sake of others, rather than complaining or feeling sorry for himself (and he’s had a rough go). In subtle ways and giant ones, he is becoming the man that Christ claimed for him when he decided to hand the reins over to Jesus. It’s pretty cool to witness.
As I set my sights on things for 2012, I think it might be most meaningful to pray about and reflect on the idea that there is a version of Molly that Jesus Christ has taken hold of, that he wants/expects/knows that I can be. That’s probably bolder and better than what I want. I think I’ll spend some time with this idea today.
So, what is it that Christ would have you strain toward this year? Who is _____ (fill in your name here) when gaining Christ, being found in him, and living the life that he set forth for you?
And here’s the best thing…unlike so many of our resolutions, that which Christ calls us toward is attainable, it is reasonable (even if we do spend our lifetime being transformed fully), and we don’t get there alone. We do so together, in Christian community, and we do so with the the example of Jesus and the change-agent of the Holy Spirit.
Here’s to a good year!
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
(We’re saddened that Brandon and Janelle Gregory are fully occupied dealing with a health crisis affecting aging parents. Please keep them in your prayers. Because Brandon was not able to write today, we’re sharing a post written for January 3, 2012 by Pastor Molly Simpson, who at that time was campus pastor for Resurrection’s West campus.)
Philippians 3:5-14… this is a great passage to read at the start of a new year (maybe even the start of each new day!) because Paul’s exuberance for life in Christ and a life marked by faith is contagious. Reading these words of passion and commitment are better than any weight loss commercial with a newly slimmer songstress. (There are three different ones out there now, if anyone is counting.)
Paul writes these words with abandon–leaving behind those things which may have been reason for shame and also reason for pride–as he strains to become the person that God has called him to be, the identity that Christ has already taken hold of for him.
There’s a man in our congregation that I think of when I read this passage. In the last few years, there is noticeable, marked change in him. He is more compassionate and less angry. He listens to his children and his former detachment is gone. He serves, giving his time for the sake of others, rather than complaining or feeling sorry for himself (and he’s had a rough go). In subtle ways and giant ones, he is becoming the man that Christ claimed for him when he decided to hand the reins over to Jesus. It’s pretty cool to witness.
As I set my sights on things for 2012, I think it might be most meaningful to pray about and reflect on the idea that there is a version of Molly that Jesus Christ has taken hold of, that he wants/expects/knows that I can be. That’s probably bolder and better than what I want. I think I’ll spend some time with this idea today.
So, what is it that Christ would have you strain toward this year? Who is _____ (fill in your name here) when gaining Christ, being found in him, and living the life that he set forth for you?
And here’s the best thing…unlike so many of our resolutions, that which Christ calls us toward is attainable, it is reasonable (even if we do spend our lifetime being transformed fully), and we don’t get there alone. We do so together, in Christian community, and we do so with the the example of Jesus and the change-agent of the Holy Spirit.
Here’s to a good year!
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224 United States
913.897.0120
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