We talked about Ananias and just how hard that must have been. To hear the voice of God, to say “Here I am” and to be called into something absolutely ridiculous and dangerous. How deep must have been his intimacy with Jesus to trust him so much that in spite of the appearance of the situation?– of a crazy zealot set out to kill you, and that you are called to pray for healing and love on him. Talk about loving your enemies. I think the other thing is how humble his heart must have been. For me, if I was him, i’d think “you want to use THIS guy as your instrument? what about me, am i not faithful and loving, why this murderous man?” Thankfully i am not Ananias.. eek. But no, he simply obeys out of love for Jesus and not only that, is instrumental in discipling, vying for him. Could you imagine the looks and gasps when he walks into church with the guy who is supposed to be arresting and killing them? And i am not making light of what happened today when i say that, it would be like someone at Discovery Channel bringing James Lee tomorrow to the office party– people would be angry, upset at both James and the person who brought him. How dare they bring the person who was trying to kill them into their space? But Ananias put himself on the line when he brought Paul. Now that is true brotherhood, standing on nothing except the grace of Jesus.
In the body, Paul was matured, refined. Paul was a great man, but he still had to make the choice to pursue truth, and put aside the past, no matter how passionately he had held onto it just hours before. How hard would it be to denouce everything you thought you believed in front of everyone you once regarded as family? There must have been a window where he thought “can i really do this?” I think it is here where Ananias and the body was able to encourage him, support him, and teach him all the more of how real Jesus is. It certainly is a challenge to us and me– do i pursue new believers with this much intention, especially in the early stages of conversion? The church is integral to maturing and nurturing that personal encounter that people have when they first see God.
In Ephesians 1, Paul is praying blessings and thanks for the church of Ephesus, how they love, how they pursue God. And he reminds them of the power and promise, given to them as a church.
For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
(Ephesians 1:15-23 ESV)
I love that. So often i think about God’s promise to me, my walk, my maturity, the power given to me. Which isn’t bad a bad thing, but the text and letters of Paul are written to chuches, not specific people. We are meant to claim this promise as a body, we are to build one another up, we are to be the fullness of Him. I think its a charge to us. To pursue together and live out together, the power of every spirtual blessing, not just individually. So with that, how do we measure up to Paul’s pride for the Church of Ephesus? Would Paul also say that he does not cease to give thanks for us? Sofia brought up that awesome point and its a great way to measure where we are.
Honestly, i dont’ know. I think there are certain areas of our body do well in, other areas we do not. Personally, i’d like to see us get a bit uncomfortable. To be involved in each others lives, to call eachother and not be surprised, to get the full story (no matter how ugly the details are) and the updates on the situations of our lives, to rejoice and weep together. I think we need to get personal, but to do that takes time. Its is a personal challenge for me, and i hope God would create a deeper sense of urgency in this matter– to devote and invest in the Body and not just hope the “leaders” will do it all for me.
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