Daily Liturgy and Scripture

A lot of maneuvering is happening with Paul the prisoner, efforts he has made on his own behalf to prolong his life. It says something for the followers of the Law, calling for the head of a man with whom they have disagreement: it is certainly not the way of Jesus.

Think you've seen persecution? Try Paul's brand on for size: held in prison despite valid charges, the victim of powerful political figures who want to flatter one another at his expense, kept from visiting the churches that he loves. And of course, people wanted to murder him. Seems like it would have been easy to turn away from this difficult life and go back to being a Pharisee, but Paul held firmly to the faith he had in Jesus.

Paul swings the momentum of the trial away from the contrived charges that are being brought against him and declares the situation to be what it is: a battle of theologies. Not only is that the truth of the matter, is also makes it uncomfortable for a government official to intervene in the dispute.

Paul seems to be skirting disaster at every turn, and only God knows the reason why his life is being preserved so. Perhaps God is still working in this situation, bringing about things that only God knows. Whatever the case, Paul is finding refuge among the very government that crucified Jesus.

Anyone who thinks Christians should never stir things up might take a moment with this passage where Paul purposely causes an argument between the Pharisees and Sadducees. Of course, living in harmony with others is what we should pursue, but there are also times when the Spirit moves in us like fire, and challenging the powers is no small feat.

Paul appears before a maddening crowd and talks about his own maddening past, persecuting the Church he now serves. He is in Jerusalem, which was once the seat of his fervent belief in the Law, and. now he professes the same passion for Jesus. What a swirl of memories and emotions he must have felt as he stood there talking.

It's interesting that Paul, who was once a strict adherent to the Law, now returns to the ways of the Law in order to answer those who continue to be as he once was. While the Lordship of Christ is absolute, the way we practice should be a matter of consideration. Elsewhere, Paul talks about being all things to all people and this is the exercise of that statement.

Paul seems to have an urgency in his actions now, perhaps driven by the foreboding news from Jerusalem. It's interesting how things like that can propel us forward, giving us a sense of purpose and a deeper passion for our call.

We are accountable to one another in this Kingdom of Jesus. Paul was accountable to bring the Word to his churches, but he was not the center of worship. The influence of the Holy Spirit and the commitment to one another are the things which sustains us, and listening to both the Spirit and one another remain important as we work together.

Ever sat through a sermon so boring that you fell out the window and died? To be fair, it says Paul was talking, not preaching. Still, you have to hand it to Paul: if you kill someone with preaching, the least you can do is raise them back up!