City Life Starter

Written by Efe Abbe

The Word

But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer in behalf of My name.”

Acts 9:13-16 (NASB 2000)

Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God…

Romans 1:1 (NASB 2000)

Are they servants of Christ?—I am speaking as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent adrift at sea. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?

2 Corinthians 11:23-29 (NASB 2000)

“Now why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when there was a flood, the river burst against that house and yet it could not shake it, because it had been well built.”

Luke 6:46-48 (NASB 2000)

Reflection

God set His sights on Paul “from [his] mother’s womb” (Galatians 1:15) to be His instrument preaching the Good News of Jesus. Before his dramatic conversion while traveling to Damascus (Acts 9:1-9), Paul actively persecuted the Church in his zeal to prevent his perceived corruption of God’s Law. 

However, from the moment the Lord Jesus revealed Himself, Paul’s response was that of humble and complete submission to God’s Word. The rest of his life would be devoted to preaching God’s salvation often in the face of intense opposition, near death experiences, and suffering.

What kept Paul going? 

As powerful as Paul’s conversion was, that was just the beginning of his whole life transformation for the calling God had on his life. From then on, Paul spent years submitting himself under the authority of Jesus personally and corporately (Galatians 1:15-2:2), laying a firm foundation for his life on the revealed Word of Jesus. He grew an unshakable trust in God, through his obedience to Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit which carried him through extreme hardship and even being executed for his faith. 

Application

Placing our faith in Jesus for our salvation is only the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the triune God. In the same way we intentionally cultivate our most significant relationships from the first meeting to deep trust  – we must continue to do the same in our relationship with Jesus. Unlike our earthly relationships where we can negotiate the terms, with Jesus, Lord of all Creation, it requires our full submission in obedience. In our walking with Jesus, obedience to His Word is the evidence of our submission and the result of continued obedience is increased trust because obedience opens the door to a deeper revelation of God’s character. When through our obedience, we experientially know who God our Father is, we become…

…convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”

Romans 8:38-39

Prayer

Dear Father, from the beginning Your desire for our obedience in every command You have given us has been good. Now that You have saved us in Your Son, please help us to submit to Him in full obedience to Your Word. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit that You have given as our Helper to obey You in all things. Amen.