Month: October 2024

Acts 9:19 – Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. ²⁰ And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”

²¹ All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?”

²² Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. ²³ After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him. ²⁴ They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot. ²⁵ So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.

²⁶ When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer! ²⁷ Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.

²⁸ So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him. ³⁰ When the believers heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown.

³¹ The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers. (NLT)

In this passage, Saul (Paul) is fresh from his conversion experience on the Damascus road.  Verse twenty tells us that in short time he began preaching that Jesus is the Son of God.  There is nothing like new coverts to Christianity, they are so full of energy!  They want everyone to know about the difference that Jesus has made in their life!  Sadly, many churches do their best to curb the enthusiasm of new converts because their methods of evangelism are too radical for the status quo.  A careful study of the New Testament tells us that this may have been the case with the Church and Paul. 

In verse twenty-six we are told that the believers in Jerusalem did not believe that Paul could have changed so radically.  It was Paul, however, who later wrote, “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)  This power that so radically changed the life of Paul is the same power that can change things in our own lives.  Paul, an enemy of the cross, became its greatest crusader.  There may be things in our own lives that we hold onto that go against the cross, yet we have the power to change. 

Let us ask ourselves what is it that we hold onto?  Is it anger, a grudge, prejudice?  Is it refusing to forgive, or refusing to become involved in a causes that God has put onto our heart?  Perhaps it is a behavior or an addiction.  Maybe you think that there is no way that you can overcome, but consider Paul.  No one thought that this great Pharisee whose life work was to destroy the Church could ever become the great evangelist that he became, but he did.  We can, indeed, do everything through Christ. 

Posted by Ramón Torres

Well my friends, as I write this post, the hour is late!  I just returned home from a mission trip to a small town in the mountains of Mexico, Ixtepec.  Seven of us from Wesley spent a week with a medical team from both Tennessee and Mexico.  Along with doctors, we served in the pharmacy; washing feet; entertaining children; running back and forth for supplies; and leading worship. 

The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:12 – The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. (NLT) Paul then goes on to tell us that it takes all kinds of people to make a church – the Body of Christ in the world.  It is interesting to note that the word the New Testament writers used for church was ἐκκλησία.  We get our modern word eclectic from this word. This Greek word literally means: a gathering of people called out from their homes into some public place.  The church is only the church when we get out!

I am proud to serve a church that takes their call to get out and get to work seriously!  Here at Wesley we not only get out to foreign countries, but right here at home!  As I write this there are people from Wesley serving in the food pantry; some are packing supplies for the homeless, and others are preparing sack pack for school children who are facing food scarcity.   

Do all the people who have served with these ministries have the same interests? Do we all have the same gifts?  No, but we all serve the same Lord, and we are all called to serve.  I encourage each of you to serve your church – your ἐκκλησία, in any way that you are able.  The Church is only the Church when we step out of our comfort zones and serve the Lord by serving others.

Today, let’s serve!   

Posted by Ramón Torres

1 Corinthians 4:8 – You think you already have everything you need. You think you are already rich. You have begun to reign in God’s kingdom without us! I wish you really were reigning already, for then we would be reigning with you. ⁹ Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor’s parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world—to people and angels alike. 

¹⁰ Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed. ¹¹ Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home. ¹² We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. ¹³ We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash—right up to the present moment. 

¹⁴ I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. ¹⁵ For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. ¹⁶ So I urge you to imitate me. 

¹⁷ That’s why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go.

¹⁸ Some of you have become arrogant, thinking I will not visit you again. ¹⁹ But I will come—and soon—if the Lord lets me, and then I’ll find out whether these arrogant people just give pretentious speeches or whether they really have God’s power. ²⁰ For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. ²¹ Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit? (NLT) 

In today’s passage, Paul is not holding back!  Indeed, Paul uses what some would call dark sarcasm.  The reason for these words is that some of the Corinthians were acting as if they were already reigning with Christ!  Paul is trying to bring them down a notch or two, or at least ground them in the humility of Christian service. 

Paul was making a distinction between how some in the Corinthian church were acting, and how true Christians should act.  Consider the following: “We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. We appeal gently when evil things are said about us.” (verses 12-13).  I emphasized the ‘we’ because in the Greek they were in the emphatic form, stressing true Christian behavior.  In light of this passage, we must ask ourselves: Are we willing to be a blessing to those who curse us?  How patient are we with others?  Are our responses to criticism gentle or harsh? 

In verse thirteen Paul writes: “Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash—right up to the present moment.” The word that we translate as ‘garbage’ was a Greek word that literally meant ‘that which is wiped off’.  The word was often used for animal refuse that would be wiped off of one’s shoes!  That’s quite a mental picture of what Paul was willing to endure for the sake of Jesus Christ.  What are we willing to endure for Jesus Christ? 

A challenging passage for each of us! Today, let us consider how far we are willing to go for the sake of the Gospel.  Let us be willing to endure just a little more, so that someone might come to know a little more of Jesus.

Posted by Ramón Torres 

1 Corinthians 4:1 – So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries. ² Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful. ³ As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. ⁴ My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. 

⁵ So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due. 

⁶ Dear brothers and sisters, I have used Apollos and myself to illustrate what I’ve been saying. If you pay attention to what I have quoted from the Scriptures, you won’t be proud of one of your leaders at the expense of another. ⁷ For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift? (NLT)

In this passage Paul is wrapping up his thoughts about the manner in which the Corinthians were dividing themselves according to their preferred church leader.  Paul knew that not everyone in Corinth approved of Paul, indeed, there are few churches, if any, in which every member approves of their leaders!  He writes something quite interesting in verse four, but first let me ask a question.  Does having a clear conscience mean that you are right?  Not at all!  Consider verse four: “My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.”

While Paul is writing about Church leaders, we can apply this spiritually to all Christians.  We must live our lives in such a way that we have a clear conscience, but we must always be open to God’s correction.  We must seek God’s direction daily, so that we will know if we need to make any corrections.  

Let’s look at verse five: “So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time.” Let’s put this into its proper context.  Paul is addressing those who are being critical of their church leaders.  Paul warns them not to judge them too quickly because – it is implied through his remarks on a clear conscience – their leaders are prayerfully leading them.  This is good advice.  We may not always understand the actions of our church leaders, but if they have proven to be godly in their lives, then we must not be quick to criticize.  If they are godly, then they are either correct in what they are doing, or will most likely listen to God’s correction.

Today, let us pray for our church leaders.  Let us pray that they would always seek to be guided by God’s Spirit, and let us not be quick to judge them.  

Posted by Ramón Torres