Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Give Us This Day

Home
Evangelical
Friday of Trinity 7 – Acts 25:1-12

Friday of Trinity 7 – Acts 25:1-12

Last updated on: August 7, 2014 at 2:43 pm by Fr. Charles Erlandson

Friday of Trinity 7 – Acts 25:1-12 2014-08-07T14:43:38-05:00 Fr. Charles Erlandson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Acts 25:1-12

“Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome” (Acts 23:11).

These words of Jesus might have sounded to St. Paul like the following: “Listen, Paul, I know that you’ve had a pretty tough go of it so far, I mean with the stonings and imprisonments and floggings and death threats and what not. But I’ve got good news for you – I won’t let them kill you in Jerusalem. You’ll hang on long enough to at least make it to Rome, because the Jews have to hand you over to the Gentiles.

So remember: be of good cheer!”

But I’m sure St. Paul didn’t hear the words this way. I’m sure my little paraphrase tells you more about me (and maybe yourself) than it does St. Paul.

The truth is that Paul heard many things from Jesus, many difficult things, and yet his determination to be faithful in all things only increased. It makes an interesting study to look at the red letter words of the New Testament outside of the Gospels. There aren’t very many of them, and the vast majority are spoken to Paul. Here are a number of them.

“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4).

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads” (Acts 9:4).

“Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:15, spoken about Paul to Ananias).

“Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do” (Acts 22:10).

“Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me” (Acts 22:18).

“Rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:16-18).

“Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles” (Acts 22:21).

“Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome” (Acts 23:11).

As you can see, Paul heard a lot of things directly from the Lord, not even including the visions he spoke of in 2 Corinthians. Although many of these things foretold difficulty and suffering, Paul continued listening to His Lord and obeying Him. Knowing what Paul had in store for him, I find Jesus’ words in Acts 23:11 somewhat humorous. Maybe it’s just me (probably so), but Jesus tells Paul, who knows that danger will be found in Jerusalem and Rome, to be of good cheer.

Humorous to me, and yet very serious. How can Paul be of good cheer, knowing what is likely to lie ahead, including chains? The same way he can take pleasure in his infirmities, reproaches, needs, persecutions, and distresses (go see 2 Corinthians 12:10). Paul can be of good cheer because he knows Jesus Christ. What Jesus has said would happen has happened. Every step of the way, no matter how difficult things got, Jesus was with Paul. And the will of God was done mightily in Paul’s life.

Paul had heard many things from Jesus, and through them he had learned to trust and obey His Lord.

You, too, have heard many things from Jesus, your Lord, as I know I have. I haven’t heard many “Red Letter” words from Jesus that leap out at me. There haven’t been many moments in my life when He’s knocked me down and told me in an audible voice what must happen next: in fact, it’s never happened.

And yet I tell you that He’s spoken to me, and to you as well.

Here’s what I want you to do. I want you to make a list of 3 things. It’s worth doing, if for no other reason than that it’s what I’ll suggest you do in my Points for Meditation later anyway!

First, write down some of the things you know that your Lord has told you because they are certain things that He’s told to all of His disciples. This will include both commandments and promises.

Second, make a list of specific times when He has given you direction in your life.

Third, write down what you know He’s been trying to tell you recently. Do this without censoring what you write or trying to filter it. Be honest. If you’ve been looking at the Resolutions I give you at the end of each Give Us This Day, you’ll have noticed how many times I’ve asked that you listen to what He’s telling you now.

Jesus Christ has spoken with power and truth and authority in your life, and He’s still speaking to you. If you listen closely, you may even notice that His words become red letter words for you!

Prayer: O God by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light riseth up in darkness for the godly; grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what Thou wouldest have us to do; that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in Thy light we may see light and in Thy straight path may not stumble, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (William Bright)

Point for Meditation: Go and do the 3 things I suggested in the meditation above!

Resolution: I resolve to listen to what Jesus is telling me today and to pick one of these things to do today.

Book of Common Prayer

courage

Fr. Charles Erlandson

Give Us This Day daily devotional

Previous Post

August 6, 2014

Thursday of Trinity 7 - Acts 24:10-27

Next Post

August 7, 2014 Saturday of Trinity 7 - Acts 25:13-27

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Book Reviews Featured Give Us This Day Give Us This Day Devotional love me love my wife Love My Wife Reformed Catholicism Blog Spirit-Reality Take This Cup Uncategorized

Select a Month February 2022 November 2021 October 2021 August 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 September 2018 July 2018 March 2018 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What Christian group believes in "baptism by immersion only"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Presbyterians Baptists Catholics Lutherans