The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Galatians 2:11-13,
"When Cephas [the apostle Peter] came to Antioch, I [the apostle Paul] opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray."
I recall, as a boy, attending a church that had beautiful large stained glass windows depicting heroes in Scripture. I recall looking at the images of the apostles in these windows in beautiful robes, with halos hovering over their heads. Clearly these were men of transcendent spirituality. I recall wondering what sort of humans these were. I didn't know anyone like that in my young life, hadn't seen anyone like that. Yet, here they were, the great holy and spiritually lofty ones from the pages of Scripture!
I have since had to come to grips with the reality that these depictions created within me a misconception about these great heroes in Scripture. Far from perfect, they made mistakes, as we read in the above passage. They had occasion to correct one another, a need to resolve problems they had with one another. Read the account of the Jerusalem council in Acts 15. Just following that we read of a dispute between Paul and Barnabas over Mark, which caused them to part company, Acts 15:36-41.
The apostles and the early church leaders were not perfect. Neither was Abraham, the twelve sons of Jacob, Moses, David and all the others. What they were, however, were people who embraced God in faith, became heroes and examples for us, and through their lives, God shows us the way. They all had their shortcomings, but they also had God's Spirit burning within them that enabled and emboldened them to do works of God and to leave us a legacy that God wants us to know of.
Of these heroes of faith, the writer of Hebrews says, "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." Hebrews 11:13-16.
"When Cephas [the apostle Peter] came to Antioch, I [the apostle Paul] opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray."
I recall, as a boy, attending a church that had beautiful large stained glass windows depicting heroes in Scripture. I recall looking at the images of the apostles in these windows in beautiful robes, with halos hovering over their heads. Clearly these were men of transcendent spirituality. I recall wondering what sort of humans these were. I didn't know anyone like that in my young life, hadn't seen anyone like that. Yet, here they were, the great holy and spiritually lofty ones from the pages of Scripture!
I have since had to come to grips with the reality that these depictions created within me a misconception about these great heroes in Scripture. Far from perfect, they made mistakes, as we read in the above passage. They had occasion to correct one another, a need to resolve problems they had with one another. Read the account of the Jerusalem council in Acts 15. Just following that we read of a dispute between Paul and Barnabas over Mark, which caused them to part company, Acts 15:36-41.
The apostles and the early church leaders were not perfect. Neither was Abraham, the twelve sons of Jacob, Moses, David and all the others. What they were, however, were people who embraced God in faith, became heroes and examples for us, and through their lives, God shows us the way. They all had their shortcomings, but they also had God's Spirit burning within them that enabled and emboldened them to do works of God and to leave us a legacy that God wants us to know of.
Of these heroes of faith, the writer of Hebrews says, "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." Hebrews 11:13-16.
The apostles were the ambassadors of Jesus Christ, his emissaries to the world. As such they held great authority given them from the Son of God to aid in the birthing and development of his church. They wrote Scripture, shepherded and corrected the various fellowships that were forming. The Holy Spirit ran deep in their lives as they performed various miracles, signs and wonders that were needed during the early formation of the church. As such we look up to them for who they were: the apostles of Jesus Christ. Not perfect men, but men chosen by God and used greatly by him.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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