The Bottom Line!

The Apostle Paul was no punk – (forgive the contemporary terminology – but no other word seems to adequately be the opposite of who he really was). Paul was never intimidated with any group to share his faith. He was run out of city after city- but in each city that he went he stirred up crowds and got them talking about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Everywhere he went, particularly because his main mission was to go to the Gentiles he got a response like the one that follows:

17-18He discussed it with the Jews and other like-minded people at their meeting place. And every day he went out on the streets and talked with anyone who happened along. He got to know some of the Epicurean and Stoic intellectuals pretty well through these conversations. Some of them dismissed him with sarcasm: “What an airhead!” But others, listening to him go on about Jesus and the resurrection, were intrigued: “That’s a new slant on the gods. Tell us more.”

19-21These people got together and asked him to make a public presentation over at the Areopagus, where things were a little quieter. They said, “This is a new one on us. We’ve never heard anything quite like it. Where did you come up with this anyway? (May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? -taken from NLT) Explain it so we can understand.” Downtown Athens was a great place for gossip. There were always people hanging around, natives and tourists alike, waiting for the latest tidbit on most anything. Acts 17:`8-21 (MSG)

Even now among Christians there are always discussions over new approaches to studying the scriptures, or worshipping God
that stir controversey. For years I have seen groups come and go that felt like they had a revelation that would not only explain things better but convince others to accept the gospel message. I made a decision a long time ago as to what my response was to these new waves. I do not argue, and unless it’s really crazy, I don’t spend a lot of time even thinking about it. I have a simple approach to the gospel that is kind of like the blind man that was questioned about Jesus healing him:

24They called the man back a second time—the man who had been blind— and told him, “Give credit to God. We know this man is an impostor.”
25He replied, “I know nothing about that one way or the other. But I know one thing for sure: I was blind . . . I now see.”
26They said, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
27″I’ve told you over and over and you haven’t listened. Why do you want to hear it again? Are you so eager to become his disciples?”
28-29With that they jumped all over him. “You might be a disciple of that man, but we’re disciples of Moses. We know for sure that God spoke to Moses, but we have no idea where this man even comes from.”John 9:24-28 (MSG)

This blind man didn’t deliberate about Moses and the law, or who Jesus was in relation to Jewish culture – what he stuck to was the bottom line – once he was blind, now he was able to see! I feel that way too – once I was lost, beyond hope in this world – and one day going down the Roman Road I found the Savior – and the blinders came off – I was able to see who He was and who He made me to be – this is my story and I’m sticking to it!

Maria