Yesterday's reading from the Acts of the Apostles recounted Saul's conversion experience. Saul persecuted the Christians with vigor; he was there when the crowd murdered Stephen the deacon. Now Saul encounters the Risen Christ, and his life is changed forever, as so is Christianity. Today we read about Saul's experience after his conversion:
For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’ All who heard him were amazed and said, ‘Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?’ Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus* was the Messiah.
For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’ All who heard him were amazed and said, ‘Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?’ Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus* was the Messiah.
After some time had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night so that they might kill him; but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles, and described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He spoke and argued with the Hellenists; but they were attempting to kill him. When the believers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. (Acts 9:19-31).
Now the converted Saul cannot help but to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ, and the authorities are out to get him now. The persecutor becomes the persecuted, and those that Saul once persecuted help him escape the clutches of the authorities. The last line of today's passage is very powerful: "Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers." The Church, the Body of Christ, is in peace and it is growing by the power of the Holy Spirit. That is something for us to contemplate. In the midst of adversity, the Church can grow if we are faithful to the message of Christ and are open to the working of the Holy Spirit.
Let us pray: Dear Lord, when we face trouble, when we face difficult times, be with us as we preach Your Word, and may we be open to the Holy Spirit in our lives. Amen.
REMINDERS:
St. Augustine's Feast Day, this weekend with dinner on Saturday, the 28th of August at 6 p.m and continuing on Sunday with Eucharist at 9 a.m.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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