October 25th, 2024 Believers History The Beginning
Since the beginning of time we have searched the heavens and within ourselves for answers to that which surrounds us. The mysteriousness of it all draws us to seek out answers that seem to be just out of our gasp as we attempt to understand the dawning of our existent. Some of us have come to the belief that religion, as we know it today is of man and in no way that of a Yahweh or gods. However from time to time there are those who come forth with an inner knowledge. People who we know as priests, ministers, Shamans, or Holy men and women who have been instrumental in aiding us in finding our way as we journey on our path of trying to understand this thing we call faith. Some of these men and women have touched the world with their beliefs and their understanding of religion. One such man steps out of the pages of scripture. We will explore Judaism through his eyes within the Laws Of Moses. His name is Saul as we entry his story. He is a Jew of the Roman colony of Israel. He was known as Saul of Tarsus chief persecutor of the early Believers. Shortly after the death of Yeshua the Messiah and His resurrection those who live the Laws of Moses declared war on those who professed Yeshua as the Messiah. Saul was an enthusiastic member of the Pharisees. A sect within the Jewish faith that promoted purity and fidelity to the Laws of Moses. He made his means as a tent maker. Saul entries the biblical account as a silent witness to the stoning of Stephen and his blasphemy to the Law. Those who stoned Stephen laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. We see this in Acts 8:1&2 “And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen [to his burial], and made great lamentation over him.” According to Luke, Saul was not actual member of the Sanhedrin that condemned Stephen. But as a member of the Synagogue he may have taken part in the original dispute, and Luke suggest he gave moral consent to the execution which carried as much as the actual deed itself. After this incident Saul begins to participate in the campaign against Believers. Strange as it may sound the wakes of Moses, of Buddha, of Confucius, give a greater influences over humanity today, than when these men were pondering over faith and happiness. After Stephen's stoning those of the Believing sect of Judaism were dispersed throughout the land. They were homeless and driven from Jerusalem. One of the cities where the Believers came was Damascus. A city today consider to be the oldest in existence as well as the oldest continued inhabited and now the capital of Syria. It was a main trade route between the east and west. Saul knowing this as his reputation grew, as persecutor of Believers, went to the leaders of the synagogue the Sanhedrin and made a case to go to Damascus and bring the Believers bound to Jerusalem. Now the Apostles (Greek apostolos, meaning person sent) were in Damascus. These were who Saul sought as he prepared to go. Now most likely he was given about 20 men from the synagogue guard and they set off for Damascus. Set in their mission they had no idea what laid ahead. As they came upon a rise overlooking the city a bright light appeared. Saul was knocked down and from the light which none had saw brighter a voice came, and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul why persecute thou me. This is found in Acts 9:4-9 “And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought [him] into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.” Within Damascus was a certain follower of The Messiah named Ananias. Ananias was a common man and when the Lord in a vision called Ananias, Behold I am the Lord Acts 7:10 “And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I [am here], Lord.” Moving right alone we see Ananias wasn’t sure of what he heard. Lord I have heard of this man how mush evil he has brought against the saints in Jerusalem. I know that he has authority to bound all who call upon your name. The Lord spoke again to him: Go thy way; for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings; and the children of Israel. We see this in Acts 9:11-15 “And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for [one] called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, 12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting [his] hand on him, that he might receive his sight. 13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: 14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:” Now in the story of Saul, Ananias is overlooked and cast aside in Paul’s shadow. Yet he played a very important part in what was to become the beginning of the church and spread of Yeshua the Messiah. Ananias was the link from the bright light on the road overlooking Damascus and the journey to Asia Minor, Greece and into Rome. Ananias interpreter the experience Saul had happen to him. It was he who translated the blinding light and the directions and duties, which were to come to Saul. He was far a lesser man in terms of worldwide happening, but throughout our history a lesser one has launched the greater one. Who in the long run can actually say who is the lesser or the greater? So reluctantly Ananias went and found the house of Judas. As the story goes he laid hands on Saul and scales fell from his eyes, then Saul arose and Ananias baptized him. We are told of this in Acts 9: 18 “And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.”. As Saul received food and gained strength he spent days with the disciples. The other disciples were persecuted men by the Jewish faith. Considered a sect to be destroyed. For they preached this new message of forgiveness and faith. Interesting is the fact that the Jews believed that Yeshua wasn’t the Messiah for they expected a warrior like god to lead them out of the Roman's rule. Now from the very seem ones, who persecuted them, comes into their life a man they all knew to be an enemy of their faith let alone each of them. So Ananias introduction to them and Saul’s story of his conversion fell on deaf ears. Plus there is some conflict in Saul’s account and that of Luke in Acts. First lets look at how Saul became Paul. Most likely Saul was his Jewish name and Paul was the name of his Roman citizenship. His Roman citizenship most likely came by mercenary services of his family within the Roman army in one or more wars of the empire. Therefore his own protection of the persecution he was under with the Jews as well as those of the Believing faith is probably why he took on his Roman name, for it offered him protection under Roman law. So let's take a look at Paul in Galatians 1:17 “Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. “ That verse claims that right after his conversion he went away to Arabia. But Luke’s account in Acts is historically interesting because he went to the synagogues and immediately proclaimed Yeshua. Even though the authorities in Damascus had authority to hand over Beliuevers to an emissary from Jerusalem most likely they would not of let him preach the faith they persecuted. Paul as well had physical handicaps and spiritual weakness. It is not the vessel that counts but the contents, which it holds. The vessels may crack; leak, and sometimes break and Paul’s handicaps seem to work against him in his new ministry. Paul was not an eloquent speaker as he struggled to proclaim his message. Yet these very things became his greatest strength. Of course the first obstacle he had to overcome was his past. All those who knew him or of him held this against him. Just like today when we do wrong no one forgets and when we do right no one remembers. Just a few days before he was the Believers greatest enemy. Then as now it was thought that a leopard does not change his spots. Nor does a man or women change overnight. At this moment we must remember Yeshua can change a persons heart instantly. Yet, because of all this the Jews of Damascus plotted to do away with him. Paul having a few faithful friends among the disciples in Damascus and knowing this managed to get him safely out of the city. His first attempt to preach was a total failure. No one believed him because they knew his past. From Damascus he went to Jerusalem. He found that Yeshua’s new vessel when he found the disciples there did not open their arms for him either. For they had not forgotten Stephen and Paul’s part in his stoning for they believed him to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Paul knew all of this, and the Jews watched the gates of Damascus day and night waiting to kill him. So with a few faithful follows they lowered him over the wall in a basket and he escaped their gasp and went to Jerusalem. This can be found in Acts 9:25 “Then the disciples took him by night, and let [him] down by the wall in a basket.” Here we will pick up the story in Jerusalem where the Jews wanting to kill him and the disciples were not sure of him. It is interesting that at the time Yeshua had chose Saul, just as the disciples themselves were electing a replacement for Judas. A man named Matthias was one of the seventy disciples of Yeshua and had followed him from his baptism by John the Baptist to the Ascension. This is found in Acts 1:21-26 “Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. 23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all [men], shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, 25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. 26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.” Little is known of Matthia's life. Supposedly he first preached the gospel in Juda then in Ethiopia and was crucified. Another circle of thought claims he was stoned in Jerusalem by Jews and beheaded. I find it fascinating that even after a gust of wind and tongues of fire fell upon them they were filled with the Holy Ghost and Peter stood before them asking to elect a replacement for Judas. Even though Yeshua had chosen Saul to fulfill a new mission. Yet today as well as then we claim one thing and with the other hand profess another. Saul’s past was following him. There is a motorcycle group here in America called The Hell's Angels now this Motorcycle club has a saying on their courtesy card which states, When we do right no one remembers, and when we do wrong no one forgets. This is what faced Saul in Jerusalem. The disciples had not forgotten who he was and what his mission had been and they held this against him. Again man’s influence over men and their thoughts are no way that of the teachings of Yeshua. Yet the story takes a turn here for the better. A man named Barnabas took Saul and brought him to the disciples. Acts 9:26&27 “And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him, and brought [him] to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.” Barnabas was an interesting man as he enters our story. We first find him selling his farm and giving the proceeds to the Believing disciples in Jerusalem. This man pulled Saul out of the mess his life was heading and the future that seem to hold him in limbo. Barnabas was a man that could see the substance of things even though they may be imperfect. In Saul he seen the possibility of what he had to offer the Believer's Church. F.J. Foakes Jackson describes Barnabas the following way. (Barnabas indeed is one of the most attractive characters in the New Testament. He processed the rare gift of discerning merit in others. Probably inferior in ability to Saul, he was his superior in the Christian graces. He seems to have been utterly without jealousy, eager to excuse the faults of others, quick to recognize the merit, ready to compromise for the sake of peace. Paul’s elevation of character makes him scarcely human, whilst the virtues of Barnabas make him singularly lovable. The Paul of history contributes to the process of the world. Barnabas and those like him make it endurable to live in. Whilst we admit the greatness of Paul, we cannot forget that Barnabas was the real pioneer of a world embracing Christianly.) The first thing that Barnabas did when he got to Antioch was to remember Saul. At this point we again find the threads of Saul’s life. As the story goes after he visited Jerusalem he had gone into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. We see this in Galatians 1:21 “Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;” He himself states it had been fourteen years since he visited Jerusalem and this is where we again pick up the story in Acts 11:30 “Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.” Barnabas brings Saul from Tarsus to be his colleague at Antioch, where they spent a year together. Saul by now had become a missionary and the years between his conversion and now we know little about. Barnabas and Saul taught, instructed and preached. Within the year they had established the church on firm ground. It is interesting that out of the church in Antioch came the word Christian where the word begin to describe those of the belief and faith in Yeshua. The word itself is from the Geek translation The name given probably in reproach, to the followers of Yeshua. The names by which the disciples were known among themselves were "brethren," "the faithful," "elect," "saints," "believers." But as distinguishing them from the multitude without, the name "Christian" came into use, and was universally accepted. This name occurs but two times in the New Testament Acts 11:26 “And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” 1 Peter 4:16 “Yet if [any man suffer] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.” . We are not Catholic, or Protestant, liberal or Orthodox. We are Christian's that is the common basis of our unity. While the two were in Antioch crops failed in southern Palestine and the people were suffering the storage of food. The church in Jerusalem was in desperate need. The church of Antioch sent two of their leaders. Barnabas and Saul were commissioned to deliver the relief fund in person to the Christians of Jerusalem. After their mission to Jerusalem they returned to Antioch with them a man named Mark. He was a relative of Barnabas and most likely where they had stayed in Jerusalem while there as he was from there. While in Antioch the two continue to bring the message to the people. People from all around the area flocked to see them. They wanted to meet the kindly Spirit of Barnabas and hear the forceful preaching of Saul. Then one day the presence of the Lord was felt and a message was given. Set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work which I have called them. Both men knew that they were being called to preach Yeshua’s teachings and love to others. They were to established Christian churches on the island of Cyprus and all throughout Asia Minor. Soon after the Holy Ghost had given the message Barnabas and Saul along with Mark boarded a small vessel and set sail. Within a few hours the men found themselves setting foot ashore in Salamis a port on the east coast of Cyprus. After they had found a place to settle in they began to preach of Yeshua in the Synagogues throughout the city there and telling the Jews Yeshua’s Story. From there they traveled across land to Paphos on the west coast. Here is where the missionary mission begins to get exciting. After they had been in town for a while the Roman proconsul named Serquis Paulas sent for them. He had heard of these two men and was very interested in what they had to say. Being an intelligent man he was fascinating with what they had to say. Both Barnabas and Saul knew that the proconsul was on the verge of accepting Yeshua as his savior. Then within the courtyard where they were arose a voice. Don’t believe them, cried a sneering voice. What they are saying is all nonsense. The voice belonged to a man named Elymas, a local magician who knew that if the proconsul accepted this Yeshua, he wouldn’t want the likes of him around. But he soon realized that his outburst was a serious mistake. For Saul turned on him with burning words. He was angry that someone would dare to get in Yahweh’s way and keep this Roman Officer from entering the Kingdom. You son of the devil, he said to Elymas, you enemy of all righteous, full of deceit, will you not stop making crooked the straight path of the Lord? And now behold the hand of the Lord is upon you and you shall be blind and unable to see the sun for a time. Saul barely said these words when Elymas screamed, I can’t see! I can’t see! Putting his hands over his eyes as a mist and darkness fell upon him. He stumbled around trying to get people to lead him by the hand. We see this fact in Acts 13: 11 “And now, behold, the hand of the Lord [is] upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.” So impressed with what he saw the proconsul gave his heart to Yeshua that very day. Something happen to Saul as well. From that moment on he is called Paul in the bible. Strange as it seems this name was the very same as this important convert Serquis Paulas. Or perhaps equally amazing is the fact that Barnabas might of given it to him. Even though he may have decided at this time to use his Roman given name. Paul means little and he was a small man little in stature, little in his own sight. Regardless of this he was mighty in the power of Yahweh. I hope this has been enlightening and interesting to you. May the lord bless and keep each and everyone of you.
May the LORD bless you and keep you.
May the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you and
may the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.