For This Reason

Why do you believe in what you do? I have been thinking about this for some time. I know that many Christians are raised in Christian homes and their faith is something that they were raised into. That alone does not guarantee their faith but it does give reason for its initial foundation. When I consider my faith formation, I know that part of my faith is from being raised in a Christian home, but one that never really went to church. It wasn’t until high school that I started going to church regularly and began considering myself a Christian. I was invited by friends and I discovered for myself the love of Christ for myself and through the presence of community. It was my personal discovery of the love of Christ that has cemented my Christian faith. But again, what about you? Why do you believe in what you do?

Consider for a moment the Apostle Paul and his faith journey. From what we know in Scripture (Acts and Pauline Letters), Paul was formerly Saul. As Saul, he was a devote Jew who was persecuting followers of Christ until one day on the road to Damascus he encountered the presence of Jesus. Acts 9 describes a scene where Saul goes blind until he arrives in Damascus and a follower of Christ named Ananias comes to heal him. Saul is no longer referred to by his former name, but now Paul and he will be God’s chosen instrument to proclaim Christ’s name to the Gentiles and the people of Israel. But why? Was it his encounter with Jesus on the road? Was it the healing of Ananias? In a prayer from Paul found in Ephesians 3:14-21, I think we find our answer.

As Paul prayed for the people of Ephesus, he asked for the love of Christ and the fullness of God to reveal to the people of Ephesus the powerful nature of God’s grace. It is the revelation of God’s grace revealed in the love of Christ in Paul’s own life that has transformed him into who he is at the moment of writing his letter. It is not just his encounter on the road to Damascus or the healing received from Ananias, but all of the ways he has experienced the full love of Christ in his life that has transformed him into who he is.

This Sunday we discuss how important it is for us to grow in the love of Christ in order to be an authentic community of Christians. Join us for worship at either 8:30 or 10:45 am as we continue this discussion.

In God’s grip,

Pastor Chuck Church