The Fellowship of His Suffering

(part 2)


“Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”

Acts 9:19-21

Paul’s reputation as a persecutor and enemy of the faith had proceeded him. His dramatic encounter with Christ was of particular interest to the believers in the early church. Was his conversion genuine? How would they gauge his sincerity?

If Paul was going to impact the world for Jesus Christ, it was going to take more than a “little prayer at the altar” to convince those who had been giving their lives for the faith, that Paul’s faith was authentic. Although he shared in their salvation, the question would be “Would he also share in their sufferings?” That is why God told Ananias…

“I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Acts 9:16

Paul would go on to suffer much for the cause of Christ! In 2 Corinthians 11:24-28 Paul writes:

“Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.”

And although, not a single one of these acts “earned” Paul his salvation, they did much to earn him credibility. For Paul wrote to the church in Galatia:

“I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy. And they praised God because of me.”

Galatians 1:22-23

Paul’s transformed life caused the people to praise God! There was now adequate evidence that Paul was not simply a convert (Christian is name only), but a disciple- ready to lay down his life for Jesus Christ!



Pastor Scott Burr
http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com