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There are, apparently – at least from what I see as I gad about the internet- lots of folks who consider Christianity [all religion] dangerous - something to be eliminated for the betterment of society at large. Some examples from “comments sections” to make you uncomfortable. I think religions are dangerous because they have blind faith. Like the couple in the news that refused to take their son to the doctor and prayed for him to get better and the boy died. Christianity - similarly to most other religions - potentially has the power to convince someone that petrol bombing an abortion clinic is justified. Because it’s irrational, and some of its practitioners are trying hard to spread the irrationality in public places. Because its preachments are wicked and evil. Because they can't be happy just believing in this ludicrous fantasy They use their beliefs to stunt the progression of science, to stop certain people from having the same freedoms as everyone else, force [their beliefs] on kids in school, etc. It is fashionable to wax apocalyptic about the threat to humanity posed by the AIDS virus, “mad cow” disease, and many others, but I think a case can be made that faith is one of the world’s great evils, comparable to the smallpox virus but harder to eradicate. -Richard Dawkins We’re in a message series I’m calling Hostile Witness. We’re considering people and groups in the NT who didn’t want Jesus to be Lord - his brothers, his hometown of Nazareth, the Sadducees and Pharisees. Those comments come from folks who see Christianity as dangerous. I think it’s safe to say none of them would embrace the idea that “Jesus is Lord.” In fact, many will say, with a mix of pride and chagrin that they thought so “once,” but then they “came to their senses.” And there are probably a few in the lunatic fringe of the anti-religionists that wouldn’t mind seeing as many “faithful followers of Jesus” eradicated as possible. [To his credit early this year Dawkins conceded: "Christianity may actually be our best defense against aberrant forms of religion that threaten the world," He has "mixed feelings" about the decline of Christianity, because it might be "a bulwark against something worse."] But while lots of people would like Christianity to curl up and die, it hasn’t. Despite the many ways we’ve gotten it wrong in the last 2K years, giving folks reasons to want it dead, it’s not. And while lots of people have tried to kill it because they thought it dangerous to the well-being of their society we followers of Jesus are still here. as the song says, “No turning back. No turning back.” This morning’s hostile witness despised the faith you and I follow. He considered it an offense and an affront to his entire society. With an obsessive violence he threw himself into the effort to eradicate anyone who called Jesus Lord. He was an angry attack dog for the High Priests, empowered to do lots of damage to the Jewish blasphemers who followed Jesus of Nazareth. 1 The internet comments from above came from people who identify as modern Atheists. Our hostile witness was not an atheist but he saw the rise of the sect of Christianity [The Way] as distinctly dangerous to his world- something to be obliterated rather than tolerated. In his own words he said he, “ …tried to destroy it.” Nobody didn’t want Jesus to be Lord more than Saul of Tarsus So let’s talk about Saul. A few years after Jesus was born [4bc?] Saul was born [5ad?]. His parents were Jews living in the Greek cultural and intellectual center of Tarsus, the capitol of the province of Cilicia [modern Turkey]. Antony and Agustus both gave Tarsus special privileges like: freedom from taxation and Roman citizenship. So Saul’s parents and their children were Roman citizens with all the privileges that implied. In his childhood Saul’s family moved from Tarsus to Jerusalem [Acts 22:3]. As every Jewsh boy Saul began Torah school and his performance must have been excellent, as we know he ultimately became a disciple of Rabbi Gamaliel [Acts 22:3]. Gamaliel was a highly respected leader in the Sanhedrin in the early first century- a Pharisee. He was also the Grandson of one of the MOST renowned rabbi’s of all time Hillel the elder. In Acts 5 Gamaliel urges the Sanhedrin not to kill Peter and John for preaching about Jesus and resurrection 38 “…for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.” [Some Christian traditions say G. embraced the Way of Christ, that he and his son and Nicodemus were baptized by Peter & John. Of course this is contested tradition.] In his own words Saul was Phil. 3:5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 …as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. He Acts 26:5… lived as a Pharisee according to the strictest sect of our religion. And he was 22:3 …educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers. Being a disciple of the Pharisee Gamaliel is indicative of Paul’s intellect and his devotion to and his excellence in the study of the Torah and the Talmud. [Which we can see in his letters as he so easily quotes the Pentateuch, prophets and psalms from memory.] And, from his writings, we know Saul was familiar with Greek writing styles, and Greek methods of teaching, Greek religion, philosophy, often quoting it in his letters. One writer calls him“…a "Hebrew of the Hebrews," yet at the same time a native Hellenist, and a Roman citizen… He could argue with the Pharisees as a son of Abraham, … He could address the Greeks in their own beautiful tongue and with the convincing force of their logic. Clothed with the dignity and majesty of the Roman people, he could travel safely over the whole empire ……He had Semitic fervor, Greek versatility, and Roman energy. “ He, himself, says he Gal. 1:14 … was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. Saul was tenacious and driven and I’ll say competitive in his studies. If Saul was a hiker he’d be the guy who runs to the top of the mountain. If he were a modern pastor he’d press on until 2 he had the Mother-ship of all mega-churches. If Saul were a football fan he’d be the shirtless guy in 30-degree weather, in Seahawks green, full- body paint with a big blue 12 painted on his chest screaming his head off. His intense zeal was the reason for Saul’s success in Judaism. And he took all that zeal and applied it fervently against the dangerous sect called “The Way” that had burst full-bloom just after last Passover and Pentecost. This heretical sect threatened the foundations of his Judaism by saying God’s Messiah –some Galilean named Jesus- had come and been crucified and was resurrected. Some said this Jesus was Lord and God in the flesh- blasphemy. And others said this false god came to save filthy gentiles as well as unclean Jews-more blasphemy. This lying, false heretical sect had to be put down. And in this, our man Saul found his calling. A man by the name of Stephen- a Jewish follower of Jesus, engaged in the important ministry of feeding the hungry- was falsely accused and dragged before the Sanhedrin on charges of blasphemy. Stephen defends himself with the history of Israel from Abraham to the prophets. He accuses them of being stiff-necked and resisting the Holy Spirit and then in the middle of the council he sees a vision: 7:56…“Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” They go nuts! This was the last straw. They grabbed Stephen, drove him out of the city and set to stoning him to death. Saul was there. It’s uncertain whether he was at the trial or not. But he was an active and zealous participant in Stephen’s death. Those who’d heard Steve’s “blasphemy” in court removed their cloaks so they wouldn’t become soiled, so they could more easily kill a Jewish brother. And young Saul [24-40] watched over their coats [Acts 7:58] and he was GLAD to see one of these blasphemers FINALLY getting what he deserved. He was in eager and absolute agreement with the action! He wasn’t alone. The stoning of Stephen roused the Jews of Jerusalem into an intense persecution of anyone who claimed Jesus was Lord and resurrected from the dead. The Apostles went underground in Jerusalem while thousands who’d become convinced of Jesus resurrection and Lordship scattered- and in the process shared the gospel to incredible success along the way [like Phiip ch8]. Devout, fervent, tenacious Saul –and those with him- were inspired to hunt down Christians in Jerusalem, door to door and house after house, and take to prison any apparent followers of Jesus- men or women- all with the official OK of the Jewish legislative body [Acts 8:3]. Saul understood his duty to be to rid Israel of these followers of Jesus of Nazareth. He was quite enthusiastic. In trying to help us understand the absolute detestation Saul had for the Christians, Lk 9 tells us it was as if his every breath spoke a threat against them, wanting them dead. In his own words he says I Gal. 1:13 … persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; The phrase ‘beyond measure” is a bit tame. It 3 means excessively, violently. Saul was fanatically devoted to the destruction of everyone within the Jesus movement. In Acts 22:4 Luke records Paul as declaring: 4 “ I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons. In Acts 26 Luke records Paul saying: When their sentences came before the Sanhedrin he enthusiastically voted for their deaths [26:10]. He says he “often” punished them in the synagogues and tried to force them to blaspheme- that is to curse Jesus Christ [26:11}. How do you force someone to curse the God they love? Well you use threats and violence. [Jesus warned his disciples they would be flogged in the synagogues [Matt 10:17] and the Talmud allowed for whippings administered by the synagogue as legitimate punishment for blasphemy.] And Saul accomplished all of this with the full knowledge and approval of the Chief priests [26:10]. I’m sure they were delighted to make use of Saul’s conviction that he should do everything possible against the Jesus movement [v9]. Luke – who knew him and traveled with him- reports that Saul described himself as “furiously enraged” at the Christians [26:11]. Having effectively squelched the church in Jerusalem Saul is, again, commissioned by the chief priests to chase down the followers of Jesus who escaped the city. He’s headed to Damascus and it’s largish Jewish population and his goal is capturing and chaining up every man and woman that claims to be a Christ-follower and taking them back to Jerusalem for prosecution. Saul of Tarsus is the Grand Inquisitor, the Chief Priests attack dog. His Pharisaic zeal powers his raging fury and his murderous threats against anyone claiming Jesus as Lord or Messiah or God. He hates and despises and dismisses this Jesus as a blasphemer, a rebel and a false prophet. Until he meets him in person. And then things change. Just outside Damascus and without any warning a light brighter than the sun at noon engulfs Saul and his men. The shock and awe and pure presence of that light knocks them all to the ground. A voice speaks right to Saul- it knows him and has a message for him: Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Saul is one of the best young scholars of the scripture in all of Judaism, and the parts of his mind that are still functioning KNOW from the scripture that the light and the voice are all indications that this “experience” is a God-thing. “Who are you, Lord” is the question of a scripturally literate Jew who knows he’s in the presence of the Living God. The voice answers: ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” Jesus tells Saul to go into the city and wait. And when Saul gets up he realizes he’s blind. And the “grand inquisitor” is 4 led by the hand, stumbling, into Damascus. The Lord Jesus in a vision sends Ananias to find Saul and, in another vision tells Saul of his coming. Ananias [for good reason] questions Jesus saying: Lord, this guy did a lo of damage to your saints in Jerusalem and you want me to go to him!?!? And the Lord says: Yes! He’s the one I’ve chosen. When Ananias finds Saul he says: “ Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” In more ways than one Saul’s blindness disappeares. He was baptized… 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” How does this happen? How does Saul of Tarsus breathing threats and murder against the Lord’s disciples become the man who says: Phil. 3: 8 …I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, Only by the loving hand of God. Bible Commentator James Montgomery Boice says of Saul: “No man possessing such characteristics and engaged in zealous persecution of the church is about to be converted by someone else or by human testimony. God himself must accomplish his conversion.” CS Lewis claimed a “seemingly firm belief in the in-existence of God.” Friendship with Tolkien and reading GK Chesterton were helpful but it was “…the steady unrelenting approach of Him whom I so earnestly desired not to meet,” that changed everything. Lee Strobel- legal editor of the Chicago Tribune considered himself an atheist and thought the idea of an all-loving, all-powerful God was stupid. His wife’s new faith led him to research Christianity’s claims. After the most part of two years he concluded: “…in light of the torrent of evidence flowing in the direction of the truth of Christianity, it would require more faith for me to maintain my atheism than to become a Christian. Alister McGrath was in 1971 an utterly convinced, aggressive atheist. God spoke to McGrath’s intellect such that, "Atheism, I began to realize, rested on a less-than-satisfactory evidential basis." He became a Christian intellectually. His heart and imagination were taken over some time later as he sat on a hill overlooking Oxford reading Philippians: 8 …I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, Like Saul, nobody would have ever thought these men would ever call Jesus Lord. But Jesus broke through every distraction and every defense; and all four of these men became gifted and powerful advocates for the Lordship of Jesus Christ. And you and I need to remember that Jesus, himself, can do the same thing in the lives of our neighbors and friends and family members. Jesus, himself is quite capable of making himself known and eliminating all doubt. Like Lewis they may “earnestly desire not to meet Him, but His approach is unrelenting. Like Francis Thompson’s poem: THE HOUND OF HEAVEN I fled Him down the nights and down the days; I fled Hm down the arches of the years; I fled Him down the labyrinthine ways Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears 5 I hid from Him, and under running laughter. Up vistaed hopes I sped; And shot precipitated, Adown titanic glooms of chasmed fears, From those strong Feet that followed after. In the early 90’s singer Wayne Watson updated this idea writing: There are pagans at the corners of creation Making light of the salvation that we know And with a small, narrow mind I give them over To the passion of the Godless seed they sow But, in truth, they have just as much potential To be Godly and perfected by the Word Cause no one in this world Can slip beyond the reaches Of the long arm of the Lord Someone has said about Saul of Tarsus: “There was never a more notable antagonist of the Christian Church.” Nobody didn’t want Jesus to be Lord more than Saul of Tarsus. He is our hostile witness this morning because if God can reach fervent, angry, violent Saul and transform him and use him to fill the world with the Kingdom of God, then NO ONE IS BEYOND GOD’S REACH. Not your children. Not your neighbors. Not your college friends or your FB friends, Not even the “New Atheists” like Sam Harris, or Richard Dawkins,. The fact is Jesus has a tendency to snatch up those we least expect. That’s why Saul turned Paul quotes God’s own words from Isaiah 20 …“I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.” [Rom 10:20] 6