The politics of the last few weeks has certainly allowed people to show where they stand in respect to numerous issues. Whether it's the current administration of America, the elections in Australia, the horrifying purge in North Korea, or the turmoil of change in the European sphere, it's clear that strong convictions exist across the board, and many want to see what they believe to be right in the results.
Ideology is like that. There's no lack of passion and meaning derived from such notions, but the problem is that we can be so caught up in such fervor that we can miss asking what really counts - is what I'm doing here truly good and right?
On his way to trial for his faith in Rome, Paul had the opportunity to address Felix, the Roman governor of Caesarea.
Felix had listened to the case the religious authorities had against Paul - how the sect he advocated profaned the religion of the Jews - but he was going to be stunned by what was spoken by the prisoner himself.
Paul makes it clear that he had done everything well in what was required by his ancient faith, but something had happened to him that had shown what more was required. He could declare his adherence to all that his accusers believed, but the moment that the resurrected Jesus appeared had changed and challenged him. Felix may have been from a pagan background, but he clearly saw something in what Paul was conveying that was deep. The account tells us that a few days later, he summoned Paul again to speak to him and his wife about his faith (Acts 24:24) - the start of a series of conversations that would continue for the next two years.
Felix ended his office, leaving Paul in prison.
In everyday terms, we wouldn't look upon what happened here as successful, but the next two chapters of the book of Acts informs us of the opportunities that followed for him to speak further to those in authority.
We so often think what defines us is what we're about - our actions or convictions. We, no doubt, would have been doing everything we could to get ourselves freed, but what defines Paul in the midst of these troubles isn't just what he is or what he wants - all of that feeds into a far more vital reality; that of the resurrected Jesus that he had met and the ramifications of that fact for the whole world.
That's why he writes in the manner he does to the church in Corinth.
The issue isn't what's eaten or rejected, he tells them - the world is full of strange ideologies about such things - it's that we understand who really gives us such gifts (The Father and Jesus Christ) and that we partake of them with thanksgiving to Him, rather than viewing them purely as a means to serve our greed or humanly devised superstitions.
Paul could be taken to Rome in chains because his body and soul belonged to the one who had died for him, and rose to show that we have a future beyond the smallness of our current days.
As we considered last time in respect to suffering, it's vital that we come to understand that the world doesn't revolve around us - that many things are here to make us stop and consider what is really going on and where we fit in that much larger picture.
In the last few years before his death, renowned atheist Anthony Flew began to look afresh at the 'big picture' that was emerging from the sciences and especially biology. What he discovered left him totally convinced there was a God, and that he had been thoroughly mistaken for much of his life in respect to the nature of what was true.
Like Paul, after meeting Jesus, we need to find the place where our identity is truly made secure and whole, and that is possible in the freedom and value that comes through the creative and redemptive work of God evidenced through love in the giving to us of Jesus Christ.
So much of life will leave us dissatisfied and deeply frustrated, but there is so much more than this in the eternal goodness and care of the one who gives Himself to make us truly free.
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