Acts 22
March 7, 2022
“I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied.” (v7-8)
Jesus identifies Himself with His followers - so much so that He tells Saul that in persecuting the church he is actually persecuting Him. Of course, Jesus is not the church, but the way Jesus so closely identifies Himself with the church is instructive for us - in a culture that will often say things like, “I’m fine with Jesus, but I don’t want anything to do with the church.” Jesus doesn’t allow for such disassociation. In “purchasing the church with His own blood” (Acts 20:28) Jesus forever linked Himself to the church.
Lord, I praise You for Your great love for the Church - not only in purchasing her, but in identifying Yourself with her - even feeling her pain and persecution. I confess that I don’t have as high a view of the church as I should. I get distracted by her sins, which do need to be lovingly confronted. Help me, though, too, to see the church as so beloved by You that I don’t disassociate myself from that which is Your very Bride (Rev 19) and Body (1 Cor 12).
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
