SCRIPTURE: Acts 23:12-22
“We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.” (Acts 23:14)
In the name of the Lord, these men vow to murder Paul.
And the religious leaders join in by being accomplices to the ambush.
How is it that religious people can turn violence into spiritual devotion?
This is the problem with religion; it quickly becomes a tool for personal advantage and gain.
In the name of the Lord, people are declaring God’s hatred for sinners.
In the name of the Lord, people are refusing to serve sinners in their businesses.
In the name of the Lord, people are taking up arms against sinners..
In the name of the Lord, people are blowing themselves up to kill sinners.
Compare this with Jesus, Who represents God’s response to sinners.
He is willing to die to save them, not to kill them.
He refuses to fight against the sinners who resist Him; rather He forgives them.
He gets on His hands and knees and washes the feet of sinners, including Judas.
He declares God’s love and mercy for sinners, eats and drinks with them, and does not condemn them.
These men who take the vow show that they do not have in mind the things of God.
And the same can be said for the Sanhedrin (the religious leaders).
The question is, do our actions as Jesus followers compare to Jesus’ actions?
Or are we also guilty of saying or doing un-Jesus-like things in the name of the Lord?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, may I reflect You and Your love, and not the self-interest of the world. Forgive us as religious people for doing things in Your Name that give You a bad reputation.