June 5, 2018
“Saul, Saul, why do
you persecute me?” Acts 22:7
Every sin against others
is a persecution against Jesus.
“It’s none of your business!”
That’s a phrase used often to tell others they are not the
target or the solution to a problem. We
like to use it often – to the spouse who wants to fix it, or the nosy person
who wants to hear it, or the government who wants to check on it. We think that our actions are only limited to
the people we directly affect, and want everyone else to stay out of it. (And to some extent, that is correct.)
Jesus has a different opinion. Saul had just approved the death of Stephen,
and was trying to arrest people who were professing Jesus and stirring up the
nation with His teachings. Saul thought
his actions were not only justified, they were holy and righteous. But then Jesus shows up and tells Saul that
every action against another is a persecution against Christ. Every hurt is not just pain to the person we
hurt, it’s also putting a nail in the hands and feet of Jesus. Your lack of love for a brother is painful to
Jesus. My rejection of a person is
killing the Savior. We may not think it
involves God, but Jesus says otherwise.
What is also true is that every action we take in this life
has an effect on other people too. Our
sin has consequences that affects not only me, but also my family, friends,
neighbors, nation, and world --- not just for this generation, but for
generations to come. There is a tidal
wave of impact that happens from every sin and every righteous act. Just look at the effects of second hand
smoke, or pollution, or oil spill. And
yes – even the effects of sexual immorality, drunkenness, pride, bigotry,
selfishness, greed, etc. all carry over into the lives and futures of people
around us. Big or small, it has a
lingering impact. While we may not think
it is any of their business – it actually affects their business!
That doesn’t give us the right to steal away a person’s free
will! But it does give us the permission
to question what is happening. And it
DEFINITELY permits Jesus to question us when our sins have such a personal
effect on Him.
Jesus already paid the price for our sins, but doesn’t like
our ongoing ignorance and persecution by continuing to sin. It’s time to see sin for the reality it
brings – sin is destructive, defeating, and death-giving. Every sin is a slap in the face of God, and
puts Jesus back on the cross. Stop
acting like your sin is private. It may
not be publicly known, but it is not just privately felt.
Thank God that Jesus wants to fix our sins. He did that with Saul, and He still does it
with us. Let Jesus change your life
instead of continuing to persecute Him with our sins.
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