Life Lessons with Dr. Steve Schell
Religion & Spirituality:Christianity
The seven men Luke names here were representatives chosen from the different regions where Paul had planted churches. They were carrying a financial gift from their churches to the poor in Jerusalem, but Paul was bringing them to Jerusalem. They were his offering, they were the fruit of his labors, and when he arrived he would go into the Temple, the place where Jesus had spoken to him commanding him to go to the Gentiles (Ac 22:21), and there he would report to Him that he had obeyed. On the day of Pentecost, as the firstfruits of the wheat harvest were being waved before the Lord to honor Him as the Source of the harvest and to declare that the harvest was holy and belonged to Him, Paul, in his heart, would present his “firstfruits,” to honor God as the Source of all that had taken place, and declaring that the entire harvest, the multiplied thousands of new believers from all around the eastern Mediterranean, belonged to Him. Yes, Paul ministered effectively among the Gentiles, and had become “all things to all men” (1Co 9:22) to reach them, but he was still a Jew inside, and this was his heart-language of worship. He wasn’t performing a ritual, he was coming home. He had observed Pentecost all his life, but never had he presented such precious gifts as these.
In a sense, Paul is modeling that coming day in which all of us will present to Jesus the fruit of our lives. Not as a work needed to earn our way to heaven, though being fruitless is a dangerous symptom of detachment from Christ (Jn 15:2-6), but as the tangible evidence of our love for Him. When all is said and done, the only lasting treasure we will have to offer Him will be the people whose lives we have helped to draw closer to Him.
100 - The Courage to Lead
99 - The Right Question
98 - Escaping the Trap
97 - Failed Resolutions
96 - The Cup of Suffering
95 - Our Greatest Gift
94 - Filled With His Joy
93 - Thankful For Truth
92 - His Deepest Desire
91 - Faith Under Pressure
90 - The Secret of Joy
89 - The Teacher Within
88 - The Plan
87 - Recognizing God
86 - The Spirit of Truth
85 - Maintaining a Loving Heart
84 - Equipping Disciples
83 - Staying Attached
82 - Created for Authority
81 - The Greatest Reward
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