July 24th
Share your thoughts, comments, reflections and questions on the readings for July the 24th
1 Chronicles 27:1-28:21,Psalm 87:1-7,Proverbs 18:16-17,Acts 20:22-21:6
I was deeply struck today by Paul’s comment: “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of everyone’s blood.” Acts 20:20 That is a stark and shocking statement to make, what could Paul have meant by it?
In some contexts it could be taken that this was a violent man who had been accused of murder or mass murder. That certainly was not the case for Paul. In other contexts it could be a city official who was responsible in the time of physical disaster and was accused of cutting corners or being negligent in his job. This also is not the situation Paul speaks from. But in both of these statements there is the accusation of another person or group of people. So who might be accusing Paul? This time he is not referring to the Jewish leaders and authorities who were after his blood because of the message he preached. Paul is referring to those who are on the other side of death and are facing judgement by God and in that judgement facing eternal death and separation from God. There is the clear implication that it is possible to bear a level of responsibility for another person’s eternal judgement!
Wow that’s heavy! One principle of reading scripture is that we read any verse of scripture in the context of the framework of the whole bible and do not take an individual verse out of this context. In the whole sweep of the Bible it is clear that each of us must stand alone before the judgement seat of God and each of us will be judged for ourselves and will not be able to blame any other person if we have not responded ourselves to the love of Jesus. But Paul here is clearly saying that we have a responsibility to witness to Jesus and that responsibility has eternal consequences.
Paul goes on to say: “for I did not shrink back from declaring to you the whole plan of God.” He was called by God in a particular way to establish God’s Church on earth. That is the wider perspective. The narrower perspective is that he didn’t shrink back from sharing the love of Christ with every person who he met, because to hold back might have eternal consequences.
Today ask yourself these question: What holds me back from witnessing to the love and life of Jesus to those I meet? How might the eternal consequences for others alter the way I live today?