Skip to main content

Why did Paul Appeal to Caesar?

I just finished Acts of the Apostles. The intriguing account of the beginning of the church. It seems like that every time that I get near the end of this story I want to jump into the scene where Paul appeals to Caesar. In my thinking, if he hadn't done that he would have lived another ten years or so and could have written 3 and 4th Corinthians and maybe a letter to Jerusalem or something like that. Can you imagine that? 

Of course my thinking is nothing but silliness. But I often wonder what would have happened if he had survived a little longer. 

Paul is one of those bigger than life characters that is hard to relate to. He seems to be in a class all his own. He wrote the Bible for Pete sake. Oops. He wrote the Bible because he was one of those authors who was moved by the Holy Spirit. 

Paul was one of those whom Jesus had said would testify before kings. Could it be that he even shared Christ before Nero? 

Guessing aside, we do know that Paul was God's chosen vessel to bring the gospel to the gentiles. Which, if my guess is right, means you my dear readers. Though I often think that no one reads my posts. Paul was a complex person but his message was crazy. He preached the death, burial and resurrection of the Messiah. This message is still very valid today. Jesus, the Christ, took your place when he laid down on that rude cross. 

So, Paul didn't need to live longer than he did. His days were numbered, just like yours. He ran his race, he finished his course and he was ready to leave this realm. Are you? 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Daughter and dog...

About six months ago we discovered that Ann was pregnant and were very excited for she and Jackson. We will have babies on this side and that of the Atlantic. We weren't prepared for that news and we we were even less prepared for the news that our little dog is pregnant. To date we have spent more on the dog than on Annie (don't tell her... Ann that is). Ann has yet to discover whether her baby is a boy or girl. Both ultrasound images were inconclusive. Though I did some further investigation of my own and was startled with what I found. to me it looks as if the baby is definitely a boy and has some resemblance from both sides of the family. Take a look for yourself and let me know what you think.

Entertaining Angels

Hebrews 13:1 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Hospitality is a gift. It can also be a learned trait. Some people seem as if having strangers in their homes is normal and natural. Others have to fight against themselves in order to have friends over for a meal.  The author of Hebrews says that some have entertained angels when they thought that they were helping a stranger. That's weird. This statement brings questions to mind. Do angels eat? Of course, silly, they eat angel food cake!  Seriously, who in the Bible entertained angels by accident? Well, how about Abraham, Lot or Jacob? Granted, Jacob's treatment of the Angel of the Lord was questionable. But he did wrestle the night away, when in fact that angel could have dislocated Jacob's hip early in the match.  Abraham, read Sarah, prepared a big meal and Lot had to offer ...

Living Up to Expectations

walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called (Ephesians 4.1) I’m sorry but I cannot imagine being primped to be a duke, prince or king! I have always thought of Prince Charles as a big wuss in waiting. His whole life has been spent preparing to be “the next king of England.” This poor guy has gone above and beyond the call of duty in being groomed for a position that Elizabeth II, his mom, doesn’t seem to want to give up. Elizabeth’s mother, the Honourable Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, lived for 101 years for Pete’s sake! Does Charley have a chance? Doubt it. Why this talk about princely preening? Well my friend it is because we as God’s children are in a similar process. In Ephesians 4.1 Paul goes into some interesting details. He tells us the following. I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, The word vocation trips us up. I went through my career at GM working my best so that I would plea...