Near and Far Faith

I hate getting lost. But you can only get lost one way: bad directions. Either the one giving the directions got them wrong or we didn’t pay attention. How about when God gives direction? What was the last thing you felt him tell you to do? Maybe you’ve never heard or felt him guide or direct you. Either way, take a few minutes right now and pray a prayer like this: Lord please show me how you want to direct me… and please give me direction. I trust your guidance. Amen.

Read Acts 13:1-12

Why did the leaders of the church pray and fast twice before sending Saul and Barnabas out?

What do you think the relationship was like between Saul and Barnabas? Go back and read Acts 9:27 and see where their relationship began.

God will rarely send you out alone. He will usually send a spouse or deep friend with you. And this is where many of us realize that we don’t have many deep friends like Barnabas who have found their own true identities. But they don’t take a lifetime to build. In fact they're probably in your life or close to you already.

Lord please reveal that relationship to us now—put a name and a face in our minds and please will you grant us the courage to begin to feed that relationship?

Have you ever had an epiphany? A paradoxical shift? It’s where the very foundation of a belief changes and leaves you excited, but rebuilding. This is what has happened to Saul. Something had drastically shifted. For many this would cause an internal riot between what was and what was coming—how do I convince the people in my life of this change? Is it worth the energy or should I just retreat?

But see through Saul’s example that there was little need for convincing and a greater need to live it out. One of the greatest epidemics in America is fake Christians—ones that call themselves followers of God but don’t actually follow Him. See, you can’t call yourself a Christ-follower and not live it out.

Read Acts 9:19-31

List the different ways in which Saul “lived out” the change.

Are any of these happening in your life?

One of the greatest weapons Satan has against us is to convince us that we’re fine where we are and rob us of the sense of adventure. God is calling you… YOU… to live a life that preaches. Maybe you’re not a preacher—that’s only one of the gifts. But along this journey, strive to uncover the gifts that accompany your true identity… and use them. Ask God for the opportunities to exercise them. Then see those chances and chase after them!

You know that kid with the reputation for being a bully? Ok, maybe he was a bully (if you didn’t know him… it was you), but bullies reputation were always bigger that real life, often like our fake identities. They ate rocks, beat up teachers, and could grow facial hair in forth grade.

Saul had a reputation, and it was true. He had worked hard to become the one that people feared. But now everything had changed and he had to start off on a new journey, repairing the reputation he had set with his stolen identity.

God calls on us to not just become our true selves, but to help rescue others. It reminds me of the 2nd Matrix movie—The Matrix Reloaded— where Neo has been rescuing others that were plugged into the lie of the Matrix.

Read Acts 9:10-19

What fears do you think Ananias had running through his head?

Obviously it helps calm our fears when God directly speaks to us as he did with Ananias. But he doesn’t do this often even in The Bible. How else can He help us overcome our own fears to reach out to those still “plugged into” the lie?

This is where a shift starts to happen. You have been prepared to discover your true identity, but to continue means getting our hands dirty in the world gone wrong. Decide today before God to devote your energy to him, taking advantage of every opportunity he sets in front of you. Know that you are participating in the greatest rescue mission of all time.

Scar Story: I was playing football once with a bunch of guys. We had been practicing for this game for weeks—it was against the alumni—those that had come before us… the old dudes. They had never lost.

As the quarter back snapped the ball to start one of our plays, I ran down the line mirroring him and waiting for him to throw a little screen pass at the far end of the line. Then, I was on the ground. The next few minutes were out of a bugs bunny cartoon—swirling stars, everyone standing over me as I lay flat on my back. I got hit hard by I guy twice my size… on my own team. Eleven stitches left a scar trailing down my left eye that sill itches when it rains.

Saul got hit hard—horse-to-ground is a good four feet. But he got hit by a light. For some of us we will work to unearth our true identities over time, but for others, the light will knock us off the horse.

Read Acts 9:1-9

In verse 5 Saul asks “Who are you, Lord.” It’s time for us to do the same. Ask god to reveal to you continually who He is. There is a galaxy of knowledge about him and many of us have never even asked to see Him.

Matthew 7:9-11 says “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

God give us please the gift of knowing you so we can know ourselves.

We know little about persecution for our faith in Jesus, and we probably never will in America. But let’s try to imagine for a second that because of who you are, you are tagged as a threat to what’s right and accepted. Not only are things unavailable to you, but who you are is being physically threatened. This is the society that Saul helped to create. What we must realize is that the enemy—the prince of the air—controls many hearts on earth. But… he does not own them. What he means for harm God can use for good to help uncover our true identity.

In connecting with God over our true identity, persecution must become part of our lives—it is by pain and trial that we know “we can” through Jesus. As He says (in Bruce Almighty) “Triumph is born out of struggle, faith is the alchemist”.

Read Acts 8:1-3. See how even though we are surrounded by people lulled to sleep with stolen identities, God still changes the world through us.

Verse 2 talks about the “devout men” that came to burry Stephen. Devout... like him. Able to remain in the midst of persecution. This is a mark of someone living in their true identity.

Ask God for great strength in the middle of trial. Perhaps you’re in the middle of one now. If you see no persecution in your life than take this to heart: the enemy sees nothing in your life worth fighting against. Pray that God would teach you to fight… by having to fight. Embark on the adventure of struggle with God at your side.

There some embarrassing moments in my life that I look  back on that I laugh about. But there are some that just make me want to cringe physically . Those are the ones that weren’t embarrassing at the time, but, as I reflect now, I get this immense sense of regret. One such time was a materialization of extreme pride. Another was when I felt the need for acceptance so bad that I was willing to do anything for it.

Saul’s Identity had been stolen and we first see him in Acts 7:58 saying “Stoning? Here! I’ll hold your coats!”. The again a verse later simply saying “Rock on” after the murder of Stephen. While reflecting later on these times must have brought him great regret, but he must have learned from them as well. So let’s do the same.

Read Acts 7:51-8:1. what about Saul’s small parts in this story stand out to you? What feelings do you think were running through him?

Write down your top three most embarrassing moments.

What were the feelings that you acted on during these times and what was your reaction to them long term—now looking back?

We cannot be distracted by the enemy’s ploy to get us to run backwards—following what we’ve done in the past. Keep the past close. Ask God to not let you forget it. Ask him for the opportunity to relive some of these events so you can choose differently. Then… get ready. He is a God of rescue and redemption. One that loves to give you what you need for success.

Anger is not bad—after all, God got angry. But how do you tell the difference between bad, selfish anger and Godly loving anger?

Read Acts 7:51-60

How can you tell that Stephen’s anger was the Godly, loving kind?

What characterizes the anger of the church leaders?

Phase 3: Angered

After being threatened and persuaded, we inevitably become angered. This selfish anger at the rendering and exposure of our true selves often comes out in very immature ways, which makes it easy to distinguish (see vs. 57—what are they? 7 years old?).  Notice though that as selfish anger flares up, the true identity of Stephen calms down, leaving him crying out in vs. 60 “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!”

When was the last time you got angry? What was it about?

Notice that it’s  hard to remember the selfish reasons for anger specifically, but much easier to recall the loving anger.

Ask God to reveal to you the strength of loving people because he made them. Ask him to anger you only over the things that anger him.