How has Jesus changed everything for you?
Luke, the writer of Acts also wrote the book of Luke, and in Acts chapter 20, we see elements and events that mirror certain events in the book of Luke. For example, Paul sets out for Macedonia with hopes to eventually arrive in the city of Jerusalem. Well, Luke Timothy Johnson in his book The Acts of the Apostlessays Paul’s journey to Jerusalem reflects the journey of another person at a different point in time who also had his sights set on Jerusalem – Jesus, who gave up his life in Jerusalem only eventually to take it back up again.
It’s fascinating how we can see reflections of Luke in the book of Acts. Take for example what happens next in this chapter. There’s a boy named Eutychus who is sitting in a window on the third story of a house. He falls asleep and then falls from the third floor to the ground and dies. I know, kind of a traumatic and random story, right? You might be wondering, “Why is this story included here?” I think it’s because of what happens next. Paul goes down to this boy, throws himself on him, and puts his arms around him…and then he raises this boy back to life. Now, going back to what Luke Timothy Johnston says about Acts and Luke – Where do we see a resurrection in the book of Luke? When Jesus was resurrected. We’re reminded of the miraculous event of Jesus’ death and resurrection and implies that even though Jesus is no longer in the world, his resurrection power is now with Paul, one of his followers.
The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is the single most amazing event and story in the history of the world. It literally changed everything, changed the world, as we’ve seen with the radical conversions of people’s lives in Acts… even to people being willing to give up their lives. Maybe this is why Paul was able say what he says in v. 24, “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” I don’t know about you, but I consider my life at little bit valuable, maybe even a little precious. But I think Paul was able to say this because even though he was once someone who was killing Christians, Paul was so FLOORED by the grace and love of Jesus, so PROFOUNDLY moved and transformed, that sharing what Jesus did became his singular passion in life. In other words, Jesus CHANGED PAUL’S EVERYTHING.
What about you? How has Jesus changed everything for you? Maybe you need a reminder today of the amazing things Jesus has done in your life? How can you share what Jesus has done in your life with those around you today? And if you’re exploring faith, here’s my question for you– it’s really simple: Have you heard the gospel, or good news, of Jesus? God who created the earth and all humanity, loved you so much that he left heaven, came to this earth, gave up his life and was raised back to life, so your sins could be forgiven and so he could be with you in heaven, forever.
