Are We Innocent? Acts 18:5-11

"5 When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. 6 And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7 And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. 9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. (Acts 18:5-11)"

Here I am again in Acts, and again it sparks multiple arenas of thought. I mean, firstly I look at this text and I it shows me a couple things that I presuppose going into any text I read.
A. Paul isn't impeccable. I like to see him in my mind (and many other biblical figures) as a perfect man, but he's a sinner, for "I[Christ] have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners. (Mark 2:17) " Christ called Paul, but he knows he's a sinner.
B. I judge Paul and feel as if his actions weren't up to par with the gospel. I mean, preaching to Jews and giving up on them and claiming that he is innocent? It's a weighty claim, but he does so in boldness. I love that about Paul. He says things and means them. When we were doing Romans 1 at Sojourn, we read Paul claims, "9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. (Romans 9-10)" Without ceasing? Even in hyperbole I would feel uncomfortable writing that about my own church.

But as I am looking at my own realm of people I am attempting to proclaim the gospel to, I ask myself, am I innocent of their blood? Do they hear and their hearts become hardened, or am I just lacking the simple effort that it takes to speak to them on behalf of Christ? I love people, and if I really love them, I'll be real with them. Forgive me for being so fake.

I went outside last night in the freezing weather and watched the total lunar eclipse. I got to a part in the middle of my suburban neighborhood where there was a great distance between me and houses on either sides of me. From this position the vast expanse above stretched a great deal in all directions without much hindering me from seeing as much as I wanted. It's pretty hard to see stars usually but I had luck with last night and I couldn't see any clouds. The Lunar eclipse reminded me of how, the older I get, the more fascinating everything seems to be. Years ago, I could have cared less that the earth was blotting out the moon, but last night it was awesome.

I'm in love...

with a song about a bird and I don't know what to do.



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