Talking the Talk

If you have been Facebook friends for me for more than a month you know that I get the privilege to serve at Camp Patmos this summer. Why? Because I can't contain my excitement and post about it a lot. If you have had a conversation with me for more than 10 minutes you know that I am going to be a damp counselor at Camp Patmos. Why? Because. I'm. Excited. And. Can't. Stop. Talking. About. It. But this made me wonder, when I had conversations before I found out about camp, did I talk about Jesus like that? 

I'd love to answer this question with a solid "You betcha!" And end the blog there, but I can't because I don't. 

There are many people I could have plucked out of the Bible to use, but one in particular God really laid on my heart. Paul. Paul was formerly know as Saul a persecutor of Christians. But even before that, I wanted to talk about Saul and the apostles in Acts 5:29-32.

In the face of persecution Peter and the other apostles said this, “We must obey God rather than human beings! The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging Him on a cross. God exalted Him to His own right hand as Prince and Savior that He might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.” I want to repeat in the face of persecution they proclaimed God's kingdom. Beyond that, in the face of persecution from the Sanhedrins who in Acts 7:58 would throw their coats at the feet of who would become one of the most well known apostles at the stoning of another Christian named Steven.

Then, God did what God does: He showed up. Not too early and not too late. All they needed to do was speak of their King and God's mighty power covered the rest.

In Acts 28:31 it explains that Paul *reminder: a former persecutor of Christians*  "...Proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!" And even further all the way in Romans 1:16 Paul dares to say this: "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes..." 

Let me point this out: the Gospel is the power of God that brings salvation. As Romans 10:14-15 states, "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'" We don't know who God has predestined for His kingdom, but we do know that our job is to preach the Gospel all of our days. Our job as disciples is to brag on the one who gave it all to have us in His courts on eternities shore and let the Holy Spirit do the rest.

I could go on and on about Paul and the apostles, but this blog would end up a novel instead. My point is that if God can change the heart of someone who despises Christians through His people's boldness, how much more bold should we be? After all, we have to very little to do compared the the price that Jesus had to pay for eternity with Him.

Matthew 28:19-20

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."