Two Sundays ago I talked about Zacchaeus and this Sunday an even higher high profile conversion - Saint Paul.
The letters of Paul give an insight into the incredible conversion that took place from ‘border guard’ to the one who broke down the barriers - preaching free and direct access to all. His whole world view completely changed. Just like the border guards pulling down the Berlin wall! A Pentecost where God’s spirit breaks down all the barriers.
Paul saw a new covenant that meant the Gentiles could access God based soley on the death and resurrection of Jesus. No need for food laws, circumcision, temple sacrifice, etc. Paul who had been trained all his life as a Pharisee to guard all these borders that divided Jews from Gentiles now preaches that the borders have gone. A cosmic change in the world that means we are free to know God for ourselves.
The PowerPoint I produced on Sunday attempted to say some of that
Do we sometimes need conversion again from guarding our borders to telling people that the wall has gone and we are free. What might be our borders we guard?
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