A wonderful message today at Union Congregational by Steve Daniels.
the story behind stained glass windows and how they came about to minister to many of the early congregations that could not read...so they put the stories in their windows in a beautiful way...taking broken pieces of colored glass and told a marvelous story.
“God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever.”
― Vance Havner
After the death of Stephen, Saul was fanatical about destroying this new sect. Saul launched a holy war against the Church, scattering the believers....When word came that these followers of Jesus had spread into Syria, Saul requested permission to go to Damascus....As Saul and his colleagues came near Damascus, suddenly they were flooded with glorious light. It was like looking into the sun from only a yard away. Saul fell to the ground and suddenly a voice emanated from within the light. The voice was both terrifying and soothing at the same time. “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”.....Saul began to tremble...“Lord, what do you want me to do?”
Jesus replied, “Arise and go into the city...”.....this former Pharisee so embraced his calling to minister the Gospel to the Gentiles that he forsook his Jewish name, Saul, and forever adopted the Greek name for which he is remembered … Paul
How could he have been so wrong? But then he remembered watching the life ebbing from Stephen, and hearing those haunting words, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”...this former Pharisee so embraced his calling to minister the Gospel to the Gentiles that he forsook his Jewish name, Saul, and forever adopted the Greek name for which he is remembered … Paul
Acts 8:4..Those who had been scattered preached the words wherever they went.
To escape the persecution they ran away and wherever they went they told the gospel, turning the bad to the good news of Jesus.
Keep in mind why God chose and used Paul. It was because He knew Paul was capable of remaining a faithful servant to the end: “…He is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15).
And God says
I’m gonna turn it into something different
I’m gonna turn it into something good
I’m gonna take all the broken pieces
And make something beautiful like only I could
So put it all in the hands of the Father
Give it up, give it all over to
The only One who can turn it into
Something beautiful
Something really beautiful
