Matthew 13:57-58 A Prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house. Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

 

Everywhere Paul went, he faced danger. The Christians didn’t trust him due to his past and the Jews hated him because they saw him as a traitor. The Grecian Jews (Hellenists) hated him because he was now preaching the Gospel of Christ in the very same synagogue where Stephen had preached. Paul probably debated Stephen strongly in that same synagogue and then proceeded to have him stoned to death but now, he stood in Stephen’s place and is preaching Stephen’s message!

 

The man simply was not to be trusted by anyone and everyone wanted to kill him. And he spoke boldly in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to kill him. (Acts 9:29)

 

Even though Paul was a devout believer in Jesus Christ, his presence in Jerusalem was proving to be more of a hindrance than a help to the Church. I can just imagine the conversations between the Apostles behind closed doors about him. The question was: What would they do with him? They knew he was truly saved and born again and they believed God had called him to preach the Gospel but they didn’t want him in their midst. He caused too much trouble.

 

In the 9th Chapter of Acts, we read that they escorted him out of town to Caesarea and then told him to go home to Tarsus. Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. (Acts 9:30)

 

We can only wonder what happened to Paul when he got home to Tarsus. We know that he ministered the Gospel in parts of Syria and Cilicia because he wrote about it in Acts 11:19 and Galatians 1:21.

 

I wonder what kind of a welcome he received when he returned home. His parents were good Law-practicing Jews. He was an extraordinarily brilliant young man and they expected him to go on to be the successor of the great teacher, Gamaliel. I am sure they were very proud of their son’s accomplishments which undoubtedly elevated their position in the Jewish community until they received word that he was now a Follower of Jesus, the Nazarene, and a preacher of the Gospel!

 

We can only imagine how he was treated in his hometown of Tarsus and I’m sure the Holy Spirit reminded him of the rejection Jesus received in His hometown of Nazareth and His Words. A Prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house. Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. (Matthew 13:57-58)

 

Paul was without honor everywhere he went but he did go on to plant churches throughout the region. However, there is no mention of a church ever being planted in Tarsus, the hometown of the greatest Apostle of that time, Paul of Tarsus.

 

Jesus was a Prophet without honor in His hometown and Paul was an Apostle without honor in his, but this did not hinder either one of them. Hear the Voice of the Lord and answer His Call on your life. You may never be accepted in your hometown, but you will go on to do great things for the Kingdom of God.

 

Listen and obey the Voice of the Lord. Only He can…...….turn the tide……….in your life.

 

I’m listening,         Doreen

 

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