Astonished at Teaching

Yesterday in church the text we examined was the first half of Acts 13 which included Paul's interaction with the Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus.  Being an intelligent man and likely interested to learn new things, Sergius Paulus summoned Barnabas and Paul to hear the Word of God.  A Jew named Elymas withstood the apostles when they arrived, trying to turn Sergius Paulus from the truth of the Gospel.  Finally Paul rebuked Elymas strongly and declared he would be rendered blind for a season.  After this immediately came to pass Acts 13:12 reads, "Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord."

Reading this struck me as I considered the question:  would I be more astonished by a person struck completely blind or by the "teaching of the LORD?"  Likely seeing someone suddenly blind by words alone would be more astonishing.  What this drives home is how the Bible should astonish us; the claims, actions, and implications of all Jesus did should shock us.  We who have long been familiar with the Bible can become calloused to how utterly astonishing the revelation of God and the teaching of Jesus is.  I am sure Sergius Paulus was quite familiar with the Roman mythological gods, but the fact God would humble Himself to be a man and die for lost sinners was astonishing.  Considering how the all-powerful and perfectly righteous God said and conducted Himself, choosing the path of humility and suffering without threats of vengeance, was unlike anything he had heard or imagined.

How glorious is our God, and let us observe with renewed minds and soft hearts the wonder of God's Word.  Instead of allowing the scriptures to roll off our hearts and minds like water repelled by oil on the feathers of a duck, let us humble ourselves to receive afresh the teaching of the LORD.  Read the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 and compare it with the way we naturally think and live.  If the teachings of Jesus do not astonish us, then perhaps we aren't allowing them to sink into our hearts or be lived out in our lives to the degree God desires.  Following Christ isn't like the worship of Roman gods or goddesses with rites, rituals, sacrifice and incantations, but obedience to the Living God by faith.  God has dealt to each of us a measure of faith, yet God would have us exercise faith so our faith might be strengthened and grow.  The complexity and design of the natural world is astonishing to our minds, but much more so the teaching of the LORD to a receptive heart.