It feels as if God has put us apostles on display like the people who are put at the end of the procession to the arena because they’re going to die there. And it feels as if the whole universe is watching, both angels and humans.
Here is the part of Scripture that the official was reading: “He was led like a sheep to be killed. Just as lambs are silent while their wool is being cut off, he did not open his mouth.
But I’m not going to try to save my own life. My only goal is to finish the race and complete the work that the Lord Jesus has given me, to tell others the good news about God’s grace.
In fact, we felt as if we’d actually been sentenced of death. But that happened so that we wouldn’t depend on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead to life.
Are they serving Christ? I’m serving him even more. (I’m out of my mind to talk like this!) I’ve worked much harder. I’ve been in prison more often. I’ve suffered terrible beatings. Again and again I’ve almost died.
I want to know Christ and the power that raised him from the dead and what it means to join him in his sufferings. I want to become like him in his death