Devotion:
Read Acts 13:44-47.
On Paul’s first missionary trip, he and Barnabas established a pattern of going to the Jewish synagogues in each town first. He wanted to reach out to the Jews and share the light of the Gospel. Paul was a Jew. He was an insider and had connections with many Jews. When he was in Pisidian Antioch, he was given the opportunity to preach and he explained the Gospel in a simple way. He told the “story” of the Gospel. His sermon was so popular that he was invited back. Nearly the entire population gathered in the synagogue. The local religious leaders became, you guessed it, jealous and made all kinds of trouble. Paul and Barnabas shook the dust from their feet and moved on to the Gentiles, non-Jews. The missionaries were following God’s command to be a light to the Gentiles. What a challenge that was! Paul was an outsider to the Gentiles. The Gentiles didn’t have a reference point, a religious background. They didn’t know the prophecy or the stories from the Old Testament, but Paul was a good communicator and found ways to connect with them. Paul had to count on his imagination, his education, and the energy and power of the Holy Spirit in order to minister to the Gentiles. Called to be the “light,” Paul planted many churches in Gentile cities and wrote letters to them to encourage them in their faith. As his people, we are still called to share his light with those who may see themselves as outsiders. Be committed to shine God’s light today to those who are different from you.
Personal Worship Option:
Meditate today on the timely lyrics to Thomas Rhett’s “Be a Light.”
In a world full of hate, be a light
When you do somebody wrong, make it right
Don't hide in the dark, you were born to shine
In a world full of hate, be a light
In a place that needs change, make a difference
In a time full of noise, just listen
'Cause life is but a breeze, better live it
In a place that needs a change, make a difference
No comments:
Post a Comment