It’s always a miracle when God reaches out from heaven and changes our hearts. Look at the example of Saul. A young up-and-coming rabbi who was on the fast track to religious success. He was self-confident and sure of himself, God stripped that away. He made him depend on a follower of Jesus for his healing and he places his faith in Jesus as Lord. He became a Christian, was filled by the Holy Spirit, and then he was baptized. That’s how salvation works. Then he preached, he went to his own people in the Synagogues. This was no small task, he was the most Jewish of Jews, and he had trusted in Jesus. It wasn’t what they wanted to hear, but it was what they needed. Unapologetically he preached Christ, until they’d kick him out of the synagogues, then he’d found a church with those who left the synagogue. Over and over, this was Paul’s pattern, sharing the gospel, failing to win over the Jews en masse, then forming a church from those who would follow Jesus. Peter had his own ministry. He was a very devout and traditional Jew, and God showed him all people are made clean through Jesus, just as all food is clean. Peter becomes a missionary to a gentile, Cornelius, and God saves them just like his Jewish brothers. Peter’s report is that anyone is able to call upon the Lord. This is not his opinion or his desire, it is simply the fact. Peter had seen him save lives. Perhaps sometimes our lack of faith comes from our lack of witness to the saving power of God through Jesus Christ. When we’ve seen him save, we have to tell the story. It’s here, at Antioch, that the disciples were first called “Christians,” because they modeled their lives after Jesus. Through all the hardship and struggle, the gospel goes out, that was God’s desire, and it still is today. As Paul went out on what would be his general route, to cities like Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, he preached the saving message of Jesus Christ as Lord. And this was for everyone, no one is excluded, if they would simply turn, as he had done. And so it still is true. Do you know Jesus?
Day 17: Acts 16 – 21
Day 18: Acts 22 – Romans 1
Day 19: Romans 2 – 10
Day 20: Romans 11 – 1Corinthians 6
Day 21: 1Corinthians 7 – 15
Day 22: 1Corinthians 16 – 2Corinthians 12
Day 23: 2Corinthians 13 – Ephesians 4
Day 24: Ephesians 5 – Colossians 4
Day 25: 1Thessalonians 1 – 1Timothy 6
Day 26: 2Timothy 1 – Hebrews 6
Day 27: Hebrews 7 – James 2
Day 28: James 3 – 1John 1
Day 29: 1John 2 – Revelation 4
Day 30: Revelation 5 – 22
Day 31: Pray and prepare for 2018!!!
