“The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.  When they finished, James spoke up:  ‘Brothers, listen to me.  Simon has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself.  …It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.’“
Acts 15:12-13, 19       

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FEBRUARY 26, 2025

The church in Jerusalem respectfully listened to the missionary report by Barnabas and Paul, which amazed them.  Their horizons defining the reach of God’s grace were extended beyond the imaginable.   There was no denying that, in addition to the Jews, God was taking a people for Himself amongst the Gentiles without required adherence to the law of Moses.  What a paradigm shift!

Was any burden placed upon you at the point of your conversion?  There should have been none.  You were not on the contributing end to your salvation but on the receiving end of the perfect righteousness of Jesus, the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life, the forgiveness of your sin, and confident access to the living God Himself.  Granted, we did not fully appreciate these blessings when we accepted Jesus as our personal Savior, particularly if we were quite young at the time, but each was true.

Now, there are helpful practices that are important for living the Christian life.  Bible study, prayer, worship, and service on behalf of others are important, although each is only effective for growth toward maturity in Christ if the individual is led and empowered by the Spirit in his or her participation.  We pursue the things of God because we are convinced of what He has already done on our behalf in His Son Jesus Christ.  We live in gratitude for a beautiful Savior who received us at our worst and changed us into His best.  Unbelievable!

We are a people taken by God for Himself.  This makes us superior to no one, on the contrary, we are those most fully aware of our shortcomings and brokenness.  We are recipients of abundant grace every day.  We serve our risen Lord in many ways that should not be compared with others but only affirmed in each other.  There is no greater purpose than to be a servant in the kingdom of the living God, reaching out to the lost and making disciples.  What a calling!

Questions for reflection and discussion:

  • Do we, as believers today, sometimes make it difficult for people who are turning to God?
  • To what role have you been called within the kingdom of God?
  • How are you doing in its fulfillment?

 

Church Reading Plan: Exodus 9; Luke 12