The New Testament
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Devotional
Weekly Bible Devotion By Books
Oct 30- Nov. 4, 2023
the presence of the Lord-
(All) I will sing of your strength
In the morning I will sing of your love
(M) you, God, are my fortress,
my God on whom I can rely.
(W) You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
(All) Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
who find great delight in his commands.
Praise the Lord.
(Psalm 59:16-17, 112:1)
Confession
Dear Lord, in the age of abundance and convenience, we almost forgot the mission you entrusted to us. We bury ourselves in daily business and hardly see the needs of others. We pray for our own daily benefits without for your kingdom. We thought we could reach to others without being with them. O, Lord, forgive us. Rescue us from the selfishness, narrow-mindedness, and self-centered mentality. Restore our love for you. Reignite our passion for your mission. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Scripture Reading: Acts
1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
2:34-36 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand. 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
10:11-16, 28, 34-35 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven….28 He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean….34 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.
16:6-10 6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
17:22-31 22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. 24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”
27:33-37 33 Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. 34 Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” 35 After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. 36 They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 Altogether there were 276 of us on board.
Thoughts to Share: The Gospel of Jesus Christ Moves to All
:The book of Acts opens with the scene that Jesus completed his earthly mission, ascended to the Heaven and returned to God. He gave the final directions about what his disciples would do next. Then the rest of the book is on the selected account of how the Gospel of Jesus Christ spread to the entire Roman Empire. It contains the very precious record of the earliest Christian activities – how the disciples lived out the commission in all kinds of difficulties, challenges, and sufferings; how the church started and spread; how the “God loves the world” became real in all social and economic classes across geographical boundaries. But more than just a history record, it is also a handbook of how to share the Gospel for later generations since then. It was written and passed down to us under the guidance and supervision of the Holy Spirit for a larger purpose.
We can see that there are two sides in spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.
We see God’s provision.
1) God has prepared the human heart to receive him.
When Paul went out to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he saw people everywhere worshipping something- idols, spirits, folk religions, philosophies...etc. Why? Somehow, people were seeking for something or someone to fill their restless souls and to explain their existence. Such longing and searching mentalities are indeed a sign that people went astray from a real God and are in need for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
2) God has prepared the Holy Spirit as the all-sufficient work power.
Jesus purposefully introduced the Holy Spirit to his disciples during his last passover meal before he went on the cross. Then he commanded them to be ready to receive the pouring of the Holy Spirit before his ascension. On the Pentecost day, while the Holy Spirit came down, Peter got courage. He recalled what Jesus had taught him. He gave the very first Gospel message- clear, concise, people-and- context relevant. Thousands of people felt convicted and so received the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit continued to call out Paul, to enable him, and to direct his mission paths.
3) God has prepared the grace of salvation by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Sin, evil, and faults cause the pains, weights, and sufferings in our human existence. How will our sin be forgiven? How will the faults be dismissed? How will the evil be overcome? Jesus came to bear sins and made a gift of salvation ready for us.
4) God has prepared “Church”- a new human community- as the new home of believers.
The number of people who believed in Jesus Christ miraculously increased as the Gospel was told everywhere. These new believers quickly formed their own communities, the churches. The Church fulfills what Jesus told his disciples: a new temple would be built on his own death and resurrection. The Christians are not alone in the world. They are the people called out by God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Secondly, we see believers’ responsibilities.
1) Learn to see races through the eyes of God.
When Peter went out to the gentile world, he received a dream three times at the housetop near city Joppa. In the dream, he saw a large sheet of fabric. In it there were four legs beasts, reptiles, and the birds, all were not edible in his own culture. He puzzled. God told him, “They are cleaned in God’s eyes. “Peter started to understand what “God loves the world” meant. All humans are precious in God. God wants everyone to be included in his Gospel and in his fold.
2) Learn to make dialogue between the Gospel and cultures
On the Pentecost, Peter communicated the Gospel to the diaspora Jews from the prophecies which they were familiar to. Later he learned to correct his cultural bias in the guidance of the Holy Spirit. He learned that the Gospel and the Holy Spirit were also for the uncircumcised Gentiles. The Gospel was above his own culture. For Paul, he grew up in both Jewish and Hellenistic cultures. After his conversion to Christ, he underwent a transformative reflection on his cultures in the light of the Gospel. He freely connected the people groups from different cultural backgrounds in his time. He effectively engaged the dialogue between the gospel and the cultures so that he was able to lead people get out of their cultural confusion and to respond to the Gospel.
3) Learn to catch the opportunities of guiding people to see through their deep consciousness.
Stephen questioned that the prophets and Jesus were killed. People got angry. Peter explained that the crucified Jesus was the Christ God planned. People felt his words cut to their hearts. Paul guided the people of Athens to reflect why they worshipped so many gods and godnesses.
4) Learn to be sensitive to people’s existential needs.
Peter and Paul performed miracles to those in extremely difficult circumstances. Paul won the seamen on the shipwreck trip to Rome, the island tribe chief and islanders with his compassionate heart, kind words and caring deeds.
5) Hold fast the focus of the Gospel: Jesus Christ and people’s responses
The center of the Gospel should be articulated clearly, though with various ways. In the book of Acts, there are 4 speeches from Peter, 6 speeches from Paul, and 1 speech from Stephen. In each speech, we can see the center of the Gospel: Jesus died; Jesus buried; Jesus was resurrected; life was given; a name above name, sin was forgiven, the holy Spirit was given, the living God, repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ.
6) Honor the role and work of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit intends to involve and propel the Gospel movement. The Gospel itself has the power of the Holy Spirit. We see that by the Holy Spirit, Paul received his call. He chose the mission direction to Macedonia and avoid to the Asian areas. He successfully advanced the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the new region. Stephen in the Holy Spirit asked the Lord to forgive those who stoned him. Philip obeyed the Holy Spirit to follow Ethiopian court official to explain the prophet Isiah and tell him the good news about Jesus Christ. Peter followed the Holy Spirit to declare the good news of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house. As a result, he made known that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was for all. Imposing circumcision on the Gentiles was unnecessary.
7) Understand that Gospel of Jesus Christ may bring challenges to those who hear.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ can challenge an established culture concepts and customs. It may also challenge one’s deepest sense of self. So, those who share the Gospel need to expect possible rejection, reaction, debate, accusation, and persecution. But they are not to be discouraged by such treatments. Rahter they should be gentle, gracious, and be firm.
Prayer Suggestions
Lord of world mission, it is your will and your work that you intend the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be proclaimed to the ends of the earth. Your word is pure, wise, and instructive. We see you really want to involve your Gospel work personally from the very beginning. Thanks. Help us equip ourselves and be ready for the opportunities of sharing your Gospel. Open the door for us to involve your work. We also entrust our missionaries everywhere to you. Be with them, strengthen them, and bless your own work through them. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen.
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