MAY 14 READING…ACTS 8
At the beginning of the church the opposition to the Gospel of Christ continues. One of the primary people that was sent out by the Sanhedrin was a young man named Saul (who later would become Paul). Clearly, Saul was very zealous to stamp out this new movement, which at that time was call the Way. It would not be until later that the followers of Christ would be called Christian. Saul was used by God, even before he came to faith, because his unrestrained attack of the followers of Jesus caused them to have to scatter…and everywhere they went they shared the Gospel. Two deacons are prominent in the beginning of the Church. Yesterday we read of Stephen and his preaching to the religious leaders. In today’s reading we have another deacon, Philip. Philip actually went to the city of Samaria to preach the Gospel, this was an incredible assignment as the Samaritans were not liked by the Jews…but the Holy Spirit led him there. On his way he meets an Ethiopian official who was reading the Scripture. Philip asks him if he understood what he was reading. His reply is that he needed someone to explain it to him. Philip shared with him the meaning of the Scripture, and the man trusts in Jesus. Philip baptizes the official and then the Holy Spirit takes Philip away. This was the beginning of the Gospel being taken down into Ethiopia. God would not be restrained…the Gospel was being spread by the power of the Holy Spirit through God’s faithful followers. I pray that we too would be faithful witnesses of the Gospel in our day…the world needs to know about Jesus, so we must tell them.
Please share your thoughts.
TOMORROW’S READING…ACTS 9
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