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For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.Eph 2:9 |
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| Archived Manna: | |
Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Today's Passage : Today's Passage :Paul’s First Journey [5]: Paul’s Sermon (cont’d) in “Antioch in Pisidia” Bible Verse:Acts 13:36-43 (ESV) "[Paul, traveling with Barnabas, has undertaken a journey through Cyprus to Anatolia—the first bold missionary voyage overseas. He is telling the Greek-speaking Jews there about Christ.] F or David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, but he whom God raised up did not see corruption. Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about: ‘Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’” As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. " Message:
Paul and Barnabas have traveled, via Cyprus, from the great city of Antioch to a small town of the same name in Pisidia, a district of south-central Anatolia. (See map.) This is Paul’s first great missionary trip and, after being asked to speak by the local synagogue, Paul launches into a presentation of the good news. As with most conversion sermons to Jews, he began with a history of the Hebrews; today, he gets to the meat of his message.
David (who was much revered), when he had served God’s purpose, died, and his body returned to the earth. But now Christ has come and defeated death. His body did not decay, but returned to life and walked the earth before he was gathered up to heaven. Christ is greater than David, for Christ continues to lead His people after His death, and will return as their King for eternity.
King David, from
Macclesfield Psalter (c.1320) King David, from Macclesfield Psalter (c.1320) Paul’s audience would have known that he was referring to Scripture. David prophesied the Messiah’s resurrected body in Psalm 16: “Neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” We don’t often think about what happened to Christ’s body, but the Bible is clear that he was resurrected physically. Remember, when people went to his tomb, it was empty; God did not simply give Christ’s spirit life after death, but showed in his great power that he had created Christ’s body, and he could give it life as he willed. Thomas may have put his fingers into the wounds in Christ’s hands and side. Now, God has begun to do the same thing for humanity that he did for Christ. The body of the world’s population has begun to receive the Holy Spirit during their life, and it is spreading, as Christ spread it during his lifetime on earth, through physical transmission of the word. As Christ himself traveled through Judea in the few years of his ministry on earth, Paul has begun to travel in ever-widening circles throughout the world, witnessing to all that it is not God, but sin, which has declared death; and that through Christ’s sacrifice and grace, the sin which we have accepted can be driven out, so that we might not die, just as Christ did not die. We see at the end of the sermon that many of the congregation accepted Paul’s witness and took Jesus into their hearts, anxious to hear more the following week. We also see mention of something not much discussed, non-Jewish converts in the synagogue. Throughout Acts, we notice non-Jewish people who had begun to worship Yahweh: e.g., Samaritans, a Roman official (Cornelius), and here Greek converts in Anatolia. The Spirit was on the move! Meditation : Prayer : Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead, our Lord Jesus Christ, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant equip us with every good thing that we may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight; through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever...........Amen |
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