Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Acts 28:17-31
Set – Psalms 114; Acts 28
Go! – Job 18; Psalms 114; Acts 27-28
Acts 28:17-31
17 Three days after his arrival, he called together the local Jewish leaders.
Paul: Brothers, although I committed no wrong against our Jewish people or our ancestral customs, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18 The Romans examined me and wanted to set me free because I had committed no capital offense. 19 But my Jewish opponents objected, so I had to appeal to the emperor—even though I had no charges against me and had filed no charges against my nation. 20 I wanted to gather you together and explain all this to you. I want you to understand that it is because of Israel’s hope that I am bound with this chain.
Jewish Leaders: 21 We haven’t received letters from Judea about you, and no visiting brother has reported anything or said anything negative about you. 22 So we are interested in hearing your viewpoint on the sect you represent. The only thing we know about it is that people everywhere speak against it.
23 They scheduled a day to meet again, and a large number came to his lodging. From morning until evening, he explained his message to them—giving his account of the kingdom of God, trying to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets’ writings. 24 Some were convinced, but others refused to believe.
Paul (adding as they left in disagreement): 25 The Holy Spirit rightly spoke to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah,
26 Go to this people and say,
“You certainly do hear, but you will never understand;
you certainly do see, but you will never have insight.
27 Make their hearts hard,
their ears deaf, and their eyes blind.
Otherwise, they would look and see,
listen and hear,
understand and repent,
and be healed.”
28 So let it be known to you that God’s liberation, God’s healing, has been sent to the outsiders, and they will listen.
29 Then the local Jewish leaders left Paul to discuss all he had told them.
30 For two full years, he lived there in Rome, paying all his own expenses, receiving all who came to him. 31 With great confidence and with no hindrance, he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the ultimate authority—the Lord Jesus, God’s Anointed, the Liberating King.
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
The wheels of man’s justice systems ran slow in Rome just as they do now. Paul sat in prison for two years before his case was finally heard and charges against him were dismissed. Yes, he was on house arrest, but that doesn’t mean he had freedom. He still had guards outside his door. He wasn’t free to move about the city or attend the synagogue or do the things he would like to do. His movements were restricted by the court and soldiers ensured he didn’t violate the terms of his arrest.
Paul didn’t let his time go to waste, though. During his days he preached to the guard. Many turned their lives over to Christ. Many learned about Paul’s faith because of their duty to guard him. They couldn’t make him stop talking about his God. They couldn’t leave … and so they listened. And many were convinced.
What was the difference between his brother Jews who went away unbelieving and those Roman soldiers who became part of the church in Rome? The Jews started with closed hearts and ears. They didn’t want to believe anything other than what they heard from their rabbis. Perhaps the Roman guards didn’t want to hear anything different either. But the Jews heard Paul’s words and left unbelieving.
The Roman guards heard, maybe unbelieving at first, but they had to stick around and not only listen, but they watched Paul’s life day after day. And that’s the difference. Every day the guards saw the difference Christ made in Paul’s life that they didn’t see in the lives of any of the other religions around them. The pantheon of gods they worships didn’t transform their lives. The Jews and their traditions didn’t make a difference in the lives of those around them. They just lived by rules. But Paul… He and those like him bowed to Christ were different and their lives showed. The guards wanted what Paul had and listened to learn how to get it.
Do you spend enough time with Me to let Me transform you? Do you spend enough time with those you want to hear the good news to let them see the transformation in your life and see that My message isn’t just words but has life transforming power? It takes both to be effective. Paul let his life show that My message is true. You can do the same.
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