"To the Ends of the Earth" July 10 Readings: Ezra 1-2, Acts 10:34–48, Psalm 80:9–19, Proverbs 17:4–6

Today's Readings - Ezra 1-2, Acts 10:34–48, Psalm 80:9–19, Proverbs 17:4–6

Devotional - To the Ends of the Earth

When God speaks, it is often loud and clear!

In Acts 10, God spoke clearly and without equivocation about the nature of the church. He had not sent his Son to die to redeem a group of inwardly focused Jewish believers. Unfortunately, it appears that though they loved Christ and suffered deeply for him, the Apostles and believers in Jerusalem never really got that. They lacked a sense of God's love for the world and his heart to see the nations come to Christ. They were content to keep the gospel contained among the Jewish people.

God wasn't about to let that happen. He sent persecution that forced the people out of Jerusalem and into the world. He sent Philip to the Samaritans and then to the Ethiopian Eunuch, who took the message of Jesus back to his homeland. Finally, God spoke twice - once to Cornelius to tell him to send men to Joppa to get Peter and then to Peter to tell him to go with the men to Caesarea. There, he would proclaim the story of Christ's death and resurrection to the Gentiles, because Christ had told him they were not unclean, but loved!

And that is when God spoke loudly.

In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit fell on the disciples of Jesus Christ and they were radically and permanently changed. God did a mighty work in them, birthing the church and empowering them to proclaim the saving message of Christ. Now, in an unmistakable way, God poured out the Holy Spirit on the Gentiles. Yes, that is right. The Gentiles! God treated the heathen Gentiles just as he had his chosen people.

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came down on all those who heard the message. 45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in other tongues and declaring the greatness of God. Acts 10:44-47

God sent his Son to die for our sins and to establish Jesus Christ as Lord. But he also sent Jesus to break down the human walls that separate us from one another - race, socio-economic status, nationality, background - and to create One Body based solely on our common experience in Christ. 

Those with Peter were amazed. The gift of the Spirit was not given just to the Jews. It is not just for Americans, or white people or black, or rich or poor, or men or women. Jesus came to redeem people from every tribe and tongue on earth and to unite us in one color - the red of his blood! The gospel is not for Americans or for white people, but for all the world. It is for Africans and Asians, for Syrian refugees and Russians and, well, people of every tribe and language on earth.

If our identity is found in anything other than the blood of the Son, then we are not grasping the import and impact of the work of Christ. 

Father, I thank you that my identity is not in my heritage, my gender, my race, or even my nationality, but it is in my Savior and the future he has given me through his death on the cross!

Think and Pray

Which of the readings spoke most powerfully to you today?
Is the Spirit of God moving you to repent of something you are doing, to begin something new, or to change something about your life as a result of your readings? What?

Where is your identity found? In your color or nationality, your political party, or in your identification with Christ? 

Remember that Christ came to redeem people of all nations, all races, all languages and to unite us under the blood of Christ.

Is there any change you need to make in your life to live out ideal that on a daily basis?