Today’s reading: Acts 15:1-17:9
My selection: Acts 17:2-4
2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women.
My reflections: Paul’s ministry strategy and message did not vary based on circumstances. It was his custom to go to the synagogue and reason with the Jews. Paul’s message focused on the essential issues of connecting the person and work of Jesus Christ with the Old Testament scriptures. Jesus suffered. Jesus died. Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One of God.
My challenge: Paul understood how to keep the main thing the main thing. Do you? The gospel of Jesus Christ is about who He is and what He did. Do not allow this to fade out in the midst of all the distracting themes that bombard us in the media today. Sure, there are important political and economic issues. There are moral issues to be addressed, but never let these replace the gospel. God is holy. Men are sinful. Jesus is the Savior. Repent and believe the gospel that you may be saved from the wrath of God. Everything else is secondary.
Tomorrow’s reading: Acts 17:10-19:41
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