Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Acts 26:28–29

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to die in our place. No greater love exist than the agape love of God. He wants no one to live eternity without the triune Godhead.


So, how then do we make a difference?
Here’s the deal: Your work and labor is your turf of responsibility. Which is only part of our DNA. Because no matter where we labor or toil, our calling is to spill the light. And the good news? For this we don’t have to pass a test, or qualify, we have only to be willing.


Jesus made it simple, "Let your light shine."  Not, when you get your act together. Not, when you feel noble.  Not, when you find a specific vocation. Not, after you've chased all the gloom away.  Not, after you have the precise words to say.


Just let it shine—kindness, generosity, inclusion and compassion. Because the light is already there. Inside of you. Now.  Terry Hershey “Sabbath  Moments”


Theologian N. T. Wright says, "The gospel of Jesus Christ, like a seed, is a dynamic force that shatters the hard, stony soil of sin and takes root as new life." Evidence of that new life, which we find in Colossians 1:3-5, is the genuine love the Colossians have " for all”. The lovable and not-so-loveable alike.


This isn't a love we can muster up on our own. The specific Greek word used for "love" here is agapē. It is a love that shows up with affection and benevolence without ever stopping to consider whether the recipient is worthy of it. First5


Acts 26:28–29

28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

29 And Paul said, “I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.”


Agrippa realized that Paul was doing more than just defending his faith; he was actually trying to persuade Agrippa to become a follower of Jesus Christ. If Agrippa had told those gathered that he did not believe the prophets, he would have angered the Jews. If he had acknowledged that he did believe the prophets, he would have had to give weight to Paul’s words. Agrippa avoided being maneuvered into an embarrassing corner by sidestepping the issue. The interview was becoming too personal for Agrippa’s comfort, so he ended the dialogue. NKJ Bible.


Paul urged that it was the concern of every one to become a true Christian; that there is grace enough in Christ for all. He expressed his full conviction of the truth of the gospel, the absolute necessity of faith in Christ in order to salvation. Matthew Henry Commentary.


 

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