Committed to The Grace of God

 Meditations on The Acts of the Apostles

 March 10, 2021

Committed to The Grace of God

Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

Acts 14.23

Read: Acts 14:21-28       

On first reading, this brief passage seems like just a summary of the end of Paul and Barnabas’ first missionary journey. While it does summarize the conclusion of their mission and return to Antioch, it also reveals the fragile structure of these new congregations. They were established before any of the NT books were written. Yet, they would flourish as a testament to the power of the Holy Spirit which Luke alludes to when he writes, “Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.” (v.23)

Paul and Barnabas told the new congregations, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” (v.22) Paul was the Apostle of Grace, and this verse seems to suggest that hardships are a precondition for entering the Kingdom of God. What about saved by faith through grace? (Ephesians 2:8-9) I looked at several translations and believe The Message captures the point of verse 22, “Anyone signing up for the kingdom of God has to go through plenty of hard times.”

Throughout chapter 14, we have seen the resistance, and even violence, suffered by Paul and Barnabas. In the coming days, we will see the divisions and internal disputes that quickly developed in the new congregations. Even so, here we are two thousand years later reading evidence of Isaiah 40:8, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”

My Takeaway: Corrie ten Boom — 'You may never know that JESUS is all you need, until JESUS is all you have.'

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.