KEY SCRIPTURE: Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. RELEVANCE Sometimes in life, doors open to new ideas, people, opportunities and rewards.
Here we have the prophetic word to the Gentiles coming to pass. Malachi 1:11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles;
Think of what that meant to those who chose Jesus Christ. From following a multitude of 'gods', confused, spiritually illiterate, and slowly being piped to Hell, to being received by a loving real Saviour whose Spirit dwells within them.
Depraved, obsessed with wrong things, and rarely thinking about what happens after death, Ephesians 2:12-13 says That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
I like the way the translators used the word 'ordained'. This special term adds power, direction and special acceptance to their new salvation—the power, direction and acceptance of a disciple of Jesus Christ. What a glorious gateway Christ opened for them, and they rushed in.
Do you think they cried with joy and praised the living God for His goodness and mercy to them? I don't think they ceased.
We are some of those Gentiles who cannot close our mouths in thanksgiving. Let's thank and praise the Lord for the gift of eternal life he gave to them and us on that Cross. As the song says, "What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought since Jesus came into my heart!"
PRAYER Dear Lord, thank you again for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the wall of acceptance we can now enter through by His shed blood. Thank you for the love you showed them and what you have extended to us. We have nothing to glory in of ourselves, but only the Cross.
Photo Ian Schneider
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