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Devotional 6.26.26

 

June 26 – Redemption for All Nations

1 Peter 2:16-17 – Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 

Scripture Reading – Acts 8:1-40

Are there places, situations or people groups you try to avoid? Our readings this week offer both encouragement and examples of people willing to get uncomfortable, to enter into the places and lives of those who were considered undesirable, unclean and unworthy. 

 

In Acts 8 we see Philip going to the city of Samaria and proclaiming to them Christ, which is directly obedient to Jesus’s words before his ascension – “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

 

Who were the Samaritans? Why were they specifically mentioned in Jesus’s command? Samaria was part of the northern kingdom when the nation of Israel was divided. Assyria invaded and conquered them a little more than 700 years before the birth of Christ. The Samarians were taken into captivity and the Assyrians moved in the land of Samaria. The Israelites who were still in the land intermarried with the Assyrians, making them a mixed-race. This, along with the fact that they distorted their worship of the LORD and served carved images, making a distinct separation between the Jews of Judea and the Samaritans. Samaritans were considered ethnically and religiously impure, creating animosity between them, and even condemnation by the Jews.

 

Jesus began to break down the divisions. He didn’t turn away from any people group (or individual person) in revulsion. He turned toward them as image bearers who needed right worship restored (or in some cases put in place where it never was). But Jesus didn’t stop there. He left his place of glory to enter into this world, taking on the form of a man. He didn’t just get uncomfortable. He became the suffering servant whose life, death and resurrection brought light to all the nations, and salvation to the ends of the earth (Isaiah 49:6). Jesus came for all of us – there is no one that he deems unworthy of the gift of redemption through the gospel. Peter reminds us of this truth. If we truly believe that, we should be so in awe [fear] and wonder of the Lord that our natural response is to honor everyone. Christ set the example. Philip followed. May we do likewise.

 

Further reading: 2 Kings 17:1-41; Isaiah 49:5-6; Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Luke 10:25-37; John 4:1-42

 

Reflection Questions:

1.     Are there places, situations or people groups you try to avoid? What holds you back?

2.     What is most encouraging of Philip’s example to go to Samaria? What is challenging?

 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your redeeming grace that you offer to everyone who has eyes to see and ears to hear this wondrous, mysterious truth. Give me courage to enter into the brokenness of this world, to see your creation as you do, and to honor everyone. Amen. 


You can listen to the morning playlist here.

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