In these verses we see what is often referred to as the beginning of missions. Paul and Barnabas were serving in the church at Antioch, when the Spirit directed that they be set apart “for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2). The work to which they had been called was the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This calling is a fulfillment of the promise God made to Abraham when He said, “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:3).
In this passage, and the following chapters, we see that God has chosen to fulfill his promise to bless all the families of the earth through the efforts of Paul and Barnabas, and others. Since more than 2 billion people in the world today have not heard the name of Jesus Christ, it’s clear that Paul and Barnabas did not complete the task. There is still more work to do.
Linger over Revelation 7:9-10, and think about the implications of those details:
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
People from EVERY nation, tribe, people and language!
Now, consider the part you have in bringing the Abrahamic Covenant to pass. As you consider this week’s devotion, explain how you can be involved in the process of reaching the nations for Christ.
Comments are closed