Let the sparks fly!

My personal devotional: Wednesday 2-4-15 (Home)   

Scripture reading:     Exod 37-38     Ps 19       Acts 11

S.  Acts 11:1-3  Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God.  But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, some of the Jewish believers criticized him.  "You entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them!" they said.  Acts 11:15-17 “Well, I began telling them the Good News, but just as I was getting started, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning.  Then I thought of the Lord's words when he said, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'  And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to argue?" NLT

O.  When the young Saul started his crusade to destroy the followers of Jesus, God used his persecution to disperse the Gospel out of the limits of Jerusalem into Judea, Samaria and finally to the ends of the earth.  Christian families fled for their lives, but like flaming sparks, they started a fire wherever they fell. 

Now Peter was in trouble.  The Jews had for centuries been a tightly closed society.  Peter is called on the carpet for daring to visit Gentiles and share the Gospel.  Again the gift of Holy Spirit baptism confirmed by “speaking in tongues” is used as evidence that God was behind this daring step of taking the Good News to these heathen. 

Soon those that fled all the way to Antioch of Syria were letting their Holy Spirit filled lives spill over into the Gentile community and before long they were called in question.  The apostles sent a good man, Barnabas, to check this out.  He rejoiced at what he saw and, feeling that he needed help, went to Tarsus to get Saul (Paul) and together they helped solidify the Church at Antioch.

A.  How much importance does this chain of events have to me?  It means everything!  Without God insisting on allowing His Holy Spirit to fall upon the Gentiles, Christianity would have been confined to just another Jewish sect.  But God would have none of that.  His great arms of love included me.  He embraced the whole world, wanting to give every man, woman and child the opportunity to hear His message of love with the option to fall into His arms of grace and mercy.

P.  Thank you, Lord.  You used persecution to scatter sparks.  You used angels, visions and Holy Spirit guidance to break down barriers.  And You used the Baptism of the Holy Spirit accompanied by the unquestionable evidence of speaking in tongues to open the door for me, my forefathers and theirs to enter into reconciliation and peace with You.  I pray that You would ignite us once more.  Send Your Holy Spirit.  Let the sparks fly.  May many dry, misinformed, hardened hearts be set aflame with Your passion even in places where men have tried to close the door to Your loving advance.  Amen.

Ralph