ESOCS Devotional 1 July 2025 – Christ’s Messianic Mission For All
MEMORY VERSE: “It is clear that God gave those Gentiles the same gift that He gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; who was I, then, to try to stop God!” Acts 11:17 GNB
TEXT: ACTS 11:1-17
Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, 3 saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”
4 But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. 6 When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ 9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ 10 Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11 At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. 12 Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, 14 who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’ 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”
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The unhealthy criticism and segregation amongst believers of different Christian denominations is a most unwelcome development. It is not pleasing to God. It has continued to create room for the devil to work against the required unity of purpose in the universal Church of Christ.
Recall the words of the Master in Mark 12:25 denoting that any country that divides itself into groups, which fight each other will not last very long; nor would any community or family that divides itself into groups, which fight each other be able to stand.
In our text, Peter’s mission to the Gentiles to minister, wine and dine with them was highly criticized by the apostles and brethren in Judaea. To them, the Jews should have nothing whatsoever to do with the uncircumcised Gentiles.
But Peter only acted in obedience, as was directed from above in a dream. Moreover, as he ministered to them, the Holy Spirit also fell on them, as it happened to the disciples at the very beginning (Acts 2:4; 10:44). Yes, the baptism of John was with water, unto repentance and forgiveness; but the baptism of the Holy Ghost, with fire imbues believers with power – whether Jews or Gentiles (Mark 1:8; Joel 2:2:28; Acts 1:5).
It is therefore high time members of all Christian denominations come together; stop warring against one another. Time is running out, and there is still so much ground to cover in order to win more souls into the Kingdom (Proverbs 11:30). Let the whistle of the Great Commission sound once more into our ears – “Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19 GNB). Say ‘No’ to the devil on continued segregation. Christ’s Messianic advent was for all tribes and tongues, and in all nations.
CHALLENGES
- Is it wise to insist that the new believer you worked on must worship in your Church? Give your reasons.
PRAYER POINT
- Lord, give me the grace to treat every believer as myself, irrespective of his denomination.
FURTHER READING: Daniel 2:1-16; 2:17-36; Acts 11:18-30
ESOCS Devotional 1 July 2025
