Daily Devotional • July 28
A Reading from Acts 28:23-31
23 After they had set a day to meet with him, they came to him at his lodgings in great numbers. From morning until evening he explained the matter to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets. 24 Some were convinced by what he had said, while others refused to believe. 25 So they disagreed with each other, and as they were leaving Paul made one further statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah,
26 ‘Go to this people and say,
You will indeed listen but never understand,
and you will indeed look but never perceive.
27 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
otherwise they might look with their eyes
and listen with their ears
and understand with their heart and turn—
and I would heal them.’
28 “Let it be known to you, then, that this salvation of God has been sent to the gentiles; they will listen.”
30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.
Meditation
After two years of delayed justice in Judah after Paul’s arrest at the Temple during a riot caused by his enemies but blamed on him, he appealed to Caesar. A long, dangerous, and eventful journey to the capital of the empire finally came to an end. Three days after his arrival, Paul called together the local Jewish leaders. He wanted to talk with them about his case, but more than that, he wanted to preach the Gospel to them.
From their initial response, we learn that there is enough curiosity within the Roman Jewish community that their leaders are willing to listen. In today’s reading, a great crowd has gathered and they listen to Paul “witness to them from morning until evening”. From the Law and the Prophets, he explains the kingdom of God and tries to persuade them about Jesus. We can guess what he taught, for by this time he had written most, if not all, of his epistles. Note that Paul specifically said that he had no intention to speak against his own people, but before Caesar we may assume that he pleads his case.
Before the Jewish leaders in Rome, he wants only to speak about the kingdom of God and to persuade them that Jesus is the Messiah. His own writing (Romans 9:3) expresses his wish that he himself would be accursed if that would bring his brothers to know Jesus. Probably most of us have suffered grave injustices of one kind or another; I certainly have. May we follow Paul’s example not to let anguish and anger eclipse true discipleship, and maintain saving faith in Jesus in our own lives and witness
David Baumann served for nearly 50 years as an Episcopal priest in the Dioceses of Los Angeles and Springfield. He has published nonfiction, science fiction, and short stories. Two exuberant small daughters make sure he never gets any rest.
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Daily Devotional Cycle of Prayer
Today we pray for:
The Episcopal Church in Jerusalem & The Middle East
Church of St. Uriel the Archangel, Sea Girt, N.J.