Luke the beloved physician shared after Paul and Barnabas, “passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia, and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia. And there sailed to Antioch, from where they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled”, and in chapter fourteen and verse twenty-seven of the book of Acts Luke shared how Paul and Barnabas, “rehearsed all that God had done with them”, where we read:
And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
The verse begins, “And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, ...” Luke began with the words, “and when they were come” which means “and at the time and moment Paul, Barnabas and their companions arose and appeared”, “and had gathered the church together” or “and assembled the believers in Jesus in Antioch of Syria”, “they rehearsed” which means “Paul, Barnabas and their companions announced, made known, reported and brought back tidings of” “all that God had done with them” or “each, every, the whole and everything that the Heavenly Father God performed, produced and made ready alongside them, Paul, Barnabas and their companions”. Luke shared how “Paul, Barnabas and their companions” gave testimony to the fellow believers in “Antioch of Syria” of “all” God did in and through their lives.
The verse continues, “... and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.” Luke added the words, “and how he had opened the door of faith” or “and the manner and way in which God the Heavenly Father opened up the vestibule, entryway and passage” “unto the Gentiles” which means “to the non-Jewish, heathen and pagan people who were of the same nature and genus”. Luke shared how God “opened up” the entryway and passage for the “pagan Gentile people” to trust and believe in Jesus Christ as their “Savior”.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn through the testimony of Paul, Barnabas and their companions that the “entryway” of “belief and trust” in Jesus was “opened” by God. God opened the door, and for anyone to believe in Jesus, He must open the “door” of their heart to receive Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”. Anyone who yields themselves to Jesus will be forgiven of their sins, and regardless of whether they are Jews or Gentiles, God the Heavenly Father wants everyone to have a personal relationship with Him. Let all who read these words understand the desire of God Almighty to relate to them, and He will remove their sins and grant them everlasting life if they will only submit themselves to His Son Jesus.
Next time Luke shares how Paul and Barnabas, “abode long time with the disciples”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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