“…Listen To Me!…”

“…Listen To Me!…”(Acts 13:13-25).
In Pisidian Antioch Paul and his colleagues went to the synagogue on a Sabbath day. After the traditional reading of the word of God from the Law and the prophets, the synagogue rulers asked if Paul and co had “a message of encouragement for the people.”
Paul stood up and said, “Men of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me!…” He traced the story of salvation from the time of the Israelites in Egypt through the exodus to the time of David of whom God testified, “I have found David son of Jessie a man after my own heart…” From David’s descendants “God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised…Before the coming of Jesus John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel….”
John completed his work by stating,“Who do you think I am? I am not the one. No, but he is coming after me, whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
Where do we fit in, in this message of encouragement in a synagogue in Pisidian hundreds of years ago? The next verse suggests that we are part of the addressee. “Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.”(13:26)
We are the brothers since we are children of the same Heavenly Father. We are children of Abraham by adoption because he is the father of faith. And we are God-fearing Gentiles too. “It is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.”
This segment of the narrative ends with these words: “When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honoured the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed”(13:48).
Dear friend, I know you have believed because you have been appointed for salvation! Let the good news about the Saviour, gladden your heart and may you also honour the word of God.
In every gathering where Christ is not yet known, there are those who have been appointed for eternal life. Like Paul we should go to those places where we find readymade audiences, but where the knowledge of Christ is hazy. There we can testify about the message of salvation imperatively! The Holy Spirit would be there to cause those who have been appointed for eternal life to believe. We should not be shy to say, “…Listen To Me…!”
Prayer: LORD, I believe your word because I am among those who have been appointed for eternal. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.