05 May May 3rd Weekly Devotional
Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!” Luke 14:15
Jesus then goes on to teach a parable to the multitudes of how certain ones were invited to a great supper, but when it came time for the feast to begin, they began, each one, to make different excuses of why they were not able to attend.
One had just bought some ground, one had just bought some oxen, one had just gotten married. The servant comes back and tells the master and he is not happy at all.
He tells the servant to go and invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and when those had been invited came, there was still room, the master instructs the servant to still yet go and invite even more from the highways and the hedges so that the house might be full.
Salvation had initially been offered only to the Jews, God’s chosen. For over three years, the Jewish leadership would continually reject the teachings of Christ, refusing to believe Him, let alone thousands of years worth of prophecy.
In the opening verses of the book of Acts, we see a continued account from Luke, who is the author of the Gospel of Luke, and also the writer of the book of Acts. He writes in Acts 1:1-11 a little more detail of what Jesus told them before He spoke to them the “Great Commission” and then was taken up into Heaven. He told them that they were to tarry in Jerusalem a little longer and wait for the Promise of the Father. Acts 1:4.
During this time Matthias is chosen to replace Judas Iscariot, and when the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all together there still, with one accord, and the Holy Spirit came upon them and immediately they were able to speak the languages of all the other nations, and now Peter stands and delivers the first Gospel Sermon that we have record of.
He tells of the prophesy that was spoken, and that they would have the Spirit of God poured out upon them, and then he continues in Acts 2:22-24, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.
He continues on with what David wrote of Jesus, and that David himself is dead and buried and his tomb is still there, but Jesus has been resurrected because His soul would not be left in Hades, nor would His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. (Acts 2:30-32)
He goes on to preach that God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ. Vs. 36
Then the Bible through the hand of Luke says, in verse 37, Now when they (the multitude) heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
Then verse 38, Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission (forgiveness) of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Vs. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
Vs. 40-42, And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
This is how the Lord’s church began, and don’t you want to be a part of it if you aren’t already? If you are not, and you want to study more about it, please let us know and we can make that happen.
So in a busy week, Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen (Matt. 28:18-20)
