The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:14
Overflowing Grace
Do you ever find yourself running on empty? Your energy is gone. Your enthusiasm is nowhere to be found. Hope seems elusive. You don’t know how you will get through the day or week.
What about your spiritual tank? Doubts and questions poke holes in your faith, and it begins to leak out. Guilt and shame pile on, leaving you feeling worn out and worthless. Maybe it’s not a constant feeling, but there’s that one incident. Death or illness struck your family without warning. You heard something that left you with real unanswered questions about your faith. You made a huge mistake, and someone was really hurt. You feel empty, confused, and worthless.
When the apostle Paul wrote the words for our devotion today, he knew that, by his own strength, he could accomplish nothing. His past was checkered. His present was far from perfect. His tank was empty.
But into his emptiness God poured grace. God’s unconditional love and mercy overflowed in Paul’s life. It overflowed when he met Jesus. Face-to-face with Jesus, he knew that he deserved to die for the way he had treated Christians, to suffer for the suffering he had caused.
But Paul said, “The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly.” God’s love overflowed to forgive him. As many sins as he had, God had more grace. Because of God’s overflowing love, Paul was forgiven.
With that forgiving grace, the Lord also poured out two more gifts – faith and love. Faith to believe that he was forgiven, and love that came from God and overflowed into the lives of those around him.
And all of this was “in Christ Jesus.” In Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, God shows his overflowing grace for sinners. In his Word is the power to work faith in our hearts. In his love is the power and motivation to love others.
When you are feeling empty, God wants to fill you up. Look at Jesus’ cross and his empty tomb. There, his grace overflows to you and every undeserving sinner. There, he fills you up with the faith and love you need to live in him and for him every day.
Prayer:
Lord, when I’m feeling empty, fill me up with your grace. Amen.
But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” And God said, “I will be with you.” Exodus 3:11-12
Who Am I?
Graduation ceremonies have recently concluded on many college and high school campuses in the United States. Many graduates heard speeches that sounded something like this: “You’ve accomplished great things. You can do anything you set your mind to! Now go out there and chase your dreams. Nothing can stop you now!”
With a diploma in hand and pride in their hearts, many may believe it. But for most, the day will come when they realize that they can’t do everything. They just don’t have the skills, strength, or qualifications.
Unlike those graduates, Moses hadn’t been planning for this day. He’d been minding his own business as a shepherd after fleeing from Egypt forty years earlier. But God wanted to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, where they were slaves. And he wanted Moses to lead them out.
Moses felt utterly unqualified. “Who am I?” he asked God. He rightly recognized that he didn’t really have the qualifications needed for such important work.
God has given us great work to do. He has called us to serve him wherever we are. We serve him by loving our neighbor, caring for our family, listening to a friend, and providing for our community through our honest labor every day. Through such tasks, God is working to show his love to the world.
Who am I, that I should do such noble work? To that, God gives the same answer he gave to Moses, “I will be with you.” He came to be with us when he sent his Son to rescue us from our own pride and excuses by entering enemy territory to die for us. He promises that he is with us when we hear his Word and respond in prayer. He promises never to leave our side, as he protects us from harm and blesses the work of our hands for his purposes.
No, we are not worthy to do God’s work. But by his blood, Jesus makes us worthy, and with his presence, he accomplishes great things through us.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for accomplishing your loving work through me. Take away my fears and excuses and make me willing to serve you by serving my neighbor. Amen.
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:15-16
Mercy for the Worst
Growing up with my siblings, I always wanted to be the best, to play sports better than they did, to ride my bike faster, to win at board games, and to get the best grades. It took some of the fun out of it when they weren’t interested in competing and didn’t care if I won.
As much as I might have liked competition, I don’t remember ever competing to be the worst. Who would want to claim that title? Even when I was little, and my parents would say, “Last one in bed is the rotten egg!” no one wanted to be last!
In today’s verses, Paul, the author, calls himself the worst of sinners. This is not a badge of honor any of us wants to wear. Our normal tendency is to minimize our own sins and magnify the sins of others. I did or said that, but I had a good reason for it. I’m not perfect, but at least I didn’t do that.
Why did Paul call himself the worst of sinners? As he looked back on his life, he saw a life riddled with rebellion against God. Even though he thought he was doing the right thing at the time, he had persecuted Christians before God called him to faith in Jesus. Even after he became a Christian, he continued to sin against God every day. There was no excuse. No hiding. He deserved God’s punishment.
But he didn’t need to hide because he knew that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. None of us can save ourselves. Paul saw the mercy that God showed him as evidence of God’s mercy for all. He saw his own salvation as proof that Jesus can and will forgive anyone. That includes you and me. So, we can honestly and without fear admit, “I’m the worst of sinners, but Jesus came to save me.”
Prayer:
Jesus, thank you for coming into the world to save sinners—even me. Amen.
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19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that took place at the time of Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some men from Cyprus and Cyrene who came to Antioch and also began to speak to the Greeks, preaching the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a large number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
22 A report about this reached the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to go on to [1] Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw God’s grace, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with devoted hearts. 24 He was a good man who was full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a large number of people were added to the Lord.
25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 When he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year they met with the church and taught a large number of people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.
The Church in Antioch Sends Relief to Jerusalem
27 In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them, named Agabus, stood up and indicated by the Spirit that there was going to be a severe famine all over the known world. This took place during the time of Claudius. 29 Each of the disciples, according to his ability, decided to send relief to the brothers [2] who lived in Judea. 30 They did this, sending it to the elders by means of Barnabas and Saul.
Footnotes
Acts 11:22 Some witnesses to the text omit go on to.
Acts 11:29 When context indicates it, the Greek word for brothers may refer to all fellow believers, male and female.
1 The apostles and brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2 When Peter went up to Jerusalem, those who insisted on circumcision criticized him, 3 saying, “You went to visit men who were uncircumcised and ate with them!”
4 So Peter began to explain everything to them, point by point. He said, 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision in which an object like a large sheet was let down from heaven by its four corners. It came right to me. 6 When I inspected it very carefully, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7 I also heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter! Kill and eat!’
8 “But I replied, ‘Certainly not, Lord, for nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’
9 “A voice spoke from heaven a second time: ‘What God has made clean, you must not continue to call unclean.’ 10 This happened three times, and then everything was pulled up into heaven again.
11 “At that very moment, three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were. 12 The Spirit told me to go with them without any hesitation. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 He told us how he saw an angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and call for Simon, the one called Peter. 14 He will speak words to you by which you and all your household will be saved.’
15 “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came down on them, just as he came down on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered how the Lord had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ [1]17 So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to try to stand in God’s way?”
18 When they heard these things, they had no further objections, and they praised God, saying, “So then, God has granted repentance that results in life also to the Gentiles!”
34 Then Peter began to speak: “Now I really am beginning to understand that God does not show favoritism, 35 but in every nation, anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 He sent his word to the people of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
37 “You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached. 38 God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the Devil, because God was with him.
39 “Indeed, we are witnesses of all the things he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem, yet they killed him by hanging him on a cross. [1]40 But God raised him on the third day and caused him to be seen, 41 not by all the people, but by the witnesses God had already chosen—by us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify solemnly that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that, through his name, everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins.”
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who were listening to the message. 45 All the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out, even on the Gentiles. 46 For they heard them speaking in other languages and praising God.
Then Peter responded, 47 “Certainly no one can refuse water for baptizing these people! They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48 He gave directions that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.
43 Peter stayed in Joppa for many days with a man named Simon the tanner.
Cornelius Sees a Vision
Acts 10
1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, who was a centurion in what was called the Italian Regiment. 2 He was devout and God-fearing, as was his entire family. He gave generous gifts to the poor and always prayed to God.
3 One day at about the ninth hour, [1] he clearly saw a vision in which an angel of God came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
4 Cornelius stared at him in terror and replied, “What is it, Lord?”
The angel told him, “Your prayers and your gifts to the poor have gone up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to get a man named Simon, who is called Peter. 6 He is staying as a guest with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
7 When the angel who spoke to him had left, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier who was one of his personal attendants. 8 After explaining everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Peter Sees a Vision
9 The next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray at about the sixth hour. [2]10 He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing the meal, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and an object coming down. It was like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. [3]12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals and reptiles [4] of the earth and birds of the sky.
13 Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!”
14 But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord, for I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
15 Yet the voice came to him a second time: “What God has made clean, you must not continue to call unclean.”
16 This happened three times, and then the object was immediately taken up to heaven. [5]
17 While Peter was inwardly perplexed about what the vision he had seen might mean, just then the men who were sent by Cornelius arrived. They had asked for directions to Simon’s house and were standing at the gate. 18 They called out, asking if Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there as a guest.
19 While Peter was still deep in thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “See, three men are looking for you! 20 Now get up, go downstairs, and don’t hesitate to go with them, because I have sent them.”
21 Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. Why have you come?”
22 They replied, “Cornelius the centurion is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is highly respected by the whole Jewish nation. He was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to listen to what you have to say.” 23 So Peter invited them in and received them as guests.
Peter Goes to the Home of Cornelius
The next day, Peter got ready and left with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along with him. 24 The following day, he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter was about to enter the house, Cornelius met him, fell at his feet, and worshipped him. 26 But Peter helped him up and said, “Stand up! I too am just a man.”
27 While he talked with him, Peter went inside and found many people gathered there. 28 He said to them, “You understand how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to associate with or visit anyone who is not a Jew. But God showed me that I should no longer continue to call anyone impure or unclean. 29 That is why I came without objection when you sent for me. May I ask why you sent for me?”
30 Cornelius replied, “From four days ago to this hour, I have been fasting. At the ninth hour, [6] I was praying in my house when a man in shining clothes suddenly stood in front of me. 31 He said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your gifts to the poor have been remembered in God’s sight. 32 Therefore send to Joppa and call for Simon, who is called Peter. He is staying as a guest in the house of Simon the tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you. [7]’ 33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now then, we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything that the Lord [8] has instructed you to say.”
Footnotes
Acts 10:3 3 pm
Acts 10:9 Noon
Acts 10:11 Some witnesses to the text read tied at the four corners and being let down to the earth.
Acts 10:12 Some witnesses to the text add and wild animals.
Acts 10:16 Some witnesses to the text add again.
Acts 10:30 3 pm
Acts 10:32 Some witnesses to the text omit this sentence.
Peter Heals Aeneas and Raises Tabitha From the Dead
32 As Peter went around from place to place, he also went down to the saints who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a paralyzed man named Aeneas, who had been lying on a mat for eight years. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat!” Immediately, he got up. 35 All those who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. [1] She was always doing good deeds and acts of charity. 37 At that time she became sick and died. After they had washed her, they laid her in an upstairs room. 38 Since Lydda is near Joppa, when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, who urged him, “Come to us without delay!”
39 Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothing that Dorcas made while she was still with them.
40 After Peter sent them all outside, he got down on his knees and prayed. Then he turned toward the body and said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 He gave her his hand and helped her stand up. After he called the saints and the widows, he presented her to them alive.
42 This became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
Footnotes
Acts 9:36 Tabitha (Aramaic) and Dorcas (Greek) mean gazelle.
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