The One Year New Testament

December 9

Acts 18:1-17

Acts 18:1-17

After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.

When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized. And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

12 But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” 14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. 15 But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” 16 And he drove them from the tribunal. 17 And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.

Reflection

God speaks directly to Paul, encouraging him to remain in Corinth despite his frustrations, because God has many people there whom he intends to save (Acts 18:10). In the face of opposition, God steps in with faithful love to strengthen Paul’s determination. God promises (1) protection: despite the danger of Paul’s opponents, God will ensure that they do not harm him; and (2) presence: God himself will be with Paul so that he will not think that his difficulties are a sign of God’s disapproval.

Christ offers believers both of these promises. We are protected from the wrath of God through Christ’s death as our substitute. We also possess the promise of God’s presence through the Holy Spirit as we partner in his mission (Matt. 28:18–20; John 14:18, 27). Knowing that God himself dwells within us allows us to press forward through hardship. It is God’s presence (“I am with you”; Acts 18:10) that not only energizes believers but protects them amid fear, anxiety, and doubt. This is a regular theme in Scripture: God’s presence casts out fear.

Revelation 10:1-11

Revelation 10:1-11

Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.

Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” 10 And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. 11 And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”

Reflection

Jesus took the scroll from the Father in Revelation 5 and opened it in chapters 6–8; the angel brings it down in 10:2, and John eats the scroll so that he can prophesy in verses 8–11.

As John eats the scroll just as Ezekiel did (Ezek. 2:9–3:4), the people of God are given proof that he is a true prophet whom they can trust, just like the prophets of the Old Testament. The churches are confronted with false teachers (e.g., Rev. 2:14, 20), and a false prophet will soon enter the picture (13:11–18; 16:13). Those who follow Christ are to trust the true prophet, John, who reveals the contents of the scroll that Christ has opened. In 10:11 the message is sent to all peoples and nations and languages and kings, reminding us that what is unfolding throughout Revelation is relevant for the entire world.

Psalm 91:1-10

Psalm 91:1-10

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.

Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge—
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent.

Thoughts For Prayer

The Christian life is not characterized by fear of circumstances. God is with us and for us, so pray that his presence in your life would free you from anxiety.

Missions Prayer Requests More

  • April 26, 2024

    Supported Workers: Jon (& Ruthie), Matt (& Laura) Pheneger, Goran (& Beth) Tomic

    Country: United States of America

    Ambassadors Football has 24 youth teams locally for children ages 8-18. In February, they had a retreat for the high school players in the club, and the students spent the weekend learning about God. Students from all sorts of backgrounds were exposed to the gospel and given a chance to ask questions and discuss who God is. Several students who come from refugee families in Akron attended, and one young man from Afghanistan said it was the best weekend of his life. Please pray for these students as they continue to think about what was shared at the retreat and during their weekly devotional times at the club.

    Albania (Europe). Population: 2,826,020 Believers: 0.5%. Thank God for his work in this land! For a long time, it was closed to the gospel, but evangelicals grew from nearly zero to several thousand in just a few years. The Church has indigenous leadership, nationwide networks, a vision for discipleship and evangelism, and it sends out workers to other lands! And all this came about during a politically and economically unstable time. Many believe that years of devoted prayer for Albania opened the way for ministry here. From Operation World DVD-ROM 2010 and www.operationworld.org