Daily Reading: Acts 8:1-40
Away Games or It Can’t Be Bought
Imagine if the Harlem Globetrotters only played home games. In fact, imagine your schools sports team only played home games. Imagine you were the best at anything but you never left the block that you live in. Are you really the best or are you just the best on your street? Any sports team knows that to demonstrate their talent, they have to go to other teams’ homes and play as the away team.
Championship games are usually played in a neutral location so that neither team has the “home court advantage.” The Gospel, the Good News, is like this. The love of Christ is so great that it needs to be spread around the world.
For the three years before Jesus’ death, the Good News of God and His love were on the move. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, there wasn’t near as much movement. The Good News of Jesus Christ was relegated to rumors and the passing word. After all, the disciples, apostles, and new believers were all from a fairly small geographic location. They were supposed to be. Jesus told them to wait there to receive the Holy Spirit.
While I don’t think we would ever wish for this level of persecution displayed by Saul and others, the persecution sent the apostles away on tour to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. The apostles were playing away games and learning that the Good News of Jesus Christ was welcome in many places, not just at home.
This is a reminder to us that sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ isn’t for just the places we feel most at home. Being a Christian is a way of life. You carry it with you because it is a part of who you are. That is why the Christian life can’t be bought. And while it is good to have others pray for us, others can’t do all of the work for us. Being a Christian first changes us, and then changes others.
Questions:
When and where do you take your Christian faith with you?
Are there time that you leave your Christian faith at home/at church?
How can you be better at keeping Christ with you on a daily basis?
Daily Prayer:
Dear God, empower us with the Holy Spirit to share the Good News of Jesus Christ wherever we go. Instill within us that there is still work for us to do with Your help. Our faith can’t be bought, but it can be strengthened as we grow in relationship with you and one another. Amen.
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