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MY COUNTRYMEN
TUESDAY, MARCH 16
Acts 21:37-22:21

John 1:10-11

 

“He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.”

 

MY COUNTRYMEN
 
Our countrymen are always dear to our hearts. Some may be arrogant and unfriendly but when bad things happen to them, we will and should also feel the pain. There is a nationalistic spirit that binds people of a nation together in times of challenges and adversities. Paul too had his own people in his heart, not for any other reason, but their salvation. “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved” (Rom 10:1).
 
As a Jew: He introduced himself as a Jew. He did not hate his own people in spite of what they had done to him and how he almost died at their hands. His intention was to convince them of his allegiance to the Mosaic Law so he pointed out his tutelage under the great teacher Gamaliel. He asserted his obedience to the Jewish law and his zeal to Jehovah, God of the Hebrews. He then recalled how he persecuted the church, giving consent to stone Stephen. He went on to describe how he became a believer of the Lord Jesus Christ. He concluded his testimony with the commission to go to the Gentiles.
 
In Hebrew: He spoke to them in their own language. This was to present clearly to the people as to who he was and how he went around Asia, Macedonia and Achaia to preach the gospel. He condescended to the level of the common Jews that they would see he was innocent and the false allegations of some of the Jews were baseless.
 
In dealing with his own people, Paul expressed his love and loyalty to his own people. He did not demolish them by pointing out their ignorance and blindness to God’s fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies in Jesus Christ. He was patient with them to explain carefully the mercy and grace of the Lord upon his life, so that they might receive his testimony.
 
THOUGHT: Am I burdened to reach out to my own countrymen?
PRAYER: Father, cause me to reach out to my own people for their salvation.

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