August 26 – Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment
Paul and Barnabas separated their mission once they started to see things differently. However, the duo was mature enough to sustain their gospel campaign without failing God. The scripture recorded the separation moment of Paul and Barnabas and stated,
“Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches” (Acts 15:39-41).
Lesson:
Christian brethren that come from different denominations may not agree on everything that is practiced in Christianity; however, we can still serve God together. We are called to serve God together, and we must do so without paying unnecessary attention to our conflicting doctrines. The Christian community must not allow our varying opinions to hurt the gospel that Jesus died for! We should learn from Paul and Barnabas, who were co-laborers in God’s vineyard but had different opinions on some issues. The duo separated, but not at the detriment of the gospel! Paul and Barnabas disallowed their differences to hurt their relationship with God; they handled their differences with maturity and their ministries were preserved (Acts 15:39-41). It is noteworthy to mention that both Paul and Barnabas prospered in their outreaches after their separations.
Prayer:
Dear God, please save the Christian community from bitterness and rage of division that hinders our operations. Let brethren respectfully deal with each other. Enable us to find common ground that would offer us the platform to preach your unbiased gospel. Help us to lay aside our differences, and let us respect bible teachings. Let your Holy Spirit give us proper interpretations of your word, and let us adequately apply them into our lives. Help the church to be sensitive and corporately launch crusades that will uphold your righteous standard and lead people to receive your salvation. Let us be your true ambassadors on earth so that we can receive your eternal rewards in heaven. For in the name of Jesus Christ I make my requests. Amen.
