Friday, January 9, 2026
Scripture Readings
- Primary Reading: Acts 14-15
Key Verse
Acts 15:7 — “And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.”
Devotional Thought
What does it look like to belong to a kingdom that advances not by force but by grace? In Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas arrive in Iconium and speak in the synagogue with such power that a great multitude of Jews and Greeks believe. Yet opposition rises, the city divides, and an assault is planned to stone them. They flee to Lystra and Derbe, where Paul heals a man crippled from his mother’s womb. The crowd, dazzled, calls Barnabas Jupiter and Paul Mercurius and prepares to offer sacrifice. The apostles tear their clothes and cry out, “We also are men of like passions with you,” pointing the crowd away from themselves to the living God who sends rain and fruitful seasons. Then the tide turns with shocking speed: the same crowd stones Paul and drags him out, supposing him dead. He rises and goes back into the city.
This is the raw texture of gospel work—boldness in the synagogue, healing in the streets, misunderstanding, violence, and perseverance. Paul later tells the disciples that “we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” That is not a defeatist slogan; it is the sober truth spoken by a man who had just been left for dead. In the coldest weeks of January, when the year still feels like a long uphill road, we do well to remember that the Christian life is not exempt from hardship. The same grace that opened Lydia’s heart and healed a lame man also sustained Paul through stones and slander.
Acts 15 turns to a quieter but equally vital battle. Certain men from Judaea insist that Gentile converts must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses to be saved. Paul and Barnabas dispute with them, and the church sends them to Jerusalem. There Peter asks the decisive question: why put a yoke on the disciples that neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? We believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved. James agrees, citing the prophets, and the council sends a letter that brings consolation, not bondage. The relief in Antioch must have been palpable.
Even here, sharp contention arises: Paul and Barnabas separate over John Mark, and the partnership that endured stoning and shipwreck fractures. Yet God still works—Barnabas takes Mark to Cyprus, Paul takes Silas through Syria and Cilicia, and the churches are confirmed. Grace does not require perfect harmony among leaders; it requires faithful hearts. As you read today, let the apostles’ courage and the council’s clarity steady you. The door of faith is open to all, and the God who opened it will keep you through every tribulation.
Reflection
- Where in your life are you tempted to add human requirements to the simple gospel of grace, and how does Acts 15 call you back to the sufficiency of Christ?
- When opposition or misunderstanding comes—as it did at Lystra—do you turn inward or keep pointing others to the living God who gives rain and fruitful seasons?
Prayer
Lord God, maker of heaven and earth, we thank You for the grace that opens the door of faith to Jew and Gentile alike. Forgive us for the yokes we try to place on others and on ourselves. Give us the boldness of Paul and Barnabas in the synagogue and the humility to tear our garments when men would praise us. Sustain us through tribulation, confirm our souls, and keep us steadfast in the faith. Let us commend one another to You, on whom we believe, and may Your church rejoice in the consolation of Your Spirit, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.