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Grace Upon Grace

Word of the Day

I was reading about Paul and Barnabas in Acts 14 today. Here's how the account begins:

"Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed." Acts 14:1

The phrase "spoke in such a way" stood out to me. What was this "way?" Whatever it was, it was effective because allot of Jews and Greeks turned to Jesus. Was it loud? Were they calm? Did they talk over the people? Did they stand or sit? Did they share the Romans Road? You see the kind of questions we start to ask when we read an account where so many people came to faith. We want to know exactly what they did so we can copy it and expect similar results. However, as I kept reading the text itself gives some pretty cool insight. Here's Acts 14:3:

"So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands."

I'm guessing at first reading the phrase "speaking boldly for the Lord" jumped out at you. It jumps out at me too, but I think it leads to some of the same questions as above. What exactly does it mean to be bold? Many of us think it means to be loud, confident, and unashamed? Perhaps at times it does, but I think the next phrase give us a pretty insightful clue. It says the Lord "bore witness to the word of his grace." It wasn't how they were speaking (tone, volume etc.), it was WHAT and WHO they were speaking. They were speaking with, of, and about GRACE. They were speaking of Jesus.

This reminds me that the grace of God poured out through Jesus Christ is the only thing than can change you, me, and the world. Here's what John said about Jesus:

"For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1:16,17

Father,
Thank you for grace.
Please cause me to remember that it is by grace that I have been saved.
Let me not forget that it is grace that will change those you have placed in my life, not me.
Help my speech to always be seasoned with grace and focused on Jesus.
Help me to be like Him and give grace upon grace to those around me.
In His name, Amen

Travis