Old Testament reading: 2 Kings 5-6
Naaman provides a great illustration of how God’s grace works with man’s obedience to secure the promised blessings. God’s grace is manifest when He gives to man His law, which man by his faith obeys, thereby receiving the divine reward that can never be confused with merit. Naaman rejected God’s conditions (law) of cleansing because they were not what he thought. So long as he refused to obey, he remained a leper. Only after he obeyed the word of God was he cleansed according to the promise of God. There was no power in the Jordan to cleanse leprosy; Naaman knew his cleansing came by grace. Moreover, he knew his obedience was connected to God’s grace. This illustrates the need to obey the gospel by being baptized in order to receive remission of sins (cf Mark 16:15-16, Acts 2:38). So long as men refuse to obey the word of God, they will remain in their sins. When they obey, they will receive God’s promise, and their obedience in no way negates the power of grace. Grace and works are not mutually exclusive! Chapter 6 is also an incredible chapter, with three noteworthy accounts: the floating ax head (vv 1-7); the blinded Syrian army (vv 8-23); and the ravages of the famine caused by the Syrian army siege of Samaria, wherein women were willing to eat their own children (vv 24-33). This last account shows the depravity of those who live in stubborn rebellion to God, as the king blamed the whole thing on Elisha!
New Testament reading: Acts 13-14
Acts 13 marks the beginning of Paul’s apostleship and his extended missionary journeys. Paul was called the apostle to the Gentiles (Gal 2:8; Rom 11:13). Today’s reading reveals Paul’s practice to first visit the synagogue in each city wherein he preached (13:5, 14, 14:1). However, he always ended up working with the Gentiles (13:42, 46, 14:27). When one considers Paul’s previous life as a Pharisee, seeing him work so diligently, selflessly and sacrificially among the Gentiles makes his conversion even more special. It also illustrates the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel has incredible and indescribable transforming power! We should strive to let God work in us through His word as we see Him working through Paul in his life and epistles.
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