JOY DISTRIBUTORS
Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are
circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after engaging
these men in sharp debate, Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other
believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. Sent on
their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting the
conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joyG5479 to all the brothers. On their arrival In
Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and apostles and elders, to whom they
reported all that God had done through them.
Acts 15:1-4
Paul and Barnabas were on their way to Jerusalem to talk to the church leadership about the fact that Gentiles were being converted to Christ. In the midst of this journey, Paul and Barnabas seized every opportunity to declare God’s faithfulness to the Gentiles as well as the Jews. God had promised Abraham, “I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 26:4). This was also the fulfilment of what Christ had told the disciples as He ascended to Heaven after His resurrection, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The believers along the way celebrated the conversion of the Gentiles joyfully.
Yes, Paul and Barnabas were in “full-time ministry.” However, they also shared as they were traveling from point A to point B. We are all God’s ministers—His ambassadors—to the world. We are to distribute the good news of Jesus Christ, the Source of our joy, as we go about our day-to-day business. An excellent example of this from more recent history is from the life of R. G. LeTourneau, the businessman who founded LeTourneau University, a Christian college. He originally thought that to be serious about one’s commitment to Christ required a life of being a pastor or missionary. When he spoke to his pastor about the possibility of becoming a missionary, the pastor replied, “You know, Brother LeTourneau, God needs businessmen as well as preachers and missionaries.” From that day on, LeTourneau considered God his business partner and endeavored to share his faith along the way while doing business every day. To read more about Mr. LeTourneau’s life and ministry, go to https://www.wayoflife.org/reports/christian_inventor_rg_letourneau.html.
Do you distribute the joy of the gospel along your way? Do you rejoice at the salvation of one at the altar on Sunday mornings or at the reports from the mission front of conversions and baptisms? Or do you keep checking your watch because you may have to wait in a longer line at the restaurant if church runs late? We pray “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10), but do we mean it? Heaven rejoices over each sinner who surrenders to Jesus, do you?
Luke 15:7In the same way, I tell you that there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.
Father, please give us a renewed excitement to share the Gospel and great rejoicing when we see people come to Jesus for salvation. Let us take joy in the things that give You pleasure. Help us to truly desire that Your will be done here and now.