Crossing Cultural Barriers - The One Year Unlocking the Bible Devotional

Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.   Acts 9:15

As the number of disciples grew in Jerusalem, the Jews who had believed in Jesus faced growing opposition, including a rather sinister character who was determined to stamp out these Jewish communities of believers in Jesus. He sought authorization to arrest them in other cities and bring them back to Jerusalem.

The first city he targeted for his roundup was Damascus. But while he was on the way, the risen Lord Jesus Christ intercepted him: “A light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?’ ‘Who are you, lord?’ Saul asked. And the voice replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do’” (Acts 9:3-6).

This angry man was completely stopped in his tracks, and the whole direction of his life was turned around. The greatest enemy of the church became its greatest evangelist. We know him better as the apostle Paul. The intervention of God in his life represents a major turning point in the Bible story.

Christ commissioned this new convert and Jewish believer to bring his name to Jews and Gentiles. Paul later wrote about his commission, saying, “I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile” (Romans 1:16).

The gospel crosses cultural barriers. It belonged first to the Jews, and then it came through them to the Gentiles. It is the fulfillment of God’s promise to bless Abraham and then to bless all the nations of the earth through him. As Jews and Gentiles came to faith in Jesus, they discovered that the old barriers between them were broken down and that they were truly one as they worshiped together.

The gospel is able to break down every wall that would separate you from God, and every wall that would divide us from one another, making it possible for people from every race and culture to come to God through faith in Jesus Christ.

For further reading, see Acts 11