Divine Encouragement: Daily Devotional Readings

TUESDAY, 17 SEPTEMBER 2024

TEXT: Acts 22:17-29

17. “After I has returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance

18. and saw Jesus saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’

19. And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.

20. And while the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing by, approving and keeping the coasts of those who killed him.’

21. Then he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

22. Up to this point they listened to him, but then they shouted, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.”

23. And while they were shouting, throwing off their cloaks, and tossing dust into the air,

24. the tribune directed that he was to be brought into the barracks, and ordered him to be examined by flogging, to find out the reason for this outcry against him.

25. But when they had tied him up with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who is uncondemned?”

26. When the centurion heard that, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? This man is a Roman citizen.”

27. The tribune came and asked Paul, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.”

28. The tribune answered, “It cost me a large sum of money to get my citizenship.” Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.”

29. Immediately those who were about to examine him drew back to him; and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

(New Revised Standard Version Holy Bible)

TOPIC: CITIZENSHIP THROUGH THE NEW BIRTH

Paul escaped public disgrace as a result of his salvation experiences which he recounted to angry mobs that sought to lynch him. But he also informed his persecutors that he was a Roman citizen by birth.

According to Roman law, all citizens were exempted from all forms of degrading punishment such as beating with rods, scourging and crucifixion. Paul automatically enjoyed these privileges by virtue of being a Roman citizen.

But a child of God stands to gain even more as a citizen of heaven through his or her new birth which comes about when an individual accepts Christ as his or her personal Lord and Saviour.

QUESTION: Are you a citizen of heaven?

PRAYER: Thank You, dear Lord, for making me a citizen of heaven. Help me not to be disgraced by citizens of this world, in Jesus name. Amen.