Daily Devotional for Monday, March 27th

The Disciples of John

“Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him,
that is, on Christ Jesus,” Acts 19:4.

There is an expression often used that says, “Cut to the chase.” It means to get to the point. It means to cut out all of the useless stuff in the middle and get to the vital matter. It comes from the early days of movie making, when movies often ended with a chase scene. In one case, a director’s notes included the words, “Jannings escapes...cut to the chase.” Meaning, get to the important and exciting part of the movie.
In his journeys, Paul encountered many types of people. In this case, he encountered some men who were disciples of John the Baptist. Paul surmised that these fellows were open and willing to hear the truth, and he gave it to them. He asked them exactly what they believed, determined that they were not quite there, and offered up the saving gospel of Jesus Christ.
Paul was willing to ask the pointed question about what these men believed; he was not timid about it. Paul made no attempt to convince them the error of their beliefs. Paul did not argue theology with them. He simply and quickly explained what John’s role had been, and what the correct object of their faith should be. When this group heard the message, they were baptized and then the Holy Spirit came upon them.
Are you ready like Paul? Do you have your eyes open for those who might be receptive to the gospel? Are you willing to ask the pointed questions about what a person believes, then act quickly with the truth?

JUST A THOUGHT: Sometimes people show up ready to hear the gospel. When they do, we need to be both ready and willing to tell it.

Wally Fry