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October 20, Sunday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Washing Feet of Saints — Before the local church would commit to financially supporting widows among them, certain qualifications relating to their reputation had to be met. One of them was to have “washed the feet of the saints” (v. 10). This is not just a matter of cleanliness but of humility. Of the ten contexts involving washing feet in the Bible, only three of them are connected to a person’s character quality, and all of them are related to humility. One of them was when Abigail accepted David’s proposal for marriage, saying, “Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord” (1 Sam. 25:41). The second one was when Jesus demonstrated humility by washing the feet of His disciples in the upper room before His crucifixion (John 13:5ff). The widows’ reputation in today’s reading is the third one. In all three cases, humility was demonstrated by washing someone else’s feet. How is your reputation for humility? This is a quality not often appreciated in our sinful culture; it is even mocked. It is a high quality in God’s sight, however. Four times in the NT we are challenged to demonstrate humility. Paul tells us to “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones … humility” (Col. 3:12), and similarly, Peter challenged younger Christians this way: “Clothe yourselves … with humility” (1 Pet. 5:5).
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October 21, Monday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Access by the Spirit — The Mosaic Law established a division of God’s chosen people from all other nations. They were to be a separated people. Now, when the New Covenant was introduced, there was a definite shift to bring together these two groups of separated people. It was to be accomplished in two ways. The first was through the death of Jesus on the cross (“by the blood of Christ”—v. 13). His blood was shed to benefit the whole world, Jews and Gentiles. His death broke down that “dividing wall of hostility” between them (v. 14). It created “one new man … in one body,” the Church (vv. 15-16). Second, the Holy Spirit also had a role in this transition. It was through Him that these two formerly hostile groups were to “both have access in one Spirit to the Father” (v. 18). The Holy Spirit is what binds us together in a spiritual sense, so that we now share a spiritual DNA.
We Are One in the Spirit – YouTube
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October 22, Tuesday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Being Built into a Temple — Paul began this passage with who we are as individual Christians: We are “the saints and members of the household of God” (v. 19). Before our conversion, we were “strangers” (foreigners with no rights) and “aliens” (foreigners who are permanent residents in a city who were given limited rights). Now, we belong as fully accepted “citizens.” Paul then ended this chapter with who we are as collective Christians: “a holy temple in the Lord” (v. 21). This work of “being built together into a dwelling place for God … [is being done] by the Spirit” (v. 22). When the Holy Spirit enters the lives of individuals, they become additional building stones in this spiritual temple of God. When we come together each week to worship, learn, and fellowship, we are not meeting in the temple of God, we are the temple of God. The building where we meet is not the temple, but the temple meets in the building.
God Himself Is with Us – YouTube
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October 23, Wednesday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Revealed by the Spirit — Although there were hints about it in the OT through Abraham, Moses, and other prophets, the full purpose of the promised Messiah was not revealed until after Jesus’ resurrection. That purpose was to open the door of personal salvation by faith to Gentiles as well as to Jews (v. 6). That revelation was given to the “holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit” (v. 5). Paul was one of those apostles. This was not good news for the majority of Jews in Paul’s day, who were prejudiced against Gentiles and proud of their being chosen by God as His people. The Holy Spirit’s message threatened their proud image, and they didn’t want to hear this divine message. Does God’s Good News ever threaten what you want to believe or the good image you have of yourself? The ministry of the Holy Spirit today is to convict us of those wrong attitudes and bring us to willing obedience as we read Scripture. We need to read the Word of God with humility of mind, asking God to teach us and lead us over the humps of pride, prejudice, and other negative attitudes we might have when we encounter parts of His wonderful message of hope and truth.
Wonderful Words of Life – YouTube
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October 24, Thursday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Strengthened with Power — Most of us probably feel comfortable with the statement that “Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (v. 17); however, we may feel somewhat lacking in that we are to be “strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being” (v. 16). We feel indwelt but not too empowered. Both are true, however, and both exist “through faith.” The Holy Spirit dwells within us to enable us for action. We are indwelt to go, to speak, to minister, to pray, and to encourage with divine power. Draw on His power by faith! We need to be fully convinced that He not only indwells us but also empowers us.
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October 25, Friday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Unity of the Spirit — There was a great challenge in Paul’s day for the Church of Christ to be united. The Jewish Christians had a hard time forsaking their centuries-long practices of observances required by the OT Torah, while the Gentile believers had difficulty understanding and accepting their Jewish bothers’ apparent bondage to an old system. There was also racial prejudice on both sides. What Paul emphasized in today’s passage was that the Church, the Body of Christ, is unified on a much higher plane, that of the indwelling Holy Spirit — “the unity of the Spirit” (v. 3). There is but “one Spirit” (v. 4), and every true believer shares that because of His abiding presence. We have similar challenges to unity today within the Church. Some of our churches baptize by immersion and others by sprinkling. Some meet on Sunday and some on Saturday. Some sing only old hymns and some sing only recent worship songs. Can we accept each other as family with those differences? If we have the same Spirit, we are brothers and sisters of one Body.
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October 26, Saturday
An audio recording of the following reading is available below.
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Being Content with Godliness — This is a very practical passage because the desire to be rich has plagued mankind from the beginning, and it seems to be getting even worse. The message that Jesus brought in the gospel and the words of truth given to Paul and others to form the NT contain what is of highest value, which is “the teaching that accords with godliness” (v. 3). Godliness is more valuable than money or material things. Only the wise recognize and strive for it. The false teachers in Paul and Timothy’s time were preaching because of the money they could receive from it. There are many preachers who fall into that greedy category today as well. Are you content with the material things you have? If not, you would also not be content with what you want. Wealth doesn’t satisfy, whereas “godliness with contentment is great gain” (v. 6).
My Worth Is Not in What I Own – YouTube
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