God Breaks Down the Barriers

Baptist Daily Devotional
May 8
2 min read

Rev. Enoch Thompson | May 8 2025 | Acts 8:14-18

KEY VERSE: “When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.” Acts 8:14 (NIV)

MESSAGE:

Humans have created and continue to create barriers among themselves, barriers of tribe, race, class, education, etc. The biblical distinction between Jew and Gentile had been taken away from the divine purpose of identifying Israel and using the nation as the cradle for the manifestation of Messiah, for the benefit of the whole of humanity (Gen. 12:3). The Jewish mindset had set their humanity above that of the Gentiles, and of the Samaritans who were a mixed race of Jews and Gentiles. This thinking needed to be dealt with by God so that the Gospel would become useful to the non-Jewish world. God had to break down the barriers of separation.

It is noteworthy that “When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.” The Apostles in Jerusalem were surprised when the Gospel took root among the despised Samaritans. As responsible custodians of the ministry left behind by the Master, the Apostles sent Peter and John to firm up the bond of the new family relationship created by the entrance of the Gospel. God wanted the Jewish Christians to realise that they were one with the non-Jewish believers, so God held back the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit should have happened at the moment of Samaritan conversion (For we were all baptised by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. - 1 Cor 12:13), but in this case God wanted the Jewish Christians to lay hands on the Samaritan believers, that way receiving them as fellow children of God, and breaking down the walls of separation.

FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:

Are there any walls of separation you are holding up between you and other humans, generally, especially in the context of the church? Is tribe, gender, education, or politics separating you from others? In Christ, you need to work at it with the help of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Let God help you bring down the walls.

PRAYER:

Lord, please forgive me for putting up and supporting the walls that separate. Let me not call unclean what you have cleansed. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen.

THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.

SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 128: Judges 13 - The Birth of Samson

DAILY word study: ACCEPTED The Greek word translated as “accepted” is δέχομαι (dechomai), which means to welcome, receive, or take in gladly. It reflects an active openness and readiness to embrace something.

In this passage, dechomai describes how the Samaritans welcomed the Gospel — not casually, but with full commitment. This shows that acceptance involves more than hearing; it means embracing truth in a way that transforms life and community.

Reflection

When people welcome God’s word like this, walls of division start to crumble, and new unity takes root.