Paul's Journey to Jerusalem - Pt. 15: One In Christ
- Baptist Daily Devotional
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Rev. Osei Kwabena Nkrahene | December 3 2025 | Acts 20:32-35
KEY VERSE: “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” (Acts 20:32, KJV)
MESSAGE:
Our key verse for today has much to teach us, with words like brethren, inheritance, commend, and the word of His grace. They each offer an opportunity for reflection. Today, we begin with the word brethren.
Paul salutes them with this title, and it is both mind-boggling and refreshing when we recall what Acts chapters eight and nine say about him. Acts 8:1 tells us he consented to Stephen’s murder, and verse 3 shows him ravaging the Church, dragging believers from their homes and throwing them into prison. In Paul’s own words in Galatians 1:23–24, people glorified God because the man who once tried to destroy the Faith was now preaching it.
Acts 9:9–19 shows clearly that God’s purposes are never thwarted. Even when we stray terribly, His grace restores and redirects us; it is striking that this same Paul, now an apostle, addresses these Ephesian leaders as brethren. There is no hint of arrogance or superiority. Instead, he stands with them as members of the same family. This is the same truth he teaches in Ephesians 4:4-6: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.
FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Paul calling the Ephesian leaders “brethren” is a call to action for us. God brings people from different backgrounds, stories, and struggles into one family through Christ. Your response is to live out this truth. Let the way you treat people show that you truly see them as brothers and sisters in Christ. Ask God to help you build bridges and strengthen family bonds in your home, church, and relationships.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for making us one family in You. Heal every place in Your Church where relationships are strained. Teach me to honour others as Your own, to seek peace, to walk in love, and to strengthen unity wherever I serve. Help me live the word “brethren” with my actions. Amen.
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING
DAILY word study: BRETHREN The Greek word adelphoi, translated as brethren, means brothers, fellow believers, or members of the same family.
Adelphoi does more than describe a group. It shows a shared identity in Christ. Paul used this word to speak to people who had every reason to fear him in the past. Grace changed the story. He now calls them family, not by position or rank, but by a heart shaped by Christ’s work in him.
Reflect on this
When Paul said “brethren,” he showed what grace can do in a life. It removes pride, heals past failures, and brings people together as one in Christ. Let this word remind you that in God’s family, we stand side by side, shaped by grace and united by Christ.
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