Acts 17

If you were to leave your house and walk around the streets today, you would probably see a lot of red (literally 🙂 because it is the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year as well as Valentine’s Day. While this colour symbolises fortune, fertility and success to the Chinese as well as love and beauty to the Westerners (among other varied meanings), there is something red that connects mankind regardless of race or nationality.

I’m sure you know what it is already. In fact, it’s stated in our chapter for today.

Bible Passage:  Acts 17

Here’s the answer.

And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth […] (Acts 17:26)

What teaching does ‘blood’ hold for us?

Firstly, there is the reminder that the blood pumping through our veins contains life; life which is given by the Creator who, from this blood, created ‘every nation of man’. This means that He is the source of this life-giving blood and that all who has blood flowing in them (that’s everyone) should acknowledge and honour this source of life which not only bestows life but sustains it as well.

Sadly, men have forgotten this very simple fact even as they come to understand that blood is life. As they come to learn what blood is and why it is so important, they have forgotten where it comes from. Being Christians then, it is our duty to direct them back to the source so that their life is reconnected to this source and their blood does not continue being wasted on transient things.

We have this duty because of the second teaching ‘blood’ has for us.

Having been defiled with sin, we have the need to have our sins forgiven if we want to return to the source of our life, the Most Holy God. However, we know that without shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins (Heb 9:22). The only blood able to truly cleanse our sins is the blood of the sinless Jesus which has already been shed for us and we have been cleansed by it. When we remember this fact, let us also remember that this precious blood is not just meant for us but for all mankind. As the Bible records, God gave His only begotten Son to the world so that whosoever believes should not perish but have eternal life (Jn 3:16).

Let us then, be like Paul, whose spirit was provoked upon seeing the city of Athens given over to idols and fearlessly preached the UNKNOWN GOD so that this God no longer remained unknown to them but became the saviour of those who believed. Let us have His compassion for the people who are bound to us by the same blood that flows in our veins and remember that the precious blood of Christ which is shed for the salvation of mankind is too precious to keep all to ourselves.