Committed to the Cause
I’m pleased that I was able to get outside and do some work in the yard today. I tilled some of my garden and trimmed roses. Later I went to the pool, but the clouds moved in and shortened my workout. My greatest success this summer is getting some wild flowers to grow from seed. We turned an old grill into a flower pot.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “…we and the people there begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem. But he said, “Why are you crying and making me so sad? I am not only ready to be tied up in Jerusalem, I am ready to die for the Lord Jesus!” Acts 21:12,13
For Paul it was, “just another day at the office.” Agabus the prophet has just prophesied that evil people will bind Paul when he travels to Jerusalem. His friends and fellow believers beg him not to go, but Paul is determined to follow what he believes is God’s will for his life regardless of what may happen.
As I read the chapters leading up to his event, I took note of the consistent opposition to the gospel that Paul faced. In Philippi, Paul is harassed by a demon possessed slave girl and then thrown in jail when he cast the demon from her. At Thessalonica, some evil people opposed to gospel and those who received it and caused a riot which result in a heavy financial fine.
Paul travels to Berea and those who opposed him from Thessalonica follow him there and cause trouble. In Athens Paul finds himself among the philosophers of the day who pride themselves in open mindedness, but reject and ridicule one who would preach Jesus rose from the dead. At Corinth, Paul’s message found resistance. We read, “Paul spent all his time telling people the Good News, showing them that Jesus is the Christ. But they would not accept Paul’s teaching and said some evil things.” (Acts 18:5,6) So, we see Paul faced rejection of his message and personal assaults as well. The Lord appears to Paul and encourages him to “stay the course” in Corinth. He remains 18 months and we see a church established that is the recipient of two of Paul’s letters.
When Paul is in Ephesus, he speaks boldly the gospel for three months. We read, “But some of them became stubborn. They refused to believe and said evil things about the Way of Jesus before all the people.” (Acts 19:9) Then we read the account of the riot in Ephesus when Paul speaks out against idols and is perceived a threat to the local goddess and her idol makers.
But in the midst of all the opposition and persecution the record of Acts is how, “…the word of God continued to spread and flourish.” (Acts 6:7; 12:24; 19:20) God’s Word spread and the Church grew. From Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria and the uttermost parts of the world. That is God’s plan and purpose. Even in the midst of opposition we see miracles, the Lord’s provision, and lives changed.
That call and commitment of Acts is what the Church is called to for all time. Whether the message is accepted or rejected. As I was considering this, I found two Facebook posts that related to my thoughts. Pastor Todd Hudnall from Colorado Springs shared this quote from George Orwell, “The farther society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.”
Pastor and Author Richard Exley shared this response to a recent article, “In spite of what Steve McSwain argues in his article in the Huffington Post, we must not stop saying Jesus is the only way to God. We must take that message into the streets and highways. We must take it into the market place, and into our schools, and into the halls of government. We must take it to the very ends of the earth and we must shout it from the housetops. “Jesus is the only way to God and the only means of salvation….” (http://richardexleyministries.org/)
That is what Paul did. That is what we are to do as well. Even if there is opposition and persecution, we can be confidence of the Lord’s faithfulness, strength and provision. And the Lord will continue to allow His message to grow and for the Church to be strengthened.