Creation to Christ: Reading 49 – September 25, 2016 – Acts 13-14, To the Ends of the Earth

Today’s Readings

Context 

The great church at Antioch, the church God infused with a heart to break out of the Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria part, and get into the "to the ends of the earth" part of God's purpose of grace, dwas worshiping God when suddenly the Spirit of God spoke to them, clearly and specifically. He told them to set apart two men, Barnabas and Saul, for the mission work he had planned for them. They would be God's chosen servants to begin the worldwide spread of the gospel.

So, Barnabas and Saul, with Mark (for a while), headed off to the Galatians region to tell people about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They encountered some tough times, saw the powerful work of Christ, were opposed by the party of the circumcision who didn't like that Gentiles were coming to Christ and continued to break new ground in kingdom work. 

Devotional - Perseverance 

The most amazing thing about Paul's ministry was not the rhetorical force of his sermons or even the miracles that he performed. These were all impressive, but what leaps out is the perseverance he demonstrated in his work.

In his first missionary journey, he ran into trouble pretty much everywhere he went. He'd go into a city where no one had heard of Jesus, proclaim Christ, establish a church, then suffer a backlash from either the Jewish leaders or Gentile powers-that-were who found his ministry threatening. He'd leave that town (often with a lynch mob close behind) then move on to the next town where the cycle would start over again.

Time after time, city after city, Paul experienced opposition, insult and persecution, but he just kept going. He kept preaching, kept contending, kept serving, regardless of how much force the enemy brought against him.

I was especially struck with Acts 14:21-22. After Paul had been chased out of all of these towns, this is what he did.

After they had evangelized that town and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch, strengthening the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith and by telling them, “It is necessary to pass through many troubles on our way into the kingdom of God.”

He went back. He returned to places that had run him off and continued to serve Jesus there. It is not accident that he taught the disciples that it was necessary to "pass through many troubles" in the service of Christ.

Perseverance is a key to successful ministry. It certainly was the key to Paul's. He committed himself to the service of Jesus Christ and when things got ugly, when things got hard, when people turned against him, when the forces of darkness were arrayed to stop him, he just kept on going.

Father, may I be one who perseveres in your service!

Think and Pray

Do you give up when you are opposed, when things don't go your way?
Remind yourself that every work of God is opposed and that if you are doing God's work you will receive opposition. Expect.it.