Acts 17
Have you ever had to stand your ground against a group of people who don’t agree with you? Maybe it was arguing why the Lions are the greatest football team to ever exist against your entire family, who are tired of watching them lose year after year. Maybe you’re a die-hard fan of pineapple on pizza, but your spouse and kids can’t stand it. Maybe you value going to church on Sunday, and your co-workers are mad that you won’t cover that shift for them. Maybe you’re the only one who gets laughed at for not drinking alcohol at dinner with your friends.
In Acts 17, Paul is speaking to the people of Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens. He told the people of Thessalonica that there was a coming Messiah who would die on the cross and then be raised from the dead. Although many people did believe the words that he was saying and decided to join them on their journey to spread the good news; others questioned, mocked, and were even offended by these words. The people of Berea were a bit more eager and excited to hear the news and sent Paul to Athens. Again, he preached about the coming Messiah. These people not only questioned this God that Paul was speaking about, but they took him to the high council of the city in hopes of punishing him for speaking about “some foreign gods.”
Paul jumps on the opportunity to hold his ground and lay out the Gospel to the high council. He explains that God created the world and everything in it. He shared that God satisfies every need, yet needs nothing from us. He pushes the idea that everything we do in this life is to honor God. Paul clearly ends his message by saying that God looked past our ignorance towards him and calls us to repent and turn from our sin and turn towards Him. He talks about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. He promises that there will be a day of judgment for each of them. Even after all of that, some people still mocked him. But many others believed him and joined them in their travels.
See, Paul continued to travel and evangelize to people even though he was continuously mocked, questioned, and punished. He stood his ground and brought the Gospel down to their level. Everywhere he traveled, he spoke the Truth of the Gospel in ways that they could understand. Paul experienced persecution, but continued to try to bring people to believe.
As a follower of Jesus, we are called in Matthew 28:18-20 to “make disciples of all nations…” To bring the Gospel to the ends of the world. Whatever part YOU play in that, whether it is to a neighbor, on a mission trip, at work, in your family, or even at church, you will have to stand your ground. People will question, mock, and even be offended at the Gospel. Take a moment and pray that the Lord helps you to bring the Gospel to THEIR level. Like Paul, use the Bible to help you explain it to people. The way that you explain the Gospel to your child may look different than how you explain it to your atheist co-worker, but the point is that you are sharing the Truth of the Gospel with them.
Have you ever had to stand your ground against a group of people who don’t agree with you? Maybe it was arguing why the Lions are the greatest football team to ever exist against your entire family, who are tired of watching them lose year after year. Maybe you’re a die-hard fan of pineapple on pizza, but your spouse and kids can’t stand it. Maybe you value going to church on Sunday, and your co-workers are mad that you won’t cover that shift for them. Maybe you’re the only one who gets laughed at for not drinking alcohol at dinner with your friends.
In Acts 17, Paul is speaking to the people of Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens. He told the people of Thessalonica that there was a coming Messiah who would die on the cross and then be raised from the dead. Although many people did believe the words that he was saying and decided to join them on their journey to spread the good news; others questioned, mocked, and were even offended by these words. The people of Berea were a bit more eager and excited to hear the news and sent Paul to Athens. Again, he preached about the coming Messiah. These people not only questioned this God that Paul was speaking about, but they took him to the high council of the city in hopes of punishing him for speaking about “some foreign gods.”
Paul jumps on the opportunity to hold his ground and lay out the Gospel to the high council. He explains that God created the world and everything in it. He shared that God satisfies every need, yet needs nothing from us. He pushes the idea that everything we do in this life is to honor God. Paul clearly ends his message by saying that God looked past our ignorance towards him and calls us to repent and turn from our sin and turn towards Him. He talks about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. He promises that there will be a day of judgment for each of them. Even after all of that, some people still mocked him. But many others believed him and joined them in their travels.
See, Paul continued to travel and evangelize to people even though he was continuously mocked, questioned, and punished. He stood his ground and brought the Gospel down to their level. Everywhere he traveled, he spoke the Truth of the Gospel in ways that they could understand. Paul experienced persecution, but continued to try to bring people to believe.
As a follower of Jesus, we are called in Matthew 28:18-20 to “make disciples of all nations…” To bring the Gospel to the ends of the world. Whatever part YOU play in that, whether it is to a neighbor, on a mission trip, at work, in your family, or even at church, you will have to stand your ground. People will question, mock, and even be offended at the Gospel. Take a moment and pray that the Lord helps you to bring the Gospel to THEIR level. Like Paul, use the Bible to help you explain it to people. The way that you explain the Gospel to your child may look different than how you explain it to your atheist co-worker, but the point is that you are sharing the Truth of the Gospel with them.
Posted in Devotional