Acts 19:8-10
English
Standard Version (ESV)
8 And he entered the synagogue and for
three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of
God. 9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief,
speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and
took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.[a] 10 This continued for two
years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews
and Greeks.
As I read this passage the
last verse stood out boldly to me. “All
the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord”. We hosted an exchange student from an Asian
country who became a part of our family.
While she was with us she shared that she had seen most of the movie, Passion of the Christ and that she cried
but didn’t understand why she was crying.
She also shared that she had a Grandma that she thought had known about
the Bible. He mother wanted her to come
and study in America to learn English but also to learn more about
Christianity. The Word of the Lord is
still in Asia and still some are receiving His word and others are rejecting
it. Even though in some countries the
practice of Christianity it monitored and even discouraged, there are many who
are Christians and many hungry to hear the truth. These verses are as true today as they were when
they were written.
Another thing that struck me
is that sometimes change is needed in order to spread the Gospel. I am half and half when it comes to
change. I don’t necessarily like it but
I do not necessarily avoid it. I need to
see the need for change in order to embrace it but once I see it, I am all
in. In Paul’s case, he tried to witness
but was getting so much negative feedback that he had to change location, by
doing so, others were able to learn of the power of the Word of the Lord. As I read this, I thought, “the first church
split produced more believers”. I am all
for church splits if it brings about more for the Kingdom of God but if it is
only to fulfill selfish desires then maybe it isn’t the best way to resolve
conflict.
As you seek Him today, may
you find that He is calling you to change in order to spread the Gospel so that
all may hear His wonderful Words. Change
of heart, change of attitude, change of location, what is it that God wants
from you that will grow His kingdom?
Seeking Him with all my
heart,
Sheila
No comments:
Post a Comment