A well-known TV preacher asked his listeners to purchase a private jet for his ministry. He reasoned that using the jet would make it easier for him to proclaim the gospel of Jesus.
Paul and Barnabas had a different method; they walked. The distance from Lystra to Antioch was approximately 100 miles. While they traveled, they both introduced people to the good news of God’s love in Christ and built up the church.
“There they strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith, saying, ‘It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God.'” (Acts 14:22)
You will remember Jesus’ Parable of the Sower, where He told His followers that persecution would challenge their faith. In fact, some would stop following Jesus because of persecution.
“As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet such a person has no root but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.” (Matthew 13:20-21)
The apostles told the disciples in Antioch that persecution was to be expected. Depending on where you live, persecution takes on different looks. In some cultures, becoming a follower of Jesus puts a literal bullseye on your back.
In America, the biggest persecution comes from work associates, family members, or old friends. A conference speaker put it like this: “There are move up goals and give up goals. If you are giving up a bad habit, people will support you. If they think you are moving up and leaving them behind, they will resist you.”
If we know someone whose faith is being challenged by circumstances, one of the best things we can do is be a solid Christian friend.
I remember visiting with a man who was angry and hurt from his experiences with the church he attended. God gave me the grace to listen attentively to him for about an hour. I don’t remember giving him any counsel or advice. At the end of our visit, he gave me a hug and thanked me for my help. What did I do? I listened.
Listening and genuine friendship may be exactly what is needed for those whose faith is being challenged.
An Open Door
One of my missionary friends is a petite, middle-aged woman who served in an African country. She boldly traveled to an area where truck drivers unloaded cargo ships before taking goods to different parts of Africa. She used that place as an opportunity to share the gospel.
She shared Bible stories that connected with the culture of the men she met. Several of these men became followers of the Lord. They then took what God had done in their lives back to their hometowns, hoping to share the gospel with their friends.
From the moment this lady felt called to missionary service through her work with truckers, one thing was clear: the Holy Spirit guided her efforts. Like Paul and Barnabas, she could share a similar message as they did with the church in Antioch.
“When they arrived, they called the church together and related all that God had done with them and how he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles.” (Acts 14:27)
Her missionary work took place 2,000 years after Paul and Barnabas began their journey. Besides sharing the gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit, they had another thing in common: persecution.
When people return with a new faith that goes against their culture, they can expect persecution. Supporting them is incredibly important.
The Joy of the Gospel
As a young pastor, I was very nervous about sharing the gospel. Fear of rejection gave me stomachaches every time I talked to someone about Jesus. That was the hard part.
The good part was seeing 50 years of God’s transforming power through the gospel. When we tell people about Jesus, His love for them, His desire to forgive their sins, and His offer of new life, lives change.
The New Testament tells the story of God’s love for us and His desire to change us. I did not cross cultural lines like my missionary friend in Africa, but I did cross the line between unbelief and faith. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, it was a joy to see people come to know Jesus.
What I have done and what she has done, you can do too.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed Acts 14:21-28 on YouTube today.
