ACTS 20
"And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await for me."
"God is good, the road is hard, Jesus is the way."
The road is hard has been a theme throughout the entire book of Acts. From the beginning, the road has been difficult for the people of God. This did not begin in Acts, but since sin entered the garden in Genesis. Since sin entered the world, challenges and struggles have been snowballing as the world gets older. So, as we read Acts, just know that the road was hard for those that came before them, just like it is for these people, and just like it is for us. However, the road does change and might consist of different challenges dependent on many factors, especially how far you might be in your walk. All roads to Jesus are hard, but depending how far you are in your walk often determines your understanding of just how hard it can be. For example, in the beginning, the hard road of faith snuck up on many of the followers of Christ. I am sure they did not expect Stephen getting stoned or Peter thrown in jail multiple times. Maybe Paul did not realize how hard it would be to break into ministry or that he would be hated in every city he preached in. Earlier in Acts, the hard road of faith was new and potentially surprising. However, as the book of Acts continues, the people of God are not surprised at all anymore. They fully know, understand, and have experienced just how hard the road is. What's amazing about the ending of Acts compared to the beginning, is that the people know how hard it is going to be and still choose to walk down it!
As Paul leaves, Paul explains to the people that his mission is filled with hard roads that he chooses to continue on. Paul tells the people that he and his mission's team is off to the next stop where he will surely be met with more struggles. Paul continues to walk down hard roads because he knows that the hard roads leads to Christ. Did Paul understand just how hard the road was when he began walking; probably not. Near the end of Acts does he know; absolutely he does!
One piece of amazing assurance that we are given that Christ is real comes from the lengths people went to after Jesus died. Have you ever met anyone willing to die for a lie? Better yet, anyone die for something that might or might not be true? If you read through the entire New Testament, the road never gets easier the deeper you get into the Bible. However, it seems like the people of God become more and more faithful. How can people grow in strength and faith as their life becomes more challenging?
What we see in Acts is what we see all through the New Testament; our faith in Jesus being Lord makes any hard road worth walking. Paul was a faithful man of God who was willing to be persecuted, thrown in prison, and even be put to death because He had experienced Christ.
As we all get older by the day, most of our roads do get harder, but I pray our faith grows deeper. I pray that like Paul, the goodness of Jesus triumphs over anything the enemy throws at us or the world takes from us.
Always remember...
God is real
Jesus saves
The Spirit is within me
The world is not my home
Stay faithful church.
The road is hard has been a theme throughout the entire book of Acts. From the beginning, the road has been difficult for the people of God. This did not begin in Acts, but since sin entered the garden in Genesis. Since sin entered the world, challenges and struggles have been snowballing as the world gets older. So, as we read Acts, just know that the road was hard for those that came before them, just like it is for these people, and just like it is for us. However, the road does change and might consist of different challenges dependent on many factors, especially how far you might be in your walk. All roads to Jesus are hard, but depending how far you are in your walk often determines your understanding of just how hard it can be. For example, in the beginning, the hard road of faith snuck up on many of the followers of Christ. I am sure they did not expect Stephen getting stoned or Peter thrown in jail multiple times. Maybe Paul did not realize how hard it would be to break into ministry or that he would be hated in every city he preached in. Earlier in Acts, the hard road of faith was new and potentially surprising. However, as the book of Acts continues, the people of God are not surprised at all anymore. They fully know, understand, and have experienced just how hard the road is. What's amazing about the ending of Acts compared to the beginning, is that the people know how hard it is going to be and still choose to walk down it!
As Paul leaves, Paul explains to the people that his mission is filled with hard roads that he chooses to continue on. Paul tells the people that he and his mission's team is off to the next stop where he will surely be met with more struggles. Paul continues to walk down hard roads because he knows that the hard roads leads to Christ. Did Paul understand just how hard the road was when he began walking; probably not. Near the end of Acts does he know; absolutely he does!
One piece of amazing assurance that we are given that Christ is real comes from the lengths people went to after Jesus died. Have you ever met anyone willing to die for a lie? Better yet, anyone die for something that might or might not be true? If you read through the entire New Testament, the road never gets easier the deeper you get into the Bible. However, it seems like the people of God become more and more faithful. How can people grow in strength and faith as their life becomes more challenging?
What we see in Acts is what we see all through the New Testament; our faith in Jesus being Lord makes any hard road worth walking. Paul was a faithful man of God who was willing to be persecuted, thrown in prison, and even be put to death because He had experienced Christ.
As we all get older by the day, most of our roads do get harder, but I pray our faith grows deeper. I pray that like Paul, the goodness of Jesus triumphs over anything the enemy throws at us or the world takes from us.
Always remember...
God is real
Jesus saves
The Spirit is within me
The world is not my home
Stay faithful church.
SCRIPTURE TO GO WITH THE MESSAGE
Read Ephesians 1 as Paul writes to the same people of Ephesus about the love of God.
Posted in Year One