“In this way the word of the Lord spread and prevailed.” Acts 19:20
Now we come to it. Paul has reached Rome, and we as a church have reached the end of the book of Acts. The Book of Acts has shown us disciples with much missionary eagerness and faithful obedience to sharing the gospel. The Greek word euangelizo, meaning “proclaim the gospel” occurs fifteen times in the book of Acts, more than in any other book of the Bible.
We’ve also seen that the culture the early believers and evangelists found themselves in was hostile to the gospel. That might seem like bad news, but the truth is that the gospel flourishes where human weakness abounds. Where you find difficulty and persecution you often find revival. Cultural differences don’t slow the spread of the gospel. Opposition and unjust treatment only act like fuel on a fire. The spread of the good news of Jesus simply cannot be thwarted.
Why Does Opposition Fuel Mission?
In the book of Acts, Paul’s life and ministry demonstrates for us the way the gospel flourishes through difficulty. In his letter to the Philippian church, Paul sheds some light on how this happens. While talking about his suffering for the sake of the gospel, he pens these memorable words
“My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death.” -Philippians 3:10
Do you see that? Paul gives two amazing reasons why opposition actually serves to further spread the gospel.
The first is the resurrection of Jesus. If you’ve seen someone who was dead and is alive again, you will not be easily cowed. Something about a resurrection puts some steel in your spine. I envy the more than five hundred believers for this booster shot of confidence that they received when the resurrected Jesus appeared to them.
The second reason that Christianity thrives under pressure, however, is available to us if we’ll embrace it. We serve a king who conquered through suffering. If we want to be successful in our mission, we will likely have to do the same. If we are living as Christians before the watching world, there are those who will condemn us. People in your workplace or even your own family may think you are a fool or something worse because of your devotion to Jesus. I fall prey to this belief that if I am really thoughtful, I will be able to communicate the gospel in just the right way that will allow everybody to hear it and still like me. The truth is that some people will be able to see the beauty in the gospel we have to offer, but others will be repelled by it no matter how winsome we are.
Staying Focused on the Gospel
That isn’t to say that we shouldn’t attempt to be gentle and humble and winsome. We should not be unnecessarily confrontational and obtuse and then claim that we are being persecuted. We should not mix up the gospel of Jesus with our own unpopular opinions that might put someone off, nor should we confuse persecution with a snarky meme floating around Facebook. I’m talking about the fact that some people will choose to avoid you simply because your presence convicts them. You might be ostracized in your workplace or even miss out on certain job opportunities because of your faith. Many of the people we come into contact with want to be their own Lord. Living our lives before them in a way that is servant hearted toward all and submissive to our creator will probably either attract them or make them deeply uncomfortable.
“Jesus’ death brought life to us, and when we share in his suffering and conform to his death, it brings life to the church. ”
This is the pattern and the power of the gospel. When we are scorned by people who don’t understand or appreciate our faith, we respond with love and even rejoicing that we get to share in the sufferings of Christ. If enemies of the church seek to marginalize or silence her, our suffering well will speak volumes. We are told in scripture that we should not pay back insult for insult, but rather be compassionate and humble. This requires us to die to ourselves, and as we die with Jesus, it actually brings life. Jesus' death brought life to us, and when we share in his suffering and conform to his death, it brings life to the church. It’s this crazy principle that Jesus set in motion at the cross, and he invites us to live it out with him.
Continuing the Mission of Acts
As we close out this season in the book of Acts, I pray that you and I will put our own comfort to death. As we reflect on the way God directed the ministry of the early church through persecution, I pray we would be inspired. When we look at the cross and see what Jesus was willing to do to give us life, I pray that we wouldn’t be able to hide our fervor for his kingdom. When we remember his resurrection, I pray that we will remember that new life springs from death and risk anything so that others could hear this good news.
The foundation of our mission is the same as that of the church in Acts; it’s the death and resurrection of Jesus.