SPREADING THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT JESUS
We shouldn't be surprised at the fact that not everyone will accept the gospel.
There were times in the ministry of Jesus when he was very popular. And yet, there was increasing opposition to what he was doing and saying. Until he was taken captive, condemned to death and crucified on the cross. Then he rose from the dead.
He appeared to some of his followers who became witnesses to his resurrection. Meeting with them over a period of forty days before his ascension and comforting them with his peace, because of the traumatic experience they had gone through surrounding the events of the cross.
And he taught them and encouraged them from the scriptures to understand that all that had taken place was in fulfilment of what God had promised, as prophesied in the Old Testament.
It had to be that he would suffer and die for the sins of the world. And that he would rise again from the dead. Those very same scriptures foretold that the message of repentance and forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed throughout the whole world, starting at Jerusalem.
Jesus told his followers they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them and that they would be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and beyond, to the furthest extent of the earth. And that is exactly what happened after Jesus ascended back to his Father in heaven. He sent the promised Holy Spirit and when the Holy Spirit came upon them they started proclaiming the gospel throughout the city of Jerusalem. With the result that thousands came to faith in Jesus Christ and they met together in public and in each other's homes.
These new believers encouraged each other in the faith as they grew in their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, by faith. There was an amazing movement of the gospel throughout Jerusalem. But there was opposition too and it increasingly grew until finally there was quite a severe persecution against the church. Which resulted in almost all of the believers being scattered beyond the confines of the city.
Those circumstances, as terrible as they were, resulted in the good news about Jesus Christ being proclaimed everywhere.
If you don't do it already, I would encourage you to read the Bible. For example, in the New Testament ... Matthew, Mark, Luke and John give us the gospel record of the life, ministry, teaching, death, resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ ... And the Acts of the Apostles gives us the initial history of the proclamation of the gospel and the planting of church communities throughout many countries.
For a number of years I have been intrigued and encouraged by the circumstances of one of the christian workers as described in the last chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. He was chained to a soldier, under house arrest, in the capital of the Roman Empire. Even though his movements were considerably restricted, we read that he still continued to use opportunities, speaking about the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus. With courage and without hindrance.
Whatever circumstances you and I may be facing at this present time, wherever we live throughout the globe. If we will put our trust in God he will help us by his Spirit to know what to do to continue this important work.
If someone reading this has been a persecutor of followers of Christ and a destroyer of christian communities. If you are willing to repent of your sins and place your trust in Jesus, who died on the cross for us all and rose again from the dead. If you are willing to turn to the living God, by faith in his Son, God will have mercy upon you and he will forgive you and cleanse you from all your sins.
My prayer for you is that instead of being a persecutor of christians you will become someone who helps others to believe in Jesus Christ. Instead of being a destroyer of christian communities I pray that you will become someone who builds christian communities as you share the gospel with people who are there where you are, where you live.
God bless you, in the name of Jesus!
FOR FURTHER READING:
Matthew 5:10-11 & 44; Luke 24:1-53; John 15:20; Acts 1:1-11; 28:16, 20 & 30-31; 1 Corinthians 15:9-10; Galatians 1:13-24; 1 Timothy 1:12-16; 2 Timothy 3:12
YOUTUBE:
This blogpost is adapted from a video message I posted on YouTube earlier this month, with the same title.
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