The Outward Movement of the Gospel

Daily Reading: Numbers 9:15-23; Acts 28

So a time was set, and on that day a large number of people came to Paul’s lodging. 

He explained and testified about the Kingdom of God and tried to persuade them about Jesus from the Scriptures. Using the law of Moses and the books of the prophets, he spoke to them from morning until evening. Some were persuaded by the things he said, but others did not believe. Acts 28:23-24

It is a powerful example of Paul that wherever God takes him he continues to use the same method to spend the Gospel that was given in Acts 1:8. Even after being almost killed by the Jews in Israel Paul does not give up on them. When arriving in Rome his first initiated contact is to the local Jewish community. Paul brings them together and shares the gospel. Even though, by now, I’m sure Paul knew before hand that most of the Jews would reject his proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ he still gave them the opportunity to receive the invitation.

This past week I have been at a retreat called Missio Ecclesia, which has been a powerful call for our church to begin to live missionally. The retreat was brought to us and hosted by our Bishop, Ken Carter. During the first evening he shared powerfully from his heart and we were challenged that we need to be making disciples both within as well as without the church. The bishop told us that he was looking for Methodist within the Methodist church to bring the church back to its rightful place. The church is full of religious people who are not disciples of Christ.

We next heard from Alan Hirsch, one of the great missiologist of our day. Hirsch continued to tack on from the bishop by telling us that “If the religious are saying nice things about you, you are probably not living like Jesus.” What was true in the first century is still true today. Many of the religious establishment will simply not get what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ, but we still have to try to share with them the invitation to surrender to become disciples of Christ. 

Don’t miss one thing from the passage today. After the majority of the Jews rejected Paul’s invitation into the Body of Christ we read in the last two sentences of Acts that, “For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him.” (Acts 28:30-31) Paul never stopped proclaiming the great news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We to, if we are disciples, need to be in the business of making disciples, to whom ever God places within our paths.

Lord, Help me to be bold with your gospel, in the church and outside her as well.  Amen.