A devotional study of Acts 13-14

Worship

“Fear Is Not My Future” by Brandon Lake and Chandler Moore

Scripture Foundation

“As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

^“On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.

The Reality of Ministry

This passage of Scripture really gripped me this week as I entered into the complexity of what Paul faced and what that would have felt like. All of the years of preparation couldn’t have made him ready for the bombardment of persecution. On the flip side, I can imagine the thrill and reward of entire regions turning to Jesus. The extremes of joy and pain are much to process as I put my feet in Paul’s sandals.

Paul’s Journey

Paul’s first missionary journey is described in Acts 13-14. The Scripture reference above is a mere snapshot of his journey. Beginning in Antioch, upon their commissioning, Paul and Barnabas left for Cyprus. They preached in the cities of Salamis and Paphos. From there they headed to Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). The key cities they visited were Perga, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. After Paul preached in these cities, facing great opposition, they returned to Antioch to give a report to the Church there.

In the beginning of Acts 13, Paul had to deal with a mouthy sorcerer. His helper, John Mark, bailed and returned to Jerusalem. By the end of the chapter, he was dealing with the oxymoron of enraged “godly” women who had been incited against him. He was loved, and he was hated. Yet every part of this story was depositing in Paul an immovable and abounding faith. God used every last ounce of this first missionary journey to make and mark this man.

The Cost of Following Christ

Here’s our reality as Christ followers: some will love you and the message you carry, and some will mock and persecute you. Others will hate you because of Christ in you. Your calling will be tested. Your body and soul will be bruised and beaten. You may wonder if you have been forsaken simply because you obeyed. But one thing is certain—Christ will have the final word, and you will see a victory! The victories Paul experienced even in this little snapshot mattered for all of eternity as Heaven would be filled with these worshippers. But he had to persist. He couldn’t throw in the towel. His leadership development depended on it. His call depended on it! He could not give up—nor can you!

God’s Redemptive Power

“It is important for us to believe that God can redeem the pain in our life. Not that God sent it, but that God can redeem it. He turns the arrows of the enemy meant to destroy us into the scalpels of the Great Physician meant to heal us. It gives us hope in every circumstance.” -Dr. Rob Reimer, “Soul Care”

What was being produced in Paul, in his innermost being, was something much deeper than Luke could articulate in this account. We will hear from Paul as he scribes his heart in the epistles. But I want to remind you of our warrior missionary and the vulnerability of his humanity.

“I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power…” -1 Corinthians 2:3-4

He also said:

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” -Philippians 1:21

Standing Strong Today

Here’s the encouragement and heart plea this passage shouts to me: the perseverance required of the saints in this current place in history is not for weak, defenseless comfort-seekers. God is raising up an end-time army to stand on the front lines of what He is doing in the Earth. They will move with resolve and conviction, anchored in His unconditional love, salvation, and goodness. It’s the same unwavering resolve that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego displayed when they said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “‘… we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up (Daniel 3:16-18).’”

In the same way we watch Paul navigate the hardships of his calling, we cannot throw in the towel and give up. Your calling is irrevocable. Jesus is the hope of your calling and your very great reward. As you lead cities and regions to Christ, great will be His victory in and through you!

“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us … .” -2 Corinthians 1:8-10

Personal Response

Will you:

• Stay the course, as hard as it may seem?
• Commit to Jesus that, no matter what, you will trust Him with the outcome of your calling?
• Ask the Lord to give you a backbone of conviction and resolve?
• Keep your faith intact and your feet in the harvest field?

Jesus is worthy of your yes to all of the questions above. He will complete what He has begun in you (Philippians 1:6). Hold on. It’s not time to give up but to press in.