Good Monday to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Have you wrestled, maybe even struggled with this question “WHY does God allow painful problems into the lives of God’s people, who are doing the best they can to faithfully honor God and follow His leading in their lives”? That question is fair, legitimate and has been faced by Billions of Christians since the days of Jesus. In fact, I left you yesterday watching Paul and Silas ‘rushed’ out of town, at night, by new believers in Jesus, because the opposition had grown so violent! (Acts 17:8-10)
What town and what had happened? Acts 17:1-4 tells us the story of Paul, and his traveling team initially well received in the major city of Thessalonica, Macedonia. On three successive Sabbaths Paul was invited to share his message about Jesus Christ and there was a significant response of both Jews and Gentiles who believed Paul and trusted Jesus to be their Messiah and Savior. But quickly opposition rose up and those new believers rushed to get Paul and Silas safely out of town at night. (Acts 17:5-10)
But wait a minute? Wasn’t the Holy Spirit of God carefully guiding Paul’s journey? We saw the Spirit of Jesus had actually prevented Paul from going to certain places (Acts 16:6-8) and redirected him first to Troas, and then Philippi, and now Thessalonica. So, Paul’s presence here was no mistake! It was God’s assignment! And furthermore, Paul’s purpose, his new life commission, was given to him by Jesus. in his dramatic, life changing encounter with resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus, remember? (Acts 9) So WHY would God allow such persecution, such violent opposition to Paul and his Gospel message, not just once or twice, but almost everywhere Paul obediently followed the leading of the Holy Spirit of God in his life?
May I give you three important reasons, and I invite you to look closely at your life journey to see if these apply in your life as well?
First… Paul was LIGHT entering areas of DARKNESS!
In fact, Paul was PENETRATING darkness as he brought the light of Jesus. Do you remember Jesus said, “I am the light of the world, whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness.” (John 8:12) The contrast of light and darkness, referred to in the Bible, is normally the contrast of good and evil / truth and false / right and wrong / holy and wicked. It’s the spiritual battle of our world between Jesus and His kingdom of Light vs. Satan and his kingdom of darkness.
The opposition Paul faced was the darkness of Satan’s world rejecting the light of Jesus, and that has been true since the garden of Eden, in every place and every generation. It’s true where you and I live. Perhaps you experience, maybe frequently, the resistance, maybe even rejection of the LIGHT you ARE and CARRY, because the darkness around you hates God’s light! The Holy Spirit in you is LIGHT you carry with you wherever you go in our dark world, just like Paul!
Second... Growth and strength come in resistance, did you know that?
Walk into any weight training or even a medical physical fitness place and look around. What do you see? Machines designed for resistance! Why? Because God has designed our bodies to need exercise and our muscles to need resistance if we will be healthy.
What happens when a cast is removed from a limb that has been casted for a long time? The muscles in that limb have atrophied and need exercise and resistance in order to renew and strengthen.
Now, can you make the application to your soul? Our minds need to be challenged to keep learning. Our courage and faith need to be challenged to stay strong. The opposition for Paul provided Paul significant growth opportunities. It forced him to question what he believed and was preaching. Was it true and worth suffering to defend? His character was being strengthened and refined to be more like Jesus with each added opposition and suffering.
Years later Paul wrote to the Christians suffering opposition in Rome: “We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance produces character; and character produces hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through His Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 5:3-5)
Third… people were always watching and as Paul and his team suffered, often unjustly, the evidence of the sustaining power of God in them was clearly evident to people who knew they would have crumbled and become angry, bitter, resentful, maybe even hateful if they had been persecuted as Paul was.
Did you know people are ALWAYS watching YOU and me? We don’t demonstrate much power of God sitting in a lounge chair, under an umbrella at the beach, do we? God’s power in His people is seen when they stand strong and courageous in persecution, in opposition, in problems.
A few years later Paul wrote to the Christians in Philippi: “I have learned the secret of being content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in great need and I know what it is to have plenty… I can do all things through HIM who gives me strength.” (Phil. 4:11-13) Paul learned that over many years of weathering the storms of great persecution and finding Jesus ALWAYS faithful. Faithful to what? Faithful to God’s Word. Faithful to His promises. Faithful to His people.
Now we need to pause and seriously ponder.
How do you handle persecution, problems and opposition? Do you see God has purpose, good growth purpose in them? The “lessons learned” notes below will be very helpful to you, and I hope the worship song blesses your soul. And I’ll be here waiting for you tomorrow with so much more for all of us to learn, as we walk with Jesus.
Today’s Scripture: Acts 17:4-10.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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