God Brings About The Response To His Word
[By Gerald Gates]
Jonah preached to Nineveh against their wickedness, in a three-day journey through the city “Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4, NKJV). The people and their king listened, they turned from their wicked ways and God changed His mind to destroy them.
The Apostle Paul (Saul) in Damascus preached Christ in the synagogues that He is the Son of God (Acts 9:20), …proving that Jesus is the Christ (Acts 9:22). In Jerusalem he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 9:29). He worked a whole year with Barnabas in Antioch. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:25-26). Imagine how often the name of Christ must have been proclaimed and glorified in their lives while working there to be called “Christians.”
Paul and Barnabas became messengers of aid to the church in Jerusalem in light of the famine (Acts 11:27-30). They also were sent to spread the gospel, evangelize to people out there (Acts 13:2-3), preaching the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews in Salamis (Acts 13:5). Some wanted to hear this word of God, and given the opportunity, believed, astonished at the teaching of the Lord (Acts 13:7, 12). At the synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia they were asked to share any words of exhortation for the people (Acts 13:15). They were willing and ready to share, Paul speaking of what God had done for their forefathers, all of which was to bring them God’s promised Savior, Jesus of the seed of David, of whom John recently preached in the baptism of repentance to all Israel. He used familiar knowledge to lead them toward Christ. He warned them of the consequences of neglecting God’s salvation and told them of Christ in whom is the forgiveness of sins. Some believed and some opposed Paul and the word of Christ.
In Acts 16, Paul taught at the place of prayer on the Sabbath in Philippi where Lydia and her household believed. Imprisoned with Silas, he taught in the jail house from which the jailer and his household believed in the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Acts 17, at Thessalonica, Paul taught in the synagogue that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, the same Jesus he proclaimed. Some believed and some became envious. At Berea Paul and Silas came to people who listened and searched the scriptures to see if what they taught was true. Many believed, even of the Greeks, women and men. At Athens, Paul used their own idols to bring their attention to the true God who calls on all people to turn to Him, and who will judge all people by Jesus who was raised from the dead. Some believed and some mocked and others were curious to hear more.
In Acts 18, Paul worked with Priscilla and Aquila making tents in Corinth and reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath with Jews and Greeks of whom some believed. When Silas and Timothy came, he testified continually that Jesus is the Christ. He was met with opposition of the Jews and turned to the Gentiles who would listen, staying eighteen months teaching, many believed and they met opposition also.
In Acts 19, at Ephesus, Paul reasoned in the synagogue for 3 months concerning the kingdom of God. When he was rejected by those who did not believe, he went and taught among the Gentiles in the school of Tyrannus for 2 years from which all that region heard the word of the Lord Jesus.
Paul met opposition along the way but continued and encouraged all who believed and served the Lord in the work of the gospel. He preached the gospel, reasoning with rulers, philosophers, merchants, laborers, rich and poor, whoever was willing or present to listen.
In Acts 22, he told the Jews his own story of conversion-that he did not neglect the Lord’s word to him on his way to Damascus.
In Acts 23, when put on trial before the High Priest for his testimony of Christ, he trusted in the Lord in the midst of persecution.
In Acts 24, he taught Governor Felix concerning faith in Christ.
In Acts 26, Paul told King Agrippa his conversion story and almost persuaded him to believe in Christ.
And in Acts 28, when Paul came to Rome, he preached Jesus from his own rented house, and some believed and others did not.
God sent Jonah to preach to Nineveh, and he did, after God had saved him from the belly of the fish. The Lord sent Paul to preach to the world around him, the forgiveness of sins through the Lord Jesus Christ, this was after the Lord spoke to him offering him salvation at Damascus. Both Jonah and Paul put their mind and strength to what was ahead of them, that God is the King who will save and guide his children in justice and mercy. God will do His work, and we can be a part of it when we trust in Him and follow His command to us. Paul has left many examples of how one can be in service to God’s work sharing what God has done for us, teaching, encouraging, aiding, working, enduring, and reaching out with the word of life in Jesus to those around us: evangelism at work.