Paul and Barnabas faced some harsh opposition during their first mission trip.
- A governor whose adviser was a false prophet
- Crowds slandered them and argued against everything taught by Paul and Barnabas
- Other crowds were able to actually stone Paul
Each time this happened, Paul and Barnabas stayed on point and preached the good news. The impact of their news was more important than their reputations or lives.
Now consider rhetoric over the last 18 months culminating with yesterday's US election. Blatant attempts to slander and destroy without actually offering something of substance. Why could they not stay on point? Because there was no point!
Paul and Barnabas had a mission that had value. They were bringing value to everyone they encountered. Not a subset. The offer of Salvation is for all mankind. That is why they could focus on the news without feeling the need to defend themselves from hostile forces.
The world will not always receive our message well, and some reactions may be emotionally or physically violent. But we have to be focused on delivering the news. A lot more than 4 years in a big house is riding on it.
1 comment:
So true. Sometimes we can also be derailed by hot topic issues, we need to keep Jesus the focus.
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