Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: Acts 14 and Psalm 82

‘We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,’ they said. (v.22)

Having been sent out by the Church of Antioch on a mission to take the Gospel of Jesus further afield, Barnabas and Saul did so with great determination. It was a very tough assignment, and as they journeyed from town to town, they found themselves contending against the dark powers of sorcery, idolatry, and envy, all of which found expression in violent opposition. In Iconium, they left suddenly under threat of violence, and in Lystra, Paul was stoned and left for dead.

Incredibly, despite all of this opposition, they soldiered on. In every town they visited, many Jews and Gentiles believed the Gospel message and God confirmed the truth of the Gospel with miracles and wonders.

When the time came for them to start heading back to their home-base in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas did not take any short-cuts. Remembering that their mission was not to make converts, but to make disciples, they steadfastly and bravely returned to the very towns where they had suffered hardships and persecution, to strengthen the new disciples there, encourage them to remain true to the faith, and appoint elders to continue the work of building the local churches. Only then did they sense that their work was now completed (v.26).

Life application: Is there someone younger in the faith than you, whom God is calling you to help in their discipleship journey? Reach out to them and make time to spend together this week for the express purpose of encouraging them in their relationship with Jesus.