Do We Ever Give Up?



Acts 19:8-10
8And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.
9But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.
10This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

Paul spent over 2 years with the Ephesians, teaching them the Gospel and helping this young church grow in the faith. As always he started in the synagogue and taught there for as long as he was allowed then he moved to another venue when the opposition became too strong. He knew when to move on and did so without reservation. Do we have the same strength? Can we walk away when the opposition becomes too great? I’m not sure we do. As Christians we tend to try and hang in there, unwilling to allow the rejection or we take that rejection personally. Maybe we need to reevaluate that attitude. Paul stands as an example of following the voice of God and being willing to accept a negative response by backing off.

I find it interesting that Paul moves into a Gentile venue. The synagogue has become hostile. Since he is directed by God to be a missionary to the Gentiles, he moves comfortably into a hall owned by a Greek and continues to teach daily. It would be amazing to just go to the hall each day and wait for people to come and discuss Jesus with me. I love the fact that Paul is quick to adjust his ministry style to meet the demands of the day while not compromising the message that he carries. So maybe he didn’t give up; he simply adapted. That’s admirable too. Instead of demanding that people meet us where we are, we go to meet them where they are comfortable.

One of the outcomes of living your faith out loud is the possibility of rejection. Talk to any group of people and you probably won’t find one person who embraces rejection joyfully. It hurts. We avoid it if at all possible. But if you’re going to be a viable witness for the Lord you will experience rejection. Not everyone is going to embrace the Gospel and the trick is to avoid taking that rejection personally. But the faith is deeply personal and it is difficult not to take those rejections to heart. What I always have in my back pocket is the knowledge that even though someone rejects my message I still have prayer. You may reject my message but you can’t stop me from praying for you. And so I do.

Dear Lord, I pray for those who will not hear the Gospel message from my lips. Please intervene in their lives in a way that You know will break through those barriers. Bring someone into their lives that can speak so that they can hear. And when it is my turn to share You with another, please fill my mouth with the right words said in the right way. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

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