The Gospel Thrives In Persecution and Opposition – Acts 14

Here some applications from this passage not in audio:

1. Every disciple of Christ is part of the church of Christ no matter where they reside.

2. We are all called to boldly proclaim the good news of the Gospel. We are all missionaries.

3. Proclaiming the Gospel will bring results.

There will be opposition and even persecution from unbelievers. It will bring others to faith. Matthew 10:34

4. Every church must have elders to shepherd and lead the flock of God.

5. Every believer must expect suffering and persecution. We must remain faithful to our Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. Here is a quote from A.W. Tozer:

‘Christ calls men to carry a cross; we call them to have fun in his name. He calls them to forsake the world; we assure them that if they but accept Jesus the world is their oyster. He calls them to suffer; we call them to enjoy all the bourgeois comforts modern civilization affords. He calls them to self-abegnation and death; we call them to spread themselves like green bay trees or perchance even to become stars in a pitiful fifth-rate zodiac. He calls them to holiness; we call them to a cheap and tawdry happiness that would have been rejected with scorn by the least of the Stoic philosophers. . . . We can afford to suffer now; we’ll have a long eternity to enjoy ourselves. And our enjoyment will be valid and pure, for it will come in the right way in the right time.17 Remember that the clear teaching about the inevitability of suffering comes in a section that describes the follow-through care of the new converts. This leads us to the conclusion that teaching on suffering should be considered part of the basic follow-through training given to new converts.” – Quoted in Acts The NIV Application Commentary by Ajith Fernando