Talking with people about Jesus can be hard. There are lots of things that make us reluctant to share the gospel with others. Maybe you feel unqualified: you’re painfully aware of your own moral shortcomings, that you’re an imperfect Christian; or you don’t think you can give the rights answers, you’re ill-equipped, not an expert in the subject matter. Maybe you feel the weight of society’s hostility towards Christianity. Nowadays, Christians are increasingly dismissed as being intellectually inferior, or even worse, narrow and bigoted.
If you feel like this, be encouraged, you’re not alone. But the reality is that none of us on our own have the capacity to convince anyone to follow Jesus. God must do the work through us.
The Book of Acts gives us ample encouragement to joyfully persevere in telling people about Jesus. This book is all about the ongoing work of Jesus in proclaiming his gospel and building his church through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 1:8, Jesus said to his disciples, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts shows us how Jesus uses broken and imperfect people to save other broken and imperfect people.
We’ve been studying Acts over the past few years in sections in a series called, “The spreading flame”. Like a spark that ignites a forest fire, the gospel spread as Jesus’ followers were obedient to his command to be his witnesses. This Sunday, we’re starting the last section. In chapter 21, the apostle Paul has returned to Jerusalem where he’s arrested. For the rest of his life, he’ll be in chains. But instead of being cowered into silence, Paul continues to share about the hope he has in Jesus. These final chapters of Acts provide us at least three lessons.
Zeal for Jesus and his gospel ought to mark every Christian
First, Jesus’ followers should be zealous for gospel ministry. Paul says to King Agrippa, “I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains” (Acts 26:29). Paul deeply desired that others would give their lives to Jesus. This is a lesson for every Christian, not just for pastors and missionaries. Zeal for Jesus and his gospel ought to mark every Christian. God has saved us out of darkness and made us ambassadors of his kingdom. Each of us are placed by God in relationships where we can share the light of Jesus to those who are lost.
Second, Luke continues to detail the empowering work of the Holy Spirit. Paul faces incredible suffering and opposition to the gospel. We can muster all our energy for any task, but if we do not have the Spirit, we will crumble beneath the weight of opposition. All efforts apart from the Holy Spirit will fail. These chapters should drive us towards prayerful dependence on God.
Third, these chapters show us that God’s people must be marked by an unshakable trust in God’s sovereignty. Paul constantly faces suffering and the threat of death. Yet despite this, the gospel continues to advance. Suffering reveals God’s power, grace, and glory even more.
People’s need to hear the gospel of Jesus is just as urgent today as it was in Paul’s day. God uses us for this task. So we proclaim Jesus, knowing that he grows his kingdom.
