Welcome back as we continue our journey together through Paul’s missionary trips!
Just before the Christmas break, we finished the book of Hebrews. Now we move back into the book of Acts. This week we’ll look at Paul’s second missionary journey, which took him to nearly 20 cities over the course of about three years. After that, we’ll spend some time in I and II Thessalonians, letters written to believers in the city of Thessalonica where Paul visited during this trip.
Once again, Satan and his opposition met Paul at nearly every stop on this journey:
- A disagreement between Paul and Barnabas before the journey even began
- A demon-possessed slave girl and her angry owners in Philippi
- Being falsely jailed in Philippi
- A mob in Thessalonica that prompted Paul to leave in the cover of night
But Paul persevered through this opposition. In fact, Paul’s joy in his suffering brought in more believers. Because he didn’t give in to defeat, Paul continued to share the gospel and claimed new believers in the Philippian jailer and in people listening to the message in the synagogue in Thessalonica. He was terribly distressed at the blatant sin and idol worship in Athens, but even God used this situation for good. After many people rejected the gospel in the synagogue in Athens, Paul went to Corinth and then committed himself to taking the gospel to the Gentiles. (And I’m so thankful God sent Paul to the Gentiles!) All of this demonstrates that God uses opposition for His purpose!
How do I handle opposition? Am I praying for fruit in me and others through my suffering? Do I go to God and His Word for encouragement in the midst of opposition? What do people see in me as I suffer for God’s glory?