Acts__17
Scripture
Acts 17:32-34
“When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.” That ended Paul’s discussion with them, but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.”
Observation-What does it say?
In this passage, Paul is heading from town to town sharing the gospel of Jesus. He starts off sharing in a town of Thessalonica, then to a town of Berea, and he ends this passage preaching to the people in Athens. Everywhere Paul went he shared the Word of God. Some took to the message and believed, while some laughed at his teachings and others were jealous and sought to bring him down. But no matter how many accepted or rejected the Word of God, Paul knew his mission was to GO and SHARE the gospel wherever he went!
Understanding-What does it mean?
Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you in what you say, no matter where you go.
Paul was led by the Holy Spirit. He was obedient to the Holy Spirit no matter what the cost. Paul would go to foreign lands and share the good news to whoever would listen. He didn’t care about what the people thought of him and what he had to say. Paul was going to preach the truth even if it made him appear to be foolish to a room of Greek scholars. Paul knew that he would rather be a fool for Christ (1 Corinthians 4:10), than to be popular with others. At the end of the day, Paul was entrusted by God to share the good news wherever God would send him, even if that location was behind bars in a prison. It really didn’t matter for him. He had a job to do, and he was going to do it. Now that’s a man on Fire for God, empowered by the Holy Spirit!
Life Application
Like Paul, God has given me a responsibility to do.
Ezekiel 3:18-21 NLT
“If I warn the wicked, saying, ‘You are under the penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths. If you warn them and they refuse to repent and keep on sinning, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved yourself because you obeyed me. “If righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die. And if you do not warn them, they will die in their sins. None of their righteous acts will be remembered, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. But if you warn righteous people not to sin and they listen to you and do not sin, they will live, and you will have saved yourself, too.”
-Moses Gaddi