Acts 17:1-15: On to Thessalonica and Berea

One of the missionary lessons is that some areas are more gospel-resistant than others. Thessalonica, the capital city of Macedonia was more resistant than usual. Yet, we find that two of Paul’s letters end up going there. So despite its resistance, the church took root.

It’s important to remember Jesus’ parable of the sower in which seed falls on different kinds of ground – the sun-hardened, travel-worn path, the rocky soil, the thorns-ridden soil, and the good soil that yields 30, 60 and 100 fold. I have heard sermons that have said this parable was meant to show that you need to be sure you are only planting in good soil. But I don’t think that at all. Jesus was being honest that different people will have different levels of responsiveness to the gospel and you never know how much the yield will be. I have been surprised both by those I thought would never take root that did and even more by those I thought were taking root and ended up not yielding at all. We don’t control the results. The important thing is to cast the seed.

This is why we must put aside our success cult understanding, if we are to faithfully present the gospel. I don’t mean that we should continue sharing our faith in ways that don’t connect with people. But I do mean that building relationships over time and sharing our faith will sometimes get visible results and sometimes not. But if we quit investing in people because they don’t respond the way we hope, non one catches faith.

Furthermore, you and I live in a time where the gospel perspective for life is meeting resistance on many fronts. Our witness will need to have greater patience and tenacity if it is to reach our secularized, techo-driven society. We live in an instant-gratification world, but that does not translated into instant response to the gospel. There are several mission fields that need the witness of Christ is a fresh new way that will not be quick yield: 1) education at secondary and collegiate levels, 2) politics and government, 3) health and medicine(partly due to how multi-cultural and inter-religious that environment has become), and 4)business (bringing ethics and mutual responsbility to our concerns about the bottom line), just to name a few. Each of these fields have gradually been abandoned by the church and we must re-enter them, but it will not be easy. It is precisely those fields where you and I work and live.

I encourage you to make the effort and take the time to invest in the people around you. The results will be surprising, and the truth is, we never know the full impact that investment will have. I think I will be surprised at who I see in heaven someday that I thought never heard or responded. They heard when I didn’t think they did and they were watching when I didn’t think they were and they were catching life-changing faith without me recognizing it. God is always up to more than we think.

By the way, I am changing up our reading schedule and will now include the letters to Thessalonians for our next three days.