Acts 15:36-18:11
Having taken in two Epistles, one from Paul and one from James, we’re now back to the historical narrative of the Acts of the Apostles (but just for today, then back to more Epistles). Today we go with Paul on his second missionary journey as he travels from place to place proclaiming the Gospel message, preaching that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One. Wherever Paul goes, there are those who come to believe. And wherever he goes, he meets opposition, mostly from Jewish leadership, but also from some Gentiles. This opposition is not just a “cold shoulder”, not a few mere verbal insults. It’s serious business, with severe physical pain and suffering. Sometimes it seems like we gloss over this pain as we read through Acts. We instead see the miraculous release of Paul and Silas from the Philippian jail. We don’t notice that the jailer still needs to tend to their wounds. (Acts 16:33) I suggest we bear in mind what Paul and his companions endure for the sake of the Gospel as we continue through the Epistles and the remainder of Acts. Perhaps that will serve to help put our own situations — whatever they might be — into proper perspective.
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