I am awed by the scope of the tremendous journey chronicled in the book of Acts. From the promise of the Holy Spirit in chapter 1 through the birth of the church and the mighty “acts” of the apostles as they moved in the power of the Holy Spirit, we see the full breadth of God’s calling for His people.
In this final chapter, we see Paul arriving in Rome more than three months after being shipwrecked on the island of Malta. He called together the local Jewish leaders and arranged a time to speak to the people about the gospel of Jesus Christ. As a result, “Some were persuaded by the things he said, but others did not believe” (Acts 28:24, NLT).
Paul could have become discouraged by the hardness of hearts he encountered while on Malta. He could have lived out the rest of his days complacently, because he had already done enough, having endured persecution, prison, beatings and shipwreck for the sake of the gospel.
Instead, Paul continued to boldly share the gospel, even while under house arrest.
What can we learn from the book of Acts? We each have our own personal journey to walk in this life. God has empowered us by His Holy Spirit, not just for our own personal edification, but also so that we can fulfill the Great Commission. We are equipped by the Spirit to be people who demonstrate the love of God and His power to a dying world.
Acts 28 concludes by saying of Paul: “He welcomed all who visited him, boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him” (vv. 30-31).
People or circumstances may try to stop us, but let’s be His people who go forth boldly proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about Jesus Christ. As we move into 2012, let’s be the church God has called us to be. Let’s “Reclaim Our Voice!”
By: Ron Thigpenn, Foursquare vice president and chief financial officer
Share your journey through Acts » Comment below to share what God is showing you personally as the Foursquare family reads through Acts together this year! You can also subscribe to the weekly Foursquare Leader Prayer email to receive insights on Acts from Foursquare leaders around the world.