“Running the Race with Endurance (Acts 25:13-27:20)” | 8/28/22
Acts 25:13-27:20 | 8/28/22 | Will DuVal
Well, we have come to the end, or at least part 1 of 2 concluding sermons here, in our study together through the book of ACTS this year. And I pray it has been a huge blessing in your life these past 8 months now. But I’m also excited to announce the NEXT book we’ll be walking through together this fall: the book of ECCLESIASTES. Ecclesiastes is probably my FAVORITE book in the whole Bible - you are not gonna want to miss this series. And you’re not gonna want OTHERS to miss it either. So to that end, I’ve got 3 challenges for you, starting after Labor Day, 3 “I”s: Immerse, Invest, and Invite
IMMERSE: I want you to read through all of Ecclesiastes before we start on Sunday, Sept 11 - that will orient you to the entire book. THEN I want you to RE-read back through each chapter the week before we study it. Make sure you’re signed up for our weekly newsletter so you know the assigned reading each week. IMMERSE yourself in this book.
INVEST yourself in this study. Commit to being here 12 out of 12 Sundays this fall. Or 10 out of 12, if you’ve got some trips planned. But then go back and LISTEN to the sermons you miss. INVEST. And finally…
INVITE. The theme of Ecclesiastes is how “Meaningless” life is, without God. If you know someone who does not yet know the Lord, I URGE you: invite them to join you this fall. This is a great opportunity to put our call from Acts - to be Christ’s witnesses - into practice! Immerse, Invest, and Invite.
But this morning, I want to begin our time by quickly taking a look BACK, “Acts in Review”:
We began in January with ch1, and the resurrected Jesus appearing one last time to his disciples before ascending into heaven, to give them that Great Commission - to “be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth”. And that’s been our theme verse all throughout this study; Acts traces the expansion of the Church from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria… and our CONTINUED calling to COMPLETE the as-of-yet-unfinished mission, to take the gospel all the way to the ends of the earth. (1:1-11)
The rest of ch1 was preparation for that movement.
In ch2, we witnessed the birth of the Church at Pentecost, as the Holy Spirit descended and empowered them for the task. (2:1-11)
We heard a “Model Sermon” from Peter. (2:12-41)
We observed a “Model Church” in action. (2:42-47)
We learned how to be “Model Disciples”, from Peter and John, in ch3 (3:1-4:4)
They ALSO taught us boldness in the face of opposition in ch4. (4:5-31)
We were warned against the “Deadliest Sin in the Church”, by Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-11), and we explored how the gospel changes everything in ch5 (5:12-42)
We addressed some of the Church’s early “Growing Pains” in ch6. (6:1-6)
We celebrated God’s redemptive power to turn evil for good for STEPHEN, the Church’s first martyr. (6:8-8:1)
We strategized about how to reach a back-sliding, comfort-driven society with the good news of Jesus. (8:1-25)
And learned from the example of Philip, a “Model Evangelist”. (8:26-40)
On Easter, we celebrated the hope of resurrection - being raised from “Death to Life” - through the story of Saul’s conversion on the Damascus Road. (9:1-19)
And then his immediate “trial by fire” as preparation for ministry. (9:19-31)
With the conversion of the first GENTILE believer in ch10, we considered what it means to evangelize THE NATIONS, those we think of as “outsiders”. (9:32-11:18)
And in ch11, we explored the “Marks of a Missional Church” (11:19-30)
In ch12, we questioned why God lets bad things happen to good people, good things to bad people… lets ANYTHING happen! (12:1-24)
In chs13 & 14, with Paul’s first missionary journey, we highlighted the value of perseverance. (13:4-14:28)
In ch15 at the Jerusalem Council, we analyzed various articulations of the gospel, and declared our salvation by grace through faith for works (15:1-35).
On Paul’s SECOND missionary journey, we extolled God’s ability to turn our obstacles into opportunities, we learned how to preach to a pagan culture from Paul’s example in Athens, and how to be all things to all people through his example in Corinth (15:36-18:23).
On Paul’s THIRD missionary journey, we praised God’s power to reach those far from Him through supernatural, word-based missions; we counted the cost of truly following Jesus, who causes “no little disturbance” in our lives, but turns them upside down in the best way imaginable; and the importance of ending well, with a “good goodbye” (18:24-21:14).
And here in the home stretch, as Paul set his face on Jerusalem, we’ve discussed maintaining the faith under fire, and God’s purpose in allowing us to undergo hardship - he delivers us for the sake of His OWN glory (21:15-25:12).
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And ALL of that brings us to THIS MORNING, and chs25-27, and the beginning of the end… of the beginning of the story!
Did you catch that?! This is the beginning of the end of the book of Acts - only 2 more sermons - but the end of Acts is only the beginning of the story - GOD’S story, about God’s people, heeding God’s mission, to take God’s gospel, to every corner of God’s world. Church: that is OUR story still today, our continued mission! And next week Pastor Thad will bring it home for us, by covering not just chs27 and 28, but Acts 29 as well. If you’ve flipped to the end of Acts and you can’t FIND ch29 and you’re confused, that’s because you and I are LIVING it - right now! We’ve been entrusted with the JOY… the RESPONSIBILITY… of helping to WRITE the final chapter of God’s redemptive story of taking the good news of Jesus to every nation, tribe and tongue.
So I would be remiss if I didn’t exhort us, one last time: NOT to be HEARERS of the word only; let’s be DOERS. God has exhorted us to GO, he’s empowered us with His Spirit, he’s equipped us through His word, He’s encouraged us through His Church; all that’s left is to DO it… so LET’S DO IT! Together, let’s commit to being a church who WILL be found faithful, who WILL one day hear Him say: “Well done, my good and faithful servants”, because we invested the gospel that’s been entrusted to us into the lives of others around us as well. AMEN?!
[**Raise hand**] Who’s WITH me?! Who’s READY?!
Who’s ready… to SUFFER?
Who’s ready… to be HATED?
Jesus said, ““If the world hates you, it’s cuz they hated me too.” (Jn 15:19)
Did you know that evangelical Christianity is the only major religion in the country LESS popular today than we were 10 years ago? Jews, Catholics, Mormons, Atheists, Muslims - EVERYONE ELSE polls more favorably today than they did a decade ago; Americans are becoming more and more accepting of EVERY other religion… EXCEPT Evangelical Christianity. (https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2017/02/15/americans-express-increasingly-warm-feelings-toward-religious-groups/)
But Jesus didn’t say, “Be my witnesses… as long as it’s POPULAR.”
No, he just said, “Be my witnesses” AND “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven” (Mt 5:11-12)
Well that means the apostle Paul must be the RICHEST guy inside those pearly gates, cuz as we’ll see AGAIN this morning, NO ONE got reviled and persecuted like that brother. And yet, he wrote at the end of his life: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim 4:7) Paul’s example shows us that the race we’re called to run isn’t a sprint; it’s a MARATHON. That’s why Hebrews 12:1 exhorts us to “run with endurance the race that is set before us”.
Anyone here ever run a marathon? (A few… CRAZY, troubled masochists)
Was there SUFFERING involved? It’s probably not a question of “IS this gonna hurt?”, but rather, “WHEN it starts to hurt, how will you RESPOND?” Will you ENDURE?
It’s the same question facing Paul this morning. And we’re going to see him endure FOUR forms of hardship. And consider what WE might learn from his example in each.
Paul endured more for the sake of Christ than perhaps anyone in HISTORY.
And not coincidentally, Paul was the most effective EVANGELIST of all time as well.
So the question for US this morning, Church, is: will WE faithfully endure for the sake of effective evangelism today?
First, Let’s pray…
Alright, Acts began with Christ’s call to “be His witnesses”, and it ENDS with the repercussions of actually ANSWERING that call; if we’re ON FIRE for sharing Jesus with others, what can we EXPECT?
#1 - We (can expect to) endure WEARINESS. (25:13-27)
We pick up where we left off in ch25, but let’s not forget how LONG poor Paul’s TRIAL has dragged ON at this point: “He addressed the crowd in Jerusalem in ch22, the Jewish Council in ch23, the Roman governor Felix in Caesarea in ch24, and the “new Felix” named Festus in ch25.” (Merida, 367) NOW, he’s gonna testify AGAIN, this time to King Agrippa II. Agrippa II was the grandson of Herod the Great (who tried to kill baby Jesus) and the son of Herod Agrippa I, who killed the apostle James back in ch12. And Festus is gonna ask Agrippa for help here, because last Sunday Paul appealed his case to CAESAR, but Festus doesn’t even have CHARGES to send Paul to ROME with, cuz Paul is INNOCENT. So Festus asks Agrippa - “What do I DO??” Here it is… [btw, I was up in Michigan officiating Simon & Abby’s wedding and ran outta time to make my Scripture slides, the passage is like 67 verses long, but I figured you really should have your Bibles with you anyway, and if you don’t HAVE one… so NO EXCUSE!]
“Ch25, V13: Now when some days had passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice (she was his SISTER, but she also LIVED with him and they were rumored to be LOVERS, in an incestuous relationship; they) arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus. 14 And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the king, saying, “There is a man left prisoner by Felix, [Festus’ predecessor] 15 and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid out their case against him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him. 16 I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up anyone before the accused met the accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge laid against him. 17 So when they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. 18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed. 19 Rather they had certain points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. [I LOVE it! Here’s this PAGAN governor, ACCIDENTALLY sharing the gospel!] v20 Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether [Paul] wanted to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. 21 But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.” 22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” said he, “you will hear him.”
23 So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that he had done nothing deserving death. And as he himself appealed to the emperor, I decided to go ahead and send him. 26 But I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him. Therefore I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write. 27 For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.
Ch26: So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.””
Now what do you imagine Paul is thinking at this point? I can tell you what I’D be thinking, what ANY of us would probably be thinking, in his shoes:
“WHY?! King Agrippa - why should I BOTHER “speaking for myself”?! What’s the POINT?! I’ve testified FOUR TIMES already, and every ONE of you keeps passing the buck off to someone else, refusing to adjudicate my case, because it’s not politically expedient for you! For two YEARS now! And I have to believe Paul is getting pretty TIRED of it by now, WEARY.
How about YOU? Do you grow WEARY of witnessing, SEEMINGLY to no avail? How many of you started off the year with us, EXCITED to walk through the book of Acts, but now you’re honestly kind of OVER it… being exhorted EVERY SINGLE WEEK to “be witnesses”, “go make disciples”... it gets TIRING? Maybe you started off excited for our monthly days of prayer and fasting, and witnessing to your lost loved ones who don’t yet have a saving relationship with Jesus, but as the year has dragged on, and you haven’t seen any FRUIT from those prayers yet, you’re tempted to just give UP. The 18th of JULY, the 18th of AUGUST… am I just fasting, going hungry, for NOTHING? What’s the POINT?
You’ve shared the gospel with your son, your daughter, your father, your mother… cousin, uncle, aunt, co-worker, neighbor A DOZEN TIMES already, to no avail. Invited them to church A DOZEN TIMES. Why bother inviting AGAIN, witnessing AGAIN?
Why? Because God’s word tells us to. ENCOURAGES us, to press on:
“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Gal 6:9)
And when we’re TEMPTED to give up? Hebrews 12:3 we “Consider [JESUS] who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that [we] may not grow weary or fainthearted.”
I saw a Mixed Martial Arts fighter once who had on the back of his shorts, in big letters: “JESUS DIDN’T TAP”. He didn’t tap out. On the cross, when our sin and guilt and shame had Jesus in a CHOKE-hold, he endured, all the way to DEATH, for our sake. But then he DEFEATED death, and raised US up to new life with Him as well, so I ask you friends: “If Jesus can conquer YOUR sin, forgive YOUR past, save YOUR soul… who CAN’T he save?! How can we NOT endure, in our witness to others? How can we NOT keep praying, keep reaching out? If he can save ME, I’m convinced he can save ANYONE!
May we ENDURE - keep praying, keep fasting, keep evangelizing - even in the face of weariness. “Let us not grow weary…”
#2 - We endure JUDGMENT. (26:1-23)
Ch26 now: “Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:
2 “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. [The Herodians were Idumaeans; they were converts to Judaism] Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. [Despite his weariness, Paul takes a moment, composes himself, musters up the motivation to testify one more time, and then launches in. And just like all his other defenses, Paul has THREE goals here: 1) to DEclaim his innocence, 2) to REclaim his Jewishness, and 3) to PROclaim the GOSPEL!]
v4 “My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. 5 They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, 7 to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! 8 Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead? [All I’m preaching is what we’ve ALL been hoping and waiting and LONGING for, for thousands of years of Judaism now - Exodus 3:6, Daniel 12:2; Isa 26:19; Ps 49:15; 71:20; Ezek 37:10 - it’s all OVER the Old Testament: this hope of the RESURRECTION! That God really can and will raise us up to eternal life; that there’s HOPE for us beyond the grave; Paul says: I KNOW there is, cuz JESUS is the proof!]
v9 “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
12 “In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ [“Goads were sharp sticks used to prod plowing animals. Paul had been… resisting the Holy Spirit’s conviction [in his heart].” (Merida, 373)] 15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ [Friends, you’d be hard pressed to find a more glorious SUMMARY of what God does for us when He SAVES us anywhere else in all the Bible: “He opens our eyes, that we might turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, [and] receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those sanctified [purified, CLEANSED…] by faith in JESUS.” Hallelujah - Amen?!]
v19 “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. 21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 [But] To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: 23 that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”
There is so much there we could unpack… about the GOSPEL… about Paul’s testimony - his AMAZING testimony… but since we’ve already discussed BOTH of those in detail, here’s the simple point I want to draw out for us, about the CONTEXT of Paul’s testimony here - the THIRD time we’ve heard it now - let’s just consider who he’s testifying BEFORE, who Paul is being JUDGED by here: Paul is sitting trial for a crime he didn’t commit (that wasn’t even a crime under Roman law anyway!) before a guy who CLAIMED be a Jew, but was sleeping with his sister (in clear violation of Lev 18, punishable by DEATH!) and who sold out his people to the Romans in AD66, when Jerusalem was invaded and the Temple was actually overthrown; Paul’s being judged by the guy who will actually be GUILTY of the crime he’s accused of here, not even a decade later! Such is “justice” in this upside-down world of ours.
Maybe YOU feel that way sometimes. Like…
“Wait a minute: You believe you’re a woman trapped in a man’s body… and I’M the one with the problem because I don’t believe it’s loving to perpetuate a LIE?!”
“I don’t want my kids being taught sex in the second grade… and somehow that makes ME narrow-minded and repressive?!”
“I believe it’s wrong to kill a child in the womb, and I’M the monster?!”
Such is “morality” in this upside-down world of ours. We Christians have become the “close-minded, IM-moral” ones. And we’re judged accordingly.
But take heart, brother, sister, and hear again the words of your MIS-judged Savior: ““Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 5:10)
#3 - We endure REJECTION. (26:24-29)
v24 And as [Paul] was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” 25 But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. 26 For the king [Agrippa] knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” [Paul says, “King Agrippa - you’re a Jew; you know the prophecies about the Messiah - over 300 of them! - that Jesus fulfilled, some 26 years ago, within my LIFETIME, Paul says, just down the road here in Jerusalem; some of the folks standing here at PAUL’S trial had no doubt been there at JESUS’S; they’d SEEN the tombs emptied, SEEN the Temple curtain torn from the top to bottom, seen him DEAD on Friday, and ALIVE on Sunday! Paul says, “King, LOOK at all the evidence, LISTEN to their testimony… and BELIEVE!” But] v28 Agrippa said to Paul, “In [such] a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” [“Paul, there ain’t enough time in the day, in a LIFETIME, to convince me that some guy actually came back from the DEAD; I don’t care WHAT evidence you got; I’m not buyin’ it!” But] v29 Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would [wish… hope… PRAY…] to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.” [“See these chains, King Agrippa, I guarantee you they’re the ONLY ones restraining me, because on the INSIDE, my SPIRITUAL chains - they’re GONE! I’ve been set FREE! My God my Savior has RANSOMED me - Jesus PURCHASED my freedom; and he can pay for YOUR sins too, King, if you’ll just repent and trust in Him for salvation!]
But what does Agrippa do, in vv30 & 31? “Then the king ROSE… and they withdrew.” Instead of turning and walking away from his SIN, he walks away from the CONVICTION of sin. And you know Paul’s heart just SANK. That as much as he wanted to be freed of his physical chains, Paul wanted even MORE for Agrippa to be freed of his SPIRITUAL chains here. Paul wrote elsewhere: “I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen”, my fellow JEWS (Rom 9:3). But, he says, a “hardening” has come upon their hearts. (11:25) And here in Acts 26, Agrippa hardens his OWN heart, to the reality of his sin, the rightful punishment owed him, and his requirement of a SAVIOR - he needs JESUS! But he hardens his heart.
Anyone here batting a thousand with your evangelism? Every person you’ve ever shared the gospel with, instantly repents and surrenders to Christ? If not, then you’ve endured rejection. At least that’s what it FEELS like, doesn’t it? It feels PERSONAL, like they’re rejecting YOU. But Jesus reminds us in Luke 10:16 “the one who rejects you [is REALLY] rejecting me”. Their beef isn’t with YOU; it’s with ME - JESUS - I’M the one who truly endures unbelievers’ rejection.
But the COMFORTING part about that, brother, sister, is that Jesus is the only one who can actually do anything ABOUT it, about their hard heart! We can witness til we’re BLUE in the face - and we SHOULD! - but only JESUS can soften a person’s hard heart to actually receive the gospel.
So keep preaching. Keep PRAYING. And keep TRUSTING GOD to do the work, that only HE can do.
Lastly, #4 - We endure SUFFERING. (26:30 - 27:20)
For sake of time, we won’t read this last section, but Paul endures four TYPES of suffering here:
He endures DEADLOCK in vv30-32, at the end of ch26; Agrippa was Paul’s last real hope of acquittal. But he doesn’t budge. Like Felix and Festus - and Pontius Pilate! - Agrippa washes his hands of the matter, and sends Paul to Rome.
Paul endures DIFFICULTY along the way, in ch27 now. Luke gives us a lot of DETAIL about their journey to Rome, or ATTEMPTED journey, I should say, because they won’t MAKE it there until ch28 next week; a trip that’s SUPPOSED to take a month - from Judea to Rome - ends up taking Paul 4 months! (Bock, Acts, 746) Because v4: “the winds were against us”; vv7 & 8: “We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus… Coasting with difficulty”; Luke emphasizes how turbulent the conditions were.
Paul endures the DISREGARD of his fellow travelers, in vv9-12. Paul tries to warn them, “We gotta stay and winter here in Fair Havens; we’re not gonna MAKE it to Phoenix!” But they don’t listen to him. And they pay DEARLY for it. Which is why lastly…
Paul endures deadlock, difficulty, disregard, and ultimately, DESPAIR, in vv13-20. The ship is “caught” in “a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster”, v14. And Luke describes again in detail just how DESPERATE the sailors were, culminating in v20: “When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.” Utter DESPAIR, and hopelessness.
Now, if this were a movie we were all watching together, this is when I would hit the PAUSE button, and tell my kids, “Alright, that seems like a pretty good stopping place. Bedtime!” And Elijah would yell “NO!”, and Ellery would just roll her eyes, cuz she knows my jokes by now. This is exactly the point in the story where you CANNOT stop the movie! You’re not gonna be able to SLEEP, are you, til next Sunday! “Did they MAKE it? You’re just gonna have to come back next week and find out. :)
But I’m sure some of you are thinking, “Let’s see: I’ve gotta endure WEARINESS, Judgment, REJECTION, SUFFERING, Difficulty, DESPAIR; could you remind me of the GOOD news again?!” Leave us with some ENCOURAGEMENT for running this treacherous MARATHON of a race?
Gladly. Church, remember:
*If we don’t grow weary, don’t give up, God promises we WILL reap a harvest - that our prayers and gospel proclamations are NOT in vain.
*He ALSO promises that we’ll be “blessed” with the “kingdom of HEAVEN” when we’re judged and persecuted for His sake.
*That when we’re REJECTED and “reviled”, we can REJOICE at our heavenly REWARD.
*Because it is “through many tribulations [that] we must enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:22) But “after we have suffered a little while, the God of all grace… will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Pet 5:10) because “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom 8:18), “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor 4:17).
“So we do not lose heart. [We DON’T despair.] Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day” (v16). As God is “working ALL things together for GOOD, for those who love Him and are called by Him” (Rom 8:28).
So Church, in the face of weariness, judgment, rejection, suffering, difficulty and DESPAIR, may we not lose heart. May we press on, and ENDURE, for the sake of the gospel, and making Christ known to the ends of the earth.
Amen?