"...these men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here..." (Acts 17:6).
Paul and Silas had an international reputation for crushing paganism and winning souls to Christ. Paul would reason with the people in any setting: in the synagogue, in the marketplace, in the streets, and in private homes (see Acts 17:17 and Acts 20:20). By his own admission, it was not easy. A careful reading of Acts and of the epistles of Paul will reveal a life of beatings, imprisonment, separation from friends, abandonment by fellow ministers, shipwrecks, and other hardships encountered in his efforts to preach the gospel.
What was Paul's response? "I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me- the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace" (Acts 20:24).
That's it. Not a word about divine retribution against those who persecuted him. Not a hint about the prosperity of God being manifested in his favor so that everyone will see how much God loves him. No evidence of Paul anticipating a day when he will be in a comfortable parish far away from dungeons and cells. He's not looking for justice or vindication; he just wants to compel people to draw near to the One who can save them.
As Pastor Sam said in Sunday's sermon, there needs to be another cry: a cry from today's pagans. "Bronx Bethany is here! The Bronx will never be the same! The world will never be the same!"
Bronx Bethany, are you ready to pay the price for having an international impact? Anointings like Paul's don't come cheap.
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