As we’ve been walking through the opening chapters of Acts on Sunday mornings, I’ve been reminded again of how the Lord worked through the early church to spread the gospel. These first-century believers faced challenges that most of us will never experience, yet they remained committed to making Jesus known.
One thing that has stood out to me is how naturally their faith became part of their everyday lives. They didn’t see sharing the gospel as something reserved for the apostles or other church leaders. They understood that Jesus’ message was too important to keep to themselves.
This week, as we covered Acts 4, after the religious authorities threatened Peter and John and commanded them not to speak about Jesus, they returned to the other believers. The church gathered to pray, but their request may not have been what we would expect. They didn’t ask God to remove the opposition or make their circumstances easier. Instead, they prayed for boldness to continue speaking His Word.
We certainly pray for the needs of our families, our church, and our community, and we should. But will we specifically ask God to give us opportunities to tell someone about Jesus? And when those opportunities come, will we ask Him for the courage to speak?
I believe one of the greatest opportunities we have as a church is found in the relationships God has already given us. Think about the people you encounter during a typical week. Some of them may have very little understanding of the gospel. Others may know something about Jesus but have never personally trusted Him as Savior.
We have the privilege of pointing them to Christ.
That doesn’t mean every conversation has to become a gospel presentation. It does mean we should look for opportunities to speak about our faith, show genuine concern for others, and share the hope we have in Jesus. Sometimes those opportunities develop over time through friendships and acts of kindness. At other times, the Lord may open a door for a direct conversation about someone’s relationship with Him.
As your pastor, I want to encourage you to be intentional about this. Begin by identifying someone in your life who needs Christ. Pray for that person regularly. Ask the Lord to give you an opportunity for a meaningful conversation, and be willing to take it when it comes.
I’m thankful for the ministries we have at Eastmont and for the opportunities we have to reach people through them. But we also need to remember that much of our gospel witness takes place outside the church building, through the individual members of our congregation.
As we continue studying Acts, my prayer is that we will do more than admire the faithfulness and boldness of those early believers. I pray that the Lord will develop that same commitment in us.
People in our community need to hear the gospel, and God has placed each of us in relationships where we can help make that happen.
Let’s be faithful to the opportunities He gives us.