Acts 14 and Christian Tribulations

Read Acts 14

Paul’s missionary journey’s were full of trials, rejection, mistreatment, and near death experiences. One can hardly imagine the ups and downs of these early missionaries. They flee for their lives from Iconium. Then they are on the verge of being worshipped as gods in Lystra only to have the same crowd turn on them and stone Paul virtually to death. But what is most remarkable is 14:21: “They returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch.” They went back?!? Most of us when we encounter opposition and hardship simply conclude that God is closing the door. Paul and friends in response to resistance conclude that the gospel is all the more needed.

What is more is that Paul and Barnabas begin a discipleship class for some of the new Christians, and a major part of the curriculum is the encouragement that “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God”(14:22). Tribulations and trials are not an incidental part of the Christian life. They are a planned, intentional, and necessary part. What a life changing bit of information. Why aren’t we telling people in our churches? Why isn’t this a part of our discipleship? Why are so many of us stunned by the trials that beset us? They are supposed to happen. They are part of the agenda. You don’t run from them. In response to trials you don’t conclude that God is unhappy with you or guiding you to another path. You assume that no matter the path, as a follower of the slaughtered Messiah, you are going to encounter a lot of pain. The pain should not dictate the course of the church just as it did not dictate the journeys of Paul and Barnabas. As the body of Christ, we must stop running from tribulations or else we will stop running to the kingdom of God, for “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”