Everybody loves a good underdog story. They like when the little guy stands up to the giant and prevails. That was the story of the early church. They were a small group of committed Christians who tirelessly preached the Gospel and stood fearless in the face of opposition. Because of that, they added to their numbers every day.
Acts 6:7
“The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.”
A Committed Group
When the Gospel is preached and the power of the Holy Spirit is moving, the church grows exponentially. In a city where the newly found church was vehemently opposed by the Chief Priest and the religious leaders, it defied the odds and kept growing. Even those who were priests and Pharisees were giving their life to Jesus and joining the church. All it took were a committed group of people who were fearless in the face of opposition.
Two Divergent Paths
How do you react in the face of opposition? Do you stand firm in your faith or wither not wanting to cause a stir. Jesus told His disciples that the world would hate them and they would suffer for following Him. If your goal is to get to heaven and avoid any conflict, you are trying to walk two contradictory paths. Jesus is looking for people who will proclaim the Gospel with boldness and trust their lives to His care.
Fearless in the Face of Opposition
Maybe you are sitting at your computer reading this and wavering. You don’t like conflict, but you love Jesus. Understand that He knows that and won’t purposely put you in harm’s way, but He wants to know that you won’t run when He needs you. The fields are white for harvest, and workers are needed to bring it in. Will you spread the Word of God and preach the Gospel?