“Through Many Tribulations”
Acts 14:21-22 – “When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
When we read the book of Acts, it seems that wherever the Apostles travelled to proclaim the gospel, many souls were added to the Church. In Acts 2:41,47, we see that after Peter’s sermon, 3,000 people received the message given and multiplied the Kingdom of God.
In Acts 4:4, we are given that Peter preached the Word and “many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.” Again, a man called by God preached the Word, and people responded to it.
Acts 5:14 further states that “And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.” This came after many things were being said and done by the Apostles, so that many would come to believe in the Lord.
In Acts 6:7, we hear of a rapid growth that occurred, where a sort of summary statement was given by Luke that “the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.” Repeatedly, the Word of God went forth, and many were being saved.
From Acts 11:21, 24, there was the Antioch Conversions when “A great number believed and turned to the Lord” at Antioch, and Barnabas brought “a large crowd” to the Lord. Yet again, a common theme: a man of the Word “preaching the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 11:20), and many souls were being saved.
There can be no clearer vision for missions than what we are given from God’s Word in the book of Acts. In all these missionary acts of the Apostles recorded by Dr. Luke, we can see a clear pattern. God has made no mistakes in showing us His sovereign plan for how the gospel goes forth. If we desire that the gospel should flourish, we must preach the gospel of God, led by the Spirit of God, and empowered by the Son of God. And as we read from the opening text above in Acts 14:21-22, this will not come without hardship or tribulation. Advancing the gospel comes with a cost for making disciples, and sometimes that cost is great.
In reading verse twenty-two alone, “through many tribulations,” will we see God’s Kingdom. I have personally experienced this before going to do the work of missions. The weeks leading up to a mission journey to take the gospel to a foreign land, trials, tribulations, and hardships are expected. Spiritual attacks are the norm just before going with the gospel. Two times last year alone, I preached or taught within Baptist seminaries of different countries, and on both occasions, there were unexpected things happening that had to be dealt with. We can rest assured that we will face persecution, tribulation, or trials when we are faithful to preach the gospel, not if it will occur. God’s Word affirms this, and the experiences of those who are faithful to proclaim the gospel to people who have not yet heard testifies to this fact.
The challenge and encouragement that I bring in this writing is the same as we heard from Dr. Luke in Acts 14:22: “continue in the faith.” Keep resting in the fact that God is with us as we are faithful to take His Word to people who desperately need to hear it. Yes, “through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God” (Acts 14:23), but as Christ followers, we have assurance that nothing this side of Heaven will we face surpasses the Crown of glory that awaits.
