It Was Necessary For the Messiah to Suffer And to Rise From the Dead - Acts 17 & 18

Today we see Paul's Second Journey continue, and we see the variety of responses and effects his work had. He's received well by some, not by others. Even though many Jews do believe, a group of Jews nearly everywhere impedes his work and causes him hardship. And nevertheless, the good news spreads, and leadership is established and re-visited later on. And behind the scenes (and sometimes on the scene), we see Jesus working things out so that Acts 1:8 will come true, all the way to Rome (by the end of Acts), and beyond.

Overall, I think it's important to notice this variety, because it's not like only certain types of cities received him well, or only Jews or only Gentiles or only the poor or only the influential. No. Christianity is God's new way of life in the Messiah for everyone.

It's Necessary For Us To Enter Into God's Kingdom Through Many Hardships - Acts 13-14

One of the first things Jesus said about the converted Saul was, "It is I who'll show him how much it's necessary to suffer for my name" (Acts 9:16). We saw it previewed in Damascus, and now it's beginning.

As I said yesterday, starting here in chapter 13 we see the explosive spread of the good news about Jesus on its way to "the ends of the earth" as the Spirit picks Barnabas and Saul out for this work.