This weekend we are addressing the value of a human being. We are also addressing the responsibility of an assembly and each individual in it to fellow human beings. Every human being is of inestimable worth to God, and we dare not look on any person as if they are not worthy of our attention.
Evangelism and our commitment to it, necessitates us considering how to connect to all ages. Senior citizens in care homes and their families need our Gospel. Children from their earliest years and their parents need the Gospel. Our neighbors and workmates need the Gospel. Our children and grandchildren – and extended families, need the Gospel.
We have examples in the scriptures of truth how those before us met this need. Our Lord Jesus is the supreme example of personal and public evangelism. The apostle Peter, Philip the evangelist and the apostle Paul all give us examples of reaching individuals, cities and the whole world. We also have examples of how local churches like Philippi and Thessalonica reached to their communities and areas around, with this great responsibility.
The facts of the matter were that the imprisonment of Paul was totally unfair. He was imprisoned in Israel, taken by ship as a prisoner to Rome. In Rome he was in prison for at least two years. What possible benefit can come from that? All along the path of this servant in bonds souls were saved and believers in various cities were contacted and ministered to from the servant of the Lord. The testimony of those events is still being used to bless people today through the words of the book of Acts and the epistles written during Paul’s time in prison. We can use the difficulties in which we are found to encourage others even by the way we live during the hard times. What could have brought bitterness, brought blessing.
