Seek to Serve While Speaking the Truth

Read the Text: Acts 13

Memorize the Text:   After they had preached the gospel in that town and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch, strengthening the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith by telling them, “It is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:21-22)

Consider the Text: Acts 13

Acts 13 transitions the Book of Acts from looking at the early church through the work of the apostles like Peter and centers around the ministry and mission of the apostle Paul. This chapter revealed the importance of seeking the Lord's leading, serving the Lord in faithfulness, and speaking the truth of the Lord in clarity. Today, we must understand the same principles exists. We ought to seek the Lord's leading in life, faithfully serve the Lord, and speak the truth.

We must SEEK direction from the Lord. The church needs to follow the example of the early church by seeking the Lord for guidance. This approach to seeking does not occur haphazardly but happens when we intentionally seek the Lord. The early church sought the Lord through the spiritual disciplines of prayer and fasting. Such activities set the mind and heart toward the Lord and prepare the individual to receive the message and to the leading of the Lord.

The practice of spiritual disciplines aids in the believer's journey of seeking the Lord. Spiritual disciplines exist as practices in the believer's life that promote spiritual growth and a deeper intimacy with the Lord. When the spiritual disciplines like prayer, biblical engagement, and fasting become part f the believer's journey, then the temperature of the heart becomes more receptive to the leading of the Lord and guides the Christian toward faithful service of God's kingdom.

We must SERVE the Lord in faithfulness. The apostle Paul and Barnabas followed the leading of the Lord and started serving God's kingdom by launching out on a mission. An early encounter with these men had them empowered by the Holy Spirit to engage false teaching. Elymas, a sorcerer, attempted to blind people from hearing the true message of the gospel. Paul engaged this falsehood and called out the deceptive nature of Elymas. Thus, Paul served the Lord in faithfulness by encountering falsehood with truth. At the same time, Paul and Barnabas traveled as the Holy Spirit guided them. Such faithful following came as they served the Lord. They did not allow the earthly dynamics of success or failure to dictate their work but sought to serve the Lord alone.

Today, believers need to seek faithful service to the Lord. Each believer must stand for truth and reject fallacy. The service comes in following the leading of the Holy Spirit and does not rest on the approval of individuals. Instead, serving the Lord becomes based on faithfulness and carrying out the mission rather than measuring worldly manners' effectiveness. We must be in tune to the Holy Spirit's work in our lives and be prepared to respond to his leading appropriately.

We must SPEAK the truth with clarity. The apostle Paul understood his audience in Antioch. He knew they held a Jewish backdrop and, as a result, spoke to them through Jewish history. This link to their heritage made the message more impactful. Speaking in Jewish terms opened the door for the message to be received in a manner that could be understood easily. Thus, Paul used the context to speak the truth with clarity to the audience.

Today, we must understand the context in which we proclaim the truth of the gospel. We need to know how to communicate effectively and clearly. Our desire should be that the gospel be proclaimed in a contextually impactful manner while never abandoning or altering the truth. Thus, we need to make sure that we are learning a variety of ways to engage others with the message of the gospel. This proclamation occurs when we seek the Lord faithfully, serve him faithfully, and speak the truth clearly.

This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.