In our reading today, we see the Apostle Paul and various disciples, including Priscilla, Aquila and Silas, preach the Gospel in several important cities on the European continent. These cities include Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth and Ephesus.

The City And The Synagogue

A major part of Paul’s outreach strategy would be to go first to the major cities of the Roman Empire, where the most people lived. And then in each city, he would go first to the Jewish synagogue, where the people who most knew the Jewish Scriptures would be worshiping the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

This group would include not only God-fearing Jews, but God-fearing Gentiles, as well (for example, see Acts 17:4}. Paul always started sharing the Gospel with people he thought would be most open to the LORD. Paul would invest more of his time with those places and those people who were most receptive to the Gospel.

For example, Paul spent an entire 2 years in the city of Ephesus (Acts 19:10a). The result of this ministry was that all the Jews and Greeks in Ephesus and the surrounding province heard the Gospel (Acts 19:10b). This city became a very important center for the Church in the first couple of centuries.

He also  spent a year and a half in Corinth, teaching the word of God, after God appeared in a vision to him and encouraged him with these words: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:9-11). Many people did become followers of Jesus in this important Greek city.

Sowing Seed In Fertile Soil

When Paul would face fierce opposition in one place, he would go to the next place. We see this pattern in his ministry in the cities of Thessalonica and Berea (Acts 17:1-15). There was some response to the Gospel in Thessalonica, but also much opposition. So Paul went to Berea, where we read that “the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11). Paul was following the instruction of Jesus when He sent His apostles and others out on their missionary trips (Luke 9:1-6; 10:1-12).

I think that as we read and study Paul’s missionary journeys, it can provide excellent direction for our prayer life. One type of petition would be to ask the LORD to make the hearts of unbelieving family members and friends more responsive to the Gospel, by His Spirit. We need to specifically pray by name for family and friends. Another prayer petition flowing from our reading today, would be to ask the LORD to lead us to people who would be responsive to the Gospel. “LORD guide us to people who are not Christians, but whose hearts you are working in”. And “give us the words and love to share with them that would point to you”.

QOTD: Are you willing to pray more consistently for unbelieving family members and friends?