I am always fascinated but the different ways that Jesus reaches people.  Sometimes through a friend, others through a big life event.  Maybe a sermon or a conference.  Perhaps even by simply watching and observing other Christians.  God reaches people in a variety of amazing ways in the early church through miracles and wonders.  Yet here is an example of a very ordinary way that we hear about in Acts 19.  Let’s look at it together today.  

8 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.

Often Paul’s preaching reaches people in amazing ways throughout the book of Acts.  Yet after three months of preaching people are not responding.  Instead he simply has discussions daily with believers.  In other words he is discipling people in an open setting where others can observe, and listen to what is going on.  He spends the next two years doing this.  That’s right Paul, the man constantly on the move sharing the gospel stays in one place for two years and simply talks with the believers about Jesus.  We are told that everyone in that region heard the Word of the Lord as a result.  To me this is another scripture that we could totally miss the significance of.  God uses this two years of discussions to reach so many people.  It reminds me that others are always listening to us and we always are sharing the gospel even if we aren’t preaching or proclaiming bit like Paul normally did.  Simple little conversations can impact others far more than we know or realize.  I pray that we all might share the gospel in such a way by our conversations over coffee or at the sports field or wherever we go in life.  If it was worth two years of Paul’s life and ministry it is worth our time each day as well.

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave