Monday, July 14, 2014

Shake off the dust

Reading through the book of Acts today, I was reminded what Jesus told His disciples to do when they came in to a town or household that didn't receive them.
 
It got me thinking of how we spread the gospel today. Do we continue to try to reach people that won't or are unwilling to receive what we are teaching, or do we shake the dust from our feet and move on as Jesus disciples, and Paul, Barnabas, and the early church did?
 
This  is a tough subject to understand, as we are told to go make disciples of all nations, and to spread the gospel, but at what point do we stop preaching the word to someone? 
 
At what point do we shake the dust from our feet? I wish I had the answer as none of us want to give up on anyone, as God didn't give up on us, but we can only bring the message and be teachers, at some point we have to shake the dust from our feet and put our energy into spreading the word to those that will receive it.
 
Acts 13: 46-52 NLT
46 Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, “It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles. 47 For the Lord gave us this command when he said,
‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles,
    to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.’
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers. 49 So the Lord’s message spread throughout that region.
50 Then the Jews stirred up the influential religious women and the leaders of the city, and they incited a mob against Paul and Barnabas and ran them out of town. 51 So they shook the dust from their feet as a sign of rejection and went to the town of Iconium. 52 And the believers were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
 
Matthew 10:13-15 NLT
13 If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing. 14 If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave. 15 I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day.
 
Mark 6:10,11 NLT
10 “Wherever you go,” he said, “stay in the same house until you leave town. 11 But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”
 
Luke 10:10-12 NLT
10 But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this—the Kingdom of God is near!’ 12 I assure you, even wicked Sodom will be better off than such a town on judgment day.
 
 

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