No, I’m not thinking of end times, or eschatology, here. Paul understands firsthand that tribulation is not something reserved for the very last days, but rather tribulation is an experience that every believer will encounter to a degree. As the Gospel grows, so does its opposition! In Acts we find the Gospel literally exploding! 13:12 – “the proconsul believed...he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.” 13:48 – “The Gentiles...began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.” 14:1 – “...a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.” 16:5 – “the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.” And of course, chapter 16 records the great conversions of Lydia and the Philippian jailor. Everywhere the Gospel went, conversions were occurring and the church was growing!
It is no surprise then that opposition grew rapidly as well! The enemy does not welcome the take-back of his occupation! In chapter 14, Paul is actually stoned! (In ch 16 he is beaten with rods!) Then he is left for dead because he appeared to be dead. By grace, he revived and guess what he did? This is really amazing – he went back into the town where he was just stoned and encouraged the church! His words of encouragement, “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (v22). How was that encouraging? Because the church members were hearing these words from a man bloody and blue! They concluded, “If Paul can stand firm after being stoned, surely we can stand firm as well!” And so they did. Persecution never accomplishes the goal of its proponents. In fact, it accomplishes the very opposite. Instead of silencing Paul, his stoning served to greatly strengthen a huddled, probably frightened, group of new believers to live out their faith with courage!
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