For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. 2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.
I love when I can make a connection between one of Paul’s letters and the life of Paul as recorded in Acts. These verses are another example. In Acts 16, Paul and Silas had been beaten and flogged, even though Paul was a Roman citizen. There would seem to be little to celebrate from the ministry there except for these two things. Lydia was saved and most likely hosted the church there. Then, after being falsely imprisoned, the jailer was saved as well. Their coming to Philippi was not in vain. Next stop, Thessalonica, where they preached the gospel and had to escape a near riot. Paul could proclaim that their visit there was not in vain.
Outcomes based assessment is popular in education and in business. We crave results. One of those results would have to be not getting half-killed and thrown in jail. The ministry of Jesus Christ operates under no such parameters. The outcome and result Jesus is looking for is obedience and faithfulness. Anything else is the domain of the Lord. Our job is to scatter the seed, water it, and rest while the Holy Spirit does the rest of the work. This should change two things. We should never call a ministry a failure if we do not see the results we predicted. We should also put less and less pressure on ourselves as ministers. Lydia, the jailer, and the church in Thessalonica can tell you…
It is not in vain.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church