8/25/26

The dangers of fighting conviction are real and can be extremely devastating.

How many times have you been sitting in the pew, hearing the word of God, knowing that God is speaking to you, and yet you refused to respond?

How many times have you been pressed in your spirit to check on someone, but you don't respond?

How many times have you stood and sung the hymn of invitation without asking God, "Is there anything I need to address?"

How many times have you walked away saying, "God, I will next time"?

What if next time never comes?

There is a true danger that God will move on to the next person or group of persons that He has His hands and feet going to and reaching out for. Notice in our text today, Paul is saying I am about to move on. Acts 28:28 NASB95 “Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen.”

Paul had spent much time reaching out to his people whom he loved. He had spent much effort in teaching them because he desired greatly for them to receive Salvation through Jesus. Yet he realized the truth of the prophet Isaiah, which he quoted just before our verse. Acts 28:26-27 NASB95 saying, ‘GO TO THIS PEOPLE AND SAY, “YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; AND YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE; FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES; OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.”’

Paul gave them one last opportunity in his mind. By quoting to them the words of one of their very own great prophets, in hopes they would respond. However, many would not. Notice his desire and the truth that if they would just "see, hear, and understand," that is, with faith, God would heal them. Yet they refused.

Paul, however, was not about to stop. He would just turn his focus to a different people with the same message. As the text says, "Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen.”

Remember the disciples Jesus sent out and his instructions to them. Matthew 10:14-15 NASB95 “Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. “Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.

We should never want to stop sharing with people because the outcome can be absolutely devastating. However, if the message never went to the Gentiles, it wouldn't have reached me or you.

Oh, how Paul felt when they refused. Oh, how I feel when people refuse. Oh, how God feels when we refuse!

Yet we must never stop. The time will come when we move on, but we still don't stop. Our God keeps going; He never stops.

How many churches have died because God said it is time to shake the dust off and move on to another church, where people will respond to the message?

Praying today that you will respond either in your salvation or in your obedience to Him, before He moves on!

Love Brother Scott