Putting the gospel to action in my life: that was the overarching theme of my study last month, and I learned a lot from the stories and teachings in the book of Acts. Here are some highlights:
1. Disciples of Jesus Christ need to be adaptable.
During the month of July, one of our daughters completed her service as a full-time missionary. As I reviewed her mission, I was impressed by the willingness of full-time missionaries to go wherever they are called and to adapt quickly when they are transferred to a new area.
I saw the same pattern in the missionary journeys of the apostle Paul. Whether he was on the island of Cyprus, in various cities on modern Turkey or Greece, or traveling as a prisoner to Rome, he was always preaching the word of God. (See Acts 13:5, 16, 42, 44; 14:7, 21, 25.)
Peter demonstrated a similar flexibility as he led the Church through a significant cultural change. Many church members, including Peter, had been raised to avoid unnecessary contact with Gentiles and to view them with distrust. When God led Peter to preach to Cornelius, his paradigm began to shift. When Paul began to have success among the Gentiles, the apostles began to recognize an astonishing truth: The gathering of Israel isn’t just the recovery of a group of people who were lost. It is the recovery of all of God’s children who want to be found.
Here are some blog posts on these topics:
2. We need to be willing to hear and respond to difficult messages.
When Peter testified of the mission of Jesus Christ to a group of people in Jerusalem, they were “pricked in their hearts” (Acts 2:37-38). Fortunately for them, they were willing to heed the message and change.
In contrast, the religious leaders who heard Stephen testify that he saw the Savior standing on the right hand of God were unwilling to listen. They shouted and “stopped their ears,” so that they wouldn’t have to hear him any more. (See Acts 7:57.)
We can follow the amazing examples of Alma and Saul, both of whom changed their lives dramatically after being miraculously called to repentance. We can also emulate Ananias, who not only healed his former persecutor but who called him “Brother Saul” ( Acts 9:17).
Here are some posts on this topic:
3. God can help us find opportunities to share the gospel regardless of our circumstances.
I was impressed with Paul’s effectiveness as a missionary even when he was imprisoned or under custody. Like other disciples of Christ, including Alma and Amulek, Nephi and Lehi, and Joseph Smith, he found opportunities to preach the gospel and influence the people around him even when his freedom was severely limited.
God can also help us carry on even when we’re discouraged. When Paul encountered resistance in Corinth, God assured him, “I have much people in this city” (Acts 18:10).
Here are some blog posts about this principle:
4. There is safety in recognizing and following inspired leaders.
The Roman centurion Julius, who transported Paul from Caesarea to Rome, learned firsthand the importance of following instructions from one of God’s servants. As the ship neared the island of Malta in a severe storm, he followed Paul’s counsel to keep everyone on the ship. Everyone survived.
Priscilla and Aquila also learned for themselves that Paul was a chosen servant of God. He stayed with them in Corinth, and then they traveled with him to Ephesus. Their lives were richly blessed. They were able contribute meaningfully by sharing the gospel and by hosting church congregations in their home.
Here are some blog posts on this topic: