The Gospel is still on the move...

Key Point: Herod dies but the gospel lives. Herod opposed the spread of the gospel ... But the gospel endures, increases and continues to spread and we are all called to be gospel witnesses to the world. The gospel spreads through you and me...

Acts 12:20-25

Acts 12:20–25 (KJV 1900)

And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country. And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. But the word of God grew and multiplied. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

Matthew 24:35 (KJV 1900)

Jesus said… “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away”.

Revelation 21:1–4 (KJV 1900) John says… on the Island of Patmos...

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

As we serve in local churches, it can be easy to forget the global nature of Christianity. Even connections to missionaries or trips to other countries don’t fully display the magnitude of the modern-day church.

And if a church has plateaued or is even shrinking, we can be tempted to see the global church in a similar light. But the latest statistics from the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary published January 31, 2022 can give a better perspective on Christianity.

There are encouraging trends to note in the report.

1. Religious faith is growing faster than the irreligious.

There are fewer atheists around the world today (147 million) than in 1970 (165 million), and the Gordon-Conwell report expects the number to continue to decline into 2050.

2. Christianity continues to grow.

Not only is religion growing overall, but Christianity specifically is growing. With a 1.17% growth rate, almost 2.56 billion people will identify as a Christian by the middle of 2022. By 2050, that number is expected to top 3.33 billion. The current world population is estimated at being ~8 billion.

3. Growth is fastest in the global South.

The places where Christianity is growing the fastest? Africa (2.77% growth) and Asia (1.50%). In 2000, 814 million Christians lived in Europe and North America, while 660 million Christians called African and Asia home. This year (2022), 838 million live in the global North, while almost 1.1 billion Christians live in Africa and Asia alone.

4. Christianity continues to spread out.

As Christianity continues to grow in the global South, it is also becoming increasingly less concentrated. In 1900, 95% of all Christians lived in a majority Christian country. In 2022, that number has fallen to 53.7%. By 2050, most Christians (50.4%) around the world will live in non-majority Christian nations.

5. The percentage of non-Christians who know a Christian is climbing.

As a result, the percentage of unevangelized people around the world continues to fall. In 1900, more than half of the world’s population (54.3%) was unevangelized. That has now fallen to 28%.

6. More than 90 million Bibles will be printed this year.

In 2022, it was projected that, 93 million copies of God’s word would be printed, up from 54 million in 2000 and 5 million in 1900. By 2025, 100 million Bibles will be printed each year. Currently, almost 1.8 billion Bibles are in circulation around the world. That will climb to 2.3 billion by 2050.

The Gospel is still on the move...

In today’s text we see how God through Luke points out the relentless march of the gospel as commanded by Jesus in

Acts 1:8 (KJV 1900)

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country.

Tyre - Lebanon

Sidon - Lebanon

Lebanon - shares a northern border with Israel

Chamberlain - (2) In Acts 12:20, "Blastus the king's chamberlain, the chief valet to Herod, which was a position involving much honor and access.

Herod didn’t give the glory to God...

And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

But Peter did…

Acts 10:24–26 KJV 1900

And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near friends. And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.

This chapter of Acts opens with

James Dead

Peter in Prison

Herod Triumphing

and closes with

Herod Dead

Peter Free

the Word of God Triumphing

The word of God is triumphing, and the Gospel is on the move!

There have been many who have tried to oppose the gospel over the centuries. There were times when Christ’s enemies tried to oppose the expansion of the Word of God by the sword just as Herod did when he executed James. The powerful said, “If you continue to preach this gospel, we will take away your lives.” And they did. There have been countless martyrs in the history of the church. Yet the Word of God has not been stopped. The more the enemies of Christ have killed his followers, the more the gospel has spread outward like ripples on a pond.

Herod Agrippa I was part of a dynasty of opposition to the gospel

Herod the Great (reigned from 34 to 4 BC) He sought to kill the baby Jesus

Matthew 2:2 (KJV 1900)

Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

Herod Archelaus, Herod the Great’s son (reigned in Galilee from 4 BC to AD 6) Joseph avoided this Herod when he returned to Israel.

Matthew 2:19–23 (KJV 1900)

But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

Herod Antipas, another of Herod the Great’s sons (reigned in Galilee from AD 6 to 39) He Killed John the Baptist

Mark 6:17–19 (KJV 1900)

For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:

Herod Agrippa I, Herod the Great’s grandson (reigned as tetrarch of Trachonitis from AD 39 and as King of Judea from AD 41-44) He killed James and sought to kill Peter.

Herod Agrippa II, Herod the Great’s great-grandson (reigned over various territories from AD 50 to 100)

Acts 26:28-29 (KJV 1900)

Acts 26:28–29 (KJV 1900)

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

These Herods opposed the gospel in their time and in various ways. Today the gospel still meets with opposition. Today it often takes the form of…

Ridicule

Neglect

And Counterfeits

To ridicule something is to make fun of it… and to laugh at it …

The French agnostic (one who doesn’t believe that God can be known) philosopher Voltaire ridiculed the Gospel...

He tried to destroy the church by ridicule, predicting that within fifty years people would have forgotten even who Jesus Christ was. But the very year he said that, the British museum purchased a Bible manuscript from Russia for $500,000 while a copy of one of Voltaire’s books sold for eight cents in the book stalls of Paris. Fifty years after his prediction, the Geneva Bible society was running off thousands of Bibles on presses that had been set up in Voltaire’s former home in Geneva.

But, ridicule hasn’t stopped the Gospel

To neglect something is to pay no attention or too little attention to it or to disregard it, by treating it without due regard and respect...

To neglect the Gospel is to pretend that it no longer matters and just getting on with one’s life.

But neither has, neglect stopped the Gospel

And gospel look a likes haven’t stopped the gospel either...

A counterfeit is an imitation intended to be passed off fraudulently or deceptively as genuine, a forgery.

An example of a Gospel counterfeit is when the world says “Well, all right, we’ll have religion, but we’ll have it without Christ. We don’t need the cross and an atonement. We’ll just take the beautiful things like Jesus’ ethics. “That kind of religion, a Christ without the cross, has no power and appeals to no one except those seeking a substitute for the real thing. Yet the true gospel of God goes on while the counterfeits eventually fade away.

But counterfeits also have not stopped the Gospel

So, the gospel has been and still is opposed by ridicule, neglect and counterfeits…

But the word of God grew and multiplied.

Acts 12:24 (KJV 1900)

But the word of God grew and multiplied.

The gospel continues to spread because of certain qualities that are inherent in God’s word…

God’s word is Effective (it works)

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (KJV 1900)

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

God’s word is Penetrating (it understands us, it gets through to us, and it speaks to us…)

Hebrews 4:12 (KJV 1900)

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

God’s word is Life-Giving (it transforms us)

Isaiah 55:10–11 (KJV 1900)

For as the rain cometh down,

And the snow from heaven,

And returneth not thither,

But watereth the earth,

And maketh it bring forth and bud,

That it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth:

It shall not return unto me void,

But it shall accomplish that which I please,

And it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Romans 12:2 (KJV 1900)

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

God’s word is also eternal (everlasting)

Matthew 24:35 (KJV 1900)

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

The Gospel is on the move…

And finally, God has decreed that the Gospel is to be advanced by human messengers…

Acts 12:25 (KJV 1900)

And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

All Christians, including disciples like Mark, a relatively unknown disciple up until this point, are enlisted to be gospel witnesses. He was an ordinary person. He wasn’t a Barnabas or a Saul. You and I are commanded to be a witness also.

Conclusion

The Gospel is on the move…

Jesus said…

Acts 1:8 (KJV 1900)

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

This chapter of Acts opens with

James Dead

Peter in Prison

Herod Triumphing

and closes with

Herod Dead

Peter Free

the Word of God Triumphing

The Gospel is on the move…

… now, what is the Gospel?

Romans 10:9–10 (KJV 1900) It is faith in Christ for our salvation...

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

The Gospel is on the move…

Jeremiah 31:33–34 (KJV 1900) It is the new covenant that we have with God… and includes forgiveness of all of our sin...

But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel;

After those days, saith the Lord,

I will put my law in their inward parts,

And write it in their hearts;

And will be their God,

And they shall be my people.

....

For I will forgive their iniquity,

And I will remember their sin no more.

The Gospel is on the move…

John 3:16 (KJV 1900) It is the promise of everlasting life...

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Ridicule hasn’t stopped the Gospel

Neglect has not stopped the Gospel

Gospel look a likes have not stopped the Gospel

The Gospel is still on the move…

God’s word is still Effective (it works)

God’s word is still Penetrating (it gets through to us)

God’s word is still Life-Giving (it transforms us)

God’s word is still eternal (it is without beginning or end, it is timeless and everlasting)

What is our responsibility?

We are all called to be Gospel witnesses… from the youngest to the oldest.

Paul says it well in Romans 1:16-17

Romans 1:16–17 (KJV 1900)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

The gospel is still on the move, spreaded by God’s sovereign will and through you and me, His church… What an awesome privilege and what a sacred responsibility...

The Gospel is still on the move!