HARDENED
Acts 19:8-10 NKJV
8 And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. 9 But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 10 And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.
Paul had a pattern that he followed in almost every city where he proclaimed Jesus. He would go into the synagogue and preach to the Jews first. He could reason with the Jews and show them from the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah. Because of their knowledge of the scriptures, the Jews had the potential to receive Jesus even more than the Gentiles who had no knowledge of the Hebrew scriptures. The foundation to believe was greater for the Jews, and many did receive. There seemed to be a pattern in the synagogues Paul preached in. They would listen, and at some point, some would believe, and some would reject Jesus as the Savior.
In our verses for today, Paul preached boldly in the synagogue in the city of Ephesus. Ephesus was a major city in Asia, and the church at Ephesus became the leading church in the area. Paul was speaking boldly for three months concerning the things of the kingdom of God. But after that time, some of the Jews there were hardened. We do not see this word used often in the New Testament. Hardened is to make stiff or hard. Stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing. Some of the Jews at Ephesus became hard and resistant to the preaching and teaching of Paul. That hardness prevented them from believing and they began to speak evil about the Way. The Way was a term used to describe the proclaiming of Jesus as the Savior and the new life in God’s kingdom. The Way makes sense. Jesus Himself said He was the way, the truth, and the life.
When the Jews who would not believe spoke evil of the Way, Paul once again repeated a pattern. Instead of trying to convince the ones who had become hardened to the gospel, he would withdraw from the synagogue. All those who had believed in the message of Christ would withdraw with him and Paul’s focus would shift to reaching the Gentiles in the city. Paul had a very effective ministry in Ephesus for two years and the word of God spread all over Asia.
APPLICATION
The word hardened stood out to me for a couple of reasons. The first is personal. I do not ever want to get hard and stiff regarding God’s Word. The opposite of hardened is tender-hearted. It is good to stay tender-hearted toward the Lord, His word, and His kingdom. I can choose to be hard, or I can choose to believe. I do not ask my feelings if I believe. I do not try to reason out if I believe. I choose to stay open and tender to God’s Word. I choose to believe.
The second reason this word hardened stood out to me was it gives insight to people. We present the gospel and the things that concern the kingdom of God. Some will believe and respond, and some will harden their hearts. In the church I attended as a child, I would hear that if you ignore the Lord’s knocking on the door of your heart, that He will stop knocking. Considering our verses for today, the Lord never stops His invitation to us to believe and respond. The problem is if we become hardened, we will not recognize His tug on our hearts.
Stay tender-hearted, my friends!
PRAYER
Lord, I trust You, and I believe You. I am sensitive to Your word and Your whispers to my heart by Your Holy Spirit. I choose to believe. I choose to not get hardened.