Your Daily Devotional for April 5, 2006

April 5, 2006

 

God’s Word—Not Bound!

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

"Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound."

2 Timothy 2:8-9

 

In this passage, as Paul was imprisoned, abandoned by most of his friends, and awaiting the time of his departure, he reminds Timothy of a very vital truth –the Word of God is not bound!

 

In Acts 28, the Bible records another period of Paul’s imprisonment. Paul finally arrives in Rome after a long and eventful journey and is put under house arrest while waiting for his trial before Caesar. Although Paul was accompanied by, and chained to a Roman guard, he still gathered the Jews of the city so that he could preach the Gospel to them. He expounded the name of Jesus, claiming Him to be the long-awaited Messiah. He did not stop after a few hours, but rather preached from morning until evening, showing the people from the Law and the Prophets that Jesus is the only Saviour. With every explanation of the Gospel, those hearing it will always examine it, and that is exactly what these Jews did.

 

When Paul concluded the Gospel message, the response of the people was mixed. The Gospel will always divide, and in this case, the response was tragic —most of the people rejected it. As the Jews who rejected the Gospel rose to leave, Paul got in one more word. Quoting from the book of Isaiah, he said, “And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.”  (Acts 28:25–28)

 

After this rejection by the Jews, the Gospel would be preached to the Gentiles, allowing the message of Christ to be taken all over the world. Throughout Paul’s missionary journeys the Word of God was not bound, and now it would be taken to other regions of the world. Paul says, “…the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.” God’s Word is true, and over the centuries, the Gentiles have received the Gospel.

 

Thank the Lord for His marvelous grace. Even though Paul was a prisoner in Rome for another two years, he did not stop preaching the Gospel. They could lock him up, but they could not shut him up. They could chain him up, but they could not stop him from preaching the Gospel. Rome became a center for world evangelism as Paul faithfully preached until his beheading by the Emperor Nero. While Paul was in Rome, guards were saved, some of Caesar’s household were saved, and four books of the Bible were written. Paul was a man who suffered jail time, persecution, criticism, and yet he preached Christ. He was a burning and shining light for Christ.

 

Today, we need to be reminded as Timothy was, that the Word of God is not bound. Through trials and adversity, our light as Christians can shine brightly for the Lord. At home or at work, we can be a witness for Christ. But without burning, there is no shining. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:12 “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” The apostles gave their lives. The question we face today is: are we willing to burn and to shine for Christ in the same way? As you witness for the Lord this week, remember that the Word of God was not bound during the Apostle Paul's lifetime and is not bound today.

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