January 15, 2020, | Pastor Nathan Elms
The Lord and the city: somehow, the two go together. I used always to think of the Lord as being out there on the mountainside by Himself, and that’s right [Matthew 14:23; Mark 6:46; John 6:15]; and on the waters alone at night in Galilee, that’s right [Mark 6:47-48]; and in the little city of Nazareth, that’s right [Matthew 2:23; Luke 4:16-24]. But as you look at the Lord more closely, you will find in His heart the compassion for the big city.
Embracing a mission; instead of fleeing it, brings life. The city is where the people are. By being impressed by our Savior instead of the enemies, there will be success in ministry.
The work in the city is hard and laborious and discouraging and difficult. The reason the Lord appeared to Paul in the night in Corinth was because of the immeasurable, illimitable, indescribable discouragement of the missionary as he sought to build the work of Jesus in the city. In Athens [Acts 17:16-33], he left discouraged, and in Corinth [Acts 18:1-18] the prospects were no easier nor the future any brighter. After laboring there in the great city of Corinth, Paul purposed in his heart to leave. It was then that the Lord appeared to him in the night in a vision saying, "Paul, not so, not so. You’re to stay in this town in the heart of this vast city for I have much people in it" [Acts 18:9-10].
