Apustuļu darbi 4:1-22

Here is a photo from our Wednesday Bible study and a link to the MP3. Our journey through the Acts of the Apostles continues with the believers in Iskile. Acts 4 gives us the different reactions of the people to the preaching of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. There were thousands that believed and were added to the church but there were those who rejected Jesus who were "greatly disturbed" and threatened the apostles not to teach anymore in Jesus name.

The same is true today, there may be a few thousand believers in Latvia but there are a couple million people who think that God is contained in a cathedral and does not belong in public discussion. Even some religious leaders discourage the direct preaching of the gospel of Jesus in public saying it's not going to work like that in our day in our culture. Remember when Peter fished all night and caught nothing, but at Jesus' word he let out his nets again and caught so many fish it was hard to handle. It was a lesson about fishing for men and like Peter, we understand it is obedience to God to preach the gospel and we believe that God has ordained to use to public proclamation of the truth to broadcast the gospel seed and trust that it won't return void but that God will draw the people to Jesus. If we faithfully and clearly present the gospel and it is not received, is it because the gospel is unacceptable or is it because the hearts are hard and unreceptive?

God gave us a plan for an evangelistic concert and gospel message in Ikskile for March 23 (Easter Sunday) and God has opened a door for us in the center of Ikskile to use the culture house or set up a sound system outside if it's good weather. Although some church people are opposed to such a public service we do have the support of the Latvian Evangelical Alliance and a few believers in Ikskile who do desire to reach their community with the gospel. There are many obstacles for pioneering a new church plant but greater than all the obstacles is our living God.