The Power of the Gospel Message - Acts 17-18

Acts 17:10-12 (ESV)

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men.

The above story of Paul sharing the Gospel message with the people of Berea is a good look of what we hope happens in every mission field in the world.   Paul has been run out of Thessalonica by a band of jealous Jewish leaders.   They didn’t want their power upset so they caused a great uproar and Paul and Silas were run out of town.   The same Jewish leaders will come to Berea to do the same thing, later.  But, not until Paul teaches the message of the risen Christ and the people begin to believe.   This is the pattern throughout the book of Acts.  Preaching leads to believing which leads to the building of the church which leads to persecution from religious people who think they will lose their power ... which they do.  God has established the method He wants to further the Church.  The Church is not built by anything but the teaching of the truth of the resurrection of Christ.   In our modern day marketing of the Church less emphasis is put on doctrine and teaching of God Word of truth and more on meeting the needs of the people we are trying to attract.  We titillate them to be part of our body but when something tough comes down they flee to some other group of believers who will meet their personal needs.   Paul preached Christ and Him risen from the dead.  The message was not complex.   Later a man named Apollos would come along and do the same things as Paul.  Apollos did not have all the doctrine he needed at the first, however.  The writer of the book of Acts states the following about him:

Acts 18:26-28 (ESV)

He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

Showing the Christ (the Messiah) was Jesus was the theme of the New Testament.  Jesus came to save the world and that is the only message that will build the true Church.  There is nothing wrong with trying to meet the needs of people, but the real need that must be meet is that Jesus died and rose again for their sins.