“I asked you to come here today so we could get acquainted and so I could explain to you that I am bound with this chain because I believe that the hope of Israel—the Messiah—has already come.”
Acts 28:20 (NLT)
Paul wanted to meet the Jewish leaders in Rome, get acquainted with them, and offer them something. In typical Paul fashion, it didn’t take long for him to bring up Jesus. Paul wanted to communicate that he was bound in chains because he believed not only in the hope of Israel, the Messiah, but that the hope of Israel had already come. This was a pivotal moment.
Because Paul believed, he endured chains for the good news. If he had no hope in Jesus, he would not have been in chains. Because Paul believed, he was willing to suffer. He was living for the hope of Israel, through the hope of Israel, and to draw others to the hope of Israel. He wasn’t worried about the chain. He was worried about the One he endured the chains for.
Our willingness to endure, suffer, do hard things, wait, and have patience tends to show the value we put on something. A mom is willing to endure the pain of childbirth and the effort of raising a child because she believes the child has value. We give ourselves away to our spouse because we believe in the hope of our marriage improving. We endure the cost, time, and effort of college for the hope of a better job.
So today, what are you willing to endure for God because you believe? What do you need to go through with God because you believe? What have you been through that you need to testify about and share with others? We testify to help others believe in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the hope of Israel, who’s already come. We serve a chain breaker. But sometimes, in the Kingdom, we have to endure the chains that obedience to Jesus brings us.