“For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything“
the word of the Lord has sounded forth,
The words “sounded forth” come from two words out and to hold meaning to cause to sound out, ring out or resound. “Sounded forth” then has the implication of to sound out a trumpet or thunder, to reverberate like an echo. When the gospel gains momentum, then its impact increases.
The idea of resounding gives the impression that the gospel went out and then reverberated repeatedly throughout the Roman Empire. We often get reverberations in our church auditoriums. The same sound echoes in the room a number of times. God’s Word reverberated everywhere, like rolling thunder.
Principle:
Momentum will increase the impact of the gospel throughout the world.
Application:
We need to thunder out or trumpet out the gospel so that it reverberates throughout our community and world. It is not enough to be an evangelical church; our church must be an evangelistic church as well.
Is your church geared up to win people to Christ? Is this a fundamental purpose of your church? Many churches have lost this passion. Getting the gospel out is no longer a central value to them. They have lost their sense of heaven and hell and the wonder of what Jesus did about sin. It is very easy to take our eyes off the target and focus on things of lesser value. Many good things out there are not the best.
“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain” (Philippians 2:14-16).
“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you…” (2 Thessalonians 3:1)
