Jesus never promises us that there will be a comprehensive acceptance of the gospel. In fact, he promises us that there will be persecution and tribulation until the day he returns. Nowhere in the bible is the success of the gospel measured by how many warm bodies are on seats or how government policies align with biblical morality. What it seems that God wants most from his church is obedience, faithfulness, and trust to live for him and speak of his good news. It seems to me that success for us in terms of the gospel is more about our obedience and faithfulness rather than the results.

The success is the Lord’s.

When Paul is writing to Timothy about engaging in the difficult ministry of the gospel, he points him to be unashamed of the gospel and be strengthened by grace that is in Christ Jesus. He calls him to be willing to suffer and to be active in ministry. (2 Timothy 2:1-7). When we hear these commands from Paul to his fellow worker, we might be tempted to think that Paul is coaching Timothy for success. If so, we would expect Paul to tell Timothy how to fill the pews, answer the questions of his time, pursue cultural change, and show how successful the gospel really is. Instead, Paul tells Timothy to be ready to suffer. That does not sound successful at all.

If we were to think about what might make the ministry of the gospel successful, we probably wouldn’t put the imprisonment of Christians at the top of the list. Paul, however, sees it differently. He knows that it is God’s gospel, and he is using his church however necessary to save exactly who he has purposed to save. 2 Timothy 2:8-10 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Paul gives Timothy two key truths in these verses. 1. The word of God (the gospel) is not bound even though he is. 2. Paul will endure anything he needs to, knowing that he is simply an instrument in the redeemer’s hands.

All around the world, faithful Christians are living out and speaking the gospel to others. Some are imprisoned and die for it. Some are just mustering up the courage to speak to their friend about Jesus in a coffee shop. Wherever this is happening in the world, people are being saved and the gospel is saving exactly who God purposes to save. Jesus has not shed one drop of his blood unsuccessfully to save his sheep. The gospel being preached is never in vain. Those who God has purposed for his mercy and grace are receiving it. Jesus is building his church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

I suggest we should forget about the statements that people are making about how good or bad or successful or unsuccessful the church is. Let’s just be faithful in our life before God and obey everything Jesus has told us. Let’s do it knowing that as we live and speak the grace and truth of Christ, God will use us as his tools as he has done with the church for 2000 years. God doesn’t need us for the success of his gospel, but by grace he uses us – imperfect, messy us. This is exactly how Paul encouraged the Philippians in the gospel from prison.