The Bible shows us that the kingdom of God produces growth and multiplication all by itself. In the early days, the good news spread through the world like Covid. [It’s an analogy; work with me: I’m not taking a stand on Covid.]

This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. — Mark 4:26-27

Look, the world has gone after him. — John 12:19

the number of the disciples multiplied greatly — Acts 6:7

the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria… multiplied — Acts 9:31

the word of God increased and multiplied — Acts 12:24

How does the world slow down this inevitable spread of the gospel today? Maybe the same way it tries to stop Covid, telling people to:

– wear a mask in public to protect yourself from spiritual conversations

– if you get infected or reinfected, quarantine with other believers until you’re no longer contagious

– get vaccinated with a harmless form, so you won’t have to give up your life

– if there’s an outbreak of the Holy Spirit, follow the imposed restrictions

Yet like the early disciples we can orient ourselves to God rather than the pressures of this world. And we can participate in the viral spread of the gospel.

“We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” — Acts 5:28-29