Pressing On -- Acts 8

As we read through Acts chapter 8 we find many great stories of how the church began to expand. The move of the Holy Spirit is taking the church of Jesus Christ to new places and more and more people are committing to become followers of Jesus. We find Philip with the Ethiopian eunuch. Philip walks him through the scriptures, by the end of the account there has been a baptism and a receiving of the Holy Spirit. The power of God is on full display in this chapter. I wonder if we missed the first couple of verses, " A great wave of persecution began that day...".

With the death of Stephen, those who were opposing the Way of Christ gained strength and boldness. We are told Saul went from house to house putting in jail those who followed the Way. The believers scattered all across the region for fear of those who were working to keep the church at bay. This is the backdrop of the great expansion of the church. It was not found in cultural acceptance. Nor was it found in having the officials of government being the right persons who believe just like the church. I was not initiated by the religious leaders, those who had the greatest ability to influence of broken system and world. No the great expansion of the church happened in while great persecution was breaking out upon the church.

It is easy to press on when things are going well and easy. When the going gets more difficult, the tendency is to want to give up. When our culture seems to be shifting away from God and toward our own appetites, when it seems there are more and more people who would rather see Jesus out of the equation, the church must press on! I am not sure we are at a time of great persecution like in Acts 8 here in America. There are places in the church today where they have been for years. However it is getting more and more difficult to seek the Way of Jesus, both inside and outside the church. The leaders of denominations will not change the trajectory, nor will the leaders of government. The great expansion of the church continues all over the world, except here in America. Could it be the church is willing to sit back and let it happen? The time has come to press on. Stephen and Philip were not leaders of the church, they were appointed as servants. They were like you and I. They pressed on and God used them for great works, in their day and now. Are we ready to press on?

Stephen's Day In Court -- Acts 7

There Stephen stands with the charges against him. the crowd claimed he was teaching things contrary to the ways of Moses and the prophets. Rather than begin the ritual of did not, did too, Stephen takes his day in court and shows what he has been teaching. As far as teaching about the people called Israel, it is impeccable. Abraham, Issac, Joseph, right up to Moses. I am sure the council hearing Stephen were wondering what the issue was. It seemed what Stephen was saying was complete orthodoxy. Then comes the twist, the accusation. For that Stephen pays with his life, while many watch, including Saul, later known as Paul.

How many of us would have used this course of action? There are two ways this would most likely play out in our culture. First many would not even think to recount the very story we are accused of misrepresenting. Second, many of us would not be willing to put the harsh accusation at the end. Stephen was clearly showing he knew the story God had written with the people of Israel. Showing the accusations against him we unfounded. He probably could have stopped before the accusation and been just fine. However, Stephen knew there was the rest of the story. With boldness, he proclaims the full story of God.

An often overlooked portion of the passage is the fact that Stephen kept himself fully connecting with God through Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit. This was not merely Stephen speaking, it was the boldness of the Holy Spirit. Often we speak with our own boldness and create a situation where we are on our own more than following after God. The strength showed by Stephen continued to prove he understood the story of God perfectly. Though the result was an earthly death, the kingdom implications continue to shout today. Stephen boldly stood for Christ when there was a lot of pressure to back away. Are we ready to stand?

Know Your Gift and Calling -- Acts 6

As I read through Acts 6 there are a few things I am not surprised by and a few things which catch me off guard. It is no surprise that as the number of believers grew there was some grumbling. Further it is no surprise the leaders of the church had a plan to address the grumbling. My first shock comes when the leaders say they should be focused on the scriptures, teaching and leading the church, not administering a food program. My first read of this causes me to think of the leaders as arrogant, and unwilling to do whatever it takes for the ministry to continue. Further reflection reveals a possibility just below the surface.

Each one of us is gifted and called by God. You and I are both uniquely designed and created for a purpose in God's kingdom. In order for us to fulfill the calling and live out our gifts we first must identify those gifts. This is more than simply taking a class, though that can be helpful, it is a process of discerning the heart of God. Once we feel as though we have grasped, even in a small form, what it is God has gifted and call us to we must pursue it.

The leaders of the church in Acts 6 understood who God had called them to be, and where their gifting was found. Could they have administered the food program? Yes. Would that have been the best use of the calling and gifts God has given? No. The people selected to administer the food to the widows were people who were called to such a ministry, and God gifted them for it as well. Had the leaders of the church simply stepped in to lead the food distribution, who would have kept the words of Scripture in front of the people?

Second but not secondary is the matter of excellence. The leaders could have done it, however my guess is the people lifted up by the Holy Spirit did a much better job. When we function out of our calling and giftedness, we function better. This is not to say we never function outside of our calling and giftedness, there are times when we are called to that. Still a bulk of our effort should be spent doing that which God has called us to, and gifted us for. This is why the church leaders would not administer the food program. It was not out of arrogance or pride, it was out of recognizing the calling and gifting of all God's people.

How about you? Are you doing what God has called and gifted you for?

Let god Decide -- Acts 5

I continue to be amazed at the number of people who are experts in what God is up to these days. There is no shortage of people who will proclaim something to be of God and not. This seems to be a significant part of our human condition. If there is something we disagree with, or cannot explain, we like to think it is not God at work. If it is God at work, then many decide God is not worthy of being followed. Perhaps the issues is not God, rather it is our human need to jump to a conclusion.

The high priest and the council are facing such a situation. More and more people are beginning to follow the Way, or the teachings of Jesus. The crowds are getting bigger and the disciples are gaining more and more favor with the people of the city. Jealousy is such an evil thing. Just when the council is about to find a way to kill the apostles a voice of reason comes. Gamaliel, not a name used very often any more, says if this is of human origin it will pass by itself, if it is of God, we might find ourselves fighting God.

How many times do I end up fighting with God? There is the scary question. My tendency is to decide what is godly and what is not. God may be making clear the way of salvation in a new way, and I could be standing in the way. There are others who are much more knowledgeable about the scriptures than I am, however, as I read the scriptures I find fighting against God to not be a good plan. From time to time God asks us to fight for God, never against.

Here we are thousands of years after Gamaliel offers sound wisdom to the council. The ministry of Jesus continues on. Through think and thin, explosion and contraction, the work, and resurrection of Jesus continues on. When God is making clear the Way of Jesus through a new means, who are we to stand in the way. Leave room for God to work, and allow god to be the one who decides what is of human origin, and what is not. The things of humanity will all pass away, the things of God will endure forever. Be willing to let God reveal Jesus in new ways.

Strength From The Struggle -- Acts 4

So Peter and John, healed a man who had been crippled for more than 40 years, and the religious leaders of the day were not thrilled about it. Their discontent was two fold, one they were not involved with such a work of God, and two the name of Jesus was being lifted up. Remember these were the people who strategized and planned for months looking for a way to kill Jesus. They thought they had been successful, and the Way which Jesus lead would simply fade away.

Peter and John are brought before the High Priest and the whole council for examination. Peter being himself, boldly proclaims to the council their work is done in Jesus name. Now the council was in quite a pickle. They could not deny the miraculous healing, as people witnessed it, nor could they allow the disciples to continue their work. So, the end result was a severe tongue lashing, and the edict to not proclaim the name of Jesus Christ ever again. Here we have the fist major incident of persecution of the church. The established religious people of the day commanding the Followers to not speak of or in Jesus' name again.

I love the result this has on the people of Jesus. the shout and pray all the louder. They continue their work with a renewed level of zeal and passion. The struggle has seemed to make them stronger. I wonder what would happen if the rulers of our day, religious or otherwise, proclaimed that no one was allowed to speak the name of Jesus? We can see the effect it had on the followers in Acts 4, would we respond the same? There was no court battle, there was not public smear campaign, no boycotts of protests, none of it. The people simply went about proclaiming the name of Jesus. Persecution made the church stronger.

Perhaps it is time for some persecution in our day. Or perhaps the persecution has already come and we are shying away. As a society we are told it is not politically correct, or that we might offend others if we speak the name of Jesus, and we are listening. Just the opposite reaction than those in Acts 4. Oh that the church would once again respond to persecution like those who have gone before us.

Times of Refressing -- Acts 3

Life is hectic for most people. Here in America we regularly display our ability to over schedule our day, so no matter what when the day has run its course we still feel we need to do more. Mix this business with with the general chaos which accompanies this thing called humanity and you have one stress producing mess. Stress produces several things in humanity, included in this is sin. When we experience high levels of stress it is easy to make poor choices with our time. Then we heap guilt onto the pile of life. It can all seem overwhelming.

Peter in Acts 3 instructs the crowd to turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sin. It would be easy to stop reading there, however the next verse is beyond important in our chaotic, over scheduled lives. "Then wonderful times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord...". I don't know about you, but I could use some times of refreshing. Life moves at a pretty high pace, and I just plain get tired. I crave times when I can rest in the presence of the Lord and experience refreshing.

Now there are somethings I must do to experience this refreshing. I must first turn from my sins. This is more than forgiveness, this is stopping them. Then I must turn to God. So not just avoiding sin, but turning the the source of life. Once I do that then in the presence of the Lord I will find the refreshing I crave. All too often I seek the refreshing without doing my part. I simply want to feel the release without the turning. As long as I am living life on my terms the refreshing will not come.

Take time today to get with your God. First, turn from the sin in your life. Second, turn to God. Last enjoy the time of refreshing in the presence of God.

The Big Day -- Acts 2

Life had settled back to normal what ever that is for the people of Jerusalem. The passover celebration was now 50 days behind them, and the whole debacle of this man named Jesus was out of the minds of most. While the believers gathered in the upper room to pray, and hope to remain safe, the rest of the people when about business as usual. It was the festival of Pentecost, or the harvest. This was one of the three major festivals of the Jewish year and people were gathered in Jerusalem from all over the world. Things were going along just fine until the rushing of a violent wind.

The situation shook everyone out of their mindless pattern, and drew them into focus upon the place where the followers of Jesus were at. As the crowd found their way to the upper room they arrived to find people speaking their language. Some knew God was up to something as the people speaking were known as educated people according to the standards of the day. Others were quick to assume they were drunk, not leaving room for God to be at work. Chaos had settled into the business as usual workings of the city.

In the midst of that chaos Peter steps forward to address the crowd. Many have called this the first sermon of the church. There is explanation or teaching, there is confrontation, and there is a convicting question. Once the crowd seeks what they are to do, Peter delivers the plan of God, turn from your sins and turn to God. Repent, and be baptized. Three thousand were added to the church that day. Can you imagine going from a church of 120 to a church of 3120 in a day?

This is what happened and the believers began to live together in such a way that God was able to use them to continue to reveal the Kingdom. Daily God uses the believers to add to the number of people who were being saved.

I cannot help wonder if it isn't time once again for the church to experience such an out pouring. Is it possible we, the church, have settled back into the pattern of business as usual. We are going about the work of the church and life, without much real connection to the work of God? When there has been an outpouring of the Holy Spirit have we seen it as God at work, or humans who are abusing the flesh? The day of Pentecost is coming. May we hear the voice of God, turn from our sins and turn to God. Revive us of Lord.