Today's passage touches upon the growth of the early church upon the solid foundation that Scott described yesterday. Carried along by the Holy Spirit and their individually and corporately firm commitment to the Gospel, the early church found great blessing and power from the Lord. Let us reflect on several of the declarations from today's passage:
1. "When Peter saw this, he said to them: 'Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see." (Acts 3:12-16)
2. "If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is
"the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone."
"'Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.'" (Acts 4:9-12)
3. "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say." (Acts 4:13,14)
4. "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." (Acts 4:31)
5. "As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by." (Acts 5:15)
6. [Gamaliel] "'Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.'" (Acts 5:38,39)
7. "The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah." (Acts 5:41,42)
Reading these words forces us to reflect upon the current state of the church. Why don't we experience the power and blessing that Luke describes? Please note that this power and blessing are ultimately for God's glory, not for ours. This "power" is not intended to exalt us in front of others, but rather to lift high the Name of Jesus. When I write "blessing," I am not referring to a physical blessing, but rather a spiritual one. The early church shows great willingness towards personal and corporate sacrifice in the carrying out of Jesus's mission to "make disciples of all nations."
Clearly, the power and blessing were not of human origin, even as the Jewish scholar Gamaliel (and Paul's instructor) acknowledged. How did they tap into the lifesource that drove the advance of the Kingdom? The apostles and other disciples had humbly approached God, offering themselves as living sacrifices and seeking to both experience God's presence and make Him known throughout Jerusalem. Loving and serving God and proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ had become their great passion.
I know for myself that I often do not experience the richness of God's presence because I am too easily tempted to settle for other things. For example, I may become preoccupied with work, sports, or music. Certainly, all of these areas of life are crucial, and God has called us to serve Him faithfully in each aspect of our lives. Yet, when our preoccupations "crowd out" the presence and adoration of God, we miss the greater point of life. The early church saw such a powerful advance of the Kingdom due to their intimate knowledge of Jesus Christ.
How may we experience this intimate knowledge of Christ and see the power poured out at Grace Church? First, let us confess that we have put other things ahead of God's presence. Let us enumerate where we have slighted God to approach some other goal. Next, let us submit ourselves and seek humbly after God's presence. Request His visitation and truth spoken into your life. His motivation and guidance are of far greater value than any other source. Finally, the love of Christ may overflow from our hearts, leading us to serve others and proclaim the Truth as the disciples did.
QUESTIONS
1. Where is your heart today? Troubled? Anxious? Joyful?
2. What type of power would you like to see poured out among us? Would you kindly pray for that?
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