Acts 2:42-47 & 4:32-25
I've been reading Acts for this class I'm talking. It's been really cool. One thing I'm seeing and feeling convicted about is how the early church lived. There were no followers of Jesus outside the church. To follow Jesus was to become part of His Bride. The two were inseparable. I'm amazed every time I read Acts at how 100% the disciples are. They rarely call themselves believers, I guess the word was to passive for them. When they decided to follow Jesus they gave everything - literally. People sold their property to meet the needs of others. They opened their homes constantly and thus did away with privacy. They met together every day, giving up their free time. They were devoted to prayer and the apostles' teaching, which would have convicted them of any little sin in their hearts. They also gave up their independence. They even allowed themselves to be under the authority of the apostles. They had a vision for Jesus which meant a vision for His church. The church was not an organization or social club to them, no it was a whole new lifestyle. The church took over every individual's life. They really gave it all to Jesus.
I feel convicted when I read these passages. How much have I given up for the church? How much have I really joyfully surrendered to Jesus? In comparison to these people nothing. I haven't even begun. I've never sold anything to provide for another's need. I don't get together with people to worship God every day. Haven't opened my home (or in my case little room). How much independence have I let go of? No I'm a little slacker and compared to them I've not really sacrificed for the church much yet. It hasn't completely taken over my life.
Jesus, I want You to really have everything. Please lead me into a deeper level of commitment to You and a greater willingness to give You absolutely everything. Teach me to live my life like these people in Acts. Not just me teach the whole body of Christ worldwide to live like this again. Shake us out of our mediocrity. Give us this sweet dream and teach us to run with it....
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
There are so many churches. How do you know that your church or at least the group of Christians you hang out with are worthy of your sacrifice. What if they lead you into something unbiblical. Have you seen the movie "Saved?" What if I am Mary and they are Hilary Faye?
No one is worthy. That doesn't matter.
At some point you have define your circumstances, and not merely be defined by them.
i think that is cool that God is using this time in acts to speek to you about the church.
how amazing it would be if churches around the world would be sold out to Christ once again. His glory would fill this earth like never before. I will be praying with you that more people would have this heart. You can be a world changer Jennifer! Don't be afraid to give yourself to your church.
I haven't seen "saved" but I think a part of the problem is that too many people get distracted from the heart of our message.
"For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2)
Everything else is secondary to this: Jesus Christ crucified. It is the heart. I think when people catch that vision God will make the rest fall into place as they listen to Him. No group will ever hear Him perfectly because we're all fallible humans. He has the grace to cover it. Besides it's not the people I make the sacrifce for, it's the GOD who's called me to be a part of their lives who recieves my gift more than anyone else. In the end I'd rather have God say to me "Jennifer you didn't chose the perfect group but your heart was totally to serve Me, well done," rather than, "You were so afraid of chosing a group that wasn't perfect that you never really gave yourself fully to serving Me." If I were to make a mistake I'd chose first.
Amen Jennifer
and Amen again ! lets all pray anonymous's prayer, that we would grow in number, us who have this heart for everything of Him, and nothing else.
The bride is preparing herself !!
Sylvain
Post a Comment