Did you ever taste a meal and get a big blob of salt or pepper? The seasoning that was meant to make the meal taste better ends up becoming overpowering, and it can ruin the whole dish. It seems that salt or pepper works better if it is used to season the whole dish.
I think God knows this is a good principle for both cooking and for the work of the Church. In Acts, God begins small, ascending to heaven while telling a small group of disciples, "You will be my witnesses." At Pentecost, that small group spreads out into the streets, leading the crowd to a worship service that ends in 3,000 people coming to the Lord. That number was .001% of the world's 300 million population at the time. And the 3,000 was .5% of the 600,000 that occupied Palestine. Those are small numbers that beg a question ... how would God spread the Gospel in the context of a world without mass-communication or convenient ways of moving large groups of people (and probably people who were content to live where they were)? The answer seems to be a similar answer to the salt and pepper in the dish ... you stir.
In Acts 7 Stephen proclaims the Gospel message in boldness, and it costs him his life. Some of you might ask, "Why did God let Stephen, who spoke truth in the face of opposition, die?" In Acts 8 we find these words ... "On that day a great persecution broke out in Jerusalem and all but the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Some of you might ask, "Why did God allow His faithful to be displaced, scattered and persecuted?" My thought ... stirring!
In the story of Joseph, we find that wonderful statement by Joseph, now ruling in Egypt, totally in control of the plight of his brothers who had harmed him. Joseph says, "You intended to harm me but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." I believe this is one of the underlying themes of Acts ... God making good out of evil intentions. There are some great messages here.
1) Good is always opposed ... it has been that way since people came upon the earth. In the New Testament (read it for yourself) God's good is opposed by Satan, but God's good wins out. It doesn't win out by our might or powerful warriors (except prayer warriors) ... it wins when we give God control and apply what Jesus had taught us.
2) God intends good for His people. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and give you a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11)."
3) God is accomplishing something that is currently being done. This is God's work ... and we can join God in this work. I say (often) if we want to do God's work, get into God's plan and get out of our plan.
4) God's work saves people. Who would wish persecution on the Church? Who would want Stephen killed? And who would think good would come out of those situations? But God sees a bigger picture.
In the Acts 8 passage, did you note that those who were scattered did not include the apostles? Did you note that in Acts 9 God uses the guy in charge of persecuting the Church, Saul/Paul, as His head evangelist in most of the rest of the New Testament? Do you think God knows something we don't know?
We are all worried about the plight of the Church in America, Afghanistan and all over the world. I get it! But, when we are being persecuted and scattered, don't we follow Jesus? Don't we go to our book of instruction, the Bible, and seek guidance? Don't we pray and watch for what God is doing? And, don't we tell everyone about the message of salvation ... that the Jesus who commissioned Paul, raised Stephen to eternal life ... is the same God who will lead us out of darkness, even today? That's what I plan to do ... what about you? Randy
No comments:
Post a Comment