The dictionary definition of a magnet is “a material or object that produces a magnetic field; a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials such as iron, and attracts or repels other magnets.” From this definition we can deduce that a magnet:

• produces a magnetic field

• pulls on elements that are highly susceptible to magnetism

• It attracts or repels other magnets

These next three weeks, I want to look at our lives as God’s magnets. I want to look at three areas:

• A Christian’s sphere of influence – your magnetic field

• A Christian’s active power of influence – your ability to magnetise – your pulling power

• A Christian’s sustaining influence – your sustained ability to remain magnetic

What am I talking about? Well, I’m doing a little soul searching and inviting you to do the same. I’m asking myself a few critical questions.

How much of an impact does my relationship with God have on the people around me?

How active and effective am I in drawing people to Christ?

How consistent am I in my relationship with God to stay effective as a change agent?

Jesus was a magnet.

He had a vast sphere of influence. He had an incredible ability to draw people to God. He had power to influence and He sustained his influence throughout his life on earth. The Gospels reveal the impact Jesus had in such a short span of time He walked on earth. Mark chapters 1 and 2 give us dome idea on how effective Jesus was in attracting and then transforming those who came to Him. His ministry begins with his baptism and his temptation in the wilderness; then he begins to preach the Good News of the Kingdom.

We first see the effect on the disciples.

Mark 1:16-20 (NKJV) And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.

Then we see the effect on others around him.

Mark 1:32-34 (NKJV) At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

Mark 1:45 However, he (the leper who was healed) went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.

Mark 2:1-2 And again He entered Capernaum after some days and it was heard that He was in the house. Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them. And He preached the word to them.

Jesus was a magnet that had a strong magnetic field. Everywhere he went he attracted crowds. Why? People encountered God when they hung out with him. When Jesus was in their midst, Divine encounters happened. People had life transforming experiences.

Mark 1:22 – the people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law.

Mark 1:26 – at that, the evil spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him.

Mark 1:31 – so he went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them.

Mark 1:34 – so Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and he cast out many demons.

Mark 1:39 – so he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons.

Mark 1:42 – instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed.

Mark 2:12 – and the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “we’ve never seen anything like this before!”

Our relationship with Christ must be such that we experience daily a transformational encounters that produce transformational encounters when we walk out into the community around us.

The early church was a magnet

Not only was Jesus a magnet that drew people around him to God, the early church became a body of believers that attracted people to God and God encounters.

Acts 2:43 – a deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.

Acts 3:7 – Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk. Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the temple with them. All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God. When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.

Acts 4:4 – But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of men who believed now totaled about 5,000.

Acts 5:14 – Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women. As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.

The church was full of transformed lives that produced transformational encounters.

We are called to be magnets.

Jesus was a magnet, the disciples were magnets, the early church was a magnet. We are called to be God magnets. The church was never meant to be a group of holy rollers, huddled up in protective bunkers waiting for the return of Christ. We are called to Go – Go and preach the Gospel. The Gospel of power. As we Go in obedience to Christ, we are anointed with the same anointing. To be magnets that draw people unto God.

2 corinthians 2:14 But thank God! He has made us His captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now He uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God.

We are all in the same triumphal procession. We are heading part of the victory procession. That procession is drawing crowds. It’s spreading. Why? Because it is fragrant. It’s spreads like sweet perfume. May our lives be that sweet perfume everywhere we go. Attracting people to God. Let us be transformed lives producing transformational encounters everyday, everywhere. Jesus was a magnet, the disciples were magnets, the early church was a magnet. Let us let God shape us into God magnets.

The epitaph of Ruth Graham, wife of Billy Graham reads “end of construction–thank you for your patience.” She saw her entire journey on earth with God as one always under construction.

The first century church has always been the reference point on how to do church the way God intended us to. In the book of Acts, we read about the phenomenal growth of the church. How united and dedicated they were to Christ’s mandate to preach the good news. Under the severest of persecution, they scattered and went everywhere but kept preaching the Gospel with signs and wonders accompanying the preaching of God’s word. We also see how they cared for each other and the poor among them. The early christians have been our north star, the apostles have been our role models. Rightfully so.

The Bible however, doesn’t portray only the good and sanitized version of the early church. Luke in his presentation of the early church provides us an honest and true account of the church he was part of – the good as well as the messy bits. Acts chapter 15 is one such example.

Acts 15:1-2 (NKJV) And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.

Imagine some visiting speakers creating a scene in your local church on a Sunday morning. What would we think of our leadership if they were involved in what Luke called “no small dissension and dispute”. What would our opinion be about our leaders. I frequently hear christians speak about their disappointment with the church and church leaders. Many of them have stopped attending church due to certain actions of these said leaders. I am not condoning bad behavior among church leadership. As leaders we are called to be role models. The church is called to be a city on a hill, to stand out as a beacon for the world. If we are honest we have fallen short many times. We aren’t alone though. The early church was not a perfect church and the New Testament presents the Bride of Christ warts and all.

Warts and all

When we read the New Testament, we see an honest portrayal of the apostles and the early christians. There was a deliberate intention of the writers to portray themselves and the events around them as transparently and honestly as they could. They quarrelled, they had disputes, they misbehaved. The New Testament is honest and transparent even about the giants of our faith. In the midst of unity, individual leaders still had very strong disagreements. Here are two recorded “before and after” examples of conflicts in Paul’s early years in ministry. If we notice the language used by these men who were involved in these incidents, both during and after each conflict, we get some insight on how they grew through the years in their christian walk.

Paul and Peter

→ BEFORE: “I withstood him to his face”

Galatians 2:11-13 (NKJV) Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

This incident probably happened earlier on in Paul’s ministry. Paul probably wrote the book of Galatians before the great council in Jerusalem (Acts 15), where the pillars of our faith sat together and made a monumental decision that separated the church from Judaistic ritual practices, into the faith based Gospel that added no further requirement apart from repentance and faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.

In this particular passage in Galatians, Paul seems to speak of a public disagreement he had with Peter. Look at the strong words used in his letter – “I withstood him to his face”, “he was to be blamed”, “played the hypocrite”. Here the apostle Paul outs his fellow apostles Peter and Barnabas, not just on that day the incident happened but also later, recording it in writing as he writes to the Galatian church once he returned to Antioch. Peter was grappling with his response on how to continue to fellowship with the Gentile believers who did not keep the dietary laws of Moses and yet be faithful to the interpretation of those Mosaic laws prescribed by the Pharisees of his day. This dispute continued among the Jews in Antioch (Acts 15:1-2) until a decision was made by the leadership at Antioch to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem so they could have a wider conversation with the rest of the apostles and come to an agreement about the place Jewish rituals and practices had among gentile believers in the New Testament church.

→ AFTER: “our beloved brother Paul”

2 Peter 3:15-16 (NKJV) and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

About 18 years after the incident in Galatia, we see Peter writing to the churches in Asia Minor. By this time, Paul had written all his letters we have in the New Testament accept for his last letter to Timothy – 2 Timothy. Both apostles were probably in prison or about to be imprisoned prior to their execution. In this second letter of Peter, we hear a tone of love and mutual respect to his fellow apostle. He calls Paul “our beloved brother”. He speaks highly of Paul’s wisdom and places his letters in par with “the rest of the Scriptures”.

I wonder how we might have responded if we were in Peter’s place. Wasn’t Paul the one who publicly called him out for his inconsistent behaviour? Didn’t Paul reiterate in writing his failings and refer to Peter as one who was playing the hypocrite? How would we look at

Paul and John Mark

→ BEFORE: Sharp contention – parted from one another

Acts 15:36-41 (NKJV) Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.” Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

The backdrop to this incident is Paul and Barnabas’ first missionary journey. Very early into the mission, John Mark decided to return to Jerusalem, where his mother lived. We are not told why he left the mission field all we are told is that as soon as Paul and his team arrived in Perga, John Mark left – “departing from them, returned to Jerusalem” (Acts 13:13). Three years later, Paul and Barnabas decide to make a second trip to visit the churches they had planted during the first journey. The sharp contention arose because of John Mark.

Barnabas being a natural encourager (after all he is known as the “son of encouragement”), saw something in John Mark that was worth investing into and chose to give him a second chance. Paul on the other hand, on face value seems to suggest he was a “one strike and you’re out” kind of man, strongly disagreed. They parted ways.

→ AFTER: “he is useful to me”

2 Timothy 4:11 (NKJV) Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.

Fifteen to twenty years later, writing his final letter to Timothy from prison while awaiting execution he writes fondly about this same John Mark. This time he commends him as useful to the ministry. What changed?

What changed? John Mark changed. We are not given any information and whatever little we piece together we can only make an informed guess. John Mark was mentored by Barnabas from the time they sailed to Cyprus till about twelve years later when we see his name appear in Paul’s letter to the Colossian church. It would seem that John Mark was by then part of Paul’s travelling team once again. John would become a useful member of Paul’s team and would later travel to Rome where he spent some time with the apostle Peter. It is during this time, prior to Peter’s martyrdom that John Mark would pen the Gospel of Mark.

What changed? Paul changed. From the seemingly task oriented young power evangelist in the early years of his missionary journeys, Paul seemed to have grown into a spiritual father. We see a change in the tone of Paul’s letters as he shepherds the flock of Christ all across the then known world as a father nurtures and nourishes his own.

I thank God for the honest portrayals of our forefathers of the New Testament church. the early christians were flawed just like us but they didn’t remain that way. Underlying their faith in Christ was the assurance that God accepted them as they were but loved them too much to leave them as they were. The Holy Spirit worked in them and through them shaping the body of Christ in the New Testament to become more and more like Jesus.

Our Christian life is a life of constant change. We are never to remain stagnant. We are always being made more and more like Christ. We are always under construction. Three things to remember about our christian journey:

The goal of our christian life is to be transformed into christ’s image

God accepts us as we are – warts and all. He however will not leave us as we are. He calls us to be disciples and make disciples that live like Jesus, talk like Jesus, love like Jesus and treat others the way Jesus did. To that extent we are to accept everyone as they are, warts and all, but as disciples of Christ we are all committed become like Jesus.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV) But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Our transformation becomes god’s prime example

The transforming work of God in a Christian’s life is a display of His amazing grace. None of us are changed by our own effort. It is by grace and grace alone. Any change that occurs in our lives is a testimony of what God can do to one who is willing to let Him have his way. The apostle Paul highlights this by using his own life as a prime example.

1 Timothy 1:15-16 (NLT) This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.

The environment for divine transformation is TLC

1 Thessalonians 5:14 (NLT) Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.

The only way we are going to see true Christian transformation occur in the church is if we all begin to practice true christian love. Paul encourages us to respond to everyone according to their needs. Some may need a warning as they make choices that may have dangerous consequences. Some may need encouragement, while others may require tended care. But always to all people we are to be patient.

The church is a place where everyone is under construction. Maybe we need to have a sign that says “works ahead – please slow down”.

If we want to take the church to the community, we better learn to treat each other with tender loving care. That means changing – not to be a better version of ourselves – but changing to be like Christ.

Remember:

The goal of our christian life is to be transformed into Christ’s image. To look like Jesus, to talk like Jesus, to treat each other and others like Jesus did.

The purpose of our transformation is to become examples for others. People look up to those they admire. Jesus’ qualities are very attractive. When someone experiences such transformation they become a living testimony – “if God can change me, He can change you too”.

The environment for divine transformation is tender, loving, care. Warn, encourage, take tender care – but always be patient with everyone.

We are all under construction – thank you for your patience.

Our text this week is Acts 8:4.

Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.

This was the entire history of the early church. They were scattered and went everywhere. Today we have a tendency to huddle. We like gathering in our little groups. We enjoy being with those similar to us. We tend to settle, to get into our comfort zones.

God’s purpose for His people however has always been to have us scattered. In Genesis, God said “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth”. Man decided he will do the exact opposite.

Genesis 11:4 (NKJV) And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

The church through the ages has had to battle this same temptation to ignore the instruction of our Lord and fall into the thinking patterns of the people at the Tower of Babel. I can’t get away from the similarities in some of our thinking today.

Protecting from being scattered

Just like the Tower of Babel, churches tend to speak the same language, build cities and towers and make a name for ourselves – “lest we be scattered”.

The context of the story of the Tower of Babel was that they all spoke one language at that time. Don’t we do that in our churches? We create an atmosphere where we all speak the same thing, have the same ideas and create a uniformity that makes us feel comfortable. We don’t like those who rock the boat. We use language like “church culture” or “the way we do things here”. This “one language” environment does not accommodate other opinions or ideas. There is no room for conversations around trying something new. The trend is to get everyone to conform to a uniformed way of speaking and behaving in church.

We “build ourselves a city”. A place we can settle and call home. A place where we are comfortable doing things our way. We sing the songs we love. The very “city” we build ensures that those who come and join us are comfortable with the way we do things – if not there are other “cities” they can go to where they may feel more comfortable. If the music is too loud, we move. If the music is not contemporary enough we move. If the preacher does not hit the sweet spot we move. If the sermon is too long we move. If folk aren’t warm enough we move. If people are too involved in our lives we move.

Once we build our “city”, we ensure we keep this way of doing church protected. We build a “tower” to protect ourselves from any outside influence. We promote a culture and maintain that culture by ensuring every person who identifies with us knows what our church culture is. Sometimes our beliefs and ways of doing things have become “towers” as high as the heavens, keeping God outside and unable to influence us.

So pleased with our “cities” and “towers”, we enshrine them by making “a name for ourselves”. We lock ourselves into “isms” and “ists” secure and free from change. All this we do because we fear one thing – lest we be scattered.

We are commissioned to go everywhere

The Head of the church has a different idea for His church. He gave us a single purpose and focus. We even call it the Great Commission.

Matthew 28:19 (NKJV) Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…

Again we see similar instructions from our Lord in the book of Acts.

Acts 1:8 (NKJV) But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Go, scatter yourself – and make disciples – everywhere you go. The early church was obedient to that great commission. Wherever they were scattered they preached the word.

Acts 8:4-8 (NKJV) Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.

The story of the early church was a progressive movement out of Jerusalem:

• From the upper room to the streets of Jerusalem – Acts 2. The temptation to stay and enjoy the atmosphere in the Upper Room that day would have been so great. Cuddle up together, speak in tongues all day and keep warm in the fire of the Holy Spirit. They however scurried down to the streets of Jerusalem to tell others the good news.

• From the Hebrew-speaking Jewish community to the Greek-speaking diaspora – Acts 6. All their lives they lived comfortably with the prejudice that Hebrew speaking Jews were superior to the Jews who did not speak or read Hebrew. How could someone possibly know God as well as us when they only read a translation of the Scriptures from an unholy and vulgar greek language. Bigotry however well concealed will eventually come out through our actions. The early church had to deal with that. They were finding that those ministering to the needs of the poor among them were showing partiality towards the Hebrew speaking poor. The choice was clear. They had to “scatter” from the deep rooted prejudice into a God pleasing love for all brethren.

• From Jerusalem to Samaria – Acts 8. Go everywhere means everywhere. Including among the Samaritans whom they have never mixed with for generations. For generations they have been successful in avoiding these half cast people, even to the point of diverting their travel to avoid the region. Now they found themselves scattered to Samaria.

• From Jerusalem to God fearing Gentiles – Acts 10. Peter could not possibly ignore the command of God coming through vision and the voice of the Spirit. Some may say at least it was to God fearing Gentiles. But the scattering didn’t stop there.

• From Jerusalem to Antioch – Acts 11:20. Some unnamed believers got a little more extreme. You could say that it was not part of the church’s mission statement, but revival broke out among the Gentiles in Antioch. The scattering began to snow ball.

• From Antioch to the then known world – Acts 13–28. God’s plan and purpose for the church had become quite clear by this time. Go means go – everywhere means everywhere – uttermost part of the world means the entire then known world.

The movement was not strategic but organic. It wasn’t like the apostle sat down the day after Pentecost and planned a 10 year mission plan. They didn’t run a Mission conference on how to reach the world by 77AD – The Vision 77 project. It just happened out of life circumstances. In response to a supernatural experience in Acts 2, they had to go down and explain to the crowd. Three thousand people come to Christ that day. Out of a practical necessity to care beyond partiality (Acts 6) they breakdown barriers that may have split the believing community. you can’t be Christlike and allow impartial treatment of the poor – so change.

Being forced out due to persecution (Acts 8) they scatter but it doesn’t change anything. They stay the course and stick to the plan – preach the gospel everywhere. In obedience to a heavenly vision (Acts 10) Peter steps into the house of a Gentile for the first time in his entire life and Cornelius’ household is saved.

Seeking safer cities due to continued persecution (Acts 11), Christians continue the Great Commission – different venue, same plan. In obedience to the prophetic word coming from a time of fasting and prayer (Acts 13), Paul and Barnabus are sent out from Antioch. Missionary journeys were made out of the need to visit christians spread out all across the world (Acts 13-28). Throughout the entire book of Acts, the church was constantly scattered but kept to the same mission – go, preach the gospel, make disciples.

The Great Commission co-existing with the Great Commandment

What was it that kept the church effective even though they were consistently being scattered. These men and women were guided by another life principle – the Great Commandment of God.

Ingrained in them was this understanding that resting on all the laws that guide a person to live a godly life was two great laws. If they lived their lives governed by these “two commandments” they would be fulfilling the law and the prophets.

Matthew 22:37-40 (NKJV) Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

in the midst of all the scattering the early church was experiencing, they held closely to these two guiding principles. The Great Commission and the Great Commandment. They embraced the circumstances that required them to go, but in the going they kept preaching the Gospel. Not only did they preach the gospel, they lived the gospel by expressing it through love. Love for God and love for their neighbour.

Love your neighbour

One thing was clarified for these disciples earlier on when Jesus was still on the earth. This question – “who is my neighbour?” The parable is set in the context of a conversation Jesus had with an expert of the Mosaic law. When Jesus had spoken of the two fold commandment where all other laws hinge on, the lawyer asked the question “who is my neighbour?”

Luke 10:28-29 (NKJV) And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Using the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus responds to the question. The answer though didn’t really address the lawyer’s question. Jesus seem to be saying , “Don’t look for a neighbour become a neighbour”. We spend all our lives looking for our neighbour. We won’t find a neighbour until we become a neighbour.

I want to look at the parable briefly, to focus on this theme – becoming a neighbour. From the parable we can see two things that hinder us from becoming a neighbour and one very important response that will shape us into the neighbour God is calling us to be.

Things that hinder us from becoming a neighbour

A legalistic mind as seen in the expert of the Jewish law

As a legal expert he knew where to get the definition of a neighbour – Leviticus 19:18 & Lev 19:34

Leviticus 19:18 (NKJV) You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 19:34 (NKJV) The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Both these passages seem to suggest that our “neighbour” is a fellow believer and also the stranger who is “dwelling among” us. It should be clear that everyone is your neighbour. If you read these passages with a legalistic mind you may interpret it as those who practice the laws of God and foreigners who have decided to conform to the laws of Israel. The situation in Israel during Jesus time had become more complicated. Israel was not just occupied by Jews. It had become a melting pot of Jews and Gentiles and as far as many religious leaders were concerned most of Israel were not living according to the laws of Moses. The lawyer seems to suggest that the lines have been blurred and it has become difficult to discern who would fall under the definitions given by Moses in the book of Leviticus. You can’t possibly love your neighbour if you don’t know who your neighbour is.

A legalistic mind cannot see beyond the behaviour of people. Instead of seeing the needs of others, they focus on the deeds of others. When all we see are are the sins of those around us, we become preoccupied with laws that have been broken and the impending judgement that is to come. The Gospel is presented through these lenses. Instead of being a neighbour we become both judge and jury.

A religious mind as seen in the priest and the levite

The behaviour of the two religious leaders may seem bazaar to the non Jewish listener but to the audience that first heard the parable I wonder if there were some sympathizers. The levitical laws did give very strict guidelines on the handling of dead bodies. If the victim of the violent assault was indeed dead, the two temple staff would have a dilemma when they touched the body. The law was clear.

Lev 21:1 (NLT) “A priest must not make himself ceremonially unclean by touching the dead body of a relative.

Numbers 19:11 (NLT)“All those who touch a dead human body will be ceremonially unclean for seven days.

Surely one can understand the challenge the priest and levite had. Stay ceremonially clean or go check if the person is dead. Isn’t keeping oneself pure of utmost importance. A religious mind has a skewed idea of “purity” towards God. The zeal for purity justifies a life free from those who do not share the same “pure” living as they do. The apostle Paul showed us that holiness towards God must include a life lived among all men.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (NLT) Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.

A religious mindset will separate us from the world we have been called to reach. It will prevent us from becoming a neighbour.

Becoming a neighbour

The one way of life that will shape us into good neighbours is seen in the life of the good Samaritan. It is a heart of compassion.

Luke 10:33 (NKJV) But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.

Notice these words – the Samaritan came where he was, he saw, he had compassion. The samaritan wasn’t looking for a neighbour, he came as a neighbour. He lived his life being a neighbour, so when he stumbled on the victim on his journey, it was natural to see the man as his neighbour.

Luke 10:36-37 (NKJV) So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Jesus’ answer to the question “who is my neighbour” was to ask a more pertinent question – “who was neighbour” to man in need? Jesus did not define a neighbour. He showed us that the only way we will discover who our neighbours are, is to first become a neighbour. When you live your life as a neighbour, then everyone around you is a neighbour. DON’T LOOK FOR A NEIGHBOUR BECOME A NEIGHBOUR.

A neighbour shows mercy – “kindness towards the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them”. The mandate to go and make disciples assumes that the believer loves God and loves his neighbour. When one lives their life being a neighbour to all, then wherever we find ourselves scattered for the day, we will come across a neighbour to love as ourselves.

WE SPEND ALL OUR LIVES LOOKING FOR OUR NEIGHBOUR. WE WON’T FIND A NEIGHBOUR UNTIL WE BECOME A NEIGHBOUR.

BE A NEIGHBOUR. BE KIND, BE MERCIFUL, ALWAYS READY TO HELP ANYONE, EVERYWHERE. YOUR NEIGHBOUR WILL TURN UP.

DON’T LOOK FOR A NEIGHBOUR – BE A NEIGHBOUR.

Religion is God in a neat package. We would like to have everything figured out in life, especially the relationships we have with others. Relationships can be challenging mainly because we aren’t in control of how others react. In order to make relationships manageable we tend to generalise individuals and peg them into pigeon holes. Personalities, worldview, if they are liberals or conservatives, Christian or non Christian – being able to define someone makes it easier to relate or not relate to them.

We are like that with God too. To have a God who is mysteries or not fully comprehensible is unnerving and puts us in a vulnerable position. So we define Him. We speak of Him as if He can be fully understood because we now have the Bible where God has revealed Himself. It is true, that as Christians we believe that the Bible is the revealed Word of God. We go too far if we hold to the belief that the Bible is the complete revelation of God. If the Bible is the complete revelation of God then God has been described in 783,137 words in the King James Version of the Bible.

IF GOD CAN BE COMPLETELY DEFINED THEN WE ARE NO LONGER TALKING ABOUT GOD. WE ARE ACTUALLY DESCRIBING AN IDOL.

The Pharisees and Jesus

The pharisees made that tragic mistake. They believed that they had the complete revelation of who God was, who the Christ was and when and how the Christ was to appear. The Christ definitely would not come from Nazareth. He will not a familiar individual like Joseph the carpenter’s son, and he definitely will not be a vagabond who hangs out with shady characters. They had figured out who the Messiah was and were confident they would be able to recognise him when he did finally come. When Christ finally appeared before them, they neither recognised him nor received him.

John 1:11 (NKJV) He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

The view that everything that needs to be known about God has been revealed in Scriptures gave them no room to entertain any possibility that Jesus of Nazareth could have well been the person He said he was. The inability to allow any revelation beyond their interpretation of the Scriptures made them blind to the truth of who Jesus was.

John 5:18 (NKJV) Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

How could they have known. Nowhere in the Old Testament did God ever give a clear description of the coming Messiah. Everything said was veiled in mystery and the unknown. It was left to individual interpretation. The problem wasn’t that they attempted to interpret those difficult messianic passages. Their problem was how they viewed the Scriptures. To them the Scriptures contained everything they needed to know about God. Instead of allowing the Scriptures to become “the light to their path” and the “lamp to their feet”, they boxed God into the limited vocabulary of the Old Testament.

To them the Scriptures were the source of life. Jesus corrects that error. The Scriptures aren’t life – the Scriptures point to Life.

John 5:39 (NLT) “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!

Eternal life isn’t a way of life. Eternal life is a person. The Scriptures were the signpost pointing to Jesus. They made the signpost their destination.

It’s like me standing next to a signpost and thinking I’ve arrived at my destination. I live in a city 500 km from the capital Wellington. I will be a fool to stand next to a sign pointing to Wellington, taking a selfie and posting it on my facebook page letting everyone know that I’m in Wellington. I’m not in Wellington, I’m next to a signpost that’s pointing to Wellington. Big difference – 500 km difference actually.

Religion defined

Here then is religion in a nutshell. Christianity becomes a religion:

• when defending our ideas of God become more important than pursuing a relationship with God

• when practices become prerequisites before we access God – “he broke the Sabbath”

• when acts that cause harm to others are justified as acts of love towards God – “they sought to kill him”

• when the word of God replaces the God of the word – “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!”

Jesus didn’t come to earth to set up a religion. Believers in the early church didn’t sign up to be part of a new religious group. They were just following Christ.

The people called “anointed ones”

Remember when Christians were called “anointed ones”?

Acts 11:26 (NKJV) … And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

The word translated in english as Christian is actually the greek word – Christianos. It comes from the word Christos which means “anointed one”. So the word Christianos could either mean “anointed ones” or “belonging to the anointed one”. Either way when people saw the followers of Christ they somehow linked them to the anointing.

Anointing can get messy

These days when we are anointing someone with oil, we are very “civilised” about it. We dab a little oil on the finger and maybe rub the forehead with it. But in the Old Testament the anointing ceremony got a little messy. Initially used for priests, it also later became the practice to anoint kings as well. When someone was anointed, an entire flask of oil was used. It would drip down from the head right to the garments of the priest. The psalmist describes it when reflecting on the anointing of Aaron.

Psalms 133:2 (NKJV) It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.

Being a Christian (anointed one) is messy business. It is messy to be part of an anointed work of God. God the Holy Spirit is in the cleaning business. He is a fixer upper. He is quite accustomed to the messiness that comes with the anointing.

Stephen and the messy anointing

• Being Christian sure got messy for Stephen. We see the life of Stephen unfolding in Acts chapter 6 and 7.

• He was full of God’s grace and power and performed amazing miracles and signs among the people (6:8)

• He spoke with great wisdom and confounded those who opposed the work of God

Acts 6:10 (NKJV) And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.

• His stood out in a godly way

Acts 6:15 (NKJV) And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.

• He challenged established religion

Acts 7:51 (NLT) “You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you!

• He lived and died for what he believed in (7:59)

Acts 7:59-60 (NKJV) And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

RELIGION COMES PACKED IN A NEAT PACKAGE. ANOINTING WILL CREATE A MESS.

God outside the box

What does a relationship with God outside the box look like? We get a picture of it when Paul describes Timothy’s faith.

2 Timothy 1:5-7 (NKJV) when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

From this passage, I want to briefly summarise what I think a relationship with God outside the box looks like?

A relationship with God outside the box is without hypocrisy

Paul calls Timothy’s faith “genuine faith”. The word genuine in greek is the word anypokritos. It means without hypocrisy or pretence. To be genuine and sincere. A genuine relationship with God is without the pretense that comes with trying to conform to a mould or external pattern of living. Living a life without hypocrisy allows me to be me and let God mould me and shape me to be more and more the “Godlike me” he created me to be.

That is why church is a messy place. We all come without hiding behind a mask, pretending to be someone we aren’t. Mess and all we come and be ourselves and we should be accepted as we are. We cannot change a thing. It is the Holy Spirit who transforms us. So we come with our mess and in the midst of a messy anointing we are transformed from glory to glory to becoming more Christ like.

A relationship with God outside the box is very infectious

When faith is genuine, when we have a group of people living without pretense and accepting one another as we are, that’s infectious.

2 Timothy 1:5 (NKJV) when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.

Genuine faith is observable. It is transferable and is potently infectious.

A relationship with God outside the box will keep you wanting more of God

Paul reminded Timothy to “stir up the gifts of God”.

2 Timothy 1:6 (NKJV) Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

Our relationship with God is never to be static. It is organic and living. To stir up is to kindle, to inflame. Fire will die eventually if unattended. Our relationship with God requires attention. It requires us to position ourselves to want more. You never restrict yourself to the knowledge of God or experiences of God in the past. You cherish them but you build on them. There is so much more of God that we can experience here on earth. The Bible characters and their stories are meant to wet our appetite with all the possibilities that we can experience and then more.

A relationship with God outside the box is not governed by fear

2 Timothy 1:7a (NKJV) For God has not given us a spirit of fear

Religion is the source of fear. Religion makes us fearful that we may get things wrong with God. When we are in a genuine relationship with God, when we realise that being an anointed one allows us to be messy, we relinquish the need to do the right thing and embrace the freedom of being with God.

A relationship with God outside the box is operating in the threefold anointing

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

A genuine, unrestrained relationship with God allows us to experience the life of the Spirit in these three dimensions:

• The spirit of power – functioning daily in the supernatural and the miraculous. It’s a life empowered with the ability to function in abundant grace through the dunamis power of the Holy Spirit.

  Imagine what Monday morning will look like when you go out there and operate under the dunamispower of God. Imagine that sales pitch. Imagine the dealings you have with your clients. Imagine your interactions with colleagues, friends and loved ones – when you function under the dunamis power of the miraculous and the supernatural.

• The spirit of love – That’s agape love. The unconditional, sacrificial giving of self to others. This “God loving others through us” lifestyle which allows them to taste and see that God is good.

• The spirit of a sound mind – sound judgement and self discipline. A mind that is dwelling on the things above. The ability to discern and make decisions with the mind of Christ. The ability to constrain our thoughts feelings and actions and subjecting it to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

That’s what life outside the box looks like. A relationship with God that is without hypocrisy; very infectious; always wanting more of God never satisfied with the status quo; not fearful of new adventures with God; and living daily under the messy anointing of power, love and a sound mind.

REMEMBER THIS:

IF GOD CAN BE COMPLETELY DEFINED THEN WE ARE NO LONGER TALKING ABOUT GOD.

RELIGION COMES PACKED IN A NEAT PACKAGE, ANOINTING WILL CREATE A MESS

DON’T BE SATISFIED WITH A PAPER BAG FULL OF GOD. LIVE A UNRESTRAINED CHRISTIAN LIFE. LIVE WITH GOD OUTSIDE THE BOX.

 

Colossians 3:1-2 (NKJV) If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

 

Colossians 3:1-2 (NLT) Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

Colossians 3:1-2 (MSG) So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.

Notice these phrases and let them sink in

• seek those things which are above

• Set your mind on things above

• Set your sights on the realities of heaven

• Pursue the things over which Christ presides, be alert to what is going on around Christ,

• See things from His perspective

This is the Biblical key to walking by faith and not by sight. Your perspective will determine you practice. How you see things will determine how you respond to your circumstances.

The sacred/secular divide

The biggest error we have embraced in Christianity is the belief that a dichotomy exists between the secular and the sacred. We see Sunday as the day of worship. The rest of the week seems to be view as time spent in the “secular” world. Sunday we do godly stuff, while Monday to Saturday we are busy doing worldly stuff.

Worship is associated with music and song. So when the band goes silent and the singers are not accompanying us on Monday morning, worship has seized. What about that sing-a-long session with a bunch of preschoolers on Monday morning? Can that be your worship? What about that patient gentle response to an irate customer on Tuesday afternoon? Can that be your worship? The hours you have spent to ensure that sales pitch you have put together will be done with excellence, can that be your worship?

God’s not interested in that. That’s worldly. Well tell that to General Joshua who had to lead the army of God against the Amorites on Monday morning. Tell that to Governor and chief engineer Nehemiah who had to sort out issues around the city walls on Tuesday afternoon. Tell that to CEO Joseph navigating a multinational corporation called Egypt during a global crisis. Tell them that God’s not interested in their “secular” jobs. They all worked on the weekdays. All these depended on God to function in the work God had called them to do. They lived their lives believing that everything they did was sacred and done unto the Lord.

The sacred/secular divide has been brought about by a misrepresentation of God’s revelation in the Old Testament. The Old Testament ideas around the Temple, The priests, what is sacred and common were all shadows of things to come. When Christ appeared – the shadows became the reality.

Hebrews 10:1a (NLT) The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves.

Every believer is a temple of the Holy Spirit. We tabernacle the presence of God. I don’t feel the presence of God, I carry the presence of God.

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (NLT) But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord.

Every believer is a royal priesthood. We are the conduit between God and man. We are mediators, we are ambassadors of Christ.

1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV) But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

The sacred and secular divide is over. Everything you do is sacred. Everywhere you go is holy ground. Whatever your preoccupation is on Monday morning, you are going about your Father’s business.

If that is so then these words become even more significant to us. “Set your sights on the realities of heaven. Be alert to what is going on around Christ. Look at life through Kingdom perspective.”

CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND YOU WILL CHANGE YOUR PRACTICE

When you refocus and begin to seek those things which are above; when you set your mind on things above – you begin to see things from God’s perspective. A change of perspective gives you a sense of scale. To understand what it means to have a sense of scale let us look at the difference between Bill Gates and a person earning minimum wage.

Bill Gates is worth 100 Billion US dollars. Since Microsoft was created, he earned $6,000 dollars a minute or $50 per second. Imagine what that looks like – to be able to earn $50 every second of your working life. Based on this information, lets look at the difference between Gates and a person on minimum wage. To buy a mansion worth $50 million dollars, Gates will have to work for a total of three and a half weeks. A person on minimum wage would have only earned around $3000. That’s how impossible it would be for a person on minimum wage to purchase a mansion like that.

To purchase the latest iPhone (not that Bill Gates would ever purchase one), he will have to work 43 seconds. That’s about 13 cents on a minimum wage. In terms of scale, an iPhone for Bill Gates is like loose change.

In terms of the scale of things, losing a brand new iPhone is not going to affect Bill Gates as it would affect a person on minimum wage. It only took Gates 43 seconds to earn enough to purchase that phone, while it would have taken 3 weeks of hard earned money for one in minimum wage.

YOU GET A SENSE OF SCALE WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR PROBLEMS FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE

I’m not minimizing the extent of your suffering. I’m not ignoring that diagnosis. That financial crisis is real. The pain of that dysfunctional relationship is real. It’s overwhelming, what you are going through – I get that. All hardship and suffering we go through is overwhelming when we look at it from a human perspective. When I look at myself, my problems are always larger than me; but when I look at it from God’s perspective – when I reposition myself and look at Kingdom resources – when I look at God possibilities, I get a sense of scale. WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE

WHEN I LOOK AT IT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THEN FEAR IS MY NATURAL RESPONSE

WHEN I LOOK AT IT FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE THEN FAITH IS MY NATURAL RESPONSE

Your perspective will determine your practice. How you see things will determine how you respond to things.

HOW TO REPOSITION YOURSELF

If changing our perspective helps us develop a sense of scale from God’s point of view – if it gives us an opportunity to see things from God’s vantage point – how then can we reposition ourselves to access such a perspective? Paul gives us two things that we need to do in order to see things from God’s perspective.

1. Seek things above

The first thing he exhorts us to do is to seek, pursue, to go after. The only way we can set our sights on the realities of heaven is to seek after the realities of heaven. We cannot be alert to what is going on around Christ, unless we pursue and go after Christ who is seated above and not below. In Mark 4 we get a glimpse of what pursuing things above looks like on a day to day basis.

Mark 4:33-34 (NKJV) And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples.

The relationship between Jesus and the disciples while He was on earth gives us a good understanding on how to be alert to things that are going on around Christ. Mark shows us a big difference in the way Jesus related to the crowd and the way He related to his disciples. With the crowd He spoke in parables; He couched His communication in coded language. With the disciples He spoke plainly and took time to explain “all things”. The difference between the crowd and the disciples were simply put – pursuit. The disciples were not satisfied with mere stories, they pursued truth. They wanted to know what Jesus was attempting to convey to them. They wanted to see things from Christ’s perspective. The way they did it – they pursued Him alone, away from the hustle and bustle of the crowds.

WHEN THEY WERE ALONE – shut yourself up and get into the Word

The is no short cut to developing a Kingdom perspective. It comes from the revealed Word of God. Some may say “I’m not much of a reader”. You need to get over that or risk having a “below” mindset. Faith is Word based. Faith comes from hearing and hearing from the word of God. You got to get the Word into you if you want to respond by faith.

 

If reading is not your thing then get an audio Bible. Listen to it and read along with it. When something moves within you stop the audio and focus on what was moving. Read those few lines again and again until you hear the voice of God through the word of God. You cannot develop a heavenly mindset without pursuing it through the words of Christ.

Matthew 13:10-12 (NKJV) And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

WHOEVER HAS, MORE WILL BE GIVEN. That’s a sobering thought. To those who pursue God by hearing his voice through His word, more revelation is given. To those who do not take time to listen, they eventually lose the ability to hear God.

Use it or lose it. Line upon line, precept upon precept – a momentum is created when we repeatedly expose ourselves to the process of hearing God through His word. Divine revelation increases exponentially.

SEEK THINGS ABOVE – GET ALONE – GET INTO HIS WORD – PURSUE KINGDOM PERSPECTIVE

2. Set your mind

Your mind is made up of your thought and your talk. Your thinking is your silent saying. Your saying is your audible thinking. The psalmist puts it this way.

 

Psalms 91:1-2 (NKJV) He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

There’s the dwelling and then there’s the saying. When one is dwelling in God; the saying will be God talk. Your dwelling will determine your saying and your saying will influence your dwelling. If you want to know where you mind is set on – listen to your speech patterns. Change your speech you change your thinking. Change your thinking you will change your speech. The two are interconnected.

 

To set your mind on things above, think of your circumstances the way God thinks of it. Declare into your circumstances what God is saying. Speak the promises of God over your circumstances. Kingdom of God come; Will of God be done.

 

Let’s do just that. Seek, pursue, go after the things above by creating that momentum of repeated exposure to God’s word on a daily basis. As you seek God’s voice through His word, let the Word of God begin to influence the way you speak and think.

 

Remember:

 

YOUR PERSPECTIVE WILL DETERMINE YOUR PRACTICE. HOW YOU SEE THINGS WILL DETERMINE HOW YOU RESPOND TO THINGS.

 

WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, THEN FEAR WILL BE THE NATURAL RESPONSE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE THEN FAITH WILL BE THE NATURAL RESPONSE.

SO SEEK THINGS ABOVE – GET ALONE – GET INTO HIS WORD – PURSUE KINGDOM PERSPECTIVE. THEN SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE – TAKE STOCK OF YOUR THOUGHTS AND WHAT YOU DWELL ON; TAKE STOCK OF YOUR SPEECH PATTERNS.

 

THINK OF YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES THE WAY GOD THINKS OF IT. DECLARE INTO YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES WHAT GOD IS SAYING. KINGDOM OF GOD COME; WILL OF GOD BE DONE.

REMEMBER YOUR PERSPECTIVE WILL DETERMINE YOUR PRACTICE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scripture Text – Acts 5:40-42

One of the most remarkable things about the early church was the way they embraced suffering as part of their portion in their desire to advance the Kingdom of God. As early as chapter five of the book of Acts we begin to see an understanding that opposition will be part of their life if they chose to preach the Gospel. Jesus had prepared His disciples for this during His time on earth.

Mark 10:38-39 (NLT) But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?” “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!” Then Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptized with my baptism of suffering.

Matthew 24:9 (NLT) “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.

John 21:18 (NLT) “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”

When the time came for the disciples to face persecution, they were prepared for it and not only endured it but embraced and counted it a privilege to suffer for Jesus Christ. In these days where the western church has experienced very little persecution if any, this concept of suffering for Christ may be one of the most timely reminders.

Recap: The story so far

Before we delve into the topic of suffering for the sake of the Gospel, it is important for us to remind ourselves of the story of the early church up to this point.  

First group encounter: filled with the Holy Spirit and power

Acts 1:8 (NKJV) But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 2:1-4 (NLT) On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

The encounter the disciples had after Christ ascended was on the day of Pentecost where everyone who was gathered at the upper room had a physical and undeniable experience with the Holy Spirit that totally transformed them. The physical manifestation made it absolutely clear that everyone of them had received the promise which guaranteed them power from on high. We see this particularly in Peter’s life as the story unfolds. Peter’s two sermons which he preaches possibly within a few days apart had a phenomenal effect on what started as a small group of followers into a full blown community of over 10,000 people. After pentecost, 3000 souls were added to the group of 120 and continued to grow daily.

Acts 2:41 (NLT) Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

Acts 2:46-47 (NKJV) So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Another growth spurt occurred a few days later when Peter preached following the healing of the lame man. Now there were 5000 men who believed in Jesus as the Christ. It will be an understatement to say that by this time the total gathering of the church on a regular basis would have grown to over 10,000.  

Second group encounter: Filled with the Holy Spirit and boldness

With the rapid growth of the church came the expected persecution from the religious leaders. After the lame man was healed, the religious leaders attempt to contain the growth through imprisonment, threats and even physical beatings.

Acts 4:16-17 (NKJV) saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”

Acts 5:40 (NLT) They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.

The response from the disciples which would become the pattern in the New Testament church was to pray for strength and grace to endure opposition and persecution.

Acts 4:29-31 (NKJV) Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

 

The church provided for the poor

As the church continued to grow, they also focused on ministering to the poor, which would become the core of what the New Testament church became – a community that didn’t just care for their own but also for the needs of the community around them.

Acts 4:32-34 (NKJV) Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked

 

The church in full throttle

By the time we get to Acts chapter five, the church is in full throttle, growing rapidly and well and truly engaging with the community around them. Supernatural occurrences had become a norm and was a natural consequence of the preaching of the Gospel.

Acts 5:12-16 (NKJV) And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

The unintended consequence of the expansion of the church was that it had become visible in plain sight to those who were in power to curtail religious gatherings.

Acts 5:17-21 (NKJV) Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison.

Acts 5:40-42 (NKJV) … and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

What is amazing about this story is that all the success and popularity the church had among the community didn’t distract them from the one task they were given by the Lord – to go and preach the gospel. The most remarkable thing about this passage is that the disciples rejoiced at the opposition and suffering they were enduring as they saw it as an indication that they were on the right track. This was what Jesus had prophesied before hand. They not only embraced the suffering but saw themselves privileged to be “counted worthy to suffer shame for His name”.

Before we delve into the subject of suffering for the sake of the Gospel, it is important for us to understand the difference between suffering that comes as a consequence of preaching the gospel and the concept of suffering in general. Having a biblical understanding of suffering will help us respond appropriately when facing various kinds of suffering we experience in life.

 

Understanding the concept of suffering in the Bible

We are not called to rejoice in all kinds of suffering. It is important for us to understand that all suffering is outside the perfect will of God. The cross is the symbol of God’s will. He suffered so we will suffer no more.

Isaiah 53:4-6 (NLT) Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

Suffering, however, is real and very much part of our experience in life. It is important that we know that the suffering the early church saw as a privilege and rejoiced when they had to endure it was specifically suffering that came out of obedience to God. I want to make a few points about suffering before we look at suffering for the Gospel.

 

1. Suffering caused by Sickness is NOT sent by God

There is no Biblical basis to assume that any kind of sickness or disease comes from God. It is an affront to the work on the cross to even entertain any notion that God is the source of someone’s sickness. When we give room to consider the possibility of sickness as a tool God uses to shape and mold us, we remove the potency of the prayer of healing. 

Mark 16:15-18 (NLT) And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. … These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: … They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.” 

James 5:14-15 (NLT) Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. 

What about Paul his “thorn” (2 Cor 12:1-10)? Wasn’t that a sickness he had to endure? I disagree. There is no biblical basis to believe that the “thorn” Paul spoke of was a sickness he was battling with. Why couch it in a mysterious phrase like “thorn in the flesh” if it was as simple as a sickness that was impeding his drive to preach the gospel. Acknowledging it and seeking the church to pray for him would have been the more natural thing to do and consistent to what the book of James seems to suggest was the practice of the early church. 

Instead, Paul refers to this “infirmity” as a “messenger of Satan to torment” him. But he also received a revelation from God that what Satan intended for evil, God was using for his good. This “thorn” was keeping him from becoming “exalted above measure” because of the “abundance of the revelations” he had received from God. It is also worth noting that Paul’s initial response when faced with the infirmity was to pray for it to be taken away. In fact he does it three times and received the same reply from God. 

2 Corinthians 12:8-9 (NLT) Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 

If someone was to assume that their sickness is a “thorn”, then the following must also be true: 

→ they have prayed multiple times for it to be taken away and received the same reply from the Lord 

→ they are in a similar position with Paul where an abundance of revelation from God is causing them to struggle with spiritual pride 

→ they are experiencing added grace and added power brought about by the said sickness 

In all my years of ministry, I have never come across someone who has experienced more “power of Christ” in their life as a direct consequence of sickness. I have seen tremendous strength and perseverance by godly men and women in the midst of their sicknesses but never spiritual empowerment as a direct benefit from sickness.

 

2. Suffering that comes from trials in the end produces a disproportionate blessing compared to the loss

The Bible does talk about trials that come our way which can cause suffering. The entire tenor of Scripture however seems to suggest that trials are short lived and produce much more blessings than the sacrifice it required during that challenging time. 

Psalms 30:5 (NLT) For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. 

James 1:2-4 (NKJV) My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Again we look to James who encourages to view “various trials” in a positive light as it does a perfecting work in us which will produce something complete in us removing the lack that was present prior to the trial. We see that in the life of Job. 

Job 42:5 (NKJV) “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear. But now my eye sees You. 

Job 42:12-17 (NKJV) Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first Jemimah, the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-Happuch. In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations. So Job died, old and full of days.

 

3. Suffering was used by the early church as a mark of identification with Christ in death and resurrection 

Philippians 3:10-11 (NKJV) that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead

Paul speaks extensively about the metaphor of death and resurrection bringing it alive in our day to day experiences. In the passage above, he shows us the connection between resurrection power and suffering. In his mind, suffering enabled him to “fellowship” with Christ. Paul’s suffering gave him the opportunity to identify with Christ’s suffering and death in order to experience the reality of resurrection and everything that comes with that. Suffering gives us the opportunity to be conformed to His death in order to attain resurrection power. 

 

4. Suffering for the gospel was worn as a badge of honour

Acts 5:41-42 (NKJV) So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

Finally, we are able to focus on suffering that comes as a direct consequence of preaching the gospel. This is the ultimate suffering that all christians are invited to be part of. For the early church, suffering for Christ was a badge of honour.

 

The truth about suffering for the sake of the gospel

 

There is an element of shame attached to the preaching of the gospel

Anyone who has attempted to share their faith will testify that it does not come naturally. There is always an element of fear attached to it. It is the fear of being rejected, ridiculed or even abused. Paul gives us the reason for this.

1 Corinthians 1:22-24 (NKJV) For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

The preaching of the gospel will produce three possible responses. The first one is a rejection that comes usually from religious mindsets that have preconceived ideas of God and seek after the Divine in a specific shape or form. Even if they are presented with the obvious, they reject truth simply on the basis that it doesn’t fit their criteria of divine truth. Jesus faced that with the religious leaders of his day.

Matthew 16:1 (NLT) One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

They were asking Jesus for a sign inspite of the abundance of miracles that Jesus did right before their eyes. Jesus response was quite scathing.

Matthew 16:2-4 (NLT) He replied, “You know the saying, ‘Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow; red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.’ You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times! Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Then Jesus left them and went away.

There are those who will never accept the truth even if it is plainly presented to them. They aren’t seeking after truth, they are merely wanting to conform truth to fit into their evil intentions. The only response to that is to walk away.

The second response Paul speaks of are those who seemingly seek after wisdom. But the wisdom they seek for is the wisdom that makes sense to their human intellect. Any wisdom that is foreign to their senses is quickly rejected. The gospel will not be attractive to any of these two groups. To one it will be a stumbling block while to the other it will be foolishness.

There is however a third group of people who when hearing the gospel will find themselves not only attentive to Christ but the gospel will be to them “the power of God and the wisdom of God”. For this reason the gospel must be preached. There are many in that third group, ready as “white fields” are ready for the harvest. We must go. We must preach the gospel even though the element of shame is very present each time we do it.

 

The shame of the gospel is overcome by the power of the gospel

Paul gives us the secret behind his unwavering commitment to preach the gospel. His preaching was always backed by the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2:4 (NLT) And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 4:20 (NLT) For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.

Romans 1:16 (NKJV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

The Gospel that we preach must be the Gospel of power, not a Gospel of mere words. The only way we can overcome the seeming shame that is attached to the gospel is to ensure that the Gospel we preach is the Gospel preached by the early church – where signs and wonders followed the preaching of God’s word.

The modern church has been influenced by mid 20th Century ideas of what constitutes the gospel. Scholars came up with the essentials that made up the gospel calling them the Kerygma. While attempting to preserve the essence of the gospel, they left out the fundamental component that differentiated the gospel from any other proclamation. The preaching of the gospel is always accompanied by signs and wonders. A blatant disregard for the supernatural because it is an offense to our modern day intellect has created a version of the gospel that has “a form of godliness but denying its power”. The modern day gospel has the words without the power.

The Gospel of the book of Acts was the gospel of power. Beginning from the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost we see nothing but the miraculous everywhere the gospel was preached.

Acts 2:43 (NLT) A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.

• Peter heals the lame man
• The striking of Annanias and Saphira
• Healings and deliverance in massive scale

Acts 5:12 (NLT) The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade.

Acts 5:15-16 (NLT) As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.

• Peter heals Aeneas who was paralysed for eight years
• Peter raises Dorcas from the dead
• Peter freed supernaturally from prison by an Angel
• King Herod smitten by God
• Paul opposes Elymas the sorcerer who is smitten blind
• Paul heals a cripple in Lystra
• Paul’s ministry explodes in the supernatural

Acts 19:11-12 (NLT) God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.

It goes on and on. What is clear about the book of Acts is that the original gospel, when preached, was accompanied by the supernatural. God backed the early church with power from on high, each time they put themselves out there to preach Christ. No wonder the shame that was attached to the preaching of the gospel seemed so insignificant compared to lives that were transformed by it.

The gospel is the gospel of power. It is God manifesting himself in our midst. It is not a gospel of mere words. Just because we do not understand the miraculous. Just because it is not common today, does not give us the right to rewrite the Bible. We are obliged to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom. Yes there is an element of shame attached to the gospel. We overcome that shame by demonstrating the gospel in all its power.

 

Every christian is called to preach the gospel

The shame of the gospel is overcome by the power of the gospel

May we be among those who count themselves worthy to suffer shame for His name