THE BOOK OF ACTS:
Luke the Dr., recorded the book of Acts in late 60’s AD. His reason was a detailed account of the church its conduct, its people, and its power, in the Roman Culture. This book helps the believer today, how the church functions and prospered in a paganistic culture, in the face of persecution. The book of Acts is the template for the church today, the church should look like today, what it was then.
This is also a template for the believer today. We live in a culture that is in need of a savior, just like the unbelievers then. The believers, then, lived among a people who were blinded with many “false gods”, yet the believers were able to navigate through these barriers and grow a church beginning with 12 –and by the second chapter of Acts added 3000, with one sermon. We, today, live in a similar pluralistic climate. We are a culture that celebrates, many claimed ways to God, except an exclusive way. To claim only one way invites labels attached to Christianity, such as bigots, islamophobia, and Zionist, etc. We see in the book of Acts, how the believers responded to the attacks, threats, and vilification.
Their response is an example for us, on how to respond. Their response is an example for us, of how to respond. This is also a template as to where and what enabled the believer and the church. The early church owes and gladly referenced its success, to the power of the Holy Spirit. The believers understood that man-made programs and structure, could not break through the hearts of humanity that needed to happen for the need for a savior to be realized. The power of the Holy Spirit was the enablement of the believers that brought the essential breakthrough. This was known in the book of Acts as Dynamite power, a force greater than the barrier, that kept them shackled. This was the theme throughout the book of Acts. We read the words spoken by the Apostle Peter in Acts 10:38: 38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil; for God was with him.
Today the need is the same. Today, the need for a greater power than the power that keeps unbelievers bound, is still the Holy Spirit. What is not the same, appears to be the willingness of the believers to engage. Although, I believe, a stirring is happening, and hunger is growing, for a move of God. I believe the church is awakening to the urgency of the hour. The same urgency that moved on the hearts of men and women in the early church, that compelled them to stand as a witness of God’s grace, power and deliverance, to their culture, is calling us to stand in our culture.
We invite you to come and be a part of this series on the book of Acts.