Acts in the Bible is an account of what the believers did. They believed God and acted upon that belief in the community around them. To act means to do something. It is a word with power, it energizes.
There is little action in the Christian faith today in terms of doing the ministry that Jesus, the disciples and apostles did. They preached the gospel outside the church, healed the sick, cast out demons, and even raised the dead.
Oh, we are doing something, but it doesn't resemble the aforementioned. There is plenty of action but it has no impact on the world at large. There are people cleaning the church, preparing coffee, sandwiches, spending all day gardening in the church grounds to pretty them. “Oh it’s necessary,” you will say. Is it? So much time is spent in nurturing the building and its self-centred activities.
In Acts we don’t read much about buildings. We read only of the courageous, fearless, apostles and disciples out and about, doing what Jesus told them to do – with supernatural results.
Generally, “church” (as most of us know it) is a trillion miles away from the Book of Acts. What we have today is a powerless counterfeit. God has given us the manual in Acts. Why don’t we follow it?
Jesus said “I will build my church.” The problem is we are building our church, not His!
Christians don’t need to sit in conferences and seminars (and pay the inevitable fee) listening to highly-paid preachers who merely repeat what the Bible says with jazzy embellishment. All we need to do is read the Bible, see the instructions - then act upon them.
Dear reader, how many hundreds of times have you taken communion, or been told that Jesus took your sins on the cross? How many more hundreds of times do you need to hear it again before you get into action? “Be ye doers of the Word,” James says.
It's time to stop the endless cycle of sitting and listening. It’s time to stop playing church. It’s time to get into action for Jesus. Have some impact on the world around you. God loves them too (John 3:16). Do the ministry of Jesus.
If your pastor doesn’t include that in his “programs”, show him this article. If he still won’t do the ministry of the gospels, then do it yourself. In the end we will all have to answer individually to Jesus for what we did or didn’t do.
The Bible says “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8). The results today will be the same as 2,000 years ago if we do as Jesus says.
As a start, give out some tracts, but make sure they have the Bible words in the salvation message – Jesus, sin, repentance, baptism, forgiveness, heaven, hell, righteousness. Pray first!!!
The dynamic Christians of Acts didn’t have a degree in theology, probably never went to Bible school. Christianity is so very simple, but we have made it something complicated. The simplicity? Read the Bible, believe it, then act upon what it says. God will go with you.
I'm not in Private Messenger
Read more articles by Rod Smith or search for articles on the same topic or others.
Due to the finality of the end days that we live within, these words are more important than ever before, if that is possible. God is calling His people to order that they become as little children. Being little children and only as little children,they will live and operate in faith, fulfilling His call as stated in the Book of Acts. Glory.
You nailed it,Rod! Jesus commissioned His disciples to heal the sick, raise the dead and cast out devils, not pretty up a building, raise funds and cash in on religion!
