The Effect of the Gospel

During World War Two, a young man named Dietrich Bonheoffer was an influential preacher and teacher in Germany while the power of the Nazi regime blazed its way across Europe.  He had been a believer for much of his life but when the Nazis came to power he was faced with a choice.  Join the Nazis or fight against the Nazis through words and actions.  The Gospel had such an effect upon him that he chose to speak and act against the tyranny of Hitler and the hatred for which the Nazis stood.  Eventually, this stand for the Gospel message led to his execution in 1945.

 

The Gospel not only had a major effect upon Bonheoffer it also affected the policies of the Nazis in Germany.  Hitler introduced laws that condemned Biblical truth that was contrary to his agenda and “Final Solution” and in the end many Christians like Bonheoffer were rounded up, imprisoned, and executed.  Such was the effect of the Gospel.

 

In Acts 19:21-41, a riot arises against the teachings of Paul and those who believe and follow “the Way.”  The silversmiths in Ephesus began to notice that their bank accounts were not nearly as full as they used to be and blame was immediately put upon Paul and the Christians.  These Christians had turned away from pagan worship which meant that idols made of silver were no longer needed or desired.  This effected the silversmiths’ bottom line and they decided to take action. 

 

The Gospel message effects not only the hearts of individuals but will also have an effect the world outside of the Church.  With changed hearts come changed actions and when hearts are changed an inevitable confrontation with society will arise.  And so, disciples of Christ should never be surprised if when a stand taken is against the values of society, persecution (emotional, spiritual, societal, or physical) begins to take place.

 

This week at First Baptist in Emery we will study this passage in Acts 19 and our desire is for the Gospel message to have an effect upon us and the world around us.  May we be prayerfully prepared and eager for the Holy Spirit to work upon our own hearts this week through His Word.

The Power of the Holy Spirit

There once was a man who for the entirety of his life was unbelieving in the work of God.  In dealing with an addiction to alcohol and a failed marriage he had lost all hope.  But there was one constant in his life: his mother’s prayers.  She prayed for years, even decades, for her son to see the truth of the Gospel message and believe.  One day, in his back yard, God grabbed a hold of his heart and in that moment the Holy Spirit transformed him.  He became a son of God.

 

A young boy at the age of five heard and understood the Gospel message at an afterschool Bible club in a small town.  There was no sudden, intense change in his life.  Only a persistent striving for obedience as he grew older and began to know God more deeply.  When he entered high school, God grabbed his heart in a mighty way and called him into fulltime ministry.  Today he is a preacher, teacher, theologian, and shepherd of a congregation in a small town very similar to the one he lived in when the Holy Spirit transformed him.

 

Our passage this week is Acts 19:1-20 where through Paul the Holy Spirit does amazing things.  Twelve men are won over to Christ, demons show respect for the power of the Holy Spirit and for His vessel, Paul, and those who joined in occult worship rid themselves of their former lives to fully follow Christ.  The work of the Holy Spirit is evident and alive through the ministry of Paul.

 

Can the same be said for us?  As disciples of Christ, how much do we see the work of the Holy Spirit in and through us?  Do we recognize and give credit to the Holy Spirit when He moves?  Are we daily be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit?

 

The two stories above are examples in the way the Holy Spirit grabs ahold of lives and changes people forever.  But one is no less dramatic and powerful than the other.  Any time the Spirit works there is mighty power in play.  And he works in the lives of people every day.  May we prayerfully be prepared for the Spirit to move in our own lives as we read the Word of God in Acts this week.

Discipleship

As a former football player I have played under all types of coaches.  From very angry and animated coaches that I was sure were going to have a heart attack in the middle of a game to very relaxed and almost carefree coaches, I have played under them all.  One of my favorite (and most successful) coaches I played under was my sophomore year in high school.  At our first practice he made it clear that he wasn’t a “yelling and screaming” type of coach.  If he ever yelled at us we knew we had done something extremely wrong.  His coaching style was one of teaching, correcting, guiding, and never being idle.  Instead of yelling at a player he would pull them aside and calmly correct their mistakes.  It was possibly the most enjoyable year of football I had ever played.

 

Paul has spent eighteen months in Corinth, preaching the gospel message and encouraging those who come to faith in Christ.  After this significant time in Corinth he moves on to Ephesus, but doesn’t stay for long.  He begins to move from city to city, “strengthening all the disciples” (Acts 18:23).  But something amazing happens while Paul is on the move.  A man named Apollos appears, teaching the truth of the Gospel Message.  Priscilla and Aquila hear him speak, but then pull him aside and do something unexpected.

 

What is a disciple of Jesus Christ?  How does one become a disciple of Jesus Christ?  What is the role of a disciple of Jesus Christ?  The answer to these questions is more simple than we may assume.  And like my favorite football coach it may not be what we expect.

 

May God prepare us this week as we study and explore the role of discipleship in the life of a believer.  This passage may be challenging to our hearts and so we pray that we would be open to God’s movement of change within us so that we may become more obedient children of our Father in Heaven.

 

Do Not Be Afraid

A number of years ago I was given the opportunity to make a bungee jump from 15 stories above a pool.  I was unmarried, no children, and young so I jumped at the possibility to do something I probably would never get a chance to do again.  For some strange reason I did not correctly weigh the reality that I am afraid of heights until after I paid and was standing on a platform one hundred and fifty feet in the air.  The instructor told us that while standing on the edge of the platform we should not look down but instead look straight out at a flag.  He continued that on the count of three we should jump to grab the flag and the fun would begin.  He also said that most that do not jump after the first count to three will likely never jump.  In that moment, fear gripped my throat and my stomach dropped to my ankles.  How was I going to react while standing on that edge?

 

In Acts 18:1-17, we find Paul now in Corinth having left Athens behind.  He spends some time in the synagogue preaching the Gospel Message, but after many of the Jews opposed and reviled him he shakes out his garments against them, deciding to preach in the future only to the Gentiles.  Later, Paul receives a vision from God telling him not to be afraid, but to preach the truth in Corinth.  He is not alone.  Others are with him.  God is with him.  And he stayed in Corinth for a year and six months, preaching and teaching.

 

Though this vision was intended for Paul at a momentous time in his ministry there are some truths that we can grasp and apply to our own walks as disciples of Christ.  May we all be prayerfully prepared for God to reveal the fears that we have in preaching the Gospel Message with our words and deeds to those around us.  May we overcome those fears with the help of the Lord.

 

By the way, I jumped.  I didn’t hesitate.  And it was one of the greatest thrills of my life.