“I Believe, Act 2”

Scripture: Acts 5:27-32

Last week, we talked about the importance of not only having faith, but in knowing exactly what we believe, and having the ability to articulate those things we believe. For those that haven’t examined this aspect of their lives, they will be at a loss for words whenever faith is tried or doubted in a situation.
Without a depth of faith, how can we ever be an effective witness? Without confidence in our faith, how can we believe that our faith is true? Without trust that our faith is true, how will the world ever see us as authentic Christians?

One of the problems that the church of today has, I believe, is an issue of focus. We become so centered on the physical trappings of “religion”, that we forget the vision of faith. Has the time come to began stripping away the exterior and revealing the center, the essence, of our faith? Before we ever had liturgy, before we had altars, before we had buildings and paintings and pulpits and pews and all of the physical plant of “church”, what did we have? Only faith.

Read Acts 5:27-32

The apostles had been told not to teach about Jesus anymore, but they did it just the same. “We must obey God rather than men.” What had happened to these men? They had no great cathedral to preach in, no exalted title to distinguish them from others, no position of prestige – all that they had was faith! Aren’t these the same people who, on the day that Jesus rose from the dead, were cowering in a locked room, hiding from the very people they were now witnessing to! Where did this faith, this courage, come from? What happened?
Well, I believe that the Holy Spirit happened. On Pentecost, Christians everywhere had begun to receive an ally whose power was so much greater than those who were opposing them, that nothing could ever stop the spread of the word again!
The world’s authority had taken a huge hit, but the authorities themselves would never admit it. As a matter of fact, the world, to this day, has never admitted it. And the reason is that they simply don’t understand a power that comes from beyond themselves. They want to believe that you can make your own power, that you become authority, that it is all part and parcel of your human nature.

But the power of the Spirit comes from God, and it rests upon those who believe in Christ Jesus. It can never be created by human desire, it can never be earned by human effort, it can never be claimed as a personal authority, and it has nothing to do with our humanity. It is, and it comes from, and it functions by faith – faith in the One who has sent it – and not by any other means.

Peter and the others had been healing the sick, they had been driving out demons, and they had been teaching everyone who would listen about Jesus and his great sacrifice for them. Nothing could stop them. They had been arrested and taken to jail and they were about to be tried, but mere prison doors can never withstand the power of God. That night, the doors would be thrown wide open by the Angel of the Lord, the men would be taken out of their restraints, and the next day, when the authorities went to take them to the court, they wouldn’t find them locked up, but rather in the temple courts teaching about Jesus – again! Nothing can interrupt, nothing can weaken, nothing can stop the Spirit’s work!

And it all comes to be through faith in Jesus Christ. In Matthew 7:7-8, we read that anyone who asks will receive, anyone who seeks will find, and when we knock, the gates will be thrown wide open. And they certainly were for Peter and his companions!

Read James 1:2-7

James continues with the theme that God gives to all who seek his grace, and now we are told that not only will God give, but that he gives generously. As we exhibit faith in the Lord, he blesses us in like measure. There are many instances in the gospels that show us just how overly generous God can be. In Luke 19:11-27, in the Parable of the Minas, the faithful servants who earned a few coins of return on the Master’s trust, receive authority over cities for their faithfulness! In Luke 6:38, Jesus tells us “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure that you use, it will be measured to you.”
Pressed down, shaken together, running over – that is a measure of the grace that awaits us in Christ. Not just sufficient, but excessive! Whenever a believer in Jesus Christ asks God for anything in His name – whether it is wisdom, or words, or guidance, or faith, or courage, or healing, God will respond in a way that many would describe as extreme, unnecessary, and even wasteful! But that is just the Lord’s way of showing just how great a love he has for us.

Do you believe? Are you in need? Then come with your request, and we will present it to the Lord together. It can be for yourself, or for another; you can come alone, or accompanied by someone who loves you; you can ask for something simple and small, or something that is life changing. Regardless of your need, come, and we will ask the Lord together.

(Note: At this point in the service, a healing service was offered, with a number of people coming forward for anointing and prayers.)