Microchurch Minute
Good evening, church family. We gathered Sunday morning to discuss Acts 10. What wonderful news to see that Jesus’ sacrifice singlehandedly broke the barriers of race, culture and prosperity. All the gentiles are now equal with the Jews, because God does not show favoritism! None of us will ever be able to “do enough good” or earn our salvation (what a relief). But, God freely gives us His redemptive grace through His Son’s sacrifice on the cross. What a wild concept to have been introduced to back then even now. Cornelius stepped out and did the unthinkable, inviting a Jew to his home. Simon Peter listened and obeyed when the Lord called him to willingly leave with the gentiles that came to request his presence. Obedience in true submission to God can look scary for us, as well. To truly follow Him we have to be ready to be uncomfortable, to look different and to trust that He has already gone before us to pave the way. Imagine the historical breakthroughs that have happened because a believer allowed God to challenge his assumptions about others and be included in the Almighty’s plan for mankind.
Shameless plug: I am challenging our church to take personal accountability in developing and maintaining a relationship with a connection we have made (or will make) through APN. Sounds like a chance to put the lessons we learned from Acts 10 into action, doesn’t it? If that idea seems intimidating to you, pray on it. Godly obedience usually is. But remember, He’s already paved the way.
Microchurch Minute
Just like you wouldn’t expect your foot to chew gum or your thumb to grow a tooth, we recognize that each believer has different roles to play for the kingdom of Heaven. For the church as a whole to effectively fulfill God’s plans for us on earth, we need to support these different roles and pray over each other as they develop and are utilized. Pray for God to reveal your role to you and then dare to gladly accept it! The good news is, we don’t have to fulfill all the roles on our own, but we are called to obediently fulfill the task(s) appointed over our lives. This can require a great deal of intentionality. We saw that Paul was bold in his spreading the gospel and also calling out sin. He also knew his audiences and was able to present to each with the same message in unique ways that spoke directly to them. That type of communication doesn’t happen by accident. It is ok to accept that the gospel of Christ will always be controversial. In the face of adversity, His truth must still be told. We need to pray for boldness in our communication of the gospel, because we can all be assured that will have opposition eventually. Don’t let it slow you down though. Even the disciples were joyful after some negative response. Think of it this way: if we weren’t making strides in the name of Christ, the enemy wouldn’t be fighting it so intensely.
Microchurch Minute
We gathered Sunday to discuss Acts 14. We follow Paul and Barnabas as their ministry grew. Through their faith in God, they were granted abilities to perform signs and wonders. They continued to share their faith, even in the face of opposition. That isn’t something they did under their own human willpower, that is divine encouragement from God! Some people that witnessed them began thinking of them and treating them as “gods”. I can imagine it would have been tempting to accept the praise and use it to their advantage. Isn’t it human nature to seek glorification? Recognition of what you are so good at? They rejected the praise and pointed everyone who marveled at their acts to their true source of power, God. How beautiful it must be to be so in tune with your Creator.
It is believed that if the average Christian reads scripture 4+ times a week, they are substantially more likely to share the Good News with people that God has placed in their circle of influence. When is the last time you shared your faith with someone in your circle (or even more uncomfortably, out of your circle)? Even more than that, do you feel encouraged and supported in spending time in the Word? If we truly are for God and one another, it is our duty to hold each other accountable in our relationships with Jesus. We hear God by reading His word. He hears us through our prayers and praise. Being a Christian isn’t just accepting that Jesus died for your sins, it is about having a real, conversational relationship with God.
Microchurch Minute
How do you disciple other believers that are young in the faith? Are you confident in your knowledge of the bible, cautious to direct only what is truly required in the Christian faith? Previously, we read that the barrier between Jews and Gentiles had been leveled by Christ’s action in making the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. Then all that believe Jesus is the true Son of God and died for our sins receive the free gift of salvation. In Acts 15 we see Gentiles being misinformed by “religious leaders”’. Luckily the apostles took action in returning to locations with new believers to address them directly with the Good News and holy truth. It makes sense that the gentiles had felt overwhelmed by the misinformation being presented. We too, need to make sure that we are not adding burdens to our spiritual brothers and sisters. Ultimately, we all just need Jesus and the bold truth of salvation. Have you had a turning point or event in your spiritual life that you can pinpoint as a solid moment that changed the trajectory of your walk with God? Don’t be afraid to share it! Your past allows you to relate to who God places in your circle of influence, don’t shy away from relating to those that He leads you to. “I was one way and now I am completely different”. We are all called to seek wise council, we are all called to rely completely on Jesus. While here on earth, never stop pursuing the unity that our spirits long for. God designed us to live life together. He designed us for community. Embrace it, run to it, bring others into it!
Microchurch Minute
Good morning church family, special thanks to those of you that were able to attend Sunday as we discussed Acts 16. We get to see Paul and Silas be led by the Holy Spirit, even though it led to their being jailed. Do you feel that you are fully aligned with the Spirit, to the point of following Him into circumstances that will be met with opposition? Human nature tends to steer us away from any sign of conflict, we are all intrinsically looking for the easy route. But even when circumstances took a turn as the jail crumbled and they broke free, the prophets still didn’t flee – but instead stood their ground and saw the jailer come to salvation, bringing his entire family with him! What a blessing they got to experience watching the ripple effect of their obedience follow through and result in the saving of souls. When we are following the path God has laid before us, we can rest assured that we will be blessed with peace in our hearts, even in the face of trials. When we are on His path, He is guiding and holding us. God already has the best possible outcome for our lives, and He will continue to use us, even in our human rebellion, for His divine purpose. Instead of running into life head on, take a step back, ask that God includes you in the plan that He is orchestrating. Allow yourself to be filled with His message and share it where He leads. He will use you where He places you. God doesn’t always call the qualified. But as we say yes to His call, he will qualify the called. I challenge you to ask to be His hands and feet.
