Reading… and Thinking

(Guest posting from Dana Pratt)

Today I was caught up again in the energy and excitement of the Book of Acts. It dawned on me that a mile-a-minute life was the wonderful adventure of these beloved believers, more than ours will ever be. We are reading not only of men like Paul, Barnabas, Peter, James, but also the many other brothers and sisters that were supporting their ministry in a behind-the-scenes and on-the-ground type of way. There is so much hospitality, organization, correspondence, food preparation, and service implied in these stories that I find inspiring. This was a dynamic community of human beings energized by the Spirit of God Himself and bound together by their baptism into the death and resurrection of their Lord – Jesus.

But…it was not without struggles. God did not zap perfection into this community. There were enemies without and enemies within. There were powerful people blocking their way even to the point of stoning them! Astonishing foes, indeed! And there were issues – little nagging issues and big divisive issues – and they all needed to be addressed. That is what caught my attention as I read these stories today. The stresses that were pressing upon the disciples’ minds each day and how they faithfully and maturely met these stresses. They – wisely, prayerfully, agonizingly at times I’m sure – met the issues. I can relate to this. I think we have an inbuilt dread (as sinful creatures) of meeting issues. We dread embracing the struggle and questions they can present. We too often fail to seek God’s wisdom as we hear out and think through the options. If we even address the problems rather than just hoping they will go away. And if we do attempt to address them, we are rarely confident in then taking action. But not our heroes here in Acts. They fielded the conflicts, the debates, the questions and problems with a vibrant welcoming faith. And they did it in the energy of God’s power – not their own.

So I think their faith was emboldened by the blessing in the midst of the conflict. The miracles in the midst of the chaos. The growth in the midst of oppression by enemies. The experiences like “great dissension and debate” were coupled with “describing in great detail the conversion of the Gentiles,” and “bringing great joy to all the brethren,” and “reporting all that God had done with them.” (Acts 15:2-4) They were given hope in moments of despair, help in solving problems, peace in the midst of conflict. They never gave up on the mission or on each other. And the collective strength of their faith served to “encourage one another, and build each other up.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

I contend that we are truly privileged to read of this remarkable community of people who, perhaps more than any other group of human beings in all of history:
     “fixed their eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith,
     who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame,
     and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

May we be motivated in our lives to such amazing endurance, activity and growth as the First Century brethren – by fixing our eyes on Jesus in like manner.