27th Mar 26 | 16:08
Studies by Book
02 Acts 05 12-16 MIRACLES, SIGNS AND WONDERS IN HIS CHURCH 06 Acts 05 13 A full display of the glory of God in His church
📖 Acts 05:12-16
06 – 15Apr2023 – *A full display of the glory of God in His church* - _Acts 05:12-16_ - MIRACLES, SIGNS AND WONDERS IN HIS CHURCH - Bible reading: _Acts 19:16-17_
“Lord Jesus, we long to be Your church that fully displays Your glory to the world. The world must see Your presence among us. In Your name, we pray. Amen.”
_Acts 5:13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, *but the people esteemed them highly*._
When the church walked in holiness before God, miracles, signs and wonders took place and the people esteemed them highly. The people were afraid to join the church because the cost of discipleship was being demonstrated by His church, yet they esteemed the church highly.
This is a strange paradox but this is how the church ought to be. We will perplex the minds of people. We long for people to come to faith in Jesus and experience His Shalom. At the same time, we make known to the world the holiness of God and the cost involved in being a disciple of Christ. We are a people of joy not a people of sadness and forlornness.
The life of the church was an open book for people to read. *They saw their simplicity, which meant that they had no craving to possess things and yet they were glad.* There was a display of contentment in the church and they were always praising God.
*_Acts 2:46-47 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, (47) praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved._*
Our lives need to be simple yet rich with the joy and worship of the Lord.
Paul was rejoicing all the time, for he had learned to be content and satisfied with all things. _Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: (12) I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. (13) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me._
This was the lifestyle of the early church, which won the favour of the people and they esteemed the church highly.
Is there this unique lifestyle on display in us, to the world? We cannot manufacture this life but this is the outcome of the work of His Holy Spirit in us. *As we yield to His Holy Spirit to change us, we will become like the early church.*
The life of the disciples and the miracles that were taking place in the early church caused the public to be glad and they glorified God. Since the people were glorifying God because of what happened in the church, the leaders were not able to punish the disciples further. _Acts 4:21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, *because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done*._
This is what we see happening even today. The common man is receiving Christ into his/her life. They are blessed because of the message of the church. This is troubling the leaders of our nations since leaders want to keep people under their control by any means. When leaders see that people benefit from Jesus and that people are no more under their control, then they feel greatly threatened. They then persecute the church. When the church responds to persecution with love by His Holy Spirit, the general public’s respect for the church increases.
People realised that there was great power that was on display in the church. Therefore, when healings and signs took place, there was the fear of God. People also glorified God knowing that the church was the place where God was present.
_Acts 19:16-17 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. (17) This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; *and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.*_
The leaders sought to destroy Jesus because they were jealous of Him and were threatened by His life and teaching. Jesus also exposed the hypocrisy of the leaders to the public and He was not afraid of them at all. The people, on the other hand, were drawn to Christ and His teaching for they loved to be in His presence. _Luke 19:47-48 And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him, (48) *and were unable to do anything; for all the people were very attentive to hear Him*._
What took place with Christ and with the early church is the same ethos today for His church and her impact on society. The people must see His church as the place where God is present. They will esteem the church highly.
```Will we commit ourselves to be His church that fully displays the glory of God, by His Holy Spirit?```