27th Mar 26 | 16:08
Studies by Book
01 Acts 05 01-11 THE FEAR OF GOD IN HIS CHURCH 14 Acts 05 05-06 God’s glory revealed through His church
📖 Acts 05:01-11
14 – 30Mar2023 – *God’s glory revealed through His church* - _Acts 05:01-11_ - THE FEAR OF GOD IN HIS CHURCH - Bible reading: _Isaiah 02:02-05_
“Lord Jesus, we pray that we as Your church will fully embrace the task You have for us to accomplish here on earth. In Your name, we pray. Amen.”
*_Acts 5:5-6 Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. (6) And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him._*
*God is cleansing His church and through us revealing His glory to the world. The Lord desires for the world to fear Him and return to Him.*
Here we see that the Lord looks out for those who sorrow over God’s sacred assembly and who find the reproach of His church, a burden. The Lord is causing the church to return to Him so that He will give us fame and praise among the people of the earth.
_Zephaniah 3:17-20 The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." (18) "*I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly, Who are among you, To whom its reproach is a burden.* (19) Behold, at that time I will deal with all who afflict you; I will save the lame, And gather those who were driven out; *I will appoint them for praise and fame In every land where they were put to shame.* (20) At that time I will bring you back, Even at the time I gather you; For *I will give you fame and praise Among all the peoples of the earth*, When I return your captives before your eyes," Says the LORD._
These are words that apply specifically to the return of the Jews to their homeland, yet, we too as His church are those who are released from various bondages and thus declare His glory to the world.
The Lord is preparing His people for His salvation to be declared to the ends of the earth. The stones must be removed and His banner must be lifted up in His church. We are to be called the redeemed of the Lord. _Isaiah 62:10-12 Go through, Go through the gates! *Prepare the way for the people; Build up, Build up the highway! Take out the stones, Lift up a banner for the peoples!* (11) Indeed the LORD has proclaimed To the end of the world: "Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Surely your salvation is coming; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him.' " (12) And *they shall call them The Holy People, The Redeemed of the LORD; And you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken*._
This task of preparing His people for the coming of the Lord was the work of John the Baptist and it is the task for all of us, as it was with Peter. The church must be prepared for the nations to come to the Lord.
_Matthew 3:1-3 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, (2) and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" (3) For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: *"THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS: 'PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD; MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.' "*_
The Lord is holy and the church must repent and be prepared to receive the Lord. There is much that the Lord has to accomplish through His church. The Lord is reconciling the world to Himself but His church is the means for the Lord to accomplish His purposes.
*What is the Lord doing through His church?*
The church is to teach the ways of God to the world. The position of His church will be such that the church will judge the nations. All of this will take place as His church walks in the light of His word.
_Isaiah 2:2-5 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD's house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. (3) *Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths."* For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (4) *He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore. (5) *O house of Jacob, come and let us walk In the light of the LORD*._
There is much that must take place through His church but is His church conscious of her role and task? It seems that we are not fully awakened to who we are and what is expected of us.
```Will we call on the Lord to make us fully embrace what is in God’s heart for us?```