SCRIPTURE: Acts 5
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Jesus replied, ‘If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.’ [John 8:54] Any venture undertaken without God is doomed to fail. If God is not behind Jesus, then His teaching and miracles mean nothing. If God is not behind this movement of Jesus-followers, it will fail. Even Gamaliel saw this [Acts 5:33-39].
While Jesus was on earth, He was emptied of His God-powers. He was not omnipotent, omniscient or omnipresent. He was not self-taught, He was God-taught; His miracles were not self-empowered, they were God-empowered. He relied on God daily, He spent much time orienting Himself in God’s will and purpose. His ministry would amount to nothing if God did not vindicate Him. And God did vindicate Him!
For the early church, their success did not lie in their numbers, their winning personalities, their abundant resources or in their gifts and abilities. They were like a sailboat. Unless God generates the wind, the boat cannot move. Even if everyone blows, it still can’t move. It was the wind of the Spirit that enabled the apostles to perform miracles; it was the same wind that got them out of jail, and that gave them the words to witness for Jesus.
We depend on God, on Jesus, on the Spirit to succeed. If God is for us, then nothing and no one can successfully stop us. But, as Ananias and Sapphira discovered (the hard way), if we go against God, we will not succeed. I believe that what happened to them was a signpost at this early stage of the church, a warning to all who follow God and serve Jesus. It’s similar to what happened to Aachan when Israel first entered the promised land [Joshua 7]. This doesn’t happen to everyone in the same way, but it is a warning that You cannot resist the Holy Spirit and succeed; you will eventually crash.
Both Jesus and Gamaliel show us that our only hope for success is if God is behind us. This is an important reminder to us, in regards to family life, work life, church and ministry, leadership, etc. To make sure of this, we need to continually meet with God (as Jesus did), seek His will, His purpose, admit our selfishness, deny ourselves, and put Jesus and His kingdom first. This doesn’t just HAPPEN, we need to discipline ourselves. How much time do you spend establishing yourself and your efforts in the Lord? Is He the wind in your sails?
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to set my sail to You. Blow, Holy Spirit, blow!
The example of Ananias & Sapphira stands as a testimony of warning to me regarding how Henry and I agree together about. We need to take seriously the considerations of our decisions. God will not be mocked.
Also, verse 19,20 stands out to me when the angel of the Lord says to the apostles after releasing them from prison,
“Go your way, stand & speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life”
Get right back into the fire! Stand! Speak! To the people! No human institution (church or state) here on earth is going to prevent what God is desiring to communicate to the people.
Why were the religious leaders in ministry? They were jealous of the number of people following the disciples. They were self seeking – what’s in it for me. How am I recognized. I want the biggest church. Yet it should be all about the Lord. Not self serving but God serving. I am here to serve Him. I teach so that they may know. I am but an instrument in His hand.
And God blessed them. He was with them. He is the wind beneath my wings, so I will soar like an eagle and not grow weary to do His will. As the doors were opened for the disciples so that they could proclaim the good news by the Lord Himself, so will He do the same today for all who His will and walk in His way. Lead me and guide me Lord this day. I can do all things, only in Your power.
Make me a channel of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me bring you love;
Where there is injury, your healing pow’r,
And where there’s doubt, true faith in you.
Make me a channel of your peace:
Where there’s despair in life let me bring hope;
Where there is darkness, – only light,
And where there’s sadness, ever joy.
O Spirit, grant that I may never seek
So much to be consolded as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love with all my soul – .
Make me a channel of your peace.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
In giving to all that we receive,
And in dying that we’re born to eternal life.