Cornelius encounters the Lord

The Lord reveals Himself to us in diverse ways. For some people, it is a still small voice that prompts the need to  give their lives to the Lord. Others encounter God through life’s experiences and challenges. Some encounter God through preaching messages. Some through angelic encounters. These are not exhaustive lists, there are different ways that many people get the attention of God. What was your own story? Maybe you can share your personal testimony of your salvation experience with someone today. It is a powerful tool to get people to think about God. Not all of us have the same encounters and as such it is important that we do not make one encounter seem better than the other. What is necessary is that the person encounters the Lord. How the Lord does it, is not our way to decide.

Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.  Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. (‭Acts 10:4-5)

In the book of Acts, we are introduced to a pious man by the name Cornelius. This is the story of Cornelius. According to Acts 10:1-2, at Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. ‭Cornelius was not your everyday centurion. He wasn’t the busy type of Roman soldier. He lived among Jewish people but he did not consider himself better than others. Both him and his family were devout and God-fearing. They loved God and were devoted to serving the needs of others. Their giving was facilitated by a heart of generosity and they prayed to God regularly. Cornelius’ life caught the attention of heaven. As He continued his dedication to God, he had an angelic visitation. 
“One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” (‭Acts 10:3-6)

Cornelius immediately sent two of his servants to Joppa. Even before the servant’s arrived in Joppa, Peter had a similar vision that confirmed to him what God had revealed to Cornelius. Peter who would have refused any encounter with a Roman citizen was more than convinced that God shows no favoritism. When Peter arrived in the house of Cornelius, he met a group of people ready to experience the Lord. As Peter shared with the people the message of the gospel the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message (‭Acts 10:44). Peter, amazed by this said, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.‭ (Acts 10:47-48).

The household of Cornelius experienced the hand  of God. In just one day, all the years of Cornelius’ dedicated service to the Lord was rewarded. Heaven acknowledged his great contribution to the kingdom of God and an angel was sent to convey this message. After that, God brought in the apostle Peter who led the entire family to understand the gospel and baptized the household of Cornelius. Imagine the transformation that will take place in Caesarea because of the salvation of Cornelius. This encounter also reveals the heart of God, He wants all people everywhere to be saved. None is beyond redemption. One other lesson is that our good deeds alone cannot save us. Thus being a good person is not a license to eternal life. We need to understand that our goodness should stem from the understanding that we have been saved to save others. If we are not motivated by Jesus, then we still need a ‘Peter’ to lead us to encounter salvation. You have a task to reach out to the unreached. Be the Peter that will lead good people to become Jesus loving people. A ‘Cornelius’ in your neighbourhood needs your prayers and support.

The healing of Aeneas

The Acts of the Apostles records most of the miraculous encounters the Apostles had after they had received the Holy Spirit. The addition of Saul to the church added another person who was fearless and bold to preach the gospel at all places. This brought about peace and growth in the church. More people joined the church and the disciples increased in numbers. The initial persecution of the church had scattered the disciples all over Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and elsewhere. These disciples had planted churches as they moved along. These different churches were also ministering to the communities where they operated. Thus, the initial persecution which was meant to crush the church rather expanded the church and moved the church to new territories. One of the territories the church thrived was a town called Lydda. The new believers in Lydda might have heard of all the miraculous signs that had been done by the Lord Jesus Christ and the apostles.

Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. ‭(Acts 9:34)

As these churches spread across, the apostle Peter travelled about the country, and he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda (‭Acts 9:32). The church in Lydda had an apostolic visitation and this meeting would have strengthened and encouraged the members. As part of Peter’s visit, he encountered one man whose story changed after the visit. Aeneas could have been a member of the church in Lydda. This man was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years (Acts 9:33). When Peter encountered Aeneas, Peter said to him, “Aeneas Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up (‭Acts 9:34). The impact of Aeneas’ healing was massive. According to ‭Acts 9:35 all those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. Thus, one person’s miracle caused citizens of two cities to have an encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. Imagine the exponential growth the church would have experienced. This miracle would have also deepened the faith of many people. All those who knew Aeneas during his eight years of being bedridden would have given glory to God for His hand at work.

Aeneas might have not been noticed by the community prior to his miraculous encounter. He was possibly a lonely man who had to deal with eight years of infirmity. Yet, when he encountered the power of God through the apostle Peter, his story changed. When he rose up from his bed after Peter had requested that, Aeneas would have felt strength in his bones. His body would have received strength and all the ligaments, tissues, tendons and bones that needed to be connected suddenly received strength. In just one encounter, all the predictions of medical history were annulled. Aeneas was restored and he left his place on the bed. He might have shouted, jumped and praised the Lord. There are many people who are going through difficult seasons in their lives. All that they need is an encounter with Jesus Christ. For some, they require spiritual healing to mend their brokenness. Others need the love of God to replace the feeling of emptiness and rejection. Like Peter, we should be willing and ready at all times to share with others the love of God. Somebody’s miracle is to know that he is loved by God. Keep sharing the gospel and see God transform societies and nations.

A divine encounter (Part 5)

In sharing the parables concerning the lost (lost sheep, lost coin, lost son), Jesus revealed the state of the Father’s heart when a sinner repents and returns to the Lord. In Luke 15:7, Jesus sharing the parable of the lost sheep mentioned that, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” Similarly, Luke 15:10 states that “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” In the parable of the lost son, Jesus revealed that the turning point was when the son made up his mind to return to the father. The son got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” (‭Luke 15:20). Our Father in heaven’s desire is that none should perish. However,  humanity, operating with our free will, constantly turns away from Him and becomes an enemy of God. In the case of Saul in the book of Acts, his opposition to God was fueled by ignorance and religiosity. He thought  fighting the believers was the best way to defend God. He was rather doing the opposite.

Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. (‭Acts 9:31)

Thus, when Saul had a divine encounter with Jesus, his life was transformed and he became a new person. Instead of driving believers into hiding, he became a channel for many more people to hear the word of God. Saul had single-handedly put fear and panic in the church. He received approval from the religious leaders to go and do more harm in Damascus. Backed by his temple police officers, Saul heeded for Damascus. This journey was interrupted by Jesus Himself. From there, Saul returned to Jerusalem as a committed follower of Jesus. As a result of Saul’s divine encounter, there was rejoicing in both heaven and on earth. The great change in Saul brought about peace in the church. Acts 9:31 states that, “the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.” One person’s salvation brought territorial peace for some time. The church, encouraged by the conversion of Saul, was strengthened,  and this also attracted more people into the church. Imagine all the followers of Saul, many of them would have also changed trajectory to follow Jesus.

If we ever think no one is worthy enough to be saved, Saul’s divine encounter should encourage us to pray for all people irrespective of their background. No one is too sinful for God to show mercy. Some individuals control territories and their continued presence as agents of evil is detrimental to the church and the society. Instead of desiring their death, we should pray for their salvation as well. Leaders of nations, territories, groups and institutions with influential powers to cause societies to conform to their standards can be hindrances to the church if their purposes are to crush the church. Instead of hating such people and wishing them evil, pray that they have a divine encounter with Jesus. The transformation of one of such people will result in the reformation of the whole society. The church of God will experience peace, stability, growth, strength and many more goodness if it operates in an enabling environment. Keep praying for individual and societal transformation.

A divine encounter (Part 2)

There are people we encounter just once and the effect of that meeting changes our lives forever. I have heard of people who can trace their transformation to a particular talk, message or a conversation they had with just one person. At the end of their encounter, such people were more than convinced about their lives’ purposes and they made certain commitments that have impacted their lives. Imagine having an encounter with the Lord Jesus Himself. Such a divine encounter will become a stepping stone to greater transformation. All those who encountered Jesus on earth reacted to the encounter. There were those who found their lives’ purpose and there were the religious leaders who considered the ministry of Jesus as an obstruction to their religiosity. The former group benefited greatly from Jesus while the latter group connived and had Jesus crucified out of jealousy.

But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” (‭Acts 9:15-16)

Saul’s encounter with the Lord Jesus on the way to Damascus was the starting point of his ministry. Saul had left Jerusalem as a persecutor of the people of the Way. But, Jesus had a special assignment for him. Jesus directed Saul to a disciple named Ananias. You would have thought that Jesus Himself would have seen to the needs of Saul, but even Jesus needed a human vessel to complete this encounter. On the other side of Damascus, Ananias also had a divine encounter. In a vision, the Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”‭ (Acts 9:11-12). Ananias was shocked. Why will Jesus send him to see Saul the persecutor of believers? As Ananias led his argument before the Lord, the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”‭ (Acts 9:15-16).‬ Ananias might have been filled with awe. The same Saul breathing threats on the church is the same person Jesus had chosen to reveal His name to the Gentiles.

Imagine if the early church because of the persecution had prayed for the death of Saul or had even purported his death. The church would have interrupted the plan of God. The plan of God for the church was to transform the same person threatening the church to be an agent of revival. This began with Saul’s divine encounter with Jesus. Saul the persecutor became Saul the apostle of Jesus. Ananias obeyed the Lord Jesus and visited and prayed for Saul as the Lord requested. As soon as he finished praying for Saul, the Bible states that “immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus” (‭Acts 9:18-19). In reality, Saul had scales on his eyes that prevented him from seeing Jesus as the Saviour of the world. As soon as the scales fell from his eyes, Saul was a new person, ready to take the world for Jesus.

Saul’s divine encounter with Jesus changed his life forever. There are people in our lives who need such divine encounters to experience the new life that comes from Jesus. Let’s bear them up in prayers and pray that every deceptive scale be taken from their eyes.

A divine encounter

Have you ever come across someone who is genuinely kicking against a great idea but believes that they are doing a service to the nation? Have you seen groups that oppose government institutions and they resolve to destroy properties made with the government’s hard earned money in order to draw attention? As silly as these may be, there are people who fight the good unknowingly but believe that they are doing the right thing. The truth is, whenever we take it upon ourselves to fight an institution, a group of people or an agenda, it is important we do our due diligence before we destroy properties, hurt lives and cause innocent people to suffer. In this post, we shall consider how an intention to fight for God was actually an act of persecution against the people of God. The early church faced several opposition from the religious leaders. One person who took it upon himself to get rid of the early church was Saul who later became apostle Paul. What was his intention? As a Pharisee,  Saul presumed or possibly thought that the church was a hindrance to Judaism and the belief systems of the church were not in alignment with the Jewish laws.

He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (‭Acts 9:4)

We are not informed whether Saul experienced the ministry of Jesus.  It is possible that Saul’s first encounter was with the apostles. As a Pharisee himself,  Saul would have marveled at the wisdom and dexterity of the disciples of Jesus. Saul’s first major encounter with the early church as mentioned in the Bible was at the trial of Stephen. There, Saul would have listened to Stephen’s defense with rapt attention. Saul might have heard when Stephen made these arguments: “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.” (‭Acts 7:51-53). To Saul and the religious leaders who were gathered, their responsibility was to defend the Jewish religion and anyone who showed discontempt for their faith was an enemy to God. Stephen’s words cut to the heart of the people and without any proper trial, he was condemned and stoned to death.  The witnesses laid their coats at the feet of Saul (Acts 7:58) and he
approved of their killing of Stephen (‭Acts 8:1). As if this was not enough,  Saul began to destroy the church. He went from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison (‭Acts 8:3).

Saul was a dread to the church in Jerusalem. He saw the followers of Jesus as threats to Judaism and with all zeal, Saul attacked them without mercy. When Saul realized that the disciples had escaped to surrounding cities, he went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem (Acts 9:1-2). That was how dreadful Saul was to the church. Saul issued out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples and he would have been an infamous person to the church. Yet as Saul was busily kicking against the church, God had a plan to use the same person for the growth of the church. How was that even possible? Persecutor Saul received the support of the high priest and headed to Damascus. However, something happened that changed Saul’s trajectory forever. As Saul was near to Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”‭ (Acts 9:3-4). I believe if you were Saul,  you would have been surprised at this question. Who is Saul persecuting if not those Jesus fanatics? Saul possibly assumed that getting rid of the disciples was his spiritual exercise to save the name of God from disrepute. So the question is why was Saul rather persecuting the same God he thought he was defending?

Saul’s response was this: “Who are you, Lord?” (Acts 9:5). And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”‭ (Acts 9:5-6).Saul’s divine encounter with Jesus changed his trajectory from a persecutor of the church to a defender of the faith. We shall continue this encounter in another post.

Like Saul before His conversion, there are many people who will do anything to get rid Christians. Yet if these people encounter Jesus, their trajectory will change and they become lifetime ambassadors of Jesus. Instead of praying that unbelievers perish, pray for their salvation and conversion. God will use them to go to places you cannot go.

Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch

The ministry of Philip, one of the seven appointed to serve tables extended beyond food and hospitality. When Saul began to destroy the church, going from house to house, and dragging off both men and women and putting them in prison (Acts 8:3), the church scattered. The scattered church members preached the word wherever they went (‭Acts 8:4). Thus, their flight became an opportunity for more people to hear about Jesus. Philip also went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there (‭Acts 8:5). In a previous post, we established that Philip was a deacon and an evangelist. Through him, the people of Samaria heard the message of the gospel and many people came to faith. The numbers were so outstanding that the church in Jerusalem had to send Peter and John to support the new and growing church. Philip was not hindered by the fact that the church in Jerusalem appointed him as a deacon in charge of food distribution. He knew that wherever God took him was an opportunity to share the word. As the church in Samaria thrived under the ministry of Philip, God had another task for evangelist Philip to undertake. An important task that sent the gospel message to Africa.

Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.‭ (Acts 8:30)

Philip was a man who was in tune with God. One day, an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (‭Acts 8:26). Philip didn’t question why It was urgent for him to go to that particular road. Philip’s response was this: “So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship” (Acts 8:27). God wanted a special person to understand scripture and Philip was the man assigned to the task. The Ethiopian eunuch believed in the God of the Jews, and he had travelled all the way from Ethiopia to worship in Jerusalem. On his way home, this man was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet (‭Acts 8:28). The passage was on the Suffering Servant but the eunuch had no idea who this person was. As instructed by the Spirit, Philip went and stayed near to the chariot. When Philip heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet, he asked the eunuch, “Do you understand what you are reading?” (‭Acts 8:29-30).

The Ethiopian’s response was this: “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him (Acts 8:31). The passage the man was reading concerned the Suffering Servant. The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” ‭(Acts 8:34). Sensing the opportune time and the man’s quest to know more, Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus (Acts 8:35).‬ What was the man’s response? He accepted the word and even went ahead and got baptized. According to Acts 8:36, 38, “As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. The eunuch identified with the death and resurrection of Jesus when he was baptized. He publicly made known his dedication to follow Jesus.

After the baptism,  something miraculous happened. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing (Acts 8:39). Philip’s talk with the eunuch was done and God repositioned him in Azotus and he traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea (Acts 8:40). On his part, the eunuch went back home and introduced the gospel to his community, his nation and the continent of Africa.

There are many types of “Ethiopian eunuchs” we meet each day. Be willing and ready at all times to hear the Spirit talk to you. When the Spirit leads you to share the word with someone, don’t allow fear to draw you back. He will grant you the grace to evangelize.

Philip: The Deacon and Evangelist

In Acts 6, the church faced a challenge with food distribution. The apostles, understanding their core mandate, proposed the appointment of deacons to help with the food distribution while they (the apostles) focus on the ministry of the word. This proposal pleased the whole group. As a result, “they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.” (‭Acts 6:5-6). The seven deacons were men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom (Acts 6:3 KJV‬). These deacons were entrusted with the responsibility of the food or hospitality ministry. However, we see that beyond the ministry of food distribution, these deacons were also engaged in ministry work. We encounter how Stephen boldly defended the Gospel before the religious leaders. The religious leaders could not stand the wisdom with which Stephen spoke and ended up killing him.

When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. ‭(Acts 8:6)

After Stephen’s death, those that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word (‭Acts 8:4 KJV‬). The persecuted church members spread the message of the gospel in their flight. Thus, what was meant to crush them ended up propelling them into greatness. Among those who scattered abroad was Philip, one of the seven appointed to serve tables. In his flight, Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them (Acts 8:5 KJV‬). Not only did Philip preach Christ, he also performed miraculous signs. In Acts 8:6-8, we are told that “when the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city. Like Stephen, Philip was in charge of food distribution, a task that we might all consider mundane. However,  in the house of God, no activity is mundane. Every department requires members that are in tune with the word of God and the presence of God. Philip did not abandon his faith during his flight. Afterall, his ministry of food distribution was obviously not needed in Samaria. Yet, his faith as a believer was still relevant to cause changes.

The great work Philip did in Samaria necessitated that the apostles in Jerusalem visit. According to ‭Acts 8:14, “when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.” The presence of Peter and John in Samaria was important for the new church. When Peter and John arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. (See ‭Acts 8:15-17). Philip’s evangelical ministry necessitated the arrival of the apostles. Like Philip,  wherever we go, we should be ambassadors of Christ. We don’t need fancy titles to let the world know what we carry. Other than the church in Samaria, Philip also played an important role in the church in Africa (Ethiopia).

We have all been called to transform our world and communities. It doesn’t matter where you are. What is required of you, is your availability and willingness to be an agent of transformation. Where will you start? Your neighbourhood can be your Samaria. Don’t allow fear and doubt to hinder you. Go out and transform your world.

Great persecution and church expansion

The persecution against the church is not a recent phenomenon. As early as the 1st century, the church faced diverse forms of persecution from the religious leaders and the rulers. In a previous post,  we considered the persecution of the apostles and how they were arrested for performing a miracle. The angel of the Lord miraculously released them from the jail. At another time, Stephen was stoned to death because the word of God he spoke pierced the hearts of the religious leaders. The day Stephen was killed, an open door for persecution was opened against the church. After Stephen was killed, Godly men buried him and mourned deeply for him (‭Acts 8:2).‬ Even the death of Stephen could not cause the religious leaders to give the church a breathing space to mourn. Let’s see what happened afterwards.

And Saul approved of their killing him.  On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. (‭Acts 8:1)

Some important points to consider are these: Stephen’s death was seen as a means to rid the city of the wrong teachings of the disciples; Stephen’s death was orchestrated by the religious leaders who should have known better; Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee consented to the death of Stephen. After Stephen had been killed, on that same day, a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria (Acts 8:1). All the new converts, the disciples, those who became part of the church during the time of Jesus and after the resurrection of Jesus all scattered. Throughout Judea and Samaria, they found a solace to share with others their new faith. Thus, what was meant to crush the church rather led to church expansion. This is because even though the persecuted members were scared for their lives, they also shared the message of the gospel as they moved along.

In other words, what was meant by the religious leaders to crush the church rather moved the church from Jerusalem to other places. Remember, in Acts 1:8, Jesus had promised the disciples that they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on them; and you will be His witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. However, until the persecution, the church was just centered in Jerusalem. Even though church persecution is evil and should not be encouraged in any way, for the disciples, the persecution became an instrument of expansion. Today, churches are still persecuted all over the world. In some places, churches are burnt, vandalized, destroyed  and church members are not spared either. Let’s take time to pray for the persecuted churches around the world. Let’s pray for the church members living in fear to encounter the love of God. Most importantly,  let’s pray that what the enemy plans for evil against the church will be turned around for our good

Stephen: Demonstrating God’s grace and power

In a previous post, we considered the appointment of the seven deacons in the early church. These men were appointed to serve tables. Their responsibility was to ensure equitable food distribution in the church. Yet, to qualify this role, the men had to possess some qualities: “Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.” (Acts 6:3 NKJV). These qualities led to the appointment of Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism (Acts 6:5). These men were assigned the responsibility of ensuring that food is equally distributed. One of these men had a phenomenal wisdom about the word of God that led to jealousy among the religious leaders.

Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. ‭(Acts 6:8)

Acts 6:5 describes Stephen as a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. Stephen wasn’t your ordinary deacon. He was a man who could stand and deliberate the word of God with the religious leaders. Other than just ensuring equity in food service, Stephen went the extra mile. In Acts 6:8 (NKJV), we are informed that Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. What were the great wonders Stephen did? Stephen might have spoken the word of God with all boldness, healed the sick, restored the weak, encouraged the broken hearted among many other things. These phenomenal things drew the attention of the religious leaders. The wisdom and dexterity of Stephen prompted the religious leaders to argue with Stephen. Some people from the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), began arguing with Stephen. However, they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” ‭(see Acts 6:9-11 NKJV). ‬

In their jealousy, they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. As if this was not enough, they produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” (‭Acts 6:12-14). The lies told against Stephen were an attempt to drag him down. When Stephen was given the opportunity to defend himself before the Sanhedrin, he appeared with an angelic demeanor. His face was like the face of an angel (‭Acts 6:15).‬ Beginning from Abraham to Jesus, Stephen. The deacon preached a phenomenal message on God’s route to salvation. The people’s response was fatal: When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. (Acts 7:54). The people dragged Stephen out of the city and stone him to death. The witnesses (those who stoned Stephen) laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul (‭Acts 7:58). Even at the point of death, Stephen was compassionate. He fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.‭ (Acts 7:60).

Stephen’s brief ministry was quite impactful. He was committed, dedicated and ready to die for the gospel. He was appointed a food distributor but he is best known as an evangelist, one with an apologetic ministry. He stood for the truth and died for the truth. How many believers can boldly stand for the truth even in the midst of wolves. Maybe we are not not being persecuted with death threats like Stephen and the early apostles but we still find it difficult to let those around us know what we really believe in. May we have the grace to demonstrate God’s grace and power even in the midst of tribulations. So help us God!

Repent and be baptized

After the ascension of Jesus Christ and the replacement of Judas Iscariot, the next major event that took place in the lives of the disciples of Jesus is the arrival of the Holy Spirit. This great event took place on the day of Pentecost. The day of Pentecost was celebrated on the 50th day after the Passover. This Jewish Festival attracted Jews from all over the world to visit Jerusalem. This is how the Holy Spirit’s arrival came about: “When the day of Pentecost came, they [the disciples] were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.‭” (Acts 2:1-4). This miraculous sign attracted the people in the city. The people from all over the world were amazed to hear the disciples declaring the wonders of God in their own languages. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” ‭(Acts 2:7-11).

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (‭Acts 2:38)

This incident made room for the first public crusade that took place after the ascension of Jesus. Taking Hold of the opportunity, Peter presented to the people the message of the gospel. He gave them a detailed overview of the Messianic and how these were fulfilled in Jesus. Peter made it clear to the people that salvation can only be found in the name of Jesus and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (‭Acts 2:21). Peter elaborated on how the death of Jesus was God’s plan for atonement. The people were shocked by the words from Peter. About 50 days ago, this same Peter was afraid to even be seen as associating with Jesus. However, at this crusade, Peter spoke with all boldness defending the faith in Jesus and inviting others to believe. When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”‭ (Acts 2:37). The crowd demonstrated the most appropriate response to the gospel menage. Peter’s response was this: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”‭ (Acts 2:38-39).

The people heeded to Peter’s advice for repentance. They accepted Jesus as God’s Messiah and came to accept that in order to flee from God’s wrath, the answer is Jesus. On that same day, those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day (Acts 2:41). When people hear the message of the gospel, their feedback can be that of acceptance or rejection. Those who accept the message of the gospel undergo repentance: showing sincere regret or remorse for their actions. After a person accepts Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and repents from their sins, the next major event is water baptism. Water baptism is significant as it indicates our acts of obedience to the Lord in putting our trust in Him. Water baptism also shows our outward transformation, our immersion in the water symbolizes our death with Christ and when we come out of the water, it symbolizes our newness in Christ. Therefore, the three thousand people who were baptized on the day of Pentecost, demonstrated their commitment to the Lord Jesus. As ambassadors of Christ on earth, we should also preach the message of repentance and encourage baptism for those who demonstrate their faith in the Lord.

To rescue those who are perishing and bring them to the saving knowledge of Christ, we should preach Christ. Our message should be followed by a call unto repentance. Then we should continue with the need for baptism for the new converts.