Acts 5:30-42
The apostles and disciples proclaimed Jesus everywhere, again and again, and again. Nothing stopped them because they had to do what God told them to do!
I want you to do something. Think back on the conversations you had this week. How many of them were about Jesus’ crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection, or ascension? How many conversations did you have that even mentioned Jesus? I’m not asking how many times you mentioned church; I’m asking how many times you mentioned Jesus.
What were the majority of your conversations about? Were they griping about something or somebody? If so, then guess what? You care more about griping about something or somebody than you do about Jesus.
There are times I feel like a stuck record. A friend of mine tells me that she likes listening to my sermons because I don’t say the same thing over and over again, but I do; I just don’t necessarily do it in the same sermon. As I write my sermons and prayers, I often feel like I’m saying the same thing week after week. But, as we work through Acts, I see that I am in good company. Peter and all of the apostles and disciples continued to preach and teach that God raised Jesus from the dead. God raised him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior so that He could bring people to repentance and forgive their sins. Because of Jesus’ ascension and our faith in him, we have the Holy Spirit within us who gives us the gifts we need to do the work God has given us to do. And, if that was the message of the apostles and disciples, then it’s my message too.
We may very well get exasperated or bored when dealing with things of the world, but if we are dealing with or talking about our passion, it’s exciting.
What is your passion? What do you get excited about? Cars? Sports? Grandchildren? Politics? Work?
Is God your passion? Do you get as excited talking about God and what Jesus did for you as you do talking about cars, sports, grandchildren, politics, work, or whatever else? If not, why not? If talking about God’s love and grace, if talking about Jesus doesn’t get you up on your soapbox, why not?