THE GIVER OR THE GIFT?
Acts 2:42 – 3:26
THE GIVER OR THE GIFT?
Acts 2:42 – 3:26
“When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus.”
It is interesting that in these modern times, when science has taken much of the mystery out of life, that we are most taken by miracles. In the ancient world, God is very much a part of the fabric of life and when an unexplained occurrence happens, it is the work of God. Rarely do you see them seeking to acquire the power of God. What they were most interested in was how to be on the right side of God.
For those of us who believe that God created the heavens and the earth, science merely accentuates the majesty and glory of God and his creation; for others, science instead reduces everything to cause and effect and removes the first and most primary cause.
In modern times, many of the miracles in Jesus’ time are now commonplace: lepers healed and brought back to society; the ability to feed large crowds in rural settings; healing the sick on the brink of death; and even giving a man born lame the ability to walk again. But there is far less awe and wonder these days.
If indeed Jesus sacrificed his life so that we may have the power to do the miracles he did, it would not have amounted to much these days.
Peter’s message, and the promise of the Gospel, focused not on the gift but on the giver: “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.”
The witness of the Apostles, and the witness of the community of believers, certainly contained many miraculous elements. But much more substantial was the transformation that took place before the eyes of the Jewish community: their devotion to God and their love for one another. As instructed by Jesus, they obeyed his command to remain in him and to love one another and this created a powerful witness to the truth of the message they carry.
It is unwise for us to tell the Holy Spirit how to do his work—that he should perform more miracles so as to attract people’s attention, that he should make us love each other better, that he should lead us to a church that is more vibrant and exciting—when we should be focused on our work—to obey, to love, to be devoted to his word, to love him, to be in awe of him—to focus on what we have rather than on what we do not have.
“Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”