Living Like First Century Believers
First Century Church as Our Example
As this world gets darker, we must ask ourselves the question, “Which side am I on?” If I’m on the Lord’s side, it’s time to stop “playing Church” and time to get serious!
The Church of the first century “turned their world upside down” for Christ. As we read about the work of the Holy Spirit through the Apostles in the Book of Acts, it seems that wherever Paul and the others went, something happened—either a conversion or a riot.
It was said of Paul and Silas (and not as a compliment): “These who have turned the world upside down. . .” “now they are here disturbing our city too” (Acts 17:6 NKJV, NLT). That’s what we need in our culture today—a HOLY DISTURBANCE!
“Organized Christianity which fails to make a disturbance is dead” —G. Campbell Morgan
What about now? Is the Church still shaking the world? We must ensure it’s not the other way around: the world shaking the Church.
A couple of good quotes to ponder today:
“If the Holy Spirit were taken away from the New Testament church, ninety percent of what they did would come to a halt. But if the Holy Spirit were taken away from today’s church, only ten percent of what it does would cease.” —A.W. Tozer
“We are not going to move this world by criticism of it nor conformity to it, but by the combustion within it of lives ignited by the Spirit of God.” —Vance Havner
Let’s do something about that. Let’s all pray today that we will turn our world upside down, instead of the world turning us upside down. And let’s “disturb” some people today the same way Paul and Silas did.
An Opportunity for Christians
First century believers were able to turn their world around. And the world of the first century was a hard place to share the gospel.
Everywhere the believers brought the gospel, people harassed them, ridiculed them, persecuted them, physically assaulted them, and, in some cases, even put them to death. Yet the gospel prevailed.
How were the first century Christians able to do it? They understood that every man and woman had a job to do. They recognized that ministry was not just for those select few called apostles. Ministry was for everyone. Everyone was to go and bring this message to their generation and to their sphere of influence.
And if we want to change our world, then we need to do the same. Let’s make a difference together with the Harvest Crusade, happening soon on July 20. Pray, invite, and bring!
