Posts by reachchurch

Read This Week: Acts 11

Men from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year, Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. – Acts 11:20-21 & 25-26 NIV

What’s in a name? The marker and power of a name and its value has long been significant in civilization, society, families, and social circles. Often the first piece of information we have about someone is their name because everyone (even groups of people) recognizes themselves by name. It is important in our identity and our understanding of who we are. It can even indicate our values, mission, and purpose.

Acts 11 is about a name. But, it is mostly about what that name represented to the first followers of Jesus and to all those who would come after them for generations. This chapter describes the coming together of the Jews and Gentiles under the banner of Christ and His gospel. The followers of The Way would come to be known as Christians. All believers now had a name. It would be inclusive to anyone who places their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord regardless of their heritage, background, race, or culture.

The name Christian would also be established as an indicator of the characteristics that God desires for His followers. Tradition said that the Gentiles had to become Jews to be accepted as God’s people, but now Jews and Gentiles were united through faith in Jesus. Verses 1 through 18 show us this acceptance that should be an earmark of Christians for all time:

When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.” 

Verses 19 through 26 tell us that encouragement was an early expression of the church as united people. There was rampant persecution and growing pains as the Jews and Gentiles began to do life and worship together. But when they heard that the gospel was being preached and spread among both people groups by God’s grace, they were greatly encouraged. This section communicates this:

News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord.

Lastly, the newly named Christians helped each other out of love. The needs among all the people were great, and the foundation of generosity in the Christian community was laid by the apostles in the early days. It set the tone for the desired movement of the church and what it should always be about. Verses 27-30 says:

During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

This name change was not just a label or a syllabic representation of a group of people. It came with the explicit identity of those who walked with God and served Jesus. The Church at Antioch is an amazing example and establishment that being a Christian is more than evoking a name. It is indicative of what is in the heart; of life-change and of Christ Himself. The name means that we are a people who accept others, encourage and build up, serve Jesus and people out of love, and help those in need. That is what is in this name Christian.

Read This Week: Acts 10

Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil because God was with him. – Acts 10:34-38 NIV

Favoritism is human nature. From the time we are little, we learn to play favorites with things, people, places, and experiences. Having a favorite is not bad in and of itself, but favoritism regarding the value and worth of a human being over another is sinful, toxic, and does not reflect the heart of God. The Bible is clear that the Lord does not favor one individual over another when it comes to his love, grace, and desire for a relationship. 

Acts 10 reinforces this truth about God and his acceptance of everyone no matter their background, culture, origin, or race. We see this in the practical yet powerful teaching of Peter. He had received a vision from God that he then communicated to the people. In his message, Peter makes it known that he does not consider the Gentiles to be unclean. For centuries, based on the law, the Jews had seen the Gentiles as lesser than, unworthy, and unclean. Some even referred to them only in derogatory ways. However, these walls were beginning to be torn down through the power of the gospel and the unifying message of Christ’s love for all.

Peter starts his sermon on the heels of his vision from God and from having fellowship with some Gentiles, most especially a man named Cornelius. He was ready to proclaim that he would no longer make any distinction or cast favorites between Jews and Gentiles. He says in verses 34-36:

Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.”

God is no respecter of persons. When it comes to sin and salvation, there is no difference between people. We all have the same Creator; we are all made in His image, and we all need the same Savior, Jesus Christ who loves us and died for us so that we may be made right with God. Peter re-emphasizes this again in verse 43:

“Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

“Everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness” stands alone as the greatest promise and truth for all of mankind to lay hold to and experience. It is the gospel for all. We, as humans, in our flaws and frailty may play favorites but, we can rejoice in the fact that God, in His eternal goodness, does not. He has no favorites.

Read This Week: Acts 9

Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. 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. As he neared Damascus on his journey, 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?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind and did not eat or drink anything. – Acts 1:1-9 NIV

Human beings are all seekers. We come into this life looking for something. For fulfillment, for happiness, for adventure, for love. However, as hard as we seek and look, we often fail to see. See the One thing that brings purpose and meaning to this life and encapsulates all that we desire in the first place.   

The great poet, T.S. Eliot once wrote, “We shall not cease from exploring but at the end of our exploration, we will return to where we started and know the place for the first time.” Eliot was describing the beautiful contradiction that exists within the human soul. We are, by nature, explorers; curious beings with an appetite for the unknown and a craving to experience what is unfamiliar yet wanting to find answers in the familiar. 

Life is a never-ending story of discovery and longing for where we started. That’s why we need guidance and precise direction from someone not limited by the human condition. Someone who transcends anything that may influence or manipulate. Someone with the ability to help us navigate the passage of discovery and truly see what’s in front of us.

Such is the case of Saul, later known as Paul. His conversion on the road to Damascus was one of the great events in the history of the church. Perhaps the greatest behind only the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. He was a learned man studying under the greatest religious minds of that day. But he was also the chief persecutor of Christians and was good at it. Verse 1 of chapter 9 sums up both his zeal for persecution and his murderous intent toward followers of Jesus.

But one day, this hardened intellectual and facilitator of sadistic executions has a conversion experience on the road to carry out a hit in Damascus. The encounter leaves him eternally changed but temporarily blinded. Verses 3-9 tell us of this incredible moment:

As he neared Damascus on his journey, 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?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

Despite all his learning and knowledge and seeking answers, Saul was emotionally and spiritually blind. Everything he was looking for and needed was right in front of him but, he could not see it. He couldn’t see that the Old Testament that he knew so well was pointing to the Messiah that he had rejected. He missed the cross and relied on his religion and own righteousness in his search for truth and meaning. Illumination had escaped him. He was a seeker and an explorer looking for the wrong destination.

Now, in a powerful and ironic twist, he was able to see spiritually while being physically blind. He discovered that Jesus was alive and everything that He did, said, and accomplished was, in fact, the work of God and the provision of salvation to mankind. Saul had now heard, experienced, and received the Gospel. He realized he was a sinner and his need for a Savior. He was blind but now he could truly see and his mission would be clear. Verses 13-15 says:

“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 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.”  

As natural seekers and explorers, may we not just look for truth and answers in what we think we know, but may we humble ourselves under the power of God to see His truth, understand, and act. May every day be an unceasing exploration of God’s heart and perfect will and may it be illuminating and revealing in such a manner that it feels as fresh as when we started.  

Read This Week: Acts 8

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 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. Acts 8:1-8 NIV

One of the great quotes of the last 50 years may very well come from the movie Rocky Balboa. In a passionate speech to his son about facing challenges and hard times in life and overcoming them with power, courage, and perseverance, Rocky says:

Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place, and I don’t care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward.

This quote sums up the struggle and mission of the early church in Acts. The world was not all sunshine and rainbows for the 1st century Christians after Stephen’s death. Verse 1 of chapter 8 tells us that a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. The church was on the run but still on the move. 

Furthermore, a skilled and ruthless persecutor of the church, a highly educated Pharisee named Saul (more on him to come in the following chapters) emerged, and this chapter tells us he began to destroy the church. This phrase in the original language means to “wreak havoc” and was often used to describe what a wild animal would do to its prey. But even with the brutal persecution in Jerusalem and Saul’s precise efforts to put an end to Christianity and the spread of the gospel, the church of God took their hits and kept on moving forward in the power of the Holy Spirit.

History has shown us that opposition to the church and the message of Jesus does not stop the kingdom, it serves as fuel to the fire and causes it to spread faster and with greater effectiveness. As the challenges arose, so did the believers to preach the truth, share their faith, serve the poor and marginalized, and be powerful witnesses to the salvation of Christ. One of the most prominent in that time was Philip, who was chosen as a deacon and grew in his ministry as a preacher and evangelist especially to the people of Samaria.

As Philip preached and performed miracles and the other believers shared the love and hope of Jesus, the people paid close attention to what they were saying and doing. The crippled were healed, the blind regained their sight, and the multitudes were coming to saving faith in Christ. After this, verse 8 says, “There was great joy in the city.”

Indeed the world can be a very mean and nasty place, and it doesn’t seem to care who we are. It will try to beat God’s people to their knees and keep them there permanently. But the various schemes of the enemy are no match for the grace, mercy, and love poured out on mankind through the person of Jesus Christ. The world is not strong enough and does not hit hard enough to stop God’s kingdom from moving forward and His people from sharing His message. At times the church may look down, but it is never out.

Read This Week: Acts 7

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city, and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then 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 7:55-59 NIV

When problems, challenges, and suffering arise in life, we can see them as an opportunity instead of a setback. When followers of Jesus and the church as a whole face resistance, persecution, and combative situations, we can use it as an opportunity to exercise our faith in the Lord and each other. We can trust God for His protection as we carry out His mission with boldness and confidence. We can examine our ministries and see if changes need to be made internally. We can also increase our passion and witness for Christ.

In Acts 6 and 7, we see the growing pains of the church and the persecution of it by those who opposed Jesus, the message, and the mission. Among the believers was a man named Stephen, who was filled with the Spirit and anointed to preach in Jerusalem, win those far from God, and even do miracles like the apostles. His life and testimony is the culmination of the church’s witness to the Jews. After Stephen, the gospel would go out to the Gentiles and the known world.

The Sanhedrin and religious leaders hated Stephen and tried desperately to defame and discredit him through public debate, accusation, and ridicule. However, the wisdom and power he received from God couldn’t be matched by any of the scholars that rose to take him on. Stephen’s final speech to the Sanhedrin ended with this bold, fearless rebuke and proclamation of the truth of Jesus Christ. He said in verses 51-53:

“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.”

The only alternative the enemy had to stop Stephen and the spread of the gospel was to eliminate him. So they dragged him out in the street and stoned him to death. Yet, even in death, the glory of God was on him and people standing by were impacted by what they saw. One of them was a man named Saul, who God would use at a greater level than the one he watched die. Verses 55-59 says:

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

Stephen’s life and witness should serve as an inspiration and example of faith, commitment to God, and display of holy boldness in our mission. Even though the sufferings of the early church differ from ours today, we see an increase in Christian persecution worldwide and more opportunities for true followers of Jesus to step forward, lovingly communicate God’s truth, and let their light shine before all men. 

God does not call everyone to be a martyr for the faith, but He does call us all to be His witnesses and make sacrifices for the gospel in our families, neighborhoods, workplaces, and the world. We never know how the Lord will use our witness to impact those around us. Perhaps another “Saul” or person that God will use for His glory is watching what we say and how we live. In light of that, we must aspire to all be witnesses like Stephen.

Read This Week: Acts 6

So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” This proposal pleased the whole group. – Acts 6:2-5 NIV

The ministry of the Gospel, serving and loving people is a joy and privilege, but it is not without its difficulties and challenges. Because it is worthy work that can be hard, followers of Jesus need more than intelligence, skill, talent, and the resources available to us in the modern age. Ministering to others, being efficient in meeting their needs, and sharing the good news of Christ in a hostile world, requires the power of the Holy Spirit and supernatural wisdom that comes from God. 

Acts chapter 6 shines a light on the foundational necessities to be effective in ministry. As the church grew and the needs and demands increased among the people, the disciples realized that things were being neglected, folks were not growing spiritually, and the spread of the gospel was impeded. They concluded that their busyness caused them to neglect prayer and the ministry of the word. They were trying to do too much in their own power and overlooked the sources that propelled their work in the first place – prayer and God’s word. 

Seeking God and reading His word is what gives us the power and wisdom to do the hard and necessary things of ministry. The disciples realize this and in verses 3-5 say:

“It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

Intimacy with God through prayer and His word informs our service and allows it to be free of selfish ambition, religious strategy, and shallow conceit. When we become more attentive to God’s heart and His perfect will for us, we grow in our insight and spiritual awareness. This growth fuels our practical ministry and empowers us to love people more, meet their needs with compassion, and reach out to those who are far from God.

As we grow closer to God in spirit and wisdom vertically, we inevitably grow closer to other people horizontally. Fellowship and community are solidified when we pray for one another and study the Bible together. There is also a passion for the Gospel and its power to save, heal, and transform. Friends, neighbors, family members, and co-workers are impacted by our desire to see the message of Christ communicated and lived out.

This return to the vital life sources of ministry for greater impact is exactly what we see in this chapter. As the disciples sought the Spirit and God’s wisdom through prayer and minister of the word, the results spoke for themselves. The blessings of God continued and increased, the people united, the church multiplied, and Jesus was glorified in their work. Verse 7 sums it up:

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

Read This Week: Acts 5

“Therefore, in the present case, I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. – Acts 5:38-42 NIV

There is a theory that asks the question: What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? Scholars and philosophers alike have debated this paradox through the years to various conclusions. But, consider this, out of the two, the unstoppable force is only one that is moving or active. Therefore, when an unstoppable force with infinite momentum meets an immovable object with equal mass, there can only be one solution: the immovable object moves. The unstoppable force also has unstoppable movement, while the immovable object lacks the immovable strength to hold it in place when the two come together.

This analogy is perfect for the movement of the gospel and God’s kingdom as it has faced and will continue to face opposition from various objects in the world. Acts chapter 5 provides an early example of this. We see the gospel of Jesus carried by His followers filled with His Spirit being persecuted, attacked, and others making efforts to stop them completely. The early Christians were spearheading an unstoppable force and were experiencing opposition from those who saw themselves as immovable objects. But only one of them won.

As the apostles stood trial before the Sanhedrin, their message prevailed, and even one of the Pharisees themselves, a man named Gamaliel, could see that the apostles were from God and that their mission would not be stopped. He said in verses 38-39:

“Therefore, in the present case, I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

Gamaliel realized that no matter how much they resisted these men and their message, if God was on their side, they would be unstoppable and nothing could hinder them. The gospel at that moment and at countless others through the generations became the unstoppable force that plowed through the seeming immovable resistance to it. In the end, God’s truth, and the people He chooses to speak it through will be victorious and will overcome objections that threaten and seek to destroy.

The threats, questions, objections, and beatings did not stop the apostles from witnessing for Jesus Christ, preaching His gospel, and living for His glory. The persecution only made them trust God more and seek greater power in their ministries and lives. They left court after being whipped with this victorious attitude and action:

The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

Because they knew that God’s will, power, and commission were unstoppable, the suffering that they were experiencing emboldened and motivated them to serve the Lord with greater faith, commitment, and passion. We should do the same as we embrace the truth that the kingdom of heaven is an unstoppable force, and it will advance even when people try everything within their earthly power to end it (Matthew 11:12). 

This reality should cause us to love God more, embrace His truth with deeper engagement, and increase our obedience to Him when challenges are presented to us. No challenge is equal to the movement of Jesus and His church. The movement does not stop and start depending on the circumstances in our lives or the world. It keeps moving and will always keep moving for all of eternity. When it is from God, it is unstoppable.

Read This Week: Acts 5

The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. More and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed. Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. – Acts 5:12-21, 41-42 NIV

Acts 5 captures the good, bad, and ugly of the movement of the church. It serves as a glimpse into the reality of spreading the Good News of Christ in the world. We see here that sin is ugly and results in circumstances and consequences (vv. 1-10) that are hard for us to process and observe. Opposition to Jesus and the gospel is bad and creates challenges in this life (vv. 17-39) that seem cruel and unnecessary. Yet, God is good and powerful and He covers His church in love, grace, and protection (vv. 12-16; 41-42) as it teaches and proclaims the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

The chapter begins with the ugly and deliberate deception of two people named Ananias and Sapphira. Their spiritual hypocrisy led to lies about their business transactions and giving to the church. Their sin was intentional and directed against God and His people to advance their status and notoriety, and it cost them their lives. Theirs is a difficult story to read, but it serves as a warning against human beings willfully harming the church and trying to rob God of His glory.   

Following this ugly scene, we see much good being done by the disciples in healing people through God’s power. As the apostles proclaimed the gospel and preached Jesus, verses 14-16 says:

More and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.

The Bible definitively says here that all of them were healed. The healing power of God through the apostles was total, complete, and miraculous. These miracles were the fulfillment of the Lord’s promises that He would do greater things through them in the name of Jesus (John 14).

But as these incredibly good things were being done among the people and many were being saved, oppostion rose among the religious elite. Signs and wonders came with the preaching of the Word, and no one could deny that God was working, yet several were not happy with the success of the church. Verses 17-18 tell of the bad in this passage:

Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.

The apostles did not stop preaching the truth, nor did they change their convictions. They put their faith in God and obeyed Him in the face of opposition and believed He would protect them and take care of the bad consequences. And He did. He supernaturally released them from prison and placed a song in their heart as they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name of Jesus.

In the end, good triumphs over bad and makes beautiful that which is ugly in the world. God is wholly good and is constant in His goodness. Jesus came to make dead things live and to advance the good news of His truth on earth. In this advancement through the church, there will be bad times and ugly moments brought on by human frailty, evil, and sin. We must believe and trust the eternal goodness of God and remain faithful to His word and mission. Experiencing the good of a relationship with God and being on mission with Him is worth enduring the bad and the ugly. In fact, it is worth counting it all joy as the apostles did.  

Read This Week: Acts 4

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Jesus is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. – Acts 4:8, 11-13 NIV

The definition of being ordinary is to have “no special or exceptional quality; to be commonplace.” Ordinary is a familiar word used to describe human beings in our world. We often hear sayings, speeches, and even songs proclaiming that we are just moving along as ordinary people. Some even see an ordinary life as something to aspire to. If one is ordinary then they are not strange or mysterious or someone to scrutinize. Ordinary is viewed as good because ordinary is considered normal.

Even if we are not considered extraordinary by any stretch of the imagination, or as people, others have a hard time remembering our name, there is still something exceptional about us. There is someone that makes our stories quite incredible. There is someone who takes ordinary people and accomplishes extraordinary things through them. By the world’s standards, our lives can be nothing special, but when Jesus Christ enters the picture, we go to a whole new level.

This evident transformation and extraordinary power seen in the lives of ordinary believers are on full display in Acts 4. Peter and John are standing before the Sanhedrin being questioned about the miracle healing of the lame beggar. This was an official meeting for the sole purposes of examination and determining whether any religious laws had been broken.

Peter stood up, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and proclaimed the miracle healing before the Sanhedrin as a work of God through them and evidence of the resurrection power of Christ that they condemned and killed. At this point, the council was trapped. They could not deny the miracle because the once crippled man was standing in front of them, and they could not deny that Peter and John were untrained, uneducated, and ordinary men who had done something extraordinary. Verse 13 tells us that they recognized that the exceptional power came on them from someone else and that someone was Jesus:

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 

After the incredible testimony of Peter and John, we see other examples of God’s extraordinary movement in the lives of ordinary people. We see it in verses 23-31 as the believers prayed and believed God to do His work among them. They lifted their voices in unity to declare and believe God not to make their lives better but to empower them to do his extraordinary will. Verse 31 says:

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Lastly, we see extraordinary things in community. As they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they became extraordinarily generous (vv. 32-35). In our day and age, it seems almost unbelievable to read how the early Christians cared for one another. We see that no one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. There were no needy persons among them. At any time in history, this type of love and favor toward one another can be seen as extraordinary.

Jesus always has and always will make ordinary things extraordinary for His glory. He can accomplish the extraordinary through ordinary people like us so that others will have no choice but to recognize His power and worship Him. We simply get to be a part of His amazing work.