Life On The Highest Plane
The evangelist Philip was taken from a very successful evangelistic campaign in Samaria to the desert of Gaza to win one man. The Ethiopian eunuch was returning from Jerusalem to his home with a scroll of the prophet Isaiah which he was reading eagerly but without understanding. Philip entered his chariot, explained to him the passage and from it preached Christ. And the eunuch believed and was baptized (Acts 36:38).
Acts 8:35, "Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture and preached unto him Jesus."
Paul had seen the Lord of glory on the road to Damascus and had fallen before Him believing but blinded; emptied but unfilled. In Damascus was Ananias, the layman. His name appears but once in the annals of Scripture but it is in connection with a bit of personal work that shines upon the page of Scripture as the north star shines in the heavens, for through him as God's own sent messenger Paul receives his sight and is filled with the Holy Spirit. The work of salvation begun by the Lord of glory was consummated by his call to sanctification and to service through Ananias.
Acts 9:17, "And Ananias went his way and entered into the house: and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
In Caesarea was Cornelius, the centurion, a man with a devout heart and a deep hunger for God. In Joppa was Peter, a man with a passionate passion for souls and a life surrendered to his Lord for service. And in Heaven was God who works at both ends of the line sending a prepared messenger to prepared souls. The result was a whole household won to the Lord (Acts 10).
Personal testimony was another form of work in the first century Church. Who can estimate the fruitage of Paul's testimony of his conversion before the multitude and before Agrippa (Acts 22, 26).
The ministry of intercession was practiced by the first century Church. To the first Christians intercession was a working force. When Peter and John were threatened because of the healing of the lame man they gave themselves to prayer. When Peter was imprisoned "prayer was made without ceasing." Through praise and prayer Paul and Silas not only opened prison doors but the fast closed hearts of the Philippian jailer and his household. Through prevailing intercession those feeble men and women defeated and routed satan and his hosts and again and again gained for the triumphant Lord of glory a visible manifestation of His victory on Calvary. They worked through prayer.
The grace of giving was manifest in the first century Church. Filled with the Holy Spirit love for God and for their fellow men led the first disciples to lay all they possessed at His feet for His use. The coffers of the early Church were not filled by a finance campaign but by the free-hearted consecration of his material possessions to the Lord on the part of every Christian.
Acts 4:32, "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own: but they had all things common."
Administrators of the business affairs of the Church were to be found in the first century Church. But these men were not chosen because of their social prestige, their financial income, or their executive ability, but they chose men full of honesty, of wisdom, of faith and of the Holy Spirit. It was a spiritual task to which they were called which required spirituality in those who undertook it.
Acts 6:3, "Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business."
Good works were part of the activities of the first century Church. The practical expression of the love of Christ in kindly deeds for the relief of physical and material needs and for the amelioration of suffering is the natural product of vital spirituality. The genuinely spiritual man is the first to feel the touch upon the hem of his garment and to give most liberally of his sympathy and his support to those in need. The early Church had its "Dorcas" and more than once is it recorded that it sent relief to God's children.
Acts 9:36, "Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcus; This woman was full of good works and alms deeds which she did."
The life of the spiritual man is one full of beneficence because "the fruit of the Spirit is kindness." He delights in playing the part of the good Samaritan, he revels in carrying cups of refreshing water.
There were missionaries in the first century Church. No church can lay claim in true, apostolic succession which is not missionary in purpose, passion and program. The early Church was essentially a missionary Church. The power of God was upon it in an exceptional way because it gave itself in obedience to the fulfillment of Christ's last commission to carry the Gospel to the uttermost part of the earth. Persecution sent those first Christians everywhere preaching the Word of life.
The work of the first century Church bears upon it the seal of God and the scars of satan. The seal was power and the scars were persecution. Loyalty in preaching the Christ of the Gospel of the Word drew down from Heaven the supernatural power of God and it raised up from hell satanic persecution. Study the book of Acts and you ill see these two invariably in inevitable succession; power in preaching Christ produced persecution of the Christian and persecution of the Christian precipitated power from Christ.
~Ruth Paxson~
(continued with # 7)
No comments:
Post a Comment