Acts 5:12-16
New International
Version (NIV)
12 The apostles performed
many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet
together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join
them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and
more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15 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. 16 Crowds gathered also
from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by
impure spirits, and all of them were healed.
As
I read this I was confused at verse 13 where it reads “No one else dared join
them”. I did not know who the “no one
else” was. As I read the commentary I
realized that others have had that same question and there are two different
ways of reading this. I then went back
and read it again and have decided, given the information earlier, in verse 12
and prior scripture that we have read in Acts that “they” were the believers
and “no one” else were non-believers.
Take note, though, that the non-believers held them (the believers) in
high regard. They knew these people had
something they wanted but they were afraid to be a part of it. In today’s society, people often times have
no desire to be a part of the church if they are non- believers. In fact, many who profess to be Christians
don’t want to have anything to do with the church. Yet, in the time of the writing of this
scripture it was not so. What has
changed?
In
one way I see that we do not see the miracles that the apostles were
performing. People today go to the
doctor for their healing and often times when they are healed it is accredited
to the miracle of modern medicine not to the power given to men by the Holy
Spirit to heal. Today if the church
gathered together daily in a public place people would see them as radical crazy
people, who had nothing better to do.
They may say they are weak people who had to depend on one another and not people who
could think on their own.
The
world has witnessed those claiming to be Christians being killed by their false
leaders in cults. There have been people
led astray, thinking they were following God and found out they were only
following sick men. They drank the Kool-Aid
in faith only to be found dead in the hundreds.
There
is one example of this in our society
that live among themselves but are looked upon in high regard and that is the
Amish people. They live and work, not in
the public, but with each other. They
take care of each other and their needs.
When tragedy hit one of their communities the public eye was upon them
watching how they reacted and they were amazed at their forgiveness. Some, even I, have gone and visited an Amish
community and was very impressed with the way they lived their lives. They are hard working people that love the
Lord. Yet, I am not a part of that type
of church community, however, I do admire them.
I believe at some point, I will get to be a part of their community when
we all get to heaven but for now, I live in the world but strive to not let the
world define me.
I
believe the church needs to get back to the business of allowing the Holy
Spirit to shine through us so that people will be amazed and fearful of God. That
they will bring the lame to us in hopes that a prayer from us will help their
loved one and ultimately themselves to see the Power of God. What do you believe? Do you think the church is being all that
they need to be? Are we meeting and
growing in our love for God and for one another? When
was the last time the Holy Spirit shook your church building to the point that
you knew He was at work? Are Christians being the radical Christian of
the early church that people look up to or are we just someone that people can
hurt, ridicule and demean. Seek Him and
know that He is God.
Seeking
Him with all my heart,
Sheila
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