The Early Church Had It Right
Previous
Reverence or Relevance?
Next
It's Time to Put Our Thinking Caps On
Reverence or Relevance?
Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
Today's devotion is adapted from a recent post on Pastor Greg's blog. To see his latest blog entry, click here.
The early Church, the Church of the book of Acts, "turned their world upside down" (see Acts 17:6). Do we ever need that today!
These first-century believers were filled with both joy and the fear of the Lord.
Acts 2:46-47 tells us, "So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people" (NKJV).
This phrase "gladness and sincerity of heart" literally means "with unaffected joy!" I love that–they were not afraid to express joy in their faith.
But there also was a sense or reverence and awe among these believers. Acts 2:43 says, "Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles" (NKJV).
What is the fear of the Lord?
It does not mean you should be afraid of God. To fear God means that you have a healthy respect or reverence for Him. Another translation describes it as "a wholesome dread of displeasing God." In other words, I love God so much that I want to do all I can to keep from displeasing Him.
Look, I am all for relevance. We need to make sense to the people we are reaching. But let's not lower our standard in order to extend our reach.
Let's not trade reverence for relevance.
I think for us to seek to live godly lives is very relevant, and very different than what this world has to offer. That's how we will turn our world upside down, instead of the world turning us upside down.
The early Church, the Church of the book of Acts, "turned their world upside down" (see Acts 17:6). Do we ever need that today!
These first-century believers were filled with both joy and the fear of the Lord.
Acts 2:46-47 tells us, "So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people" (NKJV).
This phrase "gladness and sincerity of heart" literally means "with unaffected joy!" I love that–they were not afraid to express joy in their faith.
But there also was a sense or reverence and awe among these believers. Acts 2:43 says, "Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles" (NKJV).
What is the fear of the Lord?
It does not mean you should be afraid of God. To fear God means that you have a healthy respect or reverence for Him. Another translation describes it as "a wholesome dread of displeasing God." In other words, I love God so much that I want to do all I can to keep from displeasing Him.
Look, I am all for relevance. We need to make sense to the people we are reaching. But let's not lower our standard in order to extend our reach.
Let's not trade reverence for relevance.
I think for us to seek to live godly lives is very relevant, and very different than what this world has to offer. That's how we will turn our world upside down, instead of the world turning us upside down.
TODAY'S RADIO PROGRAM: "When God Went on Trial — I"
BIBLE READING: Exodus 33
Copyright © 2009 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version.
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights
reserved. Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced
in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas
Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000
It's Time to Put Our Thinking Caps On
Sign up for Pastor Greg's daily devotion e-mails!
Harvest on the go!
Our best content is now in one place on your mobile device to help you know God and make Him known.
Download
