This morning I was reading from the Book of Acts. It is so good to study the way the Holy Spirit leads and directs the church. This morning my reflection is upon the the reactions of the Peter and the Apostles when learning that the Holy Spirit was directing them into new ways. Here are the verses - Acts 11:15-22 NIV:
[15] (Peter said,) “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. [16] Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' [17] So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God's way?”
[18] 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.”
[19] Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. [20] Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. [21] The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
[22] News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch."
There is much that is unsaid, but certainly understood in this account. Peter is in Jerusalem, following his experience, and has to explain this event to those that were criticizing him. Get that, they were criticizing Peter! To their credit, they realized that God was moving and was opening the door to the Gentiles, without their knowledge or direction. Isn't that just like God to do things that unsettle us, that go against everything we think we know and understand?!
I wonder in my own life, how many times I have missed what the Lord was doing, or wanted to do through me, because it just didn't make sense or fit with what I had known to that time?
Continuing on (verse 19), we see the Holy Spirit on the move again, this time as a result of the persecution that followed Stephen's martyrdom, the Gospel being proclaimed to Greeks in Antioch. Again, this is without the knowledge or the direction of the church leadership in Jerusalem, as they only hear about it afterwards.
God, apparently doesn't need our, or our leaders, direction or approval to move. It says the Hand of God was with them, and this often is indicative of miracles and signs and wonders for salvation. We would also recognize this as Holy Spirit present, but Luke in writing this uses a term from the Old Testament. Regardless, it was obvious, even from Jerusalem, that God was moving in the Gentile world, and they were surprised, but were convinced by the evident fruit.
My question this morning is what new thing is the Lord doing today? What people groups, what outreaches is He about, through the general members of the Body of Christ? While God did use Peter in Caesarea, He was using non-leaders in Antioch. His power was just as evident in Antioch as Caesarea, as He does what He wants, where He wants, through willing followers, whether they have been recognized as leaders or not.
Secondly, I am encouraged that the Lord attends to His works and gives evidence of His help through His Hand, through Holy Spirit present with signs, wonders, salvations and other miracles. In Peter's case, the Holy Spirit poured out on the Gentiles and they started speaking in tongues, praising God, even before they had a chance to proclaim their faith or be baptized. Wow! That must have been fun!
I am convinced that the Lord is far from finished with His ministry on earth, and He is doing new things daily! We need to be attentive to His direction, not get bent out of shape if He is asking us to do something that we haven't heard or seen done before, or sometimes even something we are not "supposed" to do according to the religious rules. God is after salvation for all mankind and He is waiting to pour out His Spirit on all people (Acts 2:17).
Amen! Come Lord Jesus! Come Holy Spirit!
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