From the nobodies to the notorious

The rapid and extensive expansion of the Church in the early centuries was due to the spontaneous activity of individuals. The first teachers of the majority of the Christians were basically unknown- nobodies.

The pattern in the early church is God uses “everyone, everywhere, every day in every way” to fulfill His Acts 1:8 promise? “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8  

Those who spread the Gospel and established the Church are not known as men of great learning or ability. Most of them are not known by name at all- nobodies. “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 4:13 Unknown, unlearned, ignorant people – nobodies, “who had been with Jesus”. That’s the reality of the early church- that’s the pattern in God’s Kingdom.

 

God not only uses nobodies and He can and will use the notorious; 1^st century terrorist, named Saul, public enemy #1 for the new Jesus community. “Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.” Acts 8:3

Here’s the big idea- from the nobodies to the notorious no one is outside God’s grace, no one is beyond His touch, no one is unreachable, unusable, or unsuitable. No one is disqualified because of their past.

Friends, God doesn’t need your ability just your availability; because He does His work by His Spirit; God moves His story forward  through the lives of ordinary everyday followers led and empowered by His Spirit

Followers who God uses, who participate with what God is doing are filled with His Spirit- Pentecost, the apostle, Peter, the Seven who waited tables were men full of the HS, Stephen, Phillip and now Saul all full of the Holy Spirit.  Each and every person used by God was full of His Spirit. Always was and always will be; God moves His story forward, establishes His church and expands His kingdom through ordinary everyday people led and empowered by His Spirit. That’s the only way the Acts 1:8 promise is fulfilled.

Through the lives of the nobodies and the notorious God’s message goes forward, His church is established and His Kingdom is expanded.

 

 

How to get to heaven

Have you ever asked the question-How to get to heaven? Well, maybe that’s the wrong question. How to get to- makes it about a place. Is that what God intended? Was His original desire simply to get us to a place, a location?

 If it’s about a place then we need to know what’s going to get us there; what needs to happen so I can get there? How can I be sure I’ll get in? If it’s about a place, then; What’s the toll we need to pay to pass from here to there? What’s the entry fee? What path do I need to follow? Those are all valid- if heaven’s about a destination, a place. If it’s a location, it becomes all about me and what I need to do. I become the center of the quest. I’d better get it right or else.

Friends, life isn’t about a destination (heaven) it’s not even about the journey, being good- it’s about a relationship. It’s about being connected to God now and forever. That’s God’s Grand Story.

Let’s go back to the beginning of God’s Story- creation and the Garden of Eden. What was God’s original design? When He created us why did He create us? It wasn’t about location; God didn’t create humanity so they could live in the Garden of Eden- it wasn’t that God needed some occupants for His Garden, some landscapers. The Garden wasn’t a destination. The Garden was for the purpose of having a place for God to be with His creation.

“Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.”

 Why did God put man in The Garden? So man would have something to do? No. God put humanity in the Garden so He could be with them. God’s all the time desire is to be with us- that’s the heart of His Story. God wanted a place to be with His beloved creation. Where could they be to be together? Where could they have lunch? God needed a place where He could share His love and enjoy being with the apex of His creation- mankind. The Garden, the place, was for relationship! So God could be with; so mankind could be with God.

God and the first couple spent time together walking in the coolness of the Garden. That was the original desire of God.“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day…”  Why was God walking in the Garden? Did He need the exercise? God didn’t need a place to walk. He was walking in the Garden to be with, it wasn’t about a location it was about relationship- about being with.

Life isn’t about a location or a destination (heaven) it’s about a relationship; Jesus came and died to restore your relationship, not take you to paradise.

What makes heaven is not the place it’s the Person- In heaven we will returned to that pre-sin state, to God’s original desire; we will be with God without anything separating us. We will be forever with Him. It always was, is and will always be, about knowing God, being with Him. It’s not about a destination- “getting to heaven.”

Friends, God’s heart desire, the focus of all He does is so we will know Him. Not know about Him, know Him and be in relationship with Him.

Don’t think about How to get to heaven- think about How can I know God, be in relationship with Him, be with Him, now and forever. It changes everything- my everyday life becomes about being with Him, following Him, loving Him; pleasing Him, obeying Him, getting to know Him. Heaven becomes the eternal location where I live in relationship with God- and enjoy Him forever. Life becomes about a relationship, not a destination (heaven) – or even the journey