People In Acts
[By Gerald Gates]
What can a Christian do?
Some examples from book of Acts.
Be encouraged by the response of the first believers in Acts 2:37 who asked “…What must we do?” And when they had repented and were baptized, they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, working with the other believers in fellowship, to the breaking of bread in remembrance of Jesus the Christ, and to prayers (Acts 2:42). They also spent time together, sharing of what they had as any had need among them (Acts 2:44-45). They continued meeting together in the work and eating together in their homes with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God… (Acts 2:46-47).
When we believe and obey, we are meant to become a disciple of Christ, continuing in His teaching (John 8:31), always seeking to work repentance and receiving the forgiveness of sins. Like these first believers, we can commit to learning what the Lord wants us to know from His word. Then we can apply the word to our lives, putting it into practice along with our brethren who serve Him.
The blessing of God‘s love for each of us was shown by reaching out to us by His only begotten son who gave His life for our sins (Jn 3:16). Jesus taught His disciples to love one another (Jn 13:34). Like the first believers, we can share our time and efforts and possessions with others. Having love for one another and a mutual love for God, we can do this with thanksgiving, allowing our brethren to encourage us by welcoming their acts of love also. Barnabas and others sold belongings to help with the needs of others and for the work the church was doing (Acts 4:34-37), something we also can do, both in giving to the work of the church and when we see needs arise among us.
We can devote ourselves to prayer not only alone but with others with love for one another and for the work before us. In Acts 4:24-31, the disciples prayed for boldness in the work of the Lord against much opposition. In Acts 12:5, the disciples gathered together at Mary’s house (John Mark’s mother) praying earnestly for Peter when he had been jailed to be put to death. Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns to God while imprisoned due to opposition to the work (Acts 16:25).
When Lydia (a Philippian merchant) became a believer, after being baptized she welcomed Paul and those with him (Silas, Timothy, Luke) to come stay at her house. She used her possessions to offer hospitality to those workers away from home (Acts 16:15).
Acts 16:32-34, the jailer at Philippi did the works of repentance by washing the wounds of Paul and Silas before being added to the Kingdom and then bringing them into his house feeding them with joy as even those who first put on Christ in baptism had done in Acts 2:46 eating together from house to house…
These are a few examples of what Christians did, where they were, with what they had, taking part in the work of the Lord, edifying one another and working together in truth. Our responsibility is to serve in truth and love in ways that we can. When I ask myself, “What can I do?”, I need to consider what I can do in service to others and for the LORD as I see my brethren doing day by day as they are blessed with opportunities. As the Lord Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35, NKJV).