The Lord’s Hand

Acts 11:19-21 

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.

Disciplinarian

 “Tell us something about your father,” a teacher asked her students.

“My father was a strict disciplinarian,” one student answered quickly.

‘Strict disciplinarian father’ is not the most enjoyable kind of father for many children.

Discipline is not very pleasant because the mind and body yearn for relaxation.

Hebrews 12:11 reminds us…

11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

If all kind disciplines in life are taken positively [physical, intellectual, or spiritual disciplines] what could possibly be a better outcome?

When God commands us to do something, it is not for His favor but for our sake. God’s commands are instruments to test the level of faith we have in Him. The best part is that, accomplishing something acceptable to God is not impossible if we fully depend upon our Lord’s help.

The church in the 1st century experienced the Lord’s hand at work in their midst.

In Acts 2:46-47, the disciples have been experiencing the best of God’s favor.

46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

They presumed that Christ is coming back soon but God has better plans for the church.

God allowed persecution and the disciples were scattered abroad.

1.  Scatter

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. 

Persecution broke out when Stephen courageously testified before the Jews. When the Holy Spirit is at work in a disciple’s life, there will always be oppositions. God has designed that each genuine disciple would testify to the one He has prepared.

Genuine disciples go and make disciples because the Lord’s hand is at work in them. God can easily compel a disciple to obey even by way of persecution. When persecution broke out in Jerusalem the disciples travelled and spread the gospel.

Spreading the gospel is a manifestation of the Lord’s hand at work in the life of the genuine disciple even while experiencing persecution. The power, the dynamite-kind of courage received from the Holy Spirit will not allow a genuine disciple to keep quiet but to boldly share the good news. There’s intentional yet spontaneous eagerness to testify about the Lord.

When the Lord’s hand is at work, we do not need to worry about convincing others. We do not need to be anxious if we have explained the gospel well or not. All we have to do is respond and say whatever God brings into our mind.

In Mark 13:11, the Lord Jesus said…

11… do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

To be unprepared or forced to testify about our faith, we do not need to worry. The Lord promised that the Holy Spirit will speak on our behalf.

Many believers are scared of testifying about their faith because they do not know what to say or how to answer difficult questions. The sense of being scared to testify is just a clear manifestation of not receiving power from the Holy Spirit or just innocently ignored the Holy Spirit.

Invite to Church

“I tried to invite a friend but he said he does not want to come because he does not want to see a person attending our church.”

“I’ve been praying for a friend to come to church but I don’t know what to say.”

“How I wish to come to your church but I have to work on weekends.”

“Sure, I will come to your church when I find the right time.”

What are other reasons have you heard when you tried to invite someone to church? What has Jesus taught about inviting people to accept His gift or to join His church?

In Matthew 22:1-10 the Lord Jesus told a parable about invitation to God’s kingdom.

1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

As faithful servant to the King of kings, whatever happens to us is not our concern. Many will and others won’t come to join us; let the Lord have His way in them. Our standing order is to go out and speak the word that the Lord puts in our mouth.

 2. Speak

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.

When the disciples travelled abroad, they speak first to the Jews in the area. They shared the good news, not just with Jews but also to the Greek speaking people. That is our natural tendency; we speak first to people we are comfortable with.

The disciples did not force the issue of witnessing. They went on speaking about the good news as the Holy Spirit leads them.

Again and again, we preach that the fruit of the Spirit is our sign, the signal that we are on the right track, the centre of God’s will. Joy and peace, excitement and tranquility prevail when we are Spirit-filled. When the sinful nature prevails, there’s worry, restlessness, apprehension, or hostility.

So, instead of trying our best human effort to force the idea of witnessing, when sinful nature manifest in us, start yearning and pleading to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

There will be people who would ignore us but God has prepared those who will listen.

Auctioneer’s Chant

Have you ever attended a ‘Bidding War’ or an auction? How do you appreciate an auctioneer’s chant?

Some people are annoyed listening to an auctioneer when he chants but prospective buyers would not mind the monotonous chant of the auctioneer. For buyers who intended to buy, they listen to the best price they want to bid.

Christian jargons, Christian clichés like ‘Praise the Lord’ are annoying to non-believers. Christian lingo like evangelism, salvation, or praise and worship are not readily appreciated in non-Christian assemblies or non-Christian gatherings. But when the Lord’s hand is at work, those people whom God has prepared would readily listen and never mind at all if the witness is monotonous or not.          

The effectiveness and success of witnessing depend upon the Lord’s hand. Keep praying for alertness to recognize where the Lord’s hand at work.

When there’s crisis, like persecution, the Lord’s hand must be doing something He wants us to be involved with.

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