Serving Bread

At my church, every few months, the teaching staff does a series titled, “Soul Talk” where the sermons are about what God is doing in their lives. The topics are varied, and it allows us to see how they are interacting with Jesus. On a regular basis, I will share what God is doing in my life, how I am struggling with Jesus in the scriptures, and the new things that I’m learning. I will steal a page from my church and title these posts “Soul Talk”.

I have been enjoying getting to know the Church through the book of Acts. It is a fascinating account of faith, power, boldness, and love (for Jesus and for the world). In Acts 1, Jesus tells his faithful followers to wait for the promise of the Father (1.4), and in chapter 2, the reader sees what the promise of the Father is–The Spirit of God.

Can you imagine the sight? This small group of Jesus-followers (numbering no more than 120) were gathered in a very public place, celebrating Pentecost (a very important, annual Jewish festival where Jewish pilgrims come from all over the known world to Jerusalem), when the Spirit of God descends and fills these disciples.

The manifestation was powerful–tongues of fire resting among them and they begin to speak in foreign languages. The people witnessing this sight were amazed because they were hearing these “Galileans” testifying about God’s deeds of power. God was doing a new thing in the world, and he was going to use this small crowd of Jesus-followers to be the seed that would be a blessing beyond their lifetime.

There are several things that strike me out of this passage:

1. 1. God was doing this new thing. It wasn’t the faithfulness or faithlessness of the disciples. God sends his spirit to do this new thing in the lives of these disciples. God was catalyzing an incredible event where he would manifest his power and pursue his sheep.
2. 2. God empowered the disciples to speak in other people’s languages. People were amazed that they could understand God’s deeds of power (1.11) in their own native language. When you hear something in your own language in a foreign culture, your senses are heightened and your walls come tumbling down.
3. 3. Some people rejected this message. They see this incredible power of God and they still conclude that “They are filled with new wine”.
4. 4. Some people are intrigued and amazed and become seekers: What does this mean?

The lessons for me are powerful, especially as I begin the process of giving myself to a pioneering ministry:

1. 1. God is the source of power and the new thing. I desperately need God’s power in my life. I desperately need God’s power in the life of the ministry. I desperately need to wait on God in prayer and draw on the power of his spirit. It’s not about any charm or intelligence or kindness that I may possess that would be a blessing on the campus, but it’s about God’s power doing a new thing.
2. 2. We need to speak the heart language of the people. On a campus like CSUN, the diversity can be overwhelming and the urban/suburban culture can be intimidating. What does it look like for me to “speak about God’s deeds of power” in the language that they understand? I need Jesus to do this.
3. 3. Some people will reject the message. It doesn’t matter how articulate and convincing I might be, the message can still be rejected and I can still be accused of being and doing something I am not.
4. 4. Some people will respond to the message, and I need to interpret God’s work in their lives. In the next section, Peter brilliantly articulates and interprets what God is doing.

Jesus, give me eyes to see how you are at work in my community at CSUN. Jesus, give me the humility to learn and speak new “languages”. Jesus, give me boldness in the face of rejection. And Jesus give me power to interpret for people what you are doing in their lives.

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