ACTS 5: Celebrate new life
Come join this journey as we continue through the Bible and travel with Jesus’ followers through the Book of Acts. It’s an exciting adventure full of twists and turns. We’ll read a chapter a day and I’ll provide a link to the chapter in the NIV(UK) version, but you can read the chapter in whatever version you like. I’ll then share some short reflections, but the important part is the last part: ACTION. Let’s start acting on what we are reading. Join me in one small act inspired each day by the chapter for that day.
Are you up for the challenge?
Then let’s continue!
READ: Acts 5
REFLECTION: The sobering story of Ananias and Sapphira reminds us that lying and misleading others – and God – about what we’re doing and how much we’re giving is not acceptable. It wasn’t that they didn’t give it all; it’s that they pretended to give it all. They wanted to look good in front of everyone else but they felt they couldn’t give it all, maybe motivated by greed or lack of trust. They wanted to look super spiritual, but their heart wasn’t in the right place. It’s better to be honest every time, to be transparent about what we are and do and give.
Jesus’ followers are continuing his healing work. They have access to the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. And the spiritual leaders of the day are jealous and try to silence them by imprisoning them and threatening them and beating them. But the disciples see this as a good sign – that if they’re being mistreated, they must be doing something right!
Gamaliel speaks sense. If this is just a human thing, it will fizzle out. If it’s of God, then nothing will be able to stop it. Over two thousand years later and the Jesus story is still transforming lives today – I’d say that was a God thing!
ACTION: Celebrate new life
‘Go, stand in the temple courts,’ he said, ‘and tell the people all about this new life.’
Get out there and celebrate new life.
Come on, it’s the perfect time of year for this. Get out in nature and notice all the signs of new life. Take some photos, draw, write a poem, whatever is your thing, your way of shouting about this new life all around.
Take time too to reflect on the new life that Jesus brings – not just as a one off, but into all those areas of our lives that have become a bit dusty and stuck and in need of an injection of new life.
ACTION:
