Acts 5:14-16

Summary retelling of Acts 5:14-16:

In spite of the fear of the Jewish leaders, people were still coming to know Jesus.  People were so convinced that the apostles (especially Peter) had the power of Jesus they believed that even their shadow could heal them.  Their reputation was growing large enough that people outside of Jerusalem were coming to Jerusalem.

Thoughts for Today:

First Thought:

The people thought that Peter’s shadow could heal them.  There are two sides to this statement: one potentially neat perspective and one horribly tragic perspective.  As an analogy, we can say that the sun is in the heavens, and in order to have a shadow the sun must shine into an object here on earth.  So in a figurative sense, this idea of a shadow healing someone is a neat analogy to something in heaven interacting with something on earth and it being a very good thing.  However, from a very real standpoint it is unfortunate that people strive for something like a shadow when it is really a relationship with Jesus that they desperately need.

How often do you really think about the fact that what is most important in life is an interaction with something heavenly?  How often do we put the emphasis on the wrong thing instead?

Second Thought:

The reputation of the apostles was growing.  People were coming to Jesus because of the reputation of the apostles.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not lifting up the reputation of the apostles as more important than Jesus.  But I am saying that in this instance the reputation of the apostles clearly was a useful tool for God.  Jesus trained His disciples and then quite literally gave them the keys to the kingdom and knew that the kingdom was in good hands.  Jesus’ disciples (all of us) are plan A; and to quote David Platt, “there is no plan B.”

How much do you consider your reputation to be one of God’s greatest tools to bringing people to the kingdom?  Does your reputation actually present God a great tool or a hindrance that God needs to be overcome?

Passage for Tomorrow: Acts 5:17-18