I started yesterday’s blog on falling iguanas as a bit of whimsy and to underscore the point that just because I haven’t heard of something doesn’t mean it’s not real. But the blog ended with this scripture:

And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” (Acts 19.1, 2, ESV)

I put it in as an example of “just because I haven’t heard of something doesn’t mean it’s not real.” These Ephesian believers hadn’t heard of the Holy Spirit. But there’s something bigger going on, and it ties back to the healing of the lame man in Acts 3 we’ve been looking at this week.

The question is, do we expect these kinds of things to happen today? Many of us don’t, or we might say, “Sure, they could happen, but they probably don’t.”

The fact is that miracles are happening today, and just because they’re not happening around me doesn’t mean they’re not happening. Look at this story from Dr. J.P. Moreland, distinguished professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology (a conservative seminary):

In the middle of nowhere, two Christians were driving in the mountains of Iran in a car that was full of Bibles. Without warning, the steering wheel jammed and they were forced to the side of the road. Suddenly an old man was knocking at the car’s window, asking them where the books were. Confused, they asked what books he was referring to, and he responded, “The books about Jesus.” Continuing, the old man said an angel had recently appeared to him in a vision and shared about Jesus, and the man later discovered that everyone in his village had just had the very same vision! They had all believed in Jesus. Now the old man had a village full of infant Christians who had no idea what to do next. The old man shared that in another dream, Jesus told him to walk down the mountain and stand beside the road, and someone would bring him books about Jesus. He obeyed and selected the spot where he would stand, and just as expected, a supply of Bibles written in their language was provided for his village.

— A Simple Guide to Experience Miracles: Instruction and Inspiration for Living Supernaturally in Christ by J. P. Moreland, page 1

Or how about this answer to prayer? Dr. Moreland moved to Southern California in 1989 to teach at Talbot, and they wanted to keep their two girls, age 10 and 8 at the time, close to them. So they turned their garage into a recreation room so that their friends would want to play at their house. Four years later, the girls asked if they could add a pool table to the recreation room. Dr. Moreland said they could have one if God provided one for free. Here’s the story from there:

The girls responded by saying that we should ask God for it, so we gathered in the living room, formed a circle, and held hands. We each prayed for the table, but I wanted a good one, so when it was my turn to pray, I asked the Lord, specifically, for a free pool table—like the good ones you find in a sports bar. And that was that. Allison was on a soccer team that involved about fifteen families we didn’t know very well. Two weeks after our prayer circle, a father I had never spoken with walked up to me during a game—literally out of the blue and for no apparent reason. After about a minute of chatting, he asked me if I could use a pool table. Only our immediate family knew we were praying for one, and when he asked me this question, I almost fell over! I was astonished, so I asked him why he had approached me—out of all the other people at the game. We didn’t even know each other! He responded by saying that he was a Christian, and he had simply sensed that the Lord was nudging him to approach me.

— A Simple Guide to Experience Miracles: Instruction and Inspiration for Living Supernaturally in Christ by J. P. Moreland, page 73, 74

I’m beginning to believe that there is power available whether I have availed myself of it or not. If you have a miracle story, please share it with us either as a comment, or you can send it to me in an email: bob@ewell.com.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1.8, ESV)

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us… (Ephesians 3.20, ESV)

This blog falls into the category of whimsical, but when I learn something new, no matter how useless, I like to share it! And there’s an application, too, I think:

Just because I haven’t heard of it, doesn’t mean it’s not real.

Check out this recent weather forecast from the Weather Prediction Center, the official site of the National Weather Service:

Elsewhere, Freeze Watches and Warnings are in effect for much of the Florida Peninsula for tonight. Much of the state will remain mostly clear and frigid tonight with the chance for scattered to isolated falling iguanas…

Say what? It turns out that since iguanas are cold-blooded, temperatures below 40 degrees paralyze them temporarily, and if they’re up in a tree when that happens, they fall out. They’re not dead, and people should stay away from them because some of them are big, and when they wake up, they can hurt you. I would also think they can hurt you if they fall on you! Hence the warning.

And again, just because I haven’t heard of something, doesn’t mean it’s not real.

And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” (Acts 19.1, 2, ESV)

Wow. That sparks a thought… More tomorrow.

The story of the healing of the lame man in Acts 3 continues into Acts 4 where Peter and John face the Jewish authorities and make only one point:

Power to heal through Jesus

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4.8 – 12, ESV)

The authorities threaten them, Peter and John return to their community and pray. They requested only one thing:

Power to speak about Jesus boldly

And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4.29 – 31, ESV)

The chapter then closes with another source of power:

Power through community and on community

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. (Acts 4.32 – 35, ESV)

What a combination! Power to heal, power to speak boldly, power through the community of believers. Again, it’s all about POWER.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1.8, ESV)

Let’s continue our observations from Acts. I love the story of Peter and John healing the lame man in Acts 3:

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. (Acts 3.1 – 8, NIV)

When I read this story, I’m reminded of this exchange:

According to Cornelius a Lapide, Thomas Aquinas once called on Pope Innocent II when the latter was counting out a large sum of money. “You see, Thomas,” said the Pope, “the church can no longer say, ‘Silver and gold have I none.’” “True, holy father,” was the reply; “neither can she now say, ‘Rise and walk.’” Cited by F.F. Bruce

And it’s not just the Catholics. Few of our churches of any stripe would say, “Rise and walk.” Some argue that the ability to heal as Peter did in Acts 3 went away with the apostles. I don’t think so. If it went away, it went away when churches became part of the mainstream in 300 A.D. In short, many of our churches believe, as the church of Ladodecia believed:

I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing… (Revelation 3.17, ESV)

But here are Peter and John who heard Jesus say:

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. (John 14.12, ESV)

“Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do” – and Peter and John believed Jesus! So he told the man to rise and walk because he had seen Jesus cause people to rise and walk. (See, for example, John 5.1 – 8.) Later, Peter was clear:

And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. (Acts 3.12 – 16, ESV)

It’s not my power, it’s his power, as we observed a couple weeks ago.

And from the beginning, it’s been about POWER. We’ll stay on this subject another day or two.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1.8, ESV)

It’s hard not to get excited reading Acts, especially the first few chapters when things were going really well. We already talked about God’s power falling on ALL of them. That in itself is a contrast to the way most believers perceive “church.” If there’s any power, it must reside in the leaders, and anything important that occurs must be inside the church building.

I recently reviewed a church constitution that cited Acts 2.42 as part of their church model. Of course, verse 42 is part of a larger paragraph:

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2.42 – 47, ESV, the emphasis above highlights verse 42)

The apostles and growing company of believers were involved in:

• Teaching
• Fellowship
• Breaking of bread – twice (v42, v46) “in their homes”
• Prayers
• Gatherings In the temple
• Gatherings n their homes
• Serious community, sharing money and possessions
• People being saved
• All in the context of power (“Awe came upon every soul as many signs and wonders were being done by the apostles…”)

By contrast, back to this church constitution, here is this church’s idea of replicating the church of Acts 2:

Worship meetings will be conducted weekly for the purposes of evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and worship. (From a church constitution)

No other “meetings” are defined for the purposes above. No Sunday School, no small groups. All these laudable “purposes” – evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, worship – are supposed to happen during a one-hour service on Sunday.

Most of our churches are attempting to do weekly (weakly?) what early believers were doing daily and wondering why they’re not getting any results.

More to follow over the next few days!  

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13.34, 35, NIV)

Yesterday, we observed that Barsabbas, not chosen to replace Judas in Acts 1, was still active as a leader in Acts 15. Today, let’s look at something even more important: we’re ALL chosen!

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2.1 – 4, ESV, emphasis mine)All together

The entire house…rested on each one of them…all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues…

Who?

And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120)… (Acts 1.13 – 15, ESV)

• The 11 apostles
• The women who had traveled with them
• Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers
• 120 people in all: men, women, older, younger

What part of ALL do we not understand?

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9.36 – 38, ESV)

We’re off into the adventure of Acts in our 5x5x5 New Testament reading plan. Here’s a new observation on the apostles’ choosing Matthias to replace Judas.

So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1.21 – 26, ESV, emphasis mine)

We don’t spend much time on this event. Matthias is never mentioned again (nor are any of the others listed in Acts 1.13) except Peter and James. It’s not even clear that they needed to choose one more. It’s been argued that God chose Saul of Tarsus later. But no matter. What I saw here for the first time is that although Barsabbas was not chosen, in chapter 15, he’s still an active leader:

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers,… (Acts 15.22, ESV)

Just because I’m not chosen for one role or “office,” doesn’t mean I can’t serve in other ways. I don’t have to “take my ball and go home.”

For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another. (Psalm 75.6, 7, KJV)

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you… (1 Peter 5.5, 6, ESV)

Yesterday we looked at Peter’s rash boasting before his denial, and Jesus’ response after the resurrection: “Go and tell the disciples AND Peter…” Jesus saw Peter “on the team” even if Peter didn’t. I’m reminded of a very poignant book on baseball: The Game by Robert Benson. If you like baseball, I strongly recommend. One chapter talks about a minor league player having a bad night, not delivering with runners in scoring position. In the seventh, he strikes out. Robert writes:

WHEN CRUZ GOES DOWN ON STRIKES TO END THE inning, he stands for just a second or two, looking at his bat as though it were the culprit. Then he very calmly bends over at the waist and places the bat gently on the ground. Without straightening up, he takes his batting helmet off and sets it softly beside the bat. He then unfastens the shin guard that he wears on his right leg and lays it in the helmet. Then he pulls his batting gloves off, puts them neatly one on top of the other, and lays them in the helmet as well. As he straightens up, he picks up the helmet and the bat and calmly hands them to the batboy and turns and walks to his position at first base. No runs, no hits, no errors, but then no muttering, no tirades, no whining either. 

There are those who would say that they are not quite sure what to think about a ballplayer who has a cool post-strikeout move that he does when he strikes out to end the inning. After all, it would lead one to suppose that he has struck out quite a bit, perhaps a bit too often even. They are thinking perhaps that he ought to be angry, be remorseful, be something, be anything but placid and calm in the face of defeat. I am thinking that this is a man who has played the game for many years and knows some of what baseball will teach you if you are willing to listen. I am also thinking that I want my kids to learn to do what he does when they strike out. I am also thinking that maybe I should learn some sort of post-strikeout move myself. 

…

[speaking metaphorically] Sometime here in the late innings, I am going to come to the plate again a few times with a chance to do something good for the home team, and I am going to hit a weak ground ball or swing and miss. To think that I am not, that there is not as much chance to fail as there is to succeed, is to pretend that I am somehow different than all the rest of the people in the game. It is to believe that I alone will be able to do what no one else has ever been able to do, and that is to get a hit every time I go to the plate.

…

I hope that from here to the end of the game [of life], whenever it turns out that I am somehow unable to hit the ball cleanly, whenever I am unable to even put the thing in play so that someone will have a chance to come home, whenever I swing and miss, or worse, do not even get the bat off my shoulder and take a swing at the blame thing, that I will have the presence of mind and the grace to simply put my things on the ground and go back out to my position.

In Mark 16, Peter hadn’t yet learned the lesson that Jesus put him on the team knowing he would fail. Life is more like baseball than not – the best hitters in baseball are out more than 70% of the time. Just go back to your position! Maybe Peter had learned it by the time he wrote his letters:

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5.5 – 7, ESV)

Let’s close out our journey through Mark with observations on good old Peter. (The 5x5x5 reading plan started us in Acts on January 25.)

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same. (Mark 14.26 – 31, ESV)

Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mark 14.38, ESV)

I’ve often read “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak,” but this time it seemed to tie directly with Peter. I know you’re willing to die with me and for me. However, you won’t (at this time!) because you are weak.

We all know that Peter stayed close enough to actually deny him. (The others all ran far away.) Thus after the resurrection, we have this poignant verse in Mark:

But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” (Mark 16.7, ESV)

Why “Tell his disciples AND Peter…”? Because Peter had failed and didn’t consider himself a disciple. (Verse 7 is really a short version of John 21.)

Like most of us, Peter had not yet grasped the concept of grace. “I’ve failed and can’t be on the team anymore.”

I want to continue thinking about this tomorrow.

The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand. (Psalm 37.23, 24, NLT)

I said yesterday in quoting Matthew Kelly that I would offer this word of wisdom without further comment, and I did.

You cannot live a meaningful life by filling your life with meaningless things and activities. – Matthew Kelly, Life is Messy, page 150.

But that was yesterday! What are some of the meaningless things and activities we give ourselves to?

Things? Our houses are filled with them! Last week I received a gift from my cable company: a nice Bluetooth speaker. There’s only one problem: I don’t need another Bluetooth speaker. I spent a few minutes thinking about where I could put it and how I could use it, but after thinking about meaningless things, I’m going to give it away.

Meaningless activities? I’ve got a personal list I’m trying to whittle down, but this picture captures one source of meaningless activities, doesn’t it?

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90.12, ESV)