Great Grace
Wisdom Hunter 5/26/2016
“Now the full number of those who believed was 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. 33And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.” – (Acts 4:32-33)
The resurrection of Jesus changes the way we see the world and our place within it. Through the power of the resurrection we learn that death does not have the last word but is gloriously overcome through Christ’s triumph. And as we encounter the Lord daily and are filled with his life-giving Spirit, we are invited to reorient our entire lives around this new reality. Yet at times, we find it quite difficult to let go of our selfish desires and trust that the way of resurrection is truly the way of hope and freedom.
In Acts 4 we encounter a community that had been radically changed as a result of the resurrection of Jesus. As this passage shows us, these early believers were filled with “great grace” and empowered to boldly share their testimony.
A faithful testimony points others to Jesus through words and actions. At times we are invited to articulate the hope of the gospel through teaching, preaching, or conversation with friends and co-workers. At other times, we show forth the power of the resurrection when we turn away from the empty promises of the world and live according to the values of God’s kingdom. Yet, rarely is this an “either/or” way of living! As we see in Acts 4, these believers boldly spoke of the resurrection hope of Jesus, yet also sacrificially gave money and possessions so the needs of the entire community were met. This is gospel living in word and deed; and it is what each of us is called to today.
Whether we are powerfully professing Christ with our lips or beautifully embodying the way of Jesus with our lives, we must remember that our ability to do either is entirely a gift of God’s unmerited grace. He alone gives us the words to say, and He alone can turn us away from love of self and toward the love of God and neighbor. This way of life only comes when we submit to the Spirit of God and allow Him to bring the hope of the resurrection in and through us. This is the great grace that we see in Acts; and it is the great grace that the Lord still offers to each of us today!