Reading through the book of Acts in the New Testament, I ran across a statement about the Church that is unique and somewhat mysterious.  The English Standard Version puts it this way, “And with great power, the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.” (Acts 4:33)

It is easy to read quickly and never notice these words, and for years that is what I did.  The passage says, “and great grace was upon them all.” What does that mean? 

Well, the English translations all seem to handle it a little differently.  The New International Version of 2011 is “grace was powerfully at work.” The New American Standard Bible is “abundant grace was upon them all.” Still others have translated it as “great favor.” The passage is most literally rendered, “grace, the great, was upon them.”

So what does it mean?  Most scholars suggest two explanations.  First, God was doing great things for the Church physically, and they saw it as a work of grace above the cross of Jesus.  Second, the people saw what was happening in this community, and not only was God showing his grace, but the local people looked on them with favor.  After those two ideas, there is no general agreement. 

Whatever was going on in the Church and the lives of those believers was something above the typical experience of grace.  I am thankful for what we have in Jesus, but I long to experience God’s gift in a genuinely great way, as they did. 

No one wants to appear clueless. 

It is embarrassing not to know what is going on around me.  I am intelligent, and I should know my situation, circumstances, and future direction. I know to adjust my sails and make the future better than today.  I am smart, strong, confident, and have the ability to make things work.

And yet, when it comes to God, I rarely know what is happening.

Life twists and turns on things I cannot control.  One day things are looking good, and the next, I am sitting in a waiting room and asking God to intercede.  One day I think I am financially thriving, and then an incident has me unsure how we will pay for it.  People come and go, and they make decisions I do not understand.  The waves of life toss my ship more than I can admit. 

I am clueless as to what God is doing in my life.  I have no idea where he is taking me.  There are no simple directions that lead me down a narrow winding road.

Faith is about embracing the unknown.  It is about stepping out into the unknown without a clue how things are going to turn out in the end.  It is not reckless, but it is unclear. 

If you want to follow Jesus, you need to engage your head to know and learn.  But you also have to become okay with never knowing entirely what God is doing.  Being a Christian is an adventure into the unknown.  Once you accept that fact, your faith will become the map that leads you forward. 

I hope I am not the only one who has done this. 

I have gotten dressed up for an event.  Shave, shower, nice outfit, cologne, and looking good.  Take every precaution in the house, in the vehicle, and walking to the door.  Walk into the event and grab an hors d’oeuvre.  Still trying to look good and yet cautiously eat.  Only to have the sauce shoot out and land on your shirt.  Maybe it was that one tiny piece rolled off the plate onto your outfit. And there you are, stuck.  The napkin won’t clean it adequately.  Taking and placing it under hot water is not an option.  Here you are at this special event with a stain that you cannot hide. 

I’m not sure if you have experienced this, but I have done this more times than I care to recall.  Coffee stains, beverage mishaps, sauce spills, rolling food, and icing globs have decorated my clothing since I was young.  Still, I am never sure what to do. 

Do you hide and hope no one notices?

Do you ignore it and hope no one sees it or mentions it?

Do you embrace it and nervously laugh it off as you hope people do not think you are an idiot?

These same questions are worth asking about the stains on our souls.  When you have sinned, made a mistake, or failed, how do you handle it?  Do you hide it?  Do you ignore it?  Do you embrace it? 

The Bible instructs us to confess our sins to each other.  We are to find people who care about us, our spiritual life, and growing in our faith and tell them our struggles.  Reveal the stains and ask them for advice, encouragement, and prayer. 

Hiding your stains and ignoring them never make the problem go away.  It is only when we acknowledge them can we move forward in the grace God provides. 

Recently I said the same line in three consecutive sermons.  I explained what God desires from us as his followers.  Each time I used different passages in the Bible to demonstrate the need to serve others in the name of Jesus.  Then I made a statement to summarize the material I had covered with an application for today.  The line I said was, “Some people come every week, sit in a chair for an hour, then go home and do nothing.”

What is remarkable about this experience is that it motivated no one to do anything. 

Looking out over the people, this statement described the actions of at least one-third of them.  My prayer had been that one or two of them might desire to get involved.  Possibly one or two would sign up for our membership class where we explain what the Church is doing and why.  I had hoped that maybe the people who sit and nod in agreement would do what God wants them to do. 

And the result – Nothing.  Nothing happened 

Each Monday morning, I ask, “How many times will it take, Lord?” 

How many sermons does someone need to hear on a topic before they act?  How many times must someone read a passage from the Bible before they obey it?  How many programs, sign-up sheets, and volunteer requests will it take?  How long before someone really listens and allows their actions to be guided by God’s desires?

I still don’t have a clear and definite answer.  I keep telling myself, “At least one more time.” Then I write another blog, compose another sermon, and teach another lesson.  During this process, I hope and pray, “God, maybe this week.”

A Christian can only deliver the message.  The person who receives it is the only one who can answer the question, “How many times will it take?” 

My hope is that it will not take too much longer, and maybe it will start today.

Women went to look for Jesus’ body on Sunday morning.  They had rested on the Sabbath, or Saturday, and rose early to go to the tomb.  Men would have been getting ready to go back to work and grind out another six days.  But something radical happened, Jesus rose from the dead, changing both humanity and religion forever. 

In the book of Acts, the early Church followed the story and decided to worship on the first day of the week as a congregation of believers (note – Acts 20:7). This was also influenced by the Jewish believers trying to hold onto the old law while following Jesus. Therefore, they could have a Sabbath on Saturday and then worship Jesus on Sunday. 

As the Church grew and expanded, so did their knowledge of God’s plan for his people.  They understood that Christianity did not require them to have a Sabbath.  People continued to worship on Sunday, and for a long time, they worked the rest of the time.

Fast forward several hundred years.  It wasn’t until the 1800’s that a movement came about to form the two-day weekend we have now.  Slowly the concept gained traction, and by the 1930’s it was adopted as a regular practice.  People then had a day for fun, followed by a day for worship and leisure before returning to work on Monday morning. 

Because of this transition in our culture, it is easy to think of Monday as the first day of the week.  It is, for many people, the first day of the workweek.  We must be cautious not to let this affect our view of Sunday as believers. 

Every Sunday morning, the Church gathers on the first day of the week.  Here we start our week by connecting with the resurrection of Jesus by the day, his cross by communion, and his community by our participation.  We remember a Jesus who died for us and rose again, and there is nothing that happens each week that will change that fact. That should motivate us to live for Jesus at work in the coming days. 

This Sunday morning, our Church, along with thousands of others, will join together in worship.  Let me encourage you to connect to one of them.  It is a great way to start your week. 

Christianity is not about something you have accomplished, like, “Look what I have done.” Rather a Christian is something you are becoming.

I have often wondered why Jesus doesn’t immediately take us to heaven when we come to faith in him.  Once we claim him as our Savior, then why not usher us into his presence. 

One reason is that it takes a lifetime to become the person God desires.  We become like him inch by inch and decision by decision.  Sometimes that means we will do things wrong and learn from them.  Other times we walk through difficult seasons to mold our character and thoughts.  We expand our knowledge, soften our hearts, use our hands, and worship with our souls. 

Each day God gives us is a chance to become a better version of ourselves.  We can become like Jesus in all you do and say.  God has you and me here today for a reason, and maybe it is just to become more like him in every way.   

I never want to be a person who inhibits someone from following Jesus.  I have spent my ministry trying to explain the story and message of Jesus quickly and efficiently to others.  I want them to know why he came, what he accomplished and how to follow him. Lord willing, I can do that in one sitting and lead people to a saving relationship with Jesus. 

What bothers me is that Jesus never seems to make following him seem like an easy task.  Whenever people came to him, he seemed to discourage them.  In John 6, the crowds have swelled, and he preaches a sermon on the bread of life, and the masses walk away because it is a hard teaching.  All the gospels tell of a rich, young ruler who comes to Jesus and wants to find eternal life.  Jesus tells him to keep the commands, and then he says there is only one other thing.  Go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor.  And he goes away sad. 

Still another time, people come to Jesus, and they have some other tasks to handle before they follow him.  He doesn’t care about their comfort, their funerals, or their family.  He says that following him is complex, and you will have times without a bed, the ability to grieve, or even say goodbye. So the people go away sad, and I am sure, a little confused. 

Jesus seems harsh and, at times, a little obstinate toward people who want to follow him. He does not give them easy steps, simple changes to make, or a short list of things to believe.  He is not easy to access, follow or sometimes understand.  To be a follower of his, you will have to surrender your life and all that goes with it. 

It has been said that Jesus is not interested in fair-weather fans who think he is a good guy. Instead, he desires to have followers who are totally committed to him and his work.  Jesus is full of grace, but that grace does not come cheap; it will take everything you have.

There are thousands of things you can do each day. 

You can get up early and exercise or sleep late.

You can do the minimal amount of work required or give each task a total effort.

You can choose to be happy and smile or be angry and frown.

You can spend time together as a family or allow everyone to go their own way each evening.

You can let your children be involved in every sport offered or choose to limit their participation.

You can choose to be on social media or shut it off when you are around people you love.

You can throw yourself into your hobbies or enjoy quiet evenings at home. 

Life has numerous choices ranging from our attitudes, words, actions, and even reactions.  The way to change your life is to acknowledge that you have a choice to live differently.  Then make adjustments one decision at a time.

Love songs make the most sense to a person who is falling in love. 

Songs about heartbreak and leaving appeal to those going through loss, divorce, and separation. 

Jimmy Buffet music is meant for lying on the beach and looking out at the ocean. 

Country music is for sitting by the fire out under the stars with good friends. 

Dance music fits in a club of crowded young people out for an evening of fun. 

Praise and worship music is written for people who follow Jesus. 

The people who have faith in God and try to please him daily understand the words without explanation.  Each song touches something deep in the soul that cannot be explained entirely; it must be felt. 

Perhaps the problem with your connection to God in song has little to do with the style of music or quality of the songs. Instead, maybe it has something to do with what is going on inside of you. 

I sinned. 

My first thought was, “What if people find out?” 

Initially, I was not concerned about what God thought. Instead, I was focused on the reaction of the people I lead. 

I knew people would be disappointed in me if they knew.  Some might even be shocked.  Others would gossip.  Some people might celebrate my failure as a form of victory because they always knew I was a terrible person.  Reactions would vary depending on your relationship with me now. 

One of the weights that preachers carry is the desire to be perfect in the eyes of their congregation.  Preachers are to speak of their sins in the past tense, as people who are victorious in the name of Jesus.  Well, I am here to tell you that even preachers commit sins.  We do things that violate God’s will, and there are times we are filled with guilt, remorse, and regrets.

The good news is that preachers are saved by the grace of God.  They are not perfect, even though they are trying to be.  They, just like you, can go back to the cross and plead for God’s mercy because of the work of Jesus.  And as a preacher, I am continually confessing my sins, trying to make the necessary changes, and pleading with God for his ongoing compassion. 

I am a preacher of God’s grace because I am a receiver of that same grace.