Daily Devotions: Testing the Spirit - Acts 13

Acts 13:2         While they were worshiping the LORD and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

I love this verse in the Bible because it records one of the few occasions that the Holy Spirit actually speaks. Normally when the Holy Spirit communicates with the apostles, the process is more of an inward spiritual experience. Here, we have direct contact and the communication is given through the spoken word.

I’ve never heard the Holy Spirit speak directly to me, but I have experienced a few occasions where I truly believe the Spirit’s presence was absolutely real and totally influential. Because those events have been few and far between, I tend to question people who constantly say that the Holy Spirit is always with them at meetings, in their churches, and throughout their lives. Maybe I’m wrong, but I personally get the feeling from the Book of Acts that the presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the apostles was a holy, sacred, and unmistakable occurrence.

For example, years ago I was at a house group prayer meeting in Scotland and the hosts were praying for a relative who was sick in hospital. The prayers grew more fervent and intense until the host dramatically declared that the Holy Spirit had told her that her father was going to be completely cured and sent home without any surgery. Some people in the group started weeping and began embracing one another, praising the Holy Spirit for mercy.

The very next day, the surgeons at the hospital amputated her father’s two legs. He spent months in hospital and eventually died. Was the Holy Spirit at the prayer meeting? Did the Holy Spirit plant a false hope in the heart of the hostess? I really doubt it. Instead of epiklesis (the sacred presence of the Holy Spirit), I believe that the prayer group experienced euphoria and deluded themselves.

I think I would like to truly hear the Holy Spirit speak to the church that I serve. That’s why I feel strongly moved to lead the congregation through a two year journey of the Book of Acts on Sunday mornings. To hear the Holy Spirit, the church needs to know what the Holy Spirit actually does. There is no greater book in the Bible than the Acts of the Apostles which can do this for the congregation. I personally call Acts “The Gospel of the Holy Spirit.”

Prayer:                        Holy Spirit, please speak to us and grant us the gift of Your guidance. Enable and empower us to be effective followers of Christ through Your bidding. Allow us the delight of being set apart by You to complete God’s work in our congregations and communities. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s drawing is one of John’s latest Savannah series creations. It depicts the Forsyth Fountain at night. A larger version of the drawing can be viewed at the following link: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4806659093_c3956ec558_b.jpg

Rhoda - Ordinary people with Extraordinary messages

Podcast version here

Don’t you just love the honest reactions in this story from Acts 12? Christians are praying for Peter to be released from prison, and then when he turns up at the front door, no one believes it. Instead of thanking God for a miracle, everyone is quick to presume that it must be Peter’s ghost. I just love these first Christians – I can really identify with them.

I can imagine that just before Peter arrives, the people are very serious and highly focused with their prayers. “Lord, keep Peter safe and bring him back to us.” “O Lord, free Peter from the satanic authorities that have bound him.” “Lord, bring justice to us by letting Peter return among us.” I’ve been to those kind of prayer meetings myself. All the right words being spoken, but no real heart behind the petitions.

Acts 12:15 "You're out of your mind," they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, "It must be his angel."

When Rhoda persists that Peter is back, they call her crazy and then tell her that she’s seen a ghost. They just don’t believe what she is saying, but why? Is it because she is just a servant? Is Rhoda a young person? Does her opinion count so little amongst the others?

It seems to me that God is doing His usual thing: He selects the weakest and the least to present the good news. Rhoda’s lowly position as house servant is exalted by God; she becomes His messenger, His herald of good tidings.

The world continues to think that Christians like Rhoda are crazy, unimportant, and insignificant. And yet God continues to use the lowliest amongst us to effectively get His message across. We may live in a society of mega-churches and famous church-speakers, but the real work of the Gospel still takes place in the everyday homes and workplaces of ordinary people. The Rhodas of this world may seem to be of little importance, but in the eternal scheme of things, it’s the ordinary Rhodas in the church that bring in more people to Christ’s Kingdom.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, use us in ordinary ways to present Your extraordinary message to other people. In the insignificant tasks and daily routines of our lives, grant us opportunities to serve You and to share the Gospel. In your Holy Name we pray. Amen.