Reading the account of Acts seems to be a different world from the one I live in. People seem to be drawn to the message of the Cross without prejudice. Has the history of the church so perverted our culture that we now have to fight thru the crap to even get a hearing!
Or did they have something we don’t? Was the Spirit’s power more objective? Were their lives obviously transformed? Was their message more effective? Bottom line, did they have something we/I don’t? Or do I live in a world more jaded than they and therefore getting the message heard is much more difficult.
I feel a kindred spirit to Barnabas and Paul. They were pioneers taking the message of the Cross to far from the center of “civilized” religion-Judaism. They broke traditions, offended their religious brethren, made the establishment feel very uncomfortable.
What’s the difference? They see thousands, I see hundreds. Is it God’s way? Then how do I quel this raising storm in me to reach thousands. Is that my ego wanting to leave this earth “accomplishing” something or is the Spirit fueling a fire?