It’s the end of the world as we know it!

…And I feel fine!

I love that REM song (It’s the end of the world as we know it [and I feel fine]!). It speaks a lot to and about my generation that grew up believing the world was ending at any moment (both from the secular and religious points of view).

In the end, we have all been fine.

This is another of my devotions from Acts. It deals with the end of things, but how it all ends up fine.

All good things…

Geoffery Chaucer famously wrote,

All good things must come to an end.

The first few verses of Acts 8 exemplify this statement. The utopia the early church was experiencing quickly comes to an end. Meeting in one another’s Jerusalem homes, sharing meals and finances, devotion to prayer, and sitting at the feet of the apostles is gone as quick as it came. The death of Stephen ushered in persecution to the church.

Some have suggested this persecution was actually allowed by God to force his baby Christians out of the nest and into all the world (as Jesus commanded in Acts 1). No matter why it happened, it was the end of a very short era in the early church. However, it did nothing to slow the growth of the church down. It only continued to explode.

Your life might be changing too. Your perfect world (or perfect place in the world) might be exploding. How will you respond to it? Ask God how He can redeem the changes in your life for His glory.

Nothing ventured…

Chaucer also is famous for penning the words,

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

From this moment on, beginning with Phillip, you see the this theme played out time and again in the book of Acts. Disciples of Jesus follow the Holy Spirit into villages, towns and cities to proclaim the name of Jesus, and they see mighty wonders done everywhere they go.

Phillip and Stephen both are interesting cases. Not only were they faithful to follow the Spirit where He led, but they also weren’t bound by their position. Stephen and Phillip were both designated as deacons in the early church. While this was an honor, it wasn’t the place of apostle/leader. There job, according to Acts 6, was to serve the church’s practical needs.

Phillip, though, goes beyond his position to lead in the power of the Spirit. He takes the Gospel to the Samaritans, and then possibly helps transport the message of Jesus to the country of Ethiopia.

Phillip realizes to do something of great value for Jesus, something must be done. So Phillip does something.

What about you? Are you doing something…anything…for Jesus?

Don’t sit back! Get up and do something!