Reading Between the Lines

In the Book of Acts, chapter 4:1-2 we read the account of Luke about Peter and John’s exploits:

The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

The words greatly disturbed could be because they were jealous, agitated, vexed or threatened. There are 2 reasons why: Peter and John were teaching the people and proclaiming Jesus as the resurrection from the dead.

As Christians there are 2 simple things we should be doing: teach people God's ways and proclaim to them that Jesus alone is their eternal hope and destiny. That simple! This is discipleship in its most basic form.

The next verses are also quite revealing: Acts 4:3-4

They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.

For reasons stated above they arrested them. Here is a question for you. Were Peter and John the only people responsible for bringing the 5,000? I don’t think so. Without the internet, cell phones and modern transport this kind of growth was only possible through the means that God has planned all along. People, disciples making disciples.

Discipleship is the simple teaching and proclamation of the truth of Jesus Christ, first in our lives and then to others. Then it is the empowering of each and every disciple to go and make disciples that can bring about this kind of growth.

The idea that a handful of professional ministers doing all the work does not trace its origins from the New Testament. The wisdom of God is so simple oftentimes men think it is foolish. It is actually the other way around.

For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. 1 Corinthians 1:25