His disciples came to Him, and He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the destitute in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven...”
from Matthew 5:1-3
We find in Acts 2:42 that King Jesus' disciples devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer. In response, the religious leaders of the Sanhedrin had Peter and John taken into custody and threatened them against speaking to anyone in this Name again. Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God. For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
After their release, all of the disciples gathered together and prayed, “Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness, as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” Finally, we read in Acts 4:31, After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
Not surprisingly, chapters 2-7 of the Book of Acts depict a time, after the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and before severe persecutions broke out, when the early church was erupting with exponential growth! Acts 5 then introduces us to a couple of early adopters named Ananias and Sapphira. They were absolutely FASCINATED with this whole new Jesus Movement. The problem is that fascination isn't the same as faith and destitution has nothing in common with popular trends. They thought it would be okay to look the part of devoted disciples while holding onto the patterns of the flesh. They thought they could pretend to be ALL IN while holding stuff back from God, and it cost them their lives. The result: great fear came over the whole church and all who heard about these events... no one else dared to join them. Yet more and more believers were brought to the Lord—large numbers of both men and women.
Fascination isn't the same as faith and destitution has nothing in common with popular trends.
King Jesus didn't say that early adopters, the fascinated, awestruck, or thoroughly impressed would be blessed and inherit the kingdom of heaven. Instead, He said, “Blessed are the destitute in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven...” Despite the fact Scripture overtly rejects every notion of people making their own decision to join (like Anninas & Sapphira) rather than being compelled by the Holy Spirit as devoted members of Christ's Body & Bride, it's a common practice everywhere today.
Today's cultural Christians aren't those who listen to the zephyr wind of the Holy Spirit's voice. Instead, they're flighty consumers and half-hearted attendees looking to be fascinated and entertained. They're looking for programs full of lights, bells, and whistles. They want the evaporating satisfaction of production value and pyrotechnics rather than the devotion and commitment involved with surrender, service, and transformation.
It's tough to convince people who frequent Michelin Star restaurants that they're starving to death. Meanwhile, the homeless guy under the bridge requires no convincing at all. When the scribes who were Pharisees saw Jesus eating with these people, they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus told them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” King Jesus wasn't insinuating or suggesting the Pharisees were truly righteous. He was exposing that, while immersed in our grand delusions of self-righteousness, there is nothing He can do for us.
Many churches today are filled with Annanias and Sapphiras who are, for the moment, fascinated with this whole Jesus Movement. They are hypocrites committed on the surface, but holding back a portion of life's proceeds for themselves. Many pastorates are filled with Simon the Sorcerers (Acts 8), men and women lusting after the Holy Spirit's power for their own profit and gain. But, as Revelation 3:4 points out, there are a few, like those of the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. King Jesus says, “They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.”
Have you ever truly come to a place where you've realized you are totally destitute apart from Christ Jesus? Have you called out to Him for His mercy and grace? If so, He promises ours is the kingdom of heaven!
Blessings and love,
Kevin M. Kelley
Hear Pastor Kevin's sermon from 09-04-22 titled Faith or Fascination >>HERE<<
Comments