Effective Ministry = Visible Fruit

February 25

(Acts 4:14-16 NIV) ““But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. {15} So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. {16} "What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it.””

(Acts 4:21b NIV) “They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.”

(Luke 3:4-6 NIV) ““As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. {5} Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. {6} And all mankind will see God's salvation.””

Effective ministry bears visible fruit that brings glory to God. People are saved. People are baptized. People are healed. People’s lives are visibly changed so that everyone can see what has happened. God doesn’t do these things so we can feel special or get puffed up -- God does it so we will give Him glory and people will look up. God doesn’t change our lives just so we can live better. God changes our lives so we can give Him glory and be His witnesses. When Peter healed the crippled beggar, everybody knew that God had done something really big. The religious leaders couldn’t ignore it because everyone was praising God for what they had seen. If our changed lives don’t cause people to praise God for what has happened, we have probably been hiding our miracle. Why would we want to do that? Effective ministry bears visible fruit that brings glory to God. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

Unschooled and Ordinary

February 24

(Acts 4:13 NIV) "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”

(Acts 2:41-47 NIV)  "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. {42} They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. {43} Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. {44} All the believers were together and had everything in common. {45} Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. {46} Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, {47} praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

The apostles were not highly educated like the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin, but they had an effective ministry. They had no letters following their names, but they had been with Jesus and they had courage. With these godly credentials, they literally changed the world. Education is not the most important factor in effective ministry. Churches that value academic degrees over gifting and calling have forgotten Acts 4:13. Courageous, unschooled, ordinary men, who had been with Jesus, planted churches that grew in number daily. When you couple a close relationship with Christ to a courageous heart, you have a potent combination for effective ministry. Have you been with Jesus? Would anyone look at your life and take note that you have been with Jesus? Are you courageous in sharing your faith? This is how “unschooled, ordinary” Christians change the world. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day

No Other Name

February 23

(Acts 4:5-12 NIV) ““The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. {6} Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest's family. {7} They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?" {8} Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! {9} If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, {10} then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. {11} He is "'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.' {12} Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.””

(John 14:6 NIV) ““Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.””

Peter and John were called before the rulers to account for the beggar’s healing. The elders wanted to know by what power or what name they had done this miracle. Peter was blunt: “The Jesus you killed is alive. He rose from the dead and there is great power in His name. His name not only provided physical healing for this man, there is no other name by which your souls can be saved from hell.” Peter is echoing the words that Jesus told His disciples, “I am the way. No one comes to the Father, unless they come through me. I am the only way to Heaven.” This is not some narrow-minded bigot speaking -- it is the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter was preaching that Jesus is the Messiah, the Rock of our salvation, the one and only Savior of all mankind. This is still the gospel truth. There is no other way to Heaven. There is no other name that can save us. Believe it! Proclaim it! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day      

A Disturbing Gospel

February 22

(Acts 4:1-4 NIV)  "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. {2} They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. {3} They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. {4} But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.”

(Matthew 2:1-3 NIV)  "After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem {2} and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." {3} When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him."

When one proclaims that God has come to Earth as Lord and Savior for all mankind, the “powers that be” will be disturbed. When one preaches that wicked men killed Christ, but God raised Him from the dead, evil will rise up to silence you -- for if Jesus died for our sins and was raised from the dead, we would be fools not to worship and serve Him. Earthly powers will agree that Jesus was a good person and a great teacher, but they cannot tolerate Him as God incarnate. Those in authority are threatened by those who will bow down only to Christ. Man’s autonomy is challenged when we preach that salvation is found in Christ alone. A gospel that gives people only two choices for eternity is a disturbing gospel, and if we preach it, like Peter and John, we will be marginalized, harassed, and even punished. But if we faithfully live it out, some will be saved, and the church will grow. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day