Day 320

Problems Already

Read: Acts 4-6

As a result of powerful preaching, the number of believers grows to 5,000. A problem develops. The rulers arrest the leaders of the church. The church then prays, not for protection but for boldness.

The problems from within prove worse than those from without. Though the Spirit has just come, there are problems in the church. In every church there are those who have not been born again, and those who have been born again continue to possess the old sinful nature as well as the new spiritual nature. Therefore we must seek to be godly Christians but also be patient with our fellow sinners in the church as they too grow in grace and need to be patient with us.

One problem in the church is people who are unwilling to surrender completely and yet want to receive honor from their fellow church members. Many people in the church are like that. Ananias and Sapphira have their lives taken away by God as a warning of the consequences of such attitudes.

Another problem is that differences in ethnic background cause bad feelings, as one group of widows is given better care than another. Our oneness in Christ should overcome the differences which naturally divide us. Part of the solution was practical. People were chosen to deal with this problem so the apostles could continue to focus on their task.

PRAYER
Father, cause us to so grow in grace that we can overcome the problems which afflict the church. Amen.