Every time I read the first few chapters of Acts, I am challenged by the dynamic of their community. They were fanatics. It’s as if they really did what Paul said was that one thing: “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead” (Phil 3:13). They met DAILY to Praise, learn, and fellowship.
DAILY?
REALLY?
Can you imagine a pastor suggesting daily small groups today?
But I think this consistent priority to praise was a key to the transformation that the early church saw in their world. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says that when we are in God’s presence, we are transformed into His likeness. That is, when we worship Him, we become like Him. And to the degree we worship, we will be transformed. The early church met DAILY! Daily, they gazed upon His face as a community of believers and what happened? They were radically transformed! In Acts 4, the Jewish leaders are “astonished” at Peter and John and determine that they must have “been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). They had spent 3 and a half years following Jesus and now met daily with believers to worship, pray and learn. They were transformed men.
I’d really like for us to get the degree of dedication and prioritization involved in meeting DAILY. Today, we have a million other priorities. Kids activities: ballet, karate, skating, baseball, football, soccer, etc. Sports: Friday night football, Monday night football, braves games, NASCAR. And do we think the people of the NT had wide open schedules? Of course not! There was a priority to enter into to God’s presence daily. And things that were once priorities took a backseat to the one thing that now consumed their lives: The Kingdom of God. Please hear me. Football is fine. Your daughter’s ballet recital is adorable. And your son’s first baseball game is awesome/hilarious. But the there becomes an issue when we are a culture have come to a place where a once a week worship service is considered adequate time in His presence for a large majority of those who would call themselves followers of Christ. Let’s just take a rough guess at some stats here (off the top of my head, correct me if I’m way off):
-Average time in God’s presence: 3-4hrs/wk
-Average time time watching TV: 19 hrs/wk (CLICK HERE FOR THIS STAT)
-Average time spent at weekly “activities:” 6-10 (Pulled this one out of thin air)
If our time in His presence dictates the degree to which we will be transformed, I think it’s clear why the american church is suffering so much. We are distracted from the priority of His presence. I really and truly believed that if we as a Church (big C) were encountering the presence of God on a more regular and consistent basis, this country would be seeing massive revival. God’s glory is irresistible and powerful and if we are reflecting His glory(2 Cor 3:18), we will be irresistible and powerful.
Blessings,
Cole
