Theology for Everybody: RomansSample

Real Ministry: Power

As people created by an incredible God, we are always looking for someone or something in which to invest our time, energy, and money that will make a difference and make the world a better place. This desire is because God created us to be part of His mission on earth. As Christians, we give our best time, energy, and money to the local church, which is the outpost of God’s Kingdom on the earth. The existence of the global Church is really quite incredible. Christianity is the largest and longest-lasting movement of any sort in the history of the world. Now going about 2,000 years, it’s the most diverse entity with many different languages, nations, cultures, and tribes. There is nothing as big as the Church. There’s nothing as significant or as impactful as the Church, which means being part of a local church is investing in the most important thing happening on the earth.

Most nations have a leader. The Church doesn’t have any singular human leader alive on earth. Most nations have a capital city or at least a headquarters. But the Church doesn’t have either a capital or headquarters on earth. So, the question remains, how did the Church come into existence? And how does it sustain itself? We certainly don’t get along on everything. If you find three Christians, then you’ll find three opinions (at least). We’re not the most organized group either. The X factor has to be that God is involved, that He must love the Church, that He must have birthed the Church, and that He must have sustained the Church. This is what we read in Acts 1. After the Resurrection, Jesus’ disciples were thrilled. It’s the best day ever! Jesus orders them to stay in Jerusalem to wait for the promise of the Father—the Holy Spirit. It was not yet time to go to all the world.

With God, there is His will, His power, and His time. You must have all three lined up and sequenced accordingly. God's will is to tell people about Jesus, but you can only do that by the power of God. And you can only move in His power at the time He chooses. Jesus tells His disciples to wait because ministry can’t be done, Christianity can’t move forward, and the Church can’t be birthed without the presence, power, and Person of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the X factor in human history. Christianity exists because the Holy Spirit has been at work in, for, and through people on earth for thousands of years. The Church couldn’t exist apart from the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Today’s Reflection

How has the Holy Spirit been the X factor in your life?