Signs and Wonders

...and many signs and wonders were done through the apostles.  And all who believed were together and had all things in common; and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need.  (Acts 2:43-45)

The Acts of the Apostles chronicles the formation of the church in the early years following the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  In reality, the title "Acts of the Apostles" is a bit of a misnomer, for the book tells of the acts of only two of the apostles: Peter and John. From chapter 13 on, the book becomes "The Acts of Paul" as the author traces the activity of the Apostle to the Gentiles.  In the broadest sense, however, the book is about the Holy Spirit who empowers, directs, and confirms the work of the apostles and missionaries.  It is the account of the life of the early Church; about opposition faced and overcome, problems met and solved; above all, it is the story of divine grace in the lives of early believers.

The book describes the life of early believers as they formed their community and bespeaks a deep awareness of the presence of the Holy Spirit and recognition of the many signs and wonders which were performed in their presence.  The power and proximity of the Holy Spirit in the life of the early Church was unmistakeable and the people could not help but participate in the healings which took place in the name of Jesus, and the strengthening of faith through prayer and good works.

How often, these days, do we become aware of the Spirit working in us and through us to perform the mighty signs and wonders so wonderfully described in Acts?  The Holy Spirit seems less obvious to us today that it was in the time of the early Church because people then were more focused on it.  These days, we have so allowed the things of this world to consume us that we overlook or even shrug off the signs and wonders which are performed around us every day.

So what's different?

People in the early days of the church had many of the same concerns as we do today.  The difference is, I think, found in the second half of the passage I quoted at the beginning of this piece:

All who believed had all things in common, sold their possessions and goods, and distributed to all, as any had need.

The Big Difference was focus.

Back then, the focus was on the well-being of the community, prayer, and the works of the Holy Spirit through the believers.  Today, in our ever more materialistic and consumer-driven world, we are more focused on our individual physical and economic well-being than upon anything else.  How many channels on TV are devoted to strictly financial news?  How many commercial minutes an hour are run during programming touting this or that "in" thing or telling us how badly we need it?  Slick Religion is no less pushy.  "Christian" TV touts branded makeup used by the women "ministers," and the "Jesus Diet," for crying out loud!

The temptation to consume endlessly and beyond our basic need is constantly before us and the thought of never having enough is an ever present fear.  The hype from the media clouds our awareness that these products are created at great human expense and cost to the environment.  Shifting from the fear of not being able to afford our current life style to asking hard questions about whether we really need that which we are considering buying, the conditons in which the products which we use are manufactured, the effect on the environment as we continue to consume and pollute, and opening our eyes to how the vast majority of the people in the world are living will go a long way toward helping us to concern ourselves less with our own needs and more with our world community.  Reassessing our true needs and shifting some of our wealth and possessions to those as have need will refocus our minds and our hearts.  We will begin to witness and even perform the signs and wonders which have for so long eluded us.

Our spiritual paths take many forms.  God calls us in so many different and unique ways.  But the one common thread to be found woven through the fabric of diverse spiritualities is the idea that what we receive must always be given away without fear of loss or expectation of gain.  To hold all things in common means to hold the hearts of our brothers and sisters in the world as most dear to us.  We can too easliy get caught up in the dissonance created by pondering the wonder of God's gifts to us, however they may be given, and in being caught up in the frenzy of consumption at full crescendo.  We cannot do both if the world is to survive at peace.  The choice is ours.

Which will it be?

6:57:42 PM
Make a Comment []