FOLLOWED: Goodbook 11-08-12

Goodbook messages arrive every Monday, Thursday, and Friday with a Scripture reading and ideas for how to apply the reading in our lives. We are reading through the book of Acts. For additional Scripture reading, you can follow the Advanced Track.

Reading: Acts 17:32-34

³² When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” ³³ At that, Paul left the Council. ³⁴ Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

Application:

Paul has just finished up a message to the people in Athens.  Remember, they were a religious people.  They had lots of gods and idols, but did not know the one, true God.  Neither did they know about the Son of God, Jesus Christ.  Paul was sharing with them the Good News about Jesus and how he rose from the dead.

The resurrection is some of the best news we have to share in our world.  In our lives we hear about death by murder, death by disaster, death by war, death by illness, death by suicide.  But thanks to Jesus, death does not have the last word.  Jesus conquered death, and those who believe in him can experience life beyond death.  Praise be to God!

Yet the Good News gets better.  Not only can we experience new life after death, but we can experience new life this side of the grave.  When we follow Jesus today, he leads us in the way of true life and true love.  He has the power to resurrect broken dreams, broken reputations, broken marriages, broken families, broken careers, broken finances, broken bodies, etc.

That is why we share the Good News – not just so people can go to heaven, but so heaven can come to earth!

We have a choice about how we can respond to this Good News.  We see three options in our reading:

1) Rejection “sneered”
2) Procrastination “We want to hear you again”
3) Acceptance “believed and became followers”

The third option is where we experience resurrection power in our lives.  We believe Jesus is our Risen Lord and Savior, and we follow him – his words, his teaching, his ways, his direction, his leading.  I can honestly say that believing in Jesus did not change my life.  It’s when I act on my belief and intentionally follow Jesus on a daily basis that he transforms me and shapes me and guides me and makes me new.

How are you being intentional about believing in Jesus and following Him today?

Share your comments and application ideas...