Contagious

"And when they could not find them they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, 'These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.' " Acts 17:6

"Contagious" is a word much used in our culture today. We already know about how contagious the Covid-19 virus is reported to be. We're also hearing about all the violence erupting in so many American cities also seems to be contagious. We could use the word to aptly describe the steadily downward trend of morality, integrity, and so many other character traits of society. The word definitely carries a negative connotation for most, yet there is one place where I don't believe it does, and that is in His Church. Our culture, indeed our world, is desperately in need of a contagious faith. A faith that pierces the darkness, and brings healing, hope, peace, joy, reconciliation and relationship. It was what marked the early church, and continued to mark His church at various places throughout the ages. It needs to, indeed must, mark His church in this age.

I have always loved Acts 17:6. The one who spoke it didn't mean it in any way that would flatter, though he certainly spoke truth. The world, after the resurrection of Jesus Christ was being shaken at its very foundation. Where His people went, wherever they went, this shaking took place. His followers possessed a contagious faith. This faith, through the Person they believed in, shook not only the very foundation of the world, it shook the foundations of hell itself. Thus the enemy, through the spirit of the world and the flesh, sought every means to stop it, destroy it. He couldn't, because the people of the cross walked in such a vibrant, living faith and hope, that all the power of hell could not quench it or stop it. Such a faith is the need of our day. Such a hope is the need of our day. Are we, who call ourselves His, who call ourselves His church, capable of living out that faith? Are we capable of turning this world upside down, and shaking hell's foundations? Our Lord most certainly is. Are we?

His Word says that apart from Him we can do nothing. Apart from Him we are nothing. This means then that we must allow Him to expose everything in our lives that seeks to exist apart from Him. Then, surrendering it all, we allow Him to transform us into those who live fully in Him. Paul prayed in Galatians that Christ would be fully developed in the peoples lives. He must be fully developed in ours. Sadly, for too many, it has never been more than partially so. We're "half-baked" casual followers of the King. And so a contagious darkness envelops the world, while we who are partakers of His light appear powerless to counter that. We are not, and we need to wake up and know that.

I have a prayer in my journal that reads, "Father, transform us into a people where there is radical welcome, radical forgiveness, radical healing, radical confrontation of sin, radical worship, and radical love." Such a church will be contagious. Such a church and people will once again turn the world upside down. The world and the darkness it thrives in, hates it, but it will never be able to stop it. May we, you and I, be such a church and people. May we be radically contagious, turning the world, right where we are, upside down.

Blessings,
Pastor O