Many Christians give lip-service to Jesus' resurrection, yet deny it by a minimalist, mediocre Christian life. Consequently, most of the world does not believe in the resurrection in a practical, life-changing way. By witnessing to the resurrection with power (Acts 4:33), we must break through these barriers which have been perpetrated by lukewarm Christianity. We need a spark that will light in us the fire of God's power and result in an evangelism explosion. Peter and John sparked evangelization by pulling up the lame man from his stretcher, and five thousand men believed in the risen Christ in one day (Acts 3:7; 4:4).
Sparks are made by striking together two pieces of flint. Flint is known for its hardness. We must respond to the Lord's "hard" callings. For example, Peter and John "went to the temple area together every day, while in their homes they broke bread" (Acts 2:46). This was a demanding commitment to prayer and community. They also even sold "their property and goods, dividing everything on the basis of each one's need" (Acts 2:45). Those hard things came together in a great act of faith and the man lame from birth was dramatically healed. The spark was ignited and the resurrection message was believed by thousands.
| PRAYER: | Risen Jesus, give me faith to obey Your hard words and thereby light a fire on the earth (Lk 12:49). |
| PROMISE: | "Were not our hearts burning inside us as He talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?" –Lk 24:32 |
| PRAISE: | Alleluia! Praise the Risen Jesus, Who is "the Way, and the Truth, and the Life"! (Jn 14:6) |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College