{"id":5736,"date":"2015-10-14T10:41:08","date_gmt":"2015-10-14T14:41:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=5736"},"modified":"2015-10-14T11:58:25","modified_gmt":"2015-10-14T15:58:25","slug":"worship-wednesday-the-story-of-god-in-the-acts-of-the-apostles-god-with-us-mercyme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=5736","title":{"rendered":"Worship Wednesday – The Story of God in the Acts of the Apostles – God with Us – MercyMe"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Blog<\/a>Photo Credit: YouTube.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. – Acts 4:13<\/a><\/p>\n

I wasn’t born into the Christian faith. As much as it was possible to be alien from God, this was my\u00a0experience as a child. When a neighbor invited us to her church, we went,\u00a0essentially immigrants from a foreign land. The kindness of these strangers and the teaching from God’s Word were food and drink to this tired and hungry child’s heart. Even in the few years of my life, I knew the futility of trying to be good and the failure of relying on people for love (except for my Mom). I was a fairly messed-up 8y\/o…and then I met Jesus.<\/p>\n

That’s why the\u00a0account of the Acts of the Apostles<\/a> in the Bible is so riveting. These were not people who just believed in some religious leader or holy book. These were people who intimately knew Jesus. They had spent long days with him…they knew his habits; they saw him at his most tired; they\u00a0witnessed how\u00a0his living reflected the truth of his teaching. They were astonished at the miracles he\u00a0performed and changed themselves by the love he lavished on both the poor and the proud. No wonder they were so bold in their witness, even to the point of death. “They had been with Jesus”.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Greek physician named Luke penned the letter that we call Acts of the Apostles. <\/em>In the first line of the letter he mentions another book he wrote, that being the Gospel of Luke<\/a>. In the Gospel, he delivers a detailed story of the life and teaching of Jesus.<\/p>\n

Between these two books, Acts and the Gospel of Luke, you can have a good start at understanding – who Jesus was\/is and how the church began. Through the eye-witness accounts of Jesus’ followers.<\/p>\n

All of Scripture is a revelation of God. He speaks of Who He is through all the stories – from the books of Genesis to Revelation.<\/p>\n

David Teague wrote a profound piece on The Biblical Metanarrative.<\/em><\/a> Written especially for post-moderns, Teague takes the reader, step-by-step through the unity of the story across the Bible – the story of God. I read his article a couple of times, first as a witness to the truth of what he’s saying and again as one who might be skeptical or ignorant of Scripture. I really encourage you to read this article, whatever your current thinking is on God. It’s an easy read, and you will find it profitable.<\/p>\n

We are reading through the Book of Acts this month at Movement Church<\/a>. I love reading\u00a0out loud\u00a0the case for Christ made by three followers of Christ in particular – Stephen, Peter, and Paul.\u00a0Their boldness comes out of relationship not scholarship. They give a shoulders-squared, hearts-resolved first-hand account of Jesus – as Emmanuel, God with us.<\/p>\n

He is with us still…<\/p>\n

Worship<\/a> with me.<\/p>\n

Who are we, That You would be mindful of us
\nWhat do You see, That’s worth looking our way
\nWe are free, In ways that we never should be
\nSweet release, From the grip of these chains
\nLike hinges straining from the weight
\nMy heart no longer can keep from singing<\/em><\/p>\n

All that is within me cries, For You alone be glorified<\/strong><\/em>
\n Emmanuel, God with us<\/strong><\/em>
\n My heart sings a brand new song<\/em>
\n The debt is paid these chains are gone<\/em>
\n Emmanuel, God with us<\/em><\/p>\n

Lord You know, Our hearts don’t deserve Your glory<\/em>
\n Still You show, A love we cannot afford<\/em>
\n Like hinges straining from the weight<\/em>
\n My heart no longer can keep from singing<\/em><\/p>\n

Such a tiny offering compared to Calvary<\/em>
\n Nevertheless we lay it at Your feet.<\/em>*<\/p>\n