David Bahn – Reflections

Acts 2:46-47

And day by day,attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

The age-old question is often asked: Why do bad things happen to good people. We rail at seemingly unfair treatment when it goes against us or other innocent folks. But we seldom struggle with the opposite – except in the case of resentment. When good things happen to someone else than us, we easily become resentful. When our co-worker gets a promotion he doesn’t deserve, or when a neighbor’s daughter does well in spite of the shambles of her family life, we take notice. When the rich get a tax break for which we don’t qualify we notice.

But when we get the raise, or our daughter does well, or we find a tax loophole we embrace it more easily. We think little of it and may even fail to thank God for it. God’s grace comes to us undeserved. You cannot earn grace, for it becomes something else altogether if it’s earned. God does not wait until we are deserving to shower his blessings on us, or else we would never receive them.

The converts on Pentecost are bold examples of this truth. One moment they are described as the ones who “crucified and killed” Jesus (cf. Acts 2:23), the next they are “praising God and having favor with all the people.” Notice, however, that there is more to the description of their behavior. They now have glad and generous hearts. They praise God. They enjoy food and fellowship in each others’ homes. Their lives are changed.

It may not be obvious to those of us who have grown up in the Christian faith, but our lives are different too. Praising God, having glad and generous hearts or opening our lives and homes to one another is a decidedly different thing to do. But it is part of the changed life of one who has encountered the goodness of God.

We’re all formerly-bad people. We need to remember that. But a very good thing has happened to us. God has redeemed us by the death and resurrection of his Son. He has brought us into his kingdom of grace. Though undeserving, God has reached out to us with his love. We are eternally changed by that love. Do you know someone who is undeserving to whom you can announce and demonstrate God’s love?

Acts 2:37-47

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” ³⁸ And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”⁴⁰ And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying,“Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” ⁴¹ So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

⁴² And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³ And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all who believed were together and had all things in common. ⁴⁵ And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ And day by day,attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their foodwith glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.