With Great Power

Daily Scripture Threshing for Tuesday, April 1, 2025

Today's Text: Acts 4:32-37

Key Verse: Acts 4:33 (ESV): "With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And they were all given to the care of one another."

The Gospel is inherently powerful, serving as the instrument of God's salvation for sinners. Paul said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..." (Romans 1:16). This divine power resides within the Gospel message itself, which proclaims God's redemption through Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection. As people hear and respond to the Gospel, they experience its transformative power, being forgiven, justified, and reconciled to God. That power is not derived from human persuasion or eloquence but from its divine origin and the Holy Spirit's work in convicting and regenerating the hearts of men.

Despite its inherent power, the Gospel may seem to be losing its impact in contemporary times because we all (today's church) have been watering down or distorting the Gospel message. We now prioritize feel-good messages, self-help strategies, or social justice causes over the central theme of salvation through Jesus Christ's atoning work. Also, through our lifestyle, the influence of the Gospel's power has been diminished. This is because the messenger is key to the message delivery. Compromised lifestyles, hypocrisy, and disunity among us are direct contradictions of the church life in Acts of the Apostles. These undermine the credibility of the message.

What could be more? The pervasive influence of secularism, relativism, and pluralism in today's society also lead to a desensitization to the Gospel's message, making it seem less relevant, less urgent, or less powerful. The world's influence on the church can lead to a watering down of the Gospel message and a compromise of biblical values. To regain this power, we must counter this influence, and return to biblical roots. We must prioritize spiritual growth, maintain a counter-cultural stance, emphasize love, community, follow humility, exercise discernment, resist the world's influence, remain faithful to its biblical mandate, and preserve the integrity and power of the Gospel message.

Lastly, today's text sets forth the early Christian community's unity, generosity, and boldness in sharing the Gospel as an example unto us. We can tell why the earliest apostles were filled with great power: they did not only continued to testify to Jesus' resurrection, the community cared for one another's needs. While Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of love, his disciples demonstrated selfless and sacrificial love towards one another. Jesus' statement in John 13:35 emphasizes that love is the distinguishing characteristic of His followers. He teaches that the way believers interact with one another is a powerful witness to the world, demonstrating the reality of their faith.

Action Steps: Ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit's power to share the Gospel boldly. Focus on the resurrection power of Jesus, which enables you to endure suffering. Surround yourself with supportive fellow believers who can encourage and strengthen you.

Quote for the Day: "We share the Gospel with great power when we rely on the Holy Spirit's empowerment, not our own strength." (Simon Olatunji #

Let Us Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, fill me with the Holy Spirit's power to share the Gospel boldly. Help me focus on the resurrection power of Jesus and surround me with supportive fellow believers — in Jesus' most glorious name. Amen.

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Thank you for being part of this journey. For additional reading on today's meditation, read: Acts 1:8, 1 Corinthians 2:3-5, and 2 Timothy 1:7-8.

With all my love and prayers,

Rev Simon Wale Olatunji, Ph.D.

Your Darling Bishop (DaBishop)

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