With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them (Acts 4:33-34).
Our Father in heaven, The Lord Jesus gave a new command to His disciples, Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).
As the cross drew nearer the lessons in love continued, My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:12-13).
You taught them this love, Lord, by Your own example of love, by Your amazing grace, and by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Patiently, You instructed through their dullness (Matthew 15:16) and their slowness (Luke 24:25). Until finally, as they grasped the reality of the empty tomb, the risen Savior, and the ascended Lord, they understood the enormity of the love and grace that had walked with them, shared with them, eaten with them, washed their feet.
Lord, who but You, what power but Yours, could transform a motley band of followers—focused on their own self-elevating (Matthew 20:20-28), self-preserving (Matthew 26:56), self-serving (Acts 1:6) agendas—into apostles testifying with great power...to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus (Acts 4:33)? What else but God's grace so powerfully at work in them all (Acts 4:33) could cause 'me-first' disciples to finally understand love in all its unity, and commonality, and self-sacrifice?
God, how we need that transforming power in our lives today! How we need the presence of the Holy Spirit to change our focus, and our outlook, and our agendas! What would it be like to have our lives testify powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus! What would it be like to have the grace of God so powerfully at work in us that there would be no needy persons among us!
O Lord, like the early disciples, teach us to truly grasp the reality of the empty tomb, the risen Savior and the ascended Lord. Break through our dullness, and our slowness. Enlighten the eyes of our heart in order that we may know...Your incomparably great power for us who believe...the same...mighty strength You exerted when You raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at Your right hand in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 1:18-20).
Transform our lives from 'me-first', self-seeking individuals to Holy Spirit-empowered servants of Christ, willing to lay down our lives, our causes, and our agendas. Father, You have given us grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt. Let Your exorbitant grace work powerfully in us to love one another with the unifying, self-sacrificing love of Christ.
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