Word
The power behind it all
Followers of Jesus actually believe that they will be changed - that they will take on a new form (trans-form). This is a pretty big dream. However, it is based on a pretty big promise. The Bible consistently teaches that those who allow God’s Life to invade their own life will be changed. This work begins now but continues on, getting better and better, affecting what we will be even after this short life on earth is over.
For this level of change to take place, there has got to be a total re-ordering and ex-changing of our thoughts, our desires, our motivations, our loyalties, and our love. In other words, this job is too big for us. It will require massive assistance from the outside. Not an extreme make-over... but a complete interior renovation that can only be achieved when we allow God past our excuses and our own best efforts.
CS Lewis writes, “Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on a n extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself” (Mere Christianity).
The source for this utter Transformation in the lives of people today is the powerful Word of God. The historic, orthodox Christian faith confesses that the Bible doesn’t just contain the Word of God - but that the Bible is the Word of God! This is why those who follow in the Way of Jesus continue to bring the Bible into everything. This is why the Bible is read boldly and applied creatively in our weekly Gatherings. This is why the Bible forms the foundation for the ‘sending’ and ‘community’ aspects of Group life. This is why the Bible is opened up by the families of ACTS throughout the week. We know from experience that lasting life change is directly tied to exploring, questioning, discussing, pondering, but ultimately believing the Word of God.
“There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us” (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
“Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching” (1 Timothy 4:13).
“Then they believed the Scripture...” (John 2:22).
