#222 "Are They Amazed?"

If you browse through the Gospel pages of my old and worn-torn Bible, you will notice that over the years I have circled every instance where Scripture says that someone, or a group of someones, was "amazed" by Jesus. I've never taken the time to count, but there are more than a few. 

My morning readings this month have been from the book of Acts, and I'm excited that my church is also doing a series on this same book. As I was reading from chapter three a week or two ago, I came upon a verse at the end of a story where Peter and John had healed a lame man who used to sit at the gate called Beautiful. (Acts 3: 1-10) This man was now walking and jumping and praising God. This man who used to sit at the gate because he could do nothing more. This man, who by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, danced. The Scripture says that all who saw "were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him."

Jesus amazed people. His life and miracles amazed the crowds, the religious leaders, and the government rulers. Now "all the people" were amazed at the acts of His apostles and I take liberty to say, they were amazed at the apostles themselves.

Two thousand years later, are we, His apostles and disciples, amazing anyone?

Are we amazing them with our hypocrisy?

Are we amazing them with our unbelief ?

Are our lives indistinguishable from the value system of this world?

Are we more about what we are against, rather than what we are for?

Or...

Are we amazing them with the way that we love?

Are we amazing them with the way that we give?

Are we amazing them with the way we love our husbands, raise our children, handle our finances, and conduct our lives?

Are we amazing them with the way we forgive? 

The way we sacrifice?

The way we stand strong in the storms of life, full of faith and unwavering belief?

Are we more about what we are for, rather than what we are against?

Acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God.   (Micah 6: 8)

The suffix "-ians" means "belonging to the party of." 

Christ is the Anointed One and the Messiah. 

Put together, the word "Christian" means "belonging to the party of Christ, Anointed One and Messiah."

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." Gandhi

Lord, let it not be so!

Two thousand years later, Christ is still amazing. He continues to amaze people every day. 

We, His followers, should be amazing too.