I Peter 3-12 talks about some wonderful and disturbing things. It is our faith in the grace of Christ that affords us wondrous salvation, but it is that salvation that brings trial and pain. We are going to suffer as a result of our committment to Christ. Peter rejoices in our faith. We, who have not seen Christ show greater faith than even the disciples by believing in Christ for our salvation. Our faith is literally more precious than gold. Even the prophets, who operated using the power of the Holy Spirit, longed for what we now so readily take for granted.

We have eternal salvation, not in the future, but right this moment we are already saved. Even further, we already possess access to the Holy Spirit and His power as granted in compensation and comfort for the loss of the personal presence of Jesus. Until He returns, we remain empowered and blessed with sure hope in the knowledge of our promised redemption.

As the 70 servants of Christ were empowered to go forth and accomplish the aims of our Lord (Luke 10), so are we similarly empowered by the Holy Spirit. This power is readily available to us, but why don't we see it? The answer is simple. We aren't using it. By that I mean we aren't pushing the boundaries of the possible in trying to serve God. We aren't serving. We are servants who refuse to serve. In what way can we expect to see the miraculous if we do not provide for God a forum in which to perform His astonishing acts?

God even manipulated the universe so that each of us who already "serve" Him would come to our own personal place of surrender. (Ephesians 1:11 - not really trying to set up a discussion about free will vs predestination, let's just say I believe scripture teaches both in roughly equal measure. You want to talk about it, let me know) Our submission to Him gives Him glory, not in our act of surrender, but seperately as His sovreignty is revealed in His will being brought to pass in fulfillment of His plans for us in our own salvation. After all, who but God could accomplish not only the act of redemption, but bring us to the point where we willingly submit to Him despite our sinful nature?

A few weeks ago, I was teaching a class, and had them all up in arms about my take on Luke 8, which I have already related here, which requires us to declare our message. They were firmly convinced that what mattered most, if not exclusively, was showing our love for others and Jesus. Luke 10 shows that at times love can, in and of itself, be a most effective means of reaching others. (in the parable of the good samaritan) Still, this does little to grow us. Our level of reproduction, if we wish to actually be good soil, must be much higher. Love is simple obedience, and a side effect of serving Jesus.

Meanwhile, the 70 were sent out to confront every kind of evil, and when rebuffed, moved on with declarations of judgment against those who rejected the message. (I suggest you go read Luke 10 to catch the whole idea. What they said they said at the command of Jesus.) It was not love that was rejected, but the act of sharing Jesus' message was enough to force some of His servants out of town. While demons of every kind might have been forced into submission by the name of Jesus, still the people of those towns rejected the message.

Luke 10 teaches an interesting lesson, about the power of the church. Jesus ordered His followers to go and heal the sick. These people had a direct conduit to God's power (even as we do today) and were able to speak in the confidence of those who knew God was going to support them. While they were serving the will of Jesus Christ himself, we are infused with the power of the Holy Spirit, and promised His power as His followers.

There are very few places today in the church today where God's power is being called upon to demonstrate His love. We CANNOT continue this way. We simply are not strong enough or charismatic enough to change the world without God's power. Throughout scripture, His servants have ALWAYS been free to call upon His power. Jesus told His servants to go forth and do miraculous things. I don't understand how we can expect to make progress bringing people to God without showing them His power. It is the way He chooses to show Himself, and yet we constantly seek to make it work without Him.

It is time we again come to embrace our role as His SERVANTS, and begin to serve Him as He would have us do. We need to let God be God, doing what He does best, while we are simply there to help and not get in the way.

What is it God wants us to be doing? Is it something impossible? When the opportunity presents itself, are you going to be ready to do it? Do you know how? Are you ready? Might want to be.