Bold and Confident Serving

August 28, 2024

But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” Acts 3:6 NLT

The New Testament church was known for serving the communities around them and each other. Just like today, both the world and the church were full of needs, and the early church saw it as their great responsibility and privilege to serve as Christ had taught them through His own service and life.

The Acts of the Apostles shows this in action, not as stand-alone, spectacular events, but as everyday life. They put the interests and needs of their church family above their own and were dramatically committed to serve the world in Jesus’ name as well.

One day Peter and John were going into the synagogue to worship and a very needy man was at the gate of the temple. Because he was permanently unable to walk, he couldn’t work and meet his own needs, let alone the needs of a family. He was likely at the gate of the temple because he knew that from the very beginning God had said His people were to care for the poor. But all He could expect were minimal coins from a few of the worshippers.

On this day the beggar struck gold. Peter and John were prayed up. They had already prayed bold and confident prayers to enable them to serve powerfully in His name, and they believed God would answer. They didn’t have any money to give the man; what he requested and thought he needed most. But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold. But I will serve you with what I have.” Then the told the man to get up and walk. The man jumped up, healed.

That is the attitude of people who boldly, confidently pray and serve. They stay prayed up in their world of need because they know that every day they will run into a situation or person needing what they have, and what they have will be enough. Dorcas served with her ability to sew, Peter’s mother-in-law served with her hospitality, and they all shared food with each other and the poor. They ministered in their communities by caring for unwanted children, for the elderly and sick, and were constantly encouraged that as they did it for the least of these, for anyone who needed their help, they were serving Christ. And as they prayed bold, confident prayers with the discipline to follow through, what they had to give was enough. Christianity over time became the standard for how people should treat and serve each other. Every service and justice organization owes its roots to Jesus’ life and teachings as lived out in the early church.

• Father, help me walk slowly enough through this world to see the needs and respond, knowing that I have and am enough through Christ to serve. Help our church to be known for our bold and confident serving.