Acts 3-5

When a seed is planted it is very vulnerable. Birds could come and snatch it up. Rocky soil or weeds could choke it out and kill it. If the tree is going to survive, it must be nurtured and have the proper environment so that it can set its roots and grow strong.

Perhaps you have seen a sapling that is tethered to a pole or to guide wires in order to keep it safe against the wind. Landscape experts will tell you that it is actually dangerous to keep these guides on a tree for too long. The young tree requires exposure to strong winds to be able build up resistance. When it is young, thin, and flexible it will bend in the wind, and in the bending will become strong. Eventually it will grow so thick that the wind will not even affect it. If the guides are kept on the sapling for too long it will become brittle, and when the wind blows, the trunk will break instead of bend.

Think about this statement for a moment: New Growth requires support, Mature Growth requires resistance.

In chapters 1-2 the young sapling of the church set its roots. God allowed the church to experience favor with all the people for a season. They set their roots in the Power of the Spirit, the Proclamation of the Name of Jesus, and the Presence of an authentic community. In this section the guide wires have been taken off and the winds begin to blow. Throughout its history, the church has been barraged with wave upon wave of persecution and resistance. In Acts 3-5 we witness the first of these waves. It is not very strong. It is just enough to wake up the community to reality, and deepen their faith.

A Healing Touch

Acts 3:1-10