Many seek success for their ultimate badge of accomplishment. But, even more fulfilling in a person’s life is how significant they are.

Being successful can mean many things and for the most part reflects on personal achievements. Significance on the other hand portrays your life affecting others in a meaningful way. The Book of Acts lays out the history of Christianity. Not only was there great success on the very first day, but what would close it out was declared of great significance in the lives of mankind.

The Beginning and the End

Before the first day of Christianity, two angels declared, “...This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). The new Christians would be able to move out with great confidence knowing their hope of Christ return.

Some ten days later on the day of Pentecost the apostles received the gift of holy spirit and spoke in tongues. They were quite the opposite of being men behind closed doors for fear of the Jews, becoming men of God demonstrating His power. On that first day there were “about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41) added to the Church.

A Pinnacle of Outreach

The early Church boldly taught God’s Word and demonstrated the power of the gift of holy spirit. It was not hampered by the heavy persecution laid upon them. The pinnacle of this awesome outreach and display of power is recorded in Acts:

Acts 5:12-16:
And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.
And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.
And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.
There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

A Formula For Significance

All this success was not without its challenges. The enemy, the devil, is doing all that he can to thwart the believers efforts. His tactics in the past has been to get them fearful of the high priests, that would throw them in jail.

Acts 5:17-19:
Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,
And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.
But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,

After bringing them out of prison, the angels encouraged them with a simple but proven formula:

Acts 5:20:
Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

Go, Stand and Speak...All the Words of This Life

GO: The key to “going” is not where you go. It is having the mind set to love on
people with the agape love of God when you go. In the book of Acts you see the believers going out with the goal of blessing people. Instead of just living their lives within themselves, they purposefully were looking to touch hearts. For us in our times, what helps us do this is to get out of our “comfort zone” and reach out to those in
need. As Mary Ruth says, as we purposely spend time to reach out, we are doing it to
“love on people.” In the early church they went where there was a need. We too should go to where there is need. The one place we have been going to is Old Town, where there are all kinds of people. Because we have been doing it for a while, the newness of it has now become a comfort zone. Every time we go, we reach many people with the love of God, prayer, and inviting them to fellowship, making a significant effect on their lives.

STAND: Taking a stand for our Heavenly Father is the easy part. He stood for us giving us His Son. Now we stand for Him in our everyday life. As we go, we take the stand to share and “love on people.”

SPEAKING THE WORDS OF LIFE: Speaking the Words of Life is one of life’s paramount privileges. We might not want to drown people with Scriptures, but we do want to rescue them with the Words of Life.

Our Heavenly Father has made us so we can live a life of significance. Our lives matter and what we do for Him now, touching people with the loving truth, will have significance for eternity.