You Don't Look Like Your Picture!

“In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

“And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, ‘you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’

“So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’” [1]

Visiting the little town in which I spent my youth has often proven to be an interesting experience for me. Many of the people I grew up with have long since departed, though some remain. Many people whom I knew as a child have died and a number of others have moved. On one occasion when we were attending services in the church Lynda had attended when she was a child, a woman was present that morning who had known my dad during the days of my childhood. I can’t say that I remembered her from my childhood, but she was familiar with our family. When I introduced myself, she responded, “You look like your dad.”

Lynda has had similar experiences when visiting her hometown. She has told me of instances when going about the routine of life during her visit, some lady would say, “Oh, yes, you are Pat’s daughter,” when she became aware of who Lynda was. My wife bears a striking resemblance to her mother. That a resemblance to a parent is not particularly surprising to most people; we do bear family resemblances that speak of our heritage. Our genetic makeup cannot be concealed.

There is a family resemblance that marks each of us as belonging to our family. More immediately, how we conduct our lives reveals something of the home in which we grew. Though we are not precisely identical to our ancestors, it is not difficult to see the heritage reflected in our visage, and perhaps even in our actions. Through Lynda’s genealogical research, it never ceases to amaze me to learn of my family lineage. For over four hundred years, my ancestors alternated between labouring as Baptist preachers and serving as warriors. Those who know me will know how I was intent on a career as a United States Marine. Then, the Lord turned me around and appointed me to His service among the churches. I was torn between two destinies, and didn’t understand the reason. It was almost as if my DNA fixed the direction of my life. It sometimes feels as if I was compelled to enter service as a Baptist minister by my heritage.

Acts provides a picture of the churches during the critical early days. We can see what a church should look like as well as how discordant churches can appear by studying the portraiture provided in this account. I find it disturbing on occasion that as I look at the picture of that first congregation situated in the midst of a society intent on destroying it, we look quite different from what is presented in the Word. Frankly, a visitor from that day would say, “You don’t look like your picture.”

Comparing the churches of this day with the churches of the New Testament can be a means of encouragement. Seeing those first churches as they are pictured in the pages of the New Testament reminds us why we are here, just as seeing them encourages us to commit ourselves to fulfilling the command of the Risen Son of God. On the other hand, comparing the churches of this day with the churches of the New Testament can be disheartening. We soon realise that we don’t have much resemblance to those congregations of an earlier era. We don’t look like our picture.

THE RIGHT MESSAGE — “You will be MY witnesses…” Sermon series by prominent pastors often appear aimed at improving our lives now—they address low self-esteem, encourage us to live our best life now, or urge us to be nicer than we are at the moment. When one reviews the messages printed in the Gospels or in the Book of Acts, Christ is central. And the apostolic message inevitably pleads with those listening to look to Him. If we want to look like our forebears, we will ensure that our message is right.