THEY HAD TO TELL SOMEBODY

Acts 19:10 – This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

When you fall in love it is really impossible to keep it a secret. Your whole world has been effected by this new love in your life, you find yourself having to tell somebody. When it comes to a first love experience with Jesus this phenomenon becomes infinitely more explosive. How can you keep quiet about this amazing supernatural love that has swallowed you up? Why would someone want to? That’s what had happened in Ephesus when the church first began. Since the day the love of God had fallen on those twelve individuals in Paul’s gathering and only intensifying as he conducted daily services for two years, God’s love was all they could think and talk about. All of these brand new Christians couldn’t help themselves, they had to tell somebody what had happened. That’s how it was in the Jesus People Movement that I was involved in beginning for me in 1973. That was he culture everywhere in those days, first love joy exploded into evangelism. Here is how the Talbot Magazine describes that season.

“Central to understanding the Jesus People Movement was their singular devotion to and zeal for evangelism. At the core of the movement’s identity was an abiding belief that the gospel was good news for a lost and wandering generation. The name of the JPM came from its focus: adherents sought to reach people for Jesus. Street evangelism, evangelism bands traveling across the country to share Christ, and a host of evangelists and evangelistic ministries arose from its ranks. Even in their defining slogan — the raised finger and words “one way,” was an acknowledgement that in the midst of such pain, chaos and uncertainty, it was solely through belief in Jesus that people could find the peace and joy they craved…..Recognizing that even many youth had experienced bitter rejection due to their appearance or language, JPM leaders also focused on reinventing religious space. As the JPM spread, coffeehouses became the primary local expression of the movement in cities or towns across the country. While there were a variety of expressions, coffeehouses generally provide informal meeting places for youth to hear local or traveling Jesus music bands and a gospel message by an evangelist or local youth pastor.”
That same first love that was seen in the early days of the Ephesian church sprang up in the Jesus People Movement and springs up everywhere when people experience the amazing love of God. When you are loved the way Jesus loves you it becomes impossible to keep your mouth shut, the only solution is that you have to tell somebody.