True Kingdom-mindedness Is Perplexing

When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end. [Acts 5.24]

What in the world is going on?

This is the appropriate response for all who do not know Christ. It was the appropriate response in the time of the Book of Acts and it is the appropriate response today.

There is every reason for Christians to continue promoting the person and power of Jesus Christ. When we do, the only response the world will have is to wonder where it will all end. Our lives should reflect Jesus so as to stir concern in the hearts of those who do not believe. 

If our lives do not perplex the world of unbelievers, then perhaps we are not believers ourselves.

Yes, it is worth repeating. If our lives do not perplex the world of unbelievers, then perhaps we are not believers ourselves.

The perplexing thing about the apostles in the verse above is that they were missing from a locked jail. A supernatural event had taken place. The evidence was compelling that a very unnatural thing had happened. 

The evidence supported everything unbelievers refused to believe. It perplexed them. How could they resist something they could not even control with incarceration? What will the outcome be?

The problem I see today is that we are neither perplexed nor perplexing. Unbelievers are not perplexed with believers because believers are not perplexing.

True Kingdom-mindedness is perplexing.

The apostles, when questioned again about what was going on, replied in very Kingdom-speak terms:

But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross. Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.” [Acts 5.29-32]

My conclusion is that until believers today are transported in the their thinking to Kingdom-mindedness, they will effectively perplex no one. I am not talking about starting to have religious thinking either. The apostles understood the significance of Jesus, the Prince, sitting at the right hand of God in all His authority - Kingdom terminology! And, they had other-worldly circumstances take place in support of their Kingdom claims. They were literally walking on the earth, but in the power of another Kingdom! The physical rules of earth could only give way to the authority of the King of Heaven.

Father, help us to truly be converted from earthly-mindedness to Kingdom-mindedness. In other words, help us to be truly converted!