What matters most?

All the people saw him walking and praising God. (Acts 3:9)

“In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk”; and the crippled man leapt for joy. Simple in its terms, but very drastic and very complete in its action. Immediately the man in himself knew the glory of God. He, leaping up, praised and glorified God. He had it in his own heart, in his own soul. He knew he was changed, he was in the good of God’s rest.

This man was a testimony which was the answer to every argument. Seeing the man there in the midst whole and complete, they had to shut their mouths. There was no argument. It is all argument if it is doctrine, theory, teaching, interpretation of truth, but a living witness – you cannot argue against that. Your mouth is shut when you have a living person standing there right in the good of things; in the fullness of the thought of God.

Are we closing the mouths of people? We shall not do it by our interpretations, our information, but we can do it by what we are, by being personally in possession of the goods. Are we that? Are you that? Are you going to be that? Are you, in your life now, the answer to every argument so that people say, “Well, look here, it is not simply their interpretation of theology or the church they go to: no, look at them; you know what they were, you know how little they counted, you know what cripples they were spiritually, you know what liabilities they were, you know how much they were without rest, without peace: but look now; they have the goods, they are in the good of things, they are counting, they mean something, and they are in rest, they are in joy, they are in satisfaction, they themselves are changed!” What can you say to that? You cannot say anything to that if you are going to be honest.

Oh, dear friends, we are not to go out and just pass on information to people. That will never convince. You and I are to be here as those who in themselves convince others because we embody His rest, we embody His peace, we embody His strength. We are what we teach. We are positive factors, we are assets, and the Lord is getting something by reason of us. That is how it must be. Is it like that? All this can be if we will go the way of this cripple in Acts 3, and say, “This has gone on long enough and it has to end, and to end, so far as my giving diligence is concerned, at once, I must truly by the grace of God take a deliberate and definite faith attitude toward the Lord Jesus for my complete deliverance and the setting of my feet upon a rock for His glory, for His praise!” And then in God’s time and gracious response it will be – “he, leaping up, stood upon his feet, praising and glorifying God.” May it be so with every one of us. May the word become flesh in us. May we be, by the grace of the indwelling Spirit, the living embodiment of the truth, the message we seek to bring to others. Nothing else will stop all arguments and close the mouths of the skeptics. As Paul wrote, "I travail in birth till Christ be formed in you" (Gal. 4:19). What matters more than that?

T.A. Sparks