The Power of the Acorn

Last updated on: April 11, 2024 at 12:06 pm by Richard E. Simmons III

The Power of the Acorn 2024-04-11T12:06:58-06:00 Richard E. Simmons III

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I recently gave a presentation titled, “Does the Resurrection Really matter?” I proceeded to ask the audience, “What does the resurrection mean to you personally and how has it impacted your life?” I realize that there are many people that may not have given that question the consideration it deserves.

One of the ways it should impact your life relates to the power of the resurrection. In Philippians 3:10, Paul speaks of his great desire to know Christ and to experience the power of His resurrection.

So much of the Christian life is about God’s power working in us. Paul is saying it is the same power that raised Christ from the dead. We live in a broken world where there is so much dysfunction in people’s lives. Can our lives be truly transformed so that we become the people we ought to be?

A person who found himself in this situation was theologian and philosopher, Augustine (354-430 A.D.). He lived a very hedonistic, self-indulgent lifestyle which only lead to emptiness and despair. Over time he realized how weak and feeble he was and therefore concluded he needed something outside himself to come and transform his life. He finally concluded the power outside of himself that he so desperately needed was Christ.

When you read the parables of Jesus, he often compares the gospel to a tiny seed. I don’t think we realize the paradoxical strength of a seed. Take a tiny acorn. It seems so small and powerless, yet there is everything in that acorn to grow into a large oak tree. And of course, that oak tree over the years will produce thousands of acorns.

I love the story that G. Campbell Morgan, a British minister, shares about a trip he made to Italy. One day he wandered into an old cemetery. There was a grave that was centuries old. It was apparently the grave of some prominent, wealthy man. On that grave was an enormous, thick slab of marble. Somehow, an acorn had years before fallen into the grave, and over the centuries grown out under the side of the marble. It had become a huge tree and cracked the slab of marble and rolled it off into two pieces. This was so amazing to people – that a little acorn could do this over time. Yet, when a little acorn is given a chance to release its power it can do something a team of horses could not do.

Morgan then made this observation. “If an acorn which has the power of just biological and botanical life in it, as slow as it is, if it can split a marble slab of that magnitude, what do you think the acorn of God’s resurrection power can do in you?”

We all should answer the question, what kind of slabs do we have in our lives. It could be fear, anger, a sense of hopelessness and despair, a broken relationship, or any weakness or struggle that you may be grappling with. I do not care how broken or dysfunctional you are on the inside. If you bring the power of Christ into your life, He has the power to crack and roll that stone out of your life. This is the hope Christ offers to a broken world. It is the same hope he offers to you and me.

Richard E Simmons III is the founder and Executive Director of The Center for Executive Leadership and a best-selling author.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

March 28, 2024

Comprehending the Love of God

Next Post

April 18, 2024 Learning to Love

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Character Development Inspiration Leadership Life Purpose Personal Growth Relationships Seeking God Spiritual Truth The Bible True Masculinity Uncategorized Wisdom

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Cast all your anxiety on him because he ____ for you.

Select your answer to see how you score.

Provides Cares Loves Watches