Be in Awe! - Acts 1-2

Acts 2:43 (ESV)
And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.

Those who come to Christ come to Him in “awe.”   The Greek word in this text for “awe” is “phobos.”  This is were we get out English word “phobia.”   The writer of Acts (Luke) is not necessarily laying out pure doctrine in the book of Acts.   It doesn’t mean there is no doctrine in Acts, it just means that is not his point.  He is trying to give us a “historical” look at the growth of the church.   When we see doctrine in Acts we have to interpret the material in light of that purpose of Luke.   In the above passage we see that he is recording for us “how” people came to Christ.    They came with a sense of fear (awe) about what God was doing in them and in their midst of those around them.   The apostle Paul (who is all about pure doctrine) said it this way to the church that would later in Acts be established in the city of Philippi: 

Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV)
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

The writer of Hebrews (which would be written thirty-years later than the above incident took place) would eventually write the same thought this way:

Hebrews 12:28-29 (ESV)
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

Our fear and awe of God is because we see what He is doing within us through the power of the Spirit.  God is doing a spiritual work within us.  We are being conformed daily into His image:

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

We can rejoice that God is doing a great work within us.  That work is a new creation.  Like all creation we should be in “awe” of what God is doing in our lives.