The Story that is for All Nations

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine” (Acts 2:5-13).

Jesus had promised that faithful disciples would receive power to be His witnesses… “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). When the promise was fulfilled at Pentecost, the first work of the Spirit was empowering the disciples to proclaim… “the mighty works of God” in languages they had never learned so that the many foreigners gathered in Jerusalem might hear in their own languages. Truly the gospel is the mightiest work of God and this story is to be proclaimed throughout the whole world so that everyone has a chance to respond… “This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). Today the Spirit reveals some important truth about the story that is for all nations.

God’s story is reported to all races. Jesus gave the disciples one primary mission… “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). He wants us to tell everyone His gospel story. Paul shared his passion for telling the gospel story with the exhortation… “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). Sharing God’s story is done in many corporate ways, through evangelists preaching to crowds, missionaries penetrating foreign cultures, and local churches touching lives in their communities. But the gospel story is shared most effectively as we share our personal testimony about how God’s story has changed our story.

God’s story is received by the reverent. The Holy Spirit compelled Luke to note that among the Jews dwelling in Jerusalem… “there were devout men from every nation under heaven.” These were pilgrims who travelled far to celebrate the feast of Pentecost, compelled by their devotion to God, His temple, and His people. The Lord met them there with the disciples’ joyful and miraculous proclamation of His mighty works and they heard God’s story clearly in their own language. The devout hearts of these pilgrims gave them ears to hear the message of God. We are reminded of Jesus’ exhortation to each of the seven churches of Revelation… “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:7). We are encouraged by God’s promise to make His words known to those who have a heart fully devoted to Him… “If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you” (Proverbs 1:23). The key to hearing God speak is a fully devoted heart.

God’s story is rejected by the ridiculer. Not everyone heard the story. There were… “others mocking” that falsely accused the disciples of being drunk. God’s story did not find a home in their rebellious and ridiculing hearts. Jesus encountered the same reaction as He shared God’s story… “Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires” (John 8:43-44), and He prepared His disciples for this kind of reaction to God’s story, quoting the prophet Isaiah… “For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them’ (Matthew 13:15). Hearing God’s story requires the kind of devout heart that only God’s grace can ignite.

As we grow up into Christ, we become more earnest and effective in telling…

The Story that is for All Nations.

The Keys to the Spirit Filled Life

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:1-4).

The Holy Spirit inspired Luke to describe a monumental event with just a few succinct sentences here. The event was so transformational that the name of the day associated with it, Pentecost, has since become synonymous with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church. Pentecost used to be known as the Feast of Weeks, a celebration of the firstfruits of the annual harvest. A close examination of this event reveals that our lives, just like the day of Pentecost, can be transformed through the keys to the Spirit filled life.

The disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit because they were trusting His grace. We have an echo of the lesson about obedience we learned just a few verses ago (see Acts 1:12-14). Here we see that the blessing of obedience was the fulfillment of Christ’s promise to deliver power for witnessing through the gift of the Holy Spirit… “You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:48-49). Obedience is trusting the grace of Christ to fulfill the promises in His Word. The fullness of Christ’s Spirit in our lives increases as our trust in His grace grows.

The disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit because they were together. The disciples were learning that following Christ was not a new religion, it was a new relationship, and their relationship with Him was to be enhanced and reflected in their relationships with each other. He commanded them to love each other in the same way that He loved them… “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). The kind of sacrificial, need-meeting love our Father wants us to share was clearly revealed by His Son on the cross… “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Gathering together to love and support one another placed the disciples in the right place to receive the promised Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The fullness of Christ’s Spirit in our lives increases as we grow and serve together with other disciples in and through the local church.

The disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit because they were willing. I believe their obedience and unity reflected the willing hearts of the disciples. It would have been easy to give I n to the temptation to run away and hide during those fearful days after the crucifixion. It would have been attractive to return to their former, less complicated lives, but these disciples, different from the rest, obeyed the instruction of the Lord and encouraged and supported each other. Further evidence of their willing hearts appears in their cooperation with the Spirit’s work among them. They did not understand tongues of fire and strange languages, but they did not resist. Our Father loves to pour His Holy Spirit into willing disciples… “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13). The fullness of Christ’s Spirit in our lives increases as the willingness in our hearts grows.

As we grow up into Christ, our lives can be a clearer reflection of Christ every day as we practice…

The Keys to the Spirit Filled Life.

The Virtues of Servant Leadership

“So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles (Acts 1:21-26).

The number of apostles had been fixed firmly by Jesus. The New Testament Church was to be the gathering of Gentiles grafted into the chosen nation of Israel… “You, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree” (Romans 11:17). Just as Israel had twelve tribes descended from twelve patriarchs, the Church is built on a foundation of twelve apostles, with Jesus as the cornerstone… “You are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:19-20). Only God knew who Judas’ replacement would be, and as Peter and the apostles seek God’s will the Spirit of Truth reveals the virtues of servant leadership.

Servant leaders walk closely with Christ. The new apostle had to be… “one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us”. True Christian servant leaders spend much time with Christ because He is the model of servant leadership worthy of imitation… “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). In the simplest terms, the life of discipleship is becoming more like Christ, and the secret to such a transformation is found in intimate fellowship with Him… “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” (2 Corinthians 3:18). This spiritual counsel comes from Paul, God’s choice to replace Judas as His apostle.

Servant leaders witness earnestly for Christ. The apostle was to be a messenger of the gospel. In the same way, all maturing disciples become increasing reflections of Christ and His gospel to the lost world around us. As we grow in the faith, our words and actions increasingly align with God’s word… “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples” (John 8:31), and we are increasingly filled with His Holy Spirit… “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). As we grow up in the faith, God’s grace works in us through His Word and His Spirit to set us apart from the world and to make us powerful witnesses to the world.

Servant leaders wait patiently on Christ. The apostles prayed and waited for the Lord’s answer. When we are seeking the Lord’s will, the first step is always to pray because prayer puts our heart in the correct position before God. Prayer moves our focus from our need and fixes our sight on the Lord who is more than willing and able to meet our deepest need… “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20). The apostles waited by casting lots, an Old Testament instruction from God… “Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for Azazel” (Leviticus 16:8). New testament disciples wait on the Lord by abiding in His word, because the Bible gives the maturing disciple direction in life… “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). Through prayer and Bible study, we give God every opportunity to reveal His good, pleasing, and perfect will in every situation.

As we grow up into Christ, we become more effective and productive disciples as we develop…

The Virtues of Servant Leadership.

The Resilience that Restores Us

In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) “For it is written in the Book of Psalms, “‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and “‘Let another take his office.’ (Acts 1:15-20).

The Holy Spirit inspired Luke to present a powerful comparison between two of the disciples here. If we look closely, we see Peter who denied Christ, and Judas who betrayed Christ juxtaposed against one another. Peter would assume a position of servant leadership, exhorting the disciples and preaching the gospel with great power. Judas would lose his position among the disciples and suffer a humiliating death. The Spirit reminds us that much like Peter and Judas, we fall to temptation and sin from time to time, but He also shows us the grace and mercy that makes the difference between the fates of these two characters. Imperfect but diligent disciples are encouraged here by the resilience that restores us.

Peter stood up but Judas stayed down. The disciples were gathered back in the upper room. With one heart they were devoted to prayer. Out of this sweet, unified connection with God came a remarkable thing. When Peter stood up he was recognized in the natural as the one who had betrayed Jesus, but now the Holy Spirit prompted him to speak and the disciples to listen. He had been transformed from cowering doubter into confident believer by the grace and mercy of Christ… “Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs’” (John 21:15). Christ had offered the same grace and mercy to Judas at the last supper, but Judas could not get back up because of his unbelief. The Spirit still compels us to come humbly to Christ when we sin… “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Because of Christ’s mercy, we can stand up after we fall.

Peter declared God’s Word but Judas dismissed it. The Spirit compelled Peter to declare the word of God, empowering the disciples to see the current events from heaven’s perspective. Reciting God’s word, written by David so long ago, reassured the disciples that God was aware of and in control of their current circumstances. God had and was working out His perfect plan in their lives… “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). Judas had heard the same word of God, spoken from the lips of Jesus Himself, but the description of his terrible end here shows that he did not believe in the grace and mercy offered in God’s word. Compelled by the Holy Spirit, Peter stood up because He knew and wanted all to know God has got this!

Peter was restored to God’s work but Judas was replaced in it. In responding to the Holy Spirit’s prompting, Peter was restored to the place of leadership that Christ had promised him… “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). God has a purpose, a place, a position for every one of us… “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). We are being prepared for and walking in this divine work while we are living in a fallen world, fighting with a fallen nature. We are engaged in a continuous battle between the flesh and the spirit, but we have the promise of God’s grace working in us… “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13), and God’s mercy working for us… “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Trusting God’s grace and mercy keeps us from falling away from fellowship with Him and participation in His divine work.

As we grow up into Christ, we will overcome temptation and keep moving forward through…

The Resilience that Restores Us.

The Precursors of the Spirit Filled Life

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers (Acts 1:12-14).

The Spirit compelled Mark to record in his gospel, that these eleven disciples soon… “went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs” (Mark 16:20). The Spirit later inspired Paul to note that these apostles became the foundation of the Church that has spread to nearly every corner of the earth today… “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:19-21). Surely the success of the apostles was the result of the Holy Spirit’s power working in and through them, but here we also discover some important characteristics of their little community of faith. Today, the Spirit reveals three characteristics we should pursue in our own hearts and promote in the local church or other Christian ministry. These are the precursors of the Spirit-filled life.

Obedience to the word of God. Jesus had instructed the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit… “And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). It was not easy for the disciples to wait. There was the fear of being arrested because of their association with Jesus. There was excitement and the urge to tell the world that they had seen the risen Christ! But these faithful disciples obeyed His command and “they returned to Jerusalem”. Their obedience placed them in the right place and position to experience the fulfillment of their Master’s promise. The temptation to forge ahead under our own power or to use the methods of the world are always before us, but the experience of the first disciples and our own experience as we mature in the faith confirms the truth that obedience results in the anointing and blessing we need to be productive witnesses for Christ.

Unity in vision from God. These disciples had only one picture before their eyes. The vision of the risen Savior outshone everything else. They did not envision building great churches and ministries. They didn’t know what a church building or a hymnal looked like! They had no organizational structure or strategic goals in mind. They were “with one accord” and what brought them together in unity was their unforgettable encounter with the resurrected Christ and His commission to go into the world and make disciples… “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). To this day, the desire to introduce others to Christ and to help them grow as His disciples should be the one vision that unifies Christian churches, homes, schools, and ministries. Keeping these institutions together in unity requires Spirit-filled individuals like you and me to be sold out to the vision of the Great Commission.

Prayer that keeps us connected to God. The first disciples had one activity. They “were devoting themselves to prayer”. Through prayer their focus was redirected away from earthly circumstances and their eyes, ears, and hearts were set on heaven… “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:1-2). Jesus had promised that the power they needed to become His witnesses would not come from anywhere on earth, but from heaven… “And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). The Spirit-filled life is a fruit of staying prayerfully connected to Jesus Christ who is seated at the right hand of God in heaven.

As we grow up into Christ, we experience increasing fullness of the Holy Spirit’s power as we practice…

The Precursors of the Spirit-Filled Life.

The Profession that is Fueled by Faith

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:6-11).

There was much that the apostles did not know about the immediate future. After witnessing the crucifixion and resurrection, they were wondering what’s next? Surely if the risen Christ strode dramatically into Jerusalem, visibly proving that He is indeed the Son of God, He would be immediately acknowledged as the rightful King of Israel, by both Jew and Roman alike! Little did they know that He would soon commission them to be the ambassadors of His kingdom through their witness in word and deed to their generation, and then He would leave them. The real question they should have been asking was, what would life be like without the comforting, compelling concrete presence of their Master and Teacher? The timing of God’s kingdom was not their business, it is God’s business. Their business was to be Christ’s persistent, persevering, and patient “witnesses” in word and deed, and for many of them, to the death. They would change the world with the profession that is fueled by faith.

Persistent witnesses trust the power of Christ’s Spirit. Jesus promised the disciples would “receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” because He knew that persistence in discerning and using every possible opportunity to be a reflection of the risen Christ in a dark and rebellious world would require supernatural power. We remember that salvation is God’s work… “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). We also believe His Holy Spirit is always at work convicting and compelling hearts to see and receive Christ… “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me” (John 15:26). When we are filled with and led by the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to be part of the glorious ministry of reconciling lost souls with their Creator through Christ… “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18).

Persevering witnesses know the passion of Christ’s suffering. The word translated “witnesses’' here (martys in Greek), also means martyrs. It is estimated that by 325 A.D. as many as 2 million Christians died as witnesses, following the example and imitating the passion of Jesus Christ… “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10). The Spirit exhorts us to witness with the same passion today… “But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:13).

Patient witnesses anticipate the promise of Christ’s return. When we remember that we are a small part of God’s big work, we are able to wait patiently for the manifestation of the fruit of our labor. It sometimes takes years of powerful and persevering witness to prepare the heart to receive Christ, but our hearts are compelled to help others get ready to join us in welcoming Him at His sure return… “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

As we grow up into Christ, we are more earnest and effective witnesses as our testimony becomes…

The Profession that is Fueled by Faith.

The Promise that is Worth Waiting For

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:1-5).

In this Holy Spirit inspired letter from Luke to Theophilus, there are twenty-two sermons of the apostles. Yet this book is not called the Preaching but the Practice of the Apostles, not the Words but the Acts of the Apostles. It is the Acts of the Apostles that proclaim the power and presence of Jesus Christ and His transforming gospel to a desperate and needy world. Jesus knew the apostles would need help to answer the call to be His witnesses in word and deed to their generation, so He promised them all the power they would need would be coming upon them if they would faithfully and obediently wait… “You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:48-49). Paul reports there may have been 500 followers that received Christ’s command to wait for the promise… “Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time” (1 Corinthians 15:6). Before long, the number of faithful disciples still waiting for the promise had dwindled to 120… “In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120)” (Acts 1:15). Christ’s promise of the Holy Spirit’s anointing on our words and deeds is still… the promise that is worth waiting for.

The Holy Spirit gives us commanding direction. As Christ’s disciples, according to Jesus’ word, we are chosen… “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you” (John 15:16). In today’s text we see that before He returned to His Father in heaven, Jesus gave commands to His chosen messengers, and His commands were delivered through the Holy Spirit. We are not apostles, but we are Christ’s ambassadors… “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20). It’s a tall order He has given us to be His witnesses to those around us, but we can be confident and successful if we wait for and follow the Holy Spirit’s leading and instructions every day… “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Romans 8:14).

The Holy Spirit gives us convicting words. The Holy Spirit gives us the words to speak into the heart of someone that needs to hear the gospel… “And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (Luke 12:11-12). The Holy Spirit empowers our words to defeat the empty words of our adversaries… “This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict” (Luke 21:13-15). The Holy Spirit adds soul convicting power to the words He gives us to share. “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8).

The Holy Spirit gives us compelling actions. He grants willing witnesses supernatural gifts that compliment the natural abilities and talents that God gave us at birth. These gifts are given to empower us to be His witnesses individually and corporately as His Church, through Christ-like service… “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). How might God use your Spirit-empowered words and deeds to show Christ to someone today?

As we grow up into Christ, our witnessing words and actions are empowered by Christ’s fulfillment of…

The Promise that is Worth Waiting For.

Preaching and Practice

"In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach" (Acts 1:1)

The early church developed and circulated two collections of New Testament writings: the four Gospels and the letters of the Apostle Paul. However, with the appearance of early Christological heresies in the second century, the value of this second letter from Luke to his beloved friend Theophilus became obvious. This sequel to Luke’s Gospel reveals the content and purpose of the Apostles’ preaching and the amazing results of the gospel. This widely circulated letter originally had no title (like Luke's Gospel), but the Greek words praxeis, praxis, used in titles assigned to early copies of the letter mean acts, ways, behavior, deeds, and/or practice, and reflect an ancient Mediterranean literary genre which describes the lives and actions of famous or influential people.

So, what we have here in what we call the Acts of the Apostles is a Holy Spirit inspired record of the actions and message of the Apostles. Luke introduces the letter by highlighting an important principle… “In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,” (Acts 1:1). We note that Luke’s emphasis on the indispensable bond between preaching and practice reflects the pattern of our Lord Jesus Christ, who taught us to love our enemies and then demonstrated this lesson on the cross, when he prayed for those who were crucifying him… “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). The message and actions of the Apostles recorded for us here in the Book of Acts challenge us to share our faith in both words and deeds and inspire us to grow up into Christ by imitating them as they imitated Christ.

As a fellow disciple of Jesus Christ, I am blessed to share this journey of growth in Christ with you. As a pastor, I pray that the truth God has revealed here through His Word will help you to be built up and equipped as part of His body, the Church. And as a schoolmaster, I pray that the truth shared here will help you come to know and become more like Jesus Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3).

The Benediction that Blesses Us

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God (Luke 24:50-53).

The Holy Spirit had Luke conclude this gospel with a very brief yet powerful benediction. Luke presented the same scene in much greater detail at the beginning of his letter to Theophilus that is included in the scriptures as the Book of Acts. Here we learn that Jesus simply, yet profoundly led them out, lifted His hands in a blessing, and left them for heaven. Our Teacher, the Holy Spirit, leads us into some vital everyday truth for disciples in every age that are living for Christ and awaiting His return. With the Spirit’s help, we can join the first disciples and receive the benediction that blesses us.

Jesus led the disciples. Sometimes we read the scriptures too fast. When we slow down and listen for key words we become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading us into God’s truth. Today we notice that Jesus led His disciples to the place of His choosing, where He planned to leave them and return to His Father’s side in heaven. We are always better off when we follow Jesus’ leading and keep ourselves in the center of His will, protection, and power. If we follow Jesus in the midst of our ever-changing and directionless world, we will discover and enjoy the abundant life He wants us to know now as we prepare for eternal life in heaven… “To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice” (John 10:3-4). Enjoy the abundance of a Christ-led life today!

Jesus lifted His hands and blessed the disciples. When we pause to reflect on this moment, the Spirit points out that this was God, bowing down to touch the disciples with a blessing. In the midst of being preoccupied with the details of the ascension and anticipation of the joyful return to heaven, Jesus paused and humbly touched His disciples with a blessing. We are reminded of the way Jesus lifted and blessed the five loaves and two fishes, multiplying them into food for thousands… “Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds… And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children” (Matthew 14:19-21). The Greek word for blessing means to speak or invoke prosperity and thanks into someone’s life. Let’s face it, living for Christ in an un-Christian world does not yield many blessings from other people, but every time we pause and spend some devoted time with Jesus and His Word, we position ourselves to receive His blessing.

Jesus left the disciples to return to heaven. The blessing here is a bit more mysterious. We don’t usually feel very blessed when a loved one departs from us to go to heaven. Of course, we rejoice because we know the truth and beauty of heaven, but we miss their physical presence here. With Jesus, it’s different. We rejoice that He has returned to the Father where He now intercedes continuously for the completion of our salvation… “He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25), and we have the additional blessing of His spiritual presence in our heart every day… “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). As we grow in the faith, we become more sensitive to Christ’s presence and influence in our hearts and we anticipate His work in the people and circumstances that surround us.

As we grow up into Christ, just like the first disciples, we are encouraged and strengthened by…

The Benediction that Blesses Us.

The Commission that Compels Us

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:44-49).

Jesus was about to return to His Father in heaven. He wanted to prepare His disciples to launch into the ministry that was going to establish and grow His kingdom and change the world. Time was short, the task was great, and they needed so much. He had to choose His words carefully. As disciples, we too need to hear the final instructions of our Master. The responsibility to follow Christ and to share His gospel today is no less compelling for true disciples than it was on that long-ago day of His ascension. Can you sense the Holy Spirit stirring your spirit with the same exhortation and instruction that Jesus shared with the first disciples? We can grow in the faith and become more effective witnesses whenever we trust and obey the three admonitions revealed here as Jesus commissioned His disciples. Through His words, our spirits are excited and energized to share Christ today by the commission that compels us.

Persevering disciples are persuaded by the promise of the Word that encourages us. The commission Jesus spoke over His disciples was founded on the truth revealed in God’s Word. He spoke of two great promises revealed in God’s Word. First, He told the disciples that God’s promise about the suffering, death, and resurrection of the Messiah was about to be fulfilled… “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed... they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death... when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. (Isaiah 53:5, 9-10). Then Jesus added the promise that willing witnesses in every age will be participating in the fulfillment of His promise that “repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations”. Be encouraged to share His gospel with someone today!

Productive disciples are provoked by the promise of the witness that engages us. The commission of all true disciples is a call to witness. Jesus reminded the disciples that would soon be witnesses of the fulfillment of every promise required for salvation. What they experienced would propel the disciples out into the world with a driving compulsion to share the gospel that had transformed them with a world that desperately needed transforming. Because we are born again, we have had the same transforming experience and therefore, we have the same call… “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). Let your salvation experience provoke you to engage your world with the transforming power of the gospel today!

Potent disciples are propelled by the promise of the wait that empowers us. The commissioning words of Jesus were accompanied by an admonition to wait for the promise of power. Jesus promised an anointing directly from the throne of His Father that would clothe true witnesses in every age with supernatural power for the task of sharing His gospel with the world. Jesus affirmed this promise after His resurrection… “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Don’t start your day without seeking the fullness of the Holy Spirit that empowers us to share the gospel!

As we grow up into Christ, we are encouraged to engage our world with His gospel by…

The Commission that Compels Us.

The Appearances that Assure Us

As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them (Luke 24:36-43).

The disciples were gathered together and digesting the amazing report of a Jesus sighting by two brothers. Luke does not give us a clear glimpse into their hearts, but we might imagine this room was filled with a wide range of emotions. Suddenly, Jesus showed up, and His greeting shows us that He knew their hearts were filled with trouble and doubts. He set about immediately to address the dreadful condition of their hearts with both words and actions that were intended to give them peace, increase their faith, and show them His love. Here and down through the ages, Jesus Christ has always blessed troubled disciples with the appearances that assure us.

Our peace manifests when we sense Jesus in the midst of our struggle. Jesus’ first response was to restore His disciples’ peace. Let’s face it, when we’re going through a difficult trial, our primary need is peace. Troubles capture our attention and force us to focus on temporary and terrible things. They make us forget the final promise of Jesus to His disciples… “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). I like that He said “behold” because it reminds me to readjust my focus from temporary trouble to the permanent presence of the Lord whenever I am tested, and when I do, I remember His assuring words… “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Our love magnifies when we share with Jesus in His suffering. Jesus showed His disciples the marks of His suffering. There is nothing we can experience in this life that Jesus is not aware of and acquainted with… “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief… Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:3-4). Maturing love is growing beyond a desire to know the power of Christ. It is a hunger to know and identify with the suffering of Christ as expressed by the Holy Spirit inspired words of Paul… “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10). The compelling reminder of Christ’s suffering is reflected to every age to at the Lord’s Table, and will forever be revealed in heaven… “And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain” (Revelation 5:6). True disciples are assured and compelled by Christ’s love to share His suffering and reflect His compassion to our hurting world today… “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).

Our faith matures when we see that Jesus is acquainted with our sorrow. Jesus’ final action was to eat some broiled fish to confirm that He was truly raised from the dead in body as well as spirit. I believe this was to confirm His humanity to the disciples, to remind them that in every way, He was just like us… “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15), and to assure us that we have the certainty of being raised just as Christ was… “in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep… For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22).

As we grow up into Christ, our faith matures and our witness is empowered by…

The Appearances that Assure Us.