Acts 1:1-2 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. New International Version (NIV)
Have you noticed that sequels rarely match the quality of the original film? In his second book, the Acts of the Apostles, Luke defies that trend. In his gospel, he recounts the story of Jesus to Theophilus, whose name means, “one who loves God.” The book begins and ends in Jerusalem. Zechariah the priest encounters Gabriel in the temple. God is on the move, literally as Jesus is born of a virgin. We are indebted to Luke for unique parables like the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son. Only Luke tells us about the disciples who encounter the risen Lord on the road to Emmaus.
In Acts, Luke writes Theophilus again. Notice his words. In the first book he dealt with what Jesus began to do and to teach. In Acts, by implication, he is telling what Jesus continues to do and to teach through his people. Peter is prominent for roughly the first half and Paul for the second half. Luke offers the outline of the book in Acts 1:8. The apostles waited in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit who empowered them to take the good news to the city, then Judea, Samaria and to the end of the earth.
What is Jesus doing and teaching today? The same Spirit who came at Pentecost empowers us to be witnesses of what we have seen God do. We are the ends of the earth Jesus envisioned. As the gospel grows in China and Africa and South America, it seems to be on the decline in Western Europe and the United States. Christianity lost ground before. After the barbarians destroyed the Roman Empire, Christianity was relegated for a season to an island off the coast of Ireland. It came back. Missionaries went out and re-evangelized Europe. It could happen again. Jesus continues to do and to teach through the church today. We may have the chance to re-evangelize our country. The gospel has worked before. It still does. May the sequel of Jesus’ work in the world through his Holy Spirit continue to build on the original for all of us who love God!
Pray with me:
Father, we love you and we thank you for what you are doing and teaching through your church today. Through your Spirit let us continue your work of making disciples of all nations. You have begun a good work in us. Carry it on to completion as you have promised. Through Christ our Lord we pray. Amen.
This year our Every Day with Jesus readings will follow The Bible Project Read Scripture Plan. Copies of this reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download the app at readscripture.org. Read through the Bible with us in 2019!
Joyfully,
Duane
Copyright 2019. All Rights Reserved.
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