September begins a new school year. I’m definitely praying that this year will be an uninterrupted year for the students, that school will be much more “normal” that the previous 2 years. Because I was a teacher over my life, I tend to think of September as more of a New Year than January. And, as restrictions ease over the pandemic protocols, it almost seems like we are all beginning a new time this September.
For many churches, this September is a new start as well. Are there things we need to rethink as a result of the pandemic? Are there new things our church should start? Are there old programs that should stop? Where is God leading us at the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2023?
Over the next month or so, we’re going to read through the Book of Acts. It’s an exciting story of the beginning of the church. There were a lot of hurdles to overcome as this early church transitioned from their Jewish faith centered around the Temple with the many laws to be kept, to a church where the Holy Spirit indwelt each believer. We also follow this new movement of Christianity as it leaves Jerusalem and goes into the known world at that time.
The author of Acts is Luke. Before we start looking at Acts, I thought you might be interested in finding out who Luke was. This information comes from gotquestions.org, an online Bible resource that answers tons of questions with many reliable Christian leaders giving the information.
Little is known about Luke, the author of the books of Luke and Acts in the Bible. We do know he was a physician and the only Gentile to write any part of the New Testament. Both Luke and Acts are addressed to the same person, Theophilus. No one knows exactly who Theophiluswas, but we know that Luke’s purpose in writing the two companion books was for him to know with certainty about the person and work of Jesus Christ (Luke 1: 4).
Luke was a close friend of Paul, who referred to him as “the beloved physician”. Paul also refers to Luke as a “fellow laborer”. Luke joined Paul in Troas in Asia Minor during Paul’s second missionary journey and was left in Philippi until he was picked up again to travel with Paul in the third journey. Luke accompanied Paul on his journey to Jerusalem and Rome and was with him during his imprisonment there.
Acts 1: 1 – 11 (New Living Translation – NLT)
“The Promise of the Holy Spirit
In my first book (Gospel of Luke) I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit.3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.
4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
The Ascension of Jesus
6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”
7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”
Notice how detailed Luke is in summarizing the last days Jesus was on earth. (Luke also wrote about Jesus’ resurrection and last days on earth in Luke 24.) He wants us to know that we can believe the facts. He mentions that Jesus met with his followers for 40 days in many places, and that he proved to them in several ways that he was definitely alive. The resurrection is the pivotal point in Christianity. There are many other religions, but all their founders died and were buried. Only Christianity says that its “founder” is physically alive after being put to death – and Luke wants people to be sure that is true.
But I consider the news about the coming of the Holy Spirit as the most exciting news in this chapter. Luke will go on to describe it in detail in chapter 2. It’s interesting that the disciples wanted to know the political future of Israel. “So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” (v. 6) That topic came up many times during Jesus’ life, and you can understand why. They lived in a country under Rome’s rule. They believed that Jesus had a new message that differed from their Jewish traditions, but they also hoped that Jesus would free them from the Roman Empire. They took Old Testament prophecies in a literal way – that Messiah would set Israel up as an independent nation forever.
But Jesus tells them what the new focus will be. It’s not Israel’s return to power, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”. (v. 8) God’s kingdom is not a political one; it’s a spiritual one. Spreading this Good News is God’s focus in Acts and today, and the power to do it comes from the Holy Spirit.
Our world today needs to hear this message – that we can have a relationship with God because of Jesus’ resurrection and presence in heaven and the Holy Spirit’s work on earth. As our churches resume their programs and outreach, we need to get involved to make the church we attend function well. Don’t just attend. Be part of the ministry in some way. Also, invite people to come with you. More than ever, we need to grasp God’s message to us in Acts – “you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”.
As vacations end, and life returns to its routines, let’s start praying and thinking how we can help our churches become life-giving centers in our communities. Know that the Holy Spirit is with us as we reach out.
Our song for today is The Commission by CAIN