We are going to do something a little different for our sermon time. At least it is different for me. For the next while, at least through the Fall we are going to remain in one book of the Bible. That means that when you arrive Each Sunday you will already know which book and chapter of the bible we will be talking about.
That means I will be disciplined enough to keep on track and you can read the book of acts in preparation for what God will have for us in our worship service each Sunday.
I will publish the reading on the back of the bulletin for several weeks in advance The are two Sundays that you will have a guest speaker between now and the end of September that will choose their own subject and scripture.
-- Do you know any good story tellers, I have heard professionals and they can really keep you spell bound, My dad told me the story of “the man with the golden arm” and cared the wits out of me. Renee’s grand father , told stories of the coal mines where he started working as a child and had a series of ghost stories, moving lights that kept his hearers hanging on ever word.
I guess we all get a lot of stories told to us on TV and movies. I would add that many of you get enjoyment from writers in books.
The book of Acts is a book that offers a great read. It is a book that holds the story of the Early Church. How things got started and places of trouble. The book contains adventure, courage, drama heroes and villains.
With all the different movies related to the Bible it is a little surprising that there has not been a movie.
We need to start our time in acts by considering the purpose. What did Luke write this particular portion of the bible? First, he never wrote anything that he expected to become a part of official scripture. The documents he created just ended up being used by the church for teaching about the earliest history of the church and of course several signifent actions which helped the church to expand and grow.
So if Luke was not writing something for the Bible, then why, There are many theories and I will only give you a couple to consider this morning.
One is that Luke has been contracted by a wealthy Christian to document the process of the early church. The Gospel of Luke, is about things he researched, he did not witness Jesus birth or even the crucifixion. He came along later. He is a researcher and writer that is a companion of Paul and perhaps his personal physician. So the majority of what he writes about he has gathered like an investigative reporter. He has interviewed witnesses, he has talked to people that knew the stories and in the Last half of Acts he witnessed the events himself.
The Gospel of Luke opens like this:
In Luke 1:1-4 “ Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
Luke is documenting the actions on Jesus in the Gospel and the in Acts he moves on to the history of the church. Which are the actions of the Holy Spirit.
He seems to be writing to a person in Luke. Then in the first verse of Acts:
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.
So who is Theophilus, and why would Luke spend so much time writing to him?
Theophilus is said to e a common name among Jews and Romans, it is defined as meaning “lover of God.” It sounds a little like a name that might get you beat up on the play ground.
With a meaning of Lover of God, it could easily have been a generic letter to Christians in general.
However, it could just as well be a real person and many scholars point to the language in the opening of Luke where he uses the phrase “Most Excellent” which was the common address for a Roman official.
So perhaps it is a real name of an official. Which leads us to the most common thought of the purpose of the books of Luke and Acts. They were written as briefs for Paul’s trial in Rome. Perhaps, Theophilus is a court official, maybe an attorney representing Paul and Luke has prepared the documents to bring him up to speed on the case.
The form of the book of acts has several features that lead us to that conclusion especially in the later chapters. Where Paul goes through a series of trials and is always found innocent.
Perhaps the document is to the court in general.
In reality, we can’t say with absolute certainty, who, or why the documents were written we can only make an informed guess.
Part of that does contain the certainty that the information that Luke provides is just as valuable to us if not more so than for the audience that he prepared it for initially.
One key thing we learn is that the faithful are never comfortable. They never find that the world around them will just leave them alone and allow them to have any external peace. They never make the assumption that faith will automatically provide them any special comfort, or earthly reward.
In the next few months we will get a little uncomfortable and bothered as we work though Acts, but I thing is will be a good thing because we will also witness how God worked in the past.
We will hopefully pray to see him do similar things in our lives today. Hopefully we will please him by becoming what a New Testament church should be today.
So our scripture today starts with a recap of what has been happening for 40 days after the Resurrection. Luke skips over most of the events and just vices a few highlights.
He starts by mentioning convincing proofs…..not defined here but , in Luke he describes coming to the room and eating…. He says that Jesus appeared over a 40 day period and thought about the kingdom of God.
“On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."”
His over view is a whole lot less that any readers digest book. It connects 40 days of teaching and events into a few sentences.
Wow that is so short but he states it as simple fact. He says it as a person that believes what he is sharing. Luke is providing a testimony to what he has learned second hand….but he is convincenced that it is true.
--When we watch TV and see all thoes commercials…. Are there some that we believe that they really did loose that much weight. The pictures are pretty convincening aren’t they? Thoes commercials must work…they are on all the time. Some body must be deciding to order the product, thinking will if it worked for them I need to try it.
--How about this thought, do you buy anything from a sales man that doesn’t believe in his product. If a car dealer is not excited about the car, you will never be, right?
Luke, is not trying to sell anything but he does want his readers to accept that this book contains truth. He wants readers to have a god understanding of events and be open to the story he is telling.
Luke is telling a story and it contains factual information about the work of the Holy spirit that Jesus told them would come and would comfort and assist them when he was gone.
Ultimately, Luke is explaining that the disciples are being sent to preach the gospel in a hostile world, that has rejected the son of God.
He is going to explain that in the coming pages, that these uneducated men actually go out and do that. But there is one catch…..They don’t do it alone. They will received power when the Holy Spirit came. That power enabled the frightened followers to be witnesses.
What is power? Strength – physical force -- Control ------How about influence!
Isn’t power like most of us would want the ability to get people to agree with us The ability do things we want done.
Isn’t that what politicians want when they are elected.
He is telling his readers that the disciples received power that changed them!
In a period of just over 40 days the followers of Jesus Christ were supernaturally empowered to do something great.
Folks, I believe that the Holy Spirit is just as capable of changing lives and situations today as he was 2000 years ago, He can change people from lost fearful doubting messes to a person that will speak or do what God wants done.
But we must be willing to receive the power. We must be open to the leading of the spirit and willing to respond. Not everybody that witnessed Jesus in thoes 40 days responded. Some left when he left and were not willing to give in to the spirit.
The disciples ask , "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
They so want to see Jesus perform the ultimate miracle. To release Israel form the bondage to Rome. To be a free people.
But that is not what the mission of Jesus has been about.
Jesus Explains, "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Jesus is telling them two things, First, God in ultimately in control and no body knows his exact plans. He is the ultimate authority and that means he is calling all the shots.
Second, The power that is coming will make them powerful…..Influential….
They are to be witnesses to Jerusalem the site of persecution and condemnation, to all of Israel…. To the Samaritans thoes half breed foreigners, and to the ends of the earth – the complete unknown.
The power is going to change them into something completely different. The will no longer be students but Teachers.
The will no longer have debilitation fear, but will be able to speak in front of enemies.
Then – Jesus leaves…..
For the previous 40 days he seems to pop in and out like a magician. This time it is different.
The scripture says, “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.”
We see neat effects that are compleately tricks of movies and TV allt he time. We have seen Majicians do fantastic things that compleately fools us.
But, these people that witnessed Jesus departure this time saw something mind blowning. They could not have imagined this was a trick. There was not basis to think it was anything except what they saw and they were complely dazzeled. Jesus just rises up and up and up until he is hidden in the clouds.
They are standing there watching the sky, like a kid loosing a helium balloon. Watching as it rises out of sight.
Only Luke mentions the ascension of Jesus. He explains it at the end of the Gospel of Luke and he starts the book of Acts with it.
So what is so important about this moment for Luke?
I believe that for him this was the official hand off of the ministry of Jesus, the business of God moved from the Son to the believers in the Son.
They are now responsible for explaining the kingdom of God to a world that say only disappointment and punishment. They thought their works were a way to appease God and never considered that God desired a relationship.
The relationship is fueled by the power of the holy spirit.
The scripture Picks up:
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Two messengers, two angels, appear and say, why are ya’ll standing here looking up like a bunch of turkeys. Haven’t you seen people floating in the sky before?
Perhaps, that is not what they mean. From this description, we learn the method Jesus will use when he returns.
