ADVANCED Bible Study UNVARNISHED TRUTH: LIFE S GREATEST STORY UNSTOPPABLE GOSPEL Fall 2016
SESSION 7 UNSTOPPABLE MISSION THE PASSAGE Acts 1:4-8,12-14 THE POINT The Holy Spirit empowers us to spread the gospel. THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE When you saw the word unstoppable, what did you think about? Maybe you know that term as a movie title about a runaway train carrying toxic chemicals. Or perhaps you thought of a song about an unstoppable God. In the context of our study in the Book of Acts, unstoppable refers to the growth of the early church and the power of the gospel in our own world. Sometimes even opponents of Christianity acknowledged the power of the gospel. Gamaliel, a Jewish leader mentioned in Acts 5, realized that telling the disciples to stop preaching about Jesus was foolish. He told the Sanhedrin that if this movement were merely human in origin, it would die out eventually. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God (Acts 5:39, NIV). If we agree that Christianity has an unstoppable mission, why do so many Christians fail to have the same passion 86
THE POINT: The Holy Spirit empowers us to spread the gospel. and commitment we see among disciples in the opening chapters of Acts? Maybe we know that a bold witness about Christ might offend some people in our pluralistic culture. Perhaps we think witnessing should be the task of church staff members and missionaries. Since I teach ministry students at a Baptist college, I see the depth of their commitment daily. Yet you and I know that some Christians need to reset their priorities and take the message of the Book of Acts seriously. I. Howard Marshall correctly stated, Luke makes it clear that in his view the essential task of the church is mission. 1 And John Polhill wrote: The story of Acts can perhaps be summarized in the single phrase the triumph of the gospel. It is a triumphant story of how the early Christian community in the power of the Spirit saturated their world with the message of God s salvation in Jesus Christ. 2 THE SETTING According to a strong tradition, the author of the Book of Acts was Luke. Paul described Luke as a physician (Col. 4:14). Some passages in Acts, such as 16:10, are written in the first person plural ( we ), denoting that Luke traveled with Paul at some points on his missionary journeys. Although both the Gospel According to Luke and the Book of Acts are anonymous, Christians generally agree Luke wrote both books. The recipient of both books was Theophilus, a name that means friend of God or lover of God. Theophilus cannot be identified with certainty, but he might have been a new convert or even a Roman official who was interested in Christianity. Acts ends with the apostle Paul in Rome under house arrest (Acts 28:30-31). According to Christian tradition, Paul was executed at the order of Emperor Nero in the 60s. 87
Session 7 Unstoppable Mission STUDY THE BIBLE Acts 1:4-5 4 While He was together with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father s promise. This, He said, is what you heard from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. Jesus Promised to Empower Us with the Holy Spirit. Since the Book of Acts is a sequel to Luke s Gospel, Luke began with a transitional statement for Theophilus and all readers. Luke s Gospel had covered Jesus earthly ministry, His death, and His resurrection. Luke noted that the risen Jesus had appeared to His followers for 40 days before He was taken up (v. 2). The first key event in the Book of Acts then was Jesus final words to His disciples before His ascension (vv. 9-11). Jesus had appeared to His followers several times before His departure. Now He was together with them again. This phrase might mean he was eating with them (NIV), and He certainly had shared meals with them many times. At this final meeting on the Mount of Olives (v. 12), Jesus told the disciples to stay in Jerusalem until the Father s promise had been fulfilled. Then Jesus pointed to the need for the disciples to be empowered with the Holy Spirit. When Jesus met with His followers at the end of Luke s Gospel, He told them they would take the gospel to all nations: And look, I am sending you what My Father promised. As for you, stay in the city until you are empowered from on high (Luke 24:49). Even earlier, in the upper room 88
THE POINT: The Holy Spirit empowers us to spread the gospel. on the night Jesus was betrayed, Jesus had promised them that they would receive the Holy Spirit in the days ahead. John 14 16 gives us many details about Jesus teaching on the Holy Spirit. He assured them that He would not leave [them] as orphans (John 14:18). Jesus disciples would have been familiar with the Old Testament teaching on God s Spirit as well as what Jesus had said. The Hebrew and Greek words for Spirit can mean wind, breath, or spirit with either a capital or lower case s. Jews knew, for instance, that God s Spirit could turn a valley of dry bones into a living army (Ezek. 37). Jesus had compared God s Spirit to the wind in His conversation with Nicodemus (John 3:8). The reality of the Holy Spirit would not have been a new idea to them, but Jesus wanted them to know that they would soon experience the power of the Holy Spirit in their ministry. Jesus also reminded them of the distinction between the baptisms performed by John the Baptist and the baptism with the Holy Spirit they would receive soon. John the Baptist had called fellow Jews to be baptized as a sign of their repentance for sins (Luke 3:3). John the Baptist knew he was not the Messiah; he was a forerunner for the Messiah. John s baptism did not empower his followers with the Holy Spirit. In fact, Paul later encountered some followers of John the Baptist in Ephesus and learned they were not familiar with the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-7). The fulfillment of the Father s promise would be the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (2:1-4). Pentecost, also known as the Feast of Weeks, was a Jewish holy day that occurred 50 days after Passover (Lev. 23:16). It s original purpose was a celebration over the wheat harvest. Since Jesus had appeared to the disciples for 40 days, they received the Holy Spirit about 10 days after Jesus ascension. 89
Session 7 Unstoppable Mission You likely have heard testimonies from Christians about how the Holy Spirit is working in their lives, empowering them for ministry and in living the Christian life. Ideally you also are aware of the power of the Holy Spirit in your life. Jesus does not expect us to serve Him in our own strength and ingenuity. As God s people, we are empowered by God s Spirit! What are some lasting truths in Acts 1:4-5? 1. Jesus gave His followers clear instructions about where the power comes from to serve Him. 2. God empowers all believers with His Holy Spirit. 3. We should not attempt ministry or service in our own power; we need to rely on God s power. Acts 1:6-8 6 So when they had come together, they asked Him, Lord, are You restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time? 7 He said to them, It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by His own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. The Spirit Empowers Us to Be His Witnesses Locally and Globally. Jesus must have been a very patient teacher! In verse 6 the disciples asked Him a question concerning the kingdom that reflected a serious misunderstanding of His teaching about the kingdom. The kingdom of God was a major topic in Jesus teaching and preaching during His earthly ministry. Mark, for instance, summarized Jesus early preaching: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of 90
THE POINT: The Holy Spirit empowers us to spread the gospel. God has come near. Repent and believe in the good news! (Mark 1:15). Jesus had talked about the kingdom during the 40 days of His resurrection appearances (Acts 1:3). Apparently, the disciples still thought of God s kingdom as a national, political kingdom. They wondered when the kingdom would be restored to Israel. In the Old Testament Israel could refer to the entire Jewish nation. After the division of the nation at the death of King Solomon, Israel usually referred to the Northern Kingdom (Ephraim), with Judah being the Southern Kingdom. Jesus emphasis had been on the kingdom of God as God s reign or rule over His people, not a nation or piece of real estate. God reigns whenever and wherever people do His will (Matt. 6:10). When Jesus appeared before Pontius Pilate, He declared, My kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). Many Bible students stress that Jesus inaugurated the kingdom through His death and resurrection, and the kingdom will be completed when He returns. Jesus replied to the disciples that they could not know times or periods that the Father has set by His own authority. In an earlier discussion, Jesus had noted that not even the Son knew the exact time for end-time events (Matt. 24:36). Many people today share the disciples curiosity about the future. Curiosity is not always bad, but Jesus knew that too much attention to times or periods could be distracting. The disciples were too preoccupied with a nationalistic understanding of the kingdom of God and the time for its arrival. Jesus wanted to focus their attention on the task they had right then. Rather than speculate about the future of the kingdom, the disciples needed to wait for an empowering by the Holy Spirit. They would receive power when the Holy Spirit was given to them. The word power translates a 91
Session 7 Unstoppable Mission Greek word used in the Gospels for miracles Jesus performed. Jesus did not go into detail here about all the ways that God s Spirit would be active in their lives. Speaking in tongues on the day of Pentecost was a dramatic demonstration of spiritual power. At other times, the Spirit empowered Christians to give a bold witness for Christ (4:8). As a result of the empowering by the Holy Spirit, Jesus followers would be witnesses to Him and for Him. The word witness has several shades of meaning. First, a witness is someone who can testify to what he or she has seen and heard. Later on, when the Jewish leaders ordered Peter and John to stop preaching about Jesus, they said we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard (4:20). A witness in a courtroom today is obligated to testify truthfully to what he or she knows firsthand. Jesus had told the disciples in the upper room that they would testify about Him: You also will testify, because you have been with Me from the beginning (John 15:27). Second, the Greek word rendered witness in verse 8 also came to mean someone who dies for Christ, a martyr. Later in the Book of Acts, Stephen became the first Christian martyr when he was stoned by an angry mob (7:54-60). James, the brother of John, was the first of the 12 apostles to die as a martyr when he was killed by King Herod Agrippa I (12:1-2). Although Jesus stressed the verbal witness of His followers here in verse 8, this second meaning is evident throughout Christian history. Many have died in recent years in situations that were hostile to a verbal witness for Jesus. Also, in verse 8, Jesus identified the scope of the Christian mission then and now. Many Bible students take these geographical terms to be a general outline for the Book of Acts. The Christian witness started in Jerusalem, the key city in the Jewish world. The opening chapters of Acts give details 92
THE POINT: The Holy Spirit empowers us to spread the gospel. about Christian activity in Jerusalem. When Stephen was killed, the resulting persecution caused Christians to go into the regions of Judea and Samaria (8:1). Judea was roughly the old southern kingdom. Samaria was generally equivalent to the old northern kingdom. Jesus and His followers had visited Samaria earlier, but the Jews generally had a strong anti-samaritan prejudice. The ends of the earth refers to the global mission of the early church. A large part of the Book of Acts deals with Paul s missionary journeys and the advance of the gospel into the known world of that time. Today, many of us are familiar with the notions of local missions, home missions, and foreign missions. Although the terminology has changed in my lifetime, the overall idea remains the same. Christians have an obligation to take the good news about Jesus around the world. Every spring the Baptist college where I teach has a commissioning chapel. Many students, teachers, and staff are commissioned to go on summer mission trips. Some minister in local areas (Oklahoma for us), some across the United States, and some around the world. Although many Christians gladly acknowledge the relevance of verse 8 for us today, some struggle with how it impacts their lives. Although I teach many ministry students who are willing to go anywhere to serve Jesus, I know many older people who cannot do that. Of course there are exceptions, since some older Christians are still active. However, we can support God s unstoppable mission in many ways. Short-term mission trips are excellent. Praying for others who go or who are on various mission fields is vital. Financial contributions facilitate many forms of ministry as well. Sitting in the corner of my office is a globe that was given to me over 40 years ago by a good friend. Although the names of some countries have changed, seeing that 93
Session 7 Unstoppable Mission globe every day reminds me that I have an obligation to support all kinds of missionary causes around the world. What are some lasting truths in Acts 1:6-8? 1. Sometimes Christians misunderstand what Jesus taught us about God s plans and God s timing and we need to be corrected and re-focused. 2. The Holy Spirit empowers us to do whatever God wants us to do. 3. Witnessing for Christ can take many forms. 4. Believers are to witness for Christ locally and globally. Acts 1:12-14 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem a Sabbath day s journey away. 13 When they arrived, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14 All these were continually united in prayer, along with the women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers. Prayer Unites Believers in Our Focus on Christ and His Mission. After reviewing the details of Jesus ascension, Luke described a prayer meeting in Jerusalem. We learn that the ascension occurred the mount called the Mount of 94
THE POINT: The Holy Spirit empowers us to spread the gospel. Olives, located not too far from Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives had been the scene for some of Jesus most famous teaching, including His discussion of the end of the age (Matt. 24:3). Luke noted that the trip from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem was a Sabbath day s journey, not necessarily meaning the trip occurred on a Sabbath. According to ancient Jewish sources, a Jew could travel no farther than 2,000 cubits (about three quarters of a mile) on the Sabbath. (For further background, see the article Sabbath-Day Restrictions, in the current Fall 2016 issue of Biblical Illustrator.) In Jerusalem, the disciples gathered in a room upstairs. Luke s first readers might have known the exact location, but today Bible students can only speculate. This room might have been the same upper room where Jesus and the disciples celebrated the Passover. Some think the room might have been in the home of John Mark s mother (Acts 12:12). At least the disciples had a place large enough to gather and pray; in fact, it was large enough for them to stay there. Luke listed the 11 apostles who attended. Later, Luke reported the death of Judas Iscariot and the selection of a successor for the man who betrayed Jesus (1:16-26). The list of names of the 11 apostles in verse 13 is similar to other New Testament lists (Matt. 10:2-2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:14-16). The differences usually are accounted for by some disciples having more than one name. Although 11 apostles are named in verse 12, only Peter, James, and John are highlighted later in the Book of Acts. Peter and Paul are central to the later chapters of Acts. Luke also mentioned that the group that was gathered for prayer included some women. Bible students often note that Luke stressed the role of women in the ministry of Jesus and in the early church more than other writers. For instance, some women helped Jesus and the disciples with 95
Session 7 Unstoppable Mission their finances (Luke 8:2-3). Later in Acts, Luke noted women such as Lydia (Acts 16:11-15) and Priscilla (18:26). The prayer meeting also included Mary the mother of Jesus. Luke had given us the details of Mary s conception and the birth of Jesus in his Gospel (Luke 1 2). Although Mary may have had reservations about Jesus early in His ministry (Mark 3:20-21,31-35), Mary became a devout follower of Jesus after His resurrection. Luke also noted Jesus brothers were in the prayer meeting. Many Christians believe these brothers were the children of Mary and Joseph, born to the couple after the virgin birth of Jesus. Some scholars suggest these brothers were children of Joseph from a prior marriage. The brothers are named in Mark 6:3. Paul reported that James saw the risen Jesus (1 Cor. 15:7). James became a leader in the Jerusalem church (Acts 15:13-21). He also was mentioned by Paul (Gal. 1:19). According to Christian tradition, the Book of James was written by Jesus brother James, even though the author of the Book of James did not identify himself that way (Jas. 1:1). Jude, another brother of Jesus, generally is considered the author of the Book of Jude. Having seen the ascension of Jesus, the apostles and these other believers united in prayer. Luke often noted the role of prayer in the ministry of Jesus and in the early church. Jesus regularly prayed (Luke 6:12), and His example of prayer led the disciples to ask Him to teach them how to pray (11:1). Jesus responded to His disciples by giving them what we traditionally call the Lord s Prayer (vv. 2-4), although many are more familiar with the longer version in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 6:9-13). Prayer was a regular practice in the early church (Acts 2:42; 4:31). Luke did not report the details of the content of this prayer meeting in Acts 1:14. If you have a strong back- 96
THE POINT: The Holy Spirit empowers us to spread the gospel. ground in personal and corporate prayer, you realize that prayer is primarily addressed to God. We reach out to God about all of the things that concern us. We also praise God for His many blessings in our lives. Many Christians know the familiar acrostic A-C-T-S as a way of identifying the key components of prayer. The A stands for adoration, or praise of God. The C represents confession of our sins. The T points to our thanksgiving for everything God has done for us. The S points to supplication, which includes petitionary and intercessory prayers. Petitionary prayer is when we ask God for His help in our own lives. Intercessory prayer is when we ask God to help other people. Although we do not know exactly what the Christians in Acts 1:14 prayed about, their prayers might have included any or all of the items in A-C-T-S. When we pray together, we are united with other believers. It s hard to disagree with one another when we commit our concerns to God in prayer. Ideally, prayer focuses our attention on God and God s agenda for our lives rather than on concerns that might be self-centered or petty. Quite likely these believers in that upper room were praying about what Jesus had said during the 40 days of His appearances after His resurrection, and especially about His instructions in 1:8. They undoubtedly would have been eager to experience the empowering of the Holy Spirit Jesus promised. They also might have pondered the implications of taking the gospel message to the ends of the earth (1:8). A short prayer meeting on a Wednesday night, such as I regularly attend, may not solve all the problems we face today, but the pattern of prayer in the early church reminds us that Christians today need to be a people of prayer. Praying alone and together with other believers will help us keep our attention on Christ and His mission. Our mission will 97
Session 7 Unstoppable Mission be unstoppable because it is the same mission that inspired Jesus original followers. What are some lasting truths in Acts 1:12-14? 1. Christians today share the same mission with the early Christians telling others about Jesus. 2. Praying together can unite us and keep us from focusing on the minor issues that often divide Christians. 3. Praying together can keep our focus on Jesus, our Lord and Savior, and His mission for the church today. 4. Jesus mission is unstoppable. LIVE IT OUT Respond to the following as you reflect on this Bible study: Give some specific examples of how the Holy Spirit has empowered you to witness for Jesus. What types of people do you typically witness to about Jesus Christ? How has praying with fellow Christians united you? Which component of A-C-T-S is most common in your private prayers? Which component is most lacking? 1 I. Howard Marshall, The Acts of the Apostles, in the Tyndale New Testament Commentaries [Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1980], 49. 2 John B. Polhill, Acts, vol. 26, in The New American Commentary [Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992], 71. 98
SESSION 8 UNSTOPPABLE MESSAGE THE PASSAGE Acts 2:22-24,32-33,36-38 THE POINT Jesus died for our sins, rose again, and reigns as Lord. THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE Are you a member of any group, club, or organization right now? How many such groups have you identified with at any time in your life? For a long time I was a joiner, meaning I often joined organizations for a variety of reasons. When I was in college, for example, I belonged to a student organization that took care of the college mascot, a bison. The guys in the club fed the bison and kept his pen clean. Like many organizations, however, this group was short-lived. Eventually the bison was taken to a farm. The club tried to maintain its identity for a while, but the group eventually disbanded. Probably you have been a member of a group that had a worthy cause, benefitting society in some way. My wife was a volunteer in many humanitarian groups across the years. This session focuses on what makes the church unique among all organizations. A sociologist might see many similarities among churches, businesses, social clubs, sorori- 99
Session 8 Unstoppable Message ties, and other organizations. From the human level, groups often have mission statements, officers, budgets, and other common features. The church is unique, however, because of its unchanging message. The church was founded to proclaim the message of salvation in Jesus Christ. The church is committed to its original leader, Jesus, but He is not a mere human leader. His death on the cross for our sins, His resurrection, and His ongoing reign as Lord and Savior make Him unique. Although local churches are important to many of us for their humanitarian deeds, fellowship, and service to the community, the church is distinctive because of what it proclaims about Jesus. The church s unstoppable message is the unstoppable gospel, the good news of salvation through Jesus. THE SETTING In last week s session we learned that Jesus told His disciples to remain in Jerusalem until they received power from the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). The disciples obeyed Jesus and gathered in Jerusalem to pray and to select a successor for Judas. On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples, and they began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech (Acts 2:4). Jews from around the known world had moved to Jerusalem, and many visitors were in town for this important holy day. The crowd was amazed to hear the disciples speaking in their own languages (v. 6). They presumed the disciples had not studied these foreign languages, so how could they speak them? Some speculated that somehow the disciples were drunk (v. 13). The Holy Spirit played a major role throughout the Book of Acts. The empowering of the Holy Spirit was not always 100
THE POINT: Jesus died for our sins, rose again, and reigns as Lord. manifest with the gift of speaking in tongues, but Acts reported a total of four events that are similar. The event in Acts 2 could be called the Jewish Pentecost since it actually happened on the Jewish holy day. A Samaritan Pentecost happened when converts in Samaria received the Holy Spirit (8:14-17). The Gentile Pentecost was when Cornelius and other Gentiles received the Holy Spirit (10:44-46). A Baptist or Ephesian Pentecost-type event was when the followers of John the Baptist in Ephesus received the Holy Spirit (19:1-7). Although these four Pentecost-type events are dramatic and memorable, the Holy Spirit was active in many other ways in the early church. STUDY THE BIBLE Acts 2:22-24 22 Men of Israel, listen to these words: This Jesus the Nazarene was a man pointed out to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through Him, just as you yourselves know. 23 Though He was delivered up according to God s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail Him to a cross and kill Him. 24 God raised Him up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it. Jesus Died and Rose Again to Bring Salvation. When some members of the crowd suggested the disciples were drunk, Peter responded. Peter was often the major spokesperson for the disciples in Jerusalem. Standing with the Eleven (v. 14), Peter explained that the disciples ability to speak in tongues was the fulfillment of a prophecy of Joel. 101
Session 8 Unstoppable Message Peter quoted Joel 2:28-32 to demonstrate that centuries earlier God had spoken to Joel about the event they had just observed. Rather than being drunk, the disciples were empowered by God s Spirit to communicate in languages the crowd recognized as their own native tongues. Peter began his sermon by addressing Men of Judah and all you residents of Jerusalem (Acts 2:14). After noting the importance of Joel s prophecy, Peter identified his audience as Men of Israel (v. 22). At this point the primary audience for the gospel message was Jews. The mission to the Samaritans and Gentiles (1:8) began after the persecution that involved Saul (8:1). Peter focused his sermon on Jesus. He identified Jesus as the Nazarene, which means Jesus grew up in Nazareth ( Jesus of Nazareth, NIV). Matthew mentioned this term when he reported that Mary, Joseph, and the young Jesus returned from Egypt and settled in Nazareth (Matt. 2:23). Jesus had been born in Bethlehem, but some people thought of Him as a native of Nazareth (John 1:46). Peter quickly noted that God had empowered Jesus to do many miracles, wonders, and signs. The Gospels and Book of Acts are full of stories about Jesus miracles and the miracles done by His followers. These miraculous events were not merely unusual and dramatic; they always pointed to the uniqueness of Jesus. In Acts every reference to miracles is in the context of the apostolic message of the resurrected Jesus going forth. 1 The Greek word rendered miracles or deeds of power (NRSV) is the root for our word dynamite. This word covers miracles such as healing of the sick and exorcisms of evil spirits. The words wonders and signs suggest that these unusual events point to something important or significant we can learn from them. The word signs, for instance, is a key word in John s Gospel. 102
THE POINT: Jesus died for our sins, rose again, and reigns as Lord. John reported several signs done by Jesus that pointed to His relation to God the Father. The first sign, for example, was Jesus changing water into wine (John 2:11). In verse 23 Peter focused on the crucifixion of Jesus. We need to recall that the crucifixion had occurred roughly 50 days earlier and would have been fresh on the minds of many in the audience. The day of Pentecost was a Jewish holy day celebrated 50 days after Passover, and Jesus died in the Passover season. Peter stressed the complementary roles of God and humans in the death of Jesus. Jesus sacrificial death on the cross occurred according to God s determined plan and foreknowledge. As William Barclay noted, the Cross was no accident. It belonged to the eternal plan of God. 2 Jesus death for our sins was part of God s set purpose. Peter did not dwell on the details of God s eternal plan for the redemption of human sinners. He quickly noted the role of lawless people who killed Jesus. The activities of people such as Judas, who betrayed Jesus, the Jewish leaders, who tried Jesus, and Roman officials such as Pontius Pilate, who allowed the crucifixion, are included in the category lawless people or wicked men (NIV). There are many facets to the death of Jesus, and Peter carefully balanced the elements of God s divine purposes and the human responsibility for the crucifixion of Jesus. 3 Peter then stressed that God raised Jesus from the dead. Luke already had noted that the risen Jesus appeared for 40 days before His ascension. Surely many in Peter s audience had heard stories about these appearances of the risen Jesus, even if they had not actually seen Jesus themselves. Later on, the apostle Paul summarized several of these appearance stories (1 Cor. 15:5-8). Paul also reminded the Christians in Corinth about the centrality of belief in Jesus 103
Session 8 Unstoppable Message resurrection (vv. 13-14). Here Peter stressed to his Jerusalem audience that God s raising of Jesus ended Jesus pains of death ( agony of death, NIV). The Greek word translated pains literally could be rendered birth pangs. Although the early believers were convinced of the reality of Jesus resurrection, the Book of Acts reports resistance to this key Christian belief. The Sadducees, for instance, were Jews who rejected the general idea of resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:8). Their resistance to preaching about Jesus will be central in a later session. At the Areopagus in Athens, some of the apostle Paul s audience ridiculed belief in bodily resurrection because of their commitment to pagan philosophies (17:32). Peter reinforced his affirmation of Jesus resurrection with a quotation from David in Psalm 16:8-11 (2:25-28). Peter explained that David was not talking about his own escape from death. Indeed, Peter s audience knew about David s tomb (v. 29). Rather, David s psalm was a prophecy about his descendant, the Messiah, who would be raised from the dead instead of remaining dead as David did (vv. 30-31). Our salvation is based on two of the crucial points in Peter s sermon. First, Jesus died as part of God s eternal redemptive plan for human sinners. Second, God raised Jesus from the dead. Unless both of these facts are true and acknowledged by sinners, they will miss the salvation God offers through Jesus (1 Cor. 15:3-4). What are some lasting truths in Acts 2:22-24? 1. God demonstrated His special relation to Jesus by empowering Jesus to perform many miracles. 2. The death of Jesus resulted from God s eternal plan of salvation and the actions of sinful humans. 3. God raised Jesus from the dead, confirming Jesus special relation to God the Father as His Son. 104
THE POINT: Jesus died for our sins, rose again, and reigns as Lord. Acts 2:32-33,36 32 God has resurrected this Jesus. We are all witnesses of this. 33 Therefore, since He has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, He has poured out what you both see and hear.............................................. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah! Jesus Is Exalted As Lord. After citing David s psalm about the resurrection of the Messiah, Peter reminded his audience that God has resurrected this Jesus. The historical reality of Jesus resurrection was and is central to the Christian faith. In an effort to discredit the witness of believers to the risen Jesus, the Jewish religious leaders bribed the guards at Jesus tomb to say the disciples had stolen Jesus body (Matt. 28:11-15). Across the centuries other theories have been proposed by non-believers in an attempt to raise doubts about Jesus resurrection. For example, some claim Jesus did not really die on the cross but merely passed out. Christian apologists have offered sound refutations to all these theories. Peter declared, We are all witnesses of this. Peter was standing with the other 11 apostles at the beginning of his sermon (Acts 2:14). We know that the successor to Judas had been selected from people who were eye witnesses to Jesus resurrection (1:21-26). Paul reported that at one time the risen Jesus appeared to over 500 people (1 Cor. 15:6). We cannot be sure how many of these witnesses to the resurrection were present on the day of Pentecost, but Peter 105
Session 8 Unstoppable Message knew that in a courtroom he could call many witnesses to testify about Jesus! The apostles had seen Jesus ascend (Acts 1:9-11). In Acts 2:33 Peter affirmed that Jesus had been exalted to the right hand of God. Several New Testament texts reinforce what Peter stated. For instance, Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God (7:56). Paul mentioned the risen Jesus being seated at God s right hand (Eph. 1:20). The traditional term session refers to Jesus being seated near God the Father and interceding for believers. The New Testament also suggests that the risen Jesus is not localized in the same way as an ordinary human is. Jesus had told His followers that He would be with them always (Matt. 28:20). Peter s main point was that the risen Jesus had a glorified body and was in the presence of God the Father. The exalted Jesus, Peter stated, received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit. Many Christians will see in this statement that Peter was pointing toward the Christian belief in the Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity encompasses the relations of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Several New Testament texts mention all three manifestations of the one God. For example, Jesus commanded believers to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19). Paul referred to all three divine persons at the end of 2 Corinthians (2 Cor. 13:13; v. 14 in most other English translations). Christians today often use analogies to illustrate the relations of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. No analogy is perfect, but some of them help us understand an important theological truth. In his sermon Peter stressed the intimate relation of Father, Son, and Spirit as the context for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples through the mediation of Jesus, 106
THE POINT: Jesus died for our sins, rose again, and reigns as Lord. God s Son. Jesus poured out what you both see and hear. In the upper room, Jesus had touched on the many tasks of the Holy Spirit and anticipated Peter s comment. Jesus said, When the Counselor comes, the One I will send to you from the Father the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father He will testify about Me (John 15:26). Peter again quoted one of David s psalms to reinforce his point in verses 34b-35. Psalm 110:1 speaks of the Lord sitting at God s right hand. David was not talking about himself; David pointed to the exaltation of the Messiah. Peter hoped his audience would now acknowledge that Jesus, the person they crucified was indeed both Lord and Messiah. The New Testament authors used a wide range of word pictures, images, and titles to capture who Jesus was and is. Peter was inspired here to highlight two of the most important ones. First, Jesus is Lord. Bible students often note that Jesus is Lord was a crucial affirmation of the early church (Phil. 2:11; Rom. 10:9). Although the Greek word rendered Lord might be a modest term of respect in some contexts, when it is used about Jesus it points to His deity. A first-century Jew knew that the Hebrew name for God, often spelled Yahweh today, was too sacred to say out loud. Eventually the Jews said the Hebrew word Adonai (Lord) out loud rather than saying Yahweh. For a Jew to affirm Jesus as Lord required acknowledging Jesus deity. Anyone in the first century, Jew or Gentile, knew that the term Lord was an affirmation of loyalty or allegiance. Early Christians rejected appeals to acknowledge pagan gods, the Roman emperor as a god, or worship of angels. For them, only Jesus was Lord. Second, Peter noted that Jesus was the fulfillment of the Jewish expectations about the Messiah. Messiah, or Christ, means anointed one. Peter had been at the center 107
Session 8 Unstoppable Message of a famous episode when Jesus tried to clarify what kind of Messiah He was. At Caesarea Philippi, Peter had boldly called Jesus the Messiah, the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:16). Jesus then explained to Peter and the other apostles that He would suffer and die before He was raised from the dead (v. 21). Peter could not accept that view of messiahship, and Jesus had to rebuke Peter (vv. 22-23). As Peter preached to the Jews on the day of Pentecost, he could affirm that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah. Like many sermons today, Peter s sermon was heading toward a call to commitment. Peter stated crisply and clearly what his audience needed to affirm about Jesus. It would not be enough for them to say that Jesus was a great teacher, social reformer, prophet, or martyr. Jesus was the resurrected, exalted Lord and Messiah. What are some lasting truths in Acts 2:32-33,36? 1. Early Christians were eye witnesses to the fact that Jesus had experienced a bodily resurrection. 2. The risen Jesus now is seated at the right hand of God the Father. 3. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are unified in providing the power of the Holy Spirit to all believers. 4. Jesus is both the fulfillment of the Jewish hope for the Messiah and our Lord and Savior. Acts 2:37-38 37 When they heard this, they came under deep conviction and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: Brothers, what must we do? 38 Repent, Peter said to them, and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the 108
THE POINT: Jesus died for our sins, rose again, and reigns as Lord. forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Message of Christ Calls for a Response. Peter s sermon on the day of Pentecost began with a clarification of the miraculous speaking in tongues and then moved to a discussion of the death, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus. Peter clearly anticipated that his audience needed to make some kind of response to his claims about Jesus. God used Peter s sermon to convict the audience of their need for salvation. Luke noted that they came under deep conviction. That phrase could be rendered they were cut to the heart (NIV). The crowd asked Peter and the other apostles, Brothers, what must we do? This heartfelt question is similar to the one the Philippian jailer put to Paul and Silas, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (16:30). Peter replied to the crowd, stating several actions that overlap and are interdependent. First, they needed to repent. The Greek word for repent includes much more than feeling sorry for some mistake. F. F. Bruce called it a complete change of heart, a spiritual about-face. 4 Second, they needed to be baptized. John the Baptist had preached about repentance and baptism, but Peter insisted on baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. Baptism is the outer symbol of the inner repentance and conversion Christians experience. Our baptism signifies the forgiveness of sins. The preposition for can mean on the ground of, on the basis of rather than being the prerequisite for forgiveness. 5 Although some groups insist being baptized is part of the salvation process, the overall witness of the New Testament is that baptism is a symbol of forgiveness. Third, as followers of Jesus, they would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. According to the New Testament, to be 109
Session 8 Unstoppable Message a Christian means to be in Christ and in the Spirit. Paul described himself as a man in Christ (2 Cor. 12:2). Paul also contrasted life in the flesh and life in the Spirit, telling believers, You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God lives in you (Rom. 8:9). Paul also referred to the gifts of the Spirit several times. F. F. Bruce noted, however, The gift of the Spirit is to be distinguished from the gifts of the Spirit. The gift of the Spirit is the Spirit himself, bestowed by the exalted Lord under the Father s authority; the gifts of the Spirit are those spiritual faculties which the Spirit imparts. 6 The response to Peter s sermon was positive. About 3,000 people were added to the church that day (2:41). About 120 were identified as followers of Jesus earlier in Acts (1:15). Sometimes, however, the response to the gospel was negative. When, for instance, Stephen boldly preached to fellow Jews, they were enraged in their hearts and gnashed their teeth at him (7:54). These angry people then killed Stephen. Today, people still need to make a response to the message about salvation through Jesus. Our culture is as pluralistic as was the first-century world. Some people resist making an either-or choice about Jesus as Lord and Savior. Many would like to limit Jesus to the role of hero, superstar, or prophet. Christians today need to make sure people understand the implications of the gospel message and call for a response to that message. What are some lasting truths in Acts 2:37-38? 1. People sometimes are convicted of their sins and their need for salvation when they hear a clear presentation of the gospel message. 2. Christians today need to be candid about what is involved in accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior. 110
THE POINT: Jesus died for our sins, rose again, and reigns as Lord. 3. Sometimes large numbers may respond positively to the gospel message. LIVE IT OUT As you reflect on this session, respond to the following: What are the most common misunderstandings of Christianity in our world? What are the most important beliefs held by Christians about Jesus? How can a lost person become a Christian? 1 Andy Chambers, Exemplary Life: A Theology of Church Life in Acts [Nashville: B&H Academic, 2012], 113. 2 William Barclay, The Acts of the Apostles, in The Daily Study Bible Series, second edition [Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1955], 21. 3 John B. Polhill, Acts, vol. 26, in The New American Commentary [Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992], 112. 4 F. F. Bruce, The Book of the Acts, revised edition, in The New International Commentary on the New Testament [Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988], 69. 5 Polhill, Acts, NAC, 117. 6 Bruce, The Book of the Acts, 71. 111
SESSION 9 UNSTOPPABLE LOVE THE PASSAGE Acts 2:41-47 THE POINT Loving people is a powerful expression of loving God. THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE Imagine that the breaking news right now is about a natural disaster in another country. A hurricane, avalanche, or earthquake has killed thousands, injured others, and destroyed lots of property. What will happen in the next few days? Because this kind of scenario has played out many times in recent years, we know that many humanitarian organizations in the United States will reach out to the troubled land. These organizations will send great amounts of food, medical supplies, and other resources as soon as they can mobilize. Many relief workers will travel to the crisis point as well. What motivates these humanitarian groups? Words such as concern, compassion, and care barely scratch the surface for their actions. Christians also often are involved in reaching out to people in crisis situations such as these. The primary Christian motivation for helping others facing such 112
THE POINT: Loving people is a powerful expression of loving God. situations is love. Although humanitarian organizations might be populated by Christians, humanists, or people from other faith communities, Christians identify love as their primary reason for helping others. They realize that their love for God and God s love for them should express itself in loving actions toward other humans. When Jesus was asked about the Great Commandment, He responded with a two-part answer. He quoted two Old Testament texts about loving God with our total being and loving our neighbors as ourselves (Matt. 22:34-40). The apostle John likewise linked these two kinds of love (1 John 4:7-12,20-21). This session focuses on the example of the early Christians in Jerusalem. They exemplified well the kind of loving people a church should be today. THE SETTING This session focuses on one of Luke s occasional summary texts in which he reminded his readers of the general situation in the early church. Acts 4:32-37 and 5:12-16 are also such summaries. This passage gives us a snapshot of the early church in Jerusalem. Probably few churches today come close to this ideal picture, but we can learn from this study how to live for Christ faithfully in our world. STUDY THE BIBLE Acts 2:41-42 41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them. 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers. 113
Session 9 Unstoppable Love Unstoppable Love Meets Spiritual Needs. Peter was a passionate preacher. As he explained what had happened on the day of Pentecost, he pointed to Jesus as the true Lord and Messiah (2:36). His audience responded positively, and many accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. Luke noted that about 3,000 people were added to the church that day. Earlier, Luke had mentioned about 120 people had gathered when the disciples selected a successor for Judas Iscariot (1:15). Although Luke was not inspired to note the numerical growth of the church in every chapter, clearly the early church in Jerusalem was growing quickly! How big a deal is the numerical size of a church? I have heard lots of discussions across the years about the relative merits of quantitative growth versus qualitative growth. Luke did not address that issue directly, but he reported on both types of growth in the Book of Acts. In the first century, the Christian movement was relatively small compared to the overall population of the Roman Empire. William Barclay, commenting on the situation outside of Jerusalem, wrote, They were like a little island of Christianity surrounded on every side by a sea of paganism. 1 Yet the church grew quickly and had a revolutionary impact on its culture. Later, some people in Thessalonica warned, These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too (17:6). Perhaps we also should remind ourselves these early disciples did not gather in church buildings, such as most readers today do. Maybe they met outdoors; sometimes they were in the temple complex; often they met in homes (2:46). In verse 42 Luke identified four characteristic activities or practices of the early church. First, they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching. Luke did not mention the specific contents of that teaching, but quite likely it 114
THE POINT: Loving people is a powerful expression of loving God. included the themes of Jesus teaching and preaching during His earthly ministry. We know He talked about the kingdom of God during the last days before His ascension (1:3,6-7). Since the promise of the Holy Spirit s empowerment had been fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, the disciples probably probed that topic as well. Some of these teachings lie in the background of New Testament books later written by some of the apostles. Matthew and John, for example, wrote two of the four Gospels. Simon Peter did not write a Gospel, but our New Testament includes two letters by Peter. According to tradition, John also wrote three letters as well as the Book of Revelation. We do not have audio or video recordings of the teaching of the apostles, but we can study the written record of their teachings. Second, the disciples experienced a close fellowship. The Greek word also can mean community or partnership. My childhood memories of church fellowships involve cookies, chips, and soft drinks. But Luke intended to refer to the intimate relations that often thrive in a tight-knit community. Large churches today often recognize the need for small-group experiences to help their members bond to one another and minister to one another. Third, these disciples shared the breaking of bread. Bible students often mention two possible interpretations for this phrase. It could refer to the celebration of the Lord s Supper in the early church. Jesus had shared the last supper in the upper room on the night he was betrayed. Paul reported that event in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. Second, the early Christians apparently shared an agape or love meal at times. This may have involved sharing ordinary food that pointed to their fellowship together. Some Bible students believe Paul referred to both types of meals in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34. 115
Session 9 Unstoppable Love Fourth, the disciples devoted themselves to prayers. As we saw in our first session, praying was a regular practice of the early church (1:14). The original followers of Jesus knew He was a man of prayer, and they wanted Jesus to teach them to how to pray (Luke 11:1). Luke mentioned prayer in connection with many of the key events in the Book of Acts. For instance, prayer was involved in the commissioning of Barnabas and Saul for what we call the first missionary journey (Acts 13:2-3). Here in Acts 2:42 Luke noted the early church s attention to spiritual needs. The church could not be successful in its missionary endeavors without a strong spiritual foundation. All four of these practices aided the church in its witness to a lost world. Prayer especially can keep us sensitive to the needs of those around us. The church I attend regularly takes time in public worship and small-group meetings to identify prayer concerns. These needs involve the members of our local church, our town, and even global needs. It s easy to talk in general terms about the world s needs, but prayer can sensitize us to specific needs the church can address. What are some lasting truths in Acts 2:41-42? 1. God is actively involved in numerical church growth. 2. We should commit ourselves to the same spiritual practices that marked the early church. 3. Praying for others can lead to a genuine caring for other people. Acts 2:43-45 43 Then fear came over everyone, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. 44 Now all the believers were together and held 116