Have You Ever Walked the Damascus Road?
Today’s Scripture: Acts 9:20-31
The Apostle Paul was raised as a Pharisee.
The Pharisees (the name means “the separated ones”) were a Jewish sect that believed that unless Israel were faithful to the Law, the Messiah would never come. Consequently, they saw it as their mission to purify the Jewish people by making sure that the Jews kept the Law perfectly. You can see, therefore, why they had such a problem with Jesus, who seemed—from their point of view—to be too lenient in matters of Torah.
So, when this Messianic Jewish sect who claimed Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah arose in Jerusalem, Paul vigorously tried to stamp it out. He did this because he believed it was righteous to do so. After all, if the Jews believed the wrong things, it would mean the Messiah wouldn’t come.
Imagine, then, that famous moment on the Damascus Road: Jesus appears to Paul as a living man, which both immediately confirmed everything Paul believed and at the same time showed he was completely mistaken in his beliefs.
It is not really possible to overstate what this revelation meant to Paul, but we can see from his actions how life-changing was his Damascus Road experience: he went from persecuting the followers of Jesus to being persecuted for being a follower of Jesus.
The reason Paul immediately changed course is because he met the Risen Jesus. The fact that God raised Jesus from the dead proved that Jesus was the Messiah.
Have you ever had that kind of Damascus Road experience?
Catching Up
Sorry for missing the past few days—I was working on a project that got sent to the printer today. (We’re creating Munger prayer booklets to be handed out on Ash Wednesday. I’m really pumped about them!)
Today, let’s just catch up on our reading, shall we?
Acts 8:1-9:19
Why Did They Murder Him?
I’ll put to you a variation of the question I asked a couple of weeks ago:
Why does the mob murder Stephen?
Leave a comment or reply to this email—I’d love to hear what you think.
54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
The Entire Old Testament Summarized in 5 Minutes
Stephen, who has been seized by a hostile crowd in Jerusalem and will shortly be murdered and thereby become the first Christian martyr, preaches a sermon to the crowd before they stone him. It’s a remarkable summary of the Old Testament plotline. I encourage you to sit down and slowly read through the entire thing, which I’ve included below.
Acts 7:1-53
1 And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” 2 And Stephen said:
“Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ 4 Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. 5 Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. 6 And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years. 7 ‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’ 8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
9 “And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him 10 and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. 11 Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers on their first visit. 13 And on the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh. 14 And Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all. 15 And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers, 16 and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
17 “But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt 18 until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. 19 He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive. 20 At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God's sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father's house,21 and when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.
23 “When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. 25 He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand. 26 And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?’ 27 But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
30 “Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look.33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.’
35 “This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’ 38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. 39 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. 42 But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:
“‘Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices,
during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43 You took up the tent of Moloch
and the star of your god Rephan,
the images that you made to worship;
and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’44 “Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. 45 Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, 46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,
49 “‘Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
or what is the place of my rest?
50 Did not my hand make all these things?’51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.”
Stephen is Seized
Acts 6:8-15
8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. 10 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11 Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” 12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, 13 and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, 14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” 15 And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.
Spiritual Things vs. Material Things
What’s more important, food or prayer?
Acts 6:1-7
1 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
In the early church in Jerusalem, there were Greek-speaking Jews (“Hellenists”) and Aramaic-speaking Jews, and there arose a problem: the Aramaic widows were given preferential treatment compared to the Greek widows in the way the church cared for their poor.
Food matters. If people are hungry they can’t be taught about Jesus. And yet:
Food isn’t what’s most important, because even with full bellies, every single person dies, and every single person still sins.
So, the Apostles divide up the work to make sure people can be fed and that the important spiritual work can continue.
I think there’s a lesson there for us today: material needs matter, because material needs are what keep us alive, but spiritual needs are ultimately more important.
Material needs must be met before we can even think about spiritual needs.
But material plenty with spiritual poverty is not kind of life to live. What good is it if our bellies are full if our souls are empty?
On the other hand, spiritual wealth—life in Christ—can teach us how to live well, whether we have a lot or a little.
So, do not neglect material needs, but don’t forget either that our deepest needs are actually spiritual: to know God and enjoy his eternal life forever.
The Church is Unstoppable
Be sure to read today’s passage all the way through.
Acts 5:17-42
17 But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.
Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council, all the senate of the people of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside.” 24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to. 25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, 40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.
Gamaliel, who was the Pharisee teacher of the Apostle Paul, says something startling here about the church:
“So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. ”
In this world, it is easy to become discouraged, but we must actively fight against discouragement!
Why?
Because discouragement comes from a lie.
That is, the idea that God is losing is a lie—God’s purposes will be realized, no matter what, and his church will be victorious.
So, don’t give up and don’t give in.
Solomon's Portico
Our scripture passage for today (Acts 5:12-16) mentions “Solomon’s Portico” (“Solomon’s Porch” in some translations).
In the image above, you can see an historical recreation of the Temple Mount, with the columned porticos running around the perimeter. Solomon’s Portico is the one that cannot be seen at the bottom of the image, along the Eastern Wall.
(By the way, the Greek word for porch or portico is spelled stoa in English, which is the word from which we get our term Stoic. The Stoics got their name from teaching on a portico in Athens.)
Why I Am Not a Communist
Well, one reason among many. But first, today’s reading:
Acts 5:1-11
5 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet.3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.
7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.
The deadly sin of Ananias and Sapphira is not that they kept back part of the money for themselves; the deadly sin of Ananias and Sapphira is that they pretended to be better than they were.
It’s as if Luke is telling us that the one thing that will kill the church is dishonesty.
I find it very interesting that Peter explicitly states that the money of Ananias and Sapphira is completely their own to dispose of as they see fit (v. 4).
Note, therefore, that the Bible supports the idea of private property. This is because the Bible teaches that each of us is a steward of the gifts that God has given us. That is, the Lord has given each of us the responsibility to make something out of the gifts we have received and to use them according to the values of his Kingdom. And, we will be held accountable for our stewardship.
So, one of the many reasons I am not a communist is because I believe it is actually against God’s will for us to abolish private property ownership. But, that does not mean that it is God’s will for us to use our gifts solely and selfishly for ourselves. Rather, God gives gifts so we can bless others.
How can you do that today?
How to Be Antifragile
My apologies for missing Friday’s post—our house was actually burglarized on Thursday evening, though later that evening my friend and I actually caught the bad guys! A story for another day. The point is that I didn’t get my post finished.
I preached on Acts 3-4 Sunday, and I’ve included the video below.
[Today’s scripture reading is Acts 4:32-37—a summary statement from Luke about the generosity of the early church toward people in need.]
How to be Antifragile
Something fragile is hurt by stress and difficultly.
Something ANTIFRAGILE becomes stronger through stress and difficulty.
A candle in the wind is quickly snuffed out;
A fire in the wind gets stronger.
If ever there were a time to learn how to get stronger through difficulty, now is that time.
Now is the time to become ANTIFRAGILE.
The early church in Acts faced great difficulties and it grew because and not in spite of those difficulties.
When Peter and John are arrested, for example, their response to the threats they face is astounding.
(Hint: they don’t ask for the threats to be removed.)
Sermon Video: “How to Be Antifragile”
Why Are They So Threatened?
Today’s Scripture: Acts 4:1-22
4 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.
5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” 18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.
Seriously, I want to know what you think:
Why are the religious authorities so threatened by the actions of Peter and John in the healing of the lame beggar?
Leave me a comment and let me know.
No Israel, No Jesus; Know Israel, Know Jesus
Can you imagine trying to tell the story of January 2021 WITHOUT first telling about 2020? EXACTLY.
If you read today’s scripture reading (Acts 3:11-16), you’ll see that Peter connects the story of Jesus with the story of Israel.
One of the MAJOR failings of the American church is that we have somehow thought that you can have Jesus without the Old Testament—as if he just drops from the sky without any context.
Here’s the truth, however: Jesus ONLY makes sense as the fulfillment and culmination of Israel’s story. Jesus is not just anyone—he is a Jew who lived in the 1st century.
In other words,
no Israel, no Jesus.
This also means that we can understand Jesus best when we understand Israel best—the Old Testament is vital to understanding what the Kingdom of God is like.
To put it another way,
know Israel, know Jesus.
(This is why we have spent so much time at Munger studying the Old Testament.)
If you missed my Bible study on Acts from last night, you can find it here.
Apocryphal Story About Aquinas
ANNOUNCEMENT: I’m teaching an online Bible study tonight, 8:00-8:30 PM CST. Tune in at www.facebook.com/mungerplace or www.mungerplace.org/watch.
Acts 3:1-10
3 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
I doubt this story about Thomas Aquinas is true, but I love it nonetheless.
“Once, when Thomas was in Rome and in the presence of Pope Innocent II., before whom a large sum of money was spread out, the Pope observed, “You see, the Church is no longer in that age in which she said, ‘Silver and gold have I none.’”—“True, holy father,” replied Aquinas; “but neither can she any longer say to the lame, ‘Rise up and walk.’”
Lord, keep us from trading spiritual strength for earthly approval.
Why We Need to Be At Church Every Sunday
After Pentecost, Luke gives us a summary statement at the state of the church in its earliest days (Acts 2:42-47):
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”
The early Christians made the practice of the faith central to their lives, and cool things happened as a result.
The reason we need to be at church every Sunday is because that’s how the Lord strengthens us and gives us what we need to love God and love neighbor.
There’s just something that happens when we make the commitment not to miss a Sunday.
I dare you to try it.
By the way, this is the exact topic I preached on last Sunday, January 3.
You Have What You Need Today
My apologies for missing yesterday’s post—technical difficulties. Today’s post combines 2 days into one.
Let’s recap:
Jesus, risen from the dead, gathers the disciples together and teaches them about the Kingdom. Then he says:
“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.”
That is, the Holy Spirit will empower the church’s witness about Jesus, and their witnessing will begin first to Israel (Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria), and then move on from there “to the ends of the earth”.
Pentecost is the first step in that sequence.
Pentecost is a harvest festival, observed by the Jews 50 days after Passover. At Pentecost, Jewish pilgrims from all over the Mediterranean came back to Jerusalem. Though they were ethnically Jewish, they spoke different languages. How are the disciples to witness to such a polyglot group?
The Holy Spirit provides the answer: he gifts the church with the gift of tongues, so that they can witness to Jesus in every necessary language on that day of Pentecost, AD 30.
Here’s the point: Jesus tells them they will be witnesses, starting with Israel, and that they will be given power to make their witness successful. They are given what they need.
The same is true for us. We have what we need today, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to witness to Jesus wherever we go.
Therefore, be bold. You have what you need today!
I Think Judas Is So Interesting
Peter here leads the early Christians (Luke tells us they numbered around 120) in a process to replace Judas by casting lots.
What I always find so interesting about Judas is that—as Peter points out here—he was in the inner trusted circle of Jesus and betrayed Jesus anyway.
What do you think the betrayal of Judas says about human nature?
Fascinating Detail About Jesus's Mother and Brothers
What would it take for you to believe your brother was the Son of God?
Acts 1:12-14
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 13 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. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
Some quick points:
“All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer…”
That means that these Messianic Jews were disciplined in attending the prayer services at the Temple—they were structuring their lives around the hours of prayer.
“together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers” [or brothers and sisters]
I find it fascinating that the family of Jesus has come to believe in him as the Messiah, which means that he must have appeared to them after the Resurrection. (In the Gospels, Jesus’s siblings are definitely NOT his disciples.)
How cool is that?!
The Ascension
Acts 1:6-11
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 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.” 9 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. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 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.”
After the Resurrected Jesus has spent 40 days (i,.e., a long time) teaching the Twelve about the Kingdom of God, they want to know, “When will all this begin?” Jesus’s answer: “It’s not for you to know the exact timeline, but this is the sequence: it starts in Jerusalem, will move to Judea and then to Samaria, and then to the ends of the earth.” It’s like a series of concentric circles, with Jerusalem at the center. (Which, by the way, is also the outline of the book of Acts itself.)
And then, Jesus ascends into heaven, bringing his bodily life on earth to a close.
We’re now in the period between the Ascension of Jesus and his Second Coming, which means we’re still in the period of the preaching of the Gospel and the proclaiming of the Kingdom to the ends of the earth.
How can you play your missionary part today?
How can you bring the Good News wherever you go today?
Read Acts With Me in 2021
At Munger in 2021 we’ll be focusing on the Apostle Paul, and we’re kicking off the year reading through the Book of Acts.
Readings are weekdays only, and are usually relatively short: we’ll finish the book the first week of April, just before Easter. (We’ll read Paul’s Letter to the Romans after that.)
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Today’s Scripture
Acts 1:1-5
1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 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.
4 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; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
“In the first book, O Theophilus”
Luke is the author of Acts, which is part 2 of his history of early Christianity. Part 1 is the Gospel of Luke. “Theophilus” was most likely his patron, who funded his research and writing.
As Acts begins, Luke reminds us of how his Gospel ends: with the Resurrection of Jesus.
What’s really intriguing is that the Resurrection is not the end of the story, but merely the beginning.
What might the Holy Spirit want to begin in and through your life this new year?
Cosmic Christmas
Our Final Advent Reading!
Christmas is finally here, and today we have reached the end of our Advent reading plan. (Sorry about yesterday’s post—I forgot to send it out!)
John 1:1-14
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Summary: John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation.
Matthew and Luke start with the events leading up to the birth of Christ, but John starts before the beginning: with the pre-existent Word.
I’m grateful for the particularity and earthiness of the infancy narratives in Matthew and Luke, but I’m also grateful for John’s beautiful prologue that sets the Incarnation in a cosmic context.
And I love his beautiful reminder:
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Be encouraged. Christmas means Hope!
Merry Christmas, everyone.