October 2

Acts 1: 1-14 1 In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. "This," he said, "is what you have heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set 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, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 9 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11 They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey away. 13 When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.

Reflection

The book of Acts is written to Theophilus, literally friend of God. One could argue that it is written to us. By the grace of God each of us has been changed from our rebellion against God through sin to being God’s friend. The first book, Luke, and now this book are telling the story of God’s activity in history and in us to accomplish this transformation. So we start this study with an identity, friend of God. Was there an historic Theophilus? That is a question that cannot be answered with certainty. For the purpose of this study I assert that this book is written to us. It is written to all of God’s friends

Being a friend or even a disciple does not make us fully aware of what God is up to in the world. The disciples had been with Jesus for forty days after his resurrection. They had witness the turning point of human history. Even with all of this experience, they still don’t get it. On the Mount of Olives they are looking for the restoration of Israel. Jesus has destroyed the threat of sin and death and his followers are still looking for God work in the way they expect or anticipated. For them God’s promise means a restored people. Is it now going to happen?

Jesus response is to wait for the Holy Spirit. God will establish a people, but it will not be in the political or regional context that the disciples expect. Wait for the Spirit. When the Spirit comes you are going to be my witness to the whole world. This is not about kingdom stuff in Jerusalem. This is about God’s movement into the whole world through these weak, scared and confused disciples. There is power coming and it is coming to them in ways they could not comprehend.
So what do you do while waiting for the Spirit? You gather in community and you pray. This discipleship is not about the individual heroically setting out to change the world. It is about a community of faith waiting on the Spirit to guide. Bearing one another’s burdens and waiting.

Reflection questions:
1. How is the community of faith essential to the individual’s faith?
2. How does the church know when to wait on the Spirit or when to speak as witness?
3. When have we been caught looking into heaven trying to see Jesus rather than giving witness to what we have seen or heard?
Grace and Peace.