Introduction to the Reading:
Some of you may have noticed that we weren't at The Story study before worship last Sunday. It wasn't because we didn't intend to go. Rather, just as we were pulling out onto the main street by our house, we heard a strange noise coming from the car. My wife pulled over, and I got out to take a look. Our tire was flat.
We drove very carefully and very slowly the two blocks back to our house. There I found the jack in the trunk and raised the car. Everything was going quite smoothly until it came time to take off the lug nuts. I used the bar that came with our car and two loosened up nicely. The other three, however, just would not budge. While wearing dress clothes, I pried and pried at it, but nothing happened.
Then I remember that I had an electric impact wrench. I found that battery in the charger, found a socket, and headed to the car. In about a minute the remaining 3 nuts were off the wheel. It's amazing what you can do if you just have the right tools!
As we begin our reading today, we hear how the disciples weren't exactly in the best position. There were 11 of them, and Jesus their leader is leaving them. They have quite the project: they are to witness to what they had seen and heard. They were to proclaim the truth that Jesus rose in the city of Jerusalem, the regions of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Jerusalem, Judea, and even Samaria I can see an 11 man team handling - given they have the right PR skills. The ends of the earth, however, is quite the project. The fact that we are here, halfway around the world, listening to what the disciples witnessed, however, shows that they got the job done. How did they do it? Once again, it's amazing what you can do with the right tools!
Before You Read - Background of the Book of Acts:
Sometimes the book of Acts has been called "The Acts of the Apostles." As you will notice, however, very few of the Apostles are even discussed. We hear about Peter, but beyond that we really don't read much about the other 10 original disciples in our reading today.
Another title for Acts is "The Acts of the Holy Spirit." It was interesting as I read this week how often the Holy Spirit is mentioned! How could the disciples carry out such a monumental task? Well they had exactly the tool they needed to get the job done: The Holy Spirit. As we read this week, let's stop along the way to see how the Holy Spirit helped the early Christian Church.
Breaks Along the Way:
Top of Page 390 One page in and the Holy Spirit has been mentioned three times! Jesus clearly explains that the Holy Spirit would give them the power to carry out the task they were assigned. He isn't like a boss who just hands you a job and says, "Figure it out on your own." I'm sure the disciples felt overwhelmed at this point: one moment Jesus is a rising star, the next moment he's been killed, one moment he's dead, another moment he's alive. Just when the disciples start to settle into a new routine, all of a sudden Jesus is about to leave them. Jesus knows what they need: a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit and a visual reminder of his presence with them.
Bottom of Page 392 So what did the Holy Spirit's special presence allow the disciples to do? Well they could speak in different languages that people from all over the world could understand. They could prophesy, that is, they could speak on God's behalf and proclaim his message. But let's not overlook the most important gift of the Holy Spirit. Peter himself talks about it, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." The greatest gift of the Holy Spirit is faith in Jesus that he has forgiven our sins through his death on the cross. (To learn more, check out "For those who like more" below.)
Middle of Page 399 Did you notice how Stephen is described as having received "wisdom from the Holy Spirit?" The message of the cross is foolishness to us. It doesn't make sense: how can one man dying take away our sins? How can Jesus have raised himself from the dead and how come that assures us that we too will rise from the dead on the day of judgment? Our logic can't answer these questions. This is where the Holy Spirit steps in. He gives us the wisdom to trust the Gospel message, even when it doesn't make sense to us.
(Also notice, what can be the result of such a gift? Well Peter was described as being filled with the Holy Spirit and ended up beaten, bound, and put in jail. Stephen receives wisdom from the Holy Spirit and ends up dead. The gift of the Holy Spirit is the opposite of the gifts we receive on our birthdays as kids which are fun for 10 minutes and then get old. The gift of the Holy Spirit can bring difficulties and hardships now, but brings us joys that last into eternity.)
Middle of page 401 In spite of the sufferings that the early Christians endured, there came a time of peace from the chaos and persecution. Notice where their comfort comes from? The Holy Spirit. He encourages them. Have you gone through a time of chaos? Where do you find your peace and encouragement?
When You're Done Reading - Thoughts to Ponder:
"Alright, so where do I sign up? I want my name on the list of the Holy Spirit!" This is the thought process that many people have. In fact, we saw it even today in our lesson. People wanted to be like the disciples: doing miracles, speaking in tongues, etc. etc. How do we get the Holy Spirit? How do we know we have the Holy Spirit?
Let me ask this: do you believe in Jesus as your Savior? If so, then you already have the Holy Spirit! See, as I mentioned earlier, you can't come to faith on your own. The message of the cross is foolishness to us! Now just because we have the Holy Spirit, doesn't mean that he will give us the ability to perform miracles, but he already has performed one of the greatest miracles on us: he brought us to faith.
We had been like those that Peter addressed: we had rejected Jesus Christ of Nazareth like a piece of building material that most people would throw in the dumpster - the leftovers, the scraps. Yet the Holy Spirit has taught us that,"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."
Luther explains the Third Article of the Apostles' Creed this way:
I believe that I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him. But the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way he calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church he daily and fully forgives all sins to me and all believers. On the Last Day he will raise me and all the dead and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true.
How does your faith grow? How can you live a godly life? How can you spread the good news of Jesus and help the Church grow? On your own, you can't! But you have just the right tool: the Holy Spirit.
Prayer/Hymn:
Attributed to Rhabanus Maurus around 800 A.D. (Also one of my wife's favorite hymns.)
Come, Holy Ghost, Creator blest,
And make our hearts Your place of rest;
Come with Your grace and heav'nly aid
And fill the hearts which You have made.
To You, the Counselor, we cry,
To You, the gift of God Most High;
The fount of life, the fire of love,
The soul's anointing from above.
Your light to ev'ry thought impart,
And shed Your love in ev'ry heart;
The weakness of our mortal state
With deathless might invigorate.
Drive far away our wily foe,
And Your abiding peace bestow;
With You as our protecting guide,
No evil can with us abide.
Teach us to know the Father, Son,
And You, from both, as Three in One
That we Your name may ever bless
And in our lives the truth confess.
Praise we the Father and the Son,
And Holy Spirit, with them One,
And may the Son on us bestow
The gifts that from the Spirit flow!
For those who like more:
I'm sure you've all heard Paul's famous chapter on love, "Love is patient, love is kind..." What I find interesting, is the context in which it's found. What topic is Paul addressing? Order in worship! It seems that the Corinthians had a free-for-all worship style. People would get up and speak in tongues whenever, usually in languages no one could understand. Others would interrupt the service to prophesy, but no one could interpret it. People were getting drunk off of communion. Others weren't getting any of the Lord's Supper at all. It was chaos. The irony is that the Corinthians thought that they were better than other congregations because everyone had all of these cools gifts from the Holy Spirit.
What is Paul's reaction? "Great! You have gifts from the Holy Spirit," he ways. "By the way, I have them too. Now unless they are going to be useful for everyone at worship, why don't you just use them at home." Is speaking in tongues cool? Sure! Is prophesying cool? Of course? But what does Paul says is the best of all the gifts the Holy Spirit gives? Love!
Read 1 Corinthians 12 through 14. Explain how Paul's great discourse on love fits so well within the context. Then answer the questions, "Of all the talents, accomplishments, skills, possessions that you have, where does love fit in?"
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