Archive - February, 2010

Devoted to Prayer (Acts 1:12-14)

February 25, 2010 in Acts with 1 Comment

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Phillip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Acts 1:12-14, ESV

It appears that the disciples witnessed Jesus’ ascension at a memorable place. Not at scene of the crucifixion, though. Not at the Jewish temple. It appears that all this went down at the scene of Jesus’ most fervent of prayers–the mount of Olives. Jesus, during the days of resurrected presence, went on a sight-seeing tour to memorable places.

And what did they take away from their time at Olivet? Making their way back to Jerusalem proper, they ascend to the upper room, and there they pray. “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”

Those who wear the name of Christ form a community of prayer.

  • And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. Luke 18:1, ESV
  • pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17, ESV
  • Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2, ESV
  • Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12, ESV
  • do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6, ESV
  • And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18, NIV

I like the way of friend of mine spoke of 1 Thessalonians 5:17. His thought is that prayer is, essentially, a state of mind. So he refers to 1 Thessalonians 5:17 as “uninterrupted prayer.” I like that.

Prayer hasn’t always been as important to me as it is now. I’m ashamed to admit this, but it is true. Let’s be like the community that was coming into being in Acts 1 and be devoted to prayer!

Ascension and Advent, Acts 1:9-11

February 24, 2010 in Acts with 0 Comments

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. And while  they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 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.”

Acts 1:9-11

Have you ever found yourself watching something with such amazement that you lingered and lingered and lingered without much thought of time? Several years ago, Tisha and I saw Phantom of the Opera in Dallas. I remember becoming so entrenched in the story and performance that I lost all track of time. Did the same thing, later, when we were at Disney World and we got to watch Cirque du Soleil one evening. It was amazingly captivating.

I wonder if that was what the disciples found themselves doing as Jesus ascended before their eyes? It had to have been an incredible thing to witness. I can just see them gazing into the heavens with their mouths wide open in wonder, like so many do who witness a space shuttle launch into the sky.

But then comes reality in an uncharacteristic way. Two angels, almost as if before Jesus has completely vanished, appear and inquire: “Why do you stand looking into heaven?” It was as if to say, “Don’t get too wrapped up here because He’s coming back!” “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him going into heaven.”

What was their point? If not careful, in all our amazement, we can lose track of reality. Jesus is coming back. He will take his kingdom and place it into the Father’s hands (1 Cor. 15:24). He will gather his own and lead them into the ultimate triumphal procession. When nailed to a cross he carried the sin debt of humanity away (Col. 2:14), but when he returns, it will be bearing the weight of no sin (Heb. 9:28).

Parting Words…Acts 1:4-8

February 19, 2010 in Acts with 3 Comments

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.”

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.”

Acts 1:4-8, ESV

Some of the hardest words to utter are parting words. Have you ever seen the difficulty that military couples have saying “goodbye” when one has to leave the other, as well as their kids, for a stint in Iraq? Parting words are tough words. It’s hard to hold back the tears.

Jesus’ final words before His ascension must have been tough.  Three years work and an unfolding kingdom are being left into the hands of 120 people.  Eleven of those twelve were particularly close with the Messiah. He was their Mentor, their Rabbi, their Friend. His mother who watched Him die agonizingly, who saw Him alive majestically, was to now have to say “Goodbye” once more.

But it really wasn’t “Goodbye” you know. It was really “See ya later.” Through the Spirit He would be with them always (Matthew 28:20). He even lets His apostles know that the work that would be done in and through them would be His work by the Spirit (Acts 1:5; 2 Cor. 3:18).

Ironically, their concern was oriented around restoring the kingdom to Israel (Acts 1:6).  How typical! God’s promises rarely seem good enough don’t they? His promises, which were his immediate concern, weren’t good enough. They had to know more. They couldn’t just get wrapped up in what He was going to do in and through them. They had push and prod to find out more. Is this it? Is the kingdom coming back to Israel? It seems to me, they were more concerned about “Israel” than they were the breaking in of His kingdom.

You’ve got to love Jesus’ response though. He doesn’t bite. He doesn’t play their game. “It is not for you to know…” Some things we need not know.

Why do we insist on knowing every thing? Why can’t we simply rest in God’s promises, clinging to them with all we have?  The insatiable curiosity to explain every single thing can literally consume us. I know. Most think we have to know everything, so that we can give our apologetic (1 Pet. 3:15). 1 Peter 3:15 isn’t a commission for finite beings to the infinite. It’s wrong that people make 1 Peter 3:15 something it isn’t. Our “apologetic” or “answer” is for the hope we have, not for the particulars of the triune nature of God or some other facet of theology that we aren’t wired to totally understand anyhow. Christians need to quit laying undue burdens on others! Sorry about getting sidetracked there, but this has been on my mind for a while now and I just had to get it out.

What was important was not the issue of their question. What was important was that they “would receive power” so that they could be His “witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (v. 8). They were called to witness to the life giving power of Jesus through the gospel. They weren’t called to explain the creation of the universe. They weren’t called to plant 501C3 non-profit corporations (i.e. Churches) all over the world. They were called to “witness,” to testify to God’s grace in their lives (Acts 20:24) because they had experienced it for themselves. You cannot witness to someone or something that you haven’t experienced. You cannot witness “about” someone or something you haven’t experienced. They would testify to life, death, resurrection, and the transforming message of Jesus.  They would because these were things that were truly real to them, things about which they could testify.

Now let’s bring this home to us. If we have experienced the transformation of the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus for ourselves (Rom. 6:3-5), then we become fit to become “witnesses” as well. Our immersion into His death brings us to Him, His blood, and the redemption that only His blood affords. Our resurrection from His death affords us with resurrection life. Therefore, as witnesses ourselves we attest to the life-changing Christ and His gospel.

What kind of “witness” are you?

A Testament of Faith, Acts 1:1-3

February 18, 2010 in Acts with 1 Comment

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.

Acts 1:1-3, ESV

According to Luke 1:1, many sought to provide a narrative of the life of Jesus. The penman of the book that bears his name saw himself as one of many. The penmanship of the Gospel of Luke is attributed to him because of the certainty by which it is believed he penned Acts. If he wrote Acts to Theophilus as a continuation of “the first book,” then he would be responsible for Luke as well. I don’t deny this.

Luke traveled with Paul. He was a physician (Col. 4:14) and the only Gentile penman for the New Testament. I don’t know why, but the work of Luke through divine inspiration appeals to me. There’s something about his life that appeals to me.

Despite his not having been the visible, eyewitness to Jesus that others were, he still was a man of incredible faith in Jesus. This is attested to by the prologues of the books he penned (Luke 1 and Acts 1).

Consider the certainty with which he writes Theophilus. No hesitation. No couching his words with: “I think…” or “It’s my opinion…” There is no question in his mind. “He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” His is a strong affirmation, as strong an affirmation as there is without belaboring the point, of the gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-4) and his faith in it.

These first three verses are a strong statement, a testament of faith that echoes through 2000 years of history right to our hearts. Nothing can quench the echo; no one and no thing can stop its reverberation.

The testament of faith lies in the ability to see with the heart’s eyes (Eph. 1:18).  That’s how Luke saw. I love how Peter, one who spent three years in intimate connection with Jesus, writes to those who weren’t afforded his privilege: “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Peter 1:8, ESV). Peter saw Jesus’ life with his physical eyes and was impacted. Others see his life through spiritual eyes and are no less impacted.

We, too, are able to stand with Luke in firm conviction. Being lost in Jesus makes it possible. I need not see him in the flesh. I need not have a vision that takes me into the 3rd heaven to believe. I believe because I sense his presence on the inside, giving me the fullness of God (Ephesians 3: 17-19), and no one can take that away.

Structure

February 17, 2010 in Acts with 0 Comments

In my CRR program, we have dealt extensively with organizational structure. It’s been helpful in revealing to me that I, personally, need some in my own life. I’m getting some and I plan on bringing some of it here.

Of late, I have been entrenched in Acts in an effort to see how those who put on Christ lost themselves in Him. How was it that they found themselves converging with Christ as He was formed in them (Gal. 4:19)?  This has been my focus as I have begun working my way through the text.

I’m ready to share some thoughts. I am going to place them here in an effort to home in on a spiritual concept that I cannot get out of my mind. I hope you get something out of it. I know I will.

Tomorrow…A Testament of Faith, Acts 1:1-3
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