ACTS: Share the Story: Recent Episodes
David W. Hegg
If we are to be the “fragrance of Christ” as everyday evangelists we will do well to learn from the best! Luke’s second volume – The Acts of the Apostles – continues the work of Jesus Christ through his Church after his ascension back to heaven.
Paul has finally made it to Rome. Through the providence of God, the messenger of the Gospel has come to the center of the empire. In some ways, this marks the beginning of Paul’s ministry even as it marks the final years of his life. He has travelled extensively, but is now under house arrest. But while he may be chained the Gospel of Jesus has just begun it magnificent growth outward, through the church, to the ends of the earth.
God cares for, maintains, and directs for his purposes all of creation through the natural properties and laws he has ordained. But sometimes God works contrary to natural law in order to display his power. These we call “miracles.”
Today the idea of a miracle can be quite confusing. If your team wins, is it a miracle? As Christ-followers we must understand miracles occupy a very special and important place in God’s self-disclosure, and it is necessary for us to understand them as the Bible means for them to be understood.
As Paul is finally on his way to Rome to witness of Christ Jesus, the journey is filled with great peril. Yet throughout the voyage, the overarching theme is the providential care of God whereby the one he has chosen as his witness to the gospel is brought safely to the center of the Empire. Through Luke’s exciting narrative, we come to understand the nature of God’s providence and realize the rest that is found in a profound trust in God’s promise.
This week we approach Paul’s fifth and final defense of the gospel in the book of Acts. We will observe two trials, one before Festus, the new Roman Governor, and the other before Agrippa, a Jewish King. Luke, the author, is writing to two very different worldviews– one Jewish, the other Roman. All the books of the Bible previous to Acts are written in the Jewish context, but once we encounter Acts and the rest of the New Testament the context is distinctly Roman. In Acts 25-26 we see Paul defend the gospel to both the Jewish and Roman mindsets: to Festus and Agrippa. This week Paul will show us what we need to know about defending the gospel.
Paul’s time in Jerusalem was a period of great contrast. While personally he was being subjected to great bodily harm, he also was taking advantage of great opportunities to testify to the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the end, while under house arrest, the greatest conversations were with the Roman governor Felix, and it is here we find Paul’s assessment of the essential elements of the good news.
When Paul is put before the Sanhedrin, he uses the doctrine of resurrection to divide the members and once again escape indictment. But was this merely a clever rhetorical tool or something more? What we will discover is that, for Paul, the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, with all its ramifications, really was what separated him from those on the council. His experience with the risen Jesus on the Damascus road forever changed his life and grounded his theology.
Over the last few chapters of Acts we will watch as Paul is put on trial for the gospel. Like his Savior before him, he will be falsely accused and imprisoned. He will also be the target of several criminal attempts to end his life. But in the midst of it all, his one desire is to declare the glorious story of God’s grace to sinners, extended by his risen Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. In every case, Paul’s legal defense was essentially a presentation of the gospel.
As we join Paul and his companions on their journey from Asia to Jerusalem, we encounter two important questions along the way. At every stop Paul hears from those through whom the Spirit of God is speaking. Yet they seem to be going against what Paul himself has heard from God. What do we do with this? How do we know what God wants of us today? Even more serious is the situation Paul is facing. He is walking into adversity and maybe even death. How are we who are committed to Jesus to think about death? And even more, how are we to prepare to face it righteously? Fortunately, the Bible holds all the necessary answers to inform, encourage, and embolden us to face both life and death in a manner worthy of our Savior.
Everything stands or falls on leadership. Paul’s final charge to the elders of the Ephesian church stands as one of the greatest leadership directives of all time. No matter if you are a leader in the church or in the family, at work, or simply learning to lead, the principles here are foundational for anyone desiring to help a group of people accomplish their God-given mission, by his grace and for his glory.
What do you think of when you hear the word “idol”? Chances are your mind fills with pictures of ancient pagan religion and their rituals. But make no mistake: idolatry is alive and well and living in our hearts today!
This weekend, with the story of an Ephesian riot as the backdrop, we’ll take a look at how following Christ is also a call to rid our lives and attitudes of the desire to either replace God or domesticate him. Both constitute idolatry, which is the enemy of faithful obedience to Christ from a heart of sincere love. If our relationship with Jesus is driven more by manipulation than adoration then – like it or not – we’re practicing a sneaky form of idolatry.
As we re-enter Luke’s account of the Apostles’ sharing of the story of Jesus, we meet Paul in the city of Ephesus. His experiences there form a great model for us as we prepare to enter a New Year intent on increasing the fervency of our everyday evangelism in the normal rhythms of life and the privilege of discipleship in the cause of Christ.
As we finish a major section in Acts, Luke summarizes several characteristics of Paul’s ministry. But today we learn our greatest lesson from the lives of the noble Bereans and Apollos, the incomplete apologist. From the Bereans we learn the value of discernment, while we see in Apollos the necessity of being life-long learners, never afraid to be instructed but always displaying a teachable heart.
Paul’s presentation before the Areopagus in Athens stands as one of the greatest examples of presenting Christ in a pluralistic, even hostile environment. The key: Meet people where they are, find common ground, and then use the truth to take them where they need to be. And expect a mixed reaction … to the glory of God!
As Luke narrates Paul’s ministry in two Roman cities we find some common themes that form a model for ministry in our day. If we want to see lives changed through the gospel, we have to take it where people are, engage them in friendship and dialogue, and invest our lives in turning the world upside down for Jesus.
As we celebrate Reformation Weekend it is so encouraging to know God’s plan to rescue and reform broken lives is ongoing. What started in the Bible, was re-discovered in the Reformation, and continues to change lives today is simply the gospel of Jesus, taught and modeled through the lives of faithful Christ-followers.
Today we see yet another example from the life of Paul as he is intentional to live out the gospel with his life and his lips. May the Lord show us just how wonderful it is to partner with him in the greatest rescue mission ever!
What are we supposed to do when disagreements arise among believers? How do we handle our differences differently than those who don’t know Jesus? What about preferences? What really matters anyway?
When Paul and Barnabas decided to take a 2nd missionary trip, their plan was derailed because of a sharp disagreement about who should be on the team. As we learn from their experience we also take time to look at a most practical matter: How do we remain righteous when disagreements arise between us and other Christ-followers?
The tremendous results of Paul and Barnabas’s mission efforts among the Gentiles brought about a most divisive question: Do Gentile believers have to come under the Law of Moses?
In reality the question was all about the content of the gospel and the nature of God’s rescue in Christ. Are we forgiven because we’ve engaged in certain religious rituals and done the required good works? Or is God’s forgiveness ours by grace alone, through faith alone, because of the work of Christ alone?
The travels and travails of Paul and Barnabas described in Acts are not merely a journalistic description of an ancient journey. Rather, they are meant to be understood as the way Jesus Christ himself was forming and grounding his church. In this text we see his will regarding the perseverance of individual believers in faith and the best way to lead, feed, and govern the church.
In Act’s 14, Paul and Barnabas are continuing on their first missionary journey, bringing the message of Christ to both Jews and Gentiles. But what happens when the gospel of grace is preached? Well, the results always vary. Some may see it as the message of life; others may oppose it with great passion. Either way, as we think about becoming every day evangelists, we must be prepared for the many responses we may encounter.
Though from the beginning God had promised blessing to all the nations through the seed of Abraham, Israel had always considered God to be theirs alone. In Acts 13, through the preaching of Paul, we see how hardened the Jews have become and how open to the gospel are the peoples of the world. Today we are given a glimpse of how the gospel can both compel and repel. For some, the gospel is the power of God unto salvation; for others it acts to bring their rebellious hearts to the surface for all to see. But in every event, when the truth is told, God is glorified, and that’s our only goal!
As we re-enter the world of Acts, we are privileged to walk with Barnabas and Paul as they leave the comfort of the church to encounter their world with the good news of Jesus Christ. Their experience, while historically significant in unique ways, also shows us how our lives can be lived “on mission.” That is, how we can view our everyday evangelism, seeking to intersect with those God is drawing to Jesus in the normal rhythms of life.
For the last couple chapters in the book of Acts, we have seen the Gospel move forward in amazing ways. We’ve seen the conversion of Saul, the preaching of the Gospel to the Samaritans, the faith of the Ethiopian eunuch and even a Roman centurion. But back in Jerusalem, the central place of worship for the Jews, we learn of the authoritarian hand of King Herod coming against the church and, more specifically, against the apostles of Jesus Christ.
When Peter returned from Caesarea he was immediately confronted with criticism. But he carefully related how he was on God’s side, obeying God’s commands, and seeing God’s salvation being experienced by Gentile believers.
Last week we saw Peter, now aware of God’s global plan, travel to the home of a Roman centurion. This week we hear the very first Christian sermon delivered to a non-Israelite audience and see the door swing wide for the gospel. This monumental event opened the floodgates of the gospel to flow “to the ends of the earth,” and we are privileged to partner with Jesus in the ongoing rescue mission of that gospel.
Last week we saw how God certified Peter as his appointed representative through the working of miracles. This week we see how God first transformed Peter’s theology and then fueled his behavior to open wide the doors of the gospel to the Gentile world. It is no understatement to say that Acts 10 changed the world, and its theological ramifications continue to call every Christ-follower to align his or her racial and ethnic beliefs with the revealed Word of God.
This weekend we take a look at two miracles performed by Jesus Christ through Peter. Each of them bears an uncanny resemblance to a miracle performed by Jesus himself. It is apparent that Peter’s place as an Apostle is being affirmed through miracles in order to prepare him to take the Gospel to the Roman world. After we look at these miracle stories, we’ll also answer some important questions about miracles today.
The extension of saving grace to an Ethiopian was no isolated incident. Luke now moves quickly to show that God’s desire for his Gospel to go the “ends of the earth” is right on schedule.
As the story of Jesus rushes out from Jerusalem, we see the first radical intersection with a foreigner. But he is not just any foreigner. He is a descendant of the cursed line of Ham and a eunuch! But God’s mission doesn’t see anyone as outside the saving power of Jesus, and so Philip is directed down to the desert for a divine appointment.
It may shock us to realize that some who align themselves with Jesus do so, not out of a Spirit-brought conviction of sin and a desire to entrust their lives to Jesus Christ, but rather for personal gain alone. In this text we meet such a man in Simon the magician of Samaria. He wanted to add the power of God to his magic show and attempted to purchase it with money.
Today it is not unusual for people to “try Jesus” in hopes that their situations may get better. But the gospel is not about adding Jesus to your life. It is about realizing you have no life, are spiritually separated from God by your sin, and your only hope is to entrust the whole of your being into the hands of Jesus through repentance and faith in the promises of God.
Following the martyrdom of Stephen we might have expected the church to fade away. After all, their faith now put them at great risk. But what we find is just the opposite. The persecuted church became the powerful church as they went about “gospelizing”! May the message we carry fuel our lives in the same way, to the glory of God.
Throughout the first five chapters of Acts, the church has been in something of a “honeymoon phase.” God has been blessing them with tremendous growth, power, and bravery to face all opposition. Even in the face of persecution, the gospel is powerfully going forward and the church is being built up. The church seems bullet-proof! But in Acts 6, the church faces its first internal conflict. Acts 6:1-7 not only gives us the solution to this conflict—it serves as a paradigm for what unity in service looks like in the church.
The apostles are at it again. Numerous miracles and healings are taking place, and Jesus is being proclaimed. However, the high priest and his associates are jealous, and in their rage, they imprison the apostles. God is faithful. He sends an angel to release the apostles from prison with the command to go preach “all the words of this life.” When the Sanhedrin find the apostles in the temple area again, they escort them to stand trial. Tensions continue to rise, and for the first time the consequences are physical. Journey with us through Acts 5:17-42 and see how God’s people respond.
Up to this point, Luke’s attention has been on the Apostles. But what has happened in the lives of the thousands who have responded to the gospel in repentance and faith? How has their worldview been transformed? In this text we see the practical elements of the early church and come to understand just how we should demonstrate our distinctiveness as Christ-followers before a watching world.
The rhythm of new covenant living is beginning to set in. What Jesus experienced in His earthly ministry is now being experienced by His disciples. The target of persecution has shifted off of Jesus and on to them. How does the church respond? They pray, and once again God proves that He is faithful. The apostles receive a fresh filling of the Spirit so that with great power they are able to continue their work of testifying to the resurrection of Jesus.
Peter’s sermon of explanation and exhortation in chapter 3 got John and him in trouble with the religious leadership. Now, standing before the Council, Peter delivers another powerful presentation of Jesus Christ, despite the great risk of imprisonment or worse. He was not moved by fear of losing what he had, but of failing to use what he had been given. He and John were committed to live up to their calling to “speak of what we have seen and heard.”
In chapter 2 Peter stood to explain the miraculous coming of God the Spirit and the amazing gift of languages. In chapter 3, Peter is once again called upon to explain the miraculous healing of a man lame from birth.
In both cases, Peter begins with a connection to his crowd and moves to a proclamation of the Good News of Jesus. This is an apostolic example of being intentionally available to be part of what God is doing in drawing those around us to Jesus as their Savior and Lord.
Acts 2 is widely referred to as the day the Church was born, and today we will look at what it was like in its earliest days. For many, Luke seems to be painting a picture of an ideal church, one which we should try to copy in our time. But was that really his intention? Was everything he wrote meant to prescribe what we should do today, or was it meant to describe what the Lord was doing then? As we study this portrait of the newborn church together, we will see what God was doing in His people then and what He continues to do in His people now.
After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13) Peter addresses those who were mocking the Spirit’s ministry in declaring the “mighty works of God” through different languages. Peter seizes this opportunity to bring clarity to the gift of the indwelling presence of the Spirit and, more importantly, proclaim how this gift is linked to the redemptive mission of God through Christ.
Few things have been more divisive and controversial in the church over the past decades than issues concerning the presence and ministry of God the Spirit. This is both ironic and sad given that the unity we have in Christ is made possible and kept eternally by means of the work of the Spirit.
In this text we find the very first example of how the Spirit’s ministry in and through the church is to come. He never enters the spotlight. Rather, he comes, sent by Jesus Christ, to shine the light on the Savior by enabling Christ-followers to understand and proclaim the Gospel.
After Christ’s ascension back to the presence of God the disciples waited in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on them. And as they waited, it became apparent that, with Judas’ demise, the team was incomplete. So with a stark dependence on God in prayer, they set about to complete the team of 12.
It was always God’s plan to begin with Israel and use them as the catalyst in the mission of taking his grace to the end of the earth. With the New Covenant comes a new people, both Jew and Gentile in Christ. Yet, once again God begins with Israel, as symbolized in the 12 Apostles through whom racial barriers will be broken and the message of Jesus taken to the world.
Jesus’ talk of the promise of the Father and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit led the Apostles to ask if now was the time when the kingdom was being restored to Israel. Was Jesus now going to restore the nation to the glory enjoyed under David and Solomon?
In his answer, Jesus both confronts their preoccupation with timing and corrects their understanding of the kingdom of God and their place in it. Now was not a time for determining God’s timing, but a time for telling the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
If we are to be the “fragrance of Christ” as everyday evangelists we will do well to learn from the best! Luke’s second volume – The Acts of the Apostles – continues the work of Jesus Christ through his Church after his ascension back to heaven. The basic point is this: Jesus Christ is actively working through his people to extend the gospel story and its eternal benefits.