Baird, TX - the pep rally!
James, Left in the black shirt and white tie.
James, #88
James with his 'buds' at the bon fire. Nick is the first one on James' left, blue shirt
Junior High Football Team in the Parade. James is the first one on the back of the flat-bed.
Read Acts 1:1-11
Acts of the Apostles it is thought was part of Luke's account of the history of the beginnings of the Christian church. There is not a specific reference to Luke in the book, but it is accepted by most scholars that Luke was the author. Acts especially reports on the work of Peter and Paul beginning with the ascension of Jesus. There is a school of thought that this was a letter to someone who loved God that was a Roman official since he addresses the letter to the most excellent (your excellency) Theophilous. This is a collection of windows into the growth of the Church in the beginning not a complete chronological record of historical events.
Acts seems to be the sequel or second chapter to the same account or what we might call the second volume of the story. First we have the story of the life and ministry of Jesus. Then, the second launches into the beginnings of the Christian Church. The gospel is only what Jesus began to do and teach. Acts is a story that has no end.
The author was possibly trying to convince and lead some Roman officials to the Lord because he is careful to point out how well Paul was treated by the magistrates and the reference of respect of 'most excellent' Theophilous was we would say today would be 'your excellency.'
Luke tells us in Luke 24:32 that the disciples returned to Jerusalem with great joy in spite of Jesus discontinuing his personal physical appearances for the disciples. There, the disciples were asked to wait.
It is obvious by the two volumes put together that Jesus achieved an immortality of influence and an immortality of presence and of power. Jesus left an effect on earth that cannot die. And they would soon learn more about the power that Jesus came to earth with when the apostles were to wait in Jerusalem for the coming of the spirit.
Isaiah 40: 31 tells us that we need to learn to be still in the business of life. Sometimes we need to just wait. 'Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.' During life's surging activity, there must be time to receive.
All during his ministry, Jesus labored under one great disadvantage. The center of his message was the kingdom of heaven (Mark 1:14); but he meant one thing by the kingdom and those who listened to him meant another.
The Jews were always vividly conscious of being God's chosen people. They had been in bondage under the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, and the Romans. So the Jews began to a day when God would break directly into human history and establish that world sovereignty of which they dreamed. They thought of the kingdom in political terms and earthly.
How did Jesus see the kingdom of heaven?
The last part of this passage brings us face to face with the second coming of Jesus. The angels said that he would come back just as he went. First, we learned that it is foolish to speculate when and how the second coming would happen. Mark 13:32 tells us that no one knows about the day and the hour when the Son of Man would come.
Second, the essential teaching of Christianity is that God has a plan for us and the world. We are bound to believe that history is not a haphazard conglomeration of chance events which are going nowhere. We are bound to believe that there is some divine far-off event to which the whole creation moves and that, when that final fulfillment comes, Jesus Christ will be the Judge and Lord of all. The second coming is not a matter for speculation and for a curiosity that is quite out of place; it is a summons to make ourselves ready for that day when it comes.
I pray that your week has gone well.
Take care all,
Brad
We will be starting Acts with this lesson and working through the beginnings of the church in the first century. Here is the lesson I presented last Sunday. By the way, we were able to hire a preacher last Sunday. Thanks for your prayers about our search.
Blessings in Christ, Brad
The Great Commission and the Ascension.
Matthew 28:16-20
Here we come to the end of the gospel story. Luke is a little more complete about the account of the forty days after Jesus was raised from the dead. Luke also has an account of the ascension in his gospel. In this last meeting with his disciples, Jesus did three things:
Jesus assured his disciples of his power. He has authority on heaven and on earth. The disciples master was one without question having all authority. He conquered death after all. There was still confusion. Some were still asking if Jesus was going to return Israel to Jerusalem and establish a new earthly kingdom. Because of this, he had to go on to his home and do so publicly.
Jesus gave them a commission. They were commanded to go into all the earth and make disciples of all people as we are to carry this commission on through our own generation. They were commanded to baptize, immerse, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
He promised them a presence. As the realization of the commission sank into the disciples minds, they must have been humbled by the magnitude of their commission to go into all the world and win souls for Jesus. They were sent out just as we are to the greatest mission in history. We have the comfort/courage of the 'presence' helping us rely on the strength of the leader for our foundation of faith. The disciples knew that there would be a presence. Luke tells of the presence that was promised they would have to wait a time for in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. We as Christians have something to do and we have the help of the Holy Spirit where our courage comes.
Acts 1:1-11
Acts of the Apostles it is thought was part of Luke's account of the history of the beginnings of the Christian church. There is not a specific reference to Luke in the book. There is little doubt to scholars that Luke wrote this book. Acts especially reports on the work of Peter and Paul beginning with the ascension of Jesus. There is a school of thought that this was a letter to someone who loved God that was a Roman official since he addresses the letter to the most excellent (your excellency) Theophilous. This is a collection of windows into the growth of the Church in the beginning not a complete chronological record of historical events.
Jesus promises the help of the Holy Spirit. They knew it was coming and it came in power. There was no doubt that something extraordinary had happened when everyone present began to hear preaching in their own native languages.
The angles came after the ascension to reassure the disciples and remind them of their commission to seek and save the lost. This changes the focus from the disciples depending on Jesus to be right with them to now applying what Jesus taught them to go and teach and baptize people to become new disciples of Christ adding to the church.
Christians are to witness by:
Proclaiming 'I know that is true.' In the court of law, hearsay is not accepted. A witness says 'I know' not ' I think so.' There is a certainty with the testimony of the witness.
A witness is not of words but of deeds. We live the life of Christ and make our influence preach the life of Jesus to the point that it is irresistible to our friends and relatives to become Christians.
In the Greek, the word for witness and the word for martyr are the same. The witness is committed enough to the message of Christ that we can become martyrs. Think about it. Are we Christians to this extent? A witness is loyal no matter what the cost.
This passage leaves us with two of the most difficult passages of the Bible. They are:
The ascension was essential to the message. The message would not be nearly as powerful if the sightings of the risen Jesus in the forty days had just petered out. This time was unique and could not go on forever and be used to promote growth of the church. Humanity must take over and continually dedicate their lives to Christ and the growth of his church. The ascension laid to rest that the kingdom being created was going to be a physical kingdom led by the messiah on earth. We are obviously looking forward to the heavenly kingdom.
We must have the faith to imagine ourselves back in time accepting the ascension of Jesus just as it was written about in this passage and tells us what we need to look for as far as the second-coming – Jesus coming back for judgment.
Luke tells us in Luke 24:32 that the disciples returned to Jerusalem with great joy in spite of Jesus discontinuing his personal physical appearances for the disciples. The kingdom was defined. They had just been given their responsibility to go into all of the world teaching and baptizing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Sarah At the Bon Fire
