Akin to Coles Notes on Acts 2 for 2022

 by Captain Michael Ramsay (This is the 2022 version presented to The Salvation Army Alberni Valley Ministries)

  

Click here to read the original version presented to each the Nipawin and Tisdale Corps 12 August 2007 and Swift Current Corps 23 May 2010 and 17 May 2015: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2007/08/acts-2-act-ii-scene-1.html Click here to read an abridged version presented for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity service on 16 January 2011 held at St. Stephen the Martyr Anglican Church in Swift Current: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2011/01/acts-2-and-week-of-prayer-for-christian.html For the 2015 edition, click here: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2015/05/acts-2-scene-1.html

  

As last Sunday was Pentecost, We are going to look at Acts 2 today. Acts is a neat book. Did you know that it is the only history (book) in the NT? Did you know that the books Acts and Luke were written by the same author and these books actually comprise more than 30% of the NT.

 

Acts always reminds me of a play. Maybe it’s the name (Act 2, scene 1). But particularly in the first part, Acts reminds me of a Shakespearian play. Anyone remember studying Shakespeare in school?

 

Here’s quiz for you. Who can name the play these quotes are from:

1.    ‘Friends, Romans, countrymen lend me your ears;’

2.    “To be or not to be, that is the question”

3.    “Romeo, Romeo, where art thou Romeo”?

 

Shakespeare wrote very dramatic plays and some of the tragedies are pretty tragic like Hamlet. Remember, his ‘to be or not to be’ speech where, of course, he is either pretending to be insane or actually goes insane while trying catch his father’s killer who happens to be his uncle and is also married to his mother. (Sounds like a soap opera actually) And in the end - everybody dies…

 

Or on a happier note, there is Romeo and Juliet. Young love. But their parents object so they sneak around for a while and then eventually (pause) kill themselves…okay so not a lot of happy endings…but they are very dramatic and neat stories nonetheless.

 

Shakespeare was a master playwright and Acts reminds me of Shakespeare’s work. (Only its better) God uses the author, Luke, to communicate VERY dramatic REAL events and he attributes to Peter some amazing speeches that could cause the post-modern reader to recall Mark Anthony, Lady MacBeth, or Hamlet.

 

Luke paints the scenes and recalls speeches that we will look at today beautifully. Pentecost has been called the ‘birth of the church’ which may or may not be all that accurate. I guess whether or not Pentecost is the birth of the church depends on what you mean by the church. If the church is people who worship God, people were doing that prior to Pentecost; if the birth of the church relates to the rite of baptism as some claim, that was clearly instituted in the Gospels already; dido if it relates to evangelism or the appearance and indwelling of the Holy Spirt – See John Chapter 20. I think Pentecost is a very significant event that symbolizes or illustrates the birth of the church. Just like we have just celebrated the Queens’s platinum jubilee. The day we celebrated it was not the date that her father died – February 6^th. In the US too they observe their Presidents’ birthdays on different days than they were actually born. So too possibly Pentecost. Now whether Pentecost is the Church’s actual birthday or not, it certainly has become the Day of Observing the Church’s birthday. That was all a bit of a tangent. Nonetheless, God’s Spirit really does appear at Pentecost and creates unity out of diversity, releasing the disciples to proclaim the gospel of Jesus’ death resurrection and the forgiveness of sins.

 

Acts really does remind me of a play and just before we open the curtain on Acts II, we should know a bit about the way the stage is set. When the curtain comes up not only will all the disciples still be together but also in the scene will be ‘Jews from every nation under heaven (2:5)’ and they have come together to celebrate Pentecost. Picture this with me as I read from the first verses:

 

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing (sound effects) of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be (pillars) tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?

 

And this is the dramatic scene in the opening of Acts 2. And if this were a Shakespearean play, now, hundreds of years later, there would be - Cole’s Notes! – Do you remember Coles Notes? The notes so that we can all understand the nuances of what is happening before us and there are many nuances…

 

If we had our Cole’s Notes with us today there would probably be an asterisk beside the word ‘Pentecost’ (vs. 1) because when we think of Pentecost we usually think of this very moment: the advent of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts – but it is more than that.

 

Your Cole’s Notes would probably say that Pentecost is also known by various other names: the feast of weeks (Ex 34:22; Dt 15:10, 16:9-12; Nu 28:26-31), feast of harvest (Ex 23:16), the day of first fruits (Ex 34:22; Nu 28:26; Lv 23:9-14) and this is neat: Pentecost occurs on the 50th day after the Sabbath Passover (Ex 19:1) and in Acts II it is about 50 days after Jesus was crucified and the disciples were scattered and now 50 days later they are gathering together in prayer and Christian unity.

 

There would also be a note on the name ‘Moses’. The Judean festival of Pentecost is a time to celebrate God giving the Law to Moses: Remember the Ten Commandments and how Moses climbs the Mountain (Ex. 19-20, 31, 34; Dt. 4-5, 10) and God writes the 10 Commandments on the stone tablets with his own finger (Ex 31:18; Dt. 4:13, 10:1) and when Moses returns from the mountain his face is literally radiant (Ex 34:29-35): it’s shining and in Jewish tradition, everyone heard the Law read out in their own tongue. And also remember when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and through the Red Sea, how did God lead them? Remember the fiery a cloud: it looked like tongue of cloud by day; pillar of fire by night. All the events recorded in Acts 2 I think are meant to link Jesus to Moses as a deliver – and those present in this scene are probably beginning to understand that.

 

And even more – you see the Bible is REAL. These things really did happen but it is also a literary masterpiece with symbolism everywhere – really would we expect anything less from God’s own Word?

There would also be a note beside Acts 2:6: “each one heard them speaking in his own language;” some have compared this passage to an un-doing, as it were, of the tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9). Do you remember that story? The people provoke God by disobeying His command to scatter and fill the earth by the building of this tower and as a result, the people are made to babble in different languages. God confuses their speech. But now what happens in Acts II? The opposite. Christians become unified. Instead of language being confused, people can actually now hear the Gospel proclaimed in their OWN language.

 

There is so much more relating the Spirit of God in Acts 2 like comparing the creation of the church to the creation of the world – the word for Spirit and wind are exactly the same - that we just don’t have time to get into today, but this is all part of the world and understanding of those present. They understand as the scene unfolds and as Peter continues to speak that Jesus is the Christ, and that we together have killed our Christ.

 

These people now standing in front of Peter as he delivers something akin to a masterful Shakespearian soliloquy – they are like repentant children in front of the principal, realising that they’ve done something terribly wrong. They realise that Jesus is the Christ and they realize (PAUSE) that they’ve killed him; we’ve killed him. And now Jesus is back from the dead. If we didn’t know the ending, it could be like a 1970s horror movie. You wrongfully kill someone and they come back from the dead to set things right! The people in our text today are hoping against hope to somehow make it right (cf. John 21:15-17 re: Peter’s own restoration) when in a spirit of good repentant Christian unity: Verse 37, “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

 

Peter says, verse 38, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” Now this is significant. Jesus is ushering in this Kingdom of God.  And what does this Kingdom look like? It is a Kingdom of Christian unity and of forgiveness. It is a Kingdom –like the Lord’s Prayer says - where we, in perfect unity, forgive those who do things against us and God forgives us what we have done – even our sending [as was his purpose and with God’s perfect foreknowledge (vss. 22-23)] God’s own son to die on the cross.

 

What is it that one does as one is united in Christ with fellow Christians as a part of God’s Kingdom? We repent (This doesn’t just mean change our way of acting – it means change our whole way of thinking). We repent – we believe that Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead and Jesus is Lord. We believe and are baptised (which in the text here is an initiation ceremony through which the early Christians are united); we must be initiated and united in the Kingdom of Forgiveness of Sins and the Kingdom of God, in the name of Jesus – and this is everything.

 

Peter says in the text “you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” This is the same Holy Spirit who is at creation and this is the same Holy Spirit who is at Pentecost and it is the same Holy Spirit who is with us today. The Bible promises us, Acts 2:39 that, “The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off —for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Isn’t that glorious? Isn’t this wonderful? Isn’t this amazing?

 

And look what it says, just before the curtain closes on our scene here in Acts II: Our words that we are supposed to hold as our own today. It says that as they are gathered together in Christian unity that - Verse 47- “day by day the Lord added to their number those being saved.” How wonderful? How marvellous?

 

And may it be continue to be so. Come; let us pray for a unity of the Spirit in our lives. Come let us pray that Christ will be our light. Amen.

 

Acts 2: Scene 1

Presented to each the Nipawin and Tisdale Corps 12 August 2007, Swift Current Corps 23 May 2010 and 17 May 2015, Corps 614 Regent Park Toronto 04 October 2015 and Alberni Valley Ministries, 12 June 2022 by Captain Michael Ramsay

This is the 2015 text. For the original August 2007 version, click here: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2007/08/acts-2-act-ii-scene-1.html

For those of us following along in our Boundless Bible Reading Challenge we are looking at the Book of Acts right now. Acts is a neat book. Did you know that it is the only history in the NT? Luke and Acts also were written by the same author and these books actually come together as sort of a two volume set that many scholars like to call ‘Luke-Acts.’ Together this set comprises more than 30% of the NT. Luke-Acts is thus important for us to understand.

Acts always reminds me of a play. Maybe it’s the name (Act 1, scene 2). But particularly in the first part, Acts reminds me of a Shakespearian play. Anyone remember studying Shakespeare in school?

All right, here’s a quiz for you. Who can name the play these quotes are from:

1)      ‘Friends, Romans, countrymen lend me your ears;’

2)      “to be or not to be, that is the question” – here’s an easy one –

3)      “Romeo, Romeo, where art thou Romeo”? [Answers below]

Shakespeare wrote very dramatic plays and some of the tragedies are pretty tragic like Hamlet. Remember, his ‘to be or not to be’ speech where, of course, he is either pretending to be insane or actually goes insane, while trying catch his father’s killer who happens to be his uncle and is also married to his mother. (Sounds like a soap opera actually) And in the end - everybody dies…

Or on a happier note, there is Romeo and Juliet. Young love. But their parents object so they sneak around for a while and then eventually (pause) kill themselves…okay so not a lot of happy endings…but they are very dramatic and neat stories nonetheless.

Shakespeare was a master playwright. And Acts reminds me of Shakespeare’s work, only better! God uses Luke to communicate the VERY dramatic REAL events that happen here and Luke attributes to Peter some amazing speeches that could cause the post-modern reader to recall Mark Anthony, Lady Macbeth, or Hamlet.

And he uses the scenes and speeches that we will look at today to tell the readers how God’s Spirit comes at Pentecost and releases the disciples to proclaim the gospel of Jesus’ death, resurrection and the forgiveness of sins.

As the curtains open on Acts 1’s scene one. The narrator recaps the miracles of the end of Luke (1:1-5) and the resurrection. He explains Jesus’ ascension to heaven (1:6-12) and we now are invited to watch as the disciples, men and women alike (1:14), gather around in the upper room (1:13) casting lots to learn who God has chosen in place of Judas Iscariot; the gruesome details of whose death unfold for the audience as the protagonist, the Apostle Peter [1] takes to the stage with this opening address (vs. 15-20):

"He was one of our number and shared in this ministry.” With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language, Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.

Peter - in his address - shows how Judas’ death fulfils the scriptures of Psalms 69:25 and 109:8.[2] And then as he finishes speaking, the stage fades to black, ending Acts 1.

Now just before we open the curtain on Acts 2, you should know a bit about the way the stage is set. When the curtain comes up not only will all the disciples still be together. But also in the scene will be ‘Jews from every nation under heaven (2:5)’ and they have come to celebrate Pentecost.[3]

These Jews on the scene in Acts II here are very familiar with the tradition of the Messiah because they have been looking for someone to deliver Palestine from the evils of the occupation. They have been looking for someone who could offer them freedom for Judea. They have been looking for someone who can provide salvation for the Judeans (cf. psalm 72, 2 Samuel 9). They have been looking for the Messiah, the Christ, the Saviour of Israel. It is upon this crowd that we gaze as the curtain rises on scene one in Acts II:

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing [sound effects] of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be (pillars) tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?

And this is the dramatic scene in the opening of Acts 2. And if this were a Shakespearean play, now, hundreds of years later, there would be - Cole’s Notes! - so that we can all understand the nuances of what is happening before us and there are many nuances…

If we had our Cole’s Notes with us today there would probably be an asterisk beside the word ‘Pentecost’ (vs. 1) because when we think of Pentecost we usually think of this very moment: the arrival of the Holy Spirit in Acts – but it is more than that.

Your Cole’s Notes would probably say that Pentecost is also known by various other names: feast of weeks (Ex 34:22; Dt 15:10, 16:9-12; Nu 28:26-31), feast of harvest (Ex 23:16), day of first fruits (Exod 34:22; Nu 28:26; Lev 23:9-14) and this is neat: Pentecost occurs on the 50th day after the Sabbath Passover (Ex 19:1)[4] and here, in Acts II, it is about 50 days after Jesus was crucified.

Now this Jewish festival [5], Pentecost, is a time to celebrate God giving the Law to Moses on Mt Sinai:[6] Remember the Ten Commandments and how Moses climbs the Mountain (twice; Ex 19-20, 31, 34; Dt 4-5, 10) and God writes the 10 commandments on the stone tablets[7] with his very own finger (Ex 31:18; Dt 4:13, 10:1) and when Moses returns from the Mountain his face is literally radiant (34:29-35): it’s shining.

In our text it is now about 50 days after Jesus was crucified.[8] And as Pentecost is about the Ten Commandments, the covenant and an empowering of the Israelites for their new life outside of Egypt[9], here now with the coming of the Spirit in Acts II the disciples are empowered for their new life in the Kingdom of God (Lk 24:49).[10]

This event certainly does link Jesus to Moses as a deliver of his people – and those present in this scene are probably beginning to understand that Jesus is that deliverer.

There is even more though for the curious reader here to link Jesus to Moses (verse 3): the tongues or pillars of fire above their heads. Remember as God was leading Israel away from Pharaoh’s Army, He parted the Red Sea for them. Remember as He led them around the desert for that generation (Ex 23:21, 33:14; Dt 4:7) what did God lead them with? …: A pillar of cloud by day and a pillar (or tongue) of fire by night. And here we have pillars of fire linking our minds again to Israel’s delivery and Israel’s covenant with God. There is even more when the Bible speaks about the coming baptism of fire. Here it is [11]; isn’t that neat?

And even more – you see the Bible is REAL. These things really did happen but it is also a literary masterpiece with symbolism everywhere –would we expect anything less from God’s own Word?

Look at 2:6: “each one heard them speaking in his own language;” some have compared this to an un-doing, as it were, of the tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9). Do you remember that story? The people provoke God through staying to build this tower and as a result, all of a sudden they are babbling in different languages. God confuses their talk. It is kind of hard to work together when you don’t understand what other people are saying – but now what happens? In Acts II, it is reversed. Instead of language being confused, people can actually now hear the Gospel proclaimed in their OWN language. And they are again to go and fill the earth, this time with the Good News of Christ.

Further, some people even relate this event again to the giving of the Law at Sinai as, according to Jewish tradition, at that point every people heard the law in its own language.[12]

And now certainly we, as well as the much earlier readers of Acts, can understand the implicit symbolism representing the truth that Jesus, like Moses, is deliverer of his people[13] - and actually he is the one they have been waiting for.

But more than that: Your Cole’s notes would probably also have an asterisk beside the words ‘the violent wind’ [14] in Verse 2 where it says, “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting” The passage does not claim that the Holy Spirit is a wind; rather the Holy Spirit is like the sound wind makes but, this is neat, the word here for wind is the SAME word for Spirit in the original Greek (cf. Gen 1:2; Ez 37:9, 14; Jn 3:8) so the SPIRIT (or wind) is coming like the WIND (or spirit) and this same play on words occurs in the creation story of Gen 1:2[15] where it says that the Spirit (or wind) of God hovered there - over the waters. This passage is about a beginning, a creation, a new Kingdom, if you like, and Jesus here is not only linked to man, he is also linked to God. This very real act of the Spirit coming on Pentecost unites the symbolism of the Messiah and of God himself [16].

So lets recap: they are all together in one place. The Spirit blows in, sound like a violent wind, tongues of fire are settling on people -- Now lets join the scene in Acts 2:17: the Apostle Peter stands up with the 11 (2:14) to make his speech (Acts 2:17-21) in which he quotes the Prophet Joel (Joel 2:28-32) [and Psalm 16:8-10]:

In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. (It will be) the coming of the great and glorious Day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

As if in a Shakespearian soliloquy, Luke records here what Peter explains from Scriptures. He explains exactly what we can see unfolding the scene before us. He explains that Jesus is from God and Jesus is Lord [17] and he explains that ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

And in case we missed it still Peter says from Verse 22 onwards – Jesus was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs…and now, if not before, now people get it and so Peter turns to the common everyday people listening and says: Jesus was accredited by God and you … Verse 23… you and wicked men put him to death by nailing him to the cross. You killed him.

This is tragic. This is as tragic as any play. The people get it now that Jesus was the Messiah (and Peter goes on about it more in the rest of the chapter). They get it. He was the one who was supposed to deliver them. He was the one who was supposed to save them. He was the one who was supposed to lead them into the Kingdom to come. But there is one problem: he died. And not only that, ‘you’, Peter says, ‘you killed him.’

Can you imagine the sorrow, the guilt, the pain? It must be like Romeo and Juliet’s parents: they loved their children with everything in them. They pinned their future hopes on their children and now because of their actions, their un-forgiveness, their very loved children are dead.

Jesus was to be our deliver, Peter says, and you killed him. You wanted a deliver. You had a deliver and you killed him! But there’s more. Peter makes it clear to us that ‘you’ killed the Messiah but he also makes it clear (vs.22-23) that he ‘was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge;’ He was ‘accredited by God with miracles, wonders and signs which God did.’ And, Verse 24, God raised him from the dead. Jesus is inextricably linked to God and you killed Him and he was raised from the dead.

This not necessarily understood as good news yet for those listening [18] - The Judeans know that God is just. And so this could be a little scary really. They here are waiting for their deserved penalty for killing their Messiah [19] and remember they already saw what happened to Judas after he betrayed Christ (Acts 1:16-20).

This is a part of the world and understanding of the Jews. They understand that there is a punishment for sin. [20] They understand that there is a penalty for killing Jesus, whom those here –from what we’ve examined today – are rightly convinced is Messiah.

These people are now standing in front of Peter – like repentant children in front of the principal, realising that they’ve done something terribly wrong, hoping against hope to somehow make it right and maybe even avoid their punishment (cf. Jn 21:15ff.): Verse 37, “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?””

What can we do? We killed Jesus. We killed our Messiah. We killed God’s son. He died for our sins. He’s now raised from the dead. Is there anything we can do to be forgiven by Him and by God and be accepted into His Kingdom?

Peter says, Verse 38, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” Now this is significant. You see, as we looked at in Luke, Jesus is ushering in this Kingdom of God. And earlier in this chapter we saw the Spirit of God himself come down from Heaven (Acts 2:1-4, Lk 24). We saw the power of God manifest to announced the Kingdom of God is coming now; it is here.

And what does this Kingdom look like? It is a Kingdom of forgiveness. It is a Kingdom –like the Lord’s Prayer says - where we forgive those who do things against us and God forgives us what we have done – even our sending [as was his purpose and with God’s perfect foreknowledge (vss. 22-23)] God’s own son to die on the cross.

What is it that one must do to be a part of this Kingdom? We just have to repent (This doesn’t just mean change your way of acting – it means change your whole way of thinking) – You must repent – you must now believe that Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead and Jesus is Lord. You must believe and be baptised (which here is an initiation ceremony); you must be initiated into the Kingdom of Forgiveness of Sins and the Kingdom of God, in the name of Jesus – and that’s it. [21]

Peter says then “you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” This same Holy Spirit that came down on Pentecost and even more than that he assures us that this promise isn’t just for them. “The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off —for all whom the Lord our God will call.” And, like we read earlier, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”

And look what it says, just before the curtain closes on our scene here. It says in verse 47 “day by day the Lord added to their number those being saved.” And may it be continue to be so. Come and pray for the Spirit in our lives.

Benediction: Galatians 5:22-26a.

www.sheepspeak.com 

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ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ

‘Friends, Romans, countrymen lend me your ears;’ - Mark Anthony in 'Julius Caesar'

“to be or not to be, that is the question” – Hamlet in 'Hamlet'

“Romeo, Romeo, where art thou Romeo”? - Juliet in 'Romeo and Juliet'

_______________________________________________________

[1] After Acts 15, Paul becomes the central apostle, whose acts we are following.

[2] “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the book of Psalms, “ ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ (Psalm 69:25) and, “‘May another take his place of leadership’ (Psalm 109:8).

[3] These Jews are probably members of the Diaspora: shortly after Jesus died, there was an unsuccessful Jewish rebellion (68-73 CE) against the Romans [which led to the destruction of the temple (70 CE).] As a result, many Judeans had to flee for their lives. This dispersion was throughout the Mediterranean world and these dispersed Jews are members of the now commonly called Diaspora. However, “We have seen that this Dispersion had [actually] begun six centuries before in the Babylonian Captivity, and had been renewed in the settling of Alexandria.” Will Durant, Caesar and Christ. (TSC 3: New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 1944), 545. Those present here would be from the earlier group as Acts is set before the destruction of the temple and some even argue that the scene in Acts 2 actually takes place in the temple.

[4] Thus the name Pentecost from the Hebrew he pentekoste "fiftieth"

[5] There is much discussion about whether or not Luke was making specific reference to this event at the time of his writing; regardless of whether this was an intentional parallel drawn by the author of Luke, the symbolism seems to be divinely intentioned. Cf. Robert W. Wall, Acts. (NIB 10: Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon Press, 2002), 57-58, for a thorough discussion of this.

[6] This continues to this day. Also cf. R.C.H Lenski, The Interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles. (Minneapolis, Minnesota: Augsburg Publishing House, 1961), 57.

[7] The first time (Exod. 31:18); The second time, according to the Exodus account, Moses is required to do the writing himself (Exod. 34:1; but cf. Dt. 10:1)

[8] In John’s narrative (John 20:19-23), The disciples receive the gift of the Holy Spirit before Jesus has gone to ‘his Father’s house.’ This may be a different record of the same event; however, it may not. This appearance of the Holy Spirit is not an act unique to Acts II.

[9] Robert W. Wall, p. 54. : [Some] interpreters posit a new dispensation has dawned when the Holy Spirit through the Messiah mediates a new covenant. (cf. Jer. 31:31-34; Rom. 8:2).

[10] Cf. Willimon, p. 28.

[11] These tongues are also an obvious fulfilment of Luke 3:16: ‘He shall baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.’” They may however also represent the altar with its holy fire. Fire is also a symbol of purity and purification, cf. also Lenski, p. 59.

[12] Fredrick Frye Bruce, The Book of Acts. (TNICNT: Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), 54.

[13] Certainly readers of Matthew would understand this, as one of the themes of Matthew is that Jesus is ‘the new Moses.’

[14] Jesus himself compares the coming of the Spirit to the wind, see John 3:8.

[15] R.C.H Lenski, p. 58: “This mighty sound was surely a symbol of power, and we may recall that both the Hebrew and the Greek words for Spirit, Ruach and IIamven denote wind or breath.” Some also suggest that the ‘whole house’ referred to in this verse here may actually be an allusion to the Temple, which was destroyed in 70 AD.

[16] See John 3:8 where Jesus himself compared the coming of the Spirit to the blowing of the wind.

[17] It is significant here, I believe, that Luke quoted the Greek text. He was able to thus make a strong intentional link then with the word ‘Lord’.

[18] This is reminiscent of Jesus’ appearance to Peter right after Peter had denied him and he was crucified.

[19] Cf. Robert W. Wall. pp. 66-67.

[20] Cf. NT Wright, The Problem of Evil and the Justice of God.

[21] Ibid.

Acts 1:12-26: Show Us Which You Have Chosen

Presented to Swift Current Corps of The Salvation Army, 19 May 2013

By Captain Michael Ramsay

To read a version of this sermon presented to Toronto's Corps 614, 20 Sept 2015, click here: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2015/09/acts-112-26-who-have-you-chosen.html 

To read a 2024 TSA AVM BC version click here: https://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2024/04/acts-112-26-show-us-which-you-have.html 

1) How do we choose an important employee, manager, CEO, etc.? (Resume, ability)

2) How do we choose the Head of State? (Heredity: intense job-training programme from the moment they are born)

3) How do we choose the Canadian Idol, talent show winners and politicians in this country? (Popularity contest AKA an election)

4) What is the traditional way that one decides whether the one they fancy truly loves them or not: ‘she loves me, she loves me not’? (Removing leaves from a flower)

5) How does one decide which team is going to start with the ball in Canadian football or in a soccer game? (Coin toss)

6) How does one decide where to transfer Salvation Army Officers? (Prayer and fasting?)

Near the conclusion of Acts Chapter 1, the believers who have gathered in Jerusalem – about 120 of them – are faced with a choice that needs to be made: they need to choose a successor to one of the 12 disciples. This whole episode that we are examining today raises three layers of questions.

1) The first layer is composed of questions to which the solutions are not all that difficult to find, such as:

Ø      Who are these disciples here - particularly Judas Iscariot?

Ø      What did Judas do?

2) A little more challenging are the questions of the second layer:

Ø      Why do they need a successor to Judas? Outside of the RC tradition, I believe, we don’t believe that they even need successors to any of the apostles anymore; so why do they need a successor in Acts here?

Ø      And did they choose the correct successor? What about the apostle Paul? Some people say Paul was supposed to be the successor to Judas Iscariot, not Matthias. According to Luke, did the disciples make a mistake in selecting Matthias?

3) Once we have resolved the issues in these two layers of questioning, we should look at the third layer and ask ourselves the most important question inherent to the text: how should we resolve the difficult questions in our lives? How should we make the important decisions that we have to make in our life and in our world on a daily basis?

In answering these questions, let's look a little bit at the context of our pericope here. This book, Acts, is the second book written by the author Luke to his friend Theophilus. Can anyone tell me what is the name of the first book Luke wrote to his friend Theophilus? (Luke.) The book of Acts is a sequel to the book of Luke. It is a continuation of the story: The book of Luke tells about Jesus and his followers prior to Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. Acts picks up the story from where Luke finishes off.

We read Acts 1:1-11 earlier in the meeting today. This recaps what Luke had written to Theophilus in his previous book. As recorded in Acts 1:1-2, Luke writes, ‘In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.’ Luke then lists some of those things:

Ø      Jesus’ suffering,

Ø      His presenting himself alive after he was killed,

Ø      And showing many other convincing proofs (Acts 1:3-4).

Luke then tells Theophilus that Jesus also reminded the believers to stay in Jerusalem while they await the Holy Spirit to give their post-resurrection ministry a kick-start. Once Gods sends the Holy Spirit like a starter pistol, Luke tells us, the believers are to run to the ends of the earth sharing this Gospel of Salvation with everyone they meet (Acts 1:1-11). This review of his earlier book is how Luke sets the stage for this book of Acts.

Now let's look at one or two of the questions that we asked ourselves off the top today. Who are the disciples here?  Acts 1:13 mentions them by name. We’ll highlight a few of them. Peter, James and John were Jesus’ inner circle of disciples. They were all fishermen in their previous career, as was Andrew. Peter is the one who is going to take a leadership role among the disciples. Philip we will learn more about in the next few chapters of the book of Acts. We know the story of doubting Thomas. We also recognize the name of Matthew in the list. Someone can tell me what book did Matthew write? (Matthew). Luke also mentions, Verse 13, Simon the Zealot, Judas son of James, James son of Aphaeus, and Bartholomew. These were the 11.

Who was the 12th disciple? (Judas Iscariot). For what is Judas infamous? Judas Iscariot, Judas is remembered as Jesus’ betrayer. He led the Romans and the priests to Jesus and betrayed him with a kiss. Then Jesus was led off to be killed, to be crucified. Now this Judas Iscariot was one of Jesus’ 12 chosen disciples and he was the one trusted enough to be placed in charge of the disciples’ money. He was their treasurer. Luke, through Peter, tells us a few more things about Judas Iscariot in our text today. Acts 1:15-20 records that Judas:

Ø      Was a guide to those arresting Jesus, Verse 16 (like we said);

Ø      Was allotted a full share in Jesus ministry, Verse 17 (like we said);

Ø      And then, with the money he was paid for helping arrest Jesus –Verse 18 – he bought and field;

Ø      And he killed himself.

Judas was one of Jesus’ closest twelve followers, he betrayed Jesus for whatever reason, and then he took his own life (Acts 1:18-20 contrasts Matthew 27:3-10).

This is sad and this brings us to our second level of questions: Why do the disciples need a successor to Judas? And did they choose the right successor?

Why do the disciples even need a successor to Judas? As Jesus is already crucified, resurrected, and glorified; why do they need someone to replace Judas? They don’t replace any of the other disciples when they die; so, why do they need to replace Judas when Judas dies? Jesus gives us the answer to this question, as recorded in Matthew 19:28 and Luke 22:30. Jesus tells us that “at the renewal of all things,” his twelve disciples will “sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28, Luke 22:30). OT Scriptures, in particular the psalmist, also speak to this need: Psalm 69:25, 109:8.[1] John, in the book of Revelation writes that at “the consummation of God’s redemption as a ‘Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God’, having twelve gates with ‘the names of the twelve tribes of Israel’ written on them and twelve foundations with ‘the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb’ written on them (Revelation 21:10, 12, 14).”[2] Israelite tradition, Jesus’ teaching and subsequent Christian thought and belief record that the apostles have a role still to play at the resurrection of the dead. Jesus says that it is their job to judge the tribes of Israel after the resurrection of the dead.

So then, it is not because Judas died that he needs to be replaced because he will be raised on the last day with all the rest of us and none of the other disciples were replaced when they died. It is because Judas abrogated his responsibility, he forfeited his position as one of the twelve judges of Israel when he betrayed Jesus - who is Israel and the world’s Messiah - and then took his own life.[3] This is why they need a replacement; this is why they need a twelfth disciple. They need a twelfth person who will help judge the twelve tribes of Israel on the last day. As a side note, this is probably where originates the idea that continues even to this time and place that we should have 12 people sitting on juries to determine innocence or guilt in court.

The next question in this second layer of questions is, did they choose the correct successor? What about the Apostle Paul? Some people say that Paul was supposed to be the successor to Judas Iscariot, not Matthias. According to Luke, did the disciples make a mistake in selecting Matthias? No. The short answer is no. The reasons that some offer for Paul being the correct replacement for Judas rather than Matthias do not hold up to scrutiny.  Howard Marshall writes,

 “Some commentators have argued ... that the church acted wrongly in choosing Matthias: it should have waited for the ‘twelfth man’ of God’s own choice, Paul, instead of giving God his choice between two others who are never heard of again. But we never hear any more of [any of]the other members of the Twelve (apart from Peter, James, and John) in Acts, and Paul did not [even] possess the essential qualifications to be one of the Twelve.”[4]

The list of the qualifications for the job of disciple here include:

1. Acts 1:21, that, ^“… it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us” (The expression “was living among us” is a Semitic idiom for familiar and unhindered association; cf. Deuteronomy 31:2; 2 Samuel 3:25; Psalm 121:8; Acts 9:28).
2. Acts 1:22: “For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” He must have seen Christ in person both before and after the resurrection.
3. And, Acts 1:14, Judas’ successor must also be appointed by the same Lord who appointed the Eleven.

The Apostle Paul does not meet all these criteria.[5] God used the Apostle Paul greatly -as Paul himself acknowledges- as an apostle to the gentiles not necessarily as the one to judge the tribes of Israel at the resurrection (cf. Galatians 1:18, 2:1-10).[6]

So, to review: the disciples referred to in this pericope were the 12 chosen ones who were with Jesus during his ministry. These apostles, at the eschaton, on the last day will judge the tribes of Israel. Therefore the successful applicant for Judas’ old job will have been a witness to the resurrection, will have met Jesus in person both before and after His death and resurrection and he will need to be appointed by Jesus Christ himself.

In our text then the disciples have before them then two viable candidates, Acts 1:23-26, “Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, ‘Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.’ Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.” Luke records that these people who are gathered together in Jesus’ name when it comes time to make a decision pray, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen.”

This is important and this brings us to our third and most important layer of questioning today. How do we make decisions that need to be made in our lives? I know that Susan, the kids and I have had to discern God’s leading in a few significant matters in our lives. How do we discern which paths to take in our own lives?

When we were called by God into full-time ministry with The Salvation Army, it was a tough decision. We were first called as urban missionaries in Vancouver’s infamous downtown eastside. We had two small children. I had businesses both on the Island (Victoria, Saanich, Sidney) and in and around Greater Vancouver; but my home, my wife with my children and our immediate families were all on the Island. I loved my businesses. I would have to give up my businesses that I founded and raised almost like a first child in order to enter the ministry and we would have to leave our long-time friends and extended family.

We had to make a decision. We could make an economic decision and stay on the Island with our house and our businesses or we could say, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two [options] You have chosen.” We could make a family decision and stay near the children’s grandparents and at that time great-grandparents or we could pray, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen.” We could make a sentimental decision and stay by all that we have ever known and loved on the Island or we could pray, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen.” As we are here today we thankfully took the latter option as our way forward. Praise the Lord; we followed Him into the mission field.

But our reliance on God is not a one-time thing. There are still many more decisions that each and every one of us are faced with everyday in our lives. And every time that we are faced with a decision we have to decide whether we are going to try to decide on our own or whether we are going to trust God to show us the way and then follow Him.

Our first month or so here in Swift Current, I think every staff member of our Thrift Store quit including the manager. Two Christmases ago our CFS director needed to be let go right as we were heading into our busiest time of year. Every year the Army has to declare whether we as Officers are going to stay in our communities or whether we are going to be transferred. In any of these situations any of us can just try to make up our own minds; we can dig our heels in and say to the Lord that we are not going to do what you or anyone else says; we can be bullied by those around us who have an agenda or who are just not very skilled at discerning the will of God; we can just rely on own devices to make the decisions ourselves; we can tell the Lord to please bless the decision that we are about to make. But really - no matter how skilled we are at making decisions - it would gain much better results if instead of any of these ways of deciding what to do, we would pray like the disciples in Acts 1, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen.” And then we need to wait to see how He actually responds.

When we don’t do this we can be tricked into making the wrong choice. I remember once when I was living in a different part of the country, there was an election. I prayed. I looked at the various candidates in my riding. I checked out their resumes and past experiences and there were two of the myriad people running who seemed to have the prerequisite qualifications for the position, so I picked one and voted for him. He was elected but no sooner was he elected then he immediately betrayed those of us who voted for him by joining an opposing political party. He ran as if he belonged to one party so everyone who voted for him thought they were voting for a member of political party 'A' but as soon as he was elected, before he was ever even sworn it, he defected to political party 'B'; so in essence political party 'B' had two candidates in that riding in that election. No matter how much effort I put into casting my ballot, like everyone else who voted for this candidate, I was betrayed.

The disciples, in our passage today, have before them then two viable candidates to replace the one who betrayed Jesus, Acts 1:23-26, “Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, ‘Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.’ Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.” Luke records that these people who are gathered together in Jesus’ name when it comes time to make a decision pray, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen.”

This is important. How do we make decisions that need to be made in our lives? Do we attempt to make up our own minds or do we -like the disciples here- correctly attempt to discern the will of the Lord.

The disciples, they don’t pray, “Lord please bless our decision making process” and then do whatever they see fit; they pray, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have already chosen.” They don’t pray, “Lord, please help us to make the right decision” and then do whatever they see fit; they pray, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have already chosen.” They don’t pray, “Lord, show us what we should do” and then do whatever they see fit; they pray, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have already chosen.”

Do you see the difference? The disciples, they don’t call a big meeting and pray for God to bless the proceedings and then make up their own minds anyway after pouring over all of the resumes, conducting interviews, checking references; they don't make the decision all on their own and then ask God to bless it. Quite the opposite, they pray, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have already chosen.”

So what about us? When we are faced with life’s choices how do we decide what to do? Do we pray and then make up our own minds or do we ask for God to show us what he has already decided and keep our eyes and ears open to see what he is showing us? This is the end to which I would encourage us today. Whenever we are faced with a critical decision let us each seek the will of God in our lives and let us each pray as the disciples prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have already chosen.” And then let us actually wait for His answer. I know that as we do, He will show us what He has already chosen for our lives.

 

Let us pray.

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[1] Cf. Robert W. Wall, ‘Acts’ The New Interpreter’s Bible 10, (Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon Press, 2002), 49-50.

[2] Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM:Acts/Exposition of Acts/Introduction: The Constitutive Events of the Christian Mission (1:1-2:41)/D. The Full Complement of Apostles (1:12-26)/2. Matthias chosen to replace Judas Iscariot (1:15-26), Book Version: 4.0.2

[3] Cf. William H. William, ‘Acts’, Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, (Atlanta, Georgia: John Knox Press, 1988), 23.

[4] I. Howard Marshall: Acts: An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1980 (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries 5), S.71

[5] Cf. Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM:Acts/Exposition of Acts/Introduction: The Constitutive Events of the Christian Mission (1:1-2:41)/D. The Full Complement of Apostles (1:12-26)/2. Matthias chosen to replace Judas Iscariot (1:15-26), Book Version: 4.0.2

[6] Cf. Simon J. Kistemaker, ‘Acts’, New Testament Commentary, (Grand Rapids Michigan: Baker Academic, 2007), 68.

Acts 2 and the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Presented to Week of Prayer for Christian Unity service 16 January 2011 at St. Stephen the Martyr Anglican Church in Swift Current. Based on an earlier sermon presented to each the Nipawin and Tisdale Corps on 12 August 2007 and to the Swift Current Corps on 23 May 2010. A further version was presented to Alberni Valley Ministries, 12 June 2022 by Captain Michael Ramsay

To read the more detailed earlier sermons, click here: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2007/08/acts-2-act-ii-scene-1.html

We are going to look at the reading from Acts today. Acts is a neat book. Did you know that it is the only history (book) in the NT? Did you know that the books Acts and Luke were written by the same author and these books actually come together as sort of a two volume set that many scholars like to call ‘Luke-Acts.’ Together this set comprises more than 30% of the NT. 

Acts always reminds me of a play. Maybe it’s the name (Act 1, scene 2). But particularly in the first part, Acts reminds me of a Shakespearian play. Anyone remember studying Shakespeare in school?

All right, here’s quiz for you. Who can name the play these quotes are from: ‘Friends, Romans, countrymen lend me your ears;’ “to be or not to be, that is the question” – here’s an easy one - “Romeo, Romeo, where art thou Romeo”?

Shakespeare wrote very dramatic plays and some of the tragedies are pretty tragic like Hamlet. Remember, his ‘to be or not to be’ speech where, of course, he is either pretending to be insane or actually goes insane while trying catch his father’s killer who happens to be his uncle and is also married to his mother. (Sounds like a soap opera actually) And in the end - everybody dies…

Or on a happier note, there is Romeo and Juliet. Young love. But their parents object so they sneak around for a while and then eventually (pause) kill themselves…okay so not a lot of happy endings…but they are very dramatic and neat stories nonetheless.

Shakespeare was a master playwright and Acts reminds me of Shakespeare’s work. (Only its better) God uses the author, Luke, to communicate VERY dramatic REAL events that happen and he attributes to Peter some amazing speeches that could cause the post-modern reader to recall Mark Anthony, Lady MacBeth, or Hamlet.

And Luke uses the scenes and speeches that we will look at today God’s Spirit comes at Pentecost creating unity out of diversity and releasing the disciples to proclaim the gospel of Jesus’ death resurrection and the forgiveness of sins.

Acts really does remind me of a play and just before we open the curtain on Acts II, we should know a bit about the way the stage is set. When the curtain comes up not only will all the disciples still be together in the spirit of Christian unity but also in the scene will be ‘Jews from every nation under heaven (2:5)’ and they have come together in unity to celebrate Pentecost. This is hopefully like us today as Christians are prayerfully gathering from our different traditions and religious expressions of our Christian faith in unity here. The curtain opens on Acts II. Picture this with me as I read from the first verses, which are like a scene from a Shakespearian play:

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing (sound effects) of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be (pillars) tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?

And this is the dramatic scene in the opening of Acts 2. And if this were a Shakespearean play, now, hundreds of years later, there would be - Cole’s Notes! – Do you remember Coles Notes? The notes so that we can all understand the nuances of what is happening before us and there are many nuances…

If we had our Cole’s Notes with us today there would probably be an asterisk beside the word ‘Pentecost’ (vs. 1) because when we think of Pentecost we usually think of this very moment: the advent of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts – but it is more than that.

Your Cole’s Notes would probably say that Pentecost is also known by various other names: the feast of weeks (Exod. 34:22; Dt 15:10, 16:9-12; Nu 28:26-31), feast of harvest (Exod 23:16), the day of first fruits (Exod 34:22; Nu 28:26; Lev 23:9-14) and this is neat: Pentecost occurs on the 50th day after the Sabbath Passover (Exod. 19:1) and in Acts II it is about 50 days after Jesus was crucified and the disciples were scattered and now 50 days later they are gathering together in prayer and Christian unity.

Now the Jewish festival of Pentecost is a time to celebrate God giving the Law to Moses on Mt Sinai: Remember the Ten Commandments and how Moses climbs the Mountain (twice; Exod. 19-20, 31, 34; Dt. 4-5, 10) and God writes the 10 Commandments on the stone tablets with his own finger (Exod. 31:18; Dt. 4:13, 10:1) and when Moses returns from the mountain his face is literally radiant (Exod. 34:29-35): it’s shining. All the events recorded in Acts 2 I think ar meant to link Jesus to Moses as a deliver – and those present in this scene are probably beginning to understand that.

And even more – you see the Bible is REAL. These things really did happen but it is also a literary masterpiece with symbolism everywhere – really would we expect anything less from God’s own Word?

Look at 2:6: “each one heard them speaking in his own language;” some have compared this passage to an un-doing, as it were, of the tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9), just before God makes his promise to Abraham. Do you remember that story? The people provoke God by disobeying His command to scatter and fill the earth through the building of this tower and as a result, the people are babbling in different languages. God confuses their talk. But now what happens in Acts II? The opposite. Christians become unified. Instead of language being confused, people can actually now hear the Gospel proclaimed in their OWN language. This sure helps Christian unity – which we are praying for today. There is so much more relating the Spirit of God in Acts 2 comparing the creation of the church to the creation of the world that we just don’t have time to get into today but this is all part of the world and understanding of the Jews present. They understand as the scene unfolds and as Peter continues to speak that Jesus is the Christ, and that we together have killed our Christ.

These people now standing in front of Peter as he delivers something akin to a masterful Shakespearian soliloquy – they are like repentant children in front of the principal, realising that they’ve done something terribly wrong. They realise that Jesus is the Christ and they realize (PAUSE) that they’ve killed him; we’ve killed him. And now Jesus is back from the dead. If we didn’t know the ending, it could be like a 1970s horror movie. You wrongfully kill someone and they come back from the dead to set things right! The people in our text today are hoping against hope to somehow make it right (cf. John 21:15-17 re: Peter’s own restoration) when in a spirit of good repentant Christian unity: Verse 37, “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Peter says, verse 38, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” Now this is significant. Jesus is ushering in this Kingdom of God.  And what does this Kingdom look like? This is what our readings for today announce. It is a Kingdom of Christian unity and of forgiveness. It is a Kingdom –like the Lord’s Prayer says - where we, in perfect unity, forgive those who do things against us and God forgives us what we have done – even our sending [as was his purpose and with God’s perfect foreknowledge (vss. 22-23)] God’s own son to die on the cross.

What is it that one does as one is united in Christ with fellow Christians as a part of God’s Kingdom? We repent (This doesn’t just mean change our way of acting – it means change our whole way of thinking). We repent – we believe that Jesus died for our sins, rose from the dead and Jesus is Lord. We believe and are baptised (which in the text here is an initiation ceremony through which the early Christians are united); we must be initiated and united in the Kingdom of Forgiveness of Sins and the Kingdom of God, in the name of Jesus – and this is everything.

Peter says in the text “you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” This same Holy Spirit who is at creation and at is the same Holy Spirit who is at Pentecost and it is the same Holy Spirit who is with us today. The Bible promises us, Acts 2:39 that, “The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off —for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be united in Salvation. Isn’t that glorious? Isn’t this wonderful? Isn’t this amazing?

And look what it says, just before the curtain closes on our scene here in Acts II: Our words that we are supposed to hold as our own today. It says that as they are gathered together in Christian unity that - Verse 47- “day by day the Lord added to their number those being saved.” How wonderful? How marvellous?

And may it be continue to be so. Come; let us pray for a unity of the Spirit in our lives. Come let us pray that Christ will be our light. Amen.

To read a detailed related paper on this passage click here: http://www.sheepspeak.com./NT_Michael_Ramsay.htm#Acts%202:%20An%20Interpretation

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Bibliography

Achtemeier, Paul J., Joel B. Green, and Marianne Meye Thompson. Introducing the New Testament: Its Literature and Theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001.

Bruce, Fredrick Frye, The Book of Acts. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988.

Durant, Will. The Story of Civilisation III: Caesar and Christ. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 1944.

Gilbert. “The Lists of Nations in Acts 2.” Journal of Biblical Literature 21, no. 1 (2002): 497-529.

Harrison, Roland Kenneth. Introduction to the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1977.

Hays, Richard B.  The letter to the Galatians. The New Interpreter’s Bible 11. Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon Press, 2000.

Lenski, R.C.H. The Interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Augsburg Publishing House, 1961.

MacGregor, G.H.C. and Theodore P. Ferris. The Acts if the Apostles. The Interpreter’s Bible 9. Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon Press, 1978.

Neil, William, The Acts of the Apostles. The New Century Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1981.

Squires, John T., “Acts.” Pages 1213-1267 in Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible. Editted by James D.G. Dunn and John W. Rogerson. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2003.

The Timechart of Biblical History. Chippenham, England: The Third Millenium Press, 2003.

Wall, Robert W.  Acts. The New Interpreter’s Bible 10. Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon Press, 2002.

Willimon, William H., Acts. Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching. Atlanta, Georgia: John Knox Press, 1988.