This Sunday morning, our pastor Bob started the series of teaching on the Book of Acts. I remember the time, in my teenage years, probably for grade eight in my high school, the first twelve chapters of Book of Acts were in our curriculam of study for our scripture class. At that time, I studied the chapters as any other class assignment. I may have memorized some important verses in those chapters, knew it well who told whom, when and where in the context question. But, no sooner the class was over and had finished writing the exam and got high marks for it, I was done with it.
For some reason, the Book of Acts wasn't my favorite book in the Bible to read either. I loved to read the gospels, skip Acts and indulged in reading the writings of Paul, Peter, James and John in the later years. A few years back when my oldest daughter told me that the Book of Acts is one of her favorite book in the Bible, I began to wonder what made her to say that. So, I started to read it, this time not as lesson to prepare as I did in high school, but more with an open heart and prayer. In no time, I too discovered that this book in the Bible is one of important book which no follower of Christ should miss or avoid reading. For it is the only book which give us the history of the first church on earth and there are so many valuable things we can learn from this vibrant and powerful church of early believers.
It's said that this Book which is called the Book of Acts of Apostles was really known as the Book of Acts of the Holy Spirit in the earlier years. It's truly the acts of the Holy Spirit that is weaved through out the book working in the believers of the first church.
The book is written by Luke, the author of the Gospel Luke, a Greek physician who may have known Jesus as a follower or have come to know Him through his association with the apostles. Luke was also the personal physician of apostle Paul and it is believed that Luke wrote the gospel Luke and the Book of Acts while Paul was imprisoned in Rome.
The Gospel of Luke records Jesus' life and His ministry. Acts describes what He continued to do through the Holy Spirit among His followers and others. Luke's primary purpose of writing Acts was to give a reliable and true account of the expansion of the early church. Both of Luke's books were written to the same person and it was addressed the most excellent Theopilus.
It is believed that this person must have been a high ranking official in the Roman government who must have shown some interest to know about Jesus and his ministry. Probably Luke may have hoped that his writing of these two books to Theophilus could not only give him a better understanding of Christ and His ministry, but also it could pave a way for the release of Paul from prison because of its impact on Theophilus. Unfortunately, the latter failed to happen for Paul was eventually killed while in prison.
The setting of the events in the book happened in Jerusalem, where the disciples were asked by Jesus to remain until they get the Holy Spirit from His Father in heaven. The disciples had been going through a roller coaster of emotions from the time of their last supper with Jesus to His ascension to heaven.
These men expected Jesus, their Messiah to come in power to rescue them, the Jews from the harsh rule of the Romans. But when they were told at the last supper that Jesus was going to leave them soon, they were crushed. And then when they saw Him being arrested and dragged to face the court of high priest and Pontious Pilate, one by one they started to desert Jesus.
And those who still braved enough to watch his trial close by, like Peter and John may have even secretly hoped that Jesus who made blind to see and dead rise could even miraculously save himself from his arrest somehow. But when they saw Him on the cross, crucified like a criminal between two robbers, all the hopes they had must have downed to zero.
On the third day, when they saw the risen Christ and got to hear Him speak, their hopes and emotions must have zoomed high again for everyone to see. But again after forty days when they saw their Lord ascending to heaven leaving them below, their state of mind must have been in disarray. But this this time, there was a reason to have hope because they have witnessed seeing the risen Christ. And there was a command for them to obey too. Yes, Jesus had asked them to remain in Jerusalem until they receive the power from heaven.
When fear of arrest and threats from non-believers and Roman government were looming above, the natural tendency is to vacate and flee to a faraway destination. But the apostles who had seen and heard the risen Saviour chose to tarry in Jerusalem in obedience than to flee in fright for self-protection.
Now that Judas was gone, the disciples needed somone else to fill that place. They chose Barsabbas and Mathias and after much prayer, instead of choosing one of their choice, they relied on God to help them choose the right one. So, they cast lots and the lot fell to Mathias; so he was addded to the eleven apostles. Surprisingly, Mathias name was never mentioned before in the Gospels nor in any other books of the Bible. And, we didn't hear of him after him being chosen either. Doesn't that tell us something? It tells us that you don't to be well known to be chosen by God for His service and you don't need to be upfront and be famous once you've been chosen too. In the frontline or behind the scene, as long as you do your part well, you've served well for God's satisfaction. And, that's all that matters. ***
