Milo

SEPTEMBER 13

Reading 256

POWER

Acts 2

“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:4).The most important gift of the Spirit is not tongues, but enablement.

Overview

The Spirit suddenly and visibly came to the gathered believers on Pentecost (2:1–4). They began speaking in languages recognized by visitors to the great feast (vv. 5–13). Peter preached history’s first evangelistic sermon to the crowd that gathered (vv. 14–39). Some 3,000 believed (vv. 40–41), and began to meet in house churches (vv. 42–47).

Understanding the Text

“The Day of Pentecost” Acts 2:1.

Pentecost was a major religious festival. It was held just 50 days after Passover. On Pentecost the Jews celebrated God’s goodness by offering firstfruits of the grain harvest to the Lord. In the first century it was also thought of as the anniversary of Moses’ giving of the Law to Israel. Each association is significant. Christ had died for sinners: on this Pentecost the first results of that harvest of souls was seen as the Spirit bundled the believers together, to form the living church. It also ushered in a new era. The Law had come by Moses, but grace and truth by Jesus Christ (John 1:17). Pentecost marked the full initiation of the age of grace, in which you and I now live. “A sound like the blowing of a violent wind” Acts 2:2–4. While some Christians tend to focus on only one, there were in fact four visible signs of this unique work of the Holy Spirit by which the Church Age was launched. (1) There was the sound of rushing wind, heaven’s hurricane. (2) There was the appearance of a fireball of leaping tongues of flame. (3) There was the separation of the fireball into individual flames, which came to rest on each of the assembled believers. (4) There was an outburst of sound, as all in the band of believers spoke in languages that were foreign to them. This was a unique event: in no other passage in the New Testament is an exact parallel to be found. Yet often in Acts Luke speaks of the Spirit filling believers, and empowering them for ministry. It would be wrong of us to dogmatically insist that the “gift of tongues” is not for today. But it would be just as wrong to single out this one of four Pentecost signs and insist that it remains the mark of the Spirit’s presence among God’s people. The exciting reality is that God the Holy Spirit still rests on “all of them” who belong to Jesus Christ, and that He is the source of supernatural power in our lives today. “Each of us hears them in his own native language” Acts 2:5–13. In the first century Jews were scattered in every country of the Western and Eastern world. Many of these Jews spoke only the language of their homeland, and did not even know the Aramaic spoken in Jerusalem or the Hebrew of the Old Testament. Yet diaspora (scattered) Jews were faithful to God’s Law and to the temple. Each year many came as pilgrims to celebrate one or more of the annual religious festivals. Undoubtedly many who were present that Pentecost had been there for Passover as well, and had some knowledge of the events surrounding Christ’s crucifixion. What was the miracle of tongues? In this passage at least it’s clear it must have been one of two things. The miracle was either in the speaking, as believers were enabled to speak in a foreign language they had never learned. Or the miracle was in the hearing, as members of the crowd each heard what the believers said in their mother tongue. Whichever it was, one thing is plain. That first use of tongues was the gracious gift of a God who wants all men to understand who Jesus is, and what He has done for us. “This is what was spoken by the Prophet Joel” Acts 2:14–21. One important characteristic of biblical prophecy is temporal distortion. By that I simply mean that time, sequence, and all those other things we use to organize information, are lacking in much of the prophetic word. Events that are separated by hundreds or thousands of years of history, may be linked in a single prophecy and separated only by a comma. So when Peter quoted Joel he expected his listeners to understand. Joel said God would pour out His Spirit on all peoples (vv. 17–18). This He has done. Joel said that God would show signs in the heaven just before the coming of Judgment Day (vv. 18–20). So the pouring out of God’s Spirit is a warning that judgment will surely follow (but not an indication of when judgment will follow!). Joel went on, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Now, then, after the outpouring of the Spirit and before the day of judgment, is the moment to call on His name. It’s the same for us today. The sun stands still for us as it did for Joshua long ago. God is lengthening the day of opportunity, this time that all may be saved. “Men of Israel, listen to this” Acts 2:22–39. I’ve known lots of Christians who have felt uncomfortable about witnessing to others. Often they just didn’t know what to say. Or how to explain the Gospel. Peter’s sermon—the very first Christian sermon ever preached—is a good explanation of the basic elements of the Gospel. We could do a lot worse than to memorize these points, and draw on them when we’re asked to share the Gospel with others.

1. Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead	2:23–24
2. Jesus’ death was predicted éand explained in the Bible	2:25–35
3. He is Lord and Christ	2:36
4. Repent and	2:38a
5. Your sins will be forgiven, and God will give you His Holy Spirit	2:38b-39

Effective evangelism is nothing more or less than telling who Jesus is and what He did, and inviting others to accept forgiveness. “Those who accepted his message were baptized” Acts 2:41. Baptism here is water baptism—within the tradition established by John the Baptist, but slightly reoriented by Jesus. John preached baptism as a symbol of repentance: an indication that a person confessed his sins and was turning from them. Jesus was baptized over John’s objection because it was “the right thing to do.” Jesus had no sins to confess, but it was right for Him to publicly identify Himself with John and his message. The baptism urged by Peter served both these functions. It was a confession of past failures. But more than that it was a public affirmation of faith: a step that forever identified the baptized person as one who identified himself with Jesus Christ. After that first sermon some 3,000 persons turned to Jesus, and publicly identified themselves as followers of the Lord by following His example of water baptism. The first Christians met in houses where they shared meals and “devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer” (v. 42). Meeting in houses kept groupings small and intimate, encouraging the deep caring that characterized the early church.

DEVOTIONAL

Lost, or Loved?(Acts 2:22–47)

“Oh, I slip out of church during the last hymn. I just come for the preaching.” Lots of Christians feel something like this. They want to attend on Sunday. After all, it’s the right thing to do. But they want to remain anonymous. I suspect that this is part of the appeal of some of the superchurches of our day. They’re big enough for people to get lost in. You can go to church. But you don’t have to get to know anyone. Personally, I’m fascinated by the pattern I see here in Acts 2. Big? You bet. Some 3,000 people were converted by Peter’s first sermon. That’s a pretty good start on what you’d call a big church! But lost in the crowd? Never! Because that big First Church of Jerusalem immediately divided those converts up into small groups, got them to meeting in houses, and before you knew it, each of these folks found he or she was loved—and loved others. Luke described the result. They experienced unity in their house fellowships (v. 42). They expressed their love for each other in the most practical of ways (v. 44). They got together in larger groups to worship with enthusiasm (v. 46). They became such friends they spent a lot of time with each other’s families (v. 46). They felt so glad that praise kept welling up out of their lives (v. 47). And, oh, yes, everyone was favorably impressed—and more people kept on being converted daily. Of course, we’re lucky in our day. We don’t have to meet in homes. We just put up a church building on some corner, pack it with a few hundred (or thousand) people once or twice a week, and get on with our daily lives. It’s not like first-century Jerusalem. Here you can get lost in the crowd—even in a small crowd. But if you’re one of those folks who’s been lost in a large church, you’ve also lost out on a vital ingredient of real Christianity. You’ve lost out on love—on being loved, and loving, in intimate, truly Chistian ways.

Personal Application

Go to a big church if you want. But please, not to get lost.

Quotable

“One thing about the New Testament church. There’s a climate of loving relationships. A sense of warmth and care permeates the whole, and fondness for individuals breaks through repeatedly. People knew how to love and be loved by each other.”—Norm Wakefield

SEPTEMBER 12

Reading 255

PREPARATION Acts 1

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).A sense of mission can infuse any Christian’s life with purpose.

Overview

Luke continued the story of Jesus begun in his Gospel (1:1–2). Christ gave His last words to the disciples and ascended into heaven (vv. 3–11). The disciples, while waiting in Jerusalem as Christ instructed, chose Matthias to replace Judas as a witness to the Lord’s resurrection (vv. 12–26).

Understanding the Text

“All that Jesus began to do and to teach” Acts 1:1. Both Luke’s Gospel and Acts are addressed to Theophilus. In Luke 1:3 he is addressed as “most excellent,” a title that suggests Theophilus held high rank or social position. Some think that Theophilus, whose name means, “he who loves God,” financed Luke’s research. At any rate Theophilus was eager to know all about Jesus. And Luke made it clear that to understand Jesus, the story must be continued beyond Christ’s resurrection and return. The Gospel of Luke told us only what Jesus “began to do and teach.” Acts tells us what Jesus continues to do and teach through the church, His living body here on earth (see DEVOTIONAL). “Wait for the gift My Father promised” Acts 1:4–5. Earlier Peter and several of the disciples had gone back to Galilee, and back to fishing (cf. John 21:1–3). They didn’t know what to do, and just waiting wasn’t easy for these active, restless men. Waiting is hard on all of us. Sometimes it hurts and we know we can’t stand it for another moment. Sometimes it’s uncertainty. We know we’d feel better doing something—anything—even the wrong thing. Anything would be better than waiting. And then Jesus’ words come to us, as they came to the disciples. “Wait.” “Wait for the promise of the Father.” I know that these instructions were unique. It was the disciples who were told to wait for the coming of the Spirit on Pentecost. Nevertheless, Jesus often has the same instructions for us. Wait. Wait for God to act. Wait for God to fulfill His promise, and do you good. I have no idea how many personal tragedies could have been avoided if believers would only have listened, and heard God say, “Wait.” I do know, however, that until we sense His “Now!” the very best thing we can do is wait. “Are You at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” Acts 1:6–8 Even now the disciples remained “Old Testament believers.” They knew the promises made by the prophets. They were convinced that Jesus, who had proved Himself the Messiah, would make Israel a nation again, and indeed the dominant world power. Their only question was, “When?” And so they asked, with a word order in the original that reflects the emphasis on time, “At this time are You going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” Jesus certainly didn’t rebuke His followers for believing that the promises of the Old Testament would be fulfilled literally. He didn’t say, “Oh, don’t take all that stuff literally. Didn’t I say that My kingdom isn’t of this world?” The fact is that God’s kingdom has far more facets than most are aware of, and a future earthly kingdom is one, but only one, of them. What Jesus did say is, “It is not for you to know the times or dates.” Believe that this will happen. But don’t try to pin down the when. This is a good principle for us to follow in our relationship with the Lord. Believe His promises. Even when you are asked to wait, trust that the good gifts God distributes will be yours. But leave the when entirely up to God. “But you will receive power . . . you will be My witnesses” Acts 1:8. It’s not wrong to probe Scripture in an effort to understand the sweeping nature of God’s grand plan for humankind. It’s commendable. But at the same time, it’s often irrelevant. What is relevant is to know God’s purpose for you and me, now. This is the significance of what Jesus said to the disciples. They questioned Him about His kingdom. And He told them their specific role in what was to happen next. I don’t know when Jesus will return. I expect it in my lifetime—but so have believers through the ages. In a very real sense, when Jesus is to return is none of my business! What I need to know is what the Lord wants me to do with my life. I need to know how to make the decisions that affect next month and next year. I need to know what He wants me to do today. That’s what the disciples needed, and were given. Wait a few days. The Spirit will come. You will receive power. And then you will be My witnesses—next door, and throughout the world! “This same Jesus . . . will come back” Acts 1:9–11. You and I don’t need to know when Jesus will return. We do need to live with the conviction that He will return. The fact that Jesus will come back means that life here is doubly temporary. It is temporary in that death stalks all of us after our few short years. It is temporary in that whether we remain on earth or not, the way of life represented in man’s society is destined to disappear. When Jesus returns the injustice, the selfishness, every dark and unfair deed will all be purged, and true goodness will fill the land. The certain knowledge that Jesus will return gives us the courage to fight on against present evils. Despite setbacks and defeats, in Jesus our victory is already won. “They all joined together constantly in prayer” Acts 1:12–14. This verse marks the first appearance in Acts of a very special Greek word: homothymadon. In fact, 11 of 12 uses of the word are in Acts; the other is in Romans 15:6. What does the word mean? It is a word which pictures the church gathered—praying, worshiping, reaching decisions—in a spirit of unity and harmony. In fact, harmony is perhaps the best description. It is as if a great orchestra assembles, with each instrument retaining its individuality, yet under the baton of a great conductor blending to produce a symphony. This is what the church is intended to be. Not mass-produced tonettes, each with five holes punched in black plastic, but a gathering of distinctive, hand-made instruments. All different. Yet under the guiding hand of God united to play the masterpiece God has composed. “Show us which of these two You have chosen” Acts 1:15–26. Two of the men who had followed Jesus from the beginning, and yet had not been numbered with the Twelve, were recommended by the little company of believers to take Judas’ place. After prayer, the two drew lots and Matthias was selected. This is the last recorded incident in the New Testament of believers seeking to know God’s will “by chance,” and it is significant that it took place just before the Holy Spirit came. From that time on, the Spirit would guide His people from within, and outward signs were no longer necessary. But note that there were two good men, each with the necessary qualifications for leadership, and that only one was chosen. There are nearly always more men and women with leadership potential in the church than are needed. So what about the man who was not chosen: Justus? Was he set aside, to mold on some shelf? Not at all. Matthias was chosen to “become a witness with us of His resurrection” (v. 23). The implication, of course, is an official witness; one representing the church as a whole. But what’s exciting to me is that Justus, while not “official,” was nevertheless a witness still. And he, just as Matthias, could and undoubtedly did bear witness to his Lord. I’m sometimes puzzled by the clamor of some to be “official” leaders. Being on a board or committee, or being ordained, adds nothing to your or my right to serve Jesus, or to witness to His love and grace. If you’re one of those folks who feels some hurt because you’ve been denied some “official” position in the church, why not take Justus as your patron saint? The man who was not chosen to become one of the Twelve. But who had just as much freedom to witness to Christ’s resurrection as they—because like them he had been with Jesus from the first. Think about it. Isn’t being with Jesus a far greater honor than being elected to an office in His church?

DEVOTIONAL

Keep on Doin’Acts 1:1–8

The knock comes on the door, and the little child, left alone for a few hours and carefully instructed by Mom and Dad, leaves the door shut. The knock comes again. Finally, a little desperate, the child cries out, “Go away. There’s nobody home.” Sometimes I think we Christians feel like that little child. We feel all alone. When folks come knocking on our door, we hide inside, hoping they’ll leave us alone. If only Jesus were here, He’d be able to respond. So, aware of our weakness, we finally cry out, “Go away, there’s nobody home!” That’s why we need to read Acts more often. To remind ourselves that someone is home! That all that Jesus did while He was here on earth was just the beginning of His ministry. Today Jesus is still actively at work, in and through His body here on earth. The church. You, and me. When Jesus left His disciples for the last time, He told them the secret. In a few days, He said, you’ll be baptized with the Holy Spirit. I know that there’s a lot of debate of the meaning of that baptism. But certainly everyone would agree with 1 Corinthians 12:13. That verse says that by the Spirit all we Christians were “baptized into one body.” And that body is the body of Christ. God the Holy Spirit has so bonded to Jesus that, though He is in heaven, we are His living body, a body of flesh and blood, present here on the earth. And in His body, Jesus is present too! So the next time someone from the world knocks on your door, and you feel anxious and uncertain, don’t shout, “Go away. There’s nobody here.” Someone is here. Jesus Christ is present, in you! And in your loving, caring response to the people who knock on your door, Jesus continues His loving, saving work in our world.

Personal Application

Trust, and let Jesus work through you.

Quotable

“Attempt great things FOR God and expect great things FROM God.”—William Carey

Acts

INTRODUCTION

Acts is Luke’s report of the beginning and the explosive growth of Christianity. Its dominant theme is the Holy Spirit, whose coming after Christ returned to heaven launched the church as the living body of Christ. Acts focuses on the ministry of two men. The Apostle Peter dominates the first 12 chapters, as the church is firmly established in Palestine and welcomes the first Gentile converts. The Apostle Paul is featured in the rest, as he launches an aggressive missionary campaign that within decades reached every part of the Roman Empire, and beyond. Acts fascinates us today, with its vivid images of first-century life, its clear depiction of early Gospel preaching, and its testimony to the work of the Holy Spirit. A study of this book reminds us that the Spirit is still the source of spiritual power for Christ’s church today.

OUTLINE OF CONTENTS

I.	Preparation	Acts 1
II.	Power	Acts 2
III.	Mission to the Jews	Acts 3–12
IV.	Mission to the Gentiles	Acts 13–20
V.	Paul’s Imprisonment	Acts 21–28

May 6
HOW GREAT THOU ART!
English Words by Stuart K. Hine, 1899–
Every day I will praise You and extol Your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom. (Psalm 145:2, 3)
Today’s inspiring hymn of praise and adoration reminds us of God’s unlimited power and love in creation and redemption. Although written in the past century, the hymn has become familiar to congregations just since the close of World War II. It especially became an international favorite after the Billy Graham Evangelistic Team used it in their crusades during the late 1940’s and early 1950’s.
The original text was written by a Swedish pastor, Carl Boberg, in 1886. While visiting a beautiful country estate, Boberg was caught in a sudden thunderstorm. The awesome and violent lightning and thunder quickly ended, leaving clear brilliant sunshine and the calm, sweet singing of the birds in the trees. Falling on his knees in awe and adoration of Almighty God, the pastor wrote nine stanzas of praise. Swedish congregations began to sing his lines to one of their old folk tunes. The text was later translated into German and Russian and ultimately into English by the Reverend S. K. Hine and his wife, English missionaries to the people of the Ukraine. When war broke out in 1939, it was necessary for the Hines to return to Britain, where Mr. Hine added the fourth stanza to this hymn. These four stanzas by Stuart Hine have since ministered and inspired God’s people worldwide:
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds Thy hands have made, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy pow’r thruout the universe displayed!
When thru the woods and forest glades I wander and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees, when I look down from lofty mountain grandeur and hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze.
And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in—That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin!
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation and take me home, what joy shall fill my heart! Then I shall bow in humble adoration and there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!
Refrain: Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; how great Thou art, how great Thou art! Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee; how great Thou art, how great Thou art!

For Today: Deuteronomy 3:24; Psalm 48:1; Isaiah 40:26, 28; Romans 1:20

Take time to think once again about the unfathomable greatness of God and His wonderful redeeming love for each of us.

May 5
FAIREST LORD JESUS!
Text from Münster Gesangbuch, 1677
4th verse translated by Joseph A. Seiss, 1823–1904
For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. (Colossians 1:16)
This lovely hymn extolling the beauty and virtues of Christ leads us to the praise and worship or our “beautiful Savior.” The vivid comparisons of all the enjoyable sights of nature with Jesus, who is the very source and essence of all beauty, fill us with awe. Then we are reminded that our Savior outshines all creations of God, including the hosts of angels. How worthy He is of the deepest “glory and honor, praise, adoration now and forevermore!”
Little is known of the origin of this inspiring hymn. It is thought by some to have been sung in the 12th century by the German crusaders as they made their wearisome and dangerous trip to the Holy Land. Another source claims that this was one of the hymns used by the followers of John Hus. These were Moravian believers who were driven out of Bohemia in the bloody anti-Reformation purge of 1620. They settled in Silesia, now a part of Poland. “Fairest Lord Jesus” is thought to be a folk hymn that came from these devout Silesian peasants. The fourth verse, a fine translation by Joseph A. Seiss, emphasizes the dual nature of the Savior—“Son of God and Son of Man”—as well as the praise that will be eternally His.
Whatever the actual origin of the hymn may be, Christians for centuries have been blessed with this worshipful and joyful text, which focuses our view on the fair Son of God who reveals to us the glory of the Father.
Fairest Lord Jesus! Ruler of all nature! O Thou of God and man the Son! Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor, Thou my soul’s glory, joy and crown!
Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands, robed in the blooming garb of spring; Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer, who makes the woeful heart to sing.
Fair is the sunshine, fairer still the moonlight, and all the twinkling starry host: Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer than all the angels heav’n can boast.
Beautiful Savior! Lord of the nations! Son of God and Son of Man! Glory and honor, praise, adoration now and forevermore be Thine!

For Today: John 1:1, 3, 14; 5:23; 20:31; Philippians 2:9–11; Colossians 1:13, 15; 2:9; Hebrews 1:2, 3

Take time to reflect once again on the virtues of our lovely Lord Jesus. Offer thanks to God for the matchless gift of His Son. Worship Him with this musical expression—