The Next Book of Acts
Recently while reading the book of Acts, I tried to imagine what it was like for these new followers of the Way.
Think about it, in pretty short order after the resurrection of Jesus a wave of spiritual power seems to have crested and crashed, soaking everyone around. Thousands begin a journey of faith based on the words from those who traveled with Jesus. Stories abound.
High tension and at least one public execution.
Dramatic conversion stories and rapid growth of followers.
Persecution and arrests and yet contagious optimism.
Sharing resources and caring for the needy.
Figuring out what to do with the non-Jews in terms of religious rules.
Dangerous adventures on sea and land.
Riots and narrow escapes along with a continuous stream of new life in Christ.
Authorities confronted and confounded.
Miracles appear commonplace.
And these are just the highlights of a book that spans 30-ish years. Think of all the stuff left out of the telling. God-showings must have popped up everywhere, unexpected and unplanned, like wildflowers just appearing overnight in the midst of their everyday lives. Just like now, occasionally stunning events emerge in the normal course of life. Acts feels like stories that are more representative rather than exhaustive that reflect the general feel of these years..
Then, just when momentum seems to have really spun up, the book abruptly ends.
Dr. Luke doesn’t tell us about what happened to Paul (he will be beheaded), or how the churches make out (some struggle while others grow), or what about the Jewish believers in Jesus back in Jerusalem (in 70CE Rome will have had enough and destroy the Temple and Jerusalem, and kill, abuse, and disperse thousands of Jews).
There are almost no stories of the original Apostles (all but John will be martyred), or what it was like to live a life of faith in those days (many followers paid dearly for their beliefs). What we do know from the letters from Paul and Peter, James, John and Jude (and whoever wrote Hebrews) is that a life of faith in Jesus looks much like life today: relationship challenges, church problems, some folks doing well while others’ faith fades, practicing faith in an unkind culture, kids being kids and marriage being hard, false teachings to avoid, and generally input on how to integrate what we believe into how we live.
There is a brilliance in Luke not pressing on to write a third history. It looks like the story started with Jesus and all he did, then continued with some of the stories from some of the Apostles in the early years of the Way, and now Dr. Luke, with a bow and a sweep of his arm says, “OK, now it’s your turn to write the next book, and the next, and the next,” all the way down to us, as thoroughly imperfect as we are both personally and as a church.
Today, in our time and in our corner of God’s vineyard, we write the Book of Acts, volume 6,147.
One thing to remember is that in Acts, we see the main characters, but they are surrounded by busloads of regular Steves and Janines, Lindas and Larrys, Dons and Dorenes. Folks in a different time and place but really just like you. They walked their paths, used their gifts, prayed their hurt, and praised God working. Now we walk ours doing much the same.
And new chapters are written every day as regular, normal, everyday people respond to the nudge of the Spirit of God to do the work of God within the creation of God. They look like a couple from Northern California who through simple sewing projects keep girls in school in slums in Zambia. Or another couple near Sun Valley, ID who built a large house and use it as a gathering place of prayer and peace and healing. Or a younger man with a family who gives his days and hours to college students here in Bend, patiently introducing them to Jesus through adventure and conversation. And so many more. We are surrounded by those writing with their lives stories that will outlive their years, and so are you.
I believe something wonderful happens when we view our years in the context of the whole, and resist seeing our time on stage as singular, unique, solitary, independent, uncoupled from anything that has come before. No, we take our place in the long line from then to now, and on for as long as God intends. An old Gaither chorus sang, “I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God…”, but we easily forget how big and diverse and generational and historic is our family.
We, like the book of Acts characters, follow King Jesus wherever, revel in being included in God’s Kingdom, long for justice and the redemption of all of creation, and look for his return. Our gift of eternal life is right now and it will continue beyond time. That’s what we have to offer our world, not praying a prayer to escape to heaven, but living kingdom life now, with Jesus. How fun is it to consider that we get to join with the God of the universe in working to bring a bit of healing to what is broken as we follow our Savior, Jesus.
So, today, life in hand like a pen over paper, we write the next chapter in the volume covering our times in the Book of Acts. What will you write today?
Music…from my younger days
…and lame funnies for the road
My wife and I were at my high school reunion.
As I looked around, I noticed the other men in their expensive suits and their bulging stomachs. Proud of the fact that I weighed just five pounds more than I did when I was in high school, the result of trying to beat a living out of a rocky hillside farm, I said to my wife,
"I'm the only guy here who can still wear the suit he wore when he graduated."
She glanced at the prosperous crowd, then back at me, and said,
"You're the only one who has to."
***********************
A guy had to ask his neighbor for help getting his new sofa inside the apartment because it got stuck in the door.
After about twenty minutes of vigorous pushing and maneuvering, the guy pants, "I think we'll have to call it a day. There's no way we're getting it inside."
The neighbor looks at him slowly, "Wait, INSIDE?"
