The Bible Course预览

Spirit, power, and a Jesus mission – to the ends of the earth

Reflect:

Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man, is famous for roaming the skyline of New York and beating up the bad guys. This character first appeared in 1962 and he's still a favourite with many. But why? Perhaps it's because Peter Parker is as ordinary as they come and yet, within him, there’s something extraordinary.

Followers of Jesus shouldn’t expect to develop Spidey-senses or sticky fingers any time soon, but they should expect to receive power. Jesus’ followers are both ordinary and extraordinary at the same time – everyday people with real power to do a lot of good.

What do we learn from the opening of the book of Acts?

The book of Acts was written by the same author as Luke’s Gospel – it’s a sequel, telling us what happened next. The key is in the symmetry of the accounts. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus healed the sick and preached the good news. In Acts, Jesus’ followers continued his work, healing the sick and sharing the good news of Jesus with the world.

But how was this possible? How can ordinary Christians do the things Jesus did? If you were told to write like William Shakespeare, or sing like Pavarotti, or run like Usain Bolt, you'd probably have to admit, ‘I can’t!’ And when it comes to continuing Jesus’ ministry, perhaps your initial thought is, ‘I can’t!’

What does the promise Jesus made to the disciples mean for us today?

But what if the same Spirit who empowered Jesus came to live in you? What difference would that make?

The word translated as ‘power’ in Acts is the Greek word dunamis, from which we get the English words dynamite and dynamic. The Holy Spirit empowers God’s people to be dynamic agents of the Kingdom, continuing the ministry of Jesus in the world.

Note the scope of this mission. Ages before the invention of aeroplanes or the internet, Jesus charged his people with a global mission. He knew the scope of the Holy Spirit’s power within each follower of his. Like fire, it spreads! And early Christianity spread like a wildfire despite fierce persecution. That fire is still burning today.

We have arrived at our own chapter in the Bible story. This is where we fit in, both ordinary and extraordinary, all at the same time. Jesus has empowered you to do good in the world! Are you up for it?

Respond

With the Holy Spirit empowering you, how could you do good in the world today?