In our journey through the New Testament, this next week is to be spent reading the Book of Acts.
Some thoughts as you move through the Book of Acts:
1. What emphasis does Luke put on the Holy Spirit and prayer?
2. What would you find to be a key theme or themes in the Book?
3. What patterns do you see emerging in Luke’s writing? (How does the book read? Are there “shifts” that happen? How does Luke transition from one story to another?)
Empowered
I was speaking with a friend this week and he was talking about the Book of Acts and today’s church. One of the terms used in older translations is the disciples were to wait in Jerusalem for the “enduement” of power. My friend used a terrific play on words to describe the church today. He said, “We have the ‘doing’ without the enduement.”
It’s a great picture. It’s like we’ve skipped Acts 1-2 and gone right to 3. We’ve got the rest “down,” so we’re full of doing. Maybe we’re full of “doing,” but are we full of power?
There is a story (probably apocryphal) about Thomas Aquinas being shown the splendors of the Roman church by Pope Innocent II. The Roman Church at that point was doing quite well and the pope said to Thomas, “You see, the Church no longer needs to say, ‘Silver and gold have I none.’”
“True,” replied Thomas. “But neither can the Church say, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.’”
Silver and gold we may have. We have the “doing” down. What about the power?
Apprentice 2 Jesus 
Started Acts earlier today. Can’t help but compare Acts 1-3 to the early Genesis stories. God gave Adam and Eve instruction and they disobeyed. He told the people to scatter and multiply, they disobeyed. In Acts we see what happens when we follow the Lord’s commands. Jesus tells them to wait for power…they wait and are baptized. Instead of God scattering and confusing languages, he uses the obediance of the disciples to declare the Good News to the nations. What the people messed up at Babel, God is correcting.
Wow. Nice comparison!