because the story of jesus is so impressive - god among us, god speaking a language we can...
TRANSCRIPT
ACTS ACTION!
Because the story of Jesus is so impressive
- God among us, God speaking a language
we can understand, God acting in ways
that heal and help and save us - there is
an inherent danger that we will be
impressed, but only impressed.
As the spectacular dimensions of the events
slowly (or suddenly!) dawn upon us, we
could easily become enthusiastic
spectators, and let it go at that - admirers
of Jesus, generous with our oh’s and ah’s,
and in our better moments inspired to
imitate him.
But it is Luke’s task to prevent that from
happening, to prevent us from becoming
mere spectators to Jesus, fans of the
Message. Of the original quartet of writers
on Jesus, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John,
Luke alone continues to tell the story as the
apostles and disciples live it into the next
generation.
The remarkable thing is that it continues to
be essentially the same story. Luke
continues his narration with hardly a break,
a pause perhaps to dip his pen in the
inkwell, writing in the same style, using the
same vocabulary communicating the same
gospel good news that the story of Jesus
doesn’t end with Jesus.
It continues in the lives of those who believe
in him. The supernatural did not stop with
Jesus’ ministry on earth. Luke makes it
abundantly clear that the believers he wrote
about were no more spectators of Jesus
than Jesus was a spectator of God - they
were in on the action of God, God acting in
and through them, which also means, of
course, in us.
The church today, persecuted, attacked,
ridiculed or even ignored, desperately
needs encouragement and it is the Book of
Acts that despite modern challenges vividly
reminds local congregations that they can
be vibrant and excelling in the work of the
Lord, not by human effort though, but by
the power of the Holy Spirit.
Acts is therefore nothing less than the acts
of God, in the Name of his Son Jesus,
through the Holy Spirit, worked by his
people, the early church.
Lk 1:1-4. ‘Aangesien baie onderneem het om ‘n
verhaal op te stel oor die dinge wat onder ons al
vervul is, soos hulle wat van die begin af
ooggetuies en dienaars van die Woord was, dit
aan ons oorgelewer het, het ek ook dit
goedgedink, hooggeagte Theófilus, nadat ek van
voor af alles noukeurig ondersoek het, om dit in
volgorde aan u te skrywe, sodat u met volle
sekerheid kan weet die dinge waaromtrent u
onderrig is.’
Hd 1:1-3. ‘Die eerste verhaal, Theófilus, het ek
opgestel oor alles wat Jesus begin doen en leer
het tot op die dag dat Hy opgeneem is, nadat Hy
aan die apostels wat Hy uitverkies het, deur die
Heilige Gees bevele gegee het; aan wie Hy ook,
ná sy lyde, Hom lewend vertoon het deur baie
kentekens, terwyl Hy gedurende veertig dae aan
hulle verskyn het en oor die dinge van die
koninkryk van God gespreek het.’
Lk 1:1-4. ‘Many have undertaken to draw
up an account of the things that have been
fulfilled among us, just as they were handed
down to us by those who from the first were
eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
Therefore, since I myself have carefully
investigated everything from the beginning,
it seemed good also to me to write an
orderly account for you, most excellent
Theophilus, so that you may know the
certainty of the things you have been
informed about.’
Everything in both the Gospel of Luke as
well as Acts points to the fact that the
whole work was primarily intended to
defend Paul on trial and explain to the
Roman authorities that there was nothing
seditious or subversive about the Christian
faith. Paul is thus depicted as a Roman
citizen, innocent by Roman law and
deserving a ‘not guilty’ verdict at his trial.
This underlying purpose of the Book of Acts
explains too why Paul’s testimony is given
three times in the book - a little excessive
(none of the other apostles’ testimonies are
recorded) unless it is because Paul is on
trial and it is vital that the lawyer hear what
he had said at every one of his previous
trials, so that all of it can be used in
evidence for him and not against him.
Furthermore, seeing Acts as a defence lawyer’s brief
helps to explain why Acts finishes so abruptly. It stops
with Paul awaiting trial. This also discredits other
arguments for the purpose of Acts. If it was purely an
account of Paul’s life, this would be an odd place to
finish. We know that Luke himself lived to the age of
84, so he was alive to record Paul’s death if that had
been his purpose with Acts. If, on the other hand, the
purpose was legal, then the court summary finishes
as we would expect, with Paul awaiting trial.
Another observation that supports the
overall purpose of Acts confirms this. Why
would Dr Luke give so much space to such a
detailed account of the shipwreck on Malta
if he was aiming to write a history of the
early church? And why would he describe
only this disaster at sea, since Paul had
been through at least three others?
Surely it was because he wished to highlight
Paul’s exemplary behaviour in not attempting
to escape in the confusion, but instead saving
the lives of all on board, including his Roman
captors, who were responsible for delivering
him safely to the Roman court. After recounting
this heroic and patriotic effort, one can imagine
the defence lawyer at Paul’s trial concluding
with the words: ‘I rest my case, your honour.’
PETRUS PAULUSWonderwerke Gewerk Wonderwerke Gewerk
Visioene Gesien Visioene GesienGely vir Geloof Gely vir GeloofLank Gepreek Lank Gepreek
Gevul met die Gees Gevul met die GeesGeleer met Vrymoedigheid Geleer met VrymoedigheidVir Jode & Heidene Bedien Vir Jode & Heidene Bedien
Gevange Geneem vir Geloof & Bo-Natuurlik Vrygelaat
Gevange Geneem vir Geloof & Bo-Natuurlik Vrygelaat
Gawe van Genesing Gehad Gawe van Genesing GehadDuiwels Uitgedryf Duiwels Uitgedryf
Genees Persoon Kreupel van Geboorte
Genees Persoon Kreupel van Geboorte
Persoon uit die Dood Opgewek
Persoon uit die Dood Opgewek
Vals Leraars Beoordeel & Verwerp
Vals Leraars Beoordeel & Verwerp
Aanbidding van Hulself Teëgestaan
Aanbidding van Hulself Teëgestaan
Jerusalem (hfs 1-7) Judea & Samaria (hfs 8-10)
Uiterste van aarde – Rome (hfs 11-28)
Hd 6:7. ‘En die woord van God het
toegeneem, en die getal van die dissipels
het in Jerusalem baie vermeerder, en ‘n
groot menigte van priesters het
gehoorsaam geword aan die geloof.’
Hd 9:31. ‘En die gemeentes deur die hele
Judéa en Galiléa en Samaría het vrede
gehad; en terwyl hulle opgebou is en
gewandel het in die vrees van die Here en
die vertroosting van die Heilige Gees, het
hulle vermeerder.’
Hd 12:24. ‘Maar die woord van God het
gegroei en toegeneem.’
Hd 16:5. ‘En die gemeentes is versterk in
die geloof en het elke dag vermeerder in
getal.’
Hd 19:20. ‘So het die woord van die Here
met krag gegroei en sterk geword.’
1. Jode in Jerusalem (hfs 1:1-6:7) 2. Grieke & Samaritane (hfs 6:8-9:31)
3. Heidene & Antiochië (hfs 9:32-12:24) 4. Klein Asië (hfs 12:25-16:5)
5. Europa (hfs 16:7-19:20) 6. Rome (hfs 19:20-28:31)
6. Rome (hfs 19:20-28:31)