Acts 1-3
November 24, 2014


Beginning with verse 21 of Chapter one the Apostles discuss replacing Judas.  They choose from a group of men who have "been with us the whole time.."  which tells us that we only know a part of the story.  There were more than the 12 who followed Jesus from town to town over the three years of his ministry.   Jesus had a larger group who were with him, and from that group he selected His 12.  My mind has always envisioned Jesus walking around with 12 guys in single file behind Him.  That simply isn't the case.   Therefore, even though the rest of the disciples didn't become "Apostles" they must have spread the good news about Jesus far and wide after His death and resurrection.   The twelve are the ones we know about, but the story is so much greater.   For instance,  in 1:3 it says He gave "many convincing proofs that He was alive".  But it never tells us what He did.   Jesus did more than can be recorded.  So we absorb what is written, and accept that it is enough to guide us into the right decisions.

Most of the first few chapters of Acts are dedicated to the infilling of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit came in power on the disciples 50 days after Passover (Easter).    It was already a Jewish holiday, called "the feast of weeks"among Gentiles, but known as Shavuot among the Jews.  It is the day they celebrate the giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai.   It can't be a coincidence that God chose Shavuot to send the Holy Spirit.  The Law was given to provide us guidance, to encourage and rebuke and show us how we could be restored.  The Holy Spirit has responsibility for all those things and more.   He is the Guide and the Comforter,   He corrects us when we are wrong, and encourages us when we are weary.  He guides us, carries our prayers to heaven and intercedes for us before the throne of God.    It is the Holy Spirit that reveals Scripture to us.  How appropriate that He comes on the same day The Word came.    

Some have taken the position that the Holy Spirit must be evidenced by the gift of speaking in tongues, since the Apostles spoke in tongues.  I highly doubt that is true.  I'm sure Peter spoke in tongues..at least I assume he did, but in today's reading he says in 2:15  "these men are not drunk".  If he were speaking in tongues that day he probably would have said "we are not drunk".  It's possible that the other disciples spoke in different languages and Peter was set aside to speak in Hebrew or Aramaic to the people who were gathered around for the spectacle.   So, speaking in tongues, while a necessary part of the gifts, isn't a mandatory one any more than insisting that a tongue of fire must appear above each persons head, or the sound of a rushing wind must fill the room when the Holy Spirit comes.   It can happen, but it doesn't have to.

The last part of today's reading is the healing of the crippled beggar, which sets the stage for the trouble Peter and John find themselves in (tomorrows reading).   I'll write about that tomorrow.


PR