Acts 4:1-37

Today we continue with yesterday’s reading and my comments from yesterday are fully applicable today. Back then (46 years ago) I was truly struck when I first read about Peter and John, these …uneducated, common men… (v. 13b) speaking boldly before the Sanhedrin. I knew a lot about Jesus, but I knew little about His followers. That’s why this last half of 2021 is so important – as we read Acts and the Epistles we see the church developing and we continue to be part of that growth. Their model is our guide!

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them… (v. 8a) Here Peter and John are acting upon Jesus’ words to them when He was alive: When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. (Matthew 10:19-20, further amplified in Luke 12:12-15) The same is true for us today. We probably will not be taken before “rulers and authorities”, but we will have occasion to speak of Jesus to nonbelievers. And with a short pause and a prayer we can trust the Holy Spirit to help us …speak of what we have seen and heard. (v. 20b) We can do this!

See also: January 12 / Acts 4:1-4; January 13 / Acts 4:5-12; January 14 / Acts 4:13-22; January 15 / Acts 4:23-31; January 16 / Acts 4:32-37

I’m sure some of you have heard me say that Luke is my favorite gospel. But I doubt that many of you have heard me say that Acts is my favorite book in the Bible – not surprising in that Luke also authored Acts! But I can recall my first time reading through the book of Acts, especially my “being” on ship with Paul much later in the book. It was probably only in my second year “in Christ” (born again) that I led a younger college group from the campus Catholic church in a study of the book of Acts. Back then we were clearly learning together – I was more a facilitator than a leader. But this recall is not about me – even back then I was so attracted to Acts that I thought other young Catholics might also be “taken” by the book. I was just giving them a chance!

So, going back 46 years still… I spent that first year of my born-again life studying the first-century church. I already knew the Gospels reasonably well, having heard about Jesus weekly for 27 years. So Acts was the first Bible book that I read when I started to read the Bible regularly. And upon starting the book of Acts, Chapter 1 (the Ascension) was fairly well known to me, as was Chapter 2, Pentecost. But Chapters 3 and 4 were brand new to me, Peter and John and the lame man healed at the temple gate. A miracle accomplished through the Apostles’ ministry! Back then, my first time reading this story – it was awesome!! So when I read this chapter I’m taken back to when I read it for the first time, when I was amazed at what was being done at the Apostles’ hands – it’s still awesome!! I hope you find it the same!!

See also: January 10 / Acts 3:1-10; January 11 / Acts 3:11-26

Acts 2:1-47

It was just last year (2020) that we read Acts and the Epistles together as we had the Gospels in 2019, averaging ten or eleven verses per day. So last year we read today’s 47 verses over a five-day span. (See my five days’ worth of comments in the links below.) So with full apologies, today’s reading is very possibly our longest reading for the rest of the year, but I could not find a good place to split it into two or three parts. So we read the whole of Pentecost in one day. Thankfully, it’s an event which we read every year, so it’s not unfamiliar to us!

Carol and I are touched every time we read these “nations” that are listed in verses 9-11. Why? In 2017 we visited our niece in Turkey and spent a few nights in Cappadocia – a fascinating geographical area! But while there we recalled the book of Acts and Luke’s mention of Cappadocia in his list of nations. That alone was a warm feeling. Then as we left the region we traveled west along a modern highway which years ago had been a caravan route and we imagined that the apostle Paul might have traveled this very route himself on his way back to Galatia on his second or third missionary journey. (Not likely, but possible…) Either way, the Bible truly came alive for us as we traveled this road!

Peter speaking: “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day…” (v. 29) I have used this verse in the past in sharing the gospel with someone who wanted “proof” of the Resurrection. This sentence does not offer full “proof”, but you and I are able to cite Peter’s comment and note that we can still go to the site of David’s tomb today – but we won’t find Jesus’ tomb anywhere nearby, not in all of Jerusalem or Judea or anywhere on this earth!! “He is risen, He is not here!!” (Mt. 28:6) Hallelujah!!

See also: January 4 / Acts 2:1-4; January 5 / Acts 2:5-13; January 6 / Acts 2:14-21; January 7 / Acts 2:22-28; January 8 / Acts 2:29-39; January 9 / Acts 2:40-47

Acts 1:1-26

And now we leave the Gospels and move to the book of Acts – referred to occasionally as the “Book of Acts”, the “Acts of the Apostles”, and my favorite, the “Acts of the Holy Spirit”! I looked online and saw two references that listed 56 and 57 occurrences of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts. Our Men’s Group is currently studying the work of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament, so reading through Acts at the same time will reinforce our study.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (v. 8) From its beginning this verse has been the operational verse for St. Andrew’s Mission Committee. I can recall an early meeting when suggestions were made that Jerusalem back then could be Versailles today, that Judea could be Kentucky, that Samaria could be the United States, and that the “end of the earth” could be the rest of the world. Other suggestions have been that Jerusalem (or Judea) could be the Bluegrass Region. Other groups, I’m sure, have their own counterpart locations for Jesus’ charge. However you view Jesus’ commissioning verse to His disciples – and by extension, to us – it is His will that we carry on His work, wherever we are.

And so we continue our work as Jesus’ and the Apostles’ representatives! Have a blessed RTNT!!

See also: January 1 / Acts 1:1-8; January 2 / Acts 1:9-14; January 3 / Acts 1:15-26

John 21:1-25

This “love” interaction between Jesus and Peter in verses 15 to 17 is confusing on first read – and on many additional reads – unless you know the Greek behind the word “love”. In the first two questions that Jesus poses to Peter He uses the word “agape” for “love”; in His third question He uses the word “phileo”. In each of Peter’s replies he uses the word “phileo”. “Phileo” is a friendship kind of love, while “agape” is a true, heartfelt, deep love. So in His first two questions Jesus is asking Peter about his “agape” love, the depth of his love, and Peter is answering with a friendship “phileo” love. Then when Jesus asks Peter a third time, this time using “phileo” in His question, it’s like Jesus asking him, “Do you only love Me as a friend?” So it’s like Jesus is asking, “Do you LOVE Me?” Then, “Do you LOVE Me?” And finally, “Do you only love Me?” Sadly, each time Peter responds with “phileo” friendship love. Go figure! (This information from my Study Bible and a number of sermons I’ve heard on this passage…)

So today we end our readings/reflections on the Gospels. Tomorrow we begin with the Book of Acts. Six months, 181 days, averaging 21 verses per day, ranging from 11 to 38 verses each day. A long, slow, steady journey filled with knowledge, guidance, blessings… Jesus has now ascended, the disciples are left on their own – almost…!!

See also: December 28 / John 21:1-14; December 29 / John 21:15-25

Luke 24:36-53

Today’s reading is a continuation of the Road to Emmaus, with the two disciples having reported to the eleven about their meeting with Jesus. Luke’s account of Jesus’ appearance in the Upper Room is consistent with John 20:19-23, except that John reports that Thomas had not been present – John then follows up with Thomas meeting with Jesus eight days later (John 20:24-29). One big difference between the two accounts is Jesus’ telling the disciples that His hands and His feet had been pierced: See My hands and My feet, that it is I myself. (Luke 24:39a) John had mentioned Jesus’ hands and His side. A small point, but fully a case of the gospels proving themselves! (See John 19:34.)

Luke gives a short account here of Jesus’ Ascension. Mark also reports on the Ascension (Mark 16:19-20). A more complete account occurs in Acts 1, which we will be reading in a few days.

See also: December 24 / Luke 24:36-49; December 31 / Luke 24:50-53

John 20:11-31

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. (vv. 30-31) For the past few years I have been documenting “signs” in my life – actual events that have happened to me where I feel that God has spoken or acted. Thus far I have noted 14 of these signs – six of which I refer to as miracles, seven where I feel God spoke to me, and one strange “coincidence”. I’m sure there are more; as I remember them I keep a log on my computer. These signs are important to me in both a personal sense and in sharing the gospel. In a personal sense I can rest assured that God is at work in my life. In sharing the gospel I have heard it said that nonbelievers can argue theology with you, but they can’t argue personal events in your life. They can choose not to believe you, but they can’t deny that the event happened. As I work through these signs, John’s words come true for me, …that by believing you [I] may have life in His name.

See also: December 20 / John 20:14-18; December 25 / John 20:19-31

 I hope you’ll read through my comments from 2019 in the links below. This “Road to Emmaus” event is one of my favorite Scripture stories!

But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. (v. 16) I wonder at what Jesus looked like in His resurrected body. We will read tomorrow about Mary Magdalene also not recognizing Jesus when He first appeared to her, supposing Him to be the gardener (John 20:15b). So He was in some bodily form, but different than He had been when He was with them. Makes me wonder what we’ll look like in our resurrected bodies…!!

Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered Him… (v. 18a) This is the only mention of Cleopas that we have in all of Scripture. And this is still Jesus’ first resurrection day! So someone never before and never again mentioned is one of the few people (of whom we have record) who saw Jesus on that precious Resurrection Day! But this one event has Cleopas mentioned for us, for all time. And we acknowledge and embrace him and his friend for spending their day walking and talking about Jesus. I would love to hear or see a recording of Jesus’ conversation with them!

I can’t help but mention again Luke’s summary statement, …He was known to them in the breaking of the bread. (v. 35) That is such a powerful witness to us that gives more meaning to our Eucharistic celebration! Every Sunday and various occasions in between we are blessed to see Jesus in the breaking of the bread. Carol and I attended a wedding yesterday in Maryland, dear Christian friends from more than 25 years ago. The wedding was held on their farm, a beautiful wonderful, picture-perfect setting. The bride is my “birthday buddy”. The preacher spoke Scripture as he worked his way through the ceremony. But sadly, the one thing missing was “the breaking of the bread” – no Eucharistic celebration… ☹. I treasure our Anglican heritage.

See also: December 22 / Luke 24:13-27; December 23 / Luke 24:28-35

Luke 24:1-12 and John 20:1-10

Matthew and Mark have one angel at the tomb, Luke reports two “men…in dazzling apparel”, while John has no mention of angels. Different accounts arising from different people reporting to the gospel writers – except for John who was (supposedly) reporting first-hand… What to make of that? Draw your own conclusions.

I’ve long been fascinated by the clothing described in John’s gospel: Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. (vv. 6-7) John spends two verses describing in detail the linen cloths and the face cloth. And recall – he was there! When I was growing up the Shroud of Turin was a hot topic, probably mostly within the Catholic circles where I was raised. Many believed the Shroud to have been the body and burial cloth that John describes above. Even today the Catholic Church will not affirm or deny that the Shroud depicts Jesus’ face. According to one source, “It is, in fact, the single most studied artifact in human history.” https://shroud.com/ I daresay that much of what we see in drawings depicting Jesus today is based on the face picture imbedded in the Shroud. In the first few weeks that we knew each other Carol and I listened to a presentation on the Shroud. The speaker left us with a small memento card that I kept as a Bible bookmark for years. So I’ve always been fascinated by John’s account of Jesus’ burial clothing. [Type “Shroud of Turin” in Google for facial images.]

See also: December 16 / Luke 24:1-12; December 17 / John 20:1-13