Acts 1-2

We’ve read through all four Gospels. We’re half way through the New Testament. Today we start “the rest of the story”. Recalling Luke 1:1-4, we can see from Acts 1:1-3 that the Book of Acts (or “The Acts of the Apostles”) is a sequel to Luke’s Gospel, a sequel in which Luke chronicles the history of the early Church and the spread of the gospel message. We get a summary preview of the entire book from Jesus Himself before His Ascension into heaven:

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.

Acts 1:8

Sure enough, on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit does indeed come upon Jesus’ followers in dramatic fashion and they do indeed receive power. Those who once denied Christ now stand up for Him. Those who once hid behind locked doors in fear now boldly proclaim Christ’s Resurrection.

But the Holy Spirit is not just for those present in Jerusalem on that Pentecost Day. He is for all who repent and are baptized. (Acts 2:38-39) He may not always manifest Himself with a mighty rushing wind or with visible tongues of fire. Usually He is much more subtle. But He is available just the same, and He always points to Jesus.

See also:

• July 1 (2021) / Acts 1:1-26
• July 2 (2021) / Acts 2:1-47

Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-49; John 20:19-31;
Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:14-18; John 21;
Mark 16:19-20; Luke 24:50-53

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.

John 20:30-31

Having now read through the Gospels, ask yourself:

• Who is Jesus?
• What is faith (or believing)?
• What is life?

And please spend more than a few seconds pondering those questions, especially if you think you know the answers.

See also:

• December 21 (2019) / Mark 16:12-13
• June 27 (2021) / Luke 24:13-35
• June 28 (2021) / John 20:11-31
• December 26 (2019) / Matt. 28:16-20
• December 27 (2019) / Mark 16:14-18
• June 29 (2021) / Luke 24:36-53
• December 30 (2019) / Mark 16:19-20
• June 30 (2021) / John 21:1-25

Matthew 28:1-8; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-13;
Matthew 28:9-15; Mark 16:9-11; John 20:14-18

If you have not already read the passages of Scripture we have for today, please do so now. I’ll wait…

Now, consider honestly: what is your reaction to this reading in this current moment? I’m guessing that “surprise” is not part of your answer. For most of us, these passages are very familiar territory, replayed every Easter morning. And even if you’ve never before read these passages yourself, chances of your never having heard of Jesus’ Resurrection are almost nil. But does our inherent lack of surprise then turn to a yawn? Are we so familiar with the facts of the story that we miss the greatest Fact of human history?

He is risen!

Do we, in fact, believe these Gospel accounts, or do these words seem to us an idle tale? (Luke 24:11) If we say we believe, then what does that mean? So what if this Man rose from the dead 2,000 years ago? What relevance does this ancient event have for us today?

See also:

• June 24 (2021) / Matt. 28:1-20
• June 25 (2021) / Mark 16:1-20
• June 26 (2021) / Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-10

Matthew 27:32-56; Mark 15:21-41; Luke 23:26-49; John 19:17-37;
Matthew 27:57-66; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42

Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this He breathed His last.

Luke 23:46 (cf., Matthew 27:50, Mark 15:37, John 19:30)

Is this the final whimper of a man dying of asphyxiation, the usual cause of death from crucifixion? Is this the voice of delirium? Is this the voice of despair?

No, this is a loud voice. This is a shout of victory. This is a war cry as Jesus enters into Death and single-handedly storms the gates of Hell!

See also:

• June 17 (2021) / Matt. 27:27-44
• June 19 (2021) / Luke 23:26-49
• June 20 (2021) / John 19:17-37
• June 21 (2021) / Matt. 27:45-66
• June 22 (2021) / Mark 15:21-47
• June 23 (2021) / Luke 23:50-56, John 19:38-42

Matthew 27:1-26; Mark 15:1-15; Luke 23:1-25; John 18:28-40;
Matthew 27:27-31; Mark 15:16-20; John 19:1-16

Jesus answered, “… Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.”
Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”

John 18:37-38

Though coming from a wildly different background, Pilate is just like the Pharisees in that He cannot perceive Truth. The Truth is standing right before him, speaking to him face to face, yet he cynically asks, “What is truth?”

So Pilate turns from Jesus and listens instead to the crowd, that crowd that asks for the release of a criminal, but regarding the Son of God cries, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” (Luke 23:21)

And so I ask the same question I’ve asked several times before this year: To whom do you listen?

Of course, it is easy to look back on this sham trial of Jesus with 20/20 hindsight and to side with the one innocent Man. We know how this turns out, so we know the right answer here. But how about in our own daily lives? It gets a bit more challenging there. Are we of the truth? Do we listen to His voice? Or do we listen to all those other voices clamoring around us — the news media, social media, Hollywood, friends, family, employers, employees, politicians, pundits, preachers, protesters, Big Tech, experts in this, experts in that, advertisers, AI? Or how about that ever-present voice inside our head: Self?

To whom do you listen?

See also:

• June 13 (2021) / Matt. 27:1-26
• June 14 (2021) / Luke 23:1-25
• June 15 (2021) / Mark 15:1-20
• June 16 (2021) / John 18:28-40
• June 18 (2021) / John 19:1-16

Matthew 26:57-75; Mark 14:53-72; Luke 22:54-71; John 18:12-27

And He said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Luke 9:23

Today’s reading, as dark as it is, should shed some light on the above verse, giving us a graphic illustration of what it means to “deny” someone. Here, though, Peter does not deny himself. Instead, he denies the Lord, swearing, “I do not know the Man!” And that is our daily choice. I can either deny myself or I can deny Jesus. It’s one or the Other. There is no middle ground.

So what will it be? Whom are you going to deny today?

See also:

• June 9 (2021) / John 18:1-27
• June 10 (2021) / Matt. 26:57-75
• June 11 (2021) / Mark 14:53-72
• June 12 (2021) / Luke 22:54-71

John 17;
Matthew 26:36-56; Mark 14:32-52; Luke 22:39-53; John 18:1-11

How would you define “eternal life”? Would you say, “living forever” or “not dying” or perhaps “going on living, even after dying”? Or maybe it’s “going to heaven (and not hell)”. We could build a pretty good case for any of these notions from various Bible verses. Yet the core of eternal life is missing from them. Jesus gives it to us here in His “High Priestly Prayer” to His Father:

And this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent.

John 17:3

So, do we know God? Or do we just know a bit about God?

See also:

• June 5 (2021) / John 17:1-26
• June 6 (2021) / Matt. 26:36-56
• June 7 (2021) / Mark 14:32-52
• June 8 (2021) / Luke 22:39-53
• November 17 (2019) / John 18:1-11

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One more thing…

I don’t think we can come anywhere close to imagining the agony Jesus faces in the Garden of Gethsemane. All our attempts at description or portrayal are flawed in one way or another and fall far short. But that does not mean that we should not try to enter in, try to relate to Him, try to join Him in His struggle to submit His will to the Father’s. So even if you think you are familiar with this story, spend some extra time with Jesus in Gethsemane today.

John 14-16

Once again the Gospel of John overwhelms us, like trying to get a drink from a firehose. I would therefore urge us all to spend some extra time — quite a lot of extra time — on these few chapters of John (and the next), prayerfully reading and rereading what Jesus has to say and letting it all soak in.

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

I expect that most of us are somewhat familiar with this verse. We’ve read it before, multiple times. We’ve heard it before, too, with sermons on the vine and branches, bearing fruit, etc. And we nod our heads in assent to the truth of Jesus’ words. But my own lived experience, coupled with my observation of many others, is that we continually need to be reminded of this truth, because otherwise we have a tremendous capacity to try to “live the Christian life” on our own. Oh, yes, we may pray for Jesus’ assistance, but when it comes right down to it, where “the rubber meets the road”, we try to go it alone. Yet Jesus tells us right here that any attempt to follow Him while disconnected from Him is futile — for apart from Me you can do nothing! So we need to carefully evaluate our relationship with Jesus Himself. Are we abiding in Him? Is He abiding in us? If not, then our best efforts will only turn us into Pharisees, and I think we all know that does not end well. So it is time to lay aside the burden of striving to follow Jesus without Jesus. Let Him in. Let Him lead. Let Him do.

See also:

• June 1 (2021) / John 14:1-11
• June 2 (2021) / John 14:12-31
• June 3 (2021) / John 15:1-27
• June 4 (2021) / John 16:1-33

Matthew 26:17-29; Mark 14:12-25; Luke 22:7-30; John 13:18-30;
John 13:1-17, 31-35;
Matthew 26:30-35; Mark 14:26-31; Luke 22:31-38; John 13:36-38

In today’s readings, Jesus employs two tremendous physical activities to build up and instruct His disciples (including us). He establishes the Sacrament of Holy Communion, feeding us with His body and blood, and He washes the disciples’ feet. With both actions, He says words that we are to take to heart:

Take, eat; this is My body.

Matthew 26:26b (cf., Mark 14:22b; Luke 22:19b)

Drink of it, all of you, for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Matthew 26:27b-28 (cf., Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20b)

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

John 13:34-35

Yet it would seem that we are poor listeners. Large swaths of the (Protestant) Church treat Communion as mere memorialism, devoid of any notion that Christ might really be present in the bread and wine. How would things change if we all were to truly discern the Body and Blood of Christ? And what would the Church look like (or the whole world, for that matter) if we Christians were to — shock of shocks! — actually love one another as Christ has loved us?!

Hmmm. Maybe we need to again listen to Jesus and actually do what He says.

See also:

• May 26 (2021) / Matt. 26:1-29
• May 27 (2021) / Mark 14:1-25
• May 28 (2021) / Luke 22:1-30
• May 29 (2021) / John 13:1-17
• May 30 (2021) / John 13:18-38
• May 31 (2021) / Matt. 26:30-35, Mark 14:26-31, Luke 22:31-38

John 12:20-50;
Matthew 26:1-16; Mark 14:1-11; Luke 22:1-6

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

John 12:24-25

This is not the first time we’ve heard such a thing from Jesus. Consider these other times:

And whoever does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Matthew 10:38-39

Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Matthew 16:24-26 (cf., Mark 8:34-37; Luke 9:23-25)

Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.

Luke 17:33

Do you think that maybe Jesus thinks this is something we need to hear? Do you think that maybe we each need to die in order to enter into real life? But note that Jesus does not ask of us anything that He Himself is unwilling to do. His own Cross is rapidly approaching!

See also:

• May 25 (2021) / John 12:20-50
• Bruce’s comment on May 26, 2021
• October 16 (2019) / Matt. 26:1-16
• May 27 (2021) / Mark 14:1-25
• October 18 (2019) / Luke 22:1-6

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One more thing…

A few days ago I gave you all some homework. I explained that, in my opinion, John 12:2-8, Matthew 26:6-13, and Mark 14:3-9 all describe the same event while Luke 7:36-50 depicts a different, much earlier anointing, but I speculate that the cast of characters in these two different events is the same. Your homework was to consider that notion and fill in the blanks between Luke’s account and these later accounts. So, what did you come up with? Here are a few of my thoughts:

• In Luke, the host is “Simon the Pharisee”. In Matthew and Mark, the host is “Simon the Leper”. If this is the same “Simon”, then our arrogant Pharisee has fallen from his high position to one of outcast. Given that he is now the host, he must have been healed of that leprosy. Who might have healed him? How might Simon’s experience have changed his attitudes, both toward Jesus and toward others?
• In John, Martha serves the dinner, suggesting that she lives in the house. Is Martha then married to Simon (the host)? Or is she perhaps Simon’s daughter? (If she is Simon’s daughter, then that makes Mary his daughter, too — and Lazarus his son.)
• In Luke, “the woman” clearly has a bad reputation — certainly in the eyes of Simon the Pharisee. Now consider that this woman is Mary, Martha’s sister (and Simon’s sister-in-law or daughter?). Think about the family dynamics, with Mary as the (repentant) “black sheep” of the family. How might that play into the additional scene where Martha serves and Mary sits at Jesus’ feet in Luke 10:38-42?
• In Luke, “the woman”, grateful for forgiveness, uses some of the ointment from her alabaster flask to anoint Jesus. She is clearly dedicated to Jesus. Now Mary breaks that alabaster flask (Mark 14:3) and pours out all its contents. Her relationship with Jesus has gone from dedication to total devotion.

By the way, I want to re-emphasize that this is all pure speculation, so there is no basis for dogma here. We need to carefully distinguish between what Scripture actually says and what we imagine. The same goes for various artistic works like The Chosen. I highly recommend that video series, which provides an excellent portrayal of Jesus and His followers. But always keep in mind what bits are truly drawn from Scripture and which are artistic license — and don’t substitute the latter for the former.