Acts, the Primer of the Church

Scripture Reading: Acts 1:7,8 

 He answered, “You don’t need to know the dates or the times; the Father has kept these under his own authority.⁸ But you will receive power when the Ruach HaKodesh(Holy Spirit) comes upon you; you will be my witnesses both in Yerushalayim(Jerusalem) and in all Y’hudah(Judah) and Shomron(Samaria), indeed to the ends of the earth!”


Verse: But you will receive power.. -(Acts l:8a).

Meditation: Some Bible scholars view the book of Acts as a historical document with the primitive church in stage one. They believe the  church in Acts to be in a transitional stage and the normal church models found later in the epistles. I agree the book of Acts introduces a new dispensation of the Spirit at work through the church in our world. I also believe we need not try to reproduce all that happened in Acts, but I am convinced the book contains much more than history. Truths and principles are hidden in these inspired pages that must contin guide the church in the 21 century.

Almost every chapter of Acts records a divine intervention in space/time world that cannot be explained as a coincidence. Even when God appears to be anonymous, those with “eyes to see” discern God’s unmistakable working. God can come from “outside" our world to accomplish His preordained purpose. God continues to orchestrate His purpose through His church as He moves it from the frontier to the uttermost part of the earth, reversing all that happened at the Tower of Babel.

The Spirit initially was poured out at Jerusalem, the Jewish Pentecost.  Later at Samaria, the Samaritan Pentecost. Then at Caesarea, Roman Pentecost, and finally at Ephesus for the Greek-speaking people. God thus assures us that the outpouring of God’s Spirit is birthright of every believer.

Thought for the Day: The historical Pentecost can become personal history  every person.