Question
SEQ CHAPTER \H \R 1A GREAT DOOR FOR EFFECTIVE WORK
1 Corinthians 16:1-24
Key Verse 16:8
1. In verses 1-4, the apostle Paul encourages the members of the church in Corinth to make an organized effort to support the poor in Jerusalem. What can we learn from Paul about how to serve God’s work effectively (including the matter of giving to the needy)?
2. Verse 8 indicates that Paul was in Ephesus. While he was there, he wrote to the Corinthians saying, “I will come to you,” “perhaps I will stay with you awhile,” “or even spend the winter,” and “you can help me on my journey, wherever I go” (5-7). The Scriptures indicate that eventually Paul went there and established a launch pad from which to pioneer the entire Roman Empire (cf. Romans 15:25-27; Acts 20:1-6). What can we learn from Paul about how to serve God’s work effectively?
3. Referring to his ministry in Ephesus (cf. Acts 19), Paul says in verse 9, “A great door for effective work has opened for me.” Paul’s ministry in other areas was not as “effective” as it was in Ephesus. What made his ministry in Ephesus so effective? (Acts 19: 9-10; Judges 7:7; Mark 9:35) What can we learn from Paul about how to serve God’s work effectively?
4. Consider Paul’s coworkers: 1) Timothy (10-11); 2) Apollos (12); 3) Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus (15-18); 4) Aquila and Priscilla (19); and 5) all other brothers (and sisters) in the Lord. What does Paul say about them? What can we learn from Paul about how to serve God’s work effectively?
5. Meditate on the five exhortations in verses 13-14: 1) be on your guard; 2) stand firm in the faith; 3) be men of courage; 4) be strong; and 5) do everything in love. What wisdom do these exhortations teach us about how to serve the Lord effectively?
6. In verse 20 we find the expression, “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” What does it mean to greet one another “with a holy kiss”? Why is this necessary for those who are already in the same fellowship? What can we learn here about how to serve the Lord effectively?
7. In verses 20-24, the word ‘love’ is repeated twice. What does this passage suggest about the secret of Paul’s fruitfulness in the Lord?
Manuscript
Question
TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH
Acts 1:1-26
Key Verse 1:8
1. The book of Acts was addressed to Theophilus, which means “lover of God” (v. 1). Why is it important to love God? (Isaiah 55:8-9) The full title of this book is “The Acts of the Apostles.” How does this title relate to ‘Theophilus’? (John 14:15) Based on this, what attitude should we have as we study the book of Acts?
2. Verses 1-3 emphasize two points about Jesus’ ministry before His ascension: 1) convincing proofs that He was alive; and 2) the kingdom of God. Why are these points important?
3. According to the conversation between the Risen Lord and His disciples in verses 4-8, there is a big difference between the disciples’ thinking and the Father’s thinking. How are the two different? Did Jesus ignore what the disciples had in mind? What does verse 8 show about the position of the disciples in Jesus’ mind?
4. Verse 8 describes the way the Father will fulfill His work. What does it mean to be Jesus’ witnesses: 1) in Jerusalem; 2) in all Judea; 3) in Samaria; and 4) to the ends of the earth? Why does this mission require power from the Holy Spirit? What does this show about God’s will for all people on earth?
5. Jesus’ ascension and the promise of His return in verses 9-11 are truly remarkable. Compare this passage with Luke 24:50-53. Who are the “two men”? (Hebrews 1:14) What do you think God had in mind when He sent them to say the following words to the disciples: 1) Men of Galilee; 2) Why do you stand here looking into the sky?; 3) This same Jesus, who has taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him going into heaven.
6. Verses 12-14 describe the prayer meeting held by the followers of Jesus. Why did they stay in the upstairs room in Jerusalem to pray? Why might it have been difficult for all of them (including the women) to join together constantly in prayer? What can we learn from them?
7. The remainder of the passage begins with “Peter stood up among the believers…” What does the phrase “stood up” indicate about the change that took place in Peter? Why is his decision to fill Judas Iscariot’s place with another witness important?
Manuscript
Message
A Great Door for Effective Work
1 Corinthians 16:1-24
Key Verses 16:8,9
But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.
From this passage we would like to think about the wisdom the Lord God gave the Apostle Paul so he could serve the Lord effectively. In verse 9 we see the expression, “effective work.” By this expression Paul refers mainly to the discipleship ministry at the Lecture Hall of Tyrannus in Ephesus. After witnessing the powerful work in Ephesus, Paul saw the vision to pioneer the entire Roman Empire.
At the Wharton Center at MSU, we heard mission reports from different continents. Through the reports we could see the Lord’s world mission vision. While listening to the messages and reports, I saw vivid signs that the Risen Lord Jesus the Savior was working with them. After the MSU conference we had a missionary seminar. There I saw more vivid signs of the Risen Jesus working with them. The greatest sign was the one written on the face of each of the missionaries attending the seminar: they were all bright. The challenges they were confronted with were unbearably great, yet they came out more than conquerors.
Now we are glad that we had opportunities to meet them. We are looking forward to working with them. To work with them, in prayer and letter writing, we donated 120 soccer balls. We also gave out mugs which bear the logo, showing two persons praying face to face in a knelt down position. One person in the mug design refers to us, the other the missionary coworkers overseas. When we are faithful in praying for them, the Lord will open great doors for effective works.
Today we would like to learn from the Apostle Paul, the first missionary to the Gentile world, so we would gain the wisdom that should enable us to work effectively for the Lord's world campus mission. One of the places for us to learn the Lord’s wisdom for effective world mission work is found in 1 Corinthians 16. Let us think about this passage in seven ways.
First, the wisdom to handle money effectively for the Lord’s world mission work
In verses 1-4 the Apostle Paul encourages the members of the church in Corinth to make organized efforts in supporting the poor in Jerusalem.
(1) We learn from Paul the shepherd's love in giving sheep material training, so they would overcome materialism by faith in God. It is not easy for a shepherd to talk to his sheep about money. But Paul urged them to make offerings for the poor in Jerusalem, so that they would grow out of materialism, learn to put God and men above money, and thereby be truly blessed by God, materially and spiritually.
A little bit of background information will help us better understand Paul’s urging of his sheep in Corinth to make offerings sacrificially. In those days a famine hit Judea, so churches in Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. (Acts 11:27-30; Romans 15:25-27; 2Co 8:1-5) Corinthian brothers volunteered to participate in this service. But later they reneged on their pledge. So Paul encourages them to finish the work they promised to do.
Why did Paul even push them to give? The answer is obvious. Paul did it because he knew that effectiveness (in financial success) begins with giving. Ecclesiastes 11:1 explains this concept: “Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again.” When Jesus came he taught us the same thing saying, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38).
(2) We also learn from the Apostle Paul the wisdom to build up the body of Christ by sharing all of the resources together. The early church in Jerusalem set a good example, for as Acts 4:32 says, “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.” We can apply Paul's point by sharing what we have together among brothers and sisters in the Downey ministry and in all other chapters world-wide.
Second, the wisdom to see and work diligently based on what the Lord has done in the past, is doing now, and is going to do in the future.
We are living in the time domain. Until Jesus comes again we will have to live and work within this domain. Time is divided into three segments: past, present, and future. Because God's work is manifested in this time domain, in order to work with the Risen Jesus effectively we must take a look at what God has done in the past, is doing now, and will do in the future.
The Apostle Paul had a keen sense of working with the Risen Lord this way. If Paul were here today in Downey, you would not be surprised to see him working with a small laptop or an electronic organizer, neatly tucked in a computer bag. Yesterday after the wedding reception, I saw Shepherd Daniel Lee walking around with a small brown bag. I noticed that no matter where he went he always carried it with him. I was curious so I asked him, “What do you have in that brown bag?” He said, “Laptop and the Bible.” I did not look inside the bag. But I can guarantee that in his laptop he has all the information about all of his sheep worldwide, particularly the missionaries in Africa and the missionaries in Mexico, especially those in Guadalajara and Monterey. And I am pretty much sure that although his body is here in Downey now, his mind is running to the four corners of the world. Already, I know he has a plan to visit Africa to officiate a wedding. My point is that as the Risen Lord promised to work with us, it is imperative for us to work with the Lord who makes his work manifested in three segments of time: yesterday, today, and forever. And we must be conscious of God's work in the past, God's work today, and God's work tomorrow.
We see the Apostle Paul doing the same thing. Look at verse 8. This verse indicates that Paul was in Ephesus. While he was there, he wrote to the Corinthians, "I will come to you", "perhaps I will stay with you awhile", "or even spend the winter", or, "you can help me on my journey, wherever I go" (5-7). The Scriptures indicate that eventually Paul went there and established a launching pad to pioneer the Roman Empire. (Romans 15:25-27; Acts 20:1-6)
In order to serve God's work effectively we must make the most use of what the Lord has done in the past, is doing now, and will do in the days to come. Paul made the most use of what the Lord has already done. For example, the seemingly tragic event called the "Diaspora" (that is, the Lord God dispersing the Israelites to heathen nations around the world, exporting them away from their mother land since A.D. 70), was nothing but God's preparatory work, preparing the environment in which the gospel can effectively spread. By spreading the Israelites to foreign territories such as the cities and towns developed around the Mediterranean Sea, the Lord God made it easier for the Apostle Paul to be shipped from one place to another, for each time Paul visited a synagogue in one place or another, and preached the gospel, some became rebellious and so Paul had to move to the next place where he could preach the gospel. Then more persecution followed. In this way virtually all towns and villages within the Roman Empire had an even chance to hear the gospel. (Acts 18:7-8)
Now let us focus on Corinth, for Paul is writing to the saints in Corinth. By the time the Apostle Paul reached Corinth the Lord God had already planted lots of Jews who also maintained a synagogue there. Acts 18:8 says that Crispus, who was the synagogue ruler, and his entire household came to believe in Jesus. Paul then capitalized on the church there as a launching pad for a greater work of God. Of course, Corinthian brothers and sisters caused lots of troubles; they made Paul greatly worried. Yet, he bore their weaknesses; he then regarded them as partners for the gospel of Jesus, and eventually he went to Corinth again, and most likely wrote the book of Romans there. What he did reminds us of Elisha asking a certain widow to use the little oil she had as the basis of producing large amounts of oil, as found in 2 Kings 4:1-7.
When we look around ourselves we too can find tons of signs that the Risen Lord is working with us. Let us be sensitive to what he has done thus far, is doing now, and is going to do further, for this is one of the important keys to serving the Lord most effectively.
Third, the wisdom of key member training
Referring to his ministry in Ephesus as described in Acts 19, Paul says in verse 9, "A great door for effective work has opened for me." Paul's ministry in other areas was not as "effective" as it was in Ephesus. What made his ministry in Ephesus so "effective"? We can find an answer to this question in Acts 19:9,10. "But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord."
From Paul we learn that in order to serve God's work effectively, we must concentrate on making disciples. Some call this wisdom "key member training." To help people repent and believe in Jesus, and be baptized by the Holy Spirit is not enough. It is just the beginning. The bottom line is this: Little babies can never get God's work done. We must help each person to grow in Jesus by feeding them with the word of God. Then we need to encourage them to go and feed the flock so they too would make disciples. We call this the principle of multiplication. According to this principle we must help each person to grow and feed sheep, so he or she would not remain spiritually retarded but rather grow mature, even as their faith grows strong, for in John 14:12 Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."
In making disciples then Jesus set the greatest example for all to copy. Upon calling several disciples Jesus had life together with them. Through living together with them, Jesus fed them with God's word. He set an example to heal and preach. He also trained them to overcome fear by faith. He trained them to feed a multitude of people despite limiting circumstances. Eventually, the disciples developed strong faith in the Lord. By faith in God they fulfilled even far greater works than Jesus had done.
Fourth, the wisdom of working together with coworkers around us
Let us think about this wisdom by considering the workers the Apostle Paul worked with: 1) Timothy (10-11); 2) Apollos (12); 3) Stephanus, Fourtunas, and Achaicus (15-18); 4) Aquila and Priscilla (19); and 5) all other brothers (and sisters) in the Lord.
What does Paul say about them?
1) Timothy
Look at verse 10. "If Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am.” This shows that Timothy had the fear of men which makes a servant of God ineffective. Yet Paul calls him a man of God doing God's work, just as Paul had done. When you look around, you will find a lot of people like Timothy. In human eyes they do not seem like candidates for effective workers. They do not look like good "soldiers" for Jesus' sake. But, let us remember Paul's wisdom, that is, he still calls a man as fearful as Timothy "God's servant doing God's work." In fact, Paul even decided to establish Timothy as his successor.
2) Apollos
Paul calls him a brother in the Lord. Paul wanted him to go to Corinth and help the brothers and sisters there because Paul needed to stay in Ephesus a little longer, but Apollos did not want to go. Yet Paul did not get upset. He did not push Apollos either. He simply prayed that sometime later, at God's opportune time, the Lord might allow him to visit Corinth.
3) Stephanus, Fortunatus, and Achaicus
Look at verses 15-18, "You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. I urge you, brothers, To submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it. I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition." Paul mentions three names: Stephanus, Fortunatus, and Achaicus. Paul says that they devoted themselves to the service of the saints. Paul mentions that they provided him with the supplies he needed. It is quite probable that they were lay shepherds working full time, still serving the Lord on important matters such as serving the poor in Jerusalem. They are like Dr. Abraham Han (whose wife is here on a short visit) in Seoul Korea, for he serves the Kyungsung chapter as a fellowship leader while still working full time as a medical doctor.
4) Aquila and Priscilla
Look at verse 19. "The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house." Mother Barry prays to establish house-churches worldwide. After visiting St. Petersburg UBF, Shepherd Jonathan Pyles said that establishing a house church is the way to practically pioneer college campuses worldwide. This is true. In the days of Paul, Aquila and Priscilla set a good example of a house-church. They were a lay shepherd's family. Like many missionaries who are involved in international trade businesses such as Dr. Peter Kim of Kiev, or a number of missionaries in the middle east (whose names I would not mention), Aquila and Priscilla made a living of tent making businesses. Perhaps they too were involved in international trade. They made money out of hard work. With their earnings they bought a house, perhaps like that of Shepherd Mark Moran's Bible house in Berkeley. Then they offered their house as a church.
5) All other brothers and sisters in the Lord, Paul simply calls them “saints.” They do not carry titles such as apostle or deacon. Yet they are important members of the Lord’s army, all supporting the Lord’s work, mostly behind the scenes, some through making offerings sacrificially, some praying faithfully and attending the worship services in quiet obedience.
The way Paul calls each of the people listed above indicates that Paul became largely successful in serving the Lord for he learned how to work together with others. The key word to remember is "together." God's work is never one man's work. God's work we saw at the MSU conference serves as a good example. There we saw coworkers with all different backgrounds working together. After the MSU conference we had a missionary seminar. There I had the privilege of serving one Bible study group. There in the group I saw a modern day version of what the Apostle Paul was doing in his day. My group consisted of 12 people, and they were from different countries: Germany, Greece, Belarus, Russia, Mexico, Canada, Papua New Guinea, Switzerland, and the U.S. The time spent together with them made me feel that I am a member of a truly international family where Jesus is the head of the household.
Fifth, the wisdom of keeping one's personal faith in the Lord
Now let us meditate on the five exhortations in verses 13-14: 1) be on your guard; 2) stand firm in the faith; 3) be men of courage; 4) be strong; and 5) do everything in love.
What wisdom do these exhortations teach us in serving the Lord effectively? These exhortations give us a picture of a good Christian. The passage tells us that in order for us to be able to serve the Lord effectively, we must first be a good Christian, for the Lord can work in and through each person exercising self-control, with a personal faith in the Lord, learning to encourage others, despite many discouraging events, acting all in God's love.
There is a Jewish saying, "You cannot chew with someone else's teeth." But, more important than this, is that you must make sure that your teeth are in good working condition, for if your teeth are not good, you cannot chew properly in the first place. The same is true in our spiritual race. In serving the Lord, we can capitalize on all other factors, such as working with coworkers. But the bottom line is still this: each of us must take deep root in Jesus, so that each of us would be a plus factor to the community of people called the "church".
Sixth, the wisdom of establishing a unity in Spirit
At the MSU Wharton Center a large congregation gathered. Although the hall was filled with people from all different backgrounds, still we felt like one family. What (not who) puts them together?
We can find an answer to this question in verse 20. In verse 20 we find the expression, "Greet one another with a holy kiss." What does it mean to greet one another "with a holy kiss"? “Kiss” has to do with the "breath of the mouth" that is attached to the nostrils, through which the Lord God breathed into man his Spirit, so that man would become a living being. Greeting one another with holy kiss then denotes the idea of the members of Jesus' body becoming one in God's Spirit, and thereby becoming a living entity, through which God's life is being breathed out to the dying world. (Genesis 2:7; 2Ki 4:34)
Why is this necessary for those who are already in the same fellowship? Two things quickly come to mind. First, let us think about the word “holy”. The closer we are physically with one another the more we find other's sin problems, weaknesses, or character flaws. These factors render it difficult for us to get along with one another. But we can overcome this problem when each of us develops a godly character. Second, “kiss.” Paul exhorts for us to greet one another, even among those who are in the same fellowship, because although two persons can stay in the same room or even share the same bed, their minds and spirits can be a zillion miles apart. Then, even if they exist under the same roof, they are as distant as east is from west. So Paul says that we need to greet each other with a holy kiss.
Seventh, the wisdom of founding one's ministry on the love of Christ
In verses 21-24 the word "love" is repeated twice. What does this passage suggest to us about the secret of Paul's fruitfulness in the Lord? The answer is obvious. It was his undivided love for Christ and his love extended to all. Let us read verse 22 and then verse 24. Paul deeply knew God's love, accepted it, and lived in it. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 describes 13 characteristics of love. The key characteristic of love is giving what is best to others. And nothing exceeds what is a greater gift than sharing Jesus Christ and his gospel with others. So, compelled by this love, Paul gave himself to the missionary work in his days. Let us pray that the Lord would strengthen us to engage ourselves in 1:1 ministry with the Lord Jesus' world mission in mind.
Manuscript
Message
To the Ends of the Earth
Acts 1:1-26
Key Verse 1:8
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
In the passage we would like to think about how the Lord God prepared the disciples for the blessed mission. Of all the missions, the mission to preach the gospel to all nations is by far the most blessed one. (2Co 2:16; Isa 52:7) By following the way the Lord prepared the disciples for the mission, we too can better serve the Lord’s command to make disciples of all nations.
First, Theophilus (1)
Look at v.1. "In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach..." It is interesting to see the author calling his audience "Theophilus" which means "lover of God." It is believed that it was the Greek Physician Luke who wrote the book of Acts. The way Luke calls the addressee of the book, indicates that this book is about the love of God. Inasmuch as the title of this book is Acts, we can call this book “God’s love in action”.
Apparently Luke calls his audience Theophilus because it was through the love of God that he himself was saved. We cannot tell precisely how Luke came to be saved. But there is a considerable amount of evidence that it was through his association with the Apostle Paul. For example, the Book of Acts ends with the Apostle Paul teaching the Bible in a rented house in Rome. There is evidence that Luke was one of the Apostle Paul's travel companions. (Col 4:14; 2Ti 4:11; Phm 1:24) His companionship extended to the days of the Apostle Paul remaining in chains in Rome. It is also quite probable that he was evangelized by Apostle Paul, the shepherd for the Gentiles. If this is the case, it is not difficult to see where Luke got the love of God as the central theme of his book, that is, from Paul. Like shepherd like sheep. The love of God filled Paul's heart. Compelled by this love of God, Paul preached the gospel to the Gentiles. Luke saw this love working in Paul. This love jumped into his heart. Moved by this love he dedicated this book to Theophilus!
The question for you then is this: “Is this love of God inside of you?” If it is, then you are on the same page with the apostles recorded in the book. God’s love is different from man’s love. Man’s love is selfish. But God’s love is not, for God’s love seeks the highest good of the one you love. At the MSU Conference you will meet missionaries who understand and practice this love. You will also see the fruit (real people) they bore. “By their fruits ye shall know them.” (Mat 7:20; KJV)
"In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach..." Before, during, and after the upcoming MSU Bible Conference, may the love of God deeply inspire you, so the Lord would use you for the blessed mission to save the lost.
Second, until the day he was taken up to heaven (2-3)
Look at vs. 2-3. "Until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God."
Love gives. When you love someone you always desire to give what is best to that person. But reality says that although we love others and try to give something to them, there is not that much we can give. There was a man who had a beautiful wife. One day he learned that his wife’s 55th birthday was approaching. So long before his wife's birthday arrived, he was thinking about the kind of gift he would buy for her. By and by the days passed. Finally her birthday came. But still he could not decide what to give her. Of course his wife expected some special gift from him. On her birthday, during breakfast time she expected her husband to give her a gift. But there was no gift. Then lunch time past, but no gift. So she thought, "Hmm. Maybe this man has prepared something so special for me that he is taking his time to present it to me." Then dinner time came. But still there was no gift. Finally her patience ran out. She went to his study room, found him, and asked him, "What are you going to give to me?" The man said, "I have no idea."
But it is not so with God. God has an idea. What kind of idea did he have? What gift did he come up with? I know you already know the answer, that is, John 3:16. Yes. You are correct. Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Then what is so special about Him? What does he have to do with us? What good does he do for you and for me? Does he pay the bills for me? Does he resolve practical problems, like the one I have with my mother-in-law or the problem I have with my boss? Oh, sure. No question about it. BUT: he can do a lot more than that. Didn’t Apostle Paul already say in Ephesians 3:20, “[He] is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us”? Specifically then what gift did he prepare for us? Look at v. 3. "After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God." In this passage Jesus described a special gift package consisting of two components: resurrection and the kingdom of God.
When you think about it, we can say that in the final analysis, these two components represent the ultimate gifts which the Lord God could possibly come up with. They represent all we need for life. They represent the greatest of all ideals. The resurrection of Jesus means all who are in Jesus will also receive a resurrected body as Jesus did. For Jesus said to his disciples, "Because I live you also will live." (John 14:19) “Kingdom of God” refers to the environment in which the Lord God would prepare for those who put trust in Jesus. The word "kingdom" means "King's domain". Of all the domains the domain where God is King is the most blessed. Therefore when we combine the two - the convincing proofs that Christ is alive and the kingdom of God – and secure them, we have all we need for the perfect enjoyment of perfect life.
God is not a vague God. He is a very practical person. All he does works well. Consider how butterflies fly, how fish swim, and how birds fly. Every little thing like the eyes or fins of a fish were so well made that when they are put to use they work just fine. The same is true with the gift he came up with. By raising Jesus Christ, he presented before us a tangible example of the kind of gift we have in Jesus.
From this we learn that when God loves his children, he gives what they truly need for life. Thank and praise God for this wonderful gift. At the same time the convincing proofs that Jesus was alive and the promise of the kingdom of God represent the substance of the good news we are called to share with others. And this gift is for free. May God bless us to share this blessed gift with all peoples on earth.
Third, Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel? (4-8)
Let us consider the conversation between the Risen Lord and his disciples in verses 4-8. This conversation indicates that there is no small difference between what the disciples had in mind and what the Father had in mind. How are they different? The disciples had in mind restoring the kingdom to Israel. But Jesus had in mind preaching the gospel to all peoples on earth, that God's kingdom be restored to all peoples on earth. Looking at the difference we can see that the disciples' agenda was limited to the interests that were pertinent to their own race alone, whereas Jesus' agenda embraced the interests that would affect the well being of all peoples on earth from all generations.
Practically it is not easy for the disciples to open themselves up so they would be as broadminded as Jesus was. They were Jews. In the past, heathen nations treaded upon the Jewish people again and again, humiliating the chosen people. While in Egypt, Egyptians trampled them down. The Israelites cried out to God. God sent Moses and brought them out of Egypt to Canaan. As they came to the land of Canaan, even before they barely established themselves as a free nation under God, Assyrians invaded their lands and ruined their lives, so that again the chosen people had wounds and scars in their lives that ran deep. No sooner had they been healed of this damage, than the Babylonians came and deported them to Babylon. The Israelites became a captive nation once again. There in Babylon they lived as exiles for seventy long years. After the seventy years of captivity, did they finally become an independent nation? Yes, but only for a short period of time. Then what happened? We know the answer. At the particular moment when they were asking Jesus, “Are you at this time going to restore kingdom to Israel?”, the Romans ruled over the land of Israel.
Had they been any regular people, they might have considered accepting these humiliating circumstances. But they were the chosen people. They were called to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. To become the leading nation was not their own idea. It was God's idea. Yet God humbled them up to that very date. So they asked "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" Certainly it might not have been easy for the disciples to overcome their own interests. Definitely it might have been very difficult for the disciples to set aside their own personal or national agenda and concern themselves with God’s agenda.
Since 9/11, when the Twin Towers came down, the U.S. has been particularly keen on protecting her own interests. In fact, since this tragic event, the Republican government has made “homeland security” its top priority. Of course we can understand this, but we must remember that America’s agenda is not always God’s agenda. In fact God’s agenda can be a lot different than our agenda.
The same is true with each of us. We, as individuals and members of one local church or another, have our own agenda. We have our own priorities. But we must overcome them. We must put first priority on what God has in mind.
“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” The disciples met the same challenge, that is, overcome their own narrow minds and accept and live for what God has in mind.
We know for a fact that they did overcome their narrow-mindedness. Eventually they accepted God’s agenda as their own agenda. As they served God’s purpose, they eventually rose to God's great prominence, and they did it by fully serving Jesus' world mission command.
A question then arises in our minds. How could they overcome their own selfish interests, and serve God’s interests? One quick answer we can consider is the Lord Jesus' influence on them. How did the Lord influence them? In view of the Lord's answer to them, we can see that the Lord helped them to think about their position as Jesus understood it. What was the disciples' position in Jesus' mind? In Jesus' mind their position was not just a member of the Jewish nation, but a member of God's kingdom. Jesus called them so they could serve as cabinet members of God's kingdom where God is the President. In John 17 Jesus makes this point clear. There Jesus told his disciples that they no longer belong to this world, but to the other world, that is, the world where God is King. In John 17:16,17, Jesus prayed to God the Father reporting to God the position of the disciples, saying, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world." Again here are Jesus’ solemn words of prayer for you: “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.” (John 17:13) Living in this world, it is hard to believe that we are not of this world although we are in this world. But in view of Jesus' prayer, we must constantly remind ourselves of our position from God’s perspective; we are in this world but not of this world. When we accept this truth, then we can fully accept Jesus' world mission command.
Fourth, you will be my witnesses... (8)
What then does the world mission command consist of? Look at v. 8. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." This passage describes the contents of their mission. At the same time it describes the way the Father would fulfill his work. Practically what does it mean to be Jesus' "witness": 1) in Jerusalem; 2) in all Judea; 3) in Samaria; and 4) to the ends of the earth?
When we compare the message they were to carry into the world with the message people living in the world go by, we can say for sure that they were going to run into one rejection after another.
“[Y]ou will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” In those days the enemies of God who murdered Jesus Christ still controlled Jerusalem. So to live as Jesus’ witnesses meant the possibility of suffering martyrdom. Judea refers to a place of “religious bigotry”, the place inhabited by the people steeped in Judaism which denies Jesus' identity as the Savior of the world. This was the disciples' home land, the place where they shared rooms or fences with people who were all members of the same family, all descended from father Abraham. This means that they had to witness to their brothers and sisters, mothers and parents. It is not easy for you to witness to people who are close to you. Samaria is kind of a grey area where people were neither 100% Jews nor 100% Gentiles. And they had a lot of cynicism based on pre-occupation with and/or misconception about everything that comes out of the Jews. Salvation came out of the Jews. So they did not hold a favorable opinion on salvation coming out of the Jews. See how belligerent the Samaritan woman was toward Jesus as Jesus tried to evangelize her. The ends of the earth refer to the land of the Gentiles whom the Jewish people regarded as no better than dogs. To average Americans, dogs are doing just fine. In fact, to some, dogs perform even better than men. So some say, “The more I meet people, the more I like my dogs.” But it was not so with the Jews. According to their own understanding dog refers to animals which live purely on a flesh level, not a spiritual level. After all, have you seen a dog repenting or kneeling down to pray? In this way Gentiles refer to those who do not know God and therefore live like dogs. But Jesus is different. God sent Jesus to teach us that we are not only a fleshly being but a spiritual being created to know God, to love God and to serve God. But to teach what is of God to those who live purely on a carnal level is not easy. It is as difficult as a man trying to teach a dog how to pray. And Jesus called the disciples to be Jesus’ witnesses to the entire gentile world. In addition to the lack of spirituality among the gentiles, the disciples had other barriers such as language barriers and cultural barriers.
Let me stop for a moment and talk about cultural barriers. America has her own culture and the Israelites her own. This is true even in this 21st Century. And there is a constant conflict between the idea of assimilation and the idea of keeping your identity as a member of an ethnic group. Here is one interesting story illustrating this truth. Once Henry Kissinger visited Israel and Golda Meir greeted him. "We are so proud, Henry, because you are a Jew, a great American, and secretary of state." "Thank you, Golda, but I must correct you. First of all, I am secretary of state. Second, I am an American. And only third, I am a Jew." "That's all right, Henry. Here, we read from right to left." When you think about it, America is almost an idiom for the ends of the earth. Henry Kissinger is a Jew. He came to the U.S., the end of the earth. And he picked up the American way of writing, that is, left to right. But even nowadays in Israel they write not from left to right but from right to left. When you think about it however, this is just the tip of the iceberg. All the barriers that exist between two cultures adopted by two ethnic groups go a lot deeper and are greater than we might think.
To make matters worse, Jesus is from above, and the disciples were from below. But thanks to Jesus’ help the disciples were born again, so that they were no longer of this world but of the other world. Now, they were to be sent into this world where the lifestyles of its residents are the opposite of the lifestyle Jesus advocates. This already indicates that certainly the mission to become Jesus' witnesses to all peoples on earth looked like "mission impossible."
But we do know that God never asks anyone to do anything without first empowering that person to do what he is asked to do. How will he equip them? Look at v. 8 again. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." This passage says that with God's Spirit one can overcome all the difficulties involved. For in the first place, God's Spirit breaks down all barriers - religious, cultural, ideological, or physical barriers. It also helps you to overcome even language barriers.
We can understand this concept and obey His command joyfully and willingly especially when we think about the important truth: in order to effectively serve the purpose, the means must first be right. The purpose is to transform all believes into Jesus' likeness. How can one transform people to be like Jesus? It is only through the Holy Spirit that one is changed from an old creation to a new creation. Genesis 1:2 also supports this truth. "Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." In the same way, Zechariah 4:6b says, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty." Speaking of this life-transforming power of the Spirit of God, Jesus says in Acts 1:8, ““But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Fifth, men of Galilee (9-11)
Next let us read verses. 9-11. The scene of Jesus' ascension and the promise of his return are truly remarkable. Let us compare this passage with Luke 24:50-53. Who are the "two men"? They are the angels sent by God. Angels mean "messengers" who are called to deliver God's message. They are, so to speak, in the business of God's courier services. Angels are made to say only what they are told to say: they say only what God asks them to say, nothing more or less. They never add their own words. So what they said to the disciples represent God’s exact words.
What then might the Lord God the Father have had in mind in sending them and saying the following words to the disciples? 1) Men of Galilee; 2) Why do you stand here looking into the sky?; 3) This same Jesus, who has taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him going into heaven.
The expression "men of Galilee" then reminds us of two Bible verses: Isaiah 9:1 and Matthew 4:5. Isaiah 9:1 reads, "Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan--. Matthew 4:15 reads, "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles--" These two verses came with about 8 centuries of time gap between them. But they convey one message: people may fail (to serve the mission) but God never fails. God created a perfect world so man could live in a perfect paradise on condition that he obeys God. But Adam and Eve failed to obey. They lost the paradise. But God does not fail. In order to recover Adam’s descendants from all of their failures God sent Jesus to save them and to restore them back to His perfect Garden. In the case of the Israelites who lived about 8 centuries before the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ, they failed so miserably morally and spiritually that it looked as if they were without hope. Most importantly they failed to serve God’s calling to live as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. They failed to live as carriers of God’s hope of salvation for all. But God did not give up on them. God foresaw the Savior coming to the land of such shameful failure as the land of Galilee. Indeed at God's right time the Savior of the world came to Nazareth, the land of Galilee. He fished several fishers of men like Simon and Andrew, John and James. He commissioned them to live as fishers of men. Now that Jesus left for heaven, it was their turn to go into the world and live as fishers of men.
"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." Their message then is a powerful reminder that until Jesus returns, they are to take over Jesus' ministry and serve the Lord as partners of Jesus' kingdom work. The same mission is applicable to us. It is now our turn, that is, the turn of the Americans, to take up the mission on our shoulders, and work to make disciples of all nations.
Sixth, constantly in prayer (12-14)
Inasmuch as serving the world mission command does not depend on man's abilities, but on God's power, it naturally follows that prayer to God is the only natural course of action. But not all people actually kneel down to pray. Knowing the importance of prayer, they indeed talk and even preach about prayer, but don’t actually kneel down and pray.
Why? It is because prayer comes with many difficulties. It has been said that prayer is exactly a battle. And every battle comes with enemies outside and enemies inside. The same was true with the disciples. Yet through faith in the Lord they overcame them. Look at vs. 12-14. Verses 12-14 describe the prayer meetings among the followers of Jesus. At first they might have been tempted to run away to no man's land to avoid persecution. But they overcame the fear of death. Another thing that surprises us is the word 'all' and the word "constantly." Why might it have not been easy for "all" (including women) to join together constantly in prayer? The upstairs could have been inside the Lord's temple in Jerusalem where the women's court was separated from men's court. But in Jesus, there is no barrier. So both men and women all joined together, praying together. This is truly remarkable, for in Jesus one can set aside all kinds of barriers, and work together for one common purpose. Please also consider that the disciples set aside their own individual differences, and worked together for a common purpose, that is, to serve Jesus' interest. They also must have been busy with their own schedules. Yet, they set aside their own private interests and put the Lord's interest ahead of their own. Then, in one mind and spirit they all joined and prayed constantly.
Seventh, Peter stood up (15-26)
The remainder of the passage begins with the expression "Peter stood up among the believers..." The expression "stood up" indicates the change that took place in Peter. Until that moment, Peter's spirit remained down like a PC that is dysfunctional because of a virus infection. He denied Jesus three times. But through the prayer meeting he got his problem resolved. Apparently he received a divine unction. Wounds were healed. His relationship with Jesus was restored. Now he came to stand up with his spirit up and running.
After standing up, the first thing he did was to repair the broken vessel among the disciples. By replacing Judas Iscariot with Matthias, Peter patched the broken vessel. Before he did this the spiritual vessel among the disciples was like a bucket with a huge hole at the bottom. Now that he filled the gap, the vessel became watertight. It then could hold God's power coming from above. The disciples were then ready to be powered up as the spiritual power station to power up the world.
"Peter stood up among the believers..." This expression then teaches us that the Lord's world mission work begins with each person, even one as weak as Simon, putting down firm roots in the faith of the Lord. It also reminds us that you, as a believer, are either up and running or remain down. And no one can stand up and do the work of God independently unless he or she plants and establishes his or her root firmly in Jesus Christ. For it is this independent faith in the Lord that makes man become spiritually independent by truly depending on the Lord. When this happens then the Lord is ready to use you, even a man as weak as you, as Jesus' witness even to the ends of the earth.
In conclusion, we learned that seven factors are critical to serving the Lord’s world mission command: 1) the love of God; 2) the hope of resurrection and His kingdom; 3) a broad mind; 4) a clear sense of mission; 5) the power of the Holy Spirit; 6) joint prayer; and 7) independent faith. May the Lord bless us to secure these seven points in an increasing measure that God would truly empower us to serve the Lord’s world mission command.
One word: to the ends of the earth.
Manuscript
Biblenote
To the ends of the earth
Acts 1:1-26
Key Verse 1:8
This passage describes the way the Lord God forged the disciples into a body of people ready for the Lord's use for the Lord's world mission purpose.
1. The book of Acts was addressed to Theophilus, which means “lover of God” (v. 1). Why is it important to love God? (Isaiah 55:8-9) The full title of this book is “The Acts of the Apostles.” How does this title relate to ‘Theophilus’? (John 14:15) Based on this, what attitude should we have as we study the book of Acts?
** It is not enough for us to know what is good or better. We need to go for what is best, for what is better is the enemy of what is best. Loving God is the key to going for God's best, for God's ideas are always better than ours.
** You do what you love. Love is the mother of action. One always goes to the restaurant where he thinks he can find the kind of food he loves. Likewise, loving the Lord God is the key to doing what the Lord God desires (his children) to do, and God never asks his children to do what they would end up hating.
** The right attitude is to approach it with love for all the truths of God, especially God himself.
2. Verses 1-3 emphasize two points about Jesus’ ministry before His ascension: 1) convincing proofs that He was alive; and 2) the kingdom of God. Why are these points important?
** They are important to us for they are two essential components for perfect happiness in perfect paradise. The first condition (the resurrection of Jesus), has to do with the resident's status in which the enjoyment of the paradise is to be made, whereas the kingdom of God refers to the environment in which the resident is to enjoy paradise. The deal is that because Jesus rose, all who believe him will also be like Jesus upon His return, so that it is in the state of a resurrected body that proper enjoyment of the good to come can be had.
In 1 Peter 1:4, Peter explained this concept in a negative way, that is, by describing that this world is not a proper place for the enjoyment of the true reward from God, for it will soon perish, spoil, or fade.
3. According to the conversation between the Risen Lord and His disciples in verses 4-8, there is a big difference between the disciples’ thinking and the Father’s thinking. How are the two different? Did Jesus ignore what the disciples had in mind? What does verse 8 show about the position of the disciples in Jesus’ mind?
** The disciples' agenda was limited to their own race, whereas God's agenda embraces all peoples on earth, from all generations.
** No.
** Their position was not just as members of the Jewish nation, but as members of God's kingdom, called to serve God's heavenly government where God is the king of the universe.
4. Verse 8 describes the way the Father will fulfill His work. What does it mean to be Jesus’ witnesses: 1) in Jerusalem; 2) in all Judea; 3) in Samaria; and 4) to the ends of the earth? Why does this mission require power from the Holy Spirit? What does this show about God’s will for all people on earth?
** Jerusalem refers to the place which is controlled by the enemies of God who murdered Jesus Christ, the Savior. So this meant they would even brave martyrdom.
** Judea refers to the people steeped in Judaism which denies Jesus' deity and his identity as the Savior of the world. It is, at the same time, the disciples' home ground where they had to witness to their brothers and sisters, mothers and parents. It is not easy for you to witness to people who are close to you.
** Samaria means somewhere between Judea and the ends of the world. These people are like your next door neighbors who do not necessarily see you and what you believe in a favorable light. See how belligerent the Samaritan woman was towards Jesus when Jesus first tried to evangelize her.
** The ends of the earth refer to the world of hardcore Gentiles whom the Jewish people regarded as no better than or as bad as dogs. But Jesus represents the Spirit of God, whereas people like dogs refer to those who live purely on a carnal, fleshly dimension. They may enjoy high culture in a fine environment with their fine education, but still they may live purely on a fleshly level, so it means it will be very challenging for one to preach Jesus Christ, who is the Word which is breathed by God's Spirit.
** God's Spirit breaks down all barriers - religious, cultural, ideological, or physical barriers. It also helps you to overcome even language barriers.
** God's will is to help people to be like Jesus, the Son of God.
5. Jesus’ ascension and the promise of His return in verses 9-11 are truly remarkable. Compare this passage with Luke 24:50-53. Who are the “two men”? (Hebrews 1:14) What do you think God had in mind when He sent them to say the following words to the disciples: 1) Men of Galilee; 2) Why do you stand here looking into the sky?; 3) This same Jesus, who has taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him going into heaven.
** The angels. Angels mean "messengers" who are called to deliver God's messages. They are in God's courier service business, so to speak.
** Men of Galilee - their mission is to live as "fishers of men", fishing men into God's fishnet.
** Why do you stand here... - Maybe at the end of "stand here", they might have wanted to add, "doing nothing."
** This same Jesus... - this is to remind them that until Jesus returns they are to take over Jesus' ministry and serve the Lord as partners in Jesus' kingdom work.
6. Verses 12-14 describe the prayer meeting held by the followers of Jesus. Why did they stay in the upstairs room in Jerusalem to pray? Why might it have been difficult for all of them (including the women) to join together constantly in prayer? What can we learn from them?
** It might have taken great courage and firm resolution to even suffer martyrdom. They might have been tempted to run away to no man's land to avoid persecution. But they overcame the fear of death.
** The upstairs could very well be located inside of the Lord's temple in Jerusalem where the women's court was separated from the men's court. But in Jesus, there is no barrier. So both men and women all joined together and prayed together. This is truly remarkable, for in Jesus one can set aside all kinds of barriers and work together for one common purpose. Please also consider that the disciples set aside their own individual differences and worked together for a common purpose, that is, to serve Jesus' interest.
** First, the spirit of prayer. Whenever we feel helpless, we still can rely on the power of prayer. Then God starts working in us.
Second, we learn their spirit of participation which is the key to forming team spirit, for they all prayed together.
7. The remainder of the passage begins with “Peter stood up among the believers…” What does the phrase “stood up” indicate about the change that took place in Peter? Why is his decision to fill Judas Iscariot’s place with another witness important?
** Peter remained down, just like a PC which disfunctioned due to a virus infection etc. He denied Jesus three times. But through the prayer meeting he his problem was resolved. Apparently he received an inner unction. Wounds were healed. His relationship with Jesus was recovered. Now he could stand up with his spirit up and running.
** It was like removing a tumor. Perhaps the memory of Judas Iscariot caused a lot of doubt about God's calling for each of them, for he left for the world even though he was one of the twelve whom Jesus called. Peter removed this based on God's word.
Psalms 69:25 May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents.
Psalms 109:8 May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership.
The end.