Have you ever denied Jesus, or done anything that distances you from Jesus? Have you ever done something that actually stops Jesus from becoming a savior to someone else? These are hard questions. If you did these things purposefully but have come back, there is forgiveness, but it is sometimes harder when you have done these things with the best intentions. As a pastor, I know that I have made pe...  Read More

So after the ascension of Jesus, they went back to pray, united in their experience, and the room was filled with more than simply the disciples. There were many followers around. This tells us a few things about that early expression of the church. It tells us that they were not exclusive to just the men who were designated as disciples. No, there were women, and a diversity of ethnicities around...  Read More

The ascension comes quickly. But we should not forget to mention that they had been filled with the Holy Spirit. The culmination of their submission to Jesus was a gift of the Holy Spirit, so that they could continue the work of Jesus throughout their lives. Of course, after Jesus said these things, they were anxious to know when their struggle would end and the kingdom would be established. These...  Read More

Book dedications were common among the Greeks. Luke had dedicated his Gospel to his Greek-speaking friend Theophilus (Luke 1:3). He continues his contact with Theophilus to complete the story from the birth of Christ to the establishment of the church all around the Mediterranean world. Immediately he emphasizes key ideas of his book: the command to witness; the role of the apostles; the significa...  Read More

INTRODUCTIONThe following is a guide to help facilitate discussion. Feel free to add or subtract or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.OPENHave you ever had a secret to tell that when you told it, no one believed you? Or can you remember a time when you got to be the first one to share news with another that they hadn’t heard before?HEADRead Joh...  Read More

This is an interesting little text. We see that the Holy Spirit was given, and this is much before Pentecost. It is a commissioning of sorts, but it is also very specific. It is a continuation of the work that Jesus was doing on Earth, and not a new work. He is trying to get them to understand that this work he began needs to continue through them. In fact, they are to be his proxy, his presence i...  Read More