Real Hope: Acts - a Study of Acts 1-5Sample

The End of the Beginning

The beginning of the book of Acts is the end of the beginning. Ever seen the mind-bending Guy Pearce movie, Memento (2000)? Without giving too much away, this provocative thriller is told in reverse. It starts at the conclusion and, as it reveals more about the past, invites viewers to understand better how Memento came to end up where it, well, begins.

The start of Acts is similar. Within sentences, we find out Jesus has returned to God’s right hand (re-read verse 9 and add it up with verse 11). Having been revealed as Messiah after rising from the dead, Jesus departs our world to be again with His heavenly Father. Sounds like a grand finale, right? But Jesus Himself says His leaving is just the beginning… of what His followers will do for His kingdom throughout the world.

Acts does not go on to tell its tale in reverse, like Memento. Instead, it’s a gripping history lesson about how those empowered by the Holy Spirit (v8 and the Pentecost events in Acts 2) start a global revolution.

The end of Jesus’ earthly life begins the enduring life of His earthly church. Us. His followers. Thanks to the Spirit-fuelled spread of the Gospel, from the starting point of what Acts records.

Written by BEN MCEACHEN