The Bible Course Muestra

Spirit, Power, and a Jesus Mission – to the ends of the earth 

Reflect 

Peter Parker – aka Spiderman – is famous for roaming the skyline of New York and beating up the bad guys. He's still a favorite of many. But why? Maybe it's because Peter Parker is as ordinary as they come, and yet within him, there is something extraordinary. Followers of Jesus should not expect spidey-senses and sticky fingers any time soon, but they should expect power. Jesus' followers are both really ordinary and extraordinary at the same time – everyday people with real power to do a lot of good.  

What do we learn about the book of Acts as it opens?  

The book of Acts was written by Dr. Luke. So it’s a sequel to Luke’s Gospel, telling us what happened next. The key is symmetry. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus healed the sick and preached the good news. Now in Acts, Jesus’ followers heal the sick and share the good news of Jesus with the world.  

But how is that possible? How can ordinary Christians do the things Jesus did? If you were told to write like William Shakespeare, or sing like Pavarotti, or run like Usain Bolt, you'd say, ‘I can’t!’ And if Acts is suggesting you should continue the ministry of Jesus, your response may be, ‘I can’t!’ 

What does Jesus’ promise to the disciples mean for us today? 

But what if the same Spirit that empowered Jesus should come and live in us? What difference would that make?  

The word ‘power’ in Acts is a Greek word dunamis, from which we get our English words dynamite and dynamic. The Holy Spirit empowers God’s people to be dynamic agents of the kingdom, continuing the ministry of Jesus in the world. Note the scope of this mission. In the day before social media and budget flights, Jesus still commissioned his people to take this message to the ends of the earth. He asked this because he knew the scope of power within each follower of his. He knew how fire works – it spreads! And early Christianity spread like wildfire despite fierce persecution and quickly became a global movement. 

We have arrived at our own chapter in the Bible story. This is where we fit in, ordinary as we are – but extraordinary, all at the same time. Jesus has empowered you to do good in the world! Are you up for it?  

 

Respond 

With real power living in you through the Holy Spirit, how could you do good in the world today?