God’s narrative unfolds: The Book of Acts
The Bible was written over a period of roughly 2,000 years by 40 different authors from three continents. They wrote in three different languages and yet it came about as one cohesive story with one clear plot line. Simply, God is on a mission to gather a people from every nation who will enjoy his grace and extend his glory. God is trying to make a very clear case regarding how we live and why we live. However, because of the way the Bible is sometimes taught we often hear only random stories or certain topics and miss the clear emphasis of God’s Word.
The New Testament, especially the book of Acts, contains clear commands for the Church to engage with God in His mission, but it also tells the story of that mission. It reveals the motives and methods of the apostles and it also gives hope for God’s people as they participate in God’s mission.
Perhaps the clearest statements of God’s plan for the nations are found in the Gospels and Acts. In the Great Commission passages, Jesus called his followers to make disciples among all nations (Matt. 28:18–20; Luke 24:46–47; John 20:21; Acts 1:8). These aren’t merely suggestions or ideas for us to consider whether we might be interested in participating; they are royal edicts from the King over His creation. The One who has been given all authority in heaven and on earth has tasked his people to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey all that he has commanded, with the hope and reassurance that he will be with them through all of it (Matt. 28:18–20). It’s not just the church’s mission, it’s God’s mission and He promises us His presence every step of the way.
We see that God, through the generations, use gentiles to be woven into the history of Joseph and Mary. Likewise, likewise it would be Magi to first hear of the coming Savior and be the first to worship him. (Matt 2)
As the life and ministry of Jesus unfolded, Jesus progressively disclosed his plan for Gentile inclusion. Throughout His life on earth he shows the link of His purpose towards the nations. In Matthew 24:14, Jesus connected his teaching about the end times with the fulfillment of God’s global plan when he said, “This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come”
In the second part of Luke’s narrative, (Acts) we begin to see how He will accomplish His Mission. He could write it in the cosmos, he could use His angels but instead he talks of how He will use His church to complete the task. The book starts with the band of disciples feeling alone. It moves to Jesus command that they are not alone but instead very much alive and will be empowered. (Acts 1:8) They will be witnesses of what they have seen in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. Over the next 28 chapters we watch this begin to unfold. As Jesus is the central theme for all humanity then Acts 1:8 is the pivotal verse for believers and the work of the church.
In Acts 2, Gods focus on communicating to the nations. Luke writes specifically about how many people and how many languages are present in this festival at Pentecost. Suddenly, Peter filled by the Holy Spirit is speaking and those listening begin to hear Gods message in their own language in their own tongues. Then Peter, with marvelous clarity and urgency, links it what everyone in Jerusalem was noting: namely, the clear, powerful proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone in his or her own tongue. “This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel,” was Peter’s contention. What was happening was what Joel prophesied
God has always been communicating to mankind in the language and culture we understand. It was most clearly displayed to us through Jesus Christ, God Himself dwelled among us and spoke in the language and culture of the day. It would be from this group that gathered the first church and it would be how God would display His glory to the nations.
Later, in Acts 7-8, when persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, the believers were scattered, causing the gospel to be spread throughout Judea and Samaria. In Acts 10, a Gentile named Cornelius received the Holy Spirit. A growing surge of Gentile conversions ultimately led to the Jerusalem council in Acts 15 where the unity in the Spirit between Jew and Gentile believers was officially recognized.
Lastly, the first recorded sending church, Antioch, sent Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey in Acts 13. This was the beginning of an almost two-thousand-year operation to get the gospel to every nation. Throughout the rest of the book (Acts 13–28), Luke described missionary journeys that led to Paul’s letters, which expose the apostle’s motives and methods for missions.
The God of the Bible is a God on mission. The book of Acts is the book that describes the start of what will one day be completed as written in Matthew 24:14. From Genesis to Revelation, the unfolding story His heart for the nations and his plan to send His church into a world that must hear and will hear. Today, God continues to make His name known and made great to the nations. Men and women, whose hearts are listening to God’s purpose and plan on this earth and enjoying His grace, are extending His glory in some of the most challenging regions on earth. Risking everything like the early disciples. Why? So that one day, a great number will be gathered together around the throne and praising Him. He will gather to Himself a multitude of peoples from every nation who are enjoying His grace and extending His glory. And He calls every believer to join Him in that mission.
The challenge today is not a lack of interest by many Christians in taking the gospel to the nations, it’s often a lack of realization or understanding about our role.
How can we help your church be equipped to join God in His mission both locally and globally? Contact us and let us know.