When we were studying from Luke 13, "Jesus went through the towns and villages teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem", through 19:28, where Jesus actually gets to Jerusalem, I got very caught up in the text's concept of following Christ. He focuses so much in that section [the last 6 months of his life] on counting the cost, making sure you're "in", making choices and following through.
You will remember me asking the question, "Is everyone who is called to be a follower of Jesus called to be a disciple?" Most of you thought no, but I was very much, because of my focus on the text, thinking yes: we are all called, we all need to count the cost, we all are required to give up everything and follow him. There is certainly a sense that is true.
But wriggling around in the back of my mind was this verse my quiet husband loves from First Thessalonians 4: 11, 12. "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." Neither Paul nor Peter spring to mind when you define a life as quiet, minding your own business. Is there a different way to follow Jesus, a regular guy kind of disciple?
As I've had plenty of time [lol] the last three weeks, I've been looking at that thought. I've been trying to think back to two things. 1) What was Jesus focus in those last 6 months? 2) What is Luke's focus in the gospel story he is telling us?
Luke wrote a two part account originally circulated as The History of Christian Origins. The accounts were only later separated when the four Gospels were grouped together for circulation throughout the church, the Apostle, was formed as a collection of some of Paul's letters , and the Acts of the Apostles was left as a freestanding entity. It's intention was never as a free standing entity, but I think it's isolation from Luke influences our understand of Luke more than it does our understanding of Acts.
If we think about the story Luke is telling in Acts, the story of the beginning of the church, and realize he is telling the same story in Luke, then his purpose becomes more clear. Luke's account that last 6 months is Jesus' preparation of those early disciples and Apostles [remember at one time Jesus sent out 72] for his death, his resurrection and the subsequent, literal dropping of the ministry into those disciples' hands.
So we are back to the transitional quality of these unique books, the Gospels and Acts. The five books tell the story of the men and women who pioneered the ministry. These men and women learned from Jesus, carried out his teaching about the Kingdom of God after his death and resurrection, and went on to fulfill his teaching by establishing the church. They were His witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea and Samaria, and finally to the uttermost parts of the earth.
Who are we? We are the church. Our role might be different than theirs. Our job may be to live out the Kingdom in Community, in our larger community, loving each other and acting like Jesus. First Thess. certainly isn't the only place in the Bible that encourages us to do that. It may be that our ideas of what it means to be a disciple would be better gleaned from the letters to the churches than from the Gospels.
Too "Covenant Theology"? Maybe. I don't know. I'm still just thinking about it.
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Luke's Ending: Acts' Beginning
It interests me to compare the way that Luke concluded his namesake book after the resurrection, and begin the book of Acts after the resurrection. The accounts are not identical. Let's look at Luke first.
The Road to Emmaus is a very famous story, yet recorded only in Luke's gospel. Well, Mark tells the story in two verses, but Luke devotes 22 verses to this remarkable story.
"Now that same day," Luke 24:13 begins, the day of the resurrection, while Peter and the Apostles were wondering what had happened, two of the disciples were walking to Emmaus, about 7 miles from Jerusalem. We don't know why they were going. Maybe they were just keeping moving. Maybe they could just think better moving because scripture says as they were walking they "were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him."
For some reason they were kept from recognizing Jesus; and their eyes were opened at the end of the story. But as the story begins Cleopas (Mary the wife of Cleopas was one of the women at the cross re: John 19:25) and his unnamed friend, discussing everything that happened. They have the unusual opportunity to explain to Jesus recent events from Jerusalem.
[vs 19] "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel."
Their hope disappointed. And with that disappointment they forgot they believed Jesus was God. They demoted him to prophet; a wonderful and powerful prophet, but one who fell short of redeeming Israel. But the don't know what to make of the rest of the story.
[vs 22] "In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." What a mystery. They believed he was God, until he died. What does this new information mean?
I wish I could have heard Jesus' explanation of events. "'Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?' And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." The message is clear. You don't have to give up on the Christ, the Chosen Messiah, because of this mystery. Moses and all the prophets have predicted this very thing.
I think Luke is setting the stage for the book of Acts. This story is certainly not over. And what better way to communicate that than this remarkable account of the RISEN Christ, continuing to teach his disciples.
They couldn't bear for the meeting to end and persuaded him to stay in Emmaus and eat with them. Why didn't we recognize him? "Out hearts burned" while he was with them. Their emotions recognized their Lord; their eyes did not.Then he sat with them, broke bread, gave thanks and gave it to them...... probably something they had seen Jesus do over and over again.... and their eyes were opened.
Then they were brokenhearted again as he disappeared from their sight. But what now? [vs 33] "They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, 'It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.' Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'"
Luke has proven what he needs to prove. Jesus is still alive. His death is not the end. The story is not over. The great commission and ascension are only end notes in the book of Luke. There's going to be a sequel.
So Acts picks up the story, citing many "convincing proofs that he was alive,"and also picking up the $64,000 question. "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
Jesus continues to brush the question aside. It's not important. Here's what's important; your mission. "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."
So they do wait in Jerusalem. And you won't believe what they accomplish.
The Road to Emmaus is a very famous story, yet recorded only in Luke's gospel. Well, Mark tells the story in two verses, but Luke devotes 22 verses to this remarkable story.
"Now that same day," Luke 24:13 begins, the day of the resurrection, while Peter and the Apostles were wondering what had happened, two of the disciples were walking to Emmaus, about 7 miles from Jerusalem. We don't know why they were going. Maybe they were just keeping moving. Maybe they could just think better moving because scripture says as they were walking they "were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him."
For some reason they were kept from recognizing Jesus; and their eyes were opened at the end of the story. But as the story begins Cleopas (Mary the wife of Cleopas was one of the women at the cross re: John 19:25) and his unnamed friend, discussing everything that happened. They have the unusual opportunity to explain to Jesus recent events from Jerusalem.
[vs 19] "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel."
Their hope disappointed. And with that disappointment they forgot they believed Jesus was God. They demoted him to prophet; a wonderful and powerful prophet, but one who fell short of redeeming Israel. But the don't know what to make of the rest of the story.
[vs 22] "In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." What a mystery. They believed he was God, until he died. What does this new information mean?
I wish I could have heard Jesus' explanation of events. "'Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?' And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." The message is clear. You don't have to give up on the Christ, the Chosen Messiah, because of this mystery. Moses and all the prophets have predicted this very thing.
I think Luke is setting the stage for the book of Acts. This story is certainly not over. And what better way to communicate that than this remarkable account of the RISEN Christ, continuing to teach his disciples.
They couldn't bear for the meeting to end and persuaded him to stay in Emmaus and eat with them. Why didn't we recognize him? "Out hearts burned" while he was with them. Their emotions recognized their Lord; their eyes did not.Then he sat with them, broke bread, gave thanks and gave it to them...... probably something they had seen Jesus do over and over again.... and their eyes were opened.
Then they were brokenhearted again as he disappeared from their sight. But what now? [vs 33] "They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, 'It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.' Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.'"
Luke has proven what he needs to prove. Jesus is still alive. His death is not the end. The story is not over. The great commission and ascension are only end notes in the book of Luke. There's going to be a sequel.
So Acts picks up the story, citing many "convincing proofs that he was alive,"and also picking up the $64,000 question. "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
Jesus continues to brush the question aside. It's not important. Here's what's important; your mission. "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."
So they do wait in Jerusalem. And you won't believe what they accomplish.
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