Before JESUS & After JESUS!
“that their hearts may be encouraged,
(The Letter of Paul to the Colossians 2: 2-3 NASB)
having been knit together in love,
and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding,
resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery,
that is, Christ Himself,
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
- Go from disaster to blessing.
- Go from impossible to certainty.
- Go from hopelessness to joy.
- Go from without to gratitude.
- Go from temporal to eternal.
If you have been a Christian, a Believer, for very long, then it almost becomes impossible to recall how you felt—Before JESUS! Nonetheless, let us go back to that place in our minds, let us get a good sense of the disaster & hopelessness & lostness & fear & death-focus we felt—Before JESUS!
“in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
Among & in position to & relating to—the PERSON of JESUS.
In whom all things are—Stored & Secret & Treasured & Exist.
In whom we are given everything, Including a—Wealth & Storehouse Full of His Goodness.
Divine Intelligence, namely knowing divine wisdom—the fear of the LORD.
Before JESUS, we walked through our days within our own power, but After JESUS, the Bible tells us how we walk through our days in the power of His Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus promised His disciples before He ascended back to heaven.
“But the Helper,
(The Gospel According to John 14: 26 NASB)
the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in My name,
He will teach you all things,
and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
The Acts of the Apostles is the unfolding story of how Jesus continues to work in His apostles’ lives through His Holy Spirit. Within this collection of narratives, Luke reveals through the working of the Holy Spirit the ongoing work of Jesus’ Holy Spirit, telling how the chosen apostles (the original 11 + Matthias + Saul, who was also called Paul) are to be on-mission, fulfilling the Great Commission commanded by Jesus Himself.
Currently, I am studying The Acts of the Apostles each Sunday as I prepare lessons to teach, and also on Wednesday nights, I am given a follow-up opportunity to revisit these great stories and the work of the Holy Spirit in the early churches during a small group Bible study. In the near future, my pastor informed us that he has been led by the Holy Spirit to preach a series on The Acts of the Apostles. At first, I found this progression quite odd, but as the lessons and small group discussions have transpired, I find myself eager for the series of messages that my pastor will preach in the near future on The Acts of the Apostles.
I also scratch my head and wonder—Why?
Why would the Lord lead his church to study this particular book three times and (let me be clear)—It is not the whole church, but just one of us who is studying the book three times.
- In the Sunday School class, I am present.
- In the Wednesday night small group class, I am present.
- In the upcoming Sunday messages that will be preached, unless the Lord takes me home to heaven before then, I will be present.
So, I scratch my head and wonder—Why?
- JESUS CHRIST REMAINS ALIVE!
- JESUS IS ACTIVE AS HE PARTICIPATES WITH US!
- JESUS’ HOLY SPIRIT IS GIVEN TO US AT THE MOMENT OF OUR SALVATION!
- JESUS REVEALS HIMSELF TO THE WORLD THROUGH THE SAINTS OF GOD!
In studying The Acts of the Apostles I found myself turning to the last page of the book, a habit I do every time I read. I like to know how the last page reads BEFORE I read the book from start to finish. Now, I know so many who cringe at this practice, but this is how I grade my students’ essays, reading their concluding paragraphs first, and this is also how I encourage my students to read their textbook chapters, reading the chapter summaries, seeing the ‘truths’ they need to gather BEFORE they read the chapters from start to finish.
Thus, I found myself turning to the last page of The Acts of the Apostles, I was amazed by what I found. See with me the END of The Acts of the Apostles & then read with me during the next month the rest of the story revealing the working of the Holy Spirit in the early churches.
“Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles;
(The Acts of the Apostles 28: 28 NASB)
[this is you & me]
they will also listen.”
The apostle Paul stayed two more years, living in his rented house, guarded twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week by the Roman guards. Even though Paul was not free to come and go from the house, people came to him, and as they did, Paul preached about the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says that the apostle Paul preached “with all openness, unhindered.”
Let us get a good sense of the disaster & hopelessness & lostness & fear & death-focus we felt—Before JESUS!
Let us recall how Before JESUS, we walked through our days within our own power, but After JESUS, we now walk through our days in the power of His Helper, the Holy Spirit.
- We have read the end of the narrative—The Acts of the Apostles.
- We can see the ongoing saga, one that continues still today.
- We are not passive observers but active participants in Jesus’ Great Commission.
- We are called to reveal His love & His Grace to the world.
- We are to daily remember how the story of Jesus is being written through our lives.
May we share the Gospel with another today, knowing how the Christian life is only possible through Jesus’ Holy Spirit.
“resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery,
(The Letter of Paul to the Colossians 2: 2b-3 NASB)
that is, Christ Himself,
in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”