The book of Acts actually ends with chapter 28, but the acts of the Apostles and the church doesn’t end there. There has been some incredible history in the church from the time of Paul in Acts 28 up to the present day. I call that Acts chapter 29. Just think of how the Good News about the resurrection of Jesus has spread through out Europe, Asia, Africa, and the rest of the world the past 2000 years! Think of all the people that have experienced eternal life over the last 2000 years. Think of all of the healing (in the name of Jesus) that have taken place for centuries. Reflect on how the Bible, the Word of God, has been translated into so many languages and has been used for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training for God’s people. Yes, there certainly has been some dumb and stupid things done in the name of religion but over all it has been amazing. Other words I think of when I think of Acts chapter 29 are awesome, inspiring, thankful and number one on my list is WOW!

That brings us to Acts chapter 30 which I think of as the present day and the future. Now is a good time to actually reflect on the Christian church of today. Is the Gospel of Jesus still being preached, are people reading and studying the Bible to be taught how to live their lives, are people being healed physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually? I have to look at the previous chapters in Acts and ask the inevitable question, “are we doing the same things that the Apostles and believers in the book of Acts did?” Do I have the same compassion for people that the early believer did? Do I have the same passion for sharing the Gospel of Jesus that the early believers had and even willing to be tortured and killed for my beliefs? Am I willing to be weird by laying hands on a person with cancer, tumors, diseases, and illness and actually believing that in the name of Jesus that they will be healed? Am I bold enough to stand up against the secular humanistic teaching on marriage, divorce, raising children, roles of men, roles of women? Am I as bold as the early believers are to call sin actual sin, which of course brings repentance and forgiveness? My answer is “HELL YES!!”

I want to be God’s faithful servant that is doing the same things Jesus did, and even greater. I want to have the same compassion for people that Jesus did, the same compassion that Paul had for the Gentiles, (non-Jewish dudes), the same compassion that Peter and John had with the homeless beggar. I want the same knowledge, wisdom and boldness Stephen had before the Sanhedrin in Acts chapters 5 and 6. I’m not real excited to die for my faith and beliefs like Stephen did, but I will. I want to teach people how to live their Christian life according to the Owners Manual (Bible). I want to be a part of the fellowship of believers as described in Acts 2: 42-47. I want to experience the same dynamic power of the Holy Spirit that the early believers did including speaking in tongues, prophesying, and healing. I want to be as bold as the early preachers were in preaching the Good News about Jesus and depopulate hell. I would love to see the WHOLE Christian church engaged in all of these things Jesus did, AND MORE!

Here is where my fears and doubts come in. I don’t feel qualified to do any of the things the early believers did. There are times when my faith and spiritual tank is on empty. There are people I don’t like and certainly don’t have compassion for, not like Jesus did. But the good news is that it is not up to my feelings, qualifications and faith. Jesus is the healer, forgiver, redeemer, protector, comforter. It is in His name, the name above all names, the name of Jesus, that all of these things happen. It is the Holy Spirit that will give us the boldness and words we need to say when sharing our faith with some one or a group of people. And boy does that take a load off my shoulders. My prayer now is very simple but powerful. “Jesus, thank you for what you did on the cross and three days later with the empty tomb. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit with the power to be witnesses of what you have done in my life personally. Now Holy Spirit come upon me as you did with the early believers and millions of other believers in Acts chapter 29 and give me the boldness and gifts needed to proclaim your message. Amen.”

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