The Mission of the Kingdom Acts 1-2 Session 5

The series The kingdom of God: the mission and message of Jesus Your personal Pentecost: experiencing kingdom power The church as kingdom/Pentecostal community Empowered ministry: demonstrating the kingdom Our calling: the mission of the kingdom

Kingdom – Holy Spirit - Kingdom He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. … "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about … in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. So … they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 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.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. Acts 1:1-9

MI M2 M3 A period of forty days, spoke about the kingdom of God. "…in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. So … they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 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.” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight … MI M2 M3

The Theology of Luke-Acts The new or messianic age has dawned, fulfilling Old Testament expectations and inaugurating the relentless and determined will of God. Its focus is the messianic King, Jesus who, by the power of the Spirit, brings healing and salvation to all nations. This salvation includes previously excluded groups: sinners, the sick, Gentiles, Samaritans, the poor, women and children. It spreads through the proclamation of the word, healing and phenomena of power and revelation. Those who receive this salvation experience forgiveness of sins and respond with song, praise, prayer and wonder. The message has financial and social implications.

Luke’s demographics, in the Gospel Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside (Luke 4:14). A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases (6:17-18). Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak … (12:1).

Luke’s demographics, in Acts Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven … 3000 were added (Acts 2:14, 41). But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about 5000 (4:4). Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number (5:14).

Luke’s demographics, Acts Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed (5:16). So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith (6:7).

M Section Acts Missional focus 1 Jerusalem and Judea 1:1-6:7 Own culture 2 Samaria 6:8-9:31 Neighbouring culture 3 Ends of the earth 9:32-28:31 Cross-cultural

People groups and territory Text People group Ending formula 1:8-6:7 Mainstream Judaism: Jerusalem So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. 6:8-9:31 Beyond Judaism: Samaria and preparation for the Gentiles Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers living in fear of the Lord. 9:32-12:25 The Gentiles: Syria But the word of God continued to increase and spread. 13:1-165 The Gentiles: Asia So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. 16:6-19:20 The Gentiles: Europe “In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.” 19:21-28:31 The Gentiles: Rome “the ends of the earth” “Boldly and without hindrance he [Paul] preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.”

What fuels the growth? Prophetic and power phenomena cause reactions of amazement, joy, wonder and praise. We can call this signs, wonders and reactions. Again and again the word of the kingdom and the works of power are the cause of growth in numbers. The primary form of evangelism is not apologetics (though there is some), or persuasion through reason (there is some), but the demonstration of the kingdom.

What fuels the growth? Western Christians tend to focus on apologetics, persuasion and presence, but majority world churches grow through signs and wonders, especially exorcism and healing. As the West becomes more and more post-Christian, the more the Luke-Acts model of power evangelism will work.

Signs, reactions and growth (Luke) He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John." Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. The neighbours were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things (Luke 1:63-65). Power, orders spirit to leave: All the people were amazed and said to each other, "What is this teaching? …And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area (4:36-37).

Signs, reactions and growth (Luke) Paralytic healed: Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today“ (5:16-18). Jericho, blind beggar healed: Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God (18:35-43).

Signs, reactions and growth (Acts) Peter says to the cripple ‘stand up and walk’: Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God … they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him … While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade (3:1-11). Stephen’s ministry, those with demonic spirits, the paralysed, and the cripples were healed: “So there was great joy in that city” (8:6-8).

Signs, reactions and growth (Acts) Paul, filled with the Spirit looked straight at Elymas … he was … struck blind: When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord (13:9). Paul said to a cripple, ‘stand up on your feet’: When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!“ (14:8-9, 11)

The deliberate parallel Jesus anointed by the Spirit – the disciples anointed by the Spirit. People saw they had “been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). They modelled on Jesus, sometimes in detail. Jesus and Peter raised a young girl from the dead in the same way (Mark 5:37-43, verse 41; Acts 9:39-42). Jesus raised people from the dead (Matthew 11:5; Luke 7:11-17; John 11:38-44). So did the disciples (Acts 9:36-43; 20:7-12). Jesus operated in prophetic gifts and the disciples manifest similar gifts in Acts.

The Prophetic community as sign All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:43-47). Cross-cultural, inclusive, Babel reversed, New Temple Prophetic/eschatological community