Act Five: Spreading the News of the King & The Mission of the Church

Scene One : From Jerusalem to Rome All that Jesus continues to do and teach… (Acts 1:1) Acts tells the story of the continuing mission of the exalted Christ by His Spirit to give salvation to the church, and through the church to the whole world.

Exaltation of Jesus Coronation day: installation of rightful king Coronation day: installation of rightful king Place: Right hand of God (Acts 2:33) Place: Right hand of God (Acts 2:33) Name: Lord (Phil. 2:9-11) Name: Lord (Phil. 2:9-11) Hidden (Heb. 2:8f.) Hidden (Heb. 2:8f.)

Work of Exalted Christ Subdue his enemies (Acts 2:34f.) Subdue his enemies (Acts 2:34f.) Makes disciples (Matt.28:18-20) Makes disciples (Matt.28:18-20) Pours out blessings of salvation (Lk- Acts) Pours out blessings of salvation (Lk- Acts) Directs world history (Revelation) Directs world history (Revelation)

The book of Acts, the epistles, and Revelation… are predominantly about the work of the exalted Jesus in the church and in the world. -Hendrikus Berkhof -Hendrikus Berkhof

Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. (Acts 2:33)

Pentecost: Coming of Spirit Spirit pouring out Jesus Luke 3:21-22 Spirit pouring out Church Acts 2:1-13

Pentecost: Acts 2:1-13 Old Testament Promise Old Testament Promise Jewish feast of Pentecost Jewish feast of Pentecost Firstfruits Firstfruits Inclusion of nations Inclusion of nations Wind and fire: Powerful presence of God Wind and fire: Powerful presence of God Tongues: Salvation for the nations Tongues: Salvation for the nations

Pentecost: Acts 2:14-41 Spirit means last days (17-21) Spirit means last days (17-21) Life of Jesus (22) Life of Jesus (22) Death of Jesus (23) Death of Jesus (23) Resurrection (24-32) Resurrection (24-32) Exaltation (33-36) Exaltation (33-36) Response with promise of the Spirit (38-39) Response with promise of the Spirit (38-39) Peters Sermon Outline

A question about the kingdom (Acts 1:6)… …An answer about the Spirit (Acts 1:8) It is not so much the case of where Jesus is there is the Kingdom, as where the Spirit is there is the Kingdom. -James Dunn (Luke 3:21f; Matt. 12:28; Acts 10:38; Rom. 14: 17)

Era of Witness Spirit

Pentecost: Acts 2:14-41 By Spirit through incarnate Jesus (gospels) By Spirit through incarnate Jesus (gospels) Of the exalted Christ by the Spirit through the church (Acts) Of the exalted Christ by the Spirit through the church (Acts) Witness to the Kingdom:

Mission… Israels mission to be light to nations: Failure! Israels mission to be light to nations: Failure! Jesus fulfills Israels mission Jesus fulfills Israels mission Jesus gathers new Israel to continue mission to nations Jesus gathers new Israel to continue mission to nations Church continues Israels, Jesus mission Church continues Israels, Jesus mission

From Pentecost to Church Formation of new Israel (1:12- 26) Formation of new Israel (1:12- 26) Pentecost (2:1-13) Pentecost (2:1-13) Peters sermon (2:14-36) Peters sermon (2:14-36) Response: 3000 added (2:37-41) Response: 3000 added (2:37-41) Formation of ideal witnessing community (2:42-47) Formation of ideal witnessing community (2:42-47)

The Spirit Forms a Community: Acts 2:42-47 Devotion to apostles teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer: Celebrating and nourishing kingdom life (v. 42) Devotion to apostles teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer: Celebrating and nourishing kingdom life (v. 42) Life of kingdom manifested: Attractive good news people (v ) Life of kingdom manifested: Attractive good news people (v ) Lord adds to number (v. 47) Lord adds to number (v. 47)

Story of Acts (1:8) Witness in Jerusalem 3:1-6:7 Witness in Jerusalem 3:1-6:7 Witness in Samaria and Judea 6:8-12:24 Witness in Samaria and Judea 6:8-12:24 Witness to Ends of Earth 12:25-end Witness to Ends of Earth 12:25-end

Acts narrates the progress of the gospel from a small gathering of Jewish disciples of the earthly Jesus in Jerusalem, across formidable cultic, ethnic, relational, and geographical boundaries, to Paul's bold and unhindered preaching of the risen and ascended Jesus to Gentiles in Rome. Acts is unmistakably a story of missionary expansion, which is announced in 1:8 and confirmed along the way with the so-called progress reports. -Rosner

Witness in Jerusalem: Continuing Jesus Mission Word and deed (3:1-26) Word and deed (3:1-26) Suffering (4:1-22) Suffering (4:1-22) Prayer (4:23-31) Prayer (4:23-31) Work of God (6:7) Work of God (6:7) Attractive life of community (4:32-37; 6:1-6) Attractive life of community (4:32-37; 6:1-6)

Witness in Samaria and Judea Beyond Jerusalem Beyond Jerusalem Unplanned expansion by persecution (8:1-3) Unplanned expansion by persecution (8:1-3) To Judea and Samaria To Judea and Samaria Beyond Apostles Beyond Apostles Stephen, Phillip (6:8-8:40) Stephen, Phillip (6:8-8:40) Common believers (8:4; 11:19-21) Common believers (8:4; 11:19-21) Beyond Jews Beyond Jews Gentiles (10, 11) Gentiles (10, 11)

Witness to the Ends of the Earth Antioch: First Gentile church Antioch: First Gentile church Pauls missionary journeys Pauls missionary journeys Pauls trials and witness Pauls trials and witness To Rome To Rome

Church as a Missionary Community: Nearby and Faraway Christians: Evidence of grace of God in church at Antioch (11:23) Christians: Evidence of grace of God in church at Antioch (11:23) Great number of people brought to the Lord (11:24) Great number of people brought to the Lord (11:24) Sent Saul and Barnabas (13:1-3) Sent Saul and Barnabas (13:1-3) Pattern in Antioch (Acts 11, 13)

Spontaneous Expansion of the Church (Roland Allen) Attractive life of the community Attractive life of the community Spontaneous evangelism by common members of the church Spontaneous evangelism by common members of the church Planting new churches Planting new churches

Pauls Pattern Pioneer church planting (Rom.15:23) Pioneer church planting (Rom.15:23) Three missionary journeys Three missionary journeys Build them up for faithful witness Build them up for faithful witness Visits on journeys Visits on journeys Letters Letters

The Apostle Paul Rabbinic training: old age and age to come Rabbinic training: old age and age to come

Spirit Messiah Sin Death Evil Satan Knowledge of God Love Joy Justice AGE TO COME Prophetic Expectation OLD AGE

The Apostle Paul Rabbinic training: old age and age to come Rabbinic training: old age and age to come Rejects Jesus proclamation that the age to come has arrived Rejects Jesus proclamation that the age to come has arrived Converted (Acts 9:1-18) Converted (Acts 9:1-18) Sees everything in a new way Sees everything in a new way

Pauls Teaching The kingdom of God has dawned in Jesus death and resurrection The kingdom of God has dawned in Jesus death and resurrection

Powers of sin death evil Satan Power of Spirits renewing work AGE TO COMEOLD AGE New Testament Fulfillment

The whole content of Paul's preaching can be summarized as the proclamation and explication of the eschatological day of salvation inaugurated with Christ's advent, death, and resurrection. It is from this principal point of view and under this denominator that all the separate themes of Paul's preaching can be understood and penetrated in their unity and relation to each other. -Ridderbos

Pauls Teaching The kingdom of God has dawned in Jesus death and resurrection The kingdom of God has dawned in Jesus death and resurrection Nurturing the life of Christ Nurturing the life of Christ Organic: Growing up to maturity Organic: Growing up to maturity Architectural: Building on a foundation Architectural: Building on a foundation

Pauls Teaching The kingdom of God has dawned in Jesus death and resurrection The kingdom of God has dawned in Jesus death and resurrection Nurturing the life of Christ Nurturing the life of Christ New life and new obedience New life and new obedience

New Life and New Obedience Obedience based on what God has done Obedience based on what God has done Resurrection life in the Spirit Resurrection life in the Spirit New relationship to God: Justification, reconciliation, adoption New relationship to God: Justification, reconciliation, adoption Obedience motivated by love Obedience motivated by love Obedience normed by law Obedience normed by law Whole of human life Whole of human life

Pauls Teaching The kingdom of God has dawned in Jesus death and resurrection The kingdom of God has dawned in Jesus death and resurrection Nurturing the life of Christ Nurturing the life of Christ New life and new obedience New life and new obedience For the sake of the world For the sake of the world

For the sake of the world Exemplary and attractive Exemplary and attractive The Christians lifestyle should not only be exemplary, but also winsome. It should attract outsiders and invite them to join the community… Their exemplary existence is a powerful magnet that draws outsiders toward the church. -Bosch

For the sake of the world Exemplary and attractive Exemplary and attractive Public life of culture Public life of culture …the obligation of Christians to live as citizens in the world of politeia [the public life of the state] in a way that is worthy of the gospel. -Winter

Pauls Teaching The kingdom of God has dawned in Jesus death and resurrection The kingdom of God has dawned in Jesus death and resurrection Nurturing the life of Christ Nurturing the life of Christ New life and new obedience New life and new obedience For the sake of the world For the sake of the world The coming of the Lord The coming of the Lord

Ending of Acts Why so abrupt? Loose ends? Why so abrupt? Loose ends? Story of Acts has not ended Story of Acts has not ended Continues today until Christ returns Continues today until Christ returns …the ending of Acts is truly an opening to the continuing life of the messianic people, as it continues to preach the kingdom and teach the things concerning Jesus both boldly and without hindrance. -Johnson

Scene Two : And into All the World Tasting and Displaying the Kingdom: The Churchs Witness Our Place in the Story

What time is it? Where are we at in the story of the Bible? What time is it? Where are we at in the story of the Bible? Light to the world: Continuing Israels mission Light to the world: Continuing Israels mission Gen.12:2-3; Gal.3:14: Channels of blessing Gen.12:2-3; Gal.3:14: Channels of blessing Ex.19:3-6; I Pet.2:9: Model people Ex.19:3-6; I Pet.2:9: Model people Is.49:6; Matt.5:14-16: Light to the world Is.49:6; Matt.5:14-16: Light to the world Making known the kingdom: Continuing Jesus mission Making known the kingdom: Continuing Jesus mission

Summary: Jesus Kingdom Mission Announced reign of God with words Announced reign of God with words Demonstrated reign of God with deeds Demonstrated reign of God with deeds Explained kingdom of God with teaching Explained kingdom of God with teaching Embodied reign of God with life Embodied reign of God with life Prayed for reign of God to come Prayed for reign of God to come Suffered for reign of God Suffered for reign of God Formed community to live under rule of God Formed community to live under rule of God As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.

Jesus has not left us with a rigid model for action; rather he inspired his disciples to prolong the logic of his own action in a creative way amid the new and different historical circumstances in which the community would have to proclaim the gospel. -Bosch

Our Place in the Story What time is it? Where are we at in the story of the Bible? What time is it? Where are we at in the story of the Bible? Light to the world: Continuing Israels mission Light to the world: Continuing Israels mission Making known the kingdom: Continuing Jesus mission Making known the kingdom: Continuing Jesus mission Bearing faithful witness: Continuing the mission of the early church Bearing faithful witness: Continuing the mission of the early church

Bearing Faithful Witness: Continuing the Mission of the Early Church Foretaste Foretaste Preview Preview

We have a foretaste of the Kingdom… Actual taste now Actual taste now Complete meal in future Complete meal in future We are previews of the Kingdom… Actual footage of movie/kingdom Actual footage of movie/kingdom Designed to interest viewer in future movie/kingdom so they will want to participate Designed to interest viewer in future movie/kingdom so they will want to participate

Bearing Faithful Witness: Continuing the Mission of the Early Church Foretaste Foretaste Preview Preview Following the church in Jerusalem and Antioch (Acts 2:42-47; 13:1) Following the church in Jerusalem and Antioch (Acts 2:42-47; 13:1) Witness to Gods rule over all of life Witness to Gods rule over all of life

Following the apostles, the church is sent– Sent with the gospel of the kingdom to make disciples of all nations, to feed the hungry, to proclaim the assurance that in the name of Christ there is forgiveness of sin and new life for all who repent an believe– To tell the news that our world belongs to God. In a world estranged from God, where millions face confusing choices, this mission is central to our being, for we announce the one name that saves. Contemporary Testimony: 44

The rule of Jesus Christ covers the whole world. To follow this Lord is to serve him everywhere, without fitting in, as lights in the darkness, as salt in a spoiling world. Contemporary Testimony: 45

Embodying salvation means......living under Christs lordship in all of life.

Sacred/Secular Dualism (See Wolters p.66-68) Sacred Prayer Worship Minister Missionary Church Family Secular Making love Watching TV Journalist Politician University Government Activities Professions Realms

Clash of Kingdoms Antithesis Kingdom of darkness Kingdom of God Creation

Bearing Faithful Witness: Continuing the Mission of the Early Church Foretaste Foretaste Preview Preview Following the church in Jerusalem and Antioch (Acts 2:42-47; 13:1) Following the church in Jerusalem and Antioch (Acts 2:42-47; 13:1) Witness to Gods rule over all of life Witness to Gods rule over all of life To the ends of the earth To the ends of the earth

Our Place in the Story What time is it? What time is it? Already/not yet era of kingdom Already/not yet era of kingdom Act five: Church continues the kingdom mission of Jesus Act five: Church continues the kingdom mission of Jesus Foretaste Foretaste Preview Preview Witness to Christs rule over all of life Witness to Christs rule over all of life To the ends of the earth To the ends of the earth

What does it mean to live in the Biblical story today? As university students As university students As citizens As citizens In a world of poverty and over- consumption In a world of poverty and over- consumption In a world of diminishing resources In a world of diminishing resources

End of Act Five