Footsteps #17

Yesterday we noted that through the intense activity of a Spirit led church it took only 32 years for the gospel of Jesus life, death, burial and resurrection to spread throughout the Roman Empire. It should be noted that providence had provided a very stable political environment under which this spread could take place. Unfortunately, prophecies (Like Daniel and Revelation) had indicated that the battle would rage for centuries. Through the play and counter play of human history, the book of Revelation indicates that God is silently and patiently working out His will. 

Had the later generations of the church followed the example of the first, the whole world would have been evangelised 50 times. Unfortunately, it ground to a halt. The onslaught of Islam in the sixth century and Catholicism during the Medieval period, caused true Christianity to be eclipsed; reduced to hiding in the rocks and mountains of Europe. There are many miraculous survival stories from these times. 

The book of Acts is the only unfinished book in the NT (Read the last 2 verses.) The real conclusion to Acts will be written in our day in letters of fire – the fire of the Holy Spirit igniting again the Gospel He lit at Pentecost. (Read e.g.Rev18:1 or 14:6-7) 

The last chapter of John’s gospel has the disciples fishing all night without success. In the morning Jesus once again turned their failure into success. This last chapter of John is a fitting introduction to Acts. Henceforth, Christ would no longer be visible in the fishing vessel of the church. He would stand on heaven’s shore, and His voice would be conveyed by the wind of the Spirit. As His followers would obey His instruction, success would surely follow. The Gospel commission will be fulfilled and the gospel net will be filled to overflowing.  

Both the message and the method by which the early church “turned the world upside down” in a single generation is presented clearly by Luke in Acts. Together both comprise the pattern, which when copied, will enable the church to complete the task and put an end to the scandal of sin, sorrow, and death.