Meanwhile, back in
Jerusalem…
Running parallel to
Luke's stories of conversions and Gospel expansion, hostility towards the
church is also hardening, not only from the Jewish religious authorities but
now from the political overlords as well, Herod being a puppet-king in the hand
of the Romans. He has already had James executed and now it seems that Peter
will experience a similar fate (12:1-4). Luke tells his readers of the
impossibility of Peter's escape (v6), "…but the church was earnestly
praying to God for him" (v5). Trace through the prayerfulness of the
church in these chapters and it is most noticeable how frequently the believers
are found praying before some significant act of God. It's a moment of light comic relief in the
middle of the tense tale of Peter's miraculous escape, that the believers can
hardly believe their prayers have been answered when he arrives on their
doorstep (v12-16). Luke summarises the
evening's events with the affirmation:
"the Lord had brought him out of prison" (v17). There could be no other explanation. And so
despite the vindictive aggression aimed at the believers, God is still in
sovereign control; He stimulates, hears and answers the faithful and fervent
prayers of His people (v5,12); He limits
the activity of those who oppose His will and His glory (v23); and His purposes
are fulfilled (v24).
Acts 12:25 marks the
beginning of a new, and indeed, the final section of the book. Witness having been borne to Jesus in
Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, Gospel sights are set upon the "ends of the
earth" (Acts 1:8). The story will
move on from Jerusalem (12:25) to the Imperial capital of Rome (28:
14,30-31).
Acts 13-14 records
the commissioning and travels of Saul and Barnabas on their 'first missionary
journey' (13:1 - 14:28), which was birthed, perhaps unsurprisingly, in another
prayer meeting (13:2-3). [Note: if gathering
for prayer was such an important, strategic and blessed feature of the early
church life, why, oh why are our prayer meetings so easily dismissed and
readily ignored?] Beginning and
finishing in Antioch, and travelling all over Asia Minor and Cyprus en route, Luke highlights the significance
that the church in Antioch served as a sending-centre for Gospel mission and
expansion throughout the Gentile world. In these chapters Paul's missionary
strategy begins to emerge: in each new town they visit, they begin by preaching
the Gospel to the Jews in the local synagogue in ways they understand and
appreciate (13:14-44) - sometimes the response is one of positive belief and
acceptance, at other times it is marked by negative unbelief and opposition (13:45, 50; 14:2). Whatever the response, they then take the
Gospel to the local Gentiles (13:46-47).
(And as a 'PS': read Acts 13:48 again, especially the second
half. Now read it again. What does Luke say that is unexpected?)
Throughout chapters
13-14, there is a recognition of Jews and Gentiles coming to faith in Jesus by
responding to the same Gospel. However, since true Christianity emerges out of
Jewish roots and is in reality the fulfilment of all the Old Testament promises
and practices, some potentially incendiary questions must be asked: how much of the old Jewish ways (especially
the primary marker of circumcision) are Gentile Christians expected to adopt,
and how much may Jewish Christians leave behind? Acts 15 records a meeting of the great and
the good, a theological summit, to sort this matter out, although the issue
will continue to hound Paul throughout his ministry and frequently features in
his letters as we shall see. In summary, both the liberty of the converted
Gentiles and the sensitivity of the converted Jews must be respected, so that
together they grow in mutual love for one-another. And that's church.
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