Energy and Excitement of Acts!

A new year and a new sermon series. After doing battle with a nasty flu virus, I am looking forward to opening the book of Acts with you all this coming Sunday. Why Acts? Here is how N.T. Wright captures the ethos of Acts, "The book of Acts is full of the energy and excitement of the early Christians as they found God doing new things all over the place and learned to take the good news of Jesus around the world. It’s also full of the puzzles and problems that churches faced then and face today – crises over leadership, money, ethnic divisions, theology and ethics, not to mention serious clashes with political and religious authorities. It’s comforting to know that ‘normal church life’, even in the time of the first apostles, was neither trouble-free nor plain sailing, just as it’s encouraging to know that even in the midst of all their difficulties the early church was able to take the gospel forward in such dynamic ways."

From the first century church until now there have always been challenges in following Jesus, but Acts reminds us that the church is clothed with power from on high. The ordinary and unschooled men and women of Acts literally turn the world on its head! Lives are changed. Ethnic walls come tumbling down. Dead people are raised, as the gospel of Jesus spreads. As we seek to be heralds of the same world changing name of Jesus, it will be great to look through the lens of Acts. These early Christians remind us that whatever our challenges may be, whatever 'journey’ we are making in our own lives, his Spirit will guide us and make us fruitful in his service.

So read ahead. Read the entirety of the book. Be taken afresh with the faith and courage of the men and women following Jesus. Be ready Sunday as we look at the first 8 verses of the opening chapter.