This was NOT an "Instagram moment"

Our nativity scenes have such a lovely Hallmark Christmas Card feel to them, one might forget (or never have heard) how desperate, dark and dismal the whole situation was.

Don't get me wrong. The birth of Jesus was truly "good news of great joy" but the circumstances surrounding his birth were not "fit for a King"... quite the opposite. But all of this "mess" tells us something very important about the character of God.

I realize it's nice to picture baby Jesus as He is in our pristine Nativity sets: Jesus smiling with a little halo behind him. Lambs cuddling up to the baby in a well-lit, rustic but sterile setting. Mary and Joseph looking like a typical young adult couple hosting guests of mystics and shepherds, oblivious that a genocidal monster is in the process of hunting them down.

In truth, the entire Christmas narrative was stark, bleak and fraught with drama and even danger.

Come to think of it, OUR Christmases are often not "the most wonderful time of the year".

But maybe the REAL, unfiltered story of Christmas gives us a more authentic look at the real people and problems we face and the hope of a very real God.

Our Study in Acts continues...

Last Sunday we ended our narrative with an earthquake at a prayer meeting. The Church was experiencing unprecedented growth with miracles, power, sharing life together, and an incredible outpouring of generosity among the multitude of believers and beyond. But a dark cloud soon emerged, threatening to derail the growth of the early Church.

What God does about this is shocking, but sets the Church on a clear course until Jesus returns.

We do well in the 21st century to remember and pay heed!

Our Study in Acts continues...

Peter and John were just jailed and berated, all for the "misdeed" of healing a man and proclaiming the good news of Jesus.

Clearly, these two never felt alone amid this bullying: Jesus was with them, giving them courage and even the words to say to the authorities.

They're about to be reminded that they are not alone in another significant way.

The Church of Jesus Christ has their back!!

Our Study in Acts continues...

Peter and John have just healed a lame man through the name and power of Jesus. The man is obviously ecstatic and the gathering crowd is curious now and open to the gospel.

You'd think EVERYONE would want to carry these two disciples on their shoulders in a heroes' parade, but wouldn't you know it, there are powerful people who want them silenced and punished.

You may have heard the expression "no good deed goes unpunished" and it starts to really apply to the first-century Church. Of course, we should expect some form of pushback to the ways of Jesus, who himself told us it would happen, but it's especially discouraging when it comes from the so-called religious set. The folks who should know better.

So whether it's from the "world" or the religious powers that be, we the Church are going to need to be increasingly COURAGEOUS!

Our Study in Acts continues...

As we've seen in the first few months of the Church's origin story, the Holy Spirit comes with wind and fire. It comes with the supernatural gift of speaking in other known languages for the purpose of proclaiming Jesus.

The Holy Spirit comes with a new boldness to recently fearful disciples and a clear articulation of the gospel. The Holy Spirit comes with a harvest of souls. It comes with unity, fellowship, devotion, generosity and worship.

The stakes keep getting higher. Now in Chapter 3 the Holy Spirit comes with POWER, and the whole city is about to take notice.

Our Study in Acts continues with guest speaker Tony Wong.

If you have ever read the brief verses describing this early Church in Acts 2:42-47, perhaps your heart has sped up as mine has. THIS sounds like the Church we all long to be a part of...

Deep community.

Breaking bread together.

Praying together.

Sharing possessions and money for those among them in need.

There was JOY. There was generosity. There was goodwill towards them from the city AND people were getting saved daily.

That kind of Church IS possible.

You'll be richly ministered to by Tony, who is looking to build this kind of Church as well.

Our Study in Acts continues...

Remember that blustery fisherman dude with a temper, who 50 days prior had fearfully denied the Lord three times?

He is beautifully forgiven and restored by Jesus over breakfast following His resurrection, and then before Jesus ascended to heaven, told him and the other disciples to WAIT... something exciting is going to happen that will fill you with courage and empower you for ministry.

That same blustery fisherman - Peter - then stands up in front of thousands and ... well... it's the beginning of an unstoppable force called the Church of Jesus.

This following proposition may be controversial but here goes...

Without the events of Acts 2, there is no Christianity.

There. I said it.

The Incarnation of Jesus proved He was a missionary to the world He created.

The Cross proved His great sacrificial love and plan for salvation.

The Resurrection proves the hope we have of eternal life and our enemy of death being ultimately defeated.

The Ascension proves Jesus is truly Lord and King

BUT I would submit without PENTECOST all of these events would be lost as footnotes of history if the good news didn't get OUT.

It DID and it changed EVERYTHING

There might be as many opinions as there are people as to what it means to BE the Church and BE a true disciple

Sometimes in the business world, when the organization begins to drift or lose their core values, there is a strategic effort to return to the founder's vision and template.

I can't help but think our "Founder's" vision and values for The Church and for true discipleship can best be found in the unique book of Acts

There isn't a boring page to be found and some of the narratives are so radical, one might ask "could this even happen in 2024?"

Yes. I think it can.

We are planning to dig deep into all 28 chapters and hope that you will join in the journey... perhaps by reading ahead, bringing your Bible & notebook, or most of all asking yourself every week: "How can I translate this first-century expression of being the Church into my 21st-century context for the sake of being Jesus' witness everywhere I go?"