The Miracle is a Mechanism | Disruptive Presence 2

In which John and David reflect on what's going on in Acts chapter 1 verse 8. In our rush to get to Acts 2 and all the "exciting stuff", do we sometimes miss how Luke is helping us understand what the Holy Spirit is trying to do in this book. How can we learn from this story?

Episode 55 of the Two Texts Podcast | Disruptive Presence 2

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Transcript

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[00:00:00] David: So John we're back in acts chapter one, as our second episode of our ax series I'm excited already because of how much fun we had in part one. So we're now going to talk a little bit about this, section of acts where Luke very subtly sets up the agenda for the whole book in chapter one, renovate verse eight. 

[00:01:12] John: He, does we have this beautiful. Link to Luke 24, you've got this promise of being clothed with the power of the holy spirit. And then we're straight into that idea, so we get these beautiful links, Luke 24, this conversation. From Jesus, but the kingdom are unpacking the scriptures to the disciples, opening their mind. 

[00:01:33] So they understand, and you get that continued, which we looked at our last podcast. And then we're into this idea, this another connecting thing, the holy spirit introduced this holy spirit that we've seen empowered Jesus at his baptism. The spirit of the Lord is on me. I know we see him introduced again very explicitly at the end of Luke 24 to this new community of believers. 

[00:01:56] And then seamlessly Lucas into that in chapter one, he, he wants to not just the language of the kingdom and an understanding of this community to be at the center, but night straight away, we are introduced to the work of the holy spirit and what this holy spirit is going to do in referred to this beautiful idea of, of of empowering this community. 

[00:02:17] So, yeah, it's absolutely front and center as far as Luke is concerned in the book of acts, which of course has a bit of similar. Also in the gospel of Luke, the gospel of Luke, the first four chapters, I mean are saturated with holy spirit activity and we're night again, see what we're seeing this cm pattern for this new community that Luke is introducing to us. 

[00:02:40] So those, those beautiful connectors and that lovely cemetery cannot be ignored. 

[00:02:45] David: Let's read acts one, verse six through to verse 11 and that'll set up the scene for our discussion ,  

[00:02:52] John: Okay. So, let's do this. So it says this then they gathered around him and asked him, Lord, are you going at this time to restore the kingdom of. Israel. He said to them, it is not for you to know the times or dates. The father has set by his own authority, but you will receive power when the holy spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. 

[00:03:24] After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes in the cloud. Head him from. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them, man of Galilee. They said, why do you stand here looking into the sky, this same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven will come back at the same way. 

[00:03:49] You have seen him go into heaven. 

[00:03:52] David: And there there's a, there's a dense few verses John. 

[00:03:58] John: Dan's view versus Absolutely. 

[00:04:02] David: So a couple of things that I. I think is, is interesting in here. Is this question of time I think is really curious that the disciples want to know the agenda. They want to know like, when is God not just, what is God doing, but when is God doing it? And it was reflected even just pastorally. I was reflecting on that, John. 

[00:04:22] Of how often that's my question, right? My question is not, can God act? My question is not even will God act. I'm pretty confident in my faith in that all things are in God's hands. Do I believe that? Yes, I do. Will God put all things right? Yes. I do my actual question in my own, my own life spiritually in my own devotion. 

[00:04:45] I, it struck me as I was reflecting on this, John, that. That's the question I asked the most is when you know, is, is when God are you going to do it, I'd really like you to do it now is cause that's always the, the underlying question of when is no, would be nice. Do you, I mean, do you feel, I mean maybe I I'm, I'm making a pastoral comment, not so much an exegetical question comment, but it just struck me as to how human this question is. 

[00:05:14] The question of, of when God, when does that, does that resonate? 

[00:05:19] John: It does. It does. And of course, when you realize the times that disciples are in her asking that question, you can understand the sense of urgency. They have been under the boot of oppression for many, many years. And they've seen Jesus do the most amazing things. Not only that, but they know how hard convincing proofs for 40 days that he is alive. 

[00:05:43] not only have we witnessed three years of incredible. Kingdom bringing miracles and proclamation and demonstration, but he's, he's alive again, after being dead. This must be at this must be the moment when Messiah will do what Messiah is supposed to do. 

[00:06:02] And of course they are a boat to be shall I say disappointed or at least redirected in, in their understanding of that there, they're still seeing that question in terms of. There their understanding of the kingdom of God from a very strongly Jewish perspective which is totally understandable. 

[00:06:22] And yet Jesus is now about to radically shift the agenda, even on that. And, and, and, and, the answer of Jesus is really quite it's, it's, it's dynamic, but it's also quite stark, isn't it? He said, well, it's not for you to know that. W why are you asking that question? That this is not for you to know this is above your pay grid, so you have to leave this stuff alone, but here's what I am going to say to you. 

[00:06:47] You will receive power, and of course, there's a beautiful juxtaposition there. When's the came to being restored and, and hoping that Jesus is going to do something for them. And he's, and, and he's saying, well, I am going to do something for you and I'm going to do it pretty soon. it isn't what you expect. 

[00:07:04] But if your hearts will be open, it will be the means of helping to bring that kingdom to earth in the most dynamic of where. So, so there's a real, a real challenge. A real clash of worldviews is happening in that question that Jesus is having to quite strongly respond to and redirect. 

[00:07:27] David: And that's what I love. I'm hanging out in this, in this pastoral question, I suppose at the moment, John, but that's why I find Jesus he's response in acts one seven. So interesting. He said to them, it's not for you to know the timers or the dates the father has set by his own authority. So there's an affirmation of the con of God being in control of, so there's almost department. 

[00:07:49] What am I trying to say to my listeners, with my pastoral hats on. Notice how often we say to God when right. And when you're in that sort of moment of saying, Hey God, when X one verse seven might not be a bad text to go and look at where Jesus says, listen, God is in control. Right? God, his own authority is in control. 

[00:08:10] So don't think that the reason things are not happening is because God can't make them happening, but God's doing something beyond us, which is quite difficult to get our heads around sometimes. And I love even Jesus sees phrasiology is translated oftentimes or days. Times are seasoned, some translations have the day or the hour, but the Greek is Kronos and Kyra's and, and perhaps, perhaps someone's heard a sermon at some point where a pastor will talk about the difference between Kronos time and Kyra's time. 

[00:08:39] And, one kind of speaking more to seasons of time and another speaking more to a definitive kind of point in time. But the fact that Jesus uses both of them. 

[00:08:49] John: both. 
 

[00:08:50] David: So, so actually whatever type of time it is, you're looking for, they are in God's hands and. 

[00:08:56] John: on. 
 

[00:08:56] David: Which is, and then, like you say then, and this is the sort of piece that I think is really fascinating and I've got, you can hear me of all my thoughts just smashed into one another night. 

[00:09:07] I run out of words, but, but no, to notice what's the time. Jesus Lord, are you, is it now? Are you going to do it now? Jesus's response, Kronos Kyra's days, season's day in the hour. That's not yours, God's in control, but from the comment of God, having his own authority, his own Susya in the Greek, you will Jesus. 

[00:09:29] So Jesus now offers them a future statement. Of fact, you will receive power. You will be my witnesses. He doesn't say might he doesn't say possibly. So, what do I need when I'm in a place where I'm not really sure where things are going and what I'd like from God is a, when, what I don't get is a when, but I do get Jesus does give the disciples something solid. 

[00:09:56] I mean, I don't, I just, I don't want to turn this into a sermon, but I think that's beautiful from Jesus. 

[00:10:01] John: Alright. I think I totally agree. I just love that. I totally concur with that and instead of giving them aware and he gives them a will and, and, and, there is a sense in which he said, I am going to do something. The challenge when we're hoping for a, when answer is being open to the will, isn't it, it's, it's being open to something other than what we expected and, and he is urging them to be open. 

[00:10:29] And, and we know, from the tax, that will be another 10 days or so before that will happens. Which in the scheme of the universe is a relatively short time. That's, that's a pretty short wait for anything as far as legal records concerned.  

[00:10:44] David: Is is brief. 

[00:10:45] John: as brief. 

[00:10:46] David: Although, Although, I was in 10 day isolation recently due to a bout of COVID and that was not a brief 10. 

[00:10:52] John: No, no, I can imagine that, that that felt like 10 years. Absolutely. But, but what you do get that, that sense of, trusting. Trusting the will of what he wants to do when, when our, our passion, our desire is to new the, when, and that's a hard one for humans, but here's, here's Jesus managing that with the disciples themselves. 

[00:11:13] And of course, moving them towards now this event where the spirit of God will be owed poured in the most dynamic and dramatic way, which will transform the trajectory of this gathered community. 

[00:11:28] David: Something I'm noticing I was reading Steve Walton who brilliant some brilliant insights on acts and he just pointed something out, which I, which I loved. He, he, he just spent a bit of time talking about the future tense of these two of these two verses, you, you will receive and you will be in the full sentence and you will be my witnesses. 

[00:11:50] And he, he said something which on reflection, I think it's got real depth to it for us, even in our own lives. He said, if you notice. We need acts chapter one, verse eight as the people of God, because if we don't have acts one verse eight, we have the great commission in Matthew. Right. But, but the great commission in Matthew says go and do this, go and do that. He said, if we're not careful are, if all we read is Matthew, we try and go and do this on our own strength. But what we get in Luke-Acts is, is the, and this is why we need the full gospel witness of all of the gospels in their own way. What we get in Luke-Acts is not Jesus saying, okay, here's a task for you to do. 

[00:12:35] He says, no, your first thing is going to happen is you're going to get something from. The father you're going to receive something it's given to you as a gift. So there's all of that grace involved in that, but you'll receive a power and you will be my witnesses. Not, you we'll do my witnesses. Not, you will go and try her, but actually this will be a result of the receiving of power. 

[00:12:58] So the one feeds to the. So now we can circle back. This is theological note. This is, cause we're, we're, we're taught, we're having Matthew and Luke talk to each other. But now that we've read Luke one verse eight, we can circle back to the great commission of Matthew 28 and you go into all the world, this sort of, and, and, and these sort of languages that we, we bump into. 

[00:13:19] We can now. See that differently. The, the daunting task that we hear from Matthew is now completed because of the power of the holy spirit in the disciples, and that that changes the landscape and the horizon quite significantly in in my opinion, anyway, I'm pretty convinced by what Walton saying there. 

[00:13:42] John: For me, it absolutely bears out. Even the pattern Luke has already given us for Jesus himself. So, so before Jesus does, he receives so there's no record of Jesus doing the sorts of Jesus stuff that we see in the gospels on. The holy spirit comes on him until the holy spirit descends on him. And, and then, we, we see him led by the spirit. 

[00:14:09] We see him empowered by the spirit and we see the spirit of the Lord on him. And this pattern is no followed with this new group of believers, where before they are sent to do, they are given two things. They are given his. So he's, don't loading his word to them, and then they are going to receive his spirit power. 

[00:14:32] And that combination of word and spirit word and spirit is a dynamic combo. And I think sort of th th the book of acts brings those ideas together for us. I love a lot John solution to it, because in John's gospel, you get to two things together, in John's gospel, Jesus says to his disciples, as the father sent me. 

[00:14:54] I I'm, I'm going to send you, I'm sending you. And then it says any breathed on them to receive the holy spirit. So, so you get this and John, you almost get the illusion of the two things running together, this commissioning and their sense of you cannot do this commissioning with a disparate and, and then you, you bring Luke and Matthew together and all of that, dovetail it into the book of acts and you're getting an irresistible idea. 

[00:15:21] That before you go, you must receive and then receiving it will empower you to go and be so th th these are beautiful, beautiful ideas. And I think, I think they're ideas worthy to be recaptured and on earth again, and, and embraced by the church of Jesus Christ, whatever, whatever our denominational persuasion on this. 

[00:15:44] And I appreciate there will be people who will have different views on what the work of the holy spirit looks. In the 21st century, but if we simply follow the pattern given to us by these writers, then there, there is something being presented to us that is worthy of our consideration that we need this holy spirit in order to be. 

[00:16:06] And in order to go. 

[00:16:07] David: I think that it's, I mean, this is actually a really important, conversation for us as Jesus followers what is the role of the holy spirit? And, often what happens. And I think this is because of denominational divisions, doctrinal questions. We almost ending. Arguing over is the holy spirit, this, or is the holy spirit that right? 

[00:16:32] So, so is the holy spirit, the regenerating force that draws us to Christ, right? Or is the holy spirit, this power for, living out the kingdom of God. And it feels to me in terms of even the last can a hundred, hundred and 50 years of, of church discussions, that's where we've bounced back and forward. 

[00:16:53] It's like, and this is a problem. Sometimes not love theological discussion. Hopefully that's obvious after a year of these podcasts, but I don't. I sometimes wonder if we're just a little slow to embrace the genius of the both. And so, unsurprisingly, I'm going to reference Galatians for a moment, but Galatians three, Paul asks the church in glacier. 

[00:17:17] He says having big gun with this. Are you now trying to finish things off in your flesh? Elena, what a, what a beautiful question. So, so does the holy spirit regenerate us and draw us to Christ? Absolutely. The holy spirit is so clearly that saving power that is in us, but then also I think you see it in the gospels and goodness, me acts doesn't make sense if you don't read it this way. 

[00:17:40] The ho the holy spirit is also the power within us. That draws us throughout our journey with Jesus, into being the people of his way, the people of the way, the people of the kingdom of God, Christians, whatever language people are most comfortable to use there. And I think Jesus is showing us the both end, receive the holy spirit, begin this regenerative journey, but also know the holy spirit is doing more than just that one thing. 

[00:18:08] I mean, that's how, that's where I find myself sitting on, on this job. 

[00:18:12] John: Yeah. That is absolutely 100% my position. I, I, I suppose over the years, I've been grieved that at the apparent. Wedge that's driven between Luke and Paul. And I don't see that wedge anywhere. I mean, I, I think, I think biblically, there is no wedge between them. Paul brings us phenomenal insight into the. 

[00:18:38] Gains of the holy spirit into an understanding of a dynamic relationship with the holy spirit and how essential the holy spirit is, the every facet and aspect of our lives as followers of Jesus. And Luke shows us the power of that spirit. As at sometimes it seems a new we'll lean into this probably, but as a distinct and dynamic experience. 

[00:19:02] And so I, for me, it is the genius of the, and here it, it, if Jesus, can I say this reverently carefully, if Jesus seems to need the holy spirit, then his gathered community needs that holy spirit. And we as his 21st. Century version of that need his holy spirit. So for me, it, I, I I've no agenda at all. 

[00:19:31] Denomination. 

[00:19:33] my my desire is as a follower of Jesus, I want to be able to engage with everything that Jesus is offering. And I want to receive everything that is on offer. And if we're going to not only go into our world and proclaim the kingdom, but demonstrate the kingdom in the sorts of ways that Jesus did and the believers in the book of acts, then, then we need that CMS. 

[00:20:00] Holy spirit power. So there is the raise for me, a very, very simple rationale, and there is a very, very easy approach to that. I see the genius of the, and, and at all. And for me, that's an easy tension to resolve. 

[00:20:15] David: Well, I mean, I just I'm, I'm just back in John's gospel for a second at John, but I mean, this is, this is biblical theology for you, John 14, verse 15, if you love me, keep my commands. Jesus says to the disciples. Well, good. Well, that's pretty strong. We know, but then notice that's not the full thought. 

[00:20:34] If you love me, keep my commands and I will ask the father and he will give you Comforter counselor a paraklete is the Greek somebody who advocates and comes along beside you, he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you for. The spirit of truth and Jesus, then you get, I will not leave you as orphans, verse 20. 

[00:20:55] You will realize that I am in my father and you are in me. And I am in you that there's this sense that the holy spirit is the presence of Jesus when Jesus is not with us. And that's really what's going on in the opening chapter of acts is we've got this transition of Jesus. Not being with us and being with us in a different way. 

[00:21:16] And the idea, he will help you and be with you forever. John says, that's, that's not just a regenerative process, but it is also includes a regenerative process. But, but it's also, Brave enough, I think to call, to call the good, the good and the bad, the bad sometimes. And I wonder if, if what's happened with the holy spirit is we've seen too many people abuse what the holy spirit is called to do. 

[00:21:44] The holy spirit is called to be this, that calls in us. It calls out of us this sense of witness to the kingdom. And I think we've sensationalized it so that when people hear about the presence of the holy spirit. So often they think about. They think about things which have been abused and sensationalized and maybe even markets eat rather than what Luke's trying to do. 

[00:22:07] I think in acts, which is short, this disruptive spirit, yes. It's going to be chaotic. Yes. It's going to be uncomfortable. But the thread that's going to guide this through is that this is a power in the disciples to witness to the kingdom of God and to live out what Jesus is doing. And even I noticed, we didn't read it, but Luke does something really interesting in verse 16, where Peter is referring to scripture and Peter uses this phrase, the scripture had to be fulfilled in which the holy spirit spoke long ago through David. 

[00:22:44] So there's even by the end of chapter one, you've got this realization that the holy spirit is. In Jesus, the holy spirit is coming to the disciples and the holy spirit has been shaping the story of Israel throughout this whole time. So this is not new. He's almost what Luke sings is absolutely concurrent with the story. 

[00:23:07] John: And, and I would say to our listeners, whatever your background wherever you are going with this, that, that if we have the courage to read, for example, Luke as he presents himself and listen, let Luke speak to you. As he is attempting to speak to you, then there is an inevitable acceptance of this idea that actually Jesus empowered by the spirit. 

[00:23:37] Becomes undergoes that this early community is we're about to see, and we'll probably do it in a later podcast. And chapter two, they receive this promise holy spirit, and they become, and they go, and there is a sense in which, we're asking ourselves the question, do we need this cm holy spirit in this way? 

[00:23:59] And if we can get beyond. The clutter, if we can get beyond sometimes the controversy, if we can get beyond even kind of said carefully. And, and with all humility, the denominational lines that sometimes we draw around the holy spirit and we just picked up the breadcrumbs that Lucas put on the floor. It would inevitably lead us to certain conclusions that that would perhaps make us more open and receptive to the holy spirit, to what he wants to do in. 

[00:24:27] Through us and for us. And, and I think Luke introduces this rate at the beginning of this incredible story of the church. He does not want us in any way to miss this idea that what you're about to see is don't do the brilliance of Peter or it's just don't do the genius of grit programs or it's stone to the magnificent personality of Paul. 

[00:24:48] No, no. What you're about to witness is, is the continuation of what Jesus began to do in teach. This is the continuation of the Jesus. And the Jesus story started with the power of the holy spirit and the Jesus community story starts with the power of the holy spirit. And actually this is a continuation of that story. 

[00:25:12] And therefore I would invite all our listeners to embrace the, the continuation of that Jesus story by the power of the holy spirit, as advocated by Dr. Luke. 

[00:25:24] David: and that even the, the miracles that happen in act. Part of that, but not the reason for that, is again how the miracles that happened in acts quite often, the people that do the miracles end up getting beat up afterwards or thrown in prison afterwards. And so, so Luke's even brave enough to show us that the aim isn't, the miracles, the aim is people encountering the God who is people encountering the Jesus that died for them. 

[00:25:55] And, and the holy Spirit's power is present in some of them. But, and, and that's the thing I wouldn't say is it so often we assume that the miraculous work of the spirit is the point. And what Luke does that. So many later theologians of the church have not done is Luke never shows us the miracle and says, that's the point of this? 

[00:26:15] The miracle is a mechanism. The miracle is a mechanism to get us to people meeting Jesus. And that's why for me use the phrase there being. And I think that is the fundamentally key phrase to understand the disruptive presence of the holy spirit, because what you see is holy spirit comes, I'm giving away the punchline of the next few chapters, but holy spirit comes, people in came to the holy spirit, radical image of all of these languages praising God. 

[00:26:47] And then for the next several chapters, you see the disciples trying to close the. Right. They they're trying to close the doors and, and, but it says if they've remembered the power, when the holy spirit comes line from Jesus in acts one eight, but they've not remembered the, you'll be my witnesses lane in acts one eight. 

[00:27:06] And, and, and I wonder, and maybe that's what we jump into in our next episode. John is to talk about the vision that Jesus has through the holy spirit. But our point is, remember, as you read act. Am I opened to what the holy spirit does or am I trying to close it down and draw lines? And to me, that little question is a great one to keep in mind, as you read this book.