You've Got to Start Somewhere

Week Four - Day 2

Today's Reading -- Acts 4:1 to Acts 6:15

Any new venture, any sharing of enthusiasm with others, has to begin somewhere.  For the apostles and other disciples, the venture was proclaiming that Jesus is Lord and Messiah (Christ) and the place was Jerusalem.  This was the starting point given to them by Jesus: "you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (1:8).  The first eight chapters of Acts takes place exclusively within the Holy City and is centered most prominently upon the Temple, the focal point of religious life and identity of the people.  The Temple is understood as the dwelling place of God; it is maintained by the Sadducees (upper class political and religious conservatives) and the hereditary line of priests; and it is the symbol of both the past glory of the nation of Israel and its hopes for future restoration.

When the small band of believers left behind by Jesus were "all together in one place" (2:1) the gift of the Holy Spirit alighted upon them giving the ability, among others things, to speak in other languages.  The Word of God, the word about God, was unleashed.  Not only were the tongues of the believers loosened but their faith was strengthened.  Their time of witnessing had truly begun, and it gets off to a roaring start as Peter (the one who had been so afraid that he denied even knowing Jesus) stands up in public and delivers a long address to the men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem (2:14-36).  New converts are won to faith in Jesus Christ, wonders and signs were being done by the apostles, the community of believers begins to share their possessions and take care of each other, and day by day "they spent much time together in the temple" (2:46).

Now all of this was not going on unnoticed, and eventually "priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came to them, much annoyed" (4:1-2).  They tell the apostles to knock it off.  Stop bothering everyone with your teaching, and especially stop saying that Jesus is the way to resurrection life.  But the more they try to muzzle the apostles the wider the circle becomes of those who believe in Christ.  The old guard of the Temple are not done trying to eradicate this threat to the religious order of the nation, and begin to round up and arrest the apostles, as well as other believers such as Stephen, one of the first seven deacons chosen and consecrated for service to the poor and neglected in the community.

Jerusalem is not an hospitable place, but it is where Jesus said the efforts must begin.  The time will come when the apostles will truly be sent out into the world.  What they are learning from their early experiences will eventually carry them, and the message of God's salvation, far and wide.