Category: ACTS of the Apostles

Struck, Panic, Changed

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Acts 2

Do you like cinnamon rolls? They are amazing. One of the best treats money can buy and the best way to break a diet, especially if you eat an entire can in one sitting. Well they are good as long as they aren’t burnt to a crisp.

I had cooked some tacos for chapel lunch at the Bible College that day. After I had cooked and made sure I put everything out for the tacos, I then decided to go ahead and make my plate. So I got in line, eventually sitting down to eat my delicious tacos. About my second bite into my third taco, I got a funny feeling. I slowly put my taco on my plate. After about a second or two of staring blankly at the wall I gasped, grabbing my chest, then rapidly departing my chair. I ran to the kitchen only to find twenty four smoking, burnt cinnamon rolls.  After that day I always made sure multiple people knew I was cooking cinnamon rolls.

Have you ever had one of these moments? They are, for a short time, terrifying. That is because you know you did something wrong or in my case forgot something very important. What feeling is it we feel in that moment? Our good friend Luke, who wrote the book of Acts, describes it as “pierced to the heart”. It is that moment when we are struck, then we panic, and we change.

Peter gave a powerful sermon to some who doubted about Jesus being the Christ, and how it was all of their faults that he was crucified. He talked about Jesus’ resurrection and how He fulfilled the scriptures they all knew beforehand. Scripture such as Psalm 110:1 “The LORD said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for my feet.” Which concludes that they crucified the Messiah they had all been waiting to deliver them from evil. After Peter finishes his sermon it happens to them, “they were pierced at the heart” Acts 2:37 After this they began to panic, and  ask what should they do about such events and choices they have made in the past. Peter answers them in Acts 2:38 “Repent, and be baptized, everyone of you, for the forgiveness of your sins.”

Here is my takeaway, don’t wait till its too late – you might be burning the cinnamon rolls of life. We don’t always realize that we are forgetting something, or that we are wrong, but when we do we feel pierced at the heart. Understand that you have sinned and need repentance, and forgiveness of sin.

Jesse Allen.

 

Hey My name is Jesse and I am currently in my Pastoral Internship with Blood River Church of God. I am originally from St.Louis, Missouri and love Cardinal Baseball, fish and coral aquariums and Hope for a kingdom that will be restored here on the earth. Thank you for reading!

Oh No! Not Again!

Watch this video before reading!

Pets! If you haven’t seen the movie I recommend it. One of my favorite themes in the movie is Max’s devotion to Katie. It reminds me of my childhood and all the dogs I have had over the years. It also reminds me of how dedicated the Apostles were to Jesus and the building the Kingdom. Even though they were dedicated the Apostles didn’t always know exactly what was going on. This happened with two particular events we can see in the Bible that relate to the scene you just watched out of Pets. First Jesus’ death, and second His ascension to heaven.

For the majority of us reading this, we know Jesus died and was raised. We were given the whole story after the fact. But to the disciples the three days Jesus was dead were horrible and they missed him very much. They didn’t know what to do without him, but then he was raised from the dead and everything was perfect for the disciples. But you guessed it, Jesus, like Katie came back for what seemed like only a few moments.

Now Jesus did this so that people could understand God’s plan for the future. That one day the Kingdom of God would be restored here on the earth and the resurrection of the dead was real. Acts 1:3 says “To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.” Even the disciples were asking him if he was going to restore the kingdom at that time, to which he said no one knows except the Father in Acts 1:6-7 But instead of establishing the kingdom at that point in time in its fullness Jesus gives instructions to those who believe in him in Acts 1:8 “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” He gives us this mission to go be witnesses of His resurrection. This also links the meaning of the kingdom with it by understanding now that resurrection is possible. (Although there are about 3 or 4 resurrections in the Bible.) After Jesus instructs the disciples to do these things they watch him ascend to heaven. The disciples, like Max, just waited at the door for some time thinking, “Oh No Not Again!” before Angels had to remind them that Jesus would be back, and to go be loyal to what he had told them. (Acts 1:10-11)

Here is my take away, GO! BE LOYAL TO JESUS AND BE HIS WITNESS. The Kingdom won’t come until this is fulfilled. He was raised from the dead so that you one day will also be raised from the dead.

 

May YHWH be with you always! Have a great Resurrection Sunday.

Jesse Allen

(Yesterday we finished reading the book of Matthew and now we will be reading through the book of Acts together – one chapter a day.  Having followed Jesus’ life through one gospel account, now we will read the account of the early church and Jesus’ apostles after he ascended into heaven. Keep reading and living and sharing His Word! )