A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                              PART I - VI

"I, Jesus, returned to earth after I had seen My Father in heaven.... I went to visit My disciples.... They needed My encouragement..... They needed to know I still had a mission for them to fulfill... They were shocked to see Me.... For they did not expect Me to come to them.... In fact, they did not believe Mary Magdalene's words that she had seen Me.... But she had seen Me....They believed I was still in the tomb.... But I proved to them that I was very much alive.... Mary Magdalene had been right....And I had come to them to tell them that I was sending them out."..... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Jesus' first encounter with His disciples after His resurrection....

 

                      ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                            PART I -VI

Jesus came back to earth after His visit to His Father in heaven to see His fearful group of disciples. He knew they needed to receive His peace to replace their anxiety. What a moment that was. Mary Magdalene has been right after all. Their Lord and Saviour had been raised to life and was once again in their midst as you can read in John 20:19

On that evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said,"Peace be with you!"

And joy filled the hearts of the disciples. Then Jesus told them that He had not just come to calm them down but to send them out just as He has been sent out by His Father as you can read in John 20:21

Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you!"

The disciples may have thought they would not be going out ever again but Jesus corrected their thinking. After all, they had been trained by Him during a three-year period for a purpose and that purpose had been to go and teach people about the Kingdom of God and to heal and deliver people. That training period was not going to be wasted for it had been a necessary introduction to what they were going to do in the future.

                                    A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                                PART 1-V

"I, Mary Magdalene, am one of Jesus' disciples... I had travelled with Him throughout the country....And I had watched Him be crucified...  I had then gone to the tomb where Jesus' Body had been placed after His crucifixion... The reason I had gone there was so that I could take care of His Body....While I was there I saw two angels.... But I did not see Jesus' Body.... Moreover, the heavy stone in front of the tomb had been removed!... Nothing made sense....But then I saw the Lord!!... He spoke to me.... He called me by my name and told me to tell the other disciples He had risen.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Mary Magdalene, one of Jesus' women disciples had seen the Lord....

                  ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                          PART I - V

While the disciples were hiding behind locked doors for fear of the authorities, unbeknownst to them things had happened at the tomb in which Jesus' Body had been placed.Two angels in white had appeared on the scene as you can read in John 20:12

And (Mary Magdalene) saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' Body had been, one the head and the other at the foot.

The stone in front of the tomb had been miraculously removed and Jesus' Body was no longer inside the tomb as you can read in John 20:1-2

Early on in the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.

And Mary Magdalene then went to the other disciples to tell them the Lord had risen as you can read in John 20:18

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that He had said these things to her.

But these disciples just knew that Mary Magdalene must have imagined it. After all, they knew how much Mary Magdalene loved Jesus. And, no wonder, for He had set her free from not just one demon. No, He had set her free from seven demons as you can read in Luke 8:2

And also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out.

Consequently her life had been totally transformed by Him. So they would excuse Mary Magdalene's words that she had actually seen the Lord and had spoken with Him.

  

                                   A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                            PART 1-IV

"We, Jesus' disciples, have locked our selves up.... We have done so because we are afraid of the authorities.... We have not always been so afraid... On the contrary, we have been travelling around the country with Jesus....We expected to continue to do this... We had great plans.... But all our plans have come to nothing.... For to our shock Jesus was crucified....We are afraid that the men who are responsible for Jesus' crucifixion will come after us... So we decided to hide behind locked doors.... Hopefully, the authorities will forget about us. Will we ever be able to come out of this room?... We are really no longer certain what we are to do.".......Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that the lives of the disciples has completely changed....

                    ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                            PART I-IV

The disciples may well have believed that the ministry they were involved in would continue for ever and ever. But then something happened they were not prepared for.The One who had given them power and authority to go out to teach and heal and deliver,had been taken from them and had been crucified as you can read in 

John 19:17-18

Carrying His own Cros, He went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified Him, and with Him two others -  one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

 This should have never happened to Him. But it had. And what would it mean for them? Would it mean they too would be crucified since they were known to have followed Jesus? The disciples had, in fact, become so afraid that they hid themselves behind locked doors as you can read in  John 20:19a

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews...

The disciples reasoned that perhaps if they kept quiet the authorities would forget about them. One thing was sure, they would not be going out ever again to teach and heal and deliver. It was too dangerous a task and, anyway, Jesus was no longer there to give them the power and authority to do so. That special time in their lives had come to a sudden end and it looked like they had started a new season. But they couldn't tell what kind of season they had entered in for nothing had worked out as they had expected since they never thought they would find themselves behind locked doors too afraid to go out. It was true, of course, that Jesus had at one time told them they were to be "fishers of men" as you can read in Matthew 4:19

"Come, follow Me, Jesus said "and I will make you fishers of men."

However, how could they be "fishers of men" without the Lord being there to guide them? No, they needed to face reality that they were never going to do the things they had so believed in. But they did not dare think about what they were going to do instead. After all, they had been His disciples for the last three years. That had been the only life they had known for all that time but it seemed it had all finished. Or had it finished?...

                                    A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS 

                                                          PART I-III

"I, Jesus, had gathered around Me a group of twelve disciples.... Among them were fishermen and tax collectors... They had one thing in common... They were all Jewish....They travelled with me throughout the country....I trained them through My teaching.... And I trained them by sending them out....Moreover, I gathered a larger group of disciples... Seventy-two to be exact... I trained them as well by sending them out....I sent them out two by two.... They went to places I was about to visit."..... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn how Jesus trained His disciples....

                   ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                     PART 1-III

When Jesus was on earth, He selected twelve discipes and sent them out to do the work to which He had called them as you can read in Luke 9:1-2

When Jesus had called the Twelve together, He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

The reason these twelve disciples were able to do the work to wich He had called them is because Jesus gave them power and authority to do so.  To us that may well make sense. After all they had been especially chosen by Jesus. But we would not expect anyone else to be able to do these things. However, Jesus chose, in fact, another larger group of followers to do the same things That was quite a large group of seventy-two disciples as you can read in Luke 10:1

After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every place where He was about to go.

And all of them, the twelve as well as the seventy-two, saw many people healed and others delivered from demonic spirits as you can read in Luke 10:17-20

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your Name.He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven, I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you, However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

So it was an amazing time.

 

                                   A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                           PART I -II

"I, Jesus, promised My disciples that after My departure I would send them another Counsellor....  He is the Spirit of Truth....And that Counsellor would never leave them.... Moreover, that Counsellor would not just be with them... He would be living on the inside of them..It is true that this Counsellor, this Spirit of Truth has made His Presence known since Creation.... And it is true that He influenced many leading figures in the Old Testament times.... However, it is equally true that a new season is about to start.... But that season can only start after My departure for heaven.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of the promise of the Holy Spirit's coming to earth.

 

                      ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                      PART 1 - II

Jesus promised that things would change as you can read in John 14:16-17

"And I (Jesus) will ask the Father and He will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever - the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept Him because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him for He lives with you and will be in you."

Jesus promised that all His followers, and not just some of them, would have the Spirit of God in them. These followers would not only include the disciples who were with Jesus at the time He was on earth, but would include all the believers from that time on, including us as believers.

 

                                 A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS 

                                                               PART I - 1

"I, Luke, am the author of the Book of Acts.... Now the Book of the Acts can be called the Book of the Acts of the Apostles or the Book of the Acts of the Church... But I would like to call it the Book of the Acts of the Holy Spirit... I could say that the Old Testament focuses on God the Father... The Gospels focus on God the Son, Jesus..... And the Book of Acts focuses on the Third Person of the Trinity, God the Holy Spirit.... He is, of course, mentioned throughout the Bible. In fact, He is mentioned in the very first verses in the Bible: Genesis 1:1-2.... And I know that He was with certain people in the Old Testament in a specific way."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn more specifically about the role of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament....

                    ATTACHMENT A WALK THROUGH THE BOOK OF ACTS

                                                         PART I - 1

The Book of Acts was written by Luke when he gives an account of what happened after Jesus gone back to heaven and the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the Church. The Holy Spirit is mentioned throughout the Old Testament. In fact, He is mentioned already in Genesis 1:1-2                                    In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

And we know that He was with certain people in the Old Testament in a specific way as for instance:

Joseph in Genesis 41:38                                                                                                                              So Pharaoh asked them, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the Spirit of God?"

Moses and the 70 elders in Numbers 11:16-17                                                                                        The Lord said to Moses, "Bring me seventy of Israel's elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Make them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand here with you. I will come down and speak with you here, and will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone."

Joshua in Numbers 27:18                                                                                                                           So the Lord said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him."

Gideon in Judges 6:34                                                                                                                               Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.

Samson in Judges 13:25                                                                                                                          And the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Saul in I Samuel 10:9-10                                                                                                                            As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul's heart, and all these signs were fulfilled that day. When they arrived in Gibeah, a precession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came upon him in power, and he joined in their prophesying.

David in II Samuel 23:2                                                                                                                       These are the last words of David: "The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, Israel's singer of songs. The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me. His word was on my tongue."

Elijah and Elisha in II Kings 2:9                                                                                                           When they had crossed Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?" Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit," Elisha replied.

Isaiah in Isaiah 48:16                                                                                                                              "Come near me and listen to this; From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret; at the time it happens, I am there. And now the Sovereign Lord has sent me, with His Spirit."

Ezekiel in Ezekiel 2:1-2                                                                                                                            He said to me, "Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you." As he spoke the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me."

Daniel in Daniel 4:8                                                                                                                           Finally, Daniel came in to my presence and I told him my dream (He is called Belteshazzar, after the name of my god and the spirit of the holy gods is in him).

We can see from these examples that the Holy Spirit would come upon certain people such as leaders, judges, kings and prophets for a particular reason. But He did not come upon everyone in Israel.

      

                          A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                      HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART XVI

"I, Mary Magdalene, want any other believer to know that the Lord has a task for you as well.... But it is important that this task is done out of love for Him and for others.... That love is a special kind of love... You cannot produce that kind of love in your life.... Just as I, Mary Magdalene, could not...But you will be able to love the Lord and others through the Holy Spirit's work in your life.... Just as I was able to... And you will be more loving, kind and patient as you submit to the Holy Spirit's work in your life on a daily basis....Just as I did."....Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn the importance of godly love in your life in order to fulfil the task the Lord has for you....

                    ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                    HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART XVI

Please remember that whatever the Lord wants you to do, He wants it to be based on love as you can read in 1 Corinthians 13:1-2

And now I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all all  mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

You can read about the love that God wants you to love others with in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

As a believer, you have the Holy Spirit living on the inside of you. He desires to display this kind of love as part of the character of God, or the fruit of the Spirit, through you as you can read                     in Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control

Mary Magdalene allowed God to use her circumstances in her life to develop Godly character in her so God could use her for what He had prepared for her to do. God was able to do this work in her and through her because Mary Magdalene had developed a very intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus. She knew, therefore, His Voice and was willing to be obedient to whatever He had for her to do. Likewise, God wants to develop Godly character in you, this fruit of the Spirit, through your circumstances so that God can use you to minister to others in whatever way He has designed for you. Please remember that this can only happen as you develop an intimate relationship with Jesus by reading God's Word and prayer and by being obedient to whatever God calls you to do.

P.S. We have come to the end of the story "He Knew Her By Name." We will start going through the Book of Acts in our next blog post.

                             A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                          HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART XV

"I, Mary Magdalene, am at the room where all the other disciples are gathered... I am very happy that I have fulfilled the task the Lord gave me... I believe that any other believer will be given a task by the Lord as well....It will be a different task than mine.... But it will be equally important.... I can assure you that fulfilling God's task will be more satisfying than doing whatever you want to do... And doing what God wants you to do will bring eternal rewards....Will you face challenges when you fulfill God's task?....Absolutely.... In fact, I had some challenges when I told the other disciples that Jesus had risen from the dead....For some had difficulty believing my report....But Jesus proved me right by appearing to all of us some time later... And He will do the same for you....You just be obedient.... That is all what He requires of you.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Jesus has a task for you as much as He had a task for Mary Magdalene....

 

              ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                         HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART XV

God equipped Mary Magdalene for the task He had for her so she was able to do what He had for her to do.Likewise, God has a task for you to fulfil and He will equip you for your task by providing you with His spiritual gift or gifts so you will be able to do what He has for you to do as you can read in              1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Now to each the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues. All these are the works of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one, just as He determines.

Just as Mary Magdalene was a blessing to the other disciples when she went to see them so you can be a blessing to other believers when you fulfil God's task for you.

       

                           A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 

                                         HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART XIV

"I, Mary Magdalene, am no longer at the tomb of my Lord.... I have gone to see the other disciples... I had some very exciting news for them.... I went there to tell them the Lord has risen.... I could tell them that because I have seen Him with my own eyes....And He has spoken with me.... More than that I have touched Him....So I know He is a real Person... And not a figment of my imagination.... I told them as well that the reason He is not here is because He has to see His Father in heaven....Perhaps He will return to us so that all of us can see what I have told them is true.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Mary Magdalene was obedient to Jesus' words to go and see the other disciples...

                  ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                           HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART XIV

In obedience to Jesus' words Mary Magdalene goes and finds the other disciples as you can read              in John 20:18 

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord," she said. And she told them that He had said these things to her.

What a story Mary Magdalene has to tell the disciples for not only did she have the privilege of seeing two angels, she had the privilege of seeing the Lord. And it was not a hoax. No, it really was the Lord she had seen for He had called her by her name as only He could and she had touched Him so she knew she had not been dreaming. She explains as well that the Lord has gone to the Father to tell Him His task has been accomplished and that is why He is not here in Person. Mary Magdalene's joy is restored to her: Her Lord has come back to life. It is true, He has gone away again and she does not know when she will see Him again. But this one thing she knows: He is alive and because of Him she too will live.