Nate Shurden on Opportunities and Challenges in Teaching Acts (Season 2, Episode 11)

This text is a part of the Conversations on the Bible with Nancy Guthrie sequence.

Trustworthy to the Textual content

Be a part of Nancy Guthrie as she talks with pastor Nate Shurden about what needs to be thought-about when endeavoring to show via the guide of Acts.

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Subjects Addressed in This Interview:

Nancy Guthrie
Welcome to season two of Conversations on the Bible with Nancy Guthrie. I’m Nancy Guthrie, creator of Saved: Experiencing the Promise of the E book of Acts. Within the guide of Acts we see the enthroned Lord Jesus at work by his Spirit via the apostles. They’re taking the message that salvation is out there to all who will name upon the title of the Lord, to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, and it’s engaging in its supposed objective—individuals are being saved. On this podcast I’ve been having conversations with individuals who may also help us to see extra clearly the methods through which we see God figuring out his salvation functions on the earth, significantly within the pages of the guide of Acts. And my visitor at this time is my very own pastor, Nate Shurden. Nate, thanks for being prepared to have this dialog with me concerning the guide of Acts.

Nate Shurden
Nancy, thanks for inviting me. It is a actual privilege.

Nancy Guthrie
Properly, it’s for me. Nate is the pastor of Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Franklin, Tennessee. He’s a graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, at present working in your PhD. I overlook what your PhD goes to be in, Nate. What’s it?

Nate Shurden
Properly, it’s a Physician of Ministry, a DMin diploma. I’m simply ending the course work on this diploma, in order that they’re telling me I’ve bought to give you a proper proposal by this summer season. So I’m mixing up a few concepts, however we hope to crystallize that fairly quickly.

Nancy Guthrie
All proper, good. Properly, it’s a thrill to me to have a dialog with my pastor, whom I like dearly. I do must say that there was a time you actually irritated me.

Nate Shurden
Oh, actually? True confessions.

Nancy Guthrie
Sure. I walked by the room one time the place you had been doing a brand new members class, and I overheard one thing you stated.

Nate Shurden
Oh no.

Nancy Guthrie
You gave the yr that you simply had been born, and it was the yr I graduated from highschool.

Nate Shurden
Oh yeah. There’s that.

Nancy Guthrie
And so I did discover it just a bit bit bothersome. However actually, no, what I’m grateful for is it’s good to have a pastor who’s eighteen years youthful than I’m, particularly one who’s so clever. I’m actually grateful for that. I imply that. It’s an unbelievable blessing to have a pastor that I respect and admire and revel in as a lot as I respect, admire, and revel in you. However I used to be pondering on the best way down right here to have this dialog, the opposite benefit of it’s that you simply’ll in all probability nonetheless be round to have the ability to do my funeral. And in order that’s the advantage of having a youthful pastor.

Nate Shurden
Perhaps there’s a constructive facet to that.

Nancy Guthrie
I see a complete constructive.

Nate Shurden
Properly, you’re very form. These are too form phrases. And I might simply say it’s a pleasure to be your pastor—each the distinction that you simply give to me to have the ability to take heed to the phrase of God and sit below my ministry, after which the chance that I get to sit down at your ft so usually and say, “Nancy, assist me with this. What do you consider this?”

Nancy Guthrie
Oh, come on. That’s not true.

Nate Shurden
Oh, come on. You realize it’s. No, I’m grateful for you.

Nancy Guthrie
One factor that has been enjoyable is that over the previous yr, I began final summer season—I do a summer season Bible research at our church—and I taught via the primary half of the guide of Acts. I’m on the point of educate via the second half of it arising. And this spring you’ve been instructing via the guide of Acts to the boys at our church. So that you usually work via books of the Bible, actually from the pulpit and I suppose additionally in some males’s Bible research, however you additionally do some topical issues. So what prompted you this spring to say, “Okay, we’re going to do a research of the guide of Acts”?

Nate Shurden
That’s an excellent query. Final fall we had truly completed the guide of Joshua—a historic narrative part within the Previous Testomony. And relying on the way you’re wanting from Previous Testomony to New Testomony, there are some parallels.

Nancy Guthrie
Oh, I had by no means considered that, however there completely is. Taking possession of the land, proper?

Nate Shurden
There you go! You’re anticipating me. So that you end the Regulation of the Previous Testomony, and now we’re seeing the historic narrative unfold. The guarantees and the covenants which were made have taken place within the Previous Testomony, and now Joshua is basically giving to us the historic narrative of the conquering of the land, the working on the guarantees of God, his covenant, his exodus, and his faithfulness via the wilderness is now being proven forth in Joshua. And in a really actual sense, within the Gospels you have got the regulation, the guarantees, the success that has are available in Christ Jesus. And now you have got the risen and ascended Lord who’s now on his throne pouring out the Holy Spirit and conquering the land—Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the uttermost elements of the world. And in order I used to be instructing within the fall on the guide of Joshua and I started to wrestle with the boys about this connection canonically between these two books, there have been a number of males who simply steered, “Hey, what do you consider the guide of Acts? It’s been some time since we’ve completed something in Acts.” I stated, “That’d be actually nice.” In order that was one motive we jumped into the guide of Acts. One more reason was as a neighborhood congregation we’re all the time enthusiastic about being on mission for Christ, and we’re enthusiastic about church planting, we’re enthusiastic about the expansion the Lord has given to this native congregation. I wished the boys to be inspired in what it meant to be renewed within the energy of the gospel, and there’s no guide richer within the Scriptures than to have a look at the guide of Acts for that to occur. And to equip them to be on mission for Christ on the earth, to see examples all through the guide of Acts of the way to share the gospel within the totally different ways in which Stephen or Peter or Paul do in these totally different contexts that they’re in. And I assumed this can equip and practice the boys for the work of ministry, what it means to testify to the reality of the gospel in a public sq. within the context through which they’re in. So there have been some ministerial causes, there have been some textual causes, some mission causes right here on the church. These are among the issues that motivated our research.

Nancy Guthrie
Properly, I think about among the folks listening to this podcast are doing so as a result of they’re contemplating, or they’re actively getting ready, to steer a research via the guide of Acts. So I assumed we’d simply have a dialog about among the alternatives in instructing the guide of Acts and among the challenges as properly. So I simply surprise as you thought-about instructing via the guide of Acts, what are among the belongings you considered that you simply thought, “Okay, this may be a problem in instructing via this guide”?

Nate Shurden
I feel there are a number of issues that come to thoughts, and one is greedy among the most important emphases of the guide of Acts and the way they’ve generally been weighted, burdened, or utilized in ways in which perhaps aren’t as in keeping with the guide of Acts as we are likely to suppose that they’re.

Nancy Guthrie
What do you imply?

Nate Shurden
As an example, the guide begins in Acts 1 with the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. He says to his disciples—his remaining phrases; these are the final phrases they hear out of the Savior’s mouth earlier than he ascends into the heavenly locations—“You’ll be my witnesses.” He makes use of that language. “You’ll obtain energy when my Spirit comes upon you. You’ll be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria.” Once we consider that textual content, fairly often what jumps off the web page for the fashionable reader is the church is to be the witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ on the earth. That’s form of the principle focus. We’ve all been to the missions convention that has instructed us we’re God’s witnesses on the earth, and your neighborhood is your Jerusalem. Your state is your Judea and Samaria. After which there’s the nations. Now, I don’t wish to rob all people of all of that as a result of there’s some actually good software to be gained from that. However that’s not precisely what Jesus means, nor what Luke means as he’s writing the guide of Acts right here. This phrase witness is a very key phrase within the guide of Acts. It’s a phrase that has authorized import. When Luke is giving us that phrase and Jesus is talking that phrase, he’s saying, “You’ve got seen one thing together with your very eyes—the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. You’re an authoritative witness, and I need you now to go say—I need you to be empowered with my Holy Spirit—to go say what it’s that you simply’ve seen.” That’s actually what a witness does.

Nancy Guthrie
Testify like in a courtroom. “Right here’s what I noticed.”

Nate Shurden
That’s proper. Courtroom language is throughout the guide of Acts. As we’re it, all people is below assault or on trial. Each most important second, whether or not we’re Stephen’s martyrdom, it’s set within the context of a courtroom case. Whether or not we’re Ananias and Sapphira, which is definitely a sworn statement of false witnesses and why judgment falls there. Whether or not we’re Paul as he’s earlier than King Agrippa or Festus, or after we see him on these numerous trials all through the guide of Acts. In every of those circumstances, he’s bearing devoted and true witness of the Lord Jesus Christ. And these servants are bearing that devoted and true witness. What’s truly being constructed right here is an authoritative basis. The apostles are the muse stones, the apostle Paul refers to them as, for the constructing of the church. And this basis, from the prophets and the apostles and Jesus Christ being the cornerstone, is what the guide of Acts is definitely laying out for us. The apostles are these witnesses. And that leaves a possibility for us as we educate the guide of Acts to say, “Hey, that is truly not primarily about you because the witness, however the witness that Jesus Christ is thru the ability of the Holy Spirit within the apostles to put the muse for the church.” And so there’s a problem in deciphering it that manner, however there’s a possibility in deciphering it that manner. And I feel curiously with Luke right here, Luke is saying that “be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost elements of the world,” that that mission has truly been achieved. That’s what’s actually exceptional. We consider that as one thing that must be achieved, that we’re those who’re the witnesses who’re engaging in it. Luke is definitely scripting this guide saying the gospel begins in Jerusalem when the Holy Spirit falls in Acts 2 and Peter is preaching and Pentecost occurs. And we finish the guide of Rome, which is the uttermost elements of the world, the very heart of the empire, and the gospel goes via the remainder of the guide of Acts, to Judea and to Samaria, to the uttermost elements of the world. By the tip of the guide of Acts, Luke is telling us the gospel has gone to the ends of the earth. And so it’s actually a sworn statement of success of all of what Jesus stated what occurred and referred to as them to do in Acts 1. And in order that’s a gorgeous alternative as a instructor while you’re speaking via the guide of Acts to say. “Hey, this isn’t primarily about you. It’s about what King Jesus is doing via the ability of his Spirit via the apostles. It’s a authorized account of the witness of what actually occurred.”

Nancy Guthrie
As I checked out that, Nate, in instructing it, one factor I did was to attempt to turn out to be somewhat little bit of a damaged document, particularly week by week. I saved coming again to Acts 1:8 as a result of it’s so foundational. It units up the trajectory for the remainder of the guide. Geographically, it’s like a top level view of the remainder of the guide. However I might come again to the purpose that you’re making. However I feel it does have a few useful implications for folks. So if the apostles are the witnesses, then what are we? If we’re not going to be witnesses as a result of we didn’t see the resurrected Jesus with our eyes, then what are we? And what I might simply say many times that they had been witnesses, and we’re proclaimers of the apostolic witness. We’re proclaimers of the apostolic witness. And I feel the opposite alternative that offers us is to say these are apostolic witnesses. They’re devoted. We will rely on what they recorded on this guide that we have now—what they recorded concerning the life, loss of life, and resurrection of Jesus within the Gospels and what we have now within the epistles. And so their being devoted witnesses has offered to us truly the content material of what we’re to proclaim. This discuss witnesses. I take into consideration how that time period was used largely after I grew up and doubtless much like you. To be a witness was to speak about what Jesus has completed in my life or in my expertise.

Nate Shurden
Your private testimony.

Nancy Guthrie
However as an alternative we notice, no, the content material of our proclamation is what the apostolic witnesses have recorded.

Nate Shurden
I feel this actually factors to such an necessary aspect of Luke’s intention in writing the guide of Acts and the position that Acts performs within the canon, particularly even right here within the New Testomony, is it’s a historic retelling. It’s a historic account. These items occurred. It’s not somebody’s subjective or inside emotions or ideas or somebody’s mere perspective. The best way that that is written is sort of a doc you could base it on as a result of it occurred in time and area in historical past. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is emphasised a lot within the guide of Acts. That’s one of many surprising issues that kind of jumped off at me once more when studying this time round is how little the cross is definitely emphasised and the way prominently the resurrection is emphasised. And the main target of the resurrection being that our biggest enemy has been overcome, which is loss of life. The ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ has occurred. The throne is occupied. The success of the promise to David, {that a} Son will likely be on the throne eternally, has occurred in Christ. And all these folks noticed it occur. There are all these witnesses of the resurrection. There are all these witnesses of this ascension—the disciples themselves right here. They’re capable of give historic account that that is what occurred. And it’s that proclamation that we’ve been entrusted with and that we’ve been given. And so it’s an necessary piece to comprehend that our religion shouldn’t be truly based upon our inside working however upon the exterior actions of what truly occurred by a Savior and a King who’s a Lord. It’s not that that’s unimportant, what’s taken place in our private lives and testimony; that’s essential. However what we proclaim is definitely one thing outdoors of us. It’s a Savior and a Lord of what traditionally occurred in time and area and historical past.

Nancy Guthrie
In order that facet of the true historical past of the guide of Acts, you’re presenting that as a possibility in instructing the guide. I’m wondering, although, if generally there’s a little bit of problem to it as a result of oftentimes folks will learn one thing within the guide of Acts, and we wish to strive to determine what its implications are for us. And so maybe generally we are able to go very direct. “Properly, that’s what they did within the guide of Acts!” And so perhaps we assume that that’s what we’re speculated to do. So it will get to this facet that I feel is difficult to the one who’s going to show via the guide of Acts is to attempt to decide what’s descriptive of what occurred in Acts and what’s prescriptive for what ought to occur in our native church buildings. For you and I, that’s Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Franklin, Tennessee. What’s prescriptive for our church? Did you stumble upon that in some locations, and the way did you cope with that?

Nate Shurden
I might say that’s in all probability, Nancy, one of many tougher realities for the chief/instructor/facilitator of a research of the guide of Acts. Once we learn one thing descriptively within the guide—it occurred, that is the historical past, and Luke’s giving us this correct account—are we then to take that which has occurred and see it as a sample, a mannequin, an instructive components for the best way through which we should stay and transfer and have our being because the church or as particular person Christians? In order that’s an enormous interpretive query that we run into after we deal with historic narrative and perhaps even in a specific manner within the guide of Acts as a result of it’s a transitional guide. Does that make sense? We’re transferring from the outdated covenant to the brand new covenant, and so there are issues which can be actually altering on the spot within the guide of Acts. So suppose Acts 10 for a minute. There’s dietary legal guidelines within the Previous Testomony which were binding. And naturally Jesus spoke to it within the gospel. He makes it very clear, but it surely didn’t actually register together with his disciples. And so Peter has to have this imaginative and prescient in Acts chapter 10 of this sheet of animals. And now he’s going to have the ability to eat. What was as soon as unclean is now clear. So these legal guidelines are being abrogated. We’re actually transferring from outdated covenant to new covenant, to a fuller expression of God’s redemptive plan put up the success of Christ, his resurrection and ascension. We’re now coming into this imaginative and prescient, this expression of the brand new covenant. And so issues are passing away and new issues are coming. The signal of circumcision.

Nancy Guthrie
A giant deal within the guide of Acts.

Nate Shurden
An enormous deal. This query, if we might relate it to that, circumcision now not has the religious significance that it as soon as had as marking God’s covenant folks. And now we have now the signal of baptism. It’s changing the signal of circumcision from Previous Testomony to New Testomony. And this large query from the Jerusalem council in Acts 15: Do it’s important to turn out to be a Jew with a purpose to turn out to be a Christian if you happen to’re a Gentile? Do I’ve to take up the entire Jewish markers and take up the customs and the traditions to primarily must turn out to be a cultural Jew and all of what it meant to be a Jew within the Previous Testomony with a purpose to turn out to be a Christian? So in some ways, these are questions associated to this query: Is what we have now descriptively for us within the guide of Acts—each jot and tittle of it—ought to it’s prescriptive for the New Testomony church? And the reply is not any. There are elements of this studying, as we’re it, that should merely account to us and provides us an expression of what occurred, not meant to be instructive as a sample for the entire manner through which it’s to be within the physique of Christ because the church. Let me give an instance of that. In Acts 19 we have now Paul stumbling upon believers in Ephesus who solely learn about John’s baptism. Bear in mind this textual content?

Nancy Guthrie
Sure. And it says they’re disciples. We’re probably not even certain what which means. Disciples of who?

Nate Shurden
You’re proper. It simply form of leaves it with out qualification. So we have now that right here in Acts 19, and so they haven’t acquired the Holy Spirit. And Paul appears himself, and I feel that is actually useful for the reader and interpreter of Acts 19, Paul appears to be somewhat confused by this. So he comes throughout these disciples. We study that they know that they’ve been baptized with the baptism of John, which he refers to as a baptism of repentance. Everyone knows that from the sooner testomony within the gospel of Luke. And he says to them, “With what title had been you baptized?” They stated, “The baptism of John.” He asks, “Did you not obtain the Holy Spirit?” They reply, “We’ve not heard of the Holy Spirit.” And it appears as if Paul himself is discovering it is a little bit of an uncommon case right here, after which he tells them concerning the Holy Spirit, and he baptizes them within the title of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we’re instructed that the Holy Spirit then comes, nearly like somewhat mini Pentecost, which we see a number of occasions via the guide of Acts. Actually, every time the gospel breaks into a brand new area, every time it breaks into a brand new place—Judea, Samaria, the uttermost elements of the world—and the data of the fullness of who Christ is involves these folks, one thing like a breaking in of the Spirit occurs. Indicators and wonders are displayed because the gospel is preached. And in that context, because the apostle Paul tells them concerning the success of the Lord Jesus Christ, we see these indicators and wonders and we see the Holy Spirit come there in energy. Now, is that one thing that needs to be normative for the lifetime of the church? Some would say sure, Nancy. There’s an entire motion—second blessing actions—that we’ve seen all through church historical past which were very, extremely popular within the twentieth and now twenty-first centuries, that you possibly can be saved and be a disciple of Christ and but you’ve not acquired the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit goes to return on a second blessing, and we’ll know the Spirit has come if you happen to begin talking in tongues and also you begin prophesying. The textual content of Acts 19 doesn’t give us that sample in such a manner that it says, “Thus needs to be the case for each true believer or for the church of Jesus Christ going ahead.” It’s merely describing for us what the in-breaking of the success of Christ’s kingdom seemed like within the first century when it got here. And curiously, Nancy, what we see is that it got here generally in ways in which prompted confusion that took somewhat time to get readability. Fairly often, whether or not it’s an indication of circumcision transferring to baptism, meat sacrificed to idols (Can we eat it or not?), what will we do with Jewish customs?

Nancy Guthrie
Like taking vows. Paul takes a vow.

Nate Shurden
He takes a vow. Remarkably so. We see these distinctive issues taking place within the guide of Acts. And I feel what Luke is making an attempt to present us is what he instructed Theophilus originally of his Gospel: “I wish to offer you an orderly account so that you could be sure that the issues that you’ve heard are true, you could trust in them.” He’s not saying simply because it occurred this manner implies that the church should be doing these items hither yon. And a part of what we have to have a look at shouldn’t be have a look at the guide of Acts however have a look at the entire of the Bible’s instructing on these topics to ensure that we’re not constructing our theology from one textual content or from one episode. However we’re Paul’s letters, we’re wanting from Previous Testomony to New Testomony. We’re balancing it with the instructing of the gospel and saying, “What needs to be the normative apply of the church based mostly upon the entire of the instructing of the Bible, not only one specific historic narrative textual content?”

Nancy Guthrie
I feel an excellent biblical interpretation, foundational factor to grasp about the entire of the Bible, and significantly right here within the guide of Acts, is that loads of occasions after we are studying about how God works at a specific time and thru a specific particular person in Scripture, that many Bible interpreters simply wish to assume that’s how God all the time works with all folks in all eras of redemptive historical past. However that’s not the case. Lots of occasions what we learn within the Bible, we have now to have a look at and ask ourselves the query, Is there one thing distinctive right here about this particular person and their position in redemptive historical past and this time period in redemptive historical past that prompts me then to not essentially learn this as one thing I ought to anticipate to expertise or that each one folks of all occasions ought to expertise?

Nate Shurden
That’s so true.

Nancy Guthrie
Properly, let’s transfer on to software. I do know that as I used to be contemplating instructing via the guide of Acts at our church after which that changing into a guide, I feel one in all my fears about it was I’m undecided that this guide simply serves as much as me, as a Bible instructor, loads of welcomed penetrate-the-heart sorts of software. I don’t suppose that was my expertise essentially. So I’ve bought a lot of purposes that I simply discovered actually coming via robust via the guide of Acts. However I’m wondering if you happen to might inform me yours. As you labored via it with the boys, are there two or three purposes that you simply discovered both repeatedly coming via or that you simply discovered that as you had been instructing them at our church these purposes actually resonated with the boys?

Nate Shurden
That’s an excellent query, and I feel this will get not less than in the direction of it. I’ll say there have been some truths, particularly, that we got here again to only again and again. And a type of truths that I discovered and was simply so heartened by continuously when studying the guide of Acts was to acknowledge and do not forget that Christ is on the throne, and the Holy Spirit is his means and energy via which the church is definitely constructed. That’s our confidence. All through the guide of Acts, you see such prominence of the Holy Spirit. He’s simply on each story that’s within the textual content. And it’s very simple for us to suppose that the work of the church, my life, the issues that I’m referred to as to do and commanded to do (these are essential and should be completed) are actually as much as me. And the guide of Acts was continuously a course corrective for the boys as they studied it. They noticed it was the Holy Spirit that was main every thing that occurred. From the start, it’s nearly as if Jesus is cautioning the disciples, “Hey, don’t go on the market and begin doing any ministry. Let’s wait. The Holy Spirit wants to return. You’ll obtain dunamis. You’ll obtain energy when the Spirit comes.” And that was an software that simply continued to ring true all through. Even the apostle Paul has plans that we see all through the guide of Acts. He’s going to go right here. He’s going to go there. After which the Holy Spirit would cease him. He wouldn’t go there. Or the Holy Spirit has instructed me this. That is the place I’m going to go. And different individuals are saying, “Paul, don’t go there!” And he’s going, “Nope, I’ve bought to go there. The Spirit is sending me there.” It was the work of the Holy Spirit that was all through the guide of Acts, simply continuously registering into the life and the hearts of those males. We expect a lot about what it’s we bought to do and get ready to do. And that’s necessary, but it surely’s actually God who builds this church in and thru the Holy Spirit. That was a large software all through. One other key piece was the significance of the native church and the physique of Christ in that work. It is a narrative of the constructing of the church. That’s actually the focus. The church is God’s plan A. And that’s the work that the Holy Spirit is establishing, and he’s utilizing the apostles because the means by which to do this. The apostle Paul’s work, truly, was when he went to a location or went to a specific area to evangelise the gospel, he went to the synagogue. He went among the many Jews. After which he was rejected, normally, sooner or later alongside the best way. After which he goes to the Gentiles. He preaches the gospel there. And he’s elevating up a physique of believers and searching for to ascertain elders in that native congregation, searching for to ascertain this outpost of the dominion that’s going to be on this area so that he may transfer on in mission and depart that work persevering with. The aim was to ascertain the church. That was the aim. And so the prominence of the native church and the importance of this being the means via which the dominion of God is basically compelled ahead, that was assumed all through the guide of Acts. So the Holy Spirit’s work, that the prominence and centrality of the work of the church was vital in our research. I feel one other factor that actually stood out is that opposition is normative to the work of the gospel. Opposition is normative to the work of the gospel. And it’ll truly be within the face of opposition that the gospel will advance and the church will likely be based. That’s large for us to listen to that, Nancy, as a result of we are likely to suppose issues are usually not going properly if individuals are opposing the gospel. The guide of Acts tells us that the gospel was transferring and advancing ahead truly on the heels of persecution. It’s the outdated Tertullian quote: “The blood of the martyrs would be the seed of the church.” And also you see that within the spirit of the guide of Acts. And I feel that was course corrective for a North American at this time finding out the guide of Acts and going, “Properly, the church shouldn’t be being revered and the gospel’s falling on arduous occasions. What are we going to do? How will we strategy that?” Properly, as you look via the guide of Acts, we see that it’s usually below assault that the gospel truly strikes ahead in additional energy. We truly see that taking place right here. So I feel these had been among the testimonies of the boys as we had been coming via and actually correcting what tends to be our coronary heart’s default into pondering the place the gospel will actually be highly effective, the place the work actually goes to be achieved. Counterintuitive while you start to learn the account of Luke.

Nancy Guthrie
I feel two of the important thing purposes that saved coming via in my instructing via this are intently associated to that one. One would merely be that the gospel is unstoppable.

Nate Shurden
That’s nice.

Nancy Guthrie
I adore it, and that really will get articulated by Gamaliel. Bear in mind when a few disciples had been earlier than the council, and he simply says to the council, “If that is from God, nothing can cease this. We’d even discover ourselves being in opposition to the plans and functions of God.” In order that’s fairly beautiful. Simply from the very starting of this, the development of that is fascinating. You’ve bought John and Peter, they’re threatened and instructed to remain silent. The following step is that they’re overwhelmed. They nonetheless received’t keep silent. “We can not assist however to talk.” After which we’ve bought Stephen. And so now it’s turn out to be murderous. And in order that progresses. However it doesn’t matter what, it’s unstoppable. However together with the gospel being unstoppable, and also you stated there’s all the time going to be opposition to it, and I might join that to the truth that quite a few occasions Luke appears to wish to current the apostles and others within the guide of Acts, that their lives and their ministries are conforming to that of the Grasp. And it makes me take into consideration Jesus saying, “A servant shouldn’t be above his grasp. In the event that they persecuted me, they’re going to persecute you.”

Nate Shurden
That’s so true.

Nancy Guthrie
And so we see the apostles all through the guide of Acts doing indicators and wonders like Jesus. And in that manner they’re related. They get his credibility, his authority, however they’re not escaping struggling like Jesus. Peter and John early on earlier than the spiritual leaders, after which we get to Stephen. And I actually suppose, particularly within the account of Stephen, that Luke appears to take care to notice the similarities. Among the issues he’s being charged with are the precise issues Jesus was charged with. And that is simply, I don’t know, a fairly quick time after Jesus stood in entrance of this similar crew—even the best way it involves a detailed. Initially, he’s asking God to forgive these folks, which we’ve heard that on somebody’s lips earlier than.

Nate Shurden
Sure, we have now.

Nancy Guthrie
And he sees into heaven and sees the glory of God.

Nate Shurden
“Lord, obtain my spirit.”

Nancy Guthrie
So it’s like Luke’s taking care that we see it. However the identical factor in Paul. I take into consideration Paul’s ministry and him standing earlier than these spiritual leaders. However I additionally take into consideration how Paul is instructed, “Don’t go to Jerusalem since you’re going to undergo there.”

Nate Shurden
That’s proper.

Nancy Guthrie
It reminds us of the best way Luke information Jesus’s ministry. I’m pondering of Luke 9:51, the place it says that Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem. And when Luke says that, he’s not simply giving us a journey log; he’s speaking one thing to us about Jesus’s intention to perform the work that God has given to him, understanding that going to Jerusalem goes to the cross. And equally, right here is Paul going to Jerusalem. He is aware of the opposition he’s going to face. God has already revealed it to him that he’s going to undergo considerably there. However God has revealed one thing else to him. God has revealed to him, “You’ll testify for me in Rome.” And it’s such a gorgeous factor to only see him maintain onto that confidence. God has promised it. “You’ll be able to put me in a jail in Caesarea for 2 years. Okay. You’ll be able to put me on a ship that’s going to collapse in the midst of the Mediterranean. A viper can latch a maintain of me and fill me with poison. You’ll be able to maintain me in home arrest in Rome.” However Paul holds onto what God has promised. “I’m going to testify to him in Rome.” This makes me consider Jesus: “Who for the enjoyment set earlier than him, endured the cross, despising the disgrace, and is now seated on the proper hand of God.” The best way Jesus walked towards struggling, assured within the guarantees of God.

Nate Shurden
Amen. And amen. Luke is simply so intentional about that, isn’t he? That they’re really following Christ. “Observe me as I observe Christ.” “Take up your cross day by day and observe me.” I imply, that’s the story of the guide of Acts. And it even will get into recognizing the truth that that is the persevering with work of the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s what that is. These are the persevering with acts of Christ. The Spirit of Christ now animating the apostles themselves. And while you set it in that context and you consider making use of it that manner now for the lifetime of the church, after we undergo for the sake of Christ, we’re fulfilling precisely what it’s Christ stated we should always anticipate as followers of him. We, being saved by Christ and now referred to as and charged into the work of ministry, even within the technology through which he’s positioned us, not in the identical apostolic sense that’s right here, however in the identical proclamation sense, as we declare these items, the world goes to assault. And boy, we see that. As that comes, we shouldn’t be shocked by fiery trial, Peter tells us, as a result of that’s going to be the character of the way it truly works. We are going to truly “replenish the sufferings of Christ.” That’s what’s taking place right here. And the Lord goes to make use of that as a way by which to truly advance his gospel. It’s truly on the heels of that that we see the gospel go ahead right here. While you see Paul testify earlier than King Agrippa or no matter, right here, earlier than the powers that be, the gospel is being made recognized. It’s entering into the best of the echelons and it’s saving the poorest of the poor. It’s crossing each spectrum. And it’s a foreshadowing of what’s going to occur on the finish of time when Christ comes again and consummates this kingdom. Each kindred, tribe, tongue, and nation will certainly know him, and each knee will bow and tongue will confess that he’s Lord. It’s stunning.

Nancy Guthrie
Properly, let’s shut this manner, Nate. You’ve now accomplished Acts, proper? You bought all the best way—all twenty-eight chapters. I’m on the point of educate it this summer season and produce it to a completion for our girls. So what do you hope lingers with the boys after instructing the guide of Acts? What message do you hope has actually gripped their coronary heart, or what ideas of Christ, of the Holy Spirit, of the church do you hope linger?

Nate Shurden
That’s an excellent query, and one truly posed to the boys. We all the time do a wrap-up session on the finish of our guide research or our Bible research. We’ll normally prepare dinner breakfast collectively and we’ll sit across the tables and we’ll ask questions on what the Lord taught us. What stands proud to you about this research? And so we truly did that wrap up every week or so in the past, and I took some notes popping out of that research from the boys, and so I can truly inform you what truly lingered within the lives and the hearts of those males. One of many issues that they stated that was the very first thing that was truly talked about after I raised the query is that we are able to belief the windfall of God. I assumed that was an excellent takeaway, that God, from earlier than the muse of the world, set the plan of redemption into movement (that will get to that unstoppable level), and we are able to belief the windfall of God. He has stated it. He has proven himself devoted. He has fulfilled it in Christ. And it doesn’t matter what it’s that could be taking place earlier than our watching eyes, the attention of religion can belief the windfall of God, that he’ll unfold his plan. I assumed that was a beautiful factor. We, because the church, can relaxation within the energy of the Holy Spirit to perform that objective. That got here via so robust among the many males. They stated, “We all know that we are able to belief within the energy of the Holy Spirit to perform this finish, and that he’ll try this in and thru the work of the church.” And so these lingering classes had been kind of sitting there on the hearts of the boys. They’re saying, “Hey, we all know that while you have a look at the church, we’re weak. We’re going to be despised. The world is definitely going to have a look at us and say, ‘Hey, there’s not a lot to you.’ However the energy of the Holy Spirit truly dwells on the very heart of the church, and we are able to belief and relaxation in his energy alone.” One other factor that was talked about by the boys was that they really have a King on the throne in heaven, and although political rulers are going to return and go, cultural challenges and battles are going to continuously be earlier than us, however Jesus is rarely up for re-election. He’s all the time on the throne in heaven. And his kingdom by no means ends. It by no means ends. It’s unshakable. And that for the brothers, as we had been going via, understanding that actuality was giving to them a form of confidence of their religion, a steeliness within the witness that they’re referred to as to bear and to proclaim within the time through which we stay. We now have a King on the throne of heaven that we are able to continuously belief. One who’s interceding on our behalf, who is aware of and cares for us, who’s not distant, however is current with us via the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. One who is looking the pictures. One who holds king’s hearts in his arms and might flip them by the second. These guarantees simply actually rang true with the boys and actually lingered of their hearts. One remaining factor hits me as we’re speaking about it now. One of many brothers talked about simply how the Lord has determined to advance his kingship, to point out forth his energy (clearly via the Spirit), however to do it in extraordinary means. That basically struck the boys that it wasn’t a flashy factor. It wasn’t one thing good that we’ve give you or inventive or from our personal ingenuity, but it surely’s opening up our lips to declare what Jesus did. What we generally consult with as “the extraordinary technique of grace”—the phrase sacrament, prayer, fellowship. These are the implies that the Lord makes use of. Now, let me simply inform you that that doesn’t appear to be a lot, however the truth that the Lord has chosen these issues, even because the guide of Acts instructed us to show the world the other way up, is completely exceptional and really religion giving and bringing ballast to the souls of those brothers as they had been finding out the guide of Acts.

Nancy Guthrie
That’s terrific, Nate. Thanks for having this dialog with me, for participating with me as we each sought to organize to show via this guide. Thanks for entrusting to me to show our girls this guide. I’m wanting ahead to that this summer season.

Nate Shurden
It’s been a treasure. Thanks, Nancy.

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