18 March - Acts 2

Today we’re reading Acts 2. Here are some thoughts:

1. This chapter starts off with some crazy sounding stuff; tongues on fire and speaking in different languages. 
2. Some people think they are all drunk but Peter gets up and says; “These men are not drunk . . . it’s only nine in the morning!” That’s a funny defense. Does that mean if they came back at 5 in the afternoon maybe they would be? Maybe they were tattooers? I’m sure not but it is funny. 
3. The thing to note about the whole speaking in different language thing is that they spoke in real languages that other people could understand.
4. Peter used the words of revered Jewish ancestors to explain how Jesus was God’s Son. 
5. In the end people asked, “What shall we do?” Peter’s response was, “Repent and be baptized . . . for the forgiveness of your sins.” And 3,000 people were baptized that day.
6. Next we read that every one of them met daily and did life together.

So the start of this chapter is kinda crazy right? The Bible talks about God in three distinct ways; God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit. This does not mean there are three Gods. There is only one God but somehow God takes three different forms. Yes, this is very confusing but we can only assume it’s because he is God and we are not. This event was the first time the Holy Spirit was sent down by God to “fill” people. The Bible also talks about how when we choose to follow Jesus and get baptized that the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of us and is our “helper” to know how to live a life pleasing to God. Kind of weird? Yes I agree but it’s because God wants to be close to us and help us everyday in life.

Then at the end of the chapter we read how everyone sold what they had, gave to each other as they needed it, ate together, prayed together and met every day. Talk about doing life together! These people formed a real family and the result, “the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” 

Does this picture of community at the end of the chapter sound like church as you know it? It should. This is how Jesus wanted us to live. No, we aren’t asking you to sell everything but we are supposed to be doing life together. What are some ways you can think of to form community with others within our tattoo community this week?