UNOH

Grace

To love and obey Jesus as Lord and help our neighbours to do this together.

Readings

• Acts 1:1-5
• Acts 1:6-11
• Acts 1:12-26

Reading deeper…

Jim Reiher, The Book of Acts: A Social Justice Commentary, Chapter 1

Devotion 1

Wait: Take time to sit in silence together, allowing space for God’s voice to be heard.

Read: Acts 1:1-5

• What strikes you in this passage?

Jim Reiher writes,

“It is curious that in the gospel of Luke the addressee is called ‘most excellent Theophilus’ whereas in Acts he is just called ‘Theophilus’. Why the change? Is he no longer ‘most excellent’? Why did Luke drop the fancy title in the second book?”1

Other commentators write that “most excellent”, found in the introduction to Luke’s gospel (Lk 1:3), “is the language of patronage.”2 In ancient times, rich benefactors would grant small favours and work opportunities to ‘clients’—those of nonelite class who typically struggled to survive, in return for compliance and political loyalty, increasing their honour and power. “They obligated or indebted nonelites with dependence and gratefulness. They reinforced the hierarchical structure of submission and dependency.”3

All along, Luke has critiqued these very social divisions with his vision of the rulers being “brought down” and lowly being “lifted up” (Lk 1:52). Has something like this happened in the life of the otherwise unknown figure, Theophilus?

Read: Matthew 23:1-12

Ask:

• How do these words of Jesus affect you?
• Is it possible that we have fallen into the snare of the world around us by copying their practices and traditions?
• How might we be a bit proud of our titles and achievements?

Share:

• Communion

Pray:

• Share in a time of prayer
• The Lord’s Prayer

1 Jim Reiher, The Book of Acts: A Social Justice Commentary. Dandenong: UNOH, 2014. 19.

2 Bruce Malina, & Richard Rohrbaugh, Social Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1992. Kindle loc.4726

3 Warren Carter, The Roman Empire and the New Testament: An Essential Guide. Nashville: Abingdon, 2006. 48.

Devotion 2

Wait: Take time to sit in the silence of repentance together, aware of our inadequacy and God’s grace.

Read: Acts 1:6-11

What stands out to you in this passage?

“Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6)

For centuries, Israelites had lived under foreign occupation. They may have returned from exile, but now they were like exiles in their own land, and they longed for a time when they would again rule over Israel. For a short time they achieved this by means of a violent revolt led by Judas Maccabees. It didn’t last, but they hoped that someone else might be able to lead them to overthrow the oppressive powers which for so long had held sway.

Perhaps Jesus did envisage that God’s reign was being restored. But it wasn’t just for Israel. And it might not come as they would expect. Rather, it would come as they became God’s witnesses (martyres). This word, martyres, is where we get the word martyr. I wonder what this says about how Jesus envisaged that the reign of God might come?

Ask:

• How have you seen God’s reign coming in your neighbourhood this week?
• How are you challenged to be a witness in your neighbourhood this week?

Share: Communion

Pray:

• Share in a time of prayer
• End with the Lord’s prayer

Devotion 3

Wait: Take time to sit in the silence of thanksgiving together, aware of God’s loving-kindness

Read: Acts 1:12-26

Acts 1 reminds us that before we make big decisions, we should talk to the people in our life who matter. Talk to wise people who know about life. Read the scripture and let it inspire you. Pray. Talk more. Reason together. At the end of all that you still won’t have certainty. You will almost never have 1000% certainty. If you had that, you would not need to live by faith. You would never need to step out and pray and trust and go on what seems to be God’s direction.4

Going Deeper

Read: Romans 12:1-2

Ask:

• How important is it to ‘know the will of God’ in all things?
• Are there things we can take from this passage in regard to discerning God’s will, or making big decisions?

Share: Communion

Pray:

• Share in a time of prayer
• Finish with The Lord’s Prayer

4 Jim Reiher, The Book of Acts: A Social Justice Commentary. Dandenong: UNOH, 2014. 25.