When everybody loves you...

Read Acts 1 and 2 and you’ll read what I think I first heard Coleman Crocker (a.k.a. Cool Coleman Crocker as Van called him) refer to as “the hub of the Bible.”  It was that moment that all of history had waited - the reading of a Will written in Genesis 3, the birthday of the church of which Jesus is both head and savior (Ephesians 5:23). As you read you’ll read about the Kingdom of God, about proofs from “the law and the prophets” that Jesus is the Son of God.  The reaction: hearts cut to the quick in the conviction of sin (vs. 37), repentance, baptism (vss. 38-41), thousands added to the church (vs. 41), tremendous sharing (vss. 44-45) and, ahh - favor with all the people (vs. 47).  Fast forward from the first two chapters of Acts to the last chapter, chapter 28.   The church began with preaching of Jesus and His Way.  And now as this first of histories closes Paul “expounded and testified the Kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus” from both the Law and the prophets (vs. 23).  Just as in the beginning the message was the same. But notice a distinct difference. Here they speak of “this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against” (vs. 22).

Here’s the take away: Whether we are in favor (NCV “liked by all the people”) with everyone or “every where spoken against” - the Message is still Jesus, the Kingdom, proven by the Word! People’s reactions will vary, prevailing culture will change, and popularity will come and go - but the Message remains perpetual.