Bible Studies for Life By Jeffery M. Leonard, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Religion, Samford University
Unstoppable Love
Acts 2:41–47
Almost everyone has had that terrible experience when a friend (soon to be ex-friend) has accidentally given away the ending of a movie. When we know a movie’s ending, we feel robbed of the thrill of trying to figure things out for ourselves. We have a terrible time recovering the innocence and naiveté needed to enjoy the story as it unfolds one step at a time.
What is true for a spoiled movie ending also can be true for us as we read biblical texts. Because we know how the story ends, it is difficult for us to dread each step Abraham takes on his journey with Isaac to Moriah, to feel the pang of terror in his heart as Isaac asks, “Where is the lamb?” to turn away in horror when Abraham raises his knife to kill his son. Worse, knowing the endings ourselves, we often fail to remember that a story’s characters did not. We subtly imagine Abraham must have known he would not really have to kill his son, that Isaac must have known his father wasn’t really going to go through with the sacrifice. Robbed of a surprise ending ourselves, we go on to rob the story’s characters of the same surprise and thereby minimize both the suffering of the story’s beginning and the rejoicing of its end.
The same can be said for our understanding of the life and ministry of Jesus. Because we know so well the record of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, we often forget just how devastated the disciples were when their Master was brutally taken away from them. The disciples seem to have believed He would live as their teacher until He began to live as their king. They never imagined their Master could come to the terrible end He faced on the cross. Yet it is only from this valley of despair that we can fully appreciate the sense of joy and excitement that pervades the first few chapters of Acts. No longer dead but risen, no longer defeated but victorious, Jesus now energizes His Church with a power that surpasses anything they could have imagined just a few days before.
Unstoppable love meets
spiritual needs. (41–42)
As we reach the end of Acts 2, the unstoppable power of the Holy Spirit permeates every action of the early Christian community. At Pentecost, the few dozen followers of Jesus are joined by 3,000 new believers. Though hailing from various backgrounds, these believers remain unified as they devote themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to one another and to God Himself.
Unstoppable love meets
physical needs. (43–45)
The sense of joy and expectation in this early Christian community was so palpable that they naturally believed Jesus’ return would take place any day. In their exuberance, these Christians went so far as to sell their property and possessions to care for the needy among them. Perhaps they got ahead of themselves in so doing, but how can one fault their hearts in this moment? Seeing a need, they did whatever it took to help one another however they could.
Unstoppable love creates
opportunities to share. (46–47)
Acts 2 records the result of the early Church’s commitment to God and to one another as one of nearly endless opportunities to share God’s love with others. With joy in their hearts and deep commitment toward one another, these early Christians saw one soul after another accept the gospel message. Perhaps it has always been the case that wherever Christians have so thoroughly lived out the gospel, the spread of the gospel message could not be far behind.
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