Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Monday, May 27, 2013 Read – Acts 4:23-31 The first ministry venture of the followers of Jesus was over. They had been moved beyond the doors and into the public sphere. And their witness, though it had unveiled the opposition, had been successful. The followers of Jesus respond with praise. Careful readers of Acts might wonder how they could have responded together in one voice all saying the same words. But to wonder about that is to miss the point about how Luke operates as a writer. Luke has likely summarized all the words of joy and praise by putting a speech in to the mouth of the group that is appropriate for the occasion. This is what ancient historians did – provide speeches that sum up the truth of what had happened. The core of the crowd’s speech comes from Psalm 2 – another of those Psalms that the followers of Jesus read with new eyes as they filtered it through their experience of the death and resurrection of Jesus. We’re going to look more closely at Psalm 2 tomorrow. Luke’s point is that the first ministry venture has brought joy and success. The witness is moving – still in Jerusalem – but that witness will soon reach out into Judea and to Samaria and eventually to the ends of the earth. As the scene closes Luke tells us that “the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31). Sounds like Pentecost all over again. The giving of the Spirit is not a one-time occurrence. The Spirit travels with the church and who knows when the Spirit will move?