Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Sunday, May 12, 2013 Read – Acts 1:12-14 We return today to the story Luke is telling us in the book of Acts. Following the ascension Luke tells us that the disciples returned to Jerusalem just as Jesus had told them to do. We learn that they have been staying in an upper room – likely in Luke’s mind the same upper room in which Jesus had celebrated Passover with them. They are still waiting for the power from on high to come upon them. Waiting is not easy for any of us. It probably was not easy for those first followers either. And what likely made it more uncomfortable was the fact that Jesus was no longer with them in his resurrected body. We have no reason to believe that Jesus was a constant presence during the 40 days, however, the way Luke tells the story his presence would have been often enough to provide assurance. And, Luke has told us that Jesus had been “speaking about the kingdom of God to them” while he “presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs” (Acts 1:3). One could only wish to have sat in on those conversations. Luke proceeds to list the followers of Jesus beginning with the “Twelve”. Previously in his gospel he had provided the same list – although the order is now slightly changed. Peter takes first place, followed now by John who will take a prominent place in the story in Acts. Of course Judas Iscariot is not listed since he had betrayed Jesus – we do not know his fate as of this point in Luke’s story. Luke tells us that they were constantly in prayer – we recall that prayer had been a feature of Luke’s story regarding Jesus. It is significant that Luke tells us that women were included in the group. Women had played a major role in Luke’s gospel as well. Finally Luke tells us that Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his brothers were also there. The place of prayer in the life of the early church is a constant feature of Luke’s story in the book of Acts. More will be said about that later – but at least at this point we can gather that Luke is encouraging the church of his day – and us – to prayer.