Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Tuesday, June 4, 2013 Read – Acts 5:12-16 Luke’s summary passage in our reading for today both helps to move the story along and challenges us as readers. Luke has been telling his readers of an expanding group of believers. So far all of those believers are Jews. It began with 120 who gathered in the days right after Jesus’ resurrection up to the time of his ascension (Acts 1:15). The group grew by about 3,000 on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was first poured out up the believers (Acts 2:41). It had grown to at least 5,000 by the time Peter and John had healed the lame man (Act 4:4). Luke has told his readers that “day by day the Lord added to their number” (Acts 2:47). In today’s reading Luke tells us “more than ever believers were added to the Lord, great numbers of both men and women” (Acts 4:14). This growth in numbers came about because of the “signs and wonders” that were done through the apostles. One of the themes that we noticed in Luke’s gospel is his insistence that his readers know that Jewish people did receive the Messiah, Jesus. They did welcome the visitation of God to his people. And that is the point Luke is making once again. Anyone who thinks that the Jews rejected the Messiah needs to think again! Christians are simply Jews who received the Messiah God sent – and they remain Jews. Christianity is an expression of Judaism! Luke will argue that Christianity is the true Judaism – not a new religion at all but the fulfilling of the old. It is important that Christians remember that. Christianity is Judaism! So far, so good – but now the story takes a turn that is hard to understand. In the story of the healing of the lame man Luke was very careful to make clear that these signs and wonders were not the work of human beings but of God. “You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk” (Acts 3:12)? Has Luke become just a little too exuberant in his description of Peter whose shadow seems now to have power to heal? Isn’t this simply a description of magic – not really connected with repentance and faith at all? Perhaps readers in Luke’s time were not troubled with questions like these – but we are. The truth is, of course, that this little issue really doesn’t matter much – it is just a curiosity for Luke’s readers of today to ponder. We can hear the greater message – the power of the Holy Spirit is expanding the church!