When the Whole World Sings
A commercial jingle of the 1970s inspired a generation. Created as part of Coca Cola’s “The Real Thing” ad campaign, a British group called The New Seekers eventually sang it as a full-length song that climbed to the top of music charts around the world. But many will never forget the original television version sung by young people on a hilltop outside of Rome. Whimsical as it was, with visions of honeybees and fruit trees, we resonated with a songwriter’s desire to teach the world to sing with the heart and harmony of love.
The apostle John describes something like that idealized dream, only vastly greater. He envisioned a song sung by “every creature in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, and all that is in them” (Revelation 5:13). There’s nothing whimsical about this anthem. Nothing could be more realistic than the price paid by the One to whom this song is sung. Neither could there be anything more foreboding than the visions of war, death, and consequence that His sacrifice of love would have to overcome.
Yet this is what it took for the Lamb of God to bear our sin and defeat death. Yet this is what it took for the Lamb of God to bear our sin, overcome our fear of death, and teach all heaven and earth to sing—in perfect harmony.
The Sovereignty of God
Parallels of Peter and Paul. Peter is prominent in Acts 1–12; Paul in 13–28. This reflects the change in the makeup of the church from a primarily Jewish to a largely Gentile body. Peter, the fisherman from Galilee, was uniquely chosen to be God’s leading ambassador to the Jews. Paul, the highly educated Pharisee and Roman citizen, was chosen to be…
The Miracles of God in Acts
Some people say they don’t believe Christians should expect God to do the kind of miracles that are recorded in the book of Acts. Other people are continually talking about experiencing miracles of healing. The literature of faith healers abounds with amazing claims. Interestingly, Eve Simson, a university professor of sociology, made the following statement:
Over the years, while conducting…
The Young Adulthood of the Church
About the time that Paul made his decision to return to Jerusalem (c. AD 57), the growing church had reached young adulthood. God had led the church through a significant period of transitions. Believers had developed much strength and had matured in the face of persecution. The churches, however, had to function without Paul’s personal visits because he was arrested…
The Adolescence of the Church
Adolescence is that time in life between late childhood and young adulthood. It is a difficult period because it is a time of dramatic transition and change. Boys are becoming men and girls are becoming women. A new identity emerges, and with it come new roles and new expectations. In Acts 10–20 we see the church in her adolescence making…
The Childhood of the Church
The infant church in Jerusalem grew rapidly. The people who had come to know God through Christ were a joyful and united group. In the beginning they experienced little if any persecution. Ideal circumstances for an infant! Infancy, however, doesn’t last very long. And as the infant becomes a child, he inevitably experiences pain, disappointment, and discipline. These elements are…
The Birth of the Church
The book of Acts is the record of the ongoing life of Christ. The Son of God had died. He had been buried. But He had risen from the grave. He had appeared to His disciples—not once, not twice, but repeatedly. He had even taught them truths about His kingdom, although they wouldn’t understand some elements about it until later.…
A New Name
As God began doing something new, the way His people referred to themselves also began to change. They no longer saw themselves merely in terms of their national origins. Now, both Jew and Gentile locked arms and hearts in the form of a bold new coalition of believers in Jesus Christ. Before long they were known as “Christians.” They met…
A Well-Researched Record
In 1963, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, the public was barraged with rumors, gossip, hearsay, and opinions. So the Warren Commission was appointed to investigate and report its findings. They produced a well-researched written record that answered key questions, putting to rest many of the wild rumors that were floating around at the time.
Following a sensational event,…