Review of Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus

Mike Leake

When most people decide to begin a study of The Acts of the Apostles they typically do so to study issues of church government and practice, the work of the Holy Spirit (and all the side issues attached to that—speaking in tongues, baptism of the Spirit, etc.), or the missions of the early church.  Acts is typically thought of as the place to go to get answers to your questions about the Spirit or how to develop an ecclesiology for your church. 

Alan Thompson believes we may be trying to answer questions that Luke never intended to ask.  That is why he has written The Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus.  He believes that Luke’s major themes are often neglected by modern interpreters looking for answers to ecclesiology or issues of the Spirit that Luke is not as concerned with answering.  Thompson believes that the major thrust of Luke is “for his readers to see what God is doing in the narrative, how God is accomplishing his purposes and how we may embrace and identify with these purposes and so glorify the God of the biblical narrative” (22).  In other words Luke wants his audience to know that “God is continuing to accomplish his purposes even now through the reign of the Lord Jesus”. 

The book of Acts, according to Thompson, could better be titled, “the Acts of the Lord Jesus, through his people, by the Holy Spirit, for the accomplishment of God’s purposes”.  Acts then is about the continuing work of Jesus as He now reigns from heaven.  The resurrection of Jesus, then, is central to Acts.  Luke wants his readers to know that “the departure of the Lord Jesus does not mean the departure of the kingdom” (67) to this end his major concern is to show that Jesus is still acting from heaven. 

In six chapters Thompson makes his argument that “God is fulfilling his promises through the acts of…the risen and reigning Lord Jesus” (196).  He shows in chapter two how the resurrection of Jesus fulfills the hope of Israel and brings in the last days.  That Jesus is now administering the blessings of God is further evidenced by the kingdom coming to the Gentiles (chapter 3) through the fulfilled promise of the Father; namely, the gift of the Holy Spirit (chapter 4).  That the kingdom of Christ is now inaugurated means that the era of the old system has ended.  This means that the temple system (chapter 5) as well as the law are no longer in direct authority over God’s people (chapter 6), Jesus and his reign through his disciples is the new authority. 

My Take:

Thompson’s clear and cogent argument is something that every serious student of Acts will have to deal with.  Perhaps Thompson is restoring for us Luke’s original intention.  Perhaps we will no longer forcer Luke to answer questions that he does not intend to answer. 

What then does this mean for ecclesiological practices that are derived from Acts?  Are we reading Luke wrongly?  Not necessarily.  Thompson’s thesis serves to provide a framework for understanding the central theme of Acts.  One could just as easily argue that the risen Lord Jesus shows us in Acts how he desires to set up his kingdom.  Then we can still see Acts as a place to guide our ecclesiology.  But we are still left with a fundamental question of whether Acts is meant to be descriptive or prescriptive.  Regardless of your take Thompson would have us see that in the church today as it was then the risen Lord Jesus is still reigning and is still fulfilling the promises of God. 

Should You Buy It?

Any serious student of Acts is going to need to interact with Thompson’s argument.  As D.A. Carson notes in his endorsement of the book, “the strength of Dr. Thompson’s book is that it uncovers the main theological emphases of the book of Acts on the book’s own terms”.  I agree.  And because of this if one wants to be a faithful expositor of Acts then one will need to be introduced (or reminded) of these central themes otherwise the exposition may not be faithful to Luke’s original intent. 

The book is a pretty easy read, though maybe a little academic at times.  Any though that are willing to tackle such a difficult preaching assignment as Acts should at least familiarize themselves with this book. 

You can buy it here. 

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One another note I love this series.  I am trying to slowly get the entire series.  I have about 6 of the NSBT books and I frequently search through ebay in the hopes of finding bargain ones.  Familiarize yourself with this series.

People You’ve Maybe Never Heard of But Should: Anne Bradstreet

Mike Leake

Anne Bradstreet was born in 1612 of nonconformist stock.  Her father, Thomas Dudley, was a solider that had managed the affairs of the Earl of Lincoln.  Due to her families position Anne was a well-educated woman.  At the age of sixteen she married Simon Bradstreet.  Her husband (as well as her father) served as a governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.  Anne and her husband, along with Anne’s family, sailed for America in 1630 as a Puritan emigrants.  The Bradstreet and Dudley family were instrumental in founding Harvard.

Anne gave birth to eight children.  Throughout her life she would taken her family (often while pregnant) and move all around New England with her husband.  She died at the age of 60 in 1672. 

Why You Should Know Her:

Anne Bradstreet is actually New England’s first published poet.  In 1647 her brother-in-law, John Woodbridge, sailed to England carrying with him a manuscript of her poetry.  There is some discussion as to whether Anne knew it was to be published or not.  More than likely she had intentions of publication but had to carry a hint of surprise at its publication because during this time period women authoring books was quite controversial. 

Bradstreet was a friend of Anne Hutchinson but was less “liberal” in her views.  Using contemporary terms Bradstreet saw herself as a complementarian but was very much an early feminist.  Many believe that those around Bradstreet also believed that a godly and educated woman such as Anne could do such things as write and that would not necessarily contradict her other roles as a wife and a mother.  Few held this view at the time and Bradstreet faced much opposition during her life. 

Bradstreet’s poems are endearing and reflect much about the life of a Puritan woman.  They were probably not originally intended for publication so they almost serve as a diary and an autobiography of the life of a godly and intellectual Puritan wife and mother. 

Samples:

One of Bradstreet’s poems was written before the birth of one of her children.  In it one can see that those living in New England lived with constant reminders of their own mortality.  Here we see both the joys and fears of a new mother.  Even upon the joy of a child this pervasive death and toil is evident in her writing:

All things within this fading world hath end,
Adversity doth still our joys attend;
No ties so strong, no friends so dear and sweet,
But with death’s parting blow is sure to meet.
The sentence past is most irrevocable,
A common thing, yet oh, inevitable.
How soon, my Dear, death may my steps attend.
How soon’t may be thy lot to lose thy friend,
We both are ignorant, yet love bids me
These farewell lines to recommend to thee,
That when that knot’s untied that made us one,
I may seem thine, who in effect am none.
And if I see not half my days that’s due,
What nature would, God grant to yours and you;
The many faults that well you know
I have Let be interred in my oblivious grave;
If any worth or virtue were in me,
Let that live freshly in thy memory
And when thou feel’st no grief, as I no harms,
Yet love thy dead, who long lay in thine arms.
And when thy loss shall be repaid with gains
Look to my little babes, my dear remains.
And if thou love thyself, or loved’st me,
These O protect from step-dame’s injury.
And if chance to thine eyes shall bring this verse,
With some sad sighs honour my absent hearse;
And kiss this paper for thy love’s dear sake,
Who with salt tears this last farewell did take.

Further Reading:

Several of Bradstreet’s poems can be found here.
You can find a good amount of information on Bradstreet here.
Some may be interested in her interesting genealogical record.  (President Calvin Coolidge is a descendant of Bradstreet).
Also check out AnneBradstreet.com

Review of The Gospel as Center

Mike Leake

Commentary sets and compilation books are sometimes like a banana.  What I mean is that there are parts of them (certain volumes) that are amazing and exemplify what they were created to do.  But then there seem to be certain chapters or volumes that leave you scratching your head as to how the editor of the series let this one slide.  It’s a huge contrast between “tasty snack” and “vile, diseased flesh of the damned”. 

Because of this difficulty it is really difficult to review compilation books like The Gospel as Center.  Thankfully, for me, this book is no banana with vile diseased parts.  This is the rare banana that you pick off the tree and are simply able to enjoy the tasty snack without wondering what that horrible dark spot of death must represent. 

Summary:

The Gospel as Center is actually a compilation of 14 booklets produced by The Gospel Coalition.  The Gospel Coalition is “a fellowship of evangelical churches deeply committed to renewing our faith in the gospel of Christ and to reforming our ministry practices to conform fully to the Scriptures.”  These 14 booklets (this book) flesh out what that renewal and reformation looks like. 

The topics covered are: Gospel-Centered Ministry, Can We Know the Truth?, The Gospel and Scripture: How to Read the Bible, Creation, Sin and the Fall, The Plan, What Is the Gospel?, Christ’s Redemption, Justification, The Holy Spirit, The Kingdom of God, The Church: God’s New People, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, The Restoration of All Things.  Also included is an Appendix that includes all of the foundation documents of the Gospel Coalition. 

Contributors include (to name a few): D.A. Carson, Tim Keller, Bryan Chappell, Sandy Wilson, Kevin DeYoung, Thabiti Anyabwile, Ligon Duncan, Sam Storms, and more. 

Some of the sections are more theological and some more practical, all strive to be biblically faithful.  As is the case with any compilation book some chapters are written by those that are really good communicators and a few are written by those that say things truthfully but perhaps not as poetically as others.  Regardless, every chapter is a faithful exposition of the topic assigned.

My Take:

I especially enjoyed Storms’ treatement on The Restoration of All Things.  I have heard Storms before on this topic and he is always brilliant and engaging, this chapter is no exception.  I also enjoyed what was somewhat a dialogue between Anyabwile and Duncan on the practice of The Lord’s Supper and Baptism.  Duncan comes from a Presbyterian perspective and Anyabwile comes from a Baptist perspective.  Such an irenic discussion and chapter shows why the gospel really can be the center even in historically heated debates. 

One of the things that I have always enjoyed about The Gospel Coalition is its emphasis on the Gospel Story.  You see throughout this book that this narrative informs much of the material.  Those within this group always do a good job of showing how the gospel narrative has a bearing even on things such as science, philosophy, as well as the way the church comes together.  This book shows how the gospel shines a light into the muddied world in which we live in. 

Should You Buy It?

One of the questions that I was asking myself in reviewing this is whether one should buy the whole book or just the booklets that are superb.  If this book were a banana with vile parts but one that is mostly tasty I would suggest just buying the booklets.  But the truth is that all of these chapters are solid and helpful in their own regard. 

Who should buy this book?  One way that I think this book would be beneficial would be for a pastor to buy the book and then if possible a few booklets of each chapter.  That way he knows the booklets that he is giving away and then he also will be able to keep the book to still have the material when he gives it away.  But you do not need to be a pastor or a church leader to benefit from this book.  Any believer will find help in these chapters—some perhaps more than others. 

This book is no banana.  Buy the whole thing and enjoy.  You can get it from Amazon for a little over 10 bucks.  You really can’t beat that price.  Get it here.

From the Pen of Newton: Rock Stars and Heavenly Jewels

Mike Leake

Apparently celebrity pastors and rock star Christianity are not new to our culture.  Many even in John Newton’s day struggled with the assumption that more visible and mightily used men like George Whitefield must be more pleasing to God. 

The formula is simple. 

Whitefield is a pastor, Whitfield is a successful pastor, therefore, he must be a great man in the sight of God.  Frank is a shoe-shiner, though a good shoe-shiner and a humble man that loves Jesus, still he’s a shoe-shiner, therefore, he must not be quite as great a man in the sight of God as one like Whitefield.  To this notion Newton responds:

One man, like Mr. Whitefield, is raised up to preach the gospel with success through a considerable part of the earth.  Another is called to the humbler service of sweeping the streets, or cleaning the minister’s shoes.  Now, if the latter is thankful and content in his poor station,—if he can look without envy, yea, with much love on the man that is honored,—if he can rejoice in the good that is done, or pray for the success of those whom the Lord sends,—I see not why he may not be as great a man in the sight of God as he who is followed and admired by thousands. 

His point is that God has called George Whitefield to be George Whitefield and not Frank the shoe-shiner.  Frank is not judged because or seen as unfaithful because God has not called him to be George Whitefield.  Frank is judged as a “great man in the sight of God” by his attitude and response to the lot the Lord has given to him.  Perhaps American ingenuity and the mantra we feed our kids that “in America you can be anything you want to be” has even infiltrated our views of heaven, rewards, and gospel faithfulness. 

Newton continues by imagining a quest to find the “best Christian in the land”.  He says:

…it is more than two to one we should not find the person in a pulpit, or any public office of life.  Perhaps some old woman at her wheel, or some bed-rid person, hid from the knowledge of the world, in a mud-walled cottage, would strike our attention more than any of the doctors or reverends with whom we are acquainted. 

None of this is meant to demean the faithfulness of a Whitefield.  Instead it is to exalt Frank the shoe-shiner and the grace of God in his life.  His point is simple.  “Let us not measure men, much less ourselves, by gifts or services.  One grain of grace is worth abundance of gifts”.  What really matters is our heart and our response to the situations the sovereign Lord directs us into.  Newton brings this point home by looking at in from the view point of levels of sin:

The sin of nature is equal in all; and so I think would actual sin be likewise, but for the differences made by the restraining grace and providence of God.  He is not, perhaps, in the sight of God, the greatest sinner, who has committed the most notorious acts of sin in the sight of man.  We should not judge one wolf to be fiercer than another because he had opportunity of devouring more sheep.  Any other wolf would have done the same in the same circumstances.  (emphasis mine)

We are either righteous in Jesus and stand in a position to enjoy all of His lavish gifts or we are not.  So enough talk about comparing rock stars and heavenly jewels.  Love Jesus and be content with a happy pursuit of all that He is. 

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The above quotations are from Newton’s Letter to Joseph Symonds.  The whole thing is worth a read.  It’s letter 4 when you follow this link: Eighteen Letters to a Pastor.