Week 21 (18 - 24 May): The Kingdom That Will Not Be Shaken

Last night, the young adults discussed Acts 11:19-30 as well as Acts 12.

Acts 11:19-30 spotlights the Antioch church, which was born through the scattering of the believers when Stephen was martyred. It was in Antioch that the church was called 'Christians'. Interestingly, this label was meant to be derogatory. It was meant to describe a people who appeared strange in their excessive devotion to the person of Jesus Christ. The name 'Christians' translated to something like 'those Christ people'. In other words, society observed the Antioch church, and concluded that those people were all about Christ. What would have led them to be defined in this way? Their whole defining identity was that they were centred on Jesus himself. They lived and talked like him. They talked about him everywhere they went. They were radically generous (as seen in how they gave to their brothers and sisters in Judea to support them during the famine, whom they probably have never met). They were a new kind of family formed around Jesus and grafted into the Kingdom of God; one that crossed social and ethnic boundaries as Jews and Gentiles worshipped together for the first time. If other people looked at our community today, would this be their conclusion of us? That we are 'Christ followers'?

The writer of Acts then shines the spotlight back to the Jerusalem church in Acts 12. While the church in Antioch appears to be flourishing, Acts 12 opens with James being put to death by the sword, and Peter being held in prison. It struck us as interesting that the church was 'earnestly praying' for Peter while he was in prison, and yet when Rhoda insisted that he was at the door, they did not believe her. Perhaps this was understandable, given that James had been executed, and that this was the night before Peter's trial. Hope was waning. Still, their prayers were heard by God, for Peter was indeed miraculously rescued from prison. Clearly, God is not controlled by a formula. There are no guaranteed outcomes for the same situation (in this case, James' and Peter's arrest), and anyway, our hope does not rest on the outcome. The true anchor for our hope is in the fact that whatever the outcome is, God is working all things out for His glory and our good.

Finally, in this chapter, there seems to be a clear contrast between what is earthly and what is eternal. Herod is described to be in earthly royal robes and sitting on his earthly throne (Acts 12:21). He also sought the approval and praises of man. Ultimately, he was struck dead and eaten by worms. From dust he came, to dust he returned.

Yet, the Word of God continued to flourish and spread (Acts 12:24). The True King is unstoppable in His plans and purposes. Earthly kingdoms rise and fall. Reputation fades. Power comes and goes. Even our lives are brief. But God's kingdom is eternal; it advances beyond every ruler, persecution and human failure. It continues through all generations. It makes me think about what I'm spending my time and energy on that will eventually count for nothing. What and whose Kingdom am I building?

May God Himself teach us to pursue that which will count for eternity. May we anchor our identity, hope and purposes in the only kingdom that will never be shaken. There are many things of this world that may appear important, but all earthly glory will fade one day. Only whatever is rooted in Christ and His kingdom will remain.