My family rented a movie recently that received a lot of hype when it released a few months ago. Having enjoyed a live version on stage, I was curious to see how it translated to the silver screen. From my comfortable spot on the couch, I was transported by talented actors and memorable music into a vivid fictional world. As the dramatic final scene closed, “To be continued” unfurled in large script across the screen, leaving me wanting more. The movie had ended, but the story was far from over.
Thankfully, with the Bible we don’t have to wait for the sequel to the amazing life of Jesus described in the gospels. Acts picks up where the four books leave off. Written by Luke, Acts opens with Jesus giving instructions and a final command to His disciples before ascending into heaven: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, NIV) Elizabeth Woodson explains in From Beginning to Forever, “For Jesus’s followers, the filling of the Holy Spirit marked a new season of ministry, when the King was dwelling with His people once again. And not only with them but in them!” (p. 153) In the book of Acts we see disciples of Jesus demonstrate power and authority as they heal people, cast out demons, confront false teachers, and preach the gospel. They also experience significant persecution that scatters them beyond Jerusalem. New leaders and teachers join their ranks, including a hateful Pharisee turned humble teacher named Paul. (If you’re unfamiliar with Acts, check out the series of posts I wrote by clicking here.)
Following Acts, the rest of the New Testament includes Pauline Epistles (letters written to believers by Paul) and General Epistles (letters written to believers by other authors). “Both sets provide believers with wisdom, encouragement, and theological truth meant to keep them aligned to the gospel.” (p. 157) Let’s consider a few key themes covered in the Epistles.
Pauline Epistles: Thirteen books of the New Testament claim Paul as their author: Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. “Paul taught on the kingship of Christ and reminded believers of what it takes to access Christ’s kingdom community. His teaching also helps believers understand how to live as citizens in the kingdom who are on mission for the King.” (p. 157) With his vast knowledge of Hebrew Scripture, Paul helps readers to understand the deep significance of Jesus and all that He fulfilled as the promised Messiah. It’s hard to narrow down the many important topics he addresses, but here are a few:
- Jesus as image of the invisible God who was present at creation (Colossians 1)
- Jesus as the servant who willingly humbled Himself by becoming a man and dying on the cross (Philippians 2)
- Jesus as the one who atoned for the sins of humankind and made it possible for fallen people to be reconciled to a holy God (Romans 8)
- Jesus as the One who made it possible for us to be righteous before God (2 Corinthians 5)
- Jesus as the head of the church (1 Corinthians 3, Ephesians 2)
Through his explanations, Paul urges believers to “follow the commands of God out of gratitude, not obligation…[to] live as transformed people who have been freed from the eternal penalty of sin!” (p. 160). Paul admonishes believers to see themselves as the building blocks of a holy temple and to walk in a manner worthy of their calling (Ephesians 2, 4 & 5). He spells out what it means to cast off our old selves and to put on our new selves (Colossians 3). “Paul’s letters guided believers to order every area of their lives to live worthy of the gospel (Phil. 1:27), setting our minds on the King (Col 3:2), bearing spiritual fruit (Col 1:10), and denying the desires of our flesh (Gal 5:24).” (p. 165) His letters show that when Christ rules our hearts and God’s Word dwells in our minds, our attitudes, words, and actions will align with His truth.
General Epistles: Written by several authors, all but one of these books bear their names: James (the brother of Jesus), 1 & 2 Peter (the Apostle Peter), 1,2,3 John (the Apostle John) and Jude (the brother of Jesus). The one exception is Hebrews, whose authorship is still subject to debate. These writings center on “life in the kingdom community as well, with a focus on what it means to live in allegiance to the King in the last days.” (p. 157) Understanding the tension of “living in-between the first and second comings of Jesus in a world desperate for the King to return…The authors of these books…provided the kingdom community with an overflow of wisdom to help us live well as we wait.” (p. 167) Here are a few of the many important topics they address:
- Remaining unwavering in our faith and pursuit of Jesus (Hebrews 10, 12)
- Enduring trials with joy as they build our faith, teach us perseverance, and lead us to maturity (James 1)
- Undergoing persecution with an eternal perspective (1 Peter 1)
- Living as holy and chosen people (1 Peter 2)
- Understanding the depth of God’s love and His greatness (1, 2, 3 John)
- Contending for our faith and internalizing truth so that we will not be deceived (Jude)
“The kingdom community dwells with the King, lives like the King, while executing the mission of the King. Who we are internally impacts the ministry we can do externally. Our ability to persevere on this side of eternity will be met with treasures in life everlasting.” (p. 171). The more we study His Word, the more we will understand God’s character, our identity, and the way to flourish in the present as we prepare for eternity.
We’ve covered a lot of ground in this post and are closing in on the final book of the Bible: Revelation. It ties together so many elements of Scripture, I can’t wait to hit the highlights with you in my next post (and to take a deeper dive in conjunction with Jen Wilkin’s Revelation study this spring.)
While overviews like this are helpful, true transformation happens when you open the Bible and let God reveal Himself to you directly. Every minute invested in studying Scripture is worth the effort. Consistent engagement is the key to spiritual growth– it’s the only part of your daily rhythm that will last all the way to eternity.
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Elizabeth Woodson, From Beginning to Forever: A Study of the Grand Narrative of Scripture, Lifeway Press, 2022.