MAY 17th, 2026 PASTOR DON PIEPER
The Spirit In Action Luke 24:44-53/Acts 1:1-11
“ONE SIZZLING SEQUEL!”
Dr. Luke, traveling buddy of Jesus' disciple, Peter, and later of the apostle Paul, puts to pen the Bible's only sequel to a gospel, a book known as The Acts of the Apostles. As with most good sequels Luke's opening in Acts 1 serve as a transition from one book to the other. George Lucas did as much in his sequel to Star Wars, revisiting the scrolling text & John Williams' famous score, instantly connect-ing the sequel to the original. Peter Jackson began his sequel to The Lord of the Rings by revisiting an event from the first book, Gandolf's battle with Balrog instantly connecting his sequel with the original.
Young Dory opens the Sequel to Finding Nemo by telling us that she suffers from 'short term remembery loss', which echos her words from the first film in which she declares: “I have short-term memory loss. It runs in my family. At least I think it does.” I can relate – or can I....?
Long before these famous sequels, Luke began his sequel by revisiting book one, providing no less than six details to connect his sequel with the original. See if you can identify them all....:
“In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive...” (Acts 1:1-3)
Detail one: Luke's words, in my first book, make it clear that this is the second book, the sequel. Detail two: he addresses his book two to his friend, 'Theophilus', just as he did at the beginning of his gospel, making it clear that Luke is the author of both books and that Acts continues Jesus' story.
Detail three: Luke refers to the contents and purpose of his gospel, that tells of 'everything Jesus began to do and teach', echoing his gospel's intro: “so you, Theophilus, can be certain of everything you were taught.” Detail four: he describes Jesus' ascension to heaven just as he had at the close of his gospel, directly connecting the end of Luke with the beginning of Acts. Detail five: he refers to Jesus final instructions regarding the Holy Spirit, to “stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes” which again is found at the close of his gospel. Detail six: he refers to Jesus' death and resurrection which was the climax of his gospel and will be the primary message of Peter and Paul throughout Acts. (Luke 1:4, 49)
What's more, Luke 's sequel echoes Jesus' training of the 12 & the 72 from Luke 9 & 10. He reminds the apostles that they are being sent. “You will be my witnesses” he tells them. As the prophet Isaiah put it, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Acts 1:8 / Isaiah 52:7)
The prophet wasn't referring to the difference a good podiatrist can make. He was talking about the joy of sharing an exciting scoop, hot off the press – how good news is meant to be shared! As the recent pic on my door conveyed: 'The joy of the Lord is best experienced when shared with others!'
In Acts 1 we glimpse four sets of beautiful, supernatural footprints Jesus himself left behind. In no uncertain terms, Luke informs us, Jesus made himself known, in a personal way, to his followers: “During the forty days after his crucifixion, (Jesus) appeared to the apostles from time to time and proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive.” (Acts 1:3)
-2-
Jesus' apostles went out with the conviction of first-hand eye-witnesses of his resurrection. To see him from time to time validated their sense of commitment to his mission... But the proof Jesus offered his apostles was not that of more miracles. The gospel writers do not mention any healings, calming of storms or the casting out of demons in his resurrection appearances.
Instead, what we get, are stories of Jesus making himself known in the breaking of bread, in the catching of fish, in a discussion of scripture, in the sharing of a meal, in the gathering of friends – each one more ordinary then the next. In fact his appearances are so ordinary that Mary mistakes him for a gardener and Cleopas a fellow traveler! The way that Jesus appeared to the apostles from time to time and proved to them...in many ways that he was actually alive was primarily in moments of simple fellowship and friendship – in ways they'd come to know him personally, intimately, in the past.
Isn't it so today as well? The first set of foot prints of Jesus' walking alive among us is in the personal, intimate ways he connects with us thru the breaking of bread, discussion of scripture and in worship, together. Just last week one of you told me at the door how you got goose bumps during the service as you sensed God speaking to you. At the second Monday gathering of the Practicing the Way course one person told our small group how she was so filled with joy at the reunion of our small group that the feeling of excitement and delight lasted throughout the week. As we sang the words 'You have been so good for me!' I was overwhelmed with gratitude and the presence of the Holy Spirit!
These are the footprints of Jesus. He makes his presence known to us personally, in the simple, ordinary moments of connection and community. 'Wherever two or more gather in my name,' he promised, 'there will I be in their midst!' (Matthew 18:20) And so he is! So he is!
The second set of footprints comes in the form of Jesus' teaching. Luke tells us that “On these occasions (risen from the dead) he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3)
That is, Jesus continued teaching about what he spent his entire ministry teaching about – what it looks like when God reigns on earth as He does in heaven. Jesus' provocative parables depict in part-icular the timeless value and nature of God's Kingdom, in which he says the Kingdom is like a priceless pearl that is unexpectedly discovered, a buried treasure worth any investment, a wedding banquet you don't want to miss. He says in such a kingdom the lost are found, the dead are raised and those who bear much fruit are those who are connected to the source of life – like branches to a vivacious vine!
This is Jesus' footprint – his teachings and the personal way he set their hears ablaze, giving rise to goosebumps and stirring emotion, verifires that it is really him. That's why being in the Word, both in terms of personal devotions and small group study, is so vital for those who seek to know Jesus now.
It gives space and time in our busy lives for us to experience his resurrected footprints among us!
The third footprint is his pouring of of the Holy Spirit: “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you what he promised. Remember, I have told you about this before. John baptized with water but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:4-5)
Jesus says another footprint is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. As we're so filled he transforms us from mere believers into fired-up followers, reflecting his selfless love to a hurting world and to one another. Jesus tells them to wait and seek this gift, a gift that is unleashed as they're in prayer & praise together. Many of us have experienced that here on Sunday morning or at an Alpha retreat.... It's a gift by which Jesus shifts our faith from our head to our heart. More on that next week...
-3-
“When the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
(Acts 1:8)
That's the fourth footprint: proof that He lives as he fills his followers with the Holy Spirit and equips them with happy feet! Many of our Alpha guests come because someone they know was so full of the Holy Spirit that a) they couldn't help talking about it, b) their lives began to change for the better as result of it, or c) because Jesus' love for them began to overflow into the lives of those around them.
When the Spirit fills our cup to overflowing with Jesus' love it has a way of drawing others in.
It's like the Ghost of Christmas present, the huge, rotund, merry fellow who gets Scrooge to drink from the cup of human kindness. The more Scrooge drinks the more his heart is warmed and he begins to see people, specifically those he knows and uses for his own gain, in a new light – a Christ like light in which each person has value and is an opportunity to express God's grace and love to. Do you remember how the story ends? Scrooge, transformed by the Spirit of Christmas..., is filled with a love for mankind and a joy that makes him the true life of the party. That is, filled with the Spirit..., he hits the streets with a new sense of purpose – to share that joy and love with everyone...
In the end, Scrooge starts a kind of holy chain reaction as the streets of London begin to buzz with the joy of the Lord! So important is our being filled with the Holy Spirit to our being effective in sharing the good news that Jesus tells his disciples to stay in Jerusalem until they have been so filled. Why? Because in order to be effective the first thing that needs to happen is for our hearts to be changed – for us to see those who as yet do not know or walk in Christ as Christ himself sees them.
Having been so filled with the Holy Spirit the apostle Paul articulates this new way of seeing when he writes to his friends in Rome: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, 'How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news.'” (Romans 10:13-15)
Clearly, God intends for you, for us, to have happy feet. But such feet do not come to us easily or naturally, they come to us supernaturally. I recall an evening at Holden Village, the Christian retreat center, where Claudia and I met. I went on an evening walk onw night with some friends, which took us to a clearing on the side of the mountain above the village. Suddenly the night sky was a blaze in shimmering color! One youngster with us exlaimed, 'It's an alien attack!' , and took off running back to the village. The rest of us just stood there in wonder.
We were like the disciples at Jesus ascension, to whom the angels said: “(Hey you guys), why are you standing here staring into heaven?” (Acts 1:11) In other words, get moving! Go share what you've seen and heard and experienced. How ironic that the only people in Holden Village who heard about the northern lights that night and got a chance to experience them were those who were told by a breathless youngster, that we were under alien attack. Good news is meant to be shared.
Here's the thing. If there's one thing that this sizzling sequel of Luke's makes clear is that Jesus' story isn't finished yet. It's still ongoing! As Frodo Baggins tells his dear friend Sam at the end of the Lord of the Rings trilogy: “My dear Sam. You cannot always be torn in two. You will have to be one and whole for many years. You have so much to enjoy and to be and to do. Your part in the story will go on. As I said once of my book, there is room for a little more.” (Return of the King)
-4-
My friends, Jesus's story isn't finished yet! Not only does it go on in Luke's sizzling sequel, it goes on today as we add our little bit to it. And if it's to continue on further, we must in turn, pass it on, for good news is best experienced when it is shared. As Jesus told his disciples then, he tells them today: “You will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere...” (Acts 1:8)
One thing Jeesus is till up to baptizing his friends and followers with the Holy Spirit. What might he have in mind for us, for you, today? Care to catch a glimpse of a few of his footprints...?