For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. (23) Not only that, but we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. (24) For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? (25) But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. (26) Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession focus with groaning which cannot he uttered. (27) Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The letter to the Romans was written by the apostle Paul. In our verses today Paul writes of the believer’s journey from bondage of corruption to the glorious liberty of the children of God. The faithful are sons and daughters through faith in Christ Jesus – their spirit is redeemed now in faith but their bodies will be redeemed as well. Before this glory there is a period of suffering or a period of groaning as our outward body perishes. Groanings are the source of hope because they testify that the best is yet to be. When man fell his creation was cursed by God. All of human tragedy is part of groaning until Christ came to redeem us. Paul is saying creation not only groans in reference to the past and sin but now, in faith, a new birth and new creation is to be the result. So not only are there death pangs but birth pangs; human yearnings for deliverance from pains and sorrows of an obviously incomplete and imperfect existence. Groaning continues as long as we are here on earth.

Paul is talking about not the manner but the content of prayer. We are to pray that God’s will be done. Paul personifies creation groaning as it waits for the culmination for God’s people that will trigger the release from judgment to which all people have been subject since Adam and Eve sinned – but also God’s judgment on creation, not only the botanical world but the animal come under the curse. Violence, decay and death are part of the result of the curse. But the fact of suffering does not undermine that fact that God has a plan and He will accomplish this plan. God’s pledge is that He will complete the promise of salvation of the faithful.

I thought of C.S.Lewis (writing in Mere Christianity) when I read today’s verses: “Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to be making any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of – throwing out a new wing here, putting an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself. “

The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, (2) until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, (3) to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them and speaking of things pertaining to the kingdom of God. (4) And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, “which”, He said, “you have heard from Me, (5) for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (6) Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (7) And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. (8) But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (9) Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. (10) And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, (11) who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

The book of the Acts of the Apostles was written by Luke, physician, historian and the only Gentile author of the Bible. The first verses link Acts with the introduction of Luke’s gospel – he wanted to show the accounts were based on eyewitness testimony given by credible men in the face of strong opposition and even death. Luke also intended to explain how the gospel spread from Jerusalem to Rome; to both Jews and Gentiles with God’s purpose. Acts shows us the transition that lasted from the death of Jesus to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Acts records many miraculous signs with the main message centered on the resurrection of Christ Jesus from the dead. It authenticates Jesus as the Messiah and the offering of forgiveness of sin in His name. The apostles were given unusual miraculous powers authenticating them as witnesses of the Christ and His resurrection from the dead.

Luke speaks of instruction by Jesus between His resurrection and ascension by the resurrected man. For 40 days He instructed them for the months and years to follow, and then was taken up in His physical body. This is the teaching of the Word of God. This is the Christ, a real man, the mediator between God and man who gave Himself as ransom for all. And His intercession before His Heavenly Father makes our salvation a certainty. Before the Lord was taken up He gave commandments to the apostles He had chosen. He announces the great commission that they were to evangelize ALL nations – but first they must receive the power from the coming Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. These men, in the Spirit, laid the foundation of the church. They lived and died for the gospel. Christ’s work was to continue through His obedient church; the Great Commission men were merely the instruments of the Lord who was at work through them. Salvation is God at work – God who saves men when they cannot save themselves.

Christianity is a faith rooted in history. Christianity is God’s revelation of Himself in the person of Jesus Chrisr. God is at work in history through every Christian who has received the Holy Spirit at the moment of faith and walks in the Spirit.

Then Phillip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. (6) And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Phillip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. (7) For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. (8) And there was great joy in that city……..(14) Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, (15) who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. (16) For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (17) Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

The Book, Acts of the Apostles was written by Luke, writer of the gospel, historian and physician. Without Acts a significant historical gap would exist between the events of the gospel and the writing of the New Testament epistles. To understand our verses today we need to understand the history of Samaria which had been the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, which fell to the Assyrians in the eighth century B.C. They resettled many of the Jewish population and relocated Gentiles from other areas into the region resulting in a mix of Jews and Gentiles. This was anathema to the remaining kingdom of Judah. Jesus was of the tribe of Judah. Now, the gospel was soon to be sent to the Gentiles and Phillip (not the apostle but a newly appointed deacon of the church) went to Samaria and was the messenger and witness of God.

After the martyrdom of Stephen – another deacon – the first persecution of the church began. This was a continued rejection of Christ by the Jews and the faithful were scattered abroad and the message of the gospel went everywhere they went. Phillip want to Samaria where he proclaimed the good news of Christ Jesus and many believed. The clear teaching of Acts that all believers receive the Holy Spirit through faith at the moment of salvation was not true only in Samaria where the faithful had to be subject to the authority of the apostles. John and Peter were sent to confirm Phillips’s work – the apostles were commissioned by Christ as teachers to all nations – they laid hands on the believing Samaritans, signifying apostolic approval which was necessary because of the animosity between the two groups. The laying on of hands identified the church in Samaria with the work in Jerusalem.

Prayer precedes nearly every significant event in Acts. Acts presents flawed saints through whom a sovereign God worked. God wants to reach all people – there are cultural differences but the message doesn’t change. All have sinned and all need a Savior. The gospels recorded the end of the beginning of salvation through Christ Jesus and in Acts we are told beginning of the end of salvation history.

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. (2) Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “it is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. (3) Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; (4) but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word. “(5) And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Phillip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicholas, a proselyte from Antioch, (6) whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

The Book of Acts of the Apostles was written by Luke, gospel writer, physician and historian. Our verses today describe problem solving in the early Church – which had gone from the Church alone in the upper room to the Church in the world. The scene is being set for for the stoning of the first martyr, Stephen, and the scattering of the church. The point in our verses is for balance – if there are inward problems not solved, eventually these problems will result in discord. The early mission of the apostles was the task of taking the gospel to the world. The Hellenistic (Greek) Jewish Christians – those who lived outside of Palestine – felt their widows and orphans were being neglected. The solution of the 12 was to have the church pick men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom to serve while they continued their true work of prayer and ministry.

The apostles met about the problem and called together the whole congregation – they explained their philosophy of ministry, laid out guidelines, tasked the congregation to find seven qualified men as remedy. They recognized and implemented the division of labor on the basis of spiritual gifts. The apostolic spiritual leaders must maintain the focus on prayer and the ministry of God’s Word and the newly appointed (similar to today’s deacons) j leaders at every level must be spiritually qualified and full of the Spirit. This process was a blend between apostolic direction and congregational participation.

The apostles put prayer first – there is no effectual ministry unless preceded by prayer which is the expression of dependence on God. Seven men were chosen; all their names are Greek indicating they were from the dissident group. The laying on of hands is first mentioned here in the New Testament. This goes back to Leviticus where it meant identification of the Israelites with the offering itself. The apostles identified themselves and the assembly with them in the work for which they had been chosen. The result was the work of God increased with great energy from the Spirit and the number of disciples increased greatly. They preached the time for sacrifice has passed away and the Law and ritual of the Temple was about to vanish.

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words…….(36) “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (37) Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (38) Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (39) For the promise is to you and your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” (40) And with many other words he testified and exhorted them saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” (41) Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

The book Acts of the Apostles was written by Luke, physician, historian, beloved of the apostle Paul. This book begins with the ascension of Christ Jesus and chronicles the spread of the gospel and the growth of the church in its first three decades. Our verses today record the speech of Peter on that first Pentecost Day – the same day as the Jews celebrated the Feast of Weeks which was the second of the three solemn feasts in the Jewish calendar. It occurred 50 days after Passover and required that it be celebrated in Jerusalem by able bodied Jewish men. In just 50 days after the crucifixion Peter and the disciples in Jerusalem had gone from frightened, bewildered people to bold and convinced – ALL of the disciples were implacable in their conviction -that Christ Jesus was/is the Messiah and Lord. On Pentecost day the promises of God to send the empowering and indwelling Holy Spirit were fulfilled. The church was born and the explosion of Christianity in that ancient world began.

Luke’s account tells us of phenomena of that Pentecost Day. There was a tremendous wind that drew a crowd in Jerusalem. There were “tongues” of fire over the heads of the disciples and the gift of tongues was evident. Peter went out to address the crowds who heard Peter in their many different native languages. Peter’s speech was to show the crowd just who Jesus Christ truly is – Lord and Messiah – and who they truly were – sinners in spiritual death who had rejected Christ. Peter’s first sermon set forth the life, death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. Peter also proclaims God’s promise that they will receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit – and this extended to those far off and far away; to the dispersed Jews, the Gentiles and their believing heirs. The crowd responded with conviction of sin – they repented and were baptized. Peter preached boldly, God worked inwardly and the church was launched.

The Spirit came on Pentecost Sunday in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. In this first apostolic speech Peter linked the prophecy of Joel to the coming of the Spirit – I love the haunting beautiful words of Joel 2: 28-29. “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. “