GOD NEVER ACTS ALONE!
I dare you to find any evidence of God working autonomously. Creation? Nope. Aside from the fact that everything came through the Word and by the Spirit, God built partnership with his creation into the ongoing creation of everything from plants and animals to humans and culture. It’s just how he rolls.
Anytime God wants to do anything, he looks for a human partner. If he can’t find a human partner, he is willing to use plants and animals. (Think of Balaam’s donkey or Jonah’s fish and plant!) A friend created in his own image and likeness is always his first choice. When God couldn’t find a human to fully bear his image, he become one. The Divine Word became the human Son. Empowered by the Spirit and bearing the image of his Father, the Son of God began a new creation as the firstborn of humanity 2.0.
The Spittin’ Image
Then, when he ascended to the right hand of the Father, he poured out his Spirit on all flesh so the partnership of God and humanity could be complete. We can now enter into the family business as sons and daughters bearing the family resemblance and filled with the same animating energy that enabled Jesus to be and do what he was and did! That’s what we see in the Book of Acts.
The Acts of God
The Book of Acts is sometimes called “The Acts of the Apostles”. It could more accurately be titled “The Acts of the Holy Spirit through partnership with humans”. (But that title is probably too long.) As I was reading through the book this week, I noticed how the Christians in the book, whether apostles or other believers, did the same kinds of things as Jesus. The miracles, the exorcisms, the preaching and the getting themselves killed are all part of the “normal Christian life”.
Luke opens Acts by referring to his previous volume that was about everything Jesus BEGAN to do and teach until he was taken up into heaven. The clear implication is that this second volume is about what Jesus CONTINUED to do and teach. The Son of God is still at work by his Spirit through his people. Partnership with humans is still how he gets things done. He could do otherwise, but he won’t. So the only question is whether or not YOU will be one of his partners.