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CloseRyan Sim - May 7, 2014
Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer Story
Today we’ll try to explore the transformation in the disciples who saw Jesus risen, then ascending, and were given a mission. They were told to wait for the Holy Spirit before they set out on that mission, though. United: Look at the list of names in yesterday’s reading. Some biological brothers are separated in the list, perhaps to indicate they are all part of one big brotherhood now. Peter is listed, who denied even knowing Jesus. The other disciples are there, even though they deserted Jesus as well. Their pioneer story – Jesus being raised from the dead – brought them back together. In other surprises, Judas is missing – he broke his relationship with Jesus, committed suicide, and hence his community link. But also, Jesus’ own brothers and mother are mentioned – the same brothers who doubted him and thought he was crazy during his ministry on earth. These people are all together now, in some kind of upper room – perhaps the upper room from the night before Jesus died, but we don’t know. Either way, they stay there together and are “with one accord” – they have one purpose. Prayer: They were devoting themselves to prayer. There’s an energy in how this is described. They’re actively preparing for something, something much larger than themselves, and they can’t do it alone. So they’re nurturing their relationship with God the father, who’ll be the source of their strength and courage. And that project is God’s. On Mission: As they stare up at the sky where Jesus left, the angels redirect them. Your job is to pay attention to the Earth, not the sky. Get out there, you have a story to tell. Common Story: All of this change comes from their common experience. Jesus, the pioneer’s teaching would be in their minds, and their experience of his ascension. For example, his brother James. James is specifically named as having had an encounter with the risen Jesus. Why else would he, as one of Jesus’ concerned brothers, realize his brother wasn’t throwing his life away but sacrificing it for James and every other human being? Jesus’ ascension into the clouds was not showing us heaven is “up there” in a physical sense in the clouds – he’s gone to be with his father in heaven, the dimension of life where the kingdom of heaven is already present in its fullness, simply because of God’s presence being there. Clouds aren’t a bad way to show that he’s gone from the disciples direct presence, they had no way to get up there! Someday the whole kingdom will “descend” and transform this world as well, as Jesus “descends”. Imagine the disciples’ anticipation. Telling the stories amongst themselves, realizing how it all fits together, and anticipating the next stage – the Holy Spirit of God is coming…to us! Question: Consider your group. Do you focus more heavily on unity, on prayer, on mission, or on the story? If you’ve not started a group yet, who can you start sharing these challenges with, in the pattern set by these pioneers?
More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio
From Series: "Pioneer Story"
We read through the Book of Acts as a Pioneer Story for the church.
More From "Pioneer Story"
Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer StoryMay 5, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer StoryMay 6, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer StoryMay 7, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer StoryMay 8, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer StoryMay 9, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer SpiritMay 12, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer SpiritMay 13, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer SpiritMay 14, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer SpiritMay 15, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer SpiritMay 16, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer PeopleMay 19, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer PeopleMay 20, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer PeopleMay 21, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer PeopleMay 22, 2014 |
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Friday - Act On It - Pioneer PeopleMay 23, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer PracticesMay 26, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer PracticesMay 27, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer PracticesMay 28, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer PracticesMay 29, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer PracticesMay 30, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer PreachingJune 2, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer PreachingJune 3, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer PreachingJune 4, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer PreachingJune 5, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer PreachingJune 6, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer PushbackJune 9, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer PushbackJune 10, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer PushbackJune 11, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer PushbackJune 12, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer PushbackJune 13, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer ProofJune 16, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer ProofJune 17, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer ProofJune 18, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer ProofJune 19, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer ProofJune 20, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer PrioritiesJune 23, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer PrioritiesJune 24, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer PrioritiesJune 25, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer PrioritiesJune 26, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer PrioritiesJune 27, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer PainJune 30, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer PainJuly 1, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer PainJuly 2, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer PainJuly 3, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer PainJuly 4, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer PlayersJuly 7, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer PlayersJuly 8, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer PlayersJuly 9, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer PlayersJuly 10, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer PlayersJuly 11, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer ProgressJuly 14, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer ProgressJuly 15, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer ProgressJuly 16, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer ProgressJuly 17, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer ProgressJuly 18, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer ProdigyJuly 21, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer ProdigyJuly 22, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer ProdigyJuly 23, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer ProdigyJuly 24, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer ProdigyJuly 25, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer PorkJuly 28, 2014 |
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Tuesday- Study It - Pioneer PorkJuly 29, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer PorkJuly 30, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer PorkJuly 31, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer PorkAugust 1, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneers And PagansAugust 4, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneers And PagansAugust 5, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneers And PagansAugust 6, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneers And PagansAugust 7, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneers and PagansAugust 8, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneers And PrerequisitesAugust 11, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneers And PrerequisitesAugust 12, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneers And PrerequisitesAugust 13, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneers And PrerequisitesAugust 14, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneers and PrerequisitesAugust 15, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneers and PoliticsAugust 18, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneers and PoliticsAugust 19, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneers and PoliticsAugust 20, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneers and PoliticsAugust 21, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneers and PoliticsAugust 22, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneers and PhilosophersAugust 25, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneers and PhilosophersAugust 26, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneers and PhilosophersAugust 27, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneers and PhilosophersAugust 28, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneers and PhilosophersAugust 29, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneers and ProfitSeptember 1, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneers and ProfitSeptember 2, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneers and ProfitSeptember 3, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneers and ProfitSeptember 4, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneers and ProfitSeptember 5, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneers and PowerSeptember 8, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneers and PowerSeptember 9, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneers and PowerSeptember 10, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneers and PowerSeptember 11, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneers and PowerSeptember 12, 2014 |
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Monday - A New Idea - Pioneer PotentialSeptember 15, 2014 |
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Tuesday - Study It - Pioneer PotentialSeptember 16, 2014 |
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Wednesday - Change It - Pioneer PotentialSeptember 17, 2014 |
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Thursday - Act On It - Pioneer PotentialSeptember 18, 2014 |
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Friday - Reflect - Pioneer PotentialSeptember 19, 2014 |
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