The traditional season of Easter (“Christ is risen indeed!) is behind us; the accounts of the life of

Jesus in Mathew, Mark, Luke and John are wonderful to contemplate. But those four books end

abruptly; perhaps they were local biographies with no idea that a culture 2000 years later would be

reading them. But then what? No more story? What happened to the disciples? Where did that Saul-

Paul guy come from? Were there arguments in church, or fights?

Meanwhile, a fellow called Luke wrote to his friend Theophilus (just call him Ted) to fill in the

details of all that came next: Jesus-followers didn’t die out and disappear into oblivion. In fact, they got

stronger and bolder, spreading the good news about the love of God, the sacrifice of Jesus, and of a

brighter future. Some Bibles title this letter “The Acts of the Apostles” or just Acts for short.

Luke continued his history, with 27 chapters of thrills, tales, and supernatural occurrences. We

don’t know more about Theophilus, or when he got this letter, but obviously it was shared among the

groups of believers popping up all over Palestine, Asia, and Europe. Everybody wanted to know the rest

of the story. It’s all there: what happened to Judas, who replaced him, how the Jesus followers received

the Holy Spirit of God, how uneducated fishermen came to be powerful preachers and travelers, how

some people changed from persecutors to supporters, how the early church folks shared their property,

and how sometimes they even called each other out (in public!) when the leadership weren’t acting very

Jesus-y.

Acts tells that changes in weather, food availability/famine, or government persecution led

whole groups of believers to move far away to distant lands, taking the story of Jesus with them. Now

it’s our turn to do just what they did: tell the Good News, extend a welcome to all, invite everyone to

forgive and make amends, and finally to love one another. Meanwhile, the story continues.

Everyone is welcome at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church: Sunday service at 10 a.m. and coffee hour

afterwards.