The Risen and Sending Savior
For Meditation (Corey Widmer)
Most people think of the book of Acts as the story of the early church. In the most straightforward sense, it is. But if we take seriously the way Luke prefaces his book in v.1, it would be more accurate to say that the book of Acts is the story of the risen and ascended Jesus' mission to the whole world, carried out through the Spirit-empowered church.
And that means it is a story that includes us.
In Acts 1, the disciples assume that they are at the "end" of the story — that the risen Messiah will now bring history to a close. But instead, Jesus tells them this is only the beginning. Rather than giving them a timeline, he gives them a calling: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) The risen Jesus does not simply complete God’s mission— he invites his people to participate in it.
This is what Easter is all about. Easter is not just a moment to celebrate; it is a movement to join. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now sends ordinary people into the world as witnesses to his life and love.
This is the story of Acts, and it is also the season we believe God is inviting us into as a church.
In the months ahead, we will be exploring what it means to be a community that is “growing small”: not primarily becoming bigger or more centralized, but becoming more sent— more rooted in relationships, more attentive to the Spirit, and more present in the everyday places where God is already at work.
As we gather this Sunday, we come not only to remember what Jesus has done, but to listen for where he is sending us.
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
As you think about Easter, do you tend to experience it more as a moment to celebrate or a movement to participate in? Why?
The disciples expected a clear plan and timeline from Jesus, but instead received a calling. Where in your life are you longing for clarity, and how might Jesus be inviting you into trust and participation instead?
Jesus says, “You will be my witnesses.” What does it mean to be a witness in your everyday life—not just in words, but in presence, relationships, and actions?
Where do you sense the Spirit might already be at work around you, in your neighborhood, workplace, or relationships? What would it look like to join in, even in a small way?
Our church is entering a season of “growing small.” What excites you about this vision? What feels challenging or uncertain?
Matthew 28:1–10, 16–20
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me…”
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”