Acts: The End Times | Josh Harrison
It’s always a little jarring to remember that the church we inhabit today is the direct descendant of a small group of Jesus-followers huddled together in Jerusalem two thousand years ago. The longer I sit with this truth, the more I find myself pondering not only the genealogy of my faith, but the profound beliefs that animated those early Christians. This week’s sermon in our series through the book of Acts invites us into that story—a story that, according to Josh, didn’t just take place long ago, but continues to reverberate through our present moment.
The Body of Christ in the World
The first thing Josh reminded us is that the early church believed themselves to be the very body of Christ, not merely in metaphor, but as a lived reality. Paul’s language—“I no longer live, but Christ lives in me”—was for them a material truth. Their lives, their decisions, their relationships were to be animated as Jesus would, if he were living in their skin, with their families, jobs, and struggles (04:02). And this belief wasn’t aspirational alone; it was enabled by the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead empowers us to live his life in our bodies, bearing witness to his kingdom in real time and space (06:18).
Public Faith, Prophetic Practice
Something remarkable happened at Pentecost: what was private became public, what was hidden spilled into the streets (10:03). The Spirit descended, and the church rose up, proclaiming the wonders of God in every tongue. Our rituals—baptism, prayer, worship—are meant to shine like a disco ball, scattering light into every corner of the world. Faith is not meant to be private or contained, but prophetic and transformative, bearing witness to what we have received (11:13).
Redefining the End Times
Too often, Christians equate the “end times” with catastrophe, upheaval, and impending doom (19:00). But Peter’s first sermon, as Josh pointed out, offers a radically different vision. For Peter, the end times are defined by two things: Jesus reigning as Lord, and the presence of the Spirit among us (21:18). The kingdom is not deferred to some future apocalypse—it is here and now. Every follower who bows the knee, every act of love and mercy, every healing and every hope, plants a flag for God’s kingdom on earth (25:33). We are living on the cusp of a new age, witnessing the fulfillment of every divine promise—yes and amen.
Mercy, Power, Purpose
The defining features of this new age, Peter said, are mercy, power, and purpose. In Jerusalem—the very city where Jesus had been crucified—Peter preached forgiveness even to his enemies, wrapping those who cried “Crucify him!” into the family of God (34:04). Mercy is the hallmark of the age; no grudge, no failure outweighs the grace of God.
Power follows mercy: the Spirit is poured out not just on heroes of faith, but on anyone who calls Jesus Lord (39:02). Every citizen of the kingdom is empowered to forgive, to love, to witness, and to bear fruit—love, joy, peace, and more. Our lives, if surrendered, can be defined not by ongoing struggle but by resurrection power.
And then, purpose: if you have been forgiven, go out and forgive. If you have received power, go out and share it. We are ambassadors of a kingdom that injects beauty and goodness into an ugly world. “Beauty will save the world,” Josh Harrison quoted—this is the work of the Church, standing on the threshold of God’s new creation (42:04).
Four Key Lessons
The Kingdom of God is Here and Now
The age of chaos and death has been overtaken by the resurrection of Jesus, and we are living in the reality of his reign.Mercy Defines the New Age
The Church is called to be a community of rebounders, offering forgiveness to those who have failed, rather than judgment or exclusion.The Power of the Spirit is Available to All
Every follower of Jesus is empowered to live his life, to bear his fruit, and to be transformed by the Spirit within.Every Citizen is an Ambassador
Our purpose is to share what we have received—mercy and power—and to be agents of beauty and transformation wherever we go.
These are the end times. Not a season of dread, but a time of hope, mercy, and transformation—if we would only live it, not just behind closed doors, but out in the world for all to see.
