And Zone answer me this, if Jesus was merely talking to his 12 to go to the ends of the Earth, how come they didn't make it?
Cee....the Bible is very largely, an Historical record of The LORD's work for us, throughout time.
The Book of Acts is an historical account of real events, also the Lord's work, for us.
it is exactly like the Book of Exodus, in that it is a record first and foremost about what happened at that time.
we read about it, as it the Word is living and active, and, is alive for everyone quickened to underdstand it, from the 2nd century Christians to the 21st century Christians.
what happened at Pentecost was as much in the past for Christians in 5AD as it is for us today.
that does not in any way mean the Holy Spirit is not working today; that the Gospel is not accomplishing exactly, and i mean exactly - the very same miracle it accomplished when the 12 or the 70 or the 120 went out - SALVATION OF OUR SOULS unto eternal life.
but - what i find amazing....is that when it comes to certain things recorded - we insist this is what is normative today. and no matter that there is not only no Biblical warrant for doing so (any more than we would expect to travel to Mount Sinai and see the LORD there in thunderings and lightenings and quakes and fearful sounds) - why - why would we and do insist on inserting ourselves right smack dab into the narrative of the Book of Acts or the Letter to the Corinthians ONLY
the answer is not what many want to hear or consider. but sooner or later we have to.
or i would think we would want to. because not considering this has led to terrible terrible errors.
we know we were not standing there hearing the Sermon on the Mount, though we read it and Christ's words are as alive today through the Spirit as they were then....we do not dress in 1st century clothing or dwell in caves to be like Elijah.
though i know WHY so many people today say what they do, about themselves, or about their church, or about their works (it's because of certain seriously faulty foundational beliefs that are NEW)...i don't know how we can continue to do it after actually reading the historical accounts in their contexts.
those were very real people and very real events. they recorded it all for us, and the entire Bible is God-breathed containing everything we need from the salvation of our souls through the living word of the living Gospel - to our santification through the letters and the Law - admonishing us and changing and instructing us.
BUT: simple, simple reason and honest experience TELLS us that the things people experince or claim to experience today are NOT the same as what The Lord was doing at the foundation of the Church. He never intended that those signs continue!
He has always wanted His people to trust Him and have FAITH in what He has SAID and Promised.
we KNOW He is working. we believe what He said.
do we really? do we really believe the things we read in the Book of Acts? because if we do, we would never claim we oursleves are those Apostles! we would never dare to make the claim we are receiving direct revelation from God about His (NOW) fully revealed will concerning His eternal purpose!
He has already spoken. IT IS WRITTEN. that we may believe.
i don't understand the need to make these claims when everyone knows they just simply are not true.
NO ONE is visiting with Jesus. the Bible is CLEAR that
He is SEATED at God's right hand UNTIL He rises to return.
.....
i said all that to try to answer this question:
And Zone answer me this, if Jesus was merely talking to his 12 to go to the ends of the Earth, how come they didn't make it?
Romans 10:18
But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: "Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."
you should go and read the chapter yourself, to understand what is meant by that.
if you can, if you're willing to just see how Paul could say what he did, in the way he did....and understand it doesn't take away from the universal scope of the Lord's Work (for us), then we could talk much more, about what happened and what happens today.