The Adventure of Church
Acts 1:1-11
© 2007 Eric Bain
NOTE: This sermon is available in audio format @ www.sanctuary-church.com
Big Idea - The journey of Church is an adventure into the known… unknown.
Open up your Bibles to the book of Acts.
• It’s the first book after the 4 Gospels
• It’s found on page ______
A little BACKGROUND:
The book of Acts was written by Luke.
• Now, we studied a good chunk of the book of Luke last fall
• And you may remember that the Gospel of Luke was actually written to a guy named Theophilus
• Luke wrote to Theophilus so that he could know for certain… that what he had been taught about Jesus was true.
• You may also remember, that Luke never actually knew Jesus, personally.
• Rather, Luke had to go about the process of investigating the facts… and interviewing the eye witnesses… so that Theophilus could trust what he wrote. And that’s why I think the Gospel of Luke is one of the best Gospels for us to read today.
o Cause none of us knew Jesus personally
o And we want to know the facts
o And so Luke can kind of be trusted as our own personal historian
Nonetheless, in the Gospel of Luke… Luke wrote about the story of Jesus…
o And it covered that story from before Jesus was actually born, until after...
o He died on the cross
o Rose again
o Presented himself to his followers… convincing them that he really was alive…
o And then he was taken up into heaven
… and that’s where the story left off.
But now, we’re reading Luke’s second book… The book of Acts
*** PRAY ***
ACTS 1:1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
So, as we begin this second book, it’s almost as if we’re watching the introduction… to the sequel of movie.
• Think… Indiana Jones…
• Or maybe think of the introduction to the next season of Jack Bauer (24)!
Either way, Luke let’s us know that once again, he’s writing to Theophilus. And we see that the story picks up pretty much where the previous story left off… only there’s a bit of overlap….
• But note this, he builds up some anticipation. And he does that by letting us know that what Jesus did during his life on earth… well, that was just the beginning!
In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and teach
o There’s a whole new adventure ahead.
o I mean, you thought that first story that climaxed with Jesus dieing on a cross… and then coming back to life… You thought that story was great! That was just the beginning!!!
o Because Jesus is alive and well…
• He’s still doing something!
But another interesting detail…
• Luke tells us… that it took a lot of convincing for Jesus to prove that he was alive!
o We forget… the disciples weren’t expecting Jesus to die (in the first place)!
o But then, when he did… There was no doubt that he was dead! I mean trust me, the Romans knew how to kill people!
o So you can imagine, when Jesus comes back to life… it took a lot of convincing for Jesus to demonstrate that it was really him… and that he was really alive!
And then the final thing that Luke tells us…
• Is that Jesus spent the next forty days… teaching his followers about the Kingdom of God
o Why did he do that? I mean, he had just got done spending roughly 3 years with these people… teaching them about the Kingdom of God… So, what’s the point of these forty days?
o Well, apparently, even though the Apostles had spent years with Jesus, there were some things that they just didn’t understand.
Let me read to you a portion from the very last chapter of the Gospel of Luke. Here Luke tells us about the first time that Jesus appeared to the Apostles…
LK 24:36 While the Apostles were standing around talking, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
LK 24:37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 Jesus said to them, "Why are you troubled?... Why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It’s me! Touch me!... A ghost doesn’t have flesh and bones."
LK 24:40 When he said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it… because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything to eat?" 42 Then they gave him a piece of fish, 43 and he ate it.
LK 24:44 Jesus then told them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."
LK 24:45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand.
You see, before this point… there were some things that they just didn’t understand. Oh, Jesus had told them… But they just didn’t get it. So, Luke tells us that Jesus took the next 40 days to make sure that they got it… To make sure they understood!
Well, what exactly did they need to know… what did they need to understand as they began to form this thing… we call church.
• That’s a great question for us… What did they need to know? Cause, maybe we need to know it to!
Well, let’s read the rest of today’s text…. picking up with verse 4…
AC 1:4 On one occasion, while Jesus was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
Ok… So, one thing they needed to understand, was something about the Holy Spirit. Let’s keep reading….
AC 1:6 So when they met together, they asked Jesus, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
Let’s pause again. This, as it turns out, is a question about the future of the Kingdom of God. So, that’s a 2nd thing they need to understand.
• They need to understand something about the future of the Kingdom of God.
AC 1:7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
This, I would suggest, alludes to the 3rd thing that they need to understand, and that’s… what’s their role in what’s going to happen next?
And then, finally, finishing up today’s text, we read…
AC 1:9 After he said this, Jesus was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
AC 1:10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go."
And that’s the conclusion of this section of the story. But, before we go on to talk about those three things that I mentioned, I want you to realize… that by Luke closing the text in this way – Jesus going off to heaven – he’s letting us know that events that we just read about took place over a 40 day period. In other words, what we just read isn’t one, solid, conversation… rather, it’s bits of conversations that took place over that 40 days… that are then pieced together.
And the reason I want you to know this, is because if you just read the text from beginning to end – without realizing what Luke is doing – it gets a little schizophrenic, if not confusing. And you might get all down on yourself, and that would be bad.
(DRINK)
So, here’s what I want to do…
• I want to go back and talk about the three things that the Apostles needed to understand as they began to form this thing… we call church.
• And remember, those three things are:
1. They need to understand their role in what’s going to happen next?
2. They need to understand something about the Holy Spirit?
3. And then they need to understand something about the future of the Kingdom of God?
And then as we go through this process, a common thread is going to emerge! Something that is very applicable to us today.
So, let’s take a look at these three things. The first is this…
1. What is their role in what’s going to happen next?
Well, to answer that, take a look at the second half of verse 8. There Jesus says to them…
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Well, Jerusalem is just a city (like Sacramento)… and Judea & Samaria make up a region (like the Pacific Southwest)… and the ends of the earth is just that… it’s the entire world!
In other words, Jesus says, you are going to be my representatives…
• I’m sending you!...
• You’re going to be me to other people.
• And you’re going to take my message to this city…
o and then to this region…
o and then eventually, to the entire world
• That’s your role!
• That’s what you need to understand!
So, think of this… What Jesus needs them to understand about their role… is really what we’ve been talking about for the last couple months… and that’s their calling!
Remember how I said that every Christian has a calling? And that calling is to…
• To go and make disciples! (to lead people to Christ)
o And how, once they are Christians, we’re to baptize them…
o And teach them so that they can grow in their maturity
Well, that’s what they didn’t understand, that they needed to understand… before they could be a church!
• They needed to understand their calling!
• Their mission…
• You see, they’re going to be the ones that are Jesus’ representatives…
o First in that city…
o Then next, in that region…
o Then eventually… in the entire world.
So really, they’re about to begin a journey… the journey of church…
• And the journey is going to be this adventure that will take them from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth!
• So, they know where they’re going…
• But get this… they have no idea… how they’ll get there.
• In other words, they really have no idea what’ll happen along the way.
Because…
BI - The journey of Church is an adventure into the known… unknown.
The same is true for Sanctuary!
• Each of us has a calling
• Together, as a body, we have talked about how our vision is to be the church for this city
• But how are we going to get there???
• What exactly will be the steps along the way???
• Where will this adventure take us???
The journey of Sanctuary is an adventure into the known… unknown!
Let’s take a look at the second thing that they need to understand? Cause, they need to understand something about the Holy Spirit.
Look back at verse 4…
4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
In other words, Jesus has told them…
• You have a calling!
• You’re going to be my representatives!
• You’re going to represent me to the ends of the earth!
• But for now… I want you to wait!
• Until you are baptized… with the Holy Spirit!
Baptism… to these guys, meant…
• A submersion…
• A cleansing…
• A drenching…
So what does it mean to be drenched with the Holy Spirit? (Exciting!... Scary!... Fun!)
• Well, they don’t know…
• But they do know that it’s going to happen…
So, again… what we’re seeing is that…
BI - The journey of Church is an adventure into the known… unknown. (Say it with me!)
Jesus says, in verse 8…
8 You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and then you will be my witnesses!"
In other words… the Holy Spirit is going to give them power!
• And this power is somehow related to their ability to live out their calling!
But what is that power going to look like?
• Well, they don’t know…
• But they do know that it’s going to happen…
BI - The journey of Church is an adventure into the known… unknown.
REVIEW:
• So before Jesus can leave… They need to understand their calling.
• Before Jesus can leave… They need to understand that the Holy Spirit is coming to give them Power to live out that calling.
• And the final thing that they need to understand… before Jesus leaves… is alluded to in verse 6…
AC 1:6 So when they met together, they asked Jesus, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
You see, they understood that Scripture (OT) pointed to a time when the Messiah would restore the Kingdom of God… to the People of God. But when is this going to happen?
Look at Jesus’ response…
AC 1:7 "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
In other words…
• You know it’s going to happen…
• But you don’t know when it’s going to happen…
• And, in fact, more than that… cause you know that I’m going to restore the Kingdom… but you have no idea of what Israel really looks like!
BI - The journey of Church is an adventure into the known… unknown.
And then what happens at the end of the story?
AC 1:9 After he said this, Jesus was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
Sssssssssttt! Jesus takes off into the sky!
It reminds me of a time when I was a kid and my brother was given one of those model rocket kits
• At first, we were only allowed to shoot it with my dad…
• But soon, we were released from that bondage
• Some my brother and I, along with some friends made out to the train tracks that passed by our house
• We didn’t have the correct size engine… so we put in one that was much bigger than recommended (that seems to be an ongoing story in my life)
• We launched it… Ssssssssstt! And it went up into the sky.
• So high, it actually went out of sight.
• We all just stood there staring
• Finally, someone said… Well, if it went up there… it must eventually come down.
Only in the case of the early Christians…
• They were standing there…. Staring into the sky…
• And BAMB!
• Two angels appear – you see, the adventure has begun!
And what do they say?
• Why are you standing there?
• Jesus is coming back!
• When?
BI - The journey of Church is an adventure into the known/unknown.
The early Christians were beginning an adventure!
• They knew where they were going…
• They knew what they were doing…
• But they had no idea of what would happen along the journey.
(Pause)
The truth is… We have been invited to join in on this adventure.
• Because a Church is a body of believers that is a part of this journey.
By the way… My brother found his rocket a few weeks later, about a mile from our home!
BI - The journey of Church is an adventure into the known/unknown.
© 2007 Eric Bain
