A TRANSITION OF POWER
Part 2
Acts 1:1-3
(Antioch Baptist Church: Sunday morning – February 2nd, 2025)
Throughout my life I have witnessed seven transitions of power as one presidential administration handed over the responsibility of governing the United States to another. On May 6th, 2023, we witnessed the coronation of King Charles after the death of Queen Elizabeth. Many of us have seen the elections of numerous foreign presidents & prime ministers. In recent decades we have even seen dictators removed and replaced with more democratic forms of government.
The Bible records many instances when kings, emperors, and other national leaders fell and another rose to power. There are also many occasions where certain religious leaders were replaced by others. For example: God used Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness for many years. However, Moses would ultimately be replaced by Joshua and he was the one who led God’s people into the Promised Land. God chose Saul to be the first King of Israel but as a result of his sin and rebellion, he was eventually replaced by King David. The books of Kings & Chronicles record numerous transfers of power in Israel and Judah.
The opening verses of the Book of Acts record the most important transition of power in the history of the world. Before His ascension, Jesus promised His followers that they would be “endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49) This was a reference to the arrival of the Holy Spirit. Once they were filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus would use these ordinary men to do extraordinary things. That faithful group of followers would soon turn the world upside down in His name. Though Jesus would soon ascend to Heaven, His powerful work would continue through His Apostles and other faithful followers. This unparalleled work continues today and as Christians we are blessed to be used in the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom.
Advancing the Kingdom is not a work that we are able to accomplish on our own, but when we present ourselves as willing vessels, God can (and will) fill us with His Spirit and use us to do what otherwise would be impossible.
- Last week we began to examine this amazing transition and today I would like to pick up where we left off and conclude our study of “A Transition Of Power”.
What we know as The Book of Acts was originally a letter from Luke to a man named Theophilus. As he reviewed the life and works of Jesus Christ, Luke references His resurrection. He says that Jesus “presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days” (v3). It was important for Theophilus to know that after His suffering and death, Jesus rose from the grave and was seen by many witnesses.
The Disciples didn’t just see Jesus after He arose, He remained on earth for some forty days and He taught them about their mission and the Kingdom of God. Luke wrote about “all that Jesus began both to do and teach” (v1). During the time that Jesus spent with the Disciples after His resurrection He taught them many things, especially concerning their future ministry and the Kingdom of God. Jesus took this time to teach His men and to prepare them for the task at hand.
After providing Theophilus with an informative review of the life and ministry of Jesus, Luke goes on to share in intriguing preview of some things that Jesus said would take place after His ascension. This preview involved information concerning the coming Kingdom and the imminent arrival of the Holy Spirit.
- Let’s take some time and consider:
AN INTRIGUING PREVIEW
Quite often we see previews of soon-to-be-released movies or television shows. These brief clips are pieced together in an effort to create enough intrigue that consumers will be willing to spend their time and money at a movie theater or streaming online. Previews intentionally avoid giving away the entire plot, but they do provide enough highlights to pique one’s interest. Jesus provided His followers with much information concerning what was to come, but there were some things that they simply would not be able comprehend until they experienced it first-hand.
- Verse 3 shows us that the Apostles received:
A PREVIEW OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
v3 (Jesus was) speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
Throughout their time with Jesus, the Disciples had often asked Him about the establishment of His Kingdom. In fact, the Kingdom was on their minds and a topic of conversation just moments before Christ ascended. Verse 6 says that “when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"
During that forty-day period between the resurrection and ascension Jesus spoke to His Disciples about “the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” Throughout His earthly ministry Jesus had often taught His Disciples about the nature of His kingdom. He had used many parables to illustrate certain facts regarding the Kingdom and He spoke of it in great detail in some of His longer discourses.
The subject of God’s kingdom is prevalent throughout the Book of Acts. In the Gospels, Acts, & the Epistles the term “Kingdom of God” is a reference to the rule and reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. This Kingdom is one that is not “of this world”. As He was questioned by Pontius Pilate, Jesus said "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here." (John 18:36)
“This kingdom is not localized with borders or made up of particular people connected politically, culturally, or ethnically, but is established in the lives of men and women through the power of the gospel. It is a mustard-seed kingdom (Luke 13:18–19) that appeared insignificant at its beginning but will have an unimaginable ending.” (ESV Expository Commentary)
God’s Kingdom is unlike any other in the history of the world. The leader of this Kingdom was rejected at His birth and throughout His life. The people that should have received Him; despised, rejected and killed Him.
Jesus had offered Himself to the nation of Israel as King but they refused to accept Him. The Savior said in Matthew 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” Israel’s rejection of Christ is also seen in John 1:11, there John says that Jesus “came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.”
Instead of receiving their long-awaited King, the Jews instead chose a notable criminal and demanded that Jesus be crucified. However, the Book of Acts shows us that the King rose from the dead on the third day, ascended to Heaven, and took His place on His throne. Furthermore, He indwelt, equipped, and empowered His followers to go to the ends of the earth proclaiming the reality that there is a glorious opportunity to enter into the everlasting Kingdom of God!
Christ’s kingdom is made up of all who profess allegiance to Him. It is important to note that only those who have been (or will be) born again will be a part of this Kingdom. In John 3 Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God… “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Christ’s Kingdom is advanced by His loyal subjects; this process began with the Apostles and it continues with us! Our King has sent us forth as His ambassadors and we have the wonderful privilege of representing the King of the Ages! The Apostles and other faithful followers of Jesus took His message from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria, and on to the uttermost parts of the earth.
Likewise, we have the opportunity and the responsibility to take the message of the Kingdom throughout Oxford, Anniston, and Munford. We can (and should) have a Kingdom impact in Talladega, Cleburne, Calhoun, & St. Clair counties. God will even make a way for us to have an impact beyond the local areas; we can be used to advance the Kingdom in Alabama, throughout the southeast, all over the nation, & around the world!
This great work is possible, but not by our own power or strength. If we will present ourselves to God as willing vessels, God will fill us with His Spirit and use us to advance His Kingdom. That is exactly what would soon happen to the Lord’s Apostles.
- Jesus provided His followers with an intriguing preview concerning the Kingdom and He also gave them:
A PREVIEW CONCERNING THE ARRIVAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
v4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
Jesus commanded His followers to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the arrival of the Holy Spirit. I am fairly certain that this is not what those men wanted to hear. Jerusalem is where Jesus had faced much opposition, opposition that eventually led to His death. The Apostles were so closely associated with Him that they knew they were in great danger.
Regardless, Jesus instructed them to remain in this city of hatred, violence and persecution. The reason that they were to remain in Jerusalem is because that is where the Holy Spirit would descend. When He arrived, they would bear testimony to Israel’s rejection of the Son of God.
- It was there in Jerusalem that Peter would boldly stand and declare:
"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. (Acts 2:22-24)
In time, the Holy Spirit would descend just as Jesus had promised. When He arrived He would “reprove the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment”. This amazing event would take place in Jerusalem. The Disciples had recently abandoned Jesus and fled for fear of the Jews and for many days they hid in fear for their lives. But very soon those men would be bold and courageous witnesses of the Savior that they had previously denied and abandoned. This is where their ministry would begin; Jerusalem was where the Church would be born, and it all began with the arrival of the Holy Spirit of God.
A transition of power was on the horizon; Jesus would ascend to Heaven and the Holy Spirit would descend on the people of God in Jerusalem. Some ten days later the Holy Spirit arrived at Pentecost and the world has never been the same.
The truths that Luke shared with Theophilus back then are important to us today. Jesus did suffer, die, rise again and ascend. The Holy Spirit did arrive and He not only did an amazing work at Pentecost, He is still doing an amazing work in the hearts and lives of God’s people today.
The Kingdom of God is as important to us as it was to the Disciples. We are already part of Christ’s invisible Kingdom on earth, and we will remain part of His Kingdom throughout eternity. This is exciting information, but I must warn you, it is not exciting for everyone. For the only ones who can claim these promises are those who belong to Jesus. The only ones who are indwelt with the Holy Spirit of God are those who have been born again. The only ones who are part of God’s Kingdom are those who have repented and believed the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
This “Gospel” that I speak of is declared in these few verses; the Gospel is the Good News that proclaims that Jesus lived, died for our sins, and victoriously rose from the grave to live forevermore. If you have not surrendered to Him, I encourage you to repent and believe in Him for salvation today.
If you belong to Jesus you have ample reason to rejoice! You can rejoice in the reality that Jesus is alive! You can rejoice because you are indwelt with the Holy Spirit! You can rejoice because you are part of God’s everlasting Kingdom! Not only should you rejoice, you should be actively involved in advancing His Kingdom.
As Christians, the words of that old hymn should be our anthem; we should boldly proclaim:
Give the winds a mighty voice,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Let the nations now rejoice.
Jesus saves, Jesus saves;
Shout salvation full and free,
Highest hills and deepest caves,
This our song of victory,
Jesus saves, Jesus saves.
Jesus saves and those of us who belong to Him are privileged to have experienced “A Transition Of Power”.
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