All that Jesus Began to Do
Acts 1:1-11
Read Acts 1:1-11
In verse 1 Luke speaks of the first book he wrote to Theophilus, this was the Gospel of Luke. In that book he wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach. Notice the word began. Now in the book of Acts Luke writes, about all that Jesus continued to do through His Church and His people." That's what the whole Book of Acts is all about...Completing the mission of Christ. That is what we want to talk about 1st.
1. Completing the Mission
Do not get this mixed up with the finished work of Christ, on the cross. He said it is finished when He died on the cross for the sins of the whole world. He finished the work of redemption. There is nothing to be added to it! Salvation is a finished work, but the mission of Christ to save the world is still going on!
The church and all the believers in it were commissioned by Jesus to complete his mission, in the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations … NIV.
Jesus made it very clear what His mission was in Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." NIV and that is the mission that He has passed on to the church and to all believers!
Many Christians today don’t understand their mission or the mission of the church. They don’t know what we are called to do and it hurts the church.
ILL. A reporter was interviewing people who were helping to build St. Paul's Cathedral in London. The architect was Sir Christopher Wren, a very famous architect. The London Times reporter was going along asking the various workmen what they were doing. He asked one man, "What are you doing?" And he says, "I'm putting this rock in this slot; isn't it obvious?" He came to a second man doing the very same thing, and he said, "What are you doing, sir?" He said, "I'm earning a day's wage." He came to a third man doing identically the same thing, and he said, "What are you doing, sir?" He said, "I'm helping Sir Christopher Wren build St. Paul's Cathedral." Which worker do you think was more excited, more motivated, and More faithful about what he was doing?
If someone asked you, “What you are doing with your life?” or “What is the purpose of your life?”, what would be your answer? Would you say I am trying to make a living, or I am trying to take care of my family, or I am trying to make enough money to retire, or I am trying to enjoy my retirement.
Or would your answer be, “I am helping the Lord Jesus Christ to finish the work that He began”. Wow! That is a purpose worth living for!
In Acts 20:24, we see that Paul understood his mission and the importance of that mission. He said, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.” NIV
Paul is says, "There is only one thing I'm concerned about. My life doesn't matter. All that mater is finishing my part of the mission of Christ," I'm not making great investments in my own welfare.
Completing the mission of Christ is what the church and every believer in it is to be focused on.
T. S. Now in order for us to Complete the mission of Christ, we must have Christ’s Power.
2. Power for the Mission
Read 1:1-8
In verse 8... Jesus says, “you will receive what? “Power when the Holy Spirit comes on you". Every believer is baptized with the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation.
In Romans 8:9, “if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” NIV
It’s a sobering thought to know that we have the responsibility to finish the work that Jesus began.
ILL. What if you lived in the day of Michelangelo and he had said to you, I have finished everything on this sculpture but the face. I want you to finish it." Would you be afraid you would mess it up? Wouldn’t it over whelming to try to finish what he had started?
Isn’t it even more overwhelming to think of finishing the mission of Christ! But Christ has not left you alone he has put His Spirit, the Holy Spirit inside of you, and He'll do it through you" if you'll yield to him.
He will give you the power to complete His Mission, the power to bring people to Christ, and the wisdom and guidance to build His church, if you will yield to the Spirit.
But there's something else Christ has given you.
3. Motivation for the mission
In Acts 1:9-11 the Lord Jesus gave us the motivation to complete His mission.
Read Acts 1:9-11
The angels had the audacity to ask the question, "Why do you stand here looking into the sky?” Where else would they be looking?
But what the angels are saying is, “Stop wasting time and get busy because Jesus is coming back!”
What is our motivation to complete the mission of Christ? Jesus is coming back. And if we're going to do anything, we're going to need to do it now!
A former Governor of Maryland, Governor Shafer, had a saying he used all the time, “Do it now”. He would say,” If there is something good you can do for people, “do it now” don’t wait.” I like that!
We don't need to know when Jesus is coming. It is better that we don’t.
Don't get hung up on the details like the believers did in verse 6 “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
What did Jesus say to them? “That is not your concern.” The mission is your concern. Acts 1:7 "It is not for you to know the times or dates…” Could he make it any clearer?
He can come any time. We just need to be busy completing the mission until He comes.
Jesus told this parable to describe what believers should do in light of his return.
Mark 13:34 It's like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch.
35 "Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back — whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. 36 If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'" NIV
What He means is, "Be ready, be alert, be busy completing the mission."
If you're like I am, you need to be motivated.
ILL. A great illustration of motivation, is in one of those "Our Gang" comedy. The gang spent all day building a goat cart and when they hooked up the goat, he wouldn't pull the cart. So Buckwheat got this brainy idea. He gets a big long pole, and hangs a carrot about a foot from the goat's nose...now that's motivation. The goat goes all around town pulling the cart trying to get the carrots.
In Revelation 22:12 Jesus said "Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.
Whatever I'm going to do Jesus, I need to do it now."
2 Corinthians 5:9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. 11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. NIV
Jesus is coming. And He's not only coming to reward the saints, but judge the ungodly. We don't know how much time we
have. It ought to motivate us to be about completing the mission of Christ.
Colossians 4:17 See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord." NIV
What is that work? To compete the mission To seek and to save what is lost.
Where does the power come from? The indwelling Holy Spirit.
What is our motivation? Jesus is coming back!
I Refuse Songwriters: Benjamin Glover; Joshua David Wilson
Sometimes I just want to close my eyes
And act like everyone's alright
When I know they're not
This world needs God
But it's easier to stand and watch
I could say a prayer and just move on
Like nothing's wrong
But I refuse
'Cause I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse
To sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
Oh, I could choose
Not to move but I refuse
I can hear the least of these
Crying out so desperately
And I know we are the hands and feet
Of You, oh God
So, if You say move
It's time for me to follow through
And do what I was made to do
Show them who You are
I refuse To stand and watch the weary and lost
Cry out for help
I refuse to turn my back
And try and act like all is well
I refuse to stay unchanged
To wait another day, to die to myself
I refuse to make one more excuse
'Cause I don't want to live like I don't care
I don't want to say another empty prayer
Oh, I refuse
To sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself
these lyrics are submitted by phanaj
these lyrics are last corrected by TXSweet
