Acts 1: 1 - 11
Undefeated
1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. 4 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.” 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
The MLB [Major League Baseball] and its fans have been re-energized by the current Cleveland Indians baseball team. At the time I was composing this study the team had won 22 games in a row. Wow! – 22 games without a defeat.
The professional baseball league plays during its regular season 162 games. The Cleveland Indians baseball team has won a total of 14% in a row and this is a great achievement. So far they have played 151 games with 94 wins. Not bad when you feel that they have won 62 % of their games. But still is this that great of an achievement? How about winning 100%? Yes, you know I am talking about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Everything He did He did successfully. Stop for a moment and think about this achievement – Everything He did was perfect. On earth His ministry was undefeated.
Our Magnificent Hero completed His mission on earth as the World Champion. He now Was entitled to the Victory parade which was not conducted on earth but in Heaven.
Today we are beginning a study of the book of Acts. It begins with our Lord going back to Heaven to receive the Glory due His Holy Name.
1 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. 4 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;
If you wanted to save some space in the arrangement of the books of the bible you could say that the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts could be listed as the Letter of Luke part 1 and 2. Please note Luke’s opening comment.’ The former account I made ‘This term meant the first of a series, or the first of two.
This part was dedicated to a guy – Theophilus. A question is why? The fact is that we really do not know who Theophilus was, which is why there are several different theories as to who he might be. The name “Theophilus” literally means “loved by God,” but carries the idea of “friend of God.” This has led some to believe that “Theophilus” is just a generic title that applies to all Christians. However, from the context of Luke and Acts, it seems clear that Luke is writing to a specific individual, even though his message is also intended for all Christians in all centuries.
It is important to note that Luke addresses him as “most excellent,” a title often used when referring to someone of honor or rank, such as a Roman official. Paul used the same term when addressing Felix which we see in chapter 23:26. Therefore, one of the most common theories is that Theophilus was possibly a Roman officer or high-ranking official in the Roman government.
Another possibility is that Theophilus was a wealthy and influential man in the city of Antioch. There are second-century references to a man named Theophilus who was “a great lord” and a leader in the city of Antioch during the time of Luke. Such a man would fit the description, as many scholars believe that Theophilus could have been a wealthy benefactor who supported Paul and Luke on their missionary journeys. That would account for Luke wanting to provide an orderly and detailed account of what had happened.
Yet another theory which I tend to accept is that he was the Roman lawyer who defended Paul during his trial in Rome. I believe that Luke’s purpose in writing The Gospel of Luke and Acts was to write a defense of Christianity, somewhat like a legal brief. Therefore we see that Luke’s writings were designed to defend Paul in court against charges of insurrection and, at the same time, to defend Christianity against the charge that it was an illegal, anti-Roman religion
Luke lets us know that our Lord Jesus appeared to His disciples over the space of forty days. The number 40 holds particular significance in the Bible and refers to a precise number, not just a long period of time. There are at least ten instances in the Old Testament and New Testament where 40 occurs, either in years or days, e.g. it rained for 40 days and 40 nights, Moses was on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights, the Israelites wandered 40 years, Jesus fasted in the wilderness for 40 days and was seen on the earth for 40 days after His crucifixion.
A 40-something time period, whether days, months, or years is a period of testing, trial, probation, or chastisement (but not judgment) and ends with a period of restoration, revival or renewal.
The importance of the Holy Spirit in what follows comes out here. The book commences with reference to ‘the promise of the Father’, which Luke then defines in terms of the Holy Spirit. Peter makes clear in chapter 2 verses 17-18 the promise of the Father was given in the Old Testament. It was given by Joel, ‘But this is that which has been spoken through the prophet Joel, “And it shall be in the last days, says God, I will pour forth of my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams, yes, and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days will I pour forth of My Spirit; and they shall prophesy.”
So the promise of the Father was promised in the Old Testament as to occur when God’s Kingly Rule began on earth. The point that Luke makes on Jerusalem to the exclusion of Galilee brings out that one of his main purposes is to emphasize that the good news of the Kingdom of God became established in both Jerusalem, the centre of the Jewish world, and Rome, the centre of the Gentile world drawing together both believing Jews and believing Gentiles as one. The dictum ‘Jew first, and then Gentile’ is one of his themes throughout the book of Acts, one which Paul himself confirms in his letter to the Romans chapter 1.16.
5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
The risen Lord Jesus now confirms the final fulfillment of all that John’s baptism pointed to in the pouring out of the Holy Spirit in terms of rain forecasted by the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel. These prophets had declared that in the final days the Spirit would be poured out like rain from above
The steady downpour is to become a cloudburst. And here our Lord Jesus declared that it would come ‘not many days from now’. The Holy Spirit had been constantly at work through the ministry of our Precious King Lord Jesus and now He would come in even greater measure. The implication from our Lord Jesus’ reference John the Baptist was that it was He, The Lord Jesus, Who would drench them in the Holy Spirit, as John had said.
The spiritual rain would come down on men’s lives, and through the seed of the word, would produce fruit in those who responded. From that would then flow their going out to take the message of Jesus, their Lord and Messiah, to others.
6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
Please note how they call Him ‘Lord.’ What a different view they had of Jesus now. He was no more ‘teacher’ or Rabbi’ or even ‘Master’. He was ‘Lord’.
We see here the thinking of the disciples. They still had a very physical view of the coming kingdom. We have seen this coming out in the request of John and James to take their seats on the right and left hand of our Lord Jesus in the coming kingdom. Now that He was risen they still seem to have held on to the view that our Great King Jesus was here to establish an earthly kingdom, ruled over by Him, presumably by force of arms, although now from His position of invulnerability as One Who had conquered death. They were seemingly ready and waiting to join with Him in this revolution. They had been waiting for His move all the time when He was on earth. They thought that perhaps it was now about to happen once the Spirit of the Lord had come on them as he had on Gideon and others of old in order to inspire them to successful warfare.
As He did with John and James, The Lord Jesus here simply deflected the question and refused to enter into discussion on the matter. He pointed out that His people must not allow themselves to be taken up with speculation about any coming earthly kingdom but must rather concentrate on the matter in hand, which was to act as His witnesses and make the world aware of Him and what He had accomplished through His cross and resurrection, making them aware that He was now both Lord and Christ. They must go out and proclaim that the Kingdom of God was already here, and that all must submit to it.
7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority
Our Lord Jesus’ reply is basically that they must leave the more distant future, and questioning how the Father will go about things, in the hands of God and not to continue to dwell on it. At this point in time that future was hidden. It had nothing to do with them. Father God alone had the right to decide such matters and they were outside human speculation.
This was not a time for waiting and speculating it was a time for acting and doing. The same command comes to us today. ‘Leave your speculating about the more future to one side, and get out and witness both with lip and life, until every person in every land has had fully presented to them the Gospel and has been given the opportunity to respond.’
I mentioned before that the court room in Heaven is in recess. Our Great Judge desires that no one should perish but that all should be saved. He is allowing us to share the Good News with people so they can avoid the White Throne Judgment.
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
What they are to spend their thoughts and concentration on is now outlined. The very purpose of the coming of the Holy Spirit is so that they might receive power to become His witnesses by both personal witness and godly living. Their witness was first to be in Jerusalem, and then ‘in Judaea and Samaria’, and then in the uttermost parts of the earth.
These words were an indication to them that they had no time for speculation, and that His coming could certainly not take place for a good long time (He had gone into a far country), during which time they must reach the whole world for Christ (even though they would think in terms of the Roman world. As He had previously informed them, His coming would not happen until Jerusalem had been destroyed. Meanwhile they must be active.
The idea behind the word ‘witness’ is that of being able to declare something experienced personally, to declare something experienced at first hand. In the first initial surge the witness in mind especially included those who had been eyewitnesses, both of Jesus’ earthly life and of His resurrection.
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
Once The Lord Jesus had given His commission and prepared them for the down pouring of the Holy Spirit He was taken up skyward until He was hidden in a cloud. From that time onward they would see Him no longer, except in special revelations. It was a climactic moment. It was the last time that they would see Him until they would meet Him in His glory. The event emphasized that He would no longer be physically with them in this world, but had gone to God. It was a reminder to them that any views of His raising an army and leading an earthly insurrection were completely and utterly without meaning. He was no longer ‘of the earth’.
Take note of the statement - ‘As they were looking, He was taken up.’ Here, in line with Elisha’s experience recorded in the book of 2 Kings chapter 2 was the final evidence that the disciples would receive the coming Spirit. As with Elisha the seeing of their Master being taken was evidence that they would partake of His Spirit.
2 And it came to pass, when the LORD was about to take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2 Then Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they went down to Bethel. 3 Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent!” 4 Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they came to Jericho. 5 Now the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?” So he answered, “Yes, I know; keep silent!” 6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So the two of them went on. 7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood facing them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground. 9 And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” 10 So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the LORD God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.
10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
The two men, who by their description as being ‘in white clothing’ are depicted as messengers (angels) sent from God. Our Great and Holy God had foreseen this reaction by His disciples and had arranged for two of His angels to break the shock of watching their Friend and Lord leave them. Just as we just read about Elisha’s reaction once he saw his mentor being taken from him to Heaven. When someone tears his clothing it is a act of deep morning. Yes, even though the disciples we sad in seeing our Lord leave our Lord promised that He would never leave them or us. So let’s get to work while it is still day light.
