To the Ends of the Earth, Part 1
Looking Ahead to 2024
Acts 1:1-11
Introduction
- Welcome to Seasons Church & 2024 sermon series, “To the Ends of the Earth”
-- On the heels of “The Alpha and Omega”, this is our next exploration
- Might ask, “Why Acts?” Keep this in mind throughout this series:
-- We’ve already unpacked the beginning of history in detail (Creation)
-- Looking ahead, we anticipate the coming & victory of Jesus (Revelation)
- However … in order to get to Revelation – we have to focus on the NOW
-- The “NOW”, is found in Acts – the things we must be doing as a church
-- It is the direction and calling of the church to GO into the world
- Probably self-evident but … the church must expand, no retirement available
-- The Gospel is given to bring people to Jesus, not to us or our pews
-- Universal fact: People need a Savior, and this is where the church must ACT
- Acts is the history (and encouragement) for us to understand
-- It is the birth of the church and the continuing mission for us all to follow
- Author: The book was written by Luke, a doctor – not an original disciple
-- He uses a lot of Greek medical terms in his writing, affirming his profession
-- More than likely, he was a close acquaintance of Paul (see this in Acts 16)
-- He was with Paul when he was arrested (Acts 20), and in prison (Acts 27)
-- Luke’s gospel (ref v1) also affirms his relationship to disciples (Peter dictated it)
-- We can date the writing of this around 62 A.D. – def. before fall of Jerusalem
- To: It was a personal letter written to Theophilus, who was a gentile convert
-- Theory: Theophilus was a wealthy & influential man in the city of Antioch
-- Theophilus means “loved by God,” but carries the idea of “friend of God”
- Purpose: to show how the church grew through the witness of believers
-- FACT: In under 35 yrs, the church went from Jerusalem to overtake Rome!
- Read Acts 1:1-11 / Pray
Point 1 – Jesus promises the Holy Spirit
- Understand this: Jesus’ ministry never “stopped” or “ended”
-- His ministry & direction is very simple: He is the only hope for mankind
-- Ref the Revelation study … He is coming again, so in Him we find hope/trust
- The Church must know this about Jesus’ ministry:
1. He taught until He was taken up (ascended back to Heaven)
2. He taught through the power of the Holy Spirit (about the kingdom of God)
3. He gave commandments to those He trusted & invested in (the disciples)
- Paul wrote one of my personal favs that emphasizes the ministry of Jesus
-- 2 Timothy 2:2, “You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.”
-- Basis for all ministry work is to teach others what you know … to disciple!
-- Acts is an encouragement to discipleship – something we’ll see in 2024
- Why? Jesus ministry on Earth was to proclaim the greatest promise ever given
-- It is a message of hope to believe that you and I will not walk alone (v4-5)
-- He calls them to understand this – they (& we) will receive a supernatural gift
- APP: God knew that we could not do in our fleshly power only
-- Consider: We couldn’t get through 2 chapters of Genesis without sinning …
-- He knew that we would need a Comforter, someone to encourage & correct us
-- Knowing this, the promise from Jesus was to give them (us) power to act
- But, in this promise, there is a command – a preparation to look forward (v4)
-- He says to not leave Jerusalem until God has given this gift to you
-- Look, sometimes you need to stand still until God tells you to move!
- The believer is called to wait in prayer, to stand prepared to receive
-- The command today is no different: pray, wait for direction, and then move!
- However, before anyone can receive the Holy Spirit they must hear about Him!
-- This is where the church steps in – we are carriers of the Spirit of God!
-- Within us is to ability to teach and lead others to Christ – to a Savior!
- It is in this truth that we find the how to carry out our goal for today
-- What is it? Matthew 28:19, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”
- TRUTH: Acts is not an easy book to study or preach through
-- It is not a “break from the Gospels”, nor is it a bunch of cherry-picked stories
-- Acts is the next steps, it’s what happened after Jesus told them to “GO”!
-- This is a godly view of how we should behave as followers of Christ
- My heart: I pray that we see this as Seasons Church’s purpose for the new year
-- People do not resolutions, they need Christ – they need to know the truth of God
-- It is with a heavy heart that I open this word to you, BUT in it we find hope:
• Hope for the survival of the Seasons
• Hope for the growth (spiritual and physical) of Seasons
• Hope for the expansion of the Gospel at Seasons and in Prattville
- TR: Personal question to consider right now: Are you with me?
Point 2 – Jesus’ Ascension and Instructions
- In v6, we get a real privilege – it is the final day of Jesus’ last day on Earth
-- It is the last time He will set foot here until He comes again in glory
-- And as this unfolds, we will see four different events that occur
1. Jesus promised the Kingdom
- Picture this: 500 disciples are standing in a remote spot with Jesus (v6)
-- And it is during this moment, that THE pivotal question is asked by someone
-- “Lord, is it today that you will set right all that is wrong in this world?”
- Don’t miss: Even after the resurrection, they are still thinking in earthly terms!
-- They are still focused on what man can do – and not what God will or has done
-- The disciples are still looking for a conquering hero to take back Israel
-- They are still eager to see the wrongs of the world set right – just like we are!
- The concern of the disciples tells us a lot about ourselves (we are also human)
-- But, throughout all of the teaching of Jesus He is clear – our concern cannot be:
• About position and impact, or about being in charge
• About authority and power, or about honor and award
• About money and possessions, or about any of the things of this world
- Jesus is very clear in His answer (v7) … it’s not for you to know when
-- God has the ability to set when those things happen – so don’t worry about it
-- APP: I wonder how many in that moment didn’t listen to the answer?
- See this: Our focus must be on what He has told us to do … not the future
-- Those things will all be taken care of in their own time – we are not in charge
- APP: So, if we are not in charge, then our focus or input is not required
-- Lots of people might disagree with this … but truly, this is what Jesus said!
-- GR: “ou hymon gnonai chronous” – not for you to know the times
2. Jesus assigned the believers a specific task
- The power we have is found in the Holy Spirit (v8)
-- It is a motivating power – it is authority – what the believer operates in
-- Why? Because it is given by God, it is what draws us to follow His instruction
- Our task will be to go tell people about God – about the promises of Him
-- The disciples (and us) were too focused on when Jesus will restore Kingdom
-- So, Jesus redirects their attention: Minister to the lost by being witnesses
-- GR: martus; witness (as in, an eyewitness) – same word as martyr
- Being a witness is not an option … it is the result of what is inside of you!
-- A genuine believer has this ability within them, they simply need to do it!
-- If you have received Christ, then you can witness!
- Our method of doing this is clearly given by Jesus
• Witness first where you are (Jerusalem), then move outward (Judea)
• Until the gospel has been proclaimed everywhere (Samaria)
-- Each of us is called to go as far as we can … to the ends of our ability
- Get this: (I love, Bro TJ) … this means you go, as far as you can … NOW
-- It does not mean that your witness stops at your front door! Break it down:
• Jerusalem: Where you are – your home, your community, your job
• Judea: Other communities, state, etc. – areas where you can share!
• Samaria: Other states, countries, etc. – to have a global impact
- We must be sacrificial in this – be willing to share what we have received
- We must be intentional in this – know before the good stuff there’s work for us
- BIG: What a difference evangelism would be if we just did what Jesus said to do
3. Jesus ascended into Heaven
- In v8, we see the very last words ever spoken to the disciples by Jesus
-- And in v9, He is taken up from their sight to His rightful place by the Father
-- What Jesus does is dramatize His departure – it’s for the disciples education!
-- Re: Prior to this, He was appearing at various locations, spontaneously
- This was to be a signal that He is no longer on the Earth – He is in Heaven
-- What we need to take away is the same: He is where God has placed Him
-- Seated at the right hand of the Father, with all authority placed upon Him
- Prophecy to come: Isaiah 9:7, “Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.”
- But, you see, something predictable happens … 500 people staring upwards!
-- So, God sends two messengers (angels) to declare the greatest news we need!
4. God gives us one more prophecy: Jesus will return!
- Even though He was taken away … He is not gone!
-- See, this is where they were forced to activate their memory – He told them!
-- He told them He would die; He told them He would go & would have authority!
-- The message of the angels is one of hope for then/today: He is coming again!
- It will be the same Jesus – the one they knew, they one they saw and loved
-- He will possess the same attitude, compassion, and love that they experienced
-- He will be the same who walked with them, and who will receive them
BIG IDEA
- What a message of hope and faith! They will see Him again one day
-- Their Lord and Savior, our Lord and Savior, will come again in the same way
-- See: You are not alone, you are not without hope, you are not forgotten
- If this were a lie, the angels would never have given them this encouragement!
-- So, why are you standing around doing nothing? Go and do what you should!
- John 14:2-3 gives us all the hope for the future we need, “There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? (rhetorical) When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”
-- God’s instructions are for them to be obedient – and they are ours as well
- Go and witness, go and tell, go and share, and one day we shall see Him as He is
- Acts is about the doing – the going – the sharing – and yes, the evangelizing
-- It is not an opportunity to get what you can from others; to take advantage of
-- It is also not a chance to hoard Christ & keep Him from those who need it
- Acts is a visual, historical representation of the church expanding
-- It is a purposefully instruction book of HOW & WHY we share the Gospel
-- If the church is to succeed in 2024, this must be our focus and our purpose
- Pray
