The Journey: Following the Spirit through Acts (1)
Scott Bayles, pastor
Scripture: Acts 1:1-10
Blooming Grove Christian Church: 6/25/2017
Six months ago, we set out on a sixteen-week journey that took us through the deserts of Palestine, along the shores of Lake Galilee and the Jordan River, and into the cities of Nazareth, Bethlehem and Jerusalem as we followed in the footsteps of Jesus. We witnessed his miracles, listened to his teaching, felt the gentleness in his touch and the compassion in voice. Eventually, Jesus led the way to the cross, where he sacrificed himself to save the world and our journey ended on Easter Sunday at an empty tomb on the outskirts of Jerusalem.
My hope and prayer, for those of you who were here, is that journey enabled you to see Jesus a little more clearly, draw closer to him, and learn to live as he lived. But, you and I weren’t the only ones following Jesus. Each week there were others following Jesus as well. It was just a handful at first, but chapter by chapter Jesus’ popularity grew and his followers multiplied.
Folks like Peter, James, John and others committed their lives to following Jesus and their stories—their journey—continues in the book of Acts. Acts has it all—supernatural intervention, astounding miracles, powerful preaching, breathtaking escapes, harrowing voyages, life-and-death decisions, courtroom dramas, thrilling rescues, action, mystery, and adventure! Acts will grab your attention, trigger your imagination, and tug at your emotions. It’s a terrific story and a great read… and it’s all true.
So I want to invite you to join me for another journey, a ten-week trip through the book of Acts. As we read of the Holy Spirit, the gifts, persecution and power, Paul’s dramatic conversion, and the rapid spread of the gospel beyond Jerusalem and Judea to the ends of the earth, I want to encourage you to look for yourself in these stories. Ask God to transform you into the kind of person he can use to change your world and make their journey, your journey.
Are you ready to get started?
If you’ve got a Bible or an app on your phone, open it to Acts 1. Acts picks up right where the gospels leave off. Jesus has conquered death and risen from the grave. He’s preparing to return to his rightful place in heaven at this Father’s side, but before he leaves, he gives his followers some tools and resources to help them continue on their spiritual journey.
First, Jesus gave his followers proof.
• PROOF
Luke, our tour guide on this journey, wrote the book of Acts to Theophilus—a high ranking Roman official and new believer. Earlier, he wrote the Gospel of Luke and addressed it to the same person. So he begins this volume, writing, “In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven…” (Acts 1:1-2 NLT).
He then adds, “During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive.” (Acts 1:3 NLT).
The resurrection of Jesus is the central issue of Christianity and Luke recognized that. If Jesus never really rose from the grave, then Christianity amounts to nothing more than myths and legends. There’s no point in following a murdered Messiah… unless, of course, he rose from the dead. If Jesus really did die and come back to life, it validates everything he ever said or did.
Jesus proved beyond reasonable doubt that really was alive again after his death and burial. First, Jesus appeared to Mary and the other women at the tomb. Then he appeared to the Twelve behind locked doors. Then he appeared to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. The following Sunday, he appeared to Thomas and invited him to touch his wounds. He appeared to Peter and John while they were fishing and even cooked breakfast for them. At some point, he appeared to his brother James. And, finally, he appeared to more than 500 people at his ascension.
This proof gave their voices strength, their hearts courage, and their feet wings! The apostles believed not in a dead Savior, but in a living Redeemer. Unfortunately, you and I weren’t at the tomb that first Easter morning. We didn’t walk the road to Emmaus or see the scars on his hands with our own eyes. So, the question for us is—has Jesus given us any proof too? I think the answer is a resounding yes!
But rather than walk you through it myself, I want to play a short video for you that will probably make it stick a little better.
PLAY VIDEO: Apologetics – Jesus’ Resurrection
It is said that an argument is what convinces reasonable people and a proof is what it takes to convince even an unreasonable person. Thankfully, Jesus has given us the proof we need to bolster our beliefs and fortify our faith.
Of course, proof isn’t the only thing Jesus’ followers would need for their journey. Furthermore, Jesus gave his followers power!
• POWER
As Luke continues, he records the words of Jesus to his disciples. He tells them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you” (Acts 1:4-5, 8 NLT).
This is why we spent four weeks talking about the who the Holy Spirit is and what he’s anxious to do in our lives. The Holy Spirit plays a significant role in the lives of Jesus’ followers and in the book of Acts in particular. Acts is short for The Acts of the Apostles, that’s the full title of this book. But it could have just as easily been named The Acts of the Holy Spirit because from this point forward these disciples didn’t have a physical Jesus to follow; rather, they were exhorted, encouraged and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus promised that his followers would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them and that promise is fulfilled in the very next chapter. The Bible says, “all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:1-4 NLT).
As I said before, the Jerusalem church wasn’t an impressive bunch. They were net casters and tax collectors. A former streetwalker and a converted revolutionary or two. They had no clout with Caesar, no friends at the temple headquarters. But now they had the power of the Holy Spirit. And with that power, they changed the world. The Holy Spirit gave them courage, confidence, and capability. And I’m not just talking about healing the sick or speaking in tongues. The Holy Spirit’s power isn’t limited to miracles or marvels.
Consider what it means to have the power of the living God within you. Pause and ponder this: the third member of the Godhead, the invisible, yet all-powerful representation of deity, is actually living inside your being. His limitless capabilities are resident within you because He indwells you. You think you can’t handle what life throws at you? You think you can’t stand firm or, when necessary, stand alone in your life? You think you can’t handle the lure of life’s temptations?
Many years ago, A.J. Gordon—a well known pastor from Boston—visited the World’s Fair in Chicago. One of the many exhibits featured a unique water mill. In the distance, Gordon saw a man robed in bright, gaudy Oriental clothes who appeared to be laboriously turning the crank of a pump and thereby making a mighty flow of water. Gordon was impressed with the man’s energy, his smooth motions, and his obvious physical condition. He pumped a tremendous amount of water. Drawing closer, however, Gordon was surprised that the man was made of wood. Instead of turning the crank and making the water flow, the flow of water was turning the crank and making him go.
That’s what happens when Christians are filled with the Holy Spirit. The flowing river of the Holy Spirit, channeled through our lives and lips keeps us going.
So first, Jesus gave his followers proof. Then he gave them power. Finally, Jesus gave his followers purpose.
• PUPOSE
Jesus’ final words to his disciples are recorded by Luke: “And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8 NLT).
Now that Jesus’ followers had the proof of the resurrection and the power of the Holy Spirit, they were equipped to fulfill their God’s purpose for them—to be witnesses, telling people everywhere about Jesus.
The same mission strategy outlined by Jesus remains the challenge to every generation: begin at Jerusalem (our hometown, among our own family and friends), then go to Judea and Samaria (the surrounding communities), and then to the remotest part of the earth—the whole world.
The term “witness” provides remarkable insight into the nature of the disciples’ task. A witness gives testimony based on what the witness knows, what he or she has seen—not hearsay, not rumor, not something someone else saw, but what he or she has personally heard, seen or experienced. The same is still true today.
Witnessing isn’t salesmanship. It isn’t urging people, pressing them, coercing them, overwhelming them, or guilting them. Witnessing is simply telling people what you know about Jesus. Witnessing is reporting good news. Paul Little in his book "How to Give Away Your Faith" defines witnessing, saying, “Witnessing is that deep-seated conviction that the greatest favor I can do for others is to introduce them to Jesus Christ.”
ILL. I’m reminded of a believer who owned a barber shop. He attended a class at his local church on outreach and evangelism and felt very convicted about sharing his faith. But at the same time he was very timid and anxious about the whole idea. The next morning in barber shop, he bowed and prayer, “Lord, give me the courage to be a witness to someone today.” Well, his shop stayed busy all day and one customer after another took a seat and engaged in idol chit chat, but the barber was just too nervous to talk about spiritual things. Every time he had an opening, he’d chicken out. He was so anxious, he worked himself into a sweat. Around 5:00, his last customer took a seat and requested a shave and a haircut. The barber applied shaving crème to the man face then turned toward the counter to pick up his razor. He paused for just a moment, thinking to himself, “This is your last chance, just say something!” Finally, the barber swung around sweat dripping off his forehead and razor in hand and blurted, “Are you prepared to die!?”
His presentation may need some work, but his heart was in the right place. The truth is—apart from Jesus none of us are prepared to die.
I heard a story about a guy who applied for a job as an usher at a movie theater. During the interview, the manager asked him, "What would you do if a fire breaks out?" The young guy answered, "Don’t worry about me. I can get out fine."
That’s exactly how many in today’s world respond to a lost and dying world around them. If you asked them "What would you do if Jesus came back tomorrow?" they would probably respond, "Oh, don’t worry about me. I’d be fine." It’s so easy to forget that you’re an usher—a witness! It isn’t enough just to get out yourself. You are responsible for helping others know the way.
Jesus wants us to see that the neighbor next door or the people sitting next to us on a plane or in a classroom are not interruptions to our schedule. They are there by divine appointment. Jesus wants us to see their needs, their loneliness, their longings, and he wants to give us the courage to reach out to them. That’s part of our purpose here on earth.
Conclusion:
In the next few verses, Luke tells us that Jesus rose into the sky and disappeared into a cloud, leaving his followers staring after him. As they were straining their eyes for another glimpse, suddenly two white-robed angels were standing there among them, and said, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has gone away to heaven, and some day, just as he went, he will return!”
Just like his early followers, we live with one eye on the clouds awaiting Jesus’ return, but until that day, we have the proof of his resurrection, we have the power of the Holy Spirit, and we have a purpose to fulfill.
Next week, we’ll continue our journey through the book of Acts.
Invitation:
In the meantime, maybe your faith has been a little flat lately. Maybe you’ve been living on your own power instead of relying on the Holy Spirit. Maybe, like our barber friend, you’ve got a desire to share your faith, but just don’t know how to go about. Or maybe, you’re on the outside looking in and you’re ready to take the first step in a life long journey of following Jesus. In any case, I’d like to help. You can talk to me after church, call me at home, or come forward now while we stand and sing.
