Daily Bread 2010 - Acts 1
Daily Bread 2010
Acts 1
Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven
1In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
6So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
9After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Luke continues his two volume book with the Ascension of Jesus, which happened 40 days after His resurrection. Acts is the key book in the church because it describes the transition from Jesus ministry to the “Acts of the Apostles”. In this book, we will see the disciples doing the things Jesus did and promised the disciples they would do through the power of the Holy Spirit.
As Jesus promises the disciples the baptism of the Holy Spirit (filling, dwelling and covering of the HS), they wonder when this event is going to happen. Jesus reminds them that this is not under human control, but ordained by God. The promise given to them is that they will be his “witnesses” in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. (Meaning the movement will start locally and spread out in waves to the neighboring areas first near and then far!) The word “witness” comes from the Greek word which means, “martyr”. And indeed we will see that some of apostles became witnesseses/martyrs for the faith.
As Jesus promised the disciples His Holy Spirit, He also promises us His Holy Spirit. Every year we celebrate Pentecost on a Sunday after Easter. This year it falls on Sunday, May 23rd. As the early disciples/apostles needed the Holy Spirit to carry out the Great Commission, so we today need a fresh dose of the Spirit today. Just as God knew the disciples needed power to confront the powers of their age, we need it as much if not more today. When we move only in our own power we can do limited kingdom work at best, but with God’s power we can do all the things Jesus did.
Come Holy Spirit fill our hearts like you did the first disciples on the day of Pentecost. Help us to move and operate in Your power not our own, so we can bear fruit that will show ourselves to be your disciples. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Acts 1
Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven
1In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
6So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
9After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Luke continues his two volume book with the Ascension of Jesus, which happened 40 days after His resurrection. Acts is the key book in the church because it describes the transition from Jesus ministry to the “Acts of the Apostles”. In this book, we will see the disciples doing the things Jesus did and promised the disciples they would do through the power of the Holy Spirit.
As Jesus promises the disciples the baptism of the Holy Spirit (filling, dwelling and covering of the HS), they wonder when this event is going to happen. Jesus reminds them that this is not under human control, but ordained by God. The promise given to them is that they will be his “witnesses” in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. (Meaning the movement will start locally and spread out in waves to the neighboring areas first near and then far!) The word “witness” comes from the Greek word which means, “martyr”. And indeed we will see that some of apostles became witnesseses/martyrs for the faith.
As Jesus promised the disciples His Holy Spirit, He also promises us His Holy Spirit. Every year we celebrate Pentecost on a Sunday after Easter. This year it falls on Sunday, May 23rd. As the early disciples/apostles needed the Holy Spirit to carry out the Great Commission, so we today need a fresh dose of the Spirit today. Just as God knew the disciples needed power to confront the powers of their age, we need it as much if not more today. When we move only in our own power we can do limited kingdom work at best, but with God’s power we can do all the things Jesus did.
Come Holy Spirit fill our hearts like you did the first disciples on the day of Pentecost. Help us to move and operate in Your power not our own, so we can bear fruit that will show ourselves to be your disciples. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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