Acts 1 - The Apostles Begin the Greatest Mission To All Mankind!

Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven

1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them 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. 4 On 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. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.” 6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But 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.”

We now move from Jesus' resurrection to the birth of the church.  The book of Acts is aptly titled, "The Acts of the Apostles".  Importantly the author becomes very evident in the first verses.  Luke the identifies himself again as the author as he says, "In my former book Theophilus, I began to wrote about what Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven." 

We know Luke accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey so much of his recollection comes through his close association with the apostle Paul on that journey.  In the verses above, Jesus was eating with the disciples post resurrection (possibly the story from John 21 as they are eating), where he gives them the final command to go to all nations with the gospel before he ascends to the Father in heaven.  Jesus tells them about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which would happen at the traditional festival of Pentecost, which stands for 50 days.  This feast was 50 days after the Passover feast, but going forward it would be 50 days from Easter Sunday.  This year it is two Sundays from tomorrow, May 20th!

As the disciples receive this promise, they wonder if it is the sign that God's kingdom is going to be restored once and for all. They are still thinking of it in a literal sense, despite the fact Jesus has been teaching them that His kingdom is from heaven.  Jesus teaches them that they will not know the dates of his final return to consummate the kingdom, but in the meantime the Holy Spirit will empower them to do what He had been doing. They will show the world what God's kingdom looks like on earth as it is in heaven.  How exciting?

So today we begin a new era in the history of the church in the book of Acts.  We like to say Pentecost is the birthday of the Church birthday because the church begins its mission Jesus gave it to reach all people with the Good News.  And guess what this is the same mission God has called us to accomplish!  Importantly, He has given us the same Holy Spirit to empower us to continue on the work that Jesus and the apostles started.  

As we journey through the book of Acts we are going to see the transformed lives of the apostles. They finally get it and we will see them minister in awesome and powerful ways.  So as you read through this amazing book, I we have been called to do these same "Acts" as the apostles started some 2,000 years ago.  A little intimidating I know, but can you think of anything else you would want to give your life to??