Acts 1

Acts 1:1-11 – Jesus Prepares the Disciples

After Jesus resurrection and before He ascended to heaven He taught His disciples and prepared them for their work to come.  He offered many convincing proof that He was alive.  He talked with them instructing them through the Holy Spirit.  He appeared to them and others over a 40 day period.  (The number 40 is used several times in scripture - 40 days, 40 years, etc.)  He explained the scriptures to them and opened their minds so they could understand.  He told them not to leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift God promised - the Holy Spirit.  They would then be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (verse 5).  Then, when the Holy Spirit comes they are to be His witnesses in Jerusalem and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:1-4, Luke 24:25-27, 36-53)

Why did Jesus spend 40 days with the disciples?  The main reason was to tell them they should wait on the Holy Spirit to come to them.  Then the Holy Spirit would empower them to be witnesses throughout the world.  I also think He spent this time with them so there would be no doubt that He was resurrected just as He had promised He would do and so they would be eye witnesses that He was alive.  This grew their faith.

Before He ascended they had Jesus to teach and guide them, but since He would no longer be there with them physically they needed the Holy Spirit to be their guide.  By being “baptized with the Holy Spirit”, the Holy Spirit would be “in” them and they would remain connected to Him. 

How are you being prepared to do the work of Jesus?

The Holy Spirit is “with” us all – even non-believers.  He’s convicting non-believers of their sins and to believe in Christ.  The Holy Spirit is “in” you when you accept Jesus and become a believer.  Being “baptized with the Holy Spirit” happens only once – at the time of conversion.  Baptism is an outward sign that you totally identify with Christ.   As believers we still need to be continually and repeatedly “filled with the Holy Spirit” as we mature as Christians, as we allow God to be in control letting Him work in our lives, and as we listen and obey yielding to Him.  We need the power of the Holy Spirit to live holy lives.  We need the Spirit’s power for witnessing and speaking boldly and clearly to others about the gospel.

Verse 8 tells the disciples were to be Christ’s witnesses.  Every Christian is a witness.  The word “witness” occurs 39 times in Acts.  Since this is God’s command and we can’t escape being a witness.  We are all a witness of some sort.  The question is “what kind of witness” are you?

What difference does the Holy Spirit make in one’s life?  He comforts and strengthens us in difficult times.  He shows us how to pray.  He intercedes for us when we can’t seem to find the words to pray.  He guides us and gives us wisdom.  We are not controlled by the sinful nature anymore (Romans 8:9).  He gives us the His seal of ownership guarantying our eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22).  He also produces in us the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23.

It was necessary for Jesus to leave the apostles so the Holy Spirit could come and give them power and so they could be witnesses to the ends of the earth.  Jesus couldn’t be everywhere at the same time because He was limited in His physical body, but the Holy Spirit is not limited.

The apostles were ordinary men and were charged with an impossible task, but they were never asked to do it on their own and neither are we.  They were called just as we Christians are called. We have the Holy Spirit who empowers and encourages us.  We are sealed as His and He will never leave us.  Our God is unstoppable. 

Principles: 

God provides evidence for believing and serving Him.

When God gives a person a command, He always gives His power to perform it.

After Jesus command and promise to the apostles, He ascended into heaven.  He promised He would return in the same way.   An interesting fact is that the Lord’s return to earth is so important that one in every twenty verses in the New Testament refers directly to it.  Now the duty of all Christians is to look daily for Him to come and to live as we want Him to find us.

Acts 1:12-26 – Jesus Re-Establishes the 12 Apostles

Judas bought a field with the reward he received for betraying Jesus.  There he tried to hang himself, but apparently he failed and fell and was killed by the impact.  His body burst open and all his intestines spilled out.  The people called this field “field of blood”. 

Since Judas was no longer part of the ministry, they needed to replace him.  The disciples met together along with the women, Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers.  The first thing they did was to pray.  Then they discussed it before making a decision and settled it by voting.  This shows they were in unity and willing to work together.  Our churches today should take a lesson from this.

This teaches us that we should gather together with fellow Christian and pray before selecting our leaders.  Titus 3:9-11 and 1 & 2 Timothy tell us to choose leaders who are kind, holy, honest, and teach God’s message accurately.  Even Jesus prayed when he chose His disciples – Luke 6:12-13. 

Do you pray as to who you should vote for in government elections? 

Do you look at the candidate’s loyalty to the people and not to personal or party priorities?

Are they for unity and not division of the country?

Do they hold to Biblical standards instead of their own personal gain or what is popular?

We are living in a time where there seems to be no unity.  Everyone seems to be for themselves.  Some of our government officials, those we elected into office are not looking to unite our country, but to divide it.  They vote on party lines, not what is best for everyone.  It’s all about power and making a name for themselves.  The words they use about others are mean, hurtful, hateful, and down-right evil.  They lie and some are caught in their lies, but still get away with it.  Satan is loving this!  We need to wake up and see what is really going on.  Satan is behind all the lies and deceptions.  He knows he’s running out of time and he’s working very hard to divide and conquer. 

Principle:  Prayer is important part of waiting for God to reveal the next step of obedience.

God wants us to know that our Christian faith is credible.  It’s not based on religious speculations, but on the historical resurrection of Jesus from the dead.  We know this is true because these 12 apostles said so as well as many others.  They didn’t profit from being witnesses, but laid down their lives for the sake of the truth.  Don’t ignore the evidence.  Don’t be like Judas and follow selfish desires that lead to destruction.  Accept and follow Jesus as your Savior and Lord.  He is waiting.

Have you come to know Jesus personally?

Has He changed your heart from being self-seeking to being subject to Him?

Are you welcoming the Holy Spirit into your life?

Will you ask God for a “filling of the Holy Spirit”? 

What might change in your life if you were filled with His Spirit?

 

Join me here next week for our study of Acts 2.  --  I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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