What is Next?
Acts 1:1-11
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 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.”
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They 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.”
What is next? Jesus has come on the scene, He has chosen twelve Apostles. One of them has killed himself. Jesus Himself has died and the Apostles are seeing Him from time to time, He comes and goes, over a period of forty days. Obviously, the question that comes to mind is “What is going on?” The Apostles have not understood God’s purposes in the Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Messiah. They are confused and surprised and excited. But whatever else is going on, they don’t know what to expect. What comes next? What are they to do?
The Book of Acts is the answer to the question of what comes next. It is the history of the early church. Let’s dive in and look at our beginning text this morning.
- Transition to Life after Resurrection
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach
- The Gospels are just the beginning
Luke is the author of Acts. The Gospel of Luke is what he is referencing here. At the beginning of Luke he says:
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
Here Luke says: I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach.
And so, here in the book of Acts we see a continuation of Jesus’ ministry,
but it is a continuation without Him being present bodily.
Who will carry on the ministry of Jesus?
Matthew 10: 10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
2 These are the names of the twelve apostles:
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
- Apostolic authority
* Jesus’ ministry will be managed by His followers!
* Chief among Jesus’ followers are His Apostles
Matthew 16: The keys of the kingdom:
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Notice that Jesus says this and then tells them to keep quiet! Why? Because they do not understand Crucifixion and Resurrection. But they will!
Ephesians 2: 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
Revelation 21
9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
We have no information about Jesus that does not come to us from the Apostles. Early church fathers recognized Apostolic authority as foundational to texts being accepted as Scripture!
II Peter 1:
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”[b] 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
What we are reading here, and what we read in all of the New Testament is an example of this “new ministry”
- Jesus gave many convincing proofs 3
Why mention this? What does it take to convince people that someone has risen from the dead?
All of the Christian faith rests on the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
* It is the proof of Who He is.
* It is the proof of the change of covenant.
* It is the proof that His death is for the sins of all who will believe in Him!
Children born not of natural decent.
Children born not of a husband’s will.
Children born of God!
God has chosen all who are trusting Jesus to be His children and He has proven this by the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Being in Christ is the new Israel. This is a broader category than being in Israel.
Transition to Apostolic Mindset:
What are the Apostles thinking about what God is doing in their lives presently?
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
What’s next? Is the Kingdom now?
- Is the Kingdom Now?
What do they mean by kingdom? The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. And He shall reign forever and ever.
- The Kingdom is not now
The Apostles hope that this is the end.
But in fact, this is the beginning.
Again, “Jesus began to do and teach…”
- The Kingdom is still coming
The great time of victory and peace is still future!
It has not gone away!
We should still look forward with great anticipation!
- This calls for patient endurance
Some things are not for you to know. But God knows. And you are called upon to trust God to accomplish His will in His time. If that’s not good enough, then you are going to struggle with God, because this is a baseline answer for all who are forced to wait.
Transition to God’s Mindset
The Apostles expect that this is the end, and this is actually the beginning!
- Then What is Next?
- Wait here in Jerusalem
In the Old Testament, Pentecost was a major festival that celebrated the giving of the Law at Sinai and the beginning of the harvest. It was also known as the Feast of Weeks or the Feast of Harvest
“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 the Holy Spirit.”
When waiting, I always want to know how long. Here Jesus says, “A few days.”
Jesus ministers to them over a period of 40 days. Pentecost is 50 days from Passover. Here we have a Biblical definition of “a few” Around ten.
How many people are waiting? I put the number at around 500.
- Wait for the Holy Spirit
wait for the gift my Father promised,
* Gifts are good things.
* Gifts are anticipated things.
* Gifts are worth waiting for!
Baptized in water by John into something new. Repenting, turning to a new reality. The kingdom is near. This is what they are preparing for. Jesus is the arrival of that kingdom.
A new baptism is coming. It is a new beginning with God. A new understanding of their lives.
Baptized with the Holy Spirit. Spirit means breath. Breath is life. I think the picture is the same, but the consequence of them being Baptized in the Holy Spirit will be a changed life.
The Holy Spirit is the promise of our New Covenant.
Joel 2:
28 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
29 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
30 I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
31 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
32 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved;
The Holy Spirit will connect them all with Jesus.
Emmanuel.
John 14:
15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of whatever it is that He is doing.
- You will be My witnesses
And here we have what is next! The Disciples will be Apostles. Apostle means one sent out.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of power for witnesses.
Witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, end of the earth.
Jews, Partial Jews, Non Jews.
Jerusalem: Acts 2-7 Peter and the Apostles
Judea and Samaria Acts 8-12 Peter and the Apostles with Paul introduced, preparation for transition.
Ends of the Earth Acts 13-28 Paul.
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