PONDERING... Are You Part Of This Story? (Acts 1:1-5)

VIDEO

Are You Part Of This Story? (AM Sermon Notes)

GIST: Jesus is still working; He’s intentional about that work, and the Holy Spirit will equip us to play our parts.

SCRIPTURE: Acts 1:1-5

This morning, we’re beginning our next study together as we open up the book of Acts. For me, there is always a sense of both excitement and fear every time we begin a new study like this. It’s exciting because we’re moving through God’s Word. It’s terrifying because...I don’t want to mess that up! This week in particular has been a struggle for me. Not only was it an especially busy week at work, but I also kept wrestling with how much to cover in this opening discussion. I guess my subconscious picked up on that, too, because I had a nightmare this morning about everything that could go wrong. Everything was just silly crazy. Two of the circumstances I remember most vividly were having the wrong Scripture projected and then my gist statement slide just saying: “poo, poo, to the poop.”☺️ Praise the Lord the spread of God’s word is not dependent on my abilities!

Now, since this is our first Sunday together in this book, before we get into our actual text (and real gist statement), I want to start with a few quick “Acts Facts” (see what I did there ☺️):

• The book was written around 30-40 years after Jesus’ ascension.
• It was written by Luke, the author of the Gospel of Luke, and is meant as a part 2 of that volume.
• It is addressed to a man named Theophilus. This name means “friend of God”. While there has been speculation about whether this was an actual man or a group of individuals, either way, both volumes were written to clarify what had already been heard about Jesus.
• It serves as a bridge between the Gospels and the rest of the New Testament by providing a sort of historical backdrop which→  
• Focuses on the spread of the Gospel from Jerusalem to Rome. (It also picks up where our study in Mark left off ☺️.)

What we’re about to dive into is the earliest record of God’s movement amongst His church after Jesus’ death and resurrection. That should be exciting!  And ultimately, I felt less would be more this morning, so we’re just going to look at the first five verses. (Don’t get too used to that ☺️.) But truthfully, there is a lot for us in these few opening words.

"1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.""

So, what do we see in these opening lines? The gist: Jesus is still working; He’s intentional about that work, and the Holy Spirit will equip us to play our parts.  Let’s dive straight into that!

I. JESUS IS STILL WORKING (1)

Began? These verses open by saying, “1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,” (emphasis added). The implication here is that Jesus isn’t done yet! Let’s clarify something here really quickly. Jesus finished His redemptive work on the cross! When He said, “It is finished!” (John 19:30), He meant it. He didn’t have to come back later and say, I meant “almost finished” ☺️. Everything that needed to be done to defeat sin and save us from it was accomplished through His death and resurrection. If you call upon the name of the Lord, repenting of your sins and giving Him control of your life, you will be saved! Amen and Hallelujah!

Yet the implication of this passage is that He’s not done. When He ascended into Heaven, which we’ll address more next week, He left his followers a mission: to spread His good news to the world, to share His Word! He died and rose to save us once and for all, but He’s not done saving people yet. There are people yet to be born, lives yet to be changed by an intimate relationship with Jesus! He is coming back! Yet, He won’t return until He’s done saving people. We should rejoice in that! We should also be about that work! (Yes, I know that’s more the topic for next week...but when do we not need this reminder?☺️)

So, He’s not done working yet, and →

II. HE IS INTENTIONAL ABOUT THAT WORK (2-4)

Look at verses 2-3, “2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” I want to make a couple observations here that point to Jesus being intentional. First→

The Apostles Were Chosen. We need to remember this. There was nothing haphazard about the way Jesus worked. Though His followers had no merits of their own to make them worthy of that position, they were chosen on purpose and used for a purpose. The Gospel spread from Jerusalem to the rest of the world primarily due to the witness of a few uneducated fisherman and then later a man who had spent the earlier part of his life killing Christians. This wasn’t luck. It was God’s plan all along! And as the Gospel continues to spread...it is just as much because of His direction.

Second→

The Apostles Were Trained. Look again at this ultimate seminary experience here! After Jesus rises from the grave, He intentionally shows Himself to the apostles and many others over a period of 40 days. The text says Jesus provided many proofs. His resurrection wasn’t just what people thought they saw. He was really there, and it was unmistakable! They were then taught for 40 days by the resurrected Jesus about the Kingdom of God: His plan and purpose to save His people! You don’t get any better preparation than that!

Third→

The Apostles Were Directed. Look at verse 4, “4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me;” There are two observations I want to make here. First, the phrase interpreted in this translation as “while staying with them” implies gathering together, being with one another. Yet, it can also mean while eating together--so clearly this is a reminder of the importance of church dinners ☺️.

Second, and the only serious observation, look at what He tells them to do: stay in Jerusalem and wait. I have to admit; I overlooked this command every time I studied this passage until this week. Yet, telling them to stay in Jerusalem was a big deal. If we’ve read this book before, we know it lead to the day of Pentecost, but that never would have happened had they not stayed put. AND they wouldn’t have had He not told them to. Remember, these men weren’t from Jerusalem, they were Galileans. After Jesus’ ascension, it would have been most natural for them to go home, not stay here. Also, what had just happened a little more than a month ago in Jerusalem? Jesus had been killed! They were the known followers of Jesus. This was not a safe place for them! So they were directed, but those directions would not have made sense to them right away.

We need to remember this in our lives, as well. Jesus will sometimes work in your lives in ways that seem...wrong. He might have you stay in a place that is hostile to you. But if we’ve learned anything from studying the opening psalms of David, it should be that in the midst of that hostility, our hope is secure in Jesus!

So they are told to stay and wait. This last direction points to the last truth I want to address this morning→

III. THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL EQUIP US TO PLAY OUR PARTS (4-5)

Look at verse 4 and 5 together, “4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”” Let’s make two observations here before we close. First→

This Is More Than Just Sitting Still. This call to wait isn’t a call to inactivity, but a call not to act by your own strength. He tells them to wait for the Holy Spirit. Let me just take a moment to note this. The Holy Spirit is mentioned frequently in these verses. It is through Him that Jesus teaches His disciples, and it is His baptism they are to wait for in Jerusalem.  The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity. As beyond our brains as that it, we must remember He is not some “mystical force”. He is God working amongst us!

Now, while they waited, they were still doing stuff. They were ministering together and praying with one another. They weren’t just sitting around in silence. Nonetheless, they knew they couldn’t leave Jerusalem until God baptized them in the Holy Spirit. Something was about to happen.

Second→

This is a Baptism of Equipping. Honestly, depending on where you grew up going to church, the concept of being baptized in the Holy Spirit might have different connotations. However, what is being talked about here is not salvation. When we’re saved, we are filled with the Holy Spirit. He takes residence in our hearts, and we are wholly His. So, when I say this baptism is one of equipping, I mean the Holy Spirit is going to cover them and gift them to accomplish what He has called them to do.

The same is true in our lives. We move not by our might, but by His. The Gospel spreads through us today, not because of our abilities, but because He has chosen to use us. The same has been true from the beginning of time.

I just want to take a second to watch this video then we’ll close.

TAKEAWAYS

Again, our takeaways this morning are essentially our points, but I’m going to reword them a bit here to try and hit home this message.

1. Jesus is still working. He’s not done. He’s moving in this place. Don’t let the drudgery of life rob you of this perspective!

2. His plans won’t always be easy. He might call you to stay in Jerusalem. Do it, remembering He is intentional in His working!

3. But, His plans will always be accomplished by His might. Oh, never forget this truth. Except by the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we would never accomplish anything for His kingdom. Which means, by the grace of God and through the work of the Holy Spirit, we can do...whatever He wants. So, that leaves us with this question→

4. Are you part of this story? Are you saved? Are you spreading the good news?