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Spring Quarter: Jesus Calls Us
Unit 3: The Birth of the Church
Lesson 9: Week of April 30, 2023
By Dr. Hal Brady
Lesson Scripture: Acts 1:1-11
Key Verse: Acts 1:8a
Lesson Aims
- State the initial sequence of the geographical progression of the gospel message.
- Analyze what the disciples meant when they asked Jesus about the restoration of Israel.
- Recommit to the work Jesus has given him or her in accomplishing the gospel mandate.
As we are reminded, serialized television programs often feature brief flashbacks at the beginning of each episode. These flashbacks typically condense the key parts of the previous episodes into 90 seconds or less. The resulting salient points help viewers make sense of the new installments. These are particularly important for those of us who watch only one episode at a time rather than binge watch multiple episodes!
Unlike any other pair of books in the New Testament, Luke begins his second volume (the book of Acts) with a summary of the first volume (the Gospel of Luke). This is a little like a modern flashback, a highly condensed version of the previous “episode” as a key to understanding the installment at hand. That’s how the book of Acts begins.
Lesson Context
It might be surprising that a Gentile who was not an apostle wrote more of the New Testament than anyone else. We are talking about Luke the physician (Colossians 4:14). His writings of the Gospel that bear his name and the book of Acts total 37,932 words in Greek across 2,158 verses. By comparison, Paul wrote 32,408 words across the 2,033 verses of his 13 epistles.
The sheer volume of Luke’s writings also explains why the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts are separate. As the scholars attest, writings were frequently on scrolls in Luke’s day, and the maximum practical length of a scroll was about 10 yards. Luke’s Gospel and the book of Acts have about two scrolls worth of material, making a physical division necessary. Luke did this thoughtfully by dividing the books into his account of Jesus and his account of the church. The bridge between the two is the ascension of Jesus, found in Luke 24:50-53 and repeated in Acts 1:6-9.
It has been pointed out that a careful study of both Luke and Acts show that Luke maintained high standards for accuracy. Where his historical details can be corroborated, he has proven to be completely reliable.
I. Promise Number I
Acts 1:1-5
The opening section of Acts contains a prologue along with a historical introduction. The author (Luke) begins by referring to his “former book,” gives the name of the recipient (Theophilus) and summarizes the contents of the earlier book (the Gospel of Luke). Theophilus means “friend of God” or “loved by God,” but it is unlikely as some have suggested that their name is a symbol for an anonymous person or group of people. This particular name was in use at the time, and the description of Theophilus as “most excellent” (see Luke 1:3) suggests that a real person is meant. “Most excellent” could suggest that a high government official is being addressed, but that is not a necessary inference as it was also used as a “form of polite address.” In those days it was common for books to be dedicated to distinguished persons.
In the 40 days before Jesus’ ascension, his primary ministry is related to the truth of the gospel (vv.2b.3). He gave “instructions…to the apostles” (v.2). The verb for instructions (entellomai) has the idea of commanding or giving orders. This must refer to the commands given in verses 4 and 8 not to leave Jerusalem until the Spirit comes and to preach the gospel to the ends of the earth (Luke 24:46-48). These instructions were given through the Holy Spirit (v.2), which we are told introduces a key theme of Acts: all Christian ministry depends on the activity of the Spirit in the minister and in the one ministered to.
Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances to the apostles and others are attested in many places (see Matthew 28:17; Luke 24:34,36; John 20:19, 26; 21:1, 14; and 1 Corinthians 15:5-8). Time periods involving the number 40 are significant in the Bible (see Genesis 7:4; Exodus 16:35; Ezekiel 4:6; Jonah 3:4; Mark 1:13; etc). Three instances often have figurative associations. But the “40 days” in the text before us should be understood in conjunction with the 50 days between the Passover (when Jesus was crucified, which was “his suffering; Matthew 26:2) and the Day of Pentecost (where the church was birthed; Acts 2:1). After Jesus’ departure and before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, there remained a brief-yet-intense week and a half period of waiting and anticipation.
“…and spoke about the kingdom of God.” Jesus used the occasion of His appearances to the apostles, first to convince them that it was He and that He was truly risen, and second, to explain the things which they had not formerly understood (Luke 24:44-48).
In verses 4 and 5, we should remember that most of the disciples were from Galilee, many miles north of “Jerusalem” and Judea. After Jesus departed, they might have been inclined to leave Jerusalem and return home. In fact, they had already made one such trip after Jesus’ resurrection (see John 21).
Even as the disciples were “eating” with Jesus, the food per se would have been secondary. They gathered for another purpose: God had strategically chosen Jerusalem as the birthplace of his church. We take this for granted today, but the choice would not have been self-evident to disciples like Peter, Andrew, James, and John. If the fellowship of Jesus’ followers were to continue, why not out of the synagogue in Capernaum, surely a safer place? But this was not God’s plan.
At this point, the promise of Jesus plays on the meaning of the word “baptized.” The water baptism practiced by “John the Baptist” was contrasted with a promise of pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, which would arrive “in a few days.” The Greek word translated baptized means to engulf or immerse completely. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit to come would be like that: an immersion involving body, soul, heart, spirit, and mind.
The theme of the 17
th World Methodist Conference held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was appropriately “Holy Spirit, Giver of Life.” The conference logo featured the Christ of Rio statue, with arms outstretched standing in the midst of a descending dove. Truly it was a powerful symbol. Down from the mountain the Holy Spirit brings Christ the Redeemer to meet the needs of humanity, indeed all creation.
II. Promise Number 2
Acts 1:6-8
In verse 6, “they” likely refers to the core group of the 12, reduced at this time to 11 due to the demise of Judas. In this setting, a burning question comes out.
It must have saddened the heart of Jesus to hear his disciples ask about the time of restoring the kingdom of Israel. He had taught them about the kingdom of God, but they talk about the kingdom of Israel. John Stott points out that the verb, the noun, and the adverb of their sentences (v.6) all betray doctrinal confusion about the kingdom. The verb “restore” shows that they were expecting a political and territorial kingdom; the noun “Israel” that they were expecting a national kingdom, and the adverbial clause “at this time” that they were expecting its immediate establishment.
Rather than answer the question about the kingdom of Israel, Jesus’ reply regarding, the “time and date” refers to his return in glory and judgment. This future event is discussed extensively in the Gospel of Luke (see Luke 17:20-37).
Jesus reveals that the timing of the Day of Judgment is “set” by the Father’s “own authority” alone. Even the Son does not know the exact timing of his own return (see Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32). There is a warning here: if Jesus himself did not know, it would seem unwise for any human being to attempt to precisely determine the date of his return. These are things reserved for the power of the Father (compare Deuteronomy 29:29).
Verse 8 begins with “But,” suggesting that Jesus is presenting an alternative aspiration for the disciples. Their primary concern should not be the political power that will come with the restoration of Israel’s kingdom. It should be the spiritual power that will come through the baptism with the Holy Spirit, which will enable them to be witnesses “to the ends of the earth.”
We are told that this verse presents an outline and summary of Acts. The Holy Spirit’s power and witness is the theme of the book. The “geographical terms provide a sort of ‘Index of Contents’…in Jerusalem covers the first seven chapters, in all Judea and Samaria’ covers 8:1 to 11:18, and the remainder of the book traces the progress of the gospel outside the frontier of the Holy Lord until it at last reaches Rome.”
In a sense, the disciples were already witnesses for they had seen the risen Lord that was the key to their witness (1:22). But they also needed power to be effective witnesses, power that would come from the Holy Spirit.
Now, if the purpose of the powerful coming of the Holy Spirit was to empower the spread of the message to the ends of the earth, we should be clear as to what the disciples were to be witnessing about. They were to give their eye-witness testimony about Jesus, especially concerning his resurrection from the dead.
All the subsequent messages in Acts include such testimony. That kind of testimony is different from what we call a “personal testimony” today. In this testimony, I may testify about my changed life, personal peace, acceptance in the church’s fellowship, the love of God, and many other things. But if I do not pass along the testimonies about the objective fact of Jesus the Christ risen from the dead, then I have left out the most important thing (see Luke 1:2; 24;46-48; 2 Peter 1:16).
John Bunyan, the author of “Pilgrim’s Progress,” said that when he came to the full realization that Christ was now his friend and savior and Lord, he went home singing a hymn at the top of his voice lungs. “I knew not how to contain myself,” he wrote. “I felt I could have spoken of his love to the very crows that sat upon the plowed lands before me.” When we feel like that, we will not leave out the most important part of our testimony—Jesus Christ risen from the dead.
III. Promise Number 3
Acts 1:9-11
Jesus’ ascension takes place after his giving the Great Communion for the last time (v.9). In the early church the ascension was associated with Christ’s exaltation to God’s right hand (see Ephesians 1:20-21; Philippians 2:9; Hebrews 1:3; 2:9). The expression “he was taken up” carries this idea, for “the Jews thought of heaven as ‘above’ and earth as ‘below.’” But given our modern understanding of a massive, spherical planet Earth and a vast empty outer space, we naturally wonder, “Where exactly did Jesus go?”
A key detail here is the presence of a “cloud.” When the cloud did so, Jesus was hidden. This was not a random cloud parked in a handy place in the sky. Rather, it was a prepared, supernatural cloud, could be a sign of the presence of God (see Luke 9:34-35), even a means of divine transport. Therefore, being received by the cloud in our text should be understood as being received by God.
While the apostles stare into the sky in stunned silence, “two men” enter the scene. Their “white apparel and sudden appearance” indicate that they are angels (compare John 20:12). The apostles do not seem to notice them immediately, since the apostles’ attention is still fixed skyward, looking into the sky.
The two speak, and this does get the disciples’ attention. In essence, the angels’ message is, “what’s done is done. Now it’s time to get busy.”
The expression “men of Galilee,” which in 2:7 is in essence a disparaging label, may suggest a divine reminder that the apostles were provincial who had a worldwide task ahead of them. The angels specifically give Jesus’post-ascension abode as “heaven” (1:11-6). The promise that he will come back in the same [exalted] way” (v.11c) would have helped make some sense out of Jesus’ repeated statement to the disciples about his second coming. This prospect encourages Christians to “live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:12-13).
Conclusion
Luke’s Great Commission
Luke’s version of the Great Commission is found in Acts 1:8, which could be summarized as “Go to the ends of the earth and be my witnesses.” The message here is not confined to a small group of men who were physically present at Jesus’ ascension, men who died some 2,000 years ago. Rather, these commands also apply to Christians today.
The New Testament teaches that all Christians are to be involved in making disciples. This is to be motivated by our love for those who do not know Jesus, as well as the need to obey his commands as our Lord (John 14:15). Jesus went to the cross out of his love for the world and his obedience to his Father’s will, and we should do no less.
Harry Denman, General Secretary of the Board of Evangelism, was supposed to speak at Lake Junaluska one evening at 7:30pm. He arrived 30 minutes late. What happened? Why was he late? He had hailed a cab to take him to Lake Junaluska. On the way, Harry started talking to the cab driver about Christ. The cab driver didn’t know Christ. So Harry Denman went to the cab driver’s home, won him to Christ, and then arrived 30 minutes late at Lake Junaluska.
That’s the idea! Winning people to Christ, and we should do no less!
Action Plan
- How will you order your life so that you might be a witness to your own “Jerusalems,” “Judeas,” and “Samarias”?
- How would you respond to someone who seems fascinated with speculation about Christ’s return?
- How can believers be ready for Christ’s return without disregarding what he has called his followers to do?
Resources For This Lesson
- “2022-2023 NIV Standard Lesson Commentary, Uniform Lesson, International Sunday School Lessons,” pages 297-304.
- “The NIV Application Commentary (Acts)”, by Ajith Fernando, pages 49-57, 72-73.
Dr. Hal Brady is a retired pastor who continues to present the Good News of Jesus Christ and offer encouragement in a fresh and vital way though Hal Brady Ministries (halbradyministries.com).
