The Ascension

Prolegomena

The Beginning of the church

Applicable to us because we are essentially re-launching this church!

We are going to learn a tremendous amount just like the Apostles did!

We are also going to see some mighty works of God - maybe not the same magnitude of the Apostles, but we will see God do amazing things.

The Giving of the New Covenant

With the creation of the church came the giving of the New Covenant.

Many signs and wonders followed proving its validity.

Many make the mistake that these signs and wonders are “normative” today.

I would argue that today they are not “normative” but rather possible.

God can certainly do whatever he wants - but the giving of the New covenant required signs of proof.

The gospel is already proven by the mighty works of God - it does not need anymore miraculous proof.

Geography is important in the book of Acts - three larger settings

Jerusalem (Chapters 1-7)

Judea & Samaria (8-12)

Ends of the Earth (13-28)

Genre: The Book of Acts is a History

Descriptive vs Prescriptive

Many of the events we read about and study describe things that happened—this does not mean these things are prescriptive to us.

Things that are not normal today will happen in this book

Many have made the error of trying to “forcefully duplicate” the miraculous things that occured in the book, however, I believe that this is an error. We must be sure to take into account the time of all these events and the reasons for them (the introduction of the New Covenant).

Many of the events we will see are extraordinary - this is because it is during the time of a change of a covenant.

Drastic and extreme things happen when a new covenant arrives

The Text

Verse 1: Author - Luke

Acts 1:1 ESV

1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,

Well educated Doctor

Traveling companion of Paul

Wrote the Gospel of Luke

Luke-Acts is a two part history written to a man named Theophilus

Name means “lover of God”

Most likely written in the early 60s

This would have been only about 30 years after the death of Christ

Verse 2-3: Commands through the Holy Spirit & the living Christ as proof

Acts 1:2 ESV

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.

He gave the apostles commands

This is why they have the authority to bring the kingdom of God forth

This why we listen to and follow their teachings

Acts 1:3 ESV

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.

Suffering leads to life

Christ is exemplifying a pattern that we will see play out many times

We say it play out through Christ - he suffered and died but is now alive again

All of the Apostles will go on to suffer and die -

Many believers would go on to suffer and die

Suffering is a mark of the Christian life.

However, we know that we look forward to new resurrection life through the power of Christ.

“many proofs”

Christ proved that he was not just a spirit but was indeed alive!

He ate with the disciples and they were able to touch his wounds

Christ being alive and their being many proofs that he is indeed alive proves that he was who he said he was

“forty days”

Not a coincidence that he appeared to them for 40 days

Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for 40 days before he began his ministry

The Israelites were wandering for 40 years before they entered the promised land

Moses met with God for 40 days on Mount Sinai

“kingdom of God”

Kingdom of God: “the king’s power over the king’s people in the king’s place” - P. Schreiner

Verse 4-5: The orders

Acts 1:4–5 ESV

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.”

Christ gave them the orders to go to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father (the sending of the Holy Spirit)

This was massively symbolic that the blessings from the messiah would come from the Davidic city - the whole world was blessed through the offspring of Abraham.

God had a specific plan - the apostles did not know every detail but what they did know is that they had to follow his plan.

In the same way we will not always know what God’s plan is. God is the one with the plan not us - we just are called to wait for his leading. God sets the pace and opens the doors for when we need to move.

“baptized with the Holy Spirit”

In other words, the Holy Spirit was going to come and indwell in them.

Jesus brings us back to the beginning of his ministry and into the future of it

Jesus is going to cleanse his people and send them on mission

Just like the disciples were going on mission we too have a mission we are doing.

Verse 6-7: An Earthly Kingdom

Acts 1:6–7 ESV

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

The disciples were thinking about an earthly kingdom

Jesus does not answer the question - he tells them that it is not their place to know those things.

Many times we get so caught up with the future and how that will play out and we neglect to study the current mission - this is exactly what the apostles did.

They wanted to know when the end was coming - rather than what they were to do right now for the present kingdom that Christ has brought.

Verse 8: The Mission

Acts 1:8 ESV

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Jesus us answers “no, not now” in v.7 and “yes, now!” in verse 8

The restoration of the kingdom continues with the gift of the Spirit - but the consummation will have to wait.

The spreading of the kingdom entails three things

How they will accomplish the plan (the empowering of the Spirit)

What the plan is and what they are to do (witness)

Where they will go as they cary out the plan (Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth)

We too can follow this like a formula

We will reach and minister to this community through the power of the Spirit

The message we will bring is the message of the gospel - and we will make disciples

We will start in this community and work our way out farther as we move forward!

This church is going to to big things

We want to be a church that doesn’t just make converts but makes disciples that make disciples

We want to be a church that plants churches and restores others

We want to be a church that sends and funds missionaries

We want to be a lighthouse in this community

Verse 9-11: By what authority do we do this?

Acts 1:9–11 ESV

9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

We can accomplish this because we serve not just a risen savior but one who is ascended!

Many times we forget the Christ ascended and rules at the right hand of God - he is exalted!

Without the ascension there would be no forgiveness of sins

Christ Acts as our High Priest who intercedes on our behalf before God

Share the Gospel

Because our sins have been paid for - we now can go and share the good news of Christ!

Conclusion

As we embark on this journey through Acts we are going to see the formation and creation of the church

In a similar fashion, we are getting back to business in this community

We will be a church that loves like no other!

We will greet all that come in!

We will be a church that gets here early to fellowship with one another and cary each others burdens

We will be a church committed to the gospel and we will preach it unapologetically!

We will do this because we serve a risen savior who is sovereign and in control

I pray that you will join us!

Wether you have been here 1 week or 50 years I pray that you will buy into this mission

I pray that you see this as a fresh start with a new passion and vigor!