The Witness is Ready to go World Wide

(Introduction)

Acts picks up where Luke’s Gospel leaves off, recording the early progress of the gospel as Jesus’ disciples took it from Jerusalem throughout Judea, Samaria, and the rest of the Mediterranean world. The story begins with Christ’s ascension and the events of Pentecost. As Gentiles begin responding to the gospel, the focus shifts to Paul and his missionary journeys.

Acts forms a bridge between the four Gospels and the rest of the New Testament, showing how the apostles carried on Christ’s work and providing a historical background for Romans through Revelation.

Acts 1:1–5 ESV

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.”

Note: God is the main player in the book of Acts.

Traditionally, the book's title has been “Acts of the Apostles,” but this ignores God's role as the main player. “Acts of the Holy Spirit is another suggested option. However, overemphasizing the Holy Spirit would be wrong since Jesus is also at work over his new entity, not to mention the direction of the Father over all of these events.

How about this one:

“THE CONTINUING WORKS AND DEEDS OF JESUS BY HIS SPIRIT THROUGH THE APOSTLES.”

This title is good but would seem to underplay the sovereignty of God in the book.

Perhaps this is the best conclusion for the title:

“THE ACTS OF THE SOVEREIGN GOD THROUGH THE LORD MESSIAH JESUS BY HIS SPIRIT ON BEHALF OF THE WAY.”

Verses 1-5

At any rate Jesus had ordered his disciples

(1) To Remain in Jerusalem

(2) Not to begin the mission until the long-promised enabling Spirit comes from the Father.

LINK BETWEEN LUKE AND ACTS

(1) Luke refers to His first book as a former account in the NASB and NIV.

(2) The address to Theophilus recalls the first introduction in Luke 1:3. The overlapping indicates that Luke composed Acts as a single storyline extending from the Gospel of Luke.

(3) The link to Luke’s gospel is further affirmed in Acts 1:4-5 makes the connection with John the Baptist the figure with whom Luke’s Gospel begins.

vs 3 He presented Himself alive after His suffering for 40 days. (this is part of the comfort and reassurance that the early church needed for the mission that was in front of them.

“Proof” (tekmerion)”

“Refers to that which causes something to be known in a convincing and decisive manner.”

The idea was not that He was with them continually throughout the 40 days but that he appeared at intervals withing that period as the appearances in the Gospel indicate.

During these 40 days Jesus taught His followers about the coming kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is also a central theme of his early ministry.

The spirits' coming and indwelling guarantee this conclusion. The Spirit's central goal in operating in the church is that God’s community be committed to the mission.

Acts 1:6–11 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. 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.” 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.”

The disciples obviously perceived this event as an indication of the full arrival of the end, which leads to the question asked in verse 6.

We must ask three questions before we are ready to go worldwide with the Gospel.

1. What Agenda Are You Following?

THE SKY GAZERS

There were two agendas at play here for these sky gazers.

(1) Political Agenda

Some were waiting for the sky to split open right then and for the armies of the Lord to come and right every wrong and destroy the world's political leaders with the very breath of his mouth. Some are just bidding their time today, waiting for God to come and right all the wrongs in the world. Many religions, such as Buddhism and Confucius, have built their whole religions around this idea.

vs. 6

The question in verse 6 was a desire for the immediate results to be fulfilled. The question behind the question is to see if the time of Israel’s restoration has come. This is a more politically motivated question. Many Jewish texts, as well as the OT in general, expected that in the end, Israel would be restored to a place of great blessing. The question is natural for Jews who have embraced the Messianic hope.

Luke 1-2 expresses this hope vividly.

The debate in Jerusalem was whether the centrality of Israel in this Hope would be good or bad for the Gentiles. Their questions expresses a nationalistic concern for Israel’s vindication and the completion of the promise.

They should not have asked such a question since it implied a nationalistic kingdom; nor should they have asked about a timeline, since it implied the kingdom’s immediate establishment.

People have tried to predict the completion of God’s agenda since the early times. We do not see that Jesus rebuked them in a sense that what they asked was wrong except in their overly obsessive concern for when all of this would take place.

(2) Complacent Agenda

Some were satisfied with their place in God’s kingdom. I’ve got mine; now Jesus can come back. To be complacent as a Christian is to be satisfied with where you are, with yourself and your achievements.

The larger story of Acts is how all of this will work itself out in detail.

What does change in terms of normal Jewish anticipation, is an emphasis on the scope of the blessing. Acts will show that concern for Israel alone is not the point of the gospel. The message will go to all and is for all because Jesus is Lord of all, a role that includes his being judge of the living and the dead.

When our agenda becomes complacent, we become more concerned about getting ours and not whether others have the Good News of the Gospel. The concern of the missionary call Jesus leaves with the disciples is the “Ends of the Earth.”

Every believer who has ever lived is intricately woven into the fabric of God’s plan. Unfortunately, the early followers of Christ were not much different from believers today. We all have our own agendas and time frames. We all try to fit Jesus into a box and control the narrative as we see fit.

What would it look like for you today if you through all caution to the wind and actually started following God’s plan? There was not plan “B” for the Salvation of the World. There was only plan “A.” God’s perfect and complete plan for Salvation.

2. What Kind of Witness Will You Be?

Where does He call us to Go? To the Ends of the Earth.

Will You Be the Kind of Witness that Goes to the Ends of the Earth?

Instead of worrying about the end of the plan, they are to be equipped to carry out the message to the end of the earth. There is a dispute about what is meant by “the end of the earth.”

Will You Be the Kind of Witness who Goes to the End of the Earth?

If we are called to go and be witnesses for the gospel where, and how does he call us to go?

Anyone who knows anything about the gospels knows that Jesus was a friend of sinners. What does it mean to be a friend of sinners? Jesus often drew the criticism and indignation from the religious crowd of the day for associating with sinners he was called “a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!” (Luke 7:34).

As Christians we love to wear this phrase to be a friend of sinners as a put down for the established church today. We use this challenge by Jesus example to make sure we are not guilty of turning away outsiders because Jesus never would.

Where this great truth is - that Jesus is a friend of sinners - it, is like every other great truth in the Bible, it needs to be safeguarded against doctrinal and ethical error.

We fall into the trap of overgeneralizing what it means to be a friend of sinners. Here is how this narrative is played out.

“Jesus ate with sinners” becomes “Jesus loved a good party,” which becomes “Jesus was more interested in showing love than taking sides,” which becomes “Jesus always sided with religious outsiders,” which becomes “Jesus would blow bubbles for violations of the Torah.”

Here we have an example of a whole truth being used for a half truth in the service of a lie. Once, as a younger man in ministry, I made an offhanded comment about how Jesus “hung out with drunks.” After further reflection on my statement I was challenged by what I had said. Could I really find anywhere in scripture where it say’s Jesus was “just hanging” out with people in a state of drunkenness.

From a Biblical perspective this sounds like Jesus loved nothing more than to yuck it up with John Belushi in Animal House.

When we further investigate how Jesus deployed the witness to the ends of the earth we find countless passages in the gospels where Jesus is chastised for getting too close to sinners:

The Woman caught in adultery (Jesus did not excuse her sin, but called her to go and sin no more).

Jesus calls Matthew the tax collector to be his disciple. (we find Jesus reclining at the table with tax collectors and sinners, Matthew 9:9-13).

A sinful woman anoints Jesus with expensive ointment and wipes his feet with her tears (here we have a picture of a sinner who came in faith to Jesus with a contrite heart of repentance, Luke 7:36-50).

Zacchaeus repents and is a changed man because of Jesus (Luke 19:1-10).

Did Jesus have a grand strategy for reaching tax collectors? Did He indiscriminately “hang out” with drunks and prostitutes? Was He an easygoing, live-and-let-live kind of Messiah? What we see here is that sinners were drawn to Jesus and that Jesus gladly spent time with sinners who were open to His teaching.

This text most likely has a double meaning.

(1) In the ancient world of the time, there was the phrase, “All roads lead to Rome.” This saying comes from a Roman monument known as the Milliarium Aureum, or golden milestone, erected by Emperor Caesar Augustus in the central forum of ancient Rome. All distances in the Roman Empire were measured from this point, and it was regarded as the site from which all principal roads diverged.

Many people felt that Rome pointed to the end of the earth. Paul’s end goal and desire was to reach Rome with the gospel. Why? The idea was that if it reached Rome, then it would extend from there into all the earth.

(2) Luke also most likely anticipated that the gospel was now available to all people, including those of all races and ethnic backgrounds.

How does He call us to Go? In the Power of the Holy Spirit.

Will You be the Kind of Witness that Goes with Power?

Will you Be the kind of Witness who goes in the power of the Holy Spirit?

The Spirit is tied to Power:

This refers to being empowered to speak boldly by testifying to the message of God’s work through Jesus Christ. Paul says something similar in Romans 1:16-17

Romans 1:16–17 ESV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

So, responding to the gospel gives us power to live in a way that is honoring of God and allows one to experience fullness of life.

The term POWER appears 10 times in Acts, sometimes referring to miracles or other effects of the power He gives to His followers.

Let’s look back again at being a witness.

Jesus also spoke of witnesses in a legal sense.

Matthew 18:16 ESV

16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

However, in this context, the witness is someone who helps establish evidence and facts through verifiable observation. Therefore, a witness is more than someone with merely a subjective and personal impression.

This is why Jesus spent 40 days here on earth before he ascended to give direct verifiable evidence of the resurrection. We also read in Acts 1:21-22 that the replacement of Judas must be someone who was a witness to the resurrection.

When someone joins the Journey church, we ask them to share their testimony with us. This testimony is someone's verifiable experience of what God has done through Jesus in their lives. This direct experience with Jesus and His resurrection qualifies you as a witness.

“Witnesses” martus - the same word we get in the English word Martyr.

When you hear the word witness, you might think of someone who has seen something shocking or important and then reports what they have seen or experienced.

In the New Testament the original notion of a witness is exhibited in the special form of one who attests his belief in the gospel by personal suffering. Jesus calls anyone who would be His disciples to take up their cross daily and follow Him. However, anyone who fails to fulfill this challenge should not even call themselves a Christian.

Once we become witnesses, we are “Bearing witness,” “Martureo.” So, in Ruth, when Boaz sells land, they bring in someone who can bear witness so that if there is a dispute, he has someone to verify the transaction.

If we follow this narrative throughout all scripture, God wants a group of witnesses to bear out what they have seen and heard to the world. God chooses a people to bear this witness in the Old Testament, but they do not do a very good job of this, so He brings Moses to remind the people of their witness. Even then, the people still were not very good witnesses, so he brought Judges. Finally, in the NT, the fulfillment of the witness is brought in Jesus Christ. Even though the perfect witness came, many refused to listen and killed Jesus for being a witness or “Martus.” Now the Resurrection is the proof of the witness we are to bear out to the world.

What is the Power of the Holy Spirit?

The Power of the Holy Spirit

The power of the Holy Spirit is the power of God. The Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity, He appeared in scripture as a being through whom great works were done by God.

His power was first displayed in the act of creation, for it was by His power the world came into being “the spirit was hovering over the face of the deep.”

The Holy Spirit also empowered men in the Old Testament to bring about God’s Divine will: “So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of the his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power.” Although the Spirit did not permanently indwell God’s people in the Old Testament, He worked through them temporarily to achieve things they would not have been able to accomplish on their own.

Jesus promised the Spirit as a permanent guide, teacher, seal of Salvation, and comforter for believers (John 14:16-18). He also promised the Holy Spirit’s power would help His followers to spread the message of the gospel around the world: “But you will receive power then (Acts 1:8). The salvation of souls is a supernatural work only made possible by the Holy Spirit’s power at work in the world.

Next week we are going to read about the Holy Spirit descending on the people. This was not a quiet meditative moment, the wind violently blew the doors off of the place. How many of you were here last Sunday when the hail storm swept through; so now you have just a taste of what that must have been like.

Why do we see a Lack of the Holy Spirit’s Power in the Church Today?

According to a recent study, more than half of self-identified Christians in America say the Holy Spirit is not a Real, living being.

Of self-identified Christians, 58 percent contend that the Holy Spirit is not a real, living being but is merely a symbol of God’s power, presence, or purity. Surprisingly, those who identify as born-again Christians are even more likely to hold that view (62 percent), and half of “theological born-again Christians” also deny the Spirit is a being.

Even among those with the most biblical worldview—the “integrated disciples”—40 percent hold an unbiblical view of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is a Being that is God

In Acts 5, Peter uses the terms “God” and “Holy Spirit” as synonyms. In verse 3, Peter says that Ananias has “lied to the Holy Spirit,” and in verse 5, he tells him, “You have not lied to human beings but to God.”

The Holy Spirit also possesses attributes reserved for God alone. An example is 1 Corinthians 2:11, where Paul says that the “Spirit of God” knows the “thoughts of God.” Any being who knows the thoughts of God must be God.

The Holy Spirit is Referred to as Co-Equal with God the Father and God the Son.

Jesus in Matthew 28:19 says that his followers are to baptize and make disciples in the name (singular) of the “Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The apostles also use phrases that imply equality, such as when Peter says, “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood.”

So that proves that the Spirit is God; how do we know that the Spirit is different?

(1) We rely on the words of Jesus. John 15:27: “When the advocate (helper) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father - the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father - he will testify about me.”

Note: Jesus did not say he was sending the Father or even the Spirit of the Father. He says that he is being sent out from the Father.

(2) To be a person in the biblical sense, a being must be able to do considerably personal and relational things. The Bible speaks of numerous ways that the spirit is personal and relational.

The Spirit can be grieved: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30).

The Spirit can be insulted: “[A]nd who has insulted the Spirit of grace” (Heb. 10:29).

The Spirit can help and intercede on our behalf: “the Spirit helps us in our weakness . . . the Spirit intercedes for God’s people” (Rom. 8:26–27).

Back to the question, why do people not experience His power (Holy Spirit)?

Jesus Power and authority are given to His faithful witnesses. He shares this power with those who are obedient to the call and mission of God. Perhaps the greater issue today is that there are fewer people truly living out the Gospel of Christ. Have you squelched the spirits power in your life?

Ways we Hinder (Quench) the Holy Spirit

John Piper -

(1). We Hinder Him when we rely on anything other than the Holy Spirit in Life and Ministry.

(2). We Hinder Him when we diminish his personality as if He were only an abstract power in our life.

(3). We Hinder Him when we suppress or dictate his work of spiritual gifts in our lives.

(4). We Hinder Him when we create worship gatherings that do not leave room for the Spirit to lead.

(5). We Hinder Him when we diminish His activity that awakens us to the truth that we are the Children of God.

(6). We Hinder Him when we put fear in people's hearts regarding the legitimate experience of heartfelt emotions in worship

3. What Are You Waiting For?

The Mild REBUKE

The angels explain the significance of what is happening: “Why do you stand here looking into the heavens?” They suggest that they should not be surprised that the risen Jesus is lifted up into God’s presence. His departure means that they now have work to do. Jesus’s command means they should not stand gazing into the heavens idly, awaiting his return.

Central Application:

The Church is called to Engage in mission to the world, knowing that Jesus’s return is assured. The Holy Spirit is coming to spur the mission on into the Kingdom of God.

There are two marks that someone is not idly standing by waiting for someone else to start the mission, they are daily living a spirit-empowered life.

The Boldness in their Life.

Do they avoid mentioning Jesus Christ in everyday conversation or look for opportunities to bring Jesus into the conversation?

Do they assimilate into daily culture or stand out as different?

The Magnification in their Life.

Do they excuse sin in their life, or do they daily mortify the flesh looking to please God above anything and everything else?

Do they daily seek to understand the Spirits work and growth in their daily lives or do they most days forget about the Spirit and His active work in their lives.

CONCLUSION

The Passion of our Witness is Jesus

Are you Passionate about Jesus Christ?

How would anyone know that you are passionate about being a witness for Jesus Christ? Passion for Jesus Christ is not a switch we turn on and off when we feel like it. As these disciples gazed into heaven in astonishment at Jesus's glory and later received Jesus’s promise of the Spirit’s power, they were enamored with Jesus.

And we should have a similar attitude towards him.

Little love for the King produces little Zeal for the King’s Mission.

What must I do in Response to the Power of the Holy Spirit?

Daily, I consider if I am somehow hindering the Holy Spirit.

Do I consistently rely on other things besides the Spirit to bring me power?

Do I diminish Him by not giving Him enough credit in my life?

Do I diminish His ability to work through the gifts in my life?

Do I diminish Him by failing to leave room for the Spirit in my worship?

Do I diminish Him by discounting His awakening in my life?

Do I diminish Him by downplaying the experience of heartfelt emotions in worship?

Acts 1:12–14 ESV

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

They returned and devoted themselves to praying for the Spirit’s Power to come. Their walk back from Jerusalem was not more than the kilometer permitted on the sabbath, it would not have taken them more than a quarter of an hour.

So, in the 10 days leading up to Pentecost, they went back to the upstairs room, not sure if it was the room where Jesus spent his last night with His followers before the crucifixion or if it was upstairs in the home of Mary the mother of now John Mark in which later many members of the Jerusalem Church met to pray, or some other room. ( Acts 12:12).

2 Key Characteristics to their Prayer.

1). Their Prayer was Unified (One Mind)

We will see many times throughout the New Testament and, particularly in Acts where people gather together to pray. Why is it that in Church life and the Journey is no different we can ask people to come together for just about any other activity and get a response then when we ask the Church to come together to pray?

(1st Sunday Prayer) Should this not be the most attended activity we do as a Church? However, most people drag themselves here as if it were a drudgery or punishment.

2). Their Prayer was Persevering (Constant)

The point is driven home by saying that they are devoted to or persevering in prayer together. The construction is another example of using the imperfect form of the verb, so the prayer is pictured as ongoing. This expression appears 6 times in Acts. Prayer is mentioned 31 times in Acts and 21 of the 28 chapters. As the disciples patiently wait on God’s timing, they pray and ready themselves for the task ahead of them.

Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, Jim Cymbala

A Compelling Story of the Power of Prayer!

“No matter what I preach or what we claim to believe in our heads, the future will depend upon our times of prayer.” ― Jim Cymbala, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire

Write This Down

Pray for the Spirit to Come?

Confess the times that you have Hindered the Spirits from working.

Consider carefully how you may be hindering the spirit right now from moving in your life and the life of the Church.