Last Words

Intro:

AG: Famous Last Words

P.T. Barnum - 1891: "How were the receipts today at Madison Square Garden?"

Humphrey Bogart - 1942: "I should never have switched from Scotch to Martinis."

Writer, Oscar Wilde - 1900: he died saying, "Either that wallpaper goes or I do."

Lady Nancy Astor - 1964: "Am I dying, or is it my birthday?"

Author, James M Barrie: "I can't sleep."

General John Sedgwick: killed in battle during the Civil War in 1864 saying, "They couldn't hit an elephant from this dist...."

Robert Erskins Childers - 1922: executed by firing squad said, "Take a step forward, lads. It will be easier that way"

Paul Claudel - 1955: asked "Doctor, do you think it could have been the sausage?"

And we all know what a redneck's famous last words are: "Hey! Watch this!"

TS: Last words sometimes have significance. Sometimes, they aren’t much at all. IF people know it is the final speech, or final words, they take on much more importance.

Jesus knew the time for Him to return to the Father had come. He gives final instructions and teachings to his disciples including us!

The Acts of Jesus

Jesus’ final days on Earth He was busy.

Some context on the days from the Resurrection to this day.

Acts 1:1–3 NKJV

The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

Paul gives more details of His last 40 days.

1 Corinthians 15:5–8 (NKJV)

and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.

After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.

After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles.

Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

Many infallible proofs

Jesus entered a locked room

Showed His Crucifixion wounds

Ate and drank with them

Walked on the road with them and explained the Scriptures

Granted a great catch of fish and had breakfast cooked when they arrived at shore.

Jesus demonstrated the truth of His resurrection

He was in a glorified body which could be felt, eat, etc Yet in its new state was unbound by material restrictions

This was to give confidence to His disciples both then and now

Moving a body would have been easy

Having Him appear and interact with the people (from just a couple to 500 at 1 time)

Today, we too have confidence in the risen Lord!

The Assignment from Jesus (1:4–5)

The command (1:4–5):

The disciples (called “apostles” in Acts) are to remain in Jerusalem until they are baptized with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:4–5 NKJV

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Jesus gave them an immediate and a long range assignment

Immediate:

Remain in Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit

Jesus had repeatedly promised to not leave them alone, but to send The Helper after He had departed.

One promise as in Jn 14:

John 14:16–18 NKJV

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

They were to await the Spirit in Jerusalem

They need the guidance

They needed the power

They needed the gift

They would be baptized with the Spirit

immersed in the Spirit

The original disciples had to wait for the Spirit

3 Times in Acts we see the Spirit poured out for the first time:

Pentecost to Jewish believers Acts 2

To Samaritan believers Acts 8

And then to Gentile believers Acts 10

After that, to be saved brought the baptism of the Spirit

Paul even said,

Romans 8:9 NKJV

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

Jesus’ promise was fulfilled 10 days later.

Long Term

Acts 1:8 NKJV

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

After receiving the Spirit, they were to witness everywhere

Jersualem - Their current town

Judea - Their region

Samaria- The neighboring region

Ends of the Earth- Whole planet

They needed the power and guidance of the Spirit to be effective witnesses.

The empowered witness of the Apostles changed the world!

The apostles had already experienced the Holy Spirit’s saving, guiding, teaching, and miracle-working power. Soon they would receive His indwelling presence and a new dimension of power for witness

John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), Ac 1:8.The Assurance from Jesus (6-7)

Witnesses proclaim what they know

We tell the truth about Jesus.

The confusion (1:6):

Acts 1:6 NKJV

Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

The apostles want to know if Jesus will establish his kingdom at this time.

They were still focused on Earthly kingdoms

The clarification (1:7):

Acts 1:7 NKJV

And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.

Jesus tells them that the Father will determine when that will occur.

As fascinating as it is to study the end times, our job isn’t to try and set dates and make plans.

Our job is to be a witness. To make disciples.

Jesus wanted them to stay on mission:

We also need to be on mission.

Stay focused on making disciples.

The ascension of Jesus (1:9–11)

1. The action (1:9):

Acts 1:9 NKJV

Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

Jesus is taken up before their eyes.

God the Father took Jesus up to heaven where He now is in His proper place at the Father’s right hand

He rose up into a cloud, perhaps reminding them of God’s glory

God had used a cloud by day to guide Israel as they wondered the wilderness.

2. The attendants (1:10):

Acts 1:10 NKJV

And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,

Two white-robed men suddenly stand beside them.

These were angels who had taken the form of men

Angels often had done this and even still may

Hebrews 13:2 NKJV

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

3. The assurance (1:11):

Acts 1:11 NKJV

who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

The two men tell the amazed apostles that Jesus will return someday just as he left!

They assumed His return was imminent, perhaps any moment

The angels had to assure them He would return in like manner

The Apostles had to return to Jerusalem to follow Jesus’ commands

Wait

Witness

They needed both the assurance of Jesus’ eventual return and the nudge to move back to Jerusalem instead of standing there staring.

Conclusion:

Today, we also wait:

Wait for the Lord to return

Witness until then