The Mission of the Church (2)

Introduction

As we study Acts together I want to encourage us not to study this book like it is some distant removed history that is interesting but has nothing to do with us.

No instead, this book is a family book for us church.

This book is not just the history of the church, it is not just a history of our spiritual family but it is also a history of the mission of the the church, and this is a mission that continues with us today.

One of the things that I hope studying the book of Acts does for us is that it causes us to better serve our King as we understand the mission and study the history of the mission of the early church.

I. Luke’s Message Continues

A little bit of introductory matters here

Reading v.1-2 it is clear that we are picking up in the middle of a story.

This is volume 2 if you will of a 2 volume work by Luke.

Luke, the author of the gospel according to Luke is the same author of the book of Acts.

A little about Luke

We know that he was a doctory

Colossians 4:14 ESV

Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas.

Luke would have been educated and presumably wealthy. He made trips with Paul and was loyal to him even while the apostle was in prison

2 Timothy 4:11 ESV

Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry.

Acts 28

Notice places where Luke includes himself in the narrative, these are referred to as the “we-sections”

Where the gospel was planted on European soil ,

From Philippi to Jerusalem after the conclusion of the last missionary journey 20:5-15 and 21:1-18

The Third from Jerusalem to Rome by sea 27:1-28:16

During these times of ministry Luke has plenty of opportunity to absorb Paul’s teaching, and to write a personal log of his experiences that he would use later while writing this book.

ring these times of ministry Luke has plenty of opportunity to absorb Paul’s teaching, and to write a personal log of his experiences that he would use later while writing this book.

During these times of ministry Luke has plenty of opportunity to absorb Paul’s teaching, and to write a personal log of his experiences that he would use later while writing this book.

But more than anything we see that Luke is a humble man who has a passion for the life changing gospel, his sensitivity to the disadvantaged, his heart for prayer, and his concern for the nations.

Luke is the first volume

Listen to the introduction to his first volume

Luke 1:1–4 ESV

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

Writing to Theolphilus, “lover of God”. This is probably a new believer or maybe someone who is seeking, someone asking questions about the faith.

What was dealt with in the first volume?

The first coming of Christ, His life, His ministry, His death, His resurrection, and His ascension

In the first volume Luke told us of the unfolding plan of redemption. How God’s promises of redemption and restoration find their fulfillment in Christ.

He is the the Son of David

He is the Savior of the World

He is the Fulfillment of all the OT hopes and promises as we looked at some of that this past month

Luke speaks of eyewitnesses and of an orderly account of all that has taken place.

Brothers and sisters, this is a reminder to us that our faith is not hope in some abstract ideas or hope built on some philosophy, it is not based on someone’s wild imagination but on historical revelation.

Jesus Christ really did live

He died

He rose bodily from the grave

He appeared to witnesses

He ascended

He is ruling and reigning today

He has send His Spirit to empower His people

These are facts, not this not some fantasy

Other religions like Buddhism, Islam do not depend upon historical

The implication is that that this s

II. Jesus’ Ministry Continues

Notice in v.1 and 2 we are told about the previous book

The implication is that this book is about the ministry that is still to come.

Notice Jesus is mentioned all through 1-11

What Luke is helping us to see is that Acts is simply the continuation of Jesus’ ministry.

Luke tells us about the finished work of Christ, the work that He accomplished while He was bodily here on the earth, the obedience to the Father even to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Acts tells us about the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ through the church by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Both books are unfolding the plan of God’s redemption and restoration of lost sinners that was promised in the OT.

Something I will point out notice v.1 all that Jesus began to do and teach

Jesus did and He taught

Jesus’ deeds illustrated His words and His words explained His deeds.

Jesus leaves the church with the same ministry. Brothers and sisters we are to in the power of the Holy Spirit do and teach.

It is not enough just to do.

We can do all that we want and yet we have to teach, we have to proclaim the gospel for the Kingdom of God to spread.

We also must not just teach, we must not only share the love of Christ with others but we must show the love of Christ to others by the way that we live.

The words and works of Jesus go together and we see that in Acts as well.

caring for physical needs 3:1-10

proclaiming the gospel 3:18-20

Brothers and sisters the ministry of deeds and words go together, and when done by the power of the Holy Spirit for the good of others and to the glory of the King they produce a pleasing aroma of worship to God.

In the book of Acts we see the ministry of Jesus continuing through His church. Is that true for us today? Are we faithfully taking part in the mission?

To build on this truth that we see in this passage let’s look at how it is communicated to us in another way.

Notice the ascension of our Lord.

In some ways this reminds us of Elijah when he passed off the mantle to Elisha. The disciples had been with the greater prophet and now Jesus was giving them the privilege and responsibility of doing his work and proclaiming His Word after His home going.

The ministry of Jesus is to continue through the church, and it will continue because He is the exalted King who rules and reigns.

You see the ascension of Jesus reminds us of who He is.

v.2 tells us that Jesus was taken up and in v. 9 the text says he was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight.

This cloud reminds us of the Son of Man vision in

Daniel 7:13–14 ESV

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

Daniel 7.

This glorious exaltation demonstrates Jesus’ promotion from earth to heaven and it prefigures His return which will be visible, glorious, and climactic.

Some of the early church fathers viewed as being ultimately fulfilled in the ascension of the totally righteous Lord Jesus and His entrance into heaven

Psalm 24:7–10 ESV

Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah

Psalm 24.

This is a picture of the scene in heaven.

But what was the scene on earth?

The disciples gazed into heave like children gazing at a balloon as it drifts away.

Notice v.10 and 11

But we also get more of the story if we look back to Luke’s first volume,

The first and second volume overlaps a little here.

Luke 24:51–53 ESV

While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.

Luke 24.

Brothers and sisters, that should be our response to our ascended Lord, one of worship, joy, and obedience.

The ministry of our risen Lord continues because He is the risen King. Because to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people nations, and languages should serve him.

The good news of this risen King spreads and advances through His Spirit empowered witnesses.

III. The Church’s Witness Continues

Acts 1:8 ESV

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.”

Notice v.6-8

The disciples show that there is a lack of understanding about Jesus’ Kingdom that He came to establish

Jesus directs them to the global nature of His Kingdom and their part in the mission in the advancement of His Kingdom into the nations.

What does Jesus call His followers to?

To be His witnesses. To proclaim the person and work of the risen Christ.

Look back to

Luke 24:44–49 ESV

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

And listen to this later in Acts

Acts 10:39–43 ESV

And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Acts 10.

They were to proclaim how Christ accomplished the ancient prophecy of crushing the head of the serpent, Satan, providing a way for sinners to be reconciled with the Father.

Witnesses to everyone that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.

They were to proclaim how Christ accomplished the ancient prophecy of crushing the head of the serpent, Satan, providing a way for sinners to be reconciled with the Father.

While they were witnesses that actually saw the resurrected Christ those of us who believe though we have not seen Him are recipients of eyewitness testimony that comes to us in the form of the Scriptures, the Spirit inspired writings of the disciples.

And like them we have the privilege of bearing witness about the good news of the Messiah to everyone.

Let us consider aspects of this command

Who is this command for?

The people who witness: All believers

It was first given to the apostles. Notice what the text says, the apostles whom He had chosen (v.2)

Those whom He had called out and made His own were now to be his witnesses to the nations.

Brothers and sisters the apostles led the church but the gospel has continued to advance through the words and deeds of unordained and ordinary men and women, informal missionaries if you will.

And the church today needs to be faithful to continue to be witnesses.

We are to be witnesses of our Lord, who He is and what He has done, and we are to call people to believe on Him.

Every Christian is a missionary.

Where are you called to serve?

Who can you be a witness to?

What is the power behind the witness?

As we consider the growth of the church, as we continue to read in Acts and we see the church grow and expand and multiply and as we look back over church history and see how the church as advanced and grown and expanded and gone into different nations and spread we might be tempted to say that this has happened because of great men, powerful men, influential men.

But brothers and sisters this is not the true, it has not been great men who have behind the power behind the advancement of the church into the nations, not the scriptures are clear

Notice v.8 again, the Holy Spirit is the the One who brings power to the witness.

We are reminded for us a church and for us as individuals, we have not power to be successful witnesses for our Lord, where does our power come from?

From the Holy Spirit.

This is a reminder for us to pray, it is reminder for us to depend, to look to the Lord.

We want to be used by the Lord, we want His Kingdom to advance and the only way it will happen will be by the power of the Holy Spirit.

It was the Holy Spirit who opened the hearts of the three thousand who repented and believed in

The Holy Spirit who broke prideful Saul and showed him his need for Christ

The Holy Spirit who made Cornelius a God-fearing man who sent for Peter

The Holy Spirit opened Lydia’s heart to receive the gospel message in

The Holy Spirit brought conviction and fear into the heart of the Philippian Jailer so that he cried out, What must I do to be saved in

It was the Holy Spirit that opened the hearts of men and women and boys and girls as the gospel spread into the nations

And brother and sister in Christ, it was the Holy Spirit of God who opened your heart to hear and to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ

Praise God for Spirit empowered witnesses who brought the gospel to you.

Without that you would be outside of the Kingdom.

Pray that God would use us, that we would be Spirit empowered witnesses that the gospel would continue to spread.

That hearts would be open to hear and receive?

Challenge you to pray for the power of the Holy Spirit in the ministry of the church in this coming year.