Picking Up Where Jesus Ascended

Have you ever found yourself complaining?

     In his book "The Grace Awakening," pastor Chuck Swindoll writes:      "We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it... The pursuit of happiness is a matter of choice... it is a positive attitude we choose to express."      A pastor friend of mine recently lamented the number of web sites that specialize in "complaining." I did a little research and I think my favorite is Muttr where they claim, "Muttr.com, the site where everything that irks you comes to life. Groan, gripe, and complain your day away. Most importantly, Just Vent Anonymously!"      In case you're wondering, a complaining attitude, especially if you're doing it anonymously, just isn't what the bible teaches. The bible specifically tells us how to deal with interpersonal struggles. It specifically tells us to not have a complaining attitude. It specifically tells us that a complaining attitude hurts God and it hurts you. And it specifically tells us that we need to do go from complaining to doing.      Now here's my point. A lot of people have been complaining about the Church. Not our church (at least not that I know of). The Church. All churches. It's not this, it's not that, it's broken, it's boring, it's irrelevant. My response: so what are you going to do about it?      This week we dive into the Book of Acts and we'll be looking at . There are several things that we'll learn from this passage but here's a big one: you can complain about the church or you can be the church. Jesus has given us everything we need to finish His work until He returns. So let's start doing.

Learning old truths for the first time...

Acts 1:1–11 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.” 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 acts of the risen lord Jesus, through his people, through the Holy Spirit, to fulfill the plan of the Father

(1) We have a Savior to follow, worship, and obey (1-3)

all that Jesus began to do and teach

he was taken up

he had given commands

those he had chosen

he presented himself alive after his suffering

he appeared for 40 days (have you ever met a numbers nut?)

He spoke about the Kingdom of God - not so much where God reigns but instead God’s sovereign rule in human life and the affairs of history

(2) We have a promise from the Father (4-7)

The promise of the Father

Baptized with the Spirit

The kingdom - millennium is coming

The Father has fixed by his authority

(3) We have power through the Holy Spirit (8)

cell phone charger

You will be baptized; You will receive power

You will receive power

(4) We have a mission to accomplish (9-11)

the witness mandate, the apostles, the Holy Spirit, the ascended Lord