COPC Acts 1:1-11 What to Believe & Do until Jesus Returns

Christopher Manfreda

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Acts 1:1-11 What to Believe & Do until Jesus Returns Covenant OPC

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

*Come to Pulpit

*Layout Items

*Greet Congregation -Good Morning I welcome you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Scripture Meditation … is from Luke 24:1-53

TURN IN YOUR COPY OF GODS WORD TO

Luke 24:1-53

HEAR NOW THE VERY WORD OF GOD.

English Standard Version Chapter 24

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. 5 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” 8 And they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, 11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

On the Road to Emmaus

13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them.

44 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.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 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.”

The Ascension

50 And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.

*LET GOD ADD HIS BLESSING TO THIS READING OF HIS WORD

Prelude -Take a moment to prepare for worship and to think about the passage we just read.

We are here this morning because God calls us into his presence to Bless us by his Holy Spirit and by the means of Grace.

Would you please rise for Gods call to worship

*OUR Call to Worship is from …Psalm 90:17

English Standard Version (Psalm 90)

17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

Let us open our Trinity Psalter Hymnals to Psalm 90A and we will sing Stanzas 1-4

Lets us Rise for the singing of Gods word

Sing … Psalm 90A and we will sing Stanzas 1-4

*LET US PRAY

Prayer of Confession and Repentance

O Lamb of God, who, both by your example and precept, instructed us to be meek and humble,

give us grace throughout our whole lives, in every thought, and word, and work, to imitate your meekness and humility.

Mortify in us any pride; grant us to feel that we are nothing and have nothing, and that I deserve nothing but shame and contempt,

Grant, O Lord, that we may look for nothing, claim nothing; and that we may go through all the scenes of life, not seeking our own glory,

but looking wholly unto you, and acting wholly for you. Let us never speak any word that may tend to our own praise,

Let our ears and our hearts be ever shut to the praise that comes from men.

Give me a dread of applause, in whatsoever form, and from whatsoever tongue, it comes.

Deliver our souls from the snare of hell; Whosoever perishes thereby, let their blood be upon their own head,

O giver of every good and perfect gift, if at any time you please to work by our hands,

teach us to discern what is our own from what is another’s,

and to render unto you the things that are yours. As all the good that is done on earth is from you,

let us give you all the glory honour and praise, In Christ’s name Amen.

PLEASE BE SEATED

READING OF GODS LAW

* WE PROFESS OUR FAITH AND CONFESS OUR SINS BEFORE HIM

Turn in your Bibles to Exodus 20:1-21 For our reading of Gods Law

That Exodus 20:1-21

Hear Now the Word of the Lord

20:1 And God spoke all these words, saying,

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

13 “You shall not murder.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

18 Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

Confession of Sin ............. Question 61 of the Heidelberg Catechism on page 882

I will read the question And we will read the answer together.

READ THIS FROM THE TRINITY PSALTER HYMNAL

Heidelberg Catechism Lords Day 23

QUESTION 61. Why do you say that through faith alone you are righteous?

ANSWER: Not because I please God by the worthiness of my faith, for only Christ’s satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness are my righteousness before God, and I can receive this righteousness and make it mine in no other way than by faith alone.

Assurance of Pardon……………...……..………………... Hebrews 2:17-18

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect,

so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God,

to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

For because he himself has suffered when tempted,

he is able to help those who are being tempted.

*WE OFFER OURSELVES IN PRAYER AND GIVING *CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER...

LET US PRAY

Congregational Prayer

Lord, teach us to be resigned to your will; teach us to delight in your law;

teach us to have no will but your will; teach us to be sure that everything you do is good and is the very best that can be done.

Help us to leave our concerns in your divine hands, being persuaded that you have sway even over evil; that out of it you bring good,

till your high purposes shall develop in your own perfect glory,

and in the perfect bliss of all those who put their trust in you.

Father we Pray for _____________ and we ask for all these things in the powerful, glorious, majestic, and wonderful name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Take up tithes And Offerings

*GOD FEEDS US FROM HIS WORD

LET Us Rise for the Singing of Gods Word

Let us turn in our Trinity Psalter Hymnal to Psalm 90A

*Hymn of Preparation…… Psalm 90A and we will sing Stanzas 5-7

YOU MAY BE SEATED

*GOD FEEDS US FROM HIS WORD

Introduction to the Book of Acts

English Standard Version 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.

The Acts of the Apostles is the second of two New Testament books written by Luke.

Like his Gospel, Acts was a letter to Luke’s friend Theophilus, written sometime in A.D. 62–64.

Turn in your copy of Gods Word to

Acts 1:1-11

2nd New Testament Reading

Hear now the Very Word of God

English Standard Version Chapter 1

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.”

The Ascension

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.”

Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

Today I want to draw your attention to What to Believe & Do until Jesus Returns.

HP - What to Believe & Do until Jesus Returns.

Because this is what Luke is trying to communicate to all who read his letter to Theophilus and to us.

Verse 1 You must believe all Luke wrote down in the Book of Luke that Jesus did and taught.

Isn't that what Luke says regarding the first book he wrote.

So everything that Jesus taught and did we are to believe.

What did he teach

Luke wrote down what Jesus said to his disciples after his resurrection:

“Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem….” (Luke 24:46,47).

Luke emphasizes the history and the plan of God.

We read at the beginning of his gospel how Luke “followed all things closely for some time past” and wrote his Gospel with the intention to show Theophilus “the things that have been accomplished among us” (Luke 1:1-4).

So we see the picture of the history of the world where the mighty emperor Caesar Augustus decrees that all the world should be registered,

Also the way in which Christ is born in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7),

Luke teaches of Work of the Holy Spirit

Next to the history of God’s salvation, Luke is also the Gospel writer who writes a lot about the work of the Holy Spirit.

In Luke 1 and 2 we see how the Holy Spirit leads people so that they do the will of God.

John the Baptist will be filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:15),

the Holy Spirit comes upon Mary so that she conceives (Luke 1:35)

Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit and encourages Mary (Luke 1:41).

Zechariah is filled with the Spirit (1:67), the Spirit is upon Simon and has given him a promise and guides him to the temple (2:25-27).

John the Baptist promises that the one who will come after him will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (3:16) and this we see happen throughout the book of Acts (starting with the day of Pentecost (Acts 2)).

The compassion of Jesus

Luke shows the compassion Jesus has for the marginalized: the poor, women and non-Jews.

To give but one example of each: Luke writes the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), in which the poor Lazarus goes to heaven while the rich man goes to hell.

Luke is the one who tells us about the women who followed Jesus (Luke 8:1-3).

Luke is also the one who tells us of the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) in which Jesus takes a Samaritan (one of the worst enemies of the Jews in Jesus’ days) as an example of what it means to love your neighbor..

How God is in charge

In short, through Luke God teaches us how He is in charge of world history. Besides the reconciliation through Jesus’ death,

Luke showed us how God looks for the marginalized and brings them together in his kingdom.

The kingdom is theirs (Luke 6:20-23) while at the same time this message warns people who think they are rich and important to be rich in God instead (Luke 12:13-21).

So those were some of the things Jesus taught in the book of Luke

Lets now look at some of the miracles Jesus Did

What are some of the Miracles He did

Becasue these are definitely as Luke puts it in Verse 1 of Acts some of “All the things Jesus began to do until the day he was taken up”

Before he was taken up he did many miracles these are some of the things Jesus did.

And they are things we don’t see people doing on a regular bases.

So what did Jesus do according to Luke?

Jesus Drives Out an Evil Spirit From a Man in Capernaum

Jesus Heals Peter's Mother-in-Law Sick With Fever

Jesus Heals Many Sick and Oppressed at Evening

There is a First Miraculous Catch of Fish on the Lake of Gennesaret

Jesus Cleanses a Man With Leprosy

Jesus Heals a Centurion's Paralyzed Servant in Capernaum

Jesus Heals a Paralytic Who Was Let Down From the Roof

Jesus Heals a Man's Withered Hand on the Sabbath

Jesus Raises a Widow's Son From the Dead in Nain

Jesus Calms a Storm on the Sea

Jesus Casts Demons into a Herd of Pigs

Jesus Heals a Woman in the Crowd With an Issue of Blood

Jesus Raises Jairus' Daughter Back to Life

Jesus Feeds 5,000 Plus Women and Children

Jesus Heals a Boy With an Unclean Spirit

Jesus Heals a Blind, Mute Demoniac

Jesus Heals a Woman Who Had Been Crippled for 18 Years

Jesus Heals a Man With Dropsy on the Sabbath

Jesus Cleanses Ten Lepers on the Way to Jerusalem

Jesus Restores Sight to Bartimaeus in Jericho

Jesus Heals a Servant's Severed Ear While He Is Being Arrested

What should all these miracles that Jesus did tell us about who he is?

That he was the God Man

And that he really died according to the Gospel of Luke and that he was raised from the dead or “TAKEN UP” as luke puts it in verse two of our text today.

Verses 2-5 You must believe that he was TAKEN UP after giving COMMANDS and Blessings through the HOLY SPIRIT.

Verse two tells us that “HE WAS TAKEN UP”

Luke here is touching the doctrine and works of Christ.

So we may know that Christ truly did depart from this earth and ascended to the right hand of God the father.

So How was Christ exalted in his ascension?

According to verses 2 and 3 Luke says

English Standard Version (Chapter 1)

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.

So Christ after his resurrection is appearing to his disciples and conversing with his apostles,

Like we would converse with each other after church service or throughout the week.

Christ is telling his disciples of the things specifically about the kingdom of God according to Luke here in verses 2–3

And do you remember how he presented himself alive from our reading in

Luke 24:25-31

Luke says

English Standard Version Chapter 24

25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

So Luke is recounting to us that Christ told the disciples what Moses and the Prophets purpose was.

And that purpose was to point to Jesus Christ.

To point to the risen Messiah.

To point to his finished work on the cross for the sins of his people.

Becasue the disciples had something else in mind.

Everyone thought that Jesus was going to come as a conquering king who would restore the Kingdom of Israel.

But his coming was not to restore the kingdom of Israel as they thought

His coming was to restore fellowship between God and man.

His coming was to break down the wall of sin that seperated us from God.

Luke goes on to retell more of what happened in verses 4-5

English Standard Version Chapter 1

Remember Jesus promised them this in

Luke 24:49

Which says

English Standard Version Chapter 24

49 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.”

So now Luke is speaking about what is to come.

The disciples are to be baptized with the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem in which the Father promised them.

And he compares it to the water baptism of John.

So the Holy Spirit is going to desend on the disciples.

But not yet

Another question that should arise is why were they to stay in Jerusalem all together?

probably to process together all that had happened to them and to Christ in the past month.

The teacher you have followed for three years was just killed.

And now he has risen from the dead

spoken to you and instructed you why it had to happen.

And Now even more is about to happen.

And they were commanded to stay together,

because they should all have one spirit and mind regarding what has happened.

Calvin speculates If they had been dispersed, their unity would not have been so well known.

So they were scattered abroad afterwards in divers places,

because they would bring that which they had from one and the same fountain that being Christ.

there message would have all been the same,

as if they all had one mouth.

Furthermore, it was expedient that they should begin to preach the gospel at Jerusalem, that the prophecy might be fulfilled according to Isaiah 2:3

Isaiah 2:3

Which reads

English Standard Version Chapter 2

and many peoples shall come, and say:

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

to the house of the God of Jacob,

that he may teach us his ways

and that we may walk in his paths.”

For out of Zion shall go forth the law,

and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

This is the fulfilment of Isaiah 2:3

The Word of the Lord is going to come out of Jerusalem

The disciples are about to fulfil this prophesy

Another question that should come to mind regarding verse 5 which says

English Standard Version Chapter 1

5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Did the disciples not already have the Holy Spirit?

Some people in other denominations of the church might say no they didn’t have the spirit yet such as “Pentecostals”

And too Pentecostals and you we say and the Scriptures teach that the disciples and all regenerate people have the Holy Spirit.

Abraham had the Holy Spirit

Moses had the Holy Spirit

And if you believe in Christ you have the Holy Spirit

And this off course includes the disciples who already had the Holy Spirit.

Titus 3:5-7

says

English Standard Version Chapter 3

5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

When we are regenerated we have the spirit because its the spirit that does the regenerating of all God’s Elect from the time of Adam until now.

So why does Luke bring this up?

Becasue just as your baptism doesn't save you.

And Just as the Baptism of John doesn't save you.

It does point to a point in time when you have declared and obeyed Christ in the act of water baptism.

So just as John’s Baptism pointed to people who were following Jesus Christ.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit that will take place in chapter 2 of Acts will point to a reality that has already taken place.

That Christ has ascended to heaven and that we know longer will have his presence among us except through his words written to us and the Holy Spirit within us.

And they will not be receiving the spirit for themselves alone.

Rather they will be receiving the Spirit as the universal favor of Christ towards his church.

And Christ will be pouring out his Spirit in great abundance in gifts upon the church through the Holy Spirit.

One of the things we will see is the Spirit will begin to draw more believers into the church than we have ever seen before.

Next lets look at verses 6-8 which teach

Verses 6-8 What to believe and do regarding the coming of the Kingdom

verses 6-8

English Standard Version Chapter 1

Christ instructs his disciples that they are not to know when he will return and restore the kingdom.

Why do you think he says this?

One reason is because only God has all knowledge of everything.

And he has restricted his people from knowing everything because we are finite.

It would probably overwhelm us as well having an exact knowledge of when he was going to return.

So God has seen fit to only reveal to his disciples what he has taught them and what he will eventually finish in them the completed Word of God revealed to you in the Bible.

So times and season are fixed by the Father and His authority. according to verse 7

Which should lead you to ask the question why is it that all these television evangelist

and those in some denominations have predicted when Christ would return

and when the end of this world will take place.

And how should we think about these people according to our text this morning

Well the text tells they are liars.

And they are false prophets according to 1 John.

And that we should not listen to those who tell you when the end of the earth is coming.

because they are liars

they are usually someone trying to sell you a book.

Or trying to prey on your ignorance of the Scriptures.

So this should lead us to learn all that our Lord has taught in his Bible

So we will know the truth

And so we will not fall for the lies of False prophets.

Specifically our text this morning tells you know one knows but the Father in heaven when the restoration of the kingdom will happen.

Rather he redirects the disciples to what ?

To Jesus’s purpose and job for them to carry out until the end of the age.

Mainly after they receive this outward anointing of the Holy Spirit in chapter 2 in Jerusalem

they will be witnesses in Jerusalem Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. according to verse 8.

The disciples think the restoration is only going to be to the Kingdom of Israel.

But Christ says it going to be to the gentiles and the whole world.

So the Kingdom is larger than the disciples thought its not just for the Jews but to the gentiles as well.

And they are to be the witness to the whole world.

What a Job.

What a task.

Witnesses to the whole world.

And so after Christ drops this bomb of information to his disciples

He leaves them in verses 9-11

Verses 9-11 What to believe and do regarding where Jesus is located.

Lets read verses 9-11

English Standard Version Chapter 1

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.”

Well the text tells us plainly that Jesus is lifted up by a cloud that takes him out of the disciples sight.

And yet they are still looking into heaven

Or Gazing into heaven.

They probably are all ready experiencing a longing to be with their savior Jesus.

He has been in and out of their lives physically over the past 40 days since he rose from the dead.

He has proved to them he was their bodily and not just a spirit.

And Now they can no longer see him.

And they have to see him how we see him by His Word alone and with the help of the Holy Spirit.

And the two men in white robes have to now remind them of this.

Becasue they can no longer see Christ the Cloud has taken Him out of their sight.

The two men declare that Jesus will come again one day in the same way they have seen him go into heaven.

The two men are saying there is no longer anything to see gazing into heaven Christ is now at the right hand of God.

Christ is now as our priest making continual intersession for you to the heavenly Father.

Christ is now found only in his Word.

But Christ will one day return according to the angels.

Christ will one day return to Judge the world on a cloud the same way they saw him go into heaven.

According to Scripture and our subordinate standard the WCF chapter 33

The Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter XXXIII—Of the Last Judgment

God hath appointed a day, wherein He will judge the world, in righteousness, by Jesus Christ, (Acts 17:31) to whom all power and judgment is given of the Father. (John 5:22,27) In which day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged, (1 Cor. 6:3, Jude 6, 2 Pet. 2:4) but likewise all persons that have lived upon earth shall appear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of their thoughts, words, and deeds; and to receive according to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil. (2 Cor. 5:10, Eccl. 12:14, Rom. 2:16, Rom. 14:10,12, Matt. 12:36–37)

God is coming back one day.

And we will either be of Christs Elect who know of Him by his Word and Spirit

or we are the reprobate who will receive eternal damnation.

So what do you who believe confess

and what should we confess according to Luke here in the first chapter of the book of Acts

HP- So Christian What should you Believe & Do Until Jesus Returns

Verse 1 You must believe all Luke wrote down in the Book of Luke that Jesus did and taught.

Verses 2-5 You must believe that he was TAKEN UP after giving COMMANDS and Blessings through the HOLY SPIRIT.

Verses 6-8 You must wait regarding the coming of the Kingdom

Verses 9-11 And you must know that Jesus is located in heaven at the right hand of God the father.

And then you can honestly declare what Luke preached and what our confession teaches regarding his ascension

The Westminster Larger Catechism (Question 53)

Question 53

How was Christ exalted in his ascension?

Christ was exalted in his ascension,

in that having after his resurrection often appeared unto and conversed with his apostles,

speaking to them of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God,

and giving them commission to preach the gospel to all nations,

forty days after his resurrection,

he, in our nature, and as our head,

triumphing over enemies,

visibly went up into the highest heavens, there to receive gifts for men,

to raise up our affections thither,

and to prepare a place for us,

where he himself is, and shall continue till his second coming at the end of the world. (Acts 3:21)

Amen

Lets us pray

CLOSING PRAYER

Father I pray that today your people have heard you speaking to them this morning.

Help us to apply this in our walk with you and with our brothers and Sisters in Christ.

Help us to show the Love of Christ to others in sharing your Word and Gospel Call to Salvation with this lost and this dying world.

Help us to have comfort in the knowledge that we will live forever with you.

And help us to look forward to that day when you will say well done you good and faithful servant enter into the rest of your Lord.

And we pray in Jesus Christ name.

Amen

LET US RISE - for the singing of Gods Word

*Hymn of Response… TPH 110A The Lord Said to My Lord

Would you please remain standing and turn in the back of our Trinity Psalter Hymnals to page 851 where we find the words of the Apostles Creed. This is a great summary of the Christian faith that we share with the church of the ages

Let us join our voices with the voice of the church. Apostles Creed ..... Trinity Psalter Hymnal pg. 851

WE ARE DISMISSED WITH GOD’S BLESSING

Let us Pray

Father in heaven be with and keep this your people throughout the week.

Father in heaven encourage these your people to discuss with their families the sermon and how they can apply this to the people who they run into through the week.

And father help them through your spirit to have a stronger walk with you and to make this word preached effectual in their lives.

In Christ name

Amen

Our closing hymn is from the TPH #567

*Closing Hymn…………………..………………………. TPH #567 Doxology

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