Acts 1:1-5: 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 Works of Christ from the first until Pentecost (vv.1-5)
Now, as soon as we jump into this text, we realize we are in a different genre of biblical book. Acts is New Testament history.
In the first book, O Theophilus, [So, recognize then there is a prequal to the book of Acts. And if we scan through the New Testament, we find in chapter one of the Gospel of Luke, the same reference to “Theophilus.” So then, it's proper to conclude that the book of Acts is a continuation of the story started in the book of Luke. In fact, we could easily call the book of Acts, "Second Luke." However, we don't know exactly who Theophilus is. It could be that he is a Christian Roman official who wants, or needs, to hear the official story of this new religious sect that has come out of Judaism. The reason I think he may be a Christian is because both Luke and Acts seem to have Luke referencing him with some kind of Christian affection.
But then we have to ask the question who is the "I" who is talking? And the answer is "Luke." Luke is a physician. He appears to be a Jewish convert to Christianity living in the Roman city of Troas. In fact, the first sixteen chapters of the book of Acts speak in term of the historical "they." But finally in Acts 16 when Paul stops in Troas (v.8), he receives revelation from the Spirit not to go into Asia. Instead, he received a dream to go to Macedonia. And suddenly, the narrative switches from "they" to "we," in Acts 16:1, "So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace…" What just happened!? Well … Luke was converted. And he joins Paul's entourage. And eventually he has the function within Paul's group of writing this history, the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts.
So, the author himself joins your spiritual family. How awesome is it Beloved, that you see the moment when a Bible writer converts to Christ!? Have you?
And he is commissioned by God under the apostles to write a history of the church from Jesus' first works all the way up to Paul's testimony to Caesar."
So, in the gospel of Luke Luke primarily focused on the mighty works of Christ … ] I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, [and the reason why he says "began to do and to teach" is because while Jesus did many wonderful redemptive events (in fact, the greatest of them all: his righteous life, his atoning death, his marvelous resurrection), including teach on the essentials of his kingdom ethic, there was much more to do, and much more to teach. And Jesus told his disciples this would be the case. Regarding the continuation of Jesus' works, Jesus said in John 14:12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father." [First, note Jesus is preparing his disciples for the time after he ascends on high to the right hand of God, which will happen in our next section. But, second, Jesus isn't saying that the acts of his people would be greater than his own. That's literally not possible. But he is saying that his redemptive works would be spread through the church to a greater scope, that is, beyond Israel, to the Gentiles.
And Christian, did you realize you are part of this agenda? You’re only saved because the gospel of Jesus Christ came to you because John 14:12 is true. Will you not also take it others?
But, he made the same point about his teachings in John 16:12-13 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. (13) When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth …" [And that is what the rest of the New Testament is. Christ, through the Holy Spirit, teaches us the rest of what he began to teach the disciples.
Have you ever looked at the New Testament this way? It is the completion of everything Jesus began to teach in the gospels. You lack nothing he gave to the church.
So then there is no division between Jesus' words in the gospel and Jesus' words in the rest of the New Testament. The same way, there is no division between the words of the Old Testament and the words of the New.
And now, here comes more revelation through the work of Luke. So, the gospel of Luke tracks Jesus' words and works from the beginning …] 2 until the day when he was taken up, [now, that sounds like past tense. And when he wrote that sentence it was past tense. But, it is literally the next event we will look at. So, "taken up" is not a reference to his resurrection from the dead, but to Jesus' ascension on high to the right hand of God. And there is a bit of time in between those events. But, he was taken up …] after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. [That appears to be a time-reference to Jesus’ giving of the Great Commission. So these first two verses are all introduction to the book.
But, Luke goes on to talk about the works and teachings Jesus laid down in between his resurrection and his ascension. Did you know Jesus even did that? And its honestly quite remarkable.] 3 He [that is, Jesus] presented himself alive to them [that is, the apostles] after his suffering [that is, after the torture of the cross, after his death, after his burial, and after his resurrection] by many proofs, [Remember, Mary grabbed his feet; he appeared to the disciples in the closed room; Thomas stuck his hands into his torn side; they saw his nail-pierced hands; he appeared to the two on the road to Emmaus. All of this happening in his resurrected body; not as a phantasm, not as a ghost. But in the same body he had prior, just now transformed into a resurrected body. But he didn't just do this once, but …] appearing to them during forty days [So, he was regularly with them throughout this time between Passover and Pentecost. Clearly, he wasn't with them the entire fifty days. But, he continued to present himself over and over again. Why?] and speaking about the kingdom of God. [So they are still learning from him! He's giving them additional revelation! And there's no reason to think we don't have this revelation in the rest of New Testament books. But its more than that …] 4 And while staying with them [He's not just popping up here and there. King Jesus is abiding with his apostles in his resurrected state for at least forty days. That by itself is an amazing work. He's there when they wake up, there when they go to bed, eating, going about their day. No wonder the apostles change from being a bunch of cowards at the end of the gospel of Matthew to bold in Christ by Pentecost.
Today, Jesus is not physically present with his church. But, he sent the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity, to no less abide with us, than he did with the apostles. But are we more or less courageous to share, teach, and disciple with the gospel? You don't need him to manifest himself to you. It's enough that that he was abiding with them. But, does this embolden your witness for Christ? He died. They thought they lost. But, he was resurrected. And talking to them, discipling them, giving them more revelation. Your Christ, your Husband, has conquered the grave, for himself, and for you. Does that change AT ALL the confidence you ought to have in his kingdom and work?
The resurrected Jesus is abiding with them, talking with them, shepherding them, teaching them. Now, originally, he told the apostles to meet him in Galilee. But now they are back in Jerusalem. And …] he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, [Now, this would be dangerous. The Jewish leadership just killed their master, their king, their Messiah. They will be gunning for the apostles too. Doesn’t matter!
And this is true for you too. There will be times when people will hate the idea of you following Christ. But, will you obey in humility and thankfulness regardless? The call is to thankfully obey his commands motivated and empowered by that FACT of his redeeming you. It is not to be scared of those around you. Will you continue to be scared? You may have to sacrifice career, comforts, influence, success, to obey the good kingdom commands of Christ. Is he worth it to you? Not to gain him, or to gain more of him, or even to gain salvation. But, because all of Christ and his salvation has been given to you, and the temptation to fear, and disobey, muddies and soils the salvation he’s already given to you. Will you allow your comforts, the world, the schemes of the devil to muddy the gem of your salvation in Christ? Or, Beloved, will you pray even now that in that day, maybe even today, you will have the courage to live for Christ with boldness?
But, the apostles are to wait for something particular.] but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, "you heard from me; 5 for John [the Baptist] baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
[Jesus is applying to the apostles and the 120 something John the Baptist said about the difference between John and Jesus. And you can find this in Matt 3:11-12 “I [John] baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. [he's talking about Jesus] He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (12) His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
These texts should end any idea that John's baptism and Christian baptism are the exact same thing. They are not. And to further end all doubt, read Acts 19 where converts from following John are baptized into Christ. The Christian church must stop insisting that the mode and theology of John's baptism is the same as Christian baptism. It isn’t. (SHOCKER! I KNOW!) John was the greatest Old Testament prophet. He was the fore-runner of the Lord. His baptism was with water, as an Old Testament rite. Christian baptism is not that.
Jesus is the Great Prophet. He establishes the New Covenant by his death and resurrection. His baptism is a sign and seal of the covenant of grace. And his baptism comes with the indwelling Holy Spirit who, grants life to some, and judges the rest. THAT Holy Spirit, THAT corporate baptism - the outpouring of the Holy Spirit - the apostles now must remain in Jerusalem to wait for.
But for how long? At this moment … they do not know.
Find out more in our next post, from our current sermons series through Acts.
