Acts 1:1-11

Acts 29

1:1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

6 So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"

7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
(from New International Version)

Luke (the author of Acts) begins by telling Theophilus (literally "God-lover") that his previous writing to him (The Gospel of Luke) was about what Jesus "began to do and teach". And with those words he sets the stage for the book of Acts, which is the continuation of what Jesus did and taught through the birth of the church in the world.

The church is the post-resurrection body of Christ on earth (1 Corinthians 12:27). That body ought to be as much to his service as his previous earthly body was. We should be busy doing together the sort of things he did in the flesh while here.

After Jesus' resurrection, he spent 40 days with those who would be the next phase of Jesus' ministry. And what did he do with them?

He spoke with them about the Kingdom of God. I will have to spend another blog talking about the kingdom, because I believe it is perhaps the most important concept in all of Christianity. But suffice it to say here, given just forty days in the flesh with the small group of people he has chosen to turn the world upside down with, the key theme of their discussions was the Kingdom of God.

It's usually taught that the apostles still did not understand, and that their questions shows that. I'm not sure that's fair. They have just recieved soem pretty intense instruction on the kingdom. Perhaps they mean, "Is it yet time for the kingdom to come here to Israel?" (v.6) Jesus answer seems to answer that question more than it would a question about overthrowing Rome.

Jesus seems to say, "I'm not telling you when this kingdom will come, but you'll know it when the Spirit of the Lord comes on you and your witness about me spreads throughout the world."

Verse 8 provides an outline of sorts for Acts 1-28. My question is why this map? Why start in Jerusalem? Can we learn strategy for the Acts 29 church from these words?

If you are not yet pumped up about Christ's promise of his kingdom coming to earth, and about his promise of the Spirit of God being poured out on all kingdom citizens (as I think Luke intends you to be), Luke uses the next three verses to light your fire. King Jesus is coming back.

Long live the King!