Acts 1

He left he ascended into heaven.

He's not here, he's gone.

How can Jesus continue to do and teach anything if he left and the ascension into heaven answer, the Holy Spirit, that he promised, I'm leaving it's expedient that I go because if I don't go I can't send a helper to you advice and help her teach you all things is strong to be another helper. As we mentioned the last three weeks. Just like I have been be another help one like I Jesus ascended into heaven charged believers with a very important mission. Find out what that mission means to you today. As we continue our countdown of scripts top 40 messages on the connect with Skip I took you to check in.

The number 17. Spot is his message from acts chapter 1, in which script looks back at the beginnings of the early church sharing vital truths to bolster and affect. Right now we want to tell you about source that will deepen your knowledge of God's word even more. Imagine the challenge.

Skip lighting is taught over 3500 through the Bible messages we had to pick the top 10 for special resource offer you sample bookshelves are we in the last days. Yes, but we been in the last days for 2000 years.

The time between the first coming of Christ and the second coming of Christ falls under the designation, the last date this tower.

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This is what Jesus continues to do and teach, how does he do that he left he ascended into heaven. He's out here, he's gone.

How can Jesus continue to do and teach anything if he left in the ascension into heaven answer, the Holy Spirit, that he promised, I'm leaving it's expedient that I go because if I don't go I can't send a helper to you advice and the helper is in the teach you all things he's gone, struck, and he's gonna be another helper. As we mentioned the last three weeks. Just like I have been to you will be another help one like I have been so the application is that the book of acts is not a closed book. We get to chapter 28 in the book closes.

That's fine, but it's still going on because Jesus is still working throughout history in the lives of his people.

The Holy Spirit is still present, infusing us indwelling us empowering us so I love the thought that the book of acts is what Jesus continues to do continues to teach true the apostles. Now the book is called the acts of the apostles. That's what it says on the top of our Bibles, though the title is not mentioned, that is not the title in verse one is the title that is been given to the book.

It's a good enough title. I suppose, but I prefer looking at it not as the acts of the apostles, but rather as the acts of the Holy Spirit because it says I which she began to do and to teach until he was taken up, after he through the Holy Spirit had given commandments of the apostles whom he had chosen so the finished work of Jesus was on the cross. The unfinished work of Jesus continues through the new generation this one and then the next one and then the next one all the way down our generation so you become those we become those through whom the Holy Spirit indwells and empowers to whom verse three to whom he presented himself, that is is apostles, to whom he also presented himself alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during 40 days and speaking of the things pertaining the kingdom of God out. There's a bit of information. Luke or Matthew or Mark or John does not include they just say that Jesus took them to the Mount of olives, he bless them and he ascended into heaven, and they returned to Jerusalem with great joy.

But now were given a little more coloring into a time. A 40 day actually find out it's a 50 day time. Because between the Passover and the next feast of Pentecost there is a period of 50 days, but 40 days after Jesus rose from the dead, until the time he ascends into heaven, he is teaching his disciples. He continues teaching them and speaking to them about things pertaining to the kingdom of God and being assembled together with them, he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the father, which he said you have heard from me notice in those verses that we read that little phrase many infallible proofs. The disciples were convinced that Jesus was who he said he was that he was the son of God, that he was God, the Lord, principally because of his resurrection from the dead, as well as what he claimed himself to be. But then after Jesus rose from the dead, they saw for 40 days in fallible proofs things that they experienced subjectively, but because they weren't the only ones to see and experience them. They were objective, hence in fallible what I mean by that seat.

If one person experiences something or claims to experience epic.

How do you know so if somebody says I saw a banana flying through the sky and flowers growing out of interesting.

Thank you for sharing which will dismiss it out of hand because those things don't happen, but if you get to and three and four and 12 St. we saw exactly that. At exactly the same time you okay because if one person says he saw her she saw one thing you'd say what I could be a hallucination now psychologist will tell us that hallucinations can happen, but they can happen to a group of people. A subjective experience.

If everybody sees the same thing, and experiences the same thing at the same time is not a hallucination is not the product of one's private imagination. Now you are something objective because there are several eyewitness accounts so Jesus appeared and taught his disciples. But Paul said not only that, but he appeared over 500 after his resurrection at one time so you can say well, Peter saw hallucination in John he saw was Isaac, but if all 12 said I saw two and then you get 500 so we saw him show up on this day at this place saying these things that you have something not subjective as much as object or infallible proofs, so the infallible proofs involved the senses them seeing them hearing them touching them tasting example. On one occasion actually have a couple different occasions. Jesus showed up in the room they were meeting without going through the door or window in crawl through window to knock on the door just appeared, they saw that together on another occasion, he ate a meal with them so they tasted what he gave to them another occasion, he spoke to them, so they're hearing with their ears words that he is saying and and or be corroborated because many people are seeing it and hearing it together.

Thomas even touch the wounds of Jesus after the resurrection. These are in the fallible proofs no John the apostle John was one of them and this is what John refers to in first John chapter 1 verse one when he says that which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon in our hands have handled, concerning the word of life and what we have seen and heard we testify unto you, said Joe. So for 40 days Jesus showed up, taught them ate with them home with them, etc. when occasion is given in verse four, being assembled together with them, he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the father, which he said you have heard from me for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. They stop right there. Go back in your mind to go back in your knowledge go back in your thinking to the end of the gospel accounts. When Jesus said to his disciples go into all the world go into all the world and and preach the gospel to every creature. So we call that the great what commission the great commission is Jesus saying go now.

I just want you to put yourself for a moment in the disciples sandals for somebody to say I've got an idea. I got a mission.

I got a task I want you to want you to go somewhere you might say well I have a job I'm busy I have a wife I have kids I have plans and I can't just go but if somebody who was dead that you loved is now alive after three days and you see that person alive. And now you realize. Oh my goodness this is everything. He claimed he said he was. He is God in human flesh.

It is the living Lord risen from the dead, just like he said controlling nature when he says go to be pretty zealous to go because now you have found a whole new way of life to follow him to do what he says there's nothing more exciting than following back on so you can imagine that when Jesus tells them were not over here yet. Boys, I want you to go and to all the world and I'm putting you on a mission. You have to imagine their excitement was at an all-time high. They were ready to go there, ready to conquer the world. There is zeal was over the top.

However, with their zeal over the top in all of that excitement. They could be tempted to just bolt out the door and go do what Jesus told them to do in the work in the energy of their own flesh.

So Jesus says go, but don't go yet. See that's what is it but wait, he says in acts chapter 1 verse four being assembled together. He commanded them not to go not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the father, which he said you have heard from me know. Why does he tell them wait for the Holy Spirit to baptize them in the body fill them with the boldness give them the necessary equipment to do the job if you wanted to be a pilot in the Air Force would be silly. It therefore said okay now that you graduated from flight school you have to purchase your own jet aircraft. It's a lie. I can't. I didn't sign up for this. I kinda thought you would provide the equipment to do the job or their soldier on on the infantry and they said you know there's a really good deal on M-16s but you have to buy them yourself and the body armor and helmets know that would never happen. They will give you the equipment to do the job they're asking you to do for your country.

So Jesus is commissioning them to go out and do all the work we don't go get wait. He says until you be filled with power from on high.

The filling of the Holy Spirit the necessary equipment to do the job. Therefore verse six when they had come together, they asked him, saying, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel and he said to them, it is not for you to know times or seasons which the father has put in his own authority. I love these guys there so human I don't know if you caught this or not but in the normal flow of chapter 1. This is called an interruption. It's a non sequitur it's bringing an issue out that isn't related to the main subject that was being discussed Georgia going all the world. But now, wait until you get filled with the Holy Spirit. Hey, let's set the date when you come again once a power thing can happen even restore the kingdom to Israel. Now what does that have to do with anything. Jesus is telling them about this much zero okay so there so human and is what I love about because there really good at interrupting or non sequitur for really good at so like at the Mount of Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah's transport figured with Jesus and and they're watching and Peter goes it's good that we're here, let's build three condominiums right now and God the father has to interrupt Peter's interruption by saying this is my beloved son, listen to him, be quiet and listen to him, but that's Peter and that's not the only time there was a time Jesus mentioned that he was going to the cross to die on the cross and so they asked him losing to be the greatest in the kingdom. What we talked about the kingdom and the glory either would like about the cross yet but they're thinking the kingdom so that's that's the interruption that's the non sequitur and why am bringing this up is because I have a good friend who likes to say this because people change, but not that much. And so here you see the same apostles. Yes, after the resurrection, yes, are going to be filled with the spirit, but there who they are there still growing their still imperfect.

Does that give you a little bit of encouragement.

I hope it does. These guys were far from perfect. Now, having said that, having to sort of ditch them. I have to say this, I understand the question. There's a there's part of Mrs. want to give him a break and I understand why they would ask that because Jesus keeps promising that he's gonna send the Holy Spirit on us in the Holy Spirit is the promise of my father. That's the other helper he's been saying that before his death.

And now, after his resurrection.

So in their minds, their Jewish they were raised, believing that the Messiah is in a calm and establish a kingdom. There are several passages in the Old Testament that describe the kingdom, like Isaiah 35 and others that describe the kingdom of Messiah on earth. Incredible promises, but there are a couple in particular. Ezekiel 36 Joel chapter 2 the talk about the coming of the Holy Spirit in conjunction with the kingdom of Messiah on the earth that he would pour out his Spirit on the inhabitants of Israel and so when Jesus keeps saying the Holy Spirit is coming. I'm sending the Holy Spirit. Perhaps I want to give him a little bit of a break. Perhaps there thinking actually of these two promises of Scripture Ezekiel 36 Joel 20 Holy Spirit kingdom of God on earth are you going to now restore the kingdom to Israel. So in fairness I want to cut a little slack. Doughnuts are just interrupting doing the thing work there actually engaged as deep Bible students just from what I know about them.

Probably the first of the second meeting. But then, then comes the answer of Jesus. His answer is basically this. It's not about when it's about what you're worried about when is the time when is the kingdom to be restored.

I want you to forget the win. And I want you to think about the what it is I want you to do. I have a job for you to do and that's been Luke's theme since the beginning in verse one. This what Jesus began to do and to teach. But now he's gonna do it to the Holy Spirit to the lives of the apostles. So he says is not for you to know times or seasons which the father is put in his own authority. But shifting gears but you shall receive power due to mess is the word we talked about last time or do them in. When the Holy Spirit has come upon you at P and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judeo and Samaria and to the end of the year. So many of us do want to know what's next and I just told you about the little Bible study and you version what's next what's next what's next. It's good to be informed, but not so much that all you care about is information and not the transformation that comes in your own life to do what God wants you to do right now you see I came out of the Jesus movement and and some of us, frankly, that Jesus was common by tomorrow maybe you can come by tomorrow or maybe next week. That's it. That's the latest.

I mean, we expected Jesus to come at any moment and I like that that thought of the imminence of pricing return of Christ.

I still hold to that, but the danger was. I saw a lot of my friends quitting their jobs getting lazy. Jesus shown up.

You know, maybe a month, but not longer than that and try to set the date of when Jesus talked about his return. His kingdom. He did expect his disciples to check out strum the guitar sit on a hillside eat birdseed and wait for Jesus to show up. He wanted them to be busy about his business occupy until I come. Our Lord to so once again, he says, but you shall receive power. That's why you need to stay to you get this power when the Holy Spirit powerful one has come upon you, and you shall be witness.

Now watch this to me in Jerusalem, and all Judeo and Samaria and to the end of the year.

Please notice verse eight. Luke is giving us the words of Jesus. Jesus is providing for us the outline of the book of acts Luke will follow this as the outline for his entire book, so chapters 1 to chapter 7 is the gospel witness going to Jerusalem. Chapters 8 and nine.

The gospel witness is witness going to Judeo and Samaria. Chapter 10 through chapter 28 the gospel witness going to the ends of the earth all the way to the heart of the world at that time, Rome. If you are looking for a theme for the book of acts. I can give it to you in one phrase from Jerusalem to Rome, it's all the gospel message goes from the backwaters of the Roman Empire Israel at the time Jerusalem and makes it to the very heart of the Roman Empire itself. So Jerusalem, Judeo Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, so the message of acts is showing us how powerful message of the gospel goes out and ever widening circles, that's the outline and and I see a pattern here when it comes to how the Lord has operated in my life is operated the same way in ever widening circles started with me getting saved I tell my family, my friends, and then the Lord gave me a little more influence in more even geographical see. I started and I was saved in California. That's my Jerusalem Southern California is my Jerusalem. That's my hometown, but then the Lord moved me to what is or was my Samaria New Mexico is like off the grid for me. I didn't even know what that was but the Lord will be from Jerusalem true Judeo all the way out to Albuquerque New Mexico which was my Samaria but now it's not my Samaria. Now it's my Jerusalem and so from this point this is our Jerusalem in ever widening circles the gospel should go out from you from us in the same way through parts of the state through neighboring states to the ends of the earth, so I love the fact that many of left to start churches in different parts of the world are usually at first just starting with areas around here but then widening out and radio is taken the message in various places so the Lord may move you to another place that will become your Jerusalem and you will be responsible before God to take the message Jerusalem here today. I hear Samaria and to the uttermost parts of your basket pipe to deliver 17 message top 40 messages come from the series, expound the full message and move Skip's teachings, including his latest sermons include teaching should YouTube.com/Calvary ABQ here. Skip to share how you can keep this broadcast going strong connecting with you and others around the world with God's word in this world all believers struggle to live completely.

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