To Be Continued

Acts 1:1–11

In the book of Acts, we see the work of Christ continued. In his gospel, Luke purported to give an accurate narration of all that Jesus “began to do and teach.” This book records what Jesus, now resurrected, ascended, and the “heir of all things” (Hebrews 1:2), continued to do in order to establish the message of the kingdom of God and give visible manifestation to the nature of that kingdom. This book describes the acts of the Holy Spirit through the commissioned ministries of the Apostles who would shortly after Jesus’ ascension be baptized in the Holy Spirit (1:5). This gift had been promised by the Father and gained by the work of the Son. The gift, the Holy Spirit, would by given in the interests of the kingdom of God. This would be a universal, not an ethnic, kingdom including all nations, a joyful kingdom because of fellowship with the triune God, a courageous kingdom fearing God and not man, a suffering kingdom reflecting the world’s continued hostility to the claims and character of Christ, a gracious kingdom effected by the substitutionary suffering of Christ eliciting repentance and procuring forgiveness as defining marks, and an eternal kingdom ruled over with grace and mercy by the eternal Jehovah. Its subjects advance its cause with truth, not a sword, and welcome an early entrance into its glory by death rather than cling to this life through compromise.

I. Verses 1–5 – Luke summarized Jesus’ earthly ministry.

A. References to Luke’s presentations of Jesus’ ministry

1. 1. “to do” – Here Luke recalls his reporting of Jesus’ healings and manifestations of power in the spiritual realm (e.g. Luke 7:22). He healed lepers, paralytics, atrophied, the blind, the deaf, the mute, the deadly ill, those with chronic bleeding, the feverish, the demoniacs, and he raised the dead. He demonstrated his power over nature (Luke 8:22–25; 9:10–17; He forgave sins and discerned the spiritual status of those around him (Luke 5:20–26; 7:47–50). Finally in completion of his purpose, he suffered through whipping, beating, crucifixion, and burial (Luke 22:54 – 23:56).
   2. “to teach”, We know of Jesus’ precocity in knowledge through Luke’s record of his dialogue in the temple at twelve years of age. He taught by propositions and in a didactic way (Luke 6:20–38; 9:21–27; 12:1–12, 22–34 ) by parables (Luke 6:39; 8:4–18; 15 etc.) and in combination (Luke 10:25–37). His teaching came with authority as it arose from his intrinsic knowledge of the nature of God, the nature of sin, the purpose of Scripture, and the precise way in which his life and death embraced the eternal covenantal redemptive purpose of God (Luke 9:21, 22; 9:43–45; 10:21–24; 11:29–32).

B. Verification during the final forty days

1. 1. Presented himself alive. The tomb was empty and angels announced that he was living for he had risen from the dead. Luke recorded only the appearance of Jesus to two disciples on the Emmaus road (Luke 24), to Simon (24:34), to the gathered disciples (24:36–48), and on the mount of ascension (24:50–53).
   2. “Many proofs” – On the Emmaus road, he walked, talked, and finally, took bread and broke it. In a sense he rebuked their perplexity about the empty tomb for he called them foolish and slow of heart and indicated that all these events had been spoken by the prophets. Then he pointed to the “oughtness,” the moral necessity, of such a transaction with death. The suffering Messiah would enter glory, because he had destroyed him that has the power of death (Hebrews 2:9, 14).
   3. When he appeared to the gathered disciples, he talked, showed them his hands and feet, asked them to touch him, and ate fish before them. He was alive with full human faculties and flesh, and yet could move from one place to another invisibly simply by an act of will.

C. Instructions during the final forty days.

1. 1. He then reminded them of what he had told them and convinced them from Scripture that what they were seeing was precisely what they should have expected if they properly understood the Scriptures (24:44, 45). This instruction would be essential for their gospel preaching on the day of Pentecost and beyond (Acts 2:25–36, etc.). He emphasized again the moral necessity of his death and resurrection (Luke 24:46–49) in order for the promise of forgiven sin to be accomplished (Psalm 103:2, 3, 6–10; Isaiah 53:6, 10–12).
   2. Acts 1:3 says that he spoke to them of “things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” This is a summary of Jesus’ words in Luke 1:47, where he told them that the fulfillment of these messianic promises would be proclaimed to all nations. Also, in Luke 24:48, 49 he emphasized that they, as witnesses of the reality of his victory over death in resurrection, would bear witness. They would need to wait, however, for the fullness of the Spirit to be given. As we see, this bit of instruction passed over their heads as the inclusion of the nations had not yet fully taken root in their perspective. They seemed slow on the uptake (eg. Verse Acts 1:6). They would need to be instructed further through the Scripture as the Spirit opened their minds progressively to see the kingdom in much broader terms than they had perceived up to this point. They would need to see the difference between the ceremonial law and the moral law, the promises as they related to both Israel and the Gentiles, and the implications of justification by faith.
   3. They were not to depart from Jerusalem (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4), but wait for the promise of the Father, that is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Their success could not come without the work of the Spirit in blessing their message with conversion power. Two aspects of the ministry of the Holy Spirit are involved in Jesus’ instruction.

• • • They were to be gifted by the Spirit for inspired preaching and writing as apostles of the new covenant. Like the writers of the Old Testament Scriptures, they would receive revelation for the fulfillment of canonical truth concerning the work of God in the world through Christ’s redemptive work. (Romans 16:25–27; 1 Corinthians 2:10–13; Galatians 1:6–12; Ephesians 3:3; 2 Timothy 3:10–17; 1 Peter 1:10–12; 2 Peter 1:16–21; 3:14–18).
    • Their proclamation would take root in the hearts of their hearers only by the creative power of the Spirit. (Acts 2:33–37; Acts 16:14; 2 Corinthians 4:3–6).
    • The baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5) would establish the new community of God according to the new covenant. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the immersion by the Spirit of God of those effectually called into the body of Christ (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:13). This is the reality of the new covenant, a people set apart by and living in the sanctifying power and gifting prerogative of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s operations under the old covenant were individual, giving faith and holiness and persevering grace to a non-coherent remnant. In the new covenant he originates and sustains a coherent people whose corporate life, as well as individual lives, reflects the reality of faith, holiness, and blamelessness. Its basis of existence is the work of the Spirit, not ethnic or ceremonial origin. It includes Gentiles as well as Jews and establishes a suffering community rather than a triumphant community. Water baptism, likewise, recalls the work of the Spirit in creating the new community; it is thus not simply an individual confession of faith (though it is not less than that) but a symbol of unity with a visible community marked off by the Spirit’s effectual witness to the gospel.

II. Verses 6–8 – Luke Summarized the events of Jesus’ Ascension

A. The Apostles ask a question (6)  

Like John the Baptist from prison (Luke 7:18–23) the disciples still looked for the display of the winnowing fan, the separation of the wheat from the chaff, and the burning of the chaff. They pressed together two different parts of the Messiah’s work as prophesied and so looked for that which would only come later. In the meantime, they would witness the large scale rejection of the Messiah by Israel, the dominance of the Gentiles in the church (Acts 28:26–28), and would see that only at the latter part of the last days would a large remnant of Israel be grafted back in (Romans 11:23–32).

B. Jesus gives an answer (7, 8).

1. 1. Some things they are not to know. – They certainly would receive special revelation about many things pertaining to the eternal purpose of God, the nature of the work of Christ, the character of the Holy Spirit’s work, the resurrection of the dead, and certain aspects of Christ’s return. They were not to know, however, the time at which the Kingdom would be established in visible glory by the return of Christ. The time of Christ’s coming is certain and, according to the wise prerogative of God in working all things for his own glory, he has fixed the time of Christ’s coming. The time is connected with other purposes including the salvation of all of those for whom Christ has died. When the number of those given to the Son is complete (John 17:24), then the Son will come (2 Peter 3:9–13).
   2. They were to receive the Spirit in his extraordinary work of setting them aside as apostles with all the signs and gifts involved (2 Corinthians 12:12, 13).
   3. They were given something to do. Since they had seen the resurrected Christ, been taught and commissioned by him, and would be made interpreters of his word and inspired proclaimers of the gospel, they would be the witnesses that would be used in establishing the church in Jerusalem and the Judean area. They would see it move into Samaria, and then to the Gentiles and, by representation, to all the world (Colossians 1:6). Though they were witnesses in the truest sense, in that they saw personally the resurrected Christ and received from his mouth their commission, all who hear that apostolic message, believe it with the sure sense of faith, also have the commission to be witnesses. According to Jesus’ words in Matthew 28, this blessing of the divine presence accompanying the witness of the church will continue to “the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
   4. They were to receive power (8). Still, not only was it necessary that they have infallible proof of his resurrection, their work in preaching to the dead in trespasses and sins made it necessary to receive a power of conversion and convincement beyond the mere reasoning power of humans.

III. Verses 9–11- Luke pointed to the promise of Jesus’ return.

A. While they looked on, having heard his parting words, Jesus went into a realm beyond sight (“out of their sight . . . into heaven”).

When he finished his words to them, while they looked on the one they loved, and upon whom they depended, he left, entering a cloud that took him out of their sight. He entered a realm that is presently invisible to human eyes, but, nevertheless, is real and one day will be seen.

B. The angels reprimanded their clinging to the sight of Jesus, resurrected, but still in the state of humiliation.

Jesus had given them as much assurance as possible that he would not leave them comfortless or without power to do what he had instructed them to do. Though they might have felt panic at this apparent abandonment, he had carefully prepared them for this moment, had instructed them to wait for the special manifestation of power and his presence among them through the Spirit. They should not, therefore, stand gazing, desiring Jesus to stay, for if he did not go away, he would not prepare a place for them and then come again to receive them to himself (John 14:1–3; 25–29).

C. As Jesus ascended through the air into heaven, so will he come from heaven through the air.

1. 1. Heaven is not located “up” but is in a different sphere of existence. It seems to be up from our perspective wherever we stand on this globe, for the movement to a different sphere of existence leaving our sight would appear to be up. But the heaven to which Jesus went was into the presence of God where other created beings are also present (Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 4). He went into the presence of the glory of his Father and there, as the resurrected man who conquered Satan, sin, and death he intercedes for his people. He is the heir of all things and has been given a name that is the most excellent of all names among men—Savior.
   2. He will come again. Even as he disappeared in a cloud, so he will appear in a cloud (Revelation 1:7), and those that are his will be caught up in the cloud in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17) but it will not be a private appearing or a quiet one. He will come in flaming fire (2 Thessalonians 1:7, 8), with a cry of command, with the shout of an archangel, the blast of a trumpet. So glorious and powerful will be this coming that even those who know him, expect his appearing to be glorious, and look for the manifestation of divine and heavenly power, will marvel at his coming (2 Thessalonians 1: 9, 10).

D. As he ascended, having accomplished the work his Father gave him to do, his work would be effectually applied by the Holy Spirit until the last of his people were drawn to him through the gospel.

All that he had initiated by his death and resurrection in calling out his people would yet be accomplished. Already, many had believed prior to his coming (Hebrews 11) but even for them the work of Christ was necessary for the manifestation of God’s patience in passing over their sins until the time of propitiation had become an objective historical fact (Romans 3:23–26). The rest of the story in Acts shows how the risen and ascended Lord superintended his work after his ascension.

IV. What to do while waiting for the Promise.

A. Return to Jerusalem and pray (12–14).

The followers of Jesus had a designated place, a second-story room, where they would gather. The disciples on returning from Bethany went to this room. With them were the mother and brothers of Jesus and some women. Jesus had taught them to pray and they had often known of his hours of prayer (Matthew 5:5–15; Mark 1:35–37; Mark 6:46; Luke 5:16; John 17). Now the one they had walked with and knew as God in the flesh was gone to the Father. What would be more in keeping with their dependence on him and their love for him than prayer?

B. Read the Scripture and obey.

During a season of prayer, Peter, contemplating on Judas’s betrayal and knowing that none of these events had occurred outside of God’s determinate counsel and foreknowledge (Acts 1:16; 2:23), discerned from Scripture an action they should take. Not only would the betrayer’s death be an example of immediate retribution, but he must be replaced (1:20 – “Let another man take his office”). According to Matthew 27:5, Judas hanged himself. Luke here adds this detail that he fell headlong and his body burst open and his intestines gushed out. Probably, because his hanging was a suicide no one came to claim the body, it swelled, the rope or the limb gave way, the body plummeted to the ground and burst open. His death in the depths of loneliness and apparent family abandonment fulfilled Jesus’ word in Matthew 26:24, “It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”

C. After setting forth the necessary qualifications of one who would necessarily be a witness to the teachings and ministry of Jesus as well as of the resurrection (21, 22), two men qualified—Joseph Barsabbas and Matthias.

Again the gathered followers of Jesus prayed for the Lord to rule over this selection—“Show which of these two you have chosen” (24).

D. They cast lots and the lot fell on Matthias.

Knowing that none of those present were capable of discerning either higher qualifications or disqualifications in either of the potential replacements for Judas, they went to Proverbs 16:33, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” Later after the apostle James was martyred (Acts 12:2), God set apart Paul as an apostle (Acts 13:2; 2 Corinthians 11:5; Galatians 1:1, 15–17).

E. God’s eternal decrees for the glory of His Son and the calling of his people will not be thwarted by the hypocrisy and betrayal of men, the hostility and opposition of the world, or by his own failure to provide qualified people for the tasks necessary to build and complete his church (Ephesians 4:7–16).

When they heard the grave was empty
And He had been seen alive,
Mused and puzzled they were talking
As the risen Lord arrived.

Jesus pointed to the Scripture
To relieve their troubled soul,
Death and resurrection written
That the prophets had foretold.

Hearts aflame as Jesus taught them
Could he stay with them longer?
Breaking bread their eyes were opened,
Now conviction would be stronger.

Then to his apostles speaking
In his resurrected flesh,
To the nations Scripture sends them
When the promise shall refresh.

Judea from Jerusalem,
Samaria and then earth,
Where sin has reigned, grace now will reign,
Where the Spirit gives new birth.

Then rising up before their eyes
Clouds absorbed him from their view.
“Don’t gaze like this; He’ll come again,
The Spirit soon will fill you.”

Prayer and praise and work before them
Scripture told them what to do.
The Lord had placed his call on one
To unite with witness true.

In the world is tribulation
But in Christ our peace is real.
Come, Holy Spirit, grant your joy,
Upon our hearts plant your seal.