The book of Acts is a blueprint for how the Christian Church should function. In today’s episode, we explore what it means to make a commitment to live God honouring lives.

I’d like to begin this series in Acts with a brief introduction to the book, and to its author Luke.

Acts is the sequel to another book Luke wrote, the book of Luke. That book was the history of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Now, Luke continues where he left off and gives the history of the first 30 years of the early church. All up, Luke records about 60 years of history.

He wrote both books for a man named Theophilus. Theophilus means “one who loves God”, we don’t know exactly who he was, but some have suggested he was probably a Roman official, and possibly he even functioned as Luke’s publisher.

Some people refer to the book of Acts as Acts of the Apostles, others refer to it as Acts of the Holy Spirit Through the Apostles. I like the second because it gives credit to God for the amazing events that Luke recorded.

Acts is an incredibly detailed book. There is so much in it that a history buff could geek out over. Luke was well versed in the politics, had a large vocabulary, could read and write multiple languages, was a doctor, and was a keen researcher. It was no small task to collect 60 years of history. He had no Google, he had no phone or computer to take notes on, no library with a digital catalogue to use, and he had no quick form of transport.

In Luke1:1-4 WEBBE (World English Bible British Edition) he says this about his research:

Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled amongst us, even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus: that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.

Given the care and attention to detail the writing itself has, I dare say Luke’s research included hundreds of interviews to collect stories, and then confirm them by the account of multiple eyewitnesses in order to give the most accurate account of events that he could.

And in chronological order.

It probably took Luke years to research everything he needed for Luke and Acts.

And so as we dive into Acts, remember that we’re not reading a book of one man’s experience quickly written over the course of a few weeks.

We’re reading a thoroughly researched historical document with countless hours of care and attention to detail poured into it.

So, without further ado, let’s get started.

Our passage today is Acts 1:1-11 WEBBE:

The first book I wrote, Theophilus, concerned all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, until the day in which he was received up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To these he also showed himself alive after he suffered, by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking about God’s Kingdom. Being assembled together with them, he commanded them, “Don’t depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me. For John indeed baptised in water, but you will be baptised in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Therefore when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?”

He said to them, “It isn’t for you to know times or seasons which the Father has set within his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”

When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. While they were looking steadfastly into the sky as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white clothing, who also said, “You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky, will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky.”

So Luke begins Acts with a recap of the previous book he wrote, Luke. This is his, “Previously, on The Early Church…” segment. In it, he reminds Theophilus what his last book was about, and that it ended with Jesus being taken up to heaven. Luke also recaps what Jesus did after his resurrection, that he appeared to people over a period of 40 days and spoke to them about the Kingdom of God.

Luke writes this because one of the things Jesus said in those 40 days was for the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit, Luke includes this information to foreshadow the big event that starts the book.

See, the coming of the Holy Spirit was the last piece they needed in order to begin the monumental task Jesus had given them—and us.

At that point in time, though the disciples—and many others—had accepted Jesus as their Lord and followed him, the Holy Spirit didn’t yet live in them. In a few days, though, they would be baptised with the Holy Spirit. From that point, every single person who chooses to acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God who came to earth to die for their sins and rose again, defeating death, will receive the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said in John 14:16-17 WEBBE:

“I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor, that he may be with you forever: the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive; for it doesn’t see him and doesn’t know him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you.”

The Holy Spirit is in all those who follow Jesus. He gives us helps us live lives that honour God. He helps us stay on the narrow path. He gives us the strength we need to keep going when things seem impossible. He convicts us of our sins. He gives us spiritual gifts to serve the church with. He empowers us to be disciples of Jesus in a world that hates God.

But before the disciples receive the Holy Spirit, Jesus tells them to wait in Jerusalem.

Before Jesus left though, the disciples had a question to ask. One that had been plaguing them:

When was Jesus going to save Israel from the oppression of Rome?

That’s what the Messiah was supposed to do. He was supposed to be their conquering king who freed them from slavery.

After three years with Jesus, they still didn’t get that he’d come to save the world, he hadn’t come to kick Rome’s butt.

He’d come to defeat death.

Jesus, as always, responds kindly. He tells them not to worry about that. Only the Father knows those times. Instead, Jesus had a task for the disciples.

And that task was this: When the Holy Spirit gives them power, be Christ’s witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Jesus last words to the disciples were, “Be my witnesses to the world.”

Then he was taken up before their very eyes and a cloud hid him from their sight. And so they stood there, staring up at the sky.

I don’t doubt they were confused and had no idea what to feel. After Jesus resurrection, then after Jesus had defeated death, I wonder how many of them were now waiting for him to defeat Rome. He had “returned” right? Was this the return he’d spoken of when he said he’d come like a thief in the night, at an hour unknown, in Matthew 24:36-51?

Instead he gives them the promise he’ll return at some point, he gives them the promise of a helper, and he gives them a monumental job.

Then he’s gone.

As they stand there, two angels appear beside them and say, “Whatcha staring at the sky for? Jesus is coming back, but not right now. For now, though, you have a job to do. Get to it!”

For the disciples, a new era had begun. Their worlds had been changed. Jesus was gone from earth, and he’d left them with a task.

Would they do the job before them?

Fortunately for us, and for the rest of the world, the disciples did the task Jesus had given them.

They resolved to follow him no matter the cost, and they spread the gospel to Jerusalem, and to Judea and Samaria, and beyond.

Will we resolve do the same?

Every time a new year rolls around, many people make resolutions for how they’re going to change their lives for the year. They declare all the ways things are going to be better, how they’re going to go to the gym, how they’re going to lose weight, how they’re going to save more, etc.

Maybe some of those sound familiar because they’ve been your resolutions in the past. I know over the years I’ve attempted most of them.

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