Speak louder with your words and Acts
The book of Acts shows us how God patiently and powerfully perseveres through His plan until every one of His promises are fulfilled. It urges us to do the little things in faith and obedience until God does the big things through His power and for His glory. Acts encourages us to do this and two other things. Don’t waste your life, we don’t know when He’ll return and and our opportunity to be part of His plan passes. Don’t give up, God never does, and He never fails.
Scripture
Acts 1:1-11 ESV 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.” [6] So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” [7] He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. [8] But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” [9] And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. [10] And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, [11] and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Bible Study Questions
Being certain about what we’ve been taught
Luke wrote two books of the Bible both letters to someone called Theophilus. Why did He write them? Do you and I have the knowledge that we need so that we have certainty concerning the Word’s and Power of Jesus?
Luke 1:1-4 ESV Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
Matthew 22:29 ESV But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.
Acts is after what Jesus taught and did through the Holy Spirit
Luke’s second book or letter, Acts, teaches us what happened after Jesus ascended back to Heaven to rule at the right hand of God the Father. It focuses on the ministry of the Holy Spirit through ordinary people like us. Do you think this ministry ended with the Apostles or are we meant to be continuing it?
Acts 1:1-3 ESV 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.
Romans 8:11 ESV If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
John 14:12-14 ESV “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. [13] Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
Devoting ourselves with one accord
Waiting for God’s promises can be hard, what do we do while we wait?
Acts 1:4-5 ESV 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.”
Acts 1:14 ESV All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
It's not for you to know times or seasons but…
We often feel vulnerable and uncertain because we want to know when things will happen. We also get impatient, and want things to happen according to our timelines, but Jesus reminds the Apostles, and us, that we need to focus on doing the work of God by His power for His glory until He returns. What can we be certain of, even if we can’t know when?
Acts 1:6-7 ESV So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
Zechariah 8:7-8 ESV Thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, 8 and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”
Joel 3:1-2 ESV “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, 2 I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land,
Isaiah 49:6 ESV he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
Power to be witness to the ends of the earth
Advocates promote an idea with reason, witnesses recall what they saw with their own eyes. Who’s testimony do you think is more powerful, an advocate or a witness? If we are to take the Word’s and Acts of Jesus to the ends of the earth - can we do it as advocates or do we need to be witnesses?
Acts 1:8-9 ESV But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.
2 Peter 1:16-21 ESV For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. [17] For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” [18] we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. [19] And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, [20] knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. [21] For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus will return the same way
Jesus left us with work to do and with the Power to do it, but He also left us with the promise that He will return. What does this mean for us who have been called to teach what He said and do what He did?
Acts 1:10-11 ESV And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Zechariah 14:3-4 ESV Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward.
What time is left?
How long do we still have before Jesus returns and we run out of time to do what He’s called us to? Who will be the last person brought to know Jesus before He returns, do you know them?
Romans 11:25-27 ESV Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. [26] And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; [27] “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”
Matthew 23:37-39 ESV “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! [38] See, your house is left to you desolate. [39] For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”