Acts 1

1. What is the Background?

The Book of Acts is not a stand-alone book.  Of course the same could be said of the whole canon of God’s word. But I mean that Acts presupposes The Gospel according to Luke as its most immediate context.  Both Luke and Acts are written to the same person with the same purpose as to expound the testimony of Jesus more perfectly to the reader.

Luke has handled Jesus’ life and ministry up until he was “taken up”, vv1-2.

The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up…

After this, Acts covers the next 30 years or so of the early church, which is a short time, but there are major transitions that happen during this time. For example, the narrative picks up in Jerusalem but eventually ends in Rome.  The book begins with exclusively Jewish worshippers but ends with Paul ministering to mainly gentile audience in Rome.  The book begins with asking a question about the restoration of Israel’s kingdom but ends with preaching the Kingdom of God that represents something much greater than the physical restraints of Israel’s borders. Also, the book begins with the conclusion of Jesus’ ministry but ends with the beginning 30 years of Holy Spirit’s ministry which has lasted until now.

2. What Can We Learn About God?

Knowing God is Reasonable.  If one fails to pay attention to God’s revelation, then knowing Him based on experiences, feelings, or hearsay is unreliable.  But God gave us infallible proofs to rest upon as we come to know the God who is there.    In spite of the diversity of religious views on God in the world, the God revealed to us in Scripture does not change.  He is not one way conservative Christians and another way with liberal Christians, although the way each group speaks of God is varied highly.  If we try to put together harmoniously every way the world speaks of God, then the result would be full of contradiction and obscurity.  Embracing a “God” who fits everyone’s imagination is no God at all, but a God of our own making who always seems to side with our opinions.

The God we know in Scripture often has ideals contrary to human thought and culture to which the only proper response is to repent.  One thing God has given during the process of God revealing Himself in His word is historical unchangeable events of the Bible, and most predominately the cross.

Every hope the Christian has ultimately is held up by the historical Jesus who did die and rose again from dead.  Opponents who do not allow their thoughts to venture out of the natural world simply brush away the miracle of Jesus’ resurrection because it isn’t naturally possible.  But it is precisely the point that human resurrections do not happen naturally that gives persuasion to the argument.

Acts is quick to describe to us who the opponents of the gospel message are very early in the book.  They use brutality and murder as tactics to quell the message that Jesus rose from the dead. It would have been much simpler to produce Jesus’ body if He were truly dead, but they could not.  Instead, they spread the rumor that the disciples retrieved the body from the grave on the Sunday of Jesus’ supposed resurrection.  But such a claim would have to explain why it took the disciples so long themselves to believe that Jesus rose again.  What would they have to gain by claiming a resurrection?  Was it worth dying for?  We can see from the evidence that Jesus’ earliest disciples truly believed He is alive again.  Many of them were stubbornly hesitant until He actually appeared to them all on several occasions over the course of 40 days.  His appearances to them were not done in a corner where only one or two witnesses saw Him, but a whole group up to 500 at once (See 1 Cor. 15:6).

These “infallible proofs” recorded in the written testimony of Jesus’ resurrection tells us faith in God and knowing Him does not come without reason.  To the extent that God reveals Himself to us through His Word, He is objectively knowable.  We can also say that unless God chooses to reveal a certain thing, then it would remain a mystery to us (Ex. 1:7).

And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

God is concerned about all people amongst all nations. When we read verse 8, we should see more than just a commission, though that ought to be enough.  But God’s heart for the nations becomes the sole mission of the church.  Therefore, if one is going to be passionate about God, then they must also be passionate about the nation’s need for the gospel as well.

Consider also the required method of God’s commission to Christians. His chosen method could have completely ignored human frailty and weakness, yet God chooses to indwell them and give them the power to come alongside and participate in the work of God.  What sort of God would extend such a privilege to redeemed slaves to partner with the work of the Holy Spirit?  Jesus once told His disciples that He no longer calls them servants but friends, tell them all the heart of the Father (See John 15:15).

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

The motivations for serving God on our part do not need to be wrapped up in suspicion against God as our sin natures would be inclined to lead us.  Allowing us to be a part of the Holy Spirit’s work is an invitation from a Friend who knows our need better than we do ourselves.

3. How is the passage fulfilled in Christ?

Knowing God ultimately achievable because God became flesh and dwelt among us in the Lord Jesus Christ.  We have His eyewitnesses to His deeds and words which are numerous and are in sync with one another as to avoid any contradictions.  There have been attempts to produce contradictions, but these are done at the expense of sacrificing the contexts of the time period.  God who wished to redeemed man, became a man as to redeem man in His own body.  Therefore we have go-between and a middle-man between us the Most Holy who understands our weaknesses and is able to offer help in times of need.  Jesus is the Word of God and by His life, we see God with us.

Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Hebrews 2:17-18

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:15-16

Through salvation in Christ, we are given access to God as sons and daughters rather than servants.  Therefore our knowledge of God can correlate together as much as we practice the intimacy with Him that has been afforded to us through the second birth.

For the human being, knowledge of God is as lovely as Christ is.  Simply knowing God and enjoying fellowship with Him breaks the powers of sin and its hold on the human heart (See 2 Corinthians 10:5).

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

2 Corinthians 10:5

Instead of vanity and fear, we know joy by being with the one who loves us and died for us (1 John 4:18).  Knowing God through Jesus provides the backdrop in every decision in our lives to do so with wisdom and peace.

 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear…

1 John 4:18

⁶For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Romans 8:6

God’s concern for the nations is exhibited through the suffering of His Son and repeated through the lives of missionaries. Though salvation is a free gift on the part of those who accept it, still there is a great cost to those who transport the gift by sacrifice and suffering.  Just as Christ suffered for us, yet it might be said His suffering for us is lacking, not in potency, but in the sense that we do not have a personal representative of salvation in Him until someone plays the part of a missionary in our lives (see Colossians 1:24)

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Colossians 1:24

Not only to transport the Gospel but to transport the life in which the Gospel resides and then live it out generously and sacrificially for those who oppose themselves, there will undoubtedly be a price to be paid.  But no such cost is greater than the price already paid by Christ on the cross, we merely reflect the glory that was given on Calvary when we experience but a little portion of Christ’s sufferings for the lost.

4. Application

I will meditate today on the private thoughts that enter my mind and approve or disapprove of each one according to how I know the Lord Jesus Christ.   Any thoughts that go against His person or that I would be ashamed of in His presence, I will cast out and bring each one into the obedience of Christ.

I will also consider who is currently in my life now that needs Jesus, discover a need, and fulfill it if I might have the opportunity to preach Christ.  May the Lord give power to my witness today!