Acts Chapter 1...

 

☆ Acts 1:1...

"The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach..."

 

The former treatise (word, teaching) Luke speaks of is the Gospel of Luke of which he is also the author. In that treatise, Luke reminds his friend Theophilus, that he covered everything that needs to be known about Jesus in all that He did and in all that He taught.

 

Luke portrays Jesus as the Son of man, the perfect man. This Gospel was written for the Greeks. Christ’s genealogy is given as far back as Adam (the first man) instead of to Abraham. 

As a perfect Man, Christ is very often seen in prayer and with angels ministering to Him.

 

Being a physician... a learned man... and a follower of Jesus... His observations would have been accurate and true. 

 

☆ Acts 1:2...

"Until the day in which He was taken up, after that He through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen:"

 

That treatise (Gospel of Luke) covered the life of Christ in great detail right up to the very day that Jesus ascended to heaven.

And... just before He ascended, Christ gave special instructions (commandments) to the disciples (the 11) that He had hand picked. 

 

Jesus gave these commandments "through the Holy Ghost"... meaning that the Holy Spirit was to have a huge part in the future ministry of these apostles.

In chapters 14, 15 and 16 of the Gospel of John, Jesus had much to say about the ministry of the Comforter that He would send after He leaves.

 

☆ Acts 1:3...

"To whom also He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God:"

 

Jesus spent 40 days after His resurrection proving to His followers that He was well and truly alive. The crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ is the very heart of the Gospel that was to be preached "in all the world."

The number 40 in the Bible represents a period of testing, trial or probation. 

 

Luke also says that Jesus proved that He was alive with "many infallible proofs."

Infallible proofs?... indubitable evidence (too evident to be doubted).

 

These proofs include... visual sightings, speaking with His disciples, eating with His disciples, showing His nail scarred hands and feet, inviting His disciples to touch those wounds, His amazing discourse with the two disciples on the road to Emaus. 

 

Also read ☆ John 21.

 

Jesus shared further information regarding to the Kingdom of God. The meaning here is, Jesus gave them instructions about the organization, spread, and edification of His church.

 

☆ Acts 1:4...

"And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, said He, you have heard of Me."

 

At this point in time, the risen Jesus is with His 11 disciples... they are "assembled together" with Him.

He tells them, no, commands them... that they are not to leave Jerusalem. 

Why is that?

They are to wait for the promise of the Father which Jesus had shared with them. We read about this in the Gospel of John.

 

☆ John 14:16...

"And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever."

 

☆ John 14:17...

"Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees Him not, neither know Him: but you know Him; for He dwells with you, and shall be in you."

 

☆ John 15:26...

"But when the Comforter is come, Whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father, He shall testify of Me."

 

☆ John 16:7...

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you."

 

The promise of the Father that they were to wait for was the Holy Spirit. 

Note what Jesus said of Him... He's the Comforter, He's the Spirit of truth, He proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Jesus, He will abide in the disciples and... Jesus has to go away for Him to come.

 

Every believer can hold onto that awesome promise... to have the Holy Spirit dwelling within. Hallelujah!

 

☆ Acts 1:5...

"For John truly baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days (10 days) hence."

 

Jesus tells His disciples that they will be baptised with the Holy Spirit in the next couple of days. John the Baptist's baptism was the water baptism of repentance. This baptism Jesus speaks of was an infilling with the Holy Spirit... power to witness!

 

☆ Acts 1:6...

"When they therefore were come together, they asked of Him, saying, Lord, will You at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?"

 

While they were with Jesus, the disciples ask Him whether at this stage He was going to restore again the kingdom of Israel.

The disciple's focus was still on the things of this earth. 

No wonder Jesus had to spend an extra 40 days with them. 

The Kingdom that Jesus is concentrating on is the Kingdom of God within the believer.

 

☆ Luke 4:43...

"And He said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent."

 

☆ Luke 8:10...

"And He said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand."

 

☆ Luke 17:20...

"And when He was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, He answered them and said, The kingdom of God comes not with observation."

 

☆ Luke 17:22...

"Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you."

 

So... He replies...

 

☆ Acts 1:7...

"And He said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has put in His own power."

 

Jesus gives His disciples a very blunt answer. 

Basically He says to them that it is none of their business to know what should happen where and when. That is totally God’s department.

 

Jesus... over the 3 years He had been with them, preached that the Kingdom of God is nigh (was here and now)... that this Kingdom is not observable with the naked eye... and that this Kingdom is within the believer.

 

Can you see why Jesus had to "speak of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God"?

 

☆ Acts 1:8...

"But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and you shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

 

Jesus is now talking nitty gritty...He tells His disciples that they will receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon them... that is, power from this Baptism with the Holy Spririt. 

 

This power will be power to be a witness for Him in Jerusalem, in all Israel, in Samaria... and throughout all the earth.

 

The Baptism with the Holy Spririt was not to be for warm fuzzies and tingles down the spine. 

The Baptism with the Holy Spririt was to give power to the believer to be a powerful witness for Christ.

 

Can you see why Jesus said...

☆ Luke 12:11-12...

"... take you no thought how or what thing you shall answer, or what you shall say:

For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you ought to say."

 

☆ Acts 1:9...

"And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight."

 

When Jesus had finished saying all that needed to be said, He disappears right in front of their eyes. The disciples see Jesus being taken up in a cloud. 

His mission on earth is complete. 

Jesus ascended to heaven... this was His ascension.

 

Jesus now sits on the right hand of God, interceding on behalf of all the saints.

 

☆ Mark 16:19...

"So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God."

 

☆ Hebrews 10:12...

"But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God."

 

☆ Romans 8:34...

"Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yes rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us."

 

Jesus is not in Heaven twiddling His thumbs nor having a glory time with the angels. Christ is interceding on our behalf. He is making null and void all of Satan's (accuser of the brethren) accusations and slanderings before God.

 

☆ Acts 1:10...

"And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;"

 

As the disciples stared upwards towards heaven watching Jesus disappear, they noticed what appeared to be two men dressed in white standing nearby.

 

Who were these two guys?

It is believed that they were two angelic beings in the guise of humans. They were there to comfort the disciples who had just "lost" their Master.

 

☆ Acts 1:11...

"Which also said, You men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go into heaven."

 

So... what comforting words did they give the 11 disciples?

"Hey you guys from Galilee, why are you gazing up into the heavens. Snap out of it. This same Jesus Who has been taken up from you into heaven... is going to come back in the same manner."

 

Yes folks... Jesus is coming again! 

 

Very briefly... there will be two phases of Christ's second coming.

Phase 1... the Rapture where Jesus comes for His saints just before the Great Tribulation.

And phase 2... the second coming where Jesus comes with His saints at the end of the Great Tribulation. 

 

This topic is seldom preached from the pulpits if at all. And... many Christians don't even believe it.

Paul calls this... the harpazo... the blessed hope of the Church... where Jesus comes in the clouds to take His saints home.

 

You can read this account in ☆ 1 Thessalonians  4:13-18...

Note that at the end of that passage it says... 

"Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

 

We need to keep Jesus in sharp focus every day... expecting His return at any moment.

 

☆ Acts 1:12...

"Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey."

 

The disciples obey the Lord and head to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet... that is, Mount of Olives.

 

"a sabbath day's journey." This is as far as might be lawfully traveled by a Jew on the Sabbath. This was 2,000 paces or cubits, or seven furlongs and a half - not quite one mile. 

 

☆ Acts 1:13...

"And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both (but also) Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James."

 

When they arrived in Jerusalem they adjourned to an upper room.

This was either a room in the temple or the house of one of the disciples, where this holy company was accustomed to meet. 

 

It was usual to meet in upper rooms for devotion and religious conversation.

 

A little later we learn that there are 120 followers of Jesus waiting for the promise of the Father.

It makes good sense then that they must have met in an upper room in the temple. A regular home would not have had an upper room big enough to could accommodate such a number of people.

 

☆ Acts 1:14...

"These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren."

 

These faithful followers were constantly and with one passion in prayer... diligently seeking God and waiting expectantly for the promise of the Father... the baptism in the Holy Spirit. 

 

This amazing group included women, Mary the mother of Jesus as well as His brothers.

 

There must have been some sort of wonderment as to what was going to happen with this Baptism that Jesus spoke of. 

The questions... What? and When?

 

I reckon Jesus gave a possible clue when He gave His disciples the great commission.

 

☆ Mark 16:17...

"And these signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues..."

 

☆ Acts 1:15...

"And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty)"

 

Peter appears to take the lead with this company of believers... numbering about one hundred and twenty. 

 

☆ Acts 1:16...

"Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spoke before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus."

 

Peter makes reference to the fulfilled prophecy in the Scriptures, spoken by King David, concerning Judas who was responsible for Jesus to be taken and crucified. ☆ Psalm 69:25... see verse 20.

 

Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss.

 

☆ Matthew 26:48...

"Now he (Judas) that betrayed Him (Jesus) gave them (Jewish religious leaders) a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He: hold Him fast."

 

It is interesting to note that Peter addresses the men and brethren of the group. What about the women? Jesus's mother? 

The culture of the day... was a man's world.

 

☆ Acts 1:17...

"For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry."

 

Peter goes on to say that, Judas at one stage was part of Jesus' ministry team.

Judas was chosen to be an apostle. He was chosen by Jesus to be one of the 12. 

Long before Judas betrayed Him, Jesus declared that he was a devil... ☆ John 6:70.

Jesus knew Judas' true character when He chose him...☆ John 2:25.

 

Why did He choose a traitor, a turn coat as a follower?

If he hadn't been selected as part of the team, would the outcome have been different?

Luke I believe, sheds some light in...

 

☆ Luke 22:22...

"And truly the Son of man goes, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom He is betrayed!"

 

Simple answer... it was all part of God's Redemption plan... God's will! 

Judas was part of that plan.

 

 

☆ Acts 1:18-19...

"Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood."

 

Somewhere else in the Scriptures we are told that out of deep regret and remorse, Judas hung himself. ☆ Matthew 27:5...

 

Here Peter tells us a different story.  

Judas buys a field with the betrayal money, falls headlong and... "burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out."

 

A pretty gory and inglorious ending.

All the people of Jerusalem got to know about Judas, his betrayal of Jesus and about this field called Aceldama...the field of blood...

 

☆ Acts 1:20...

"For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take."

 

"Let his habitation be desolate..." is found in ☆ Psalm 69:25.

Means... Let his home become desolate with no one living in it.

 

"... and his bishoprick let another take"... is found in ☆ Psalm 109:8.

 

This is referring to the fact that since Judas is no longer in the picture, his vacancy needs to be filled by another to make up 12.

 

☆ Acts 1:21-22...

"Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that He was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of His resurrection."

 

The criteria is set for appointment of the right person.

He must be someone who has been with the disciples constantly from their first association with the Lord... from the time Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist until the day Jesus was taken into heaven.

 

☆ Acts 1:23...

"And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias."

 

The choice was narrowed down to two men... Joseph called Barsabas who had the surname Justus and... Mathias.

 

☆ Acts 1:24...

"And they prayed, and said, You, Lord, which knows the hearts of all men, show whether of these two You have chosen,"

 

Jesus's disciples have got it right. 

They have learnt well from their Master. 

They prayed! 

 

They sought and asked the Lord (Who knows the hearts of all men)... to show which of the two men He would choose. 

They wanted to know the will of God in this situation.

 

☆ Acts 1:25...

"That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place."

 

The purpose for selecting this person?... to take part in the Apostlic ministry... to take the place left vacant by Judas the traitor.

 

"that he might go to his own place"?...

Does this refer to Mathias? 

That he takes up his proper place in ministry with the rest of the disciples?

 

Or... does it refer to Judas... meaning the grave? Or even Hell? 

Jesus did say..."woe unto that man by whom He (Jesus) is betrayed!"

 

☆ Acts 1:26...

"And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven."

 

"And they gave forth their lots..."

The most simple form was to put two stones, pieces of board, metal or slips of parchment, with the names of the persons inscribed on them, into an urn; and after prayer, sacrifice, to put in the hand and draw out one of the lots, and then the case was decided. 

 

The lot fell on Mathias. 

He was numbered with the other 11 disciples.

 

Selah!