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<v Speaker 1>This time.

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<v Speaker 1>Any children who are here are welcome to be dismissed to our children's church downstairs.

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<v Speaker 1>Just head right out and our teacher will lead you down for an exciting lesson in the Bible.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, the summer is over, the fall has begun and we are returning to our study in the book of the Acts of the Apostles.

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<v Speaker 1>It's a really long book, okay.

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<v Speaker 1>So unfortunately we took the summer and did something else.

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<v Speaker 1>It's been so long since we looked at it.

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<v Speaker 1>I have to start over, just kidding somewhat.

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<v Speaker 1>But the teacher in me says review, review, review.

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<v Speaker 1>I do need to review some of the highlights of what we've seen so far, making our way back up to chapters 12 and 13.

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<v Speaker 1>There's a lot there.

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<v Speaker 1>I've got to review it because some of you weren't here when we started, you know, five years ago.

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<v Speaker 1>So if you want a sermon outline, our ushers would be happy to hand you one, just to let them know you need one.

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<v Speaker 1>But we're going to do some review and I want to start.

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<v Speaker 1>Christianity really initially was very perplexing and over the years I've run into a number of perplexing questions myself, like why do fat chance and slim chance mean the same thing?

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<v Speaker 1>Or why do we park in driveways and drive on parkways.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't know.

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<v Speaker 1>Why does an alarm clock go off when it begins ringing?

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<v Speaker 1>Or why isn't phonetic spelled the way it sounds?

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<v Speaker 1>And why do we sing take me out to the ball game when we're already there?

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<v Speaker 1>Or why does slow down and slow up mean the same thing?

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<v Speaker 1>Perplexing questions.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, luke wrote the book of Acts in the New Testament to his friend, wrote the book of Acts in the New Testament to his friend Theophilus, in order to answer the perplexing question of Jesus and the rise of Christianity.

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<v Speaker 1>And in the first century Christianity, as you know, began as a sect in Judaism.

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<v Speaker 1>It was a curious new religion.

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<v Speaker 1>It was hard to understand people understand it and hard to explain.

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<v Speaker 1>So Luke sets out to explain to Theophilus in his gospel.

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<v Speaker 1>He wrote the gospel of Luke and just to explain Jesus, that he was not just a man starting another revolution against the Rome occupiers.

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<v Speaker 1>He was not just another prophet or healer sent from God.

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<v Speaker 1>He, luke maintains, was the Son of God.

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<v Speaker 1>And the book of Acts, then he writes, begins where the gospel of Luke ends.

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus, in the end of the gospel of Luke, is accused of blasphemy and insurrection by the Jewish leaders and they convince Pilate to put him to death by crucifixion, then, in dramatic fashion, as Jesus predicted.

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<v Speaker 1>After certifying his death, eyewitnesses began to claim they saw Jesus alive, risen from the dead.

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<v Speaker 1>He had appeared to them, spoke to them, ate with them.

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<v Speaker 1>The book of Acts, luke, is telling us the only way you can explain the rise of Christianity from a monotheistic Jewish sect is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>That it really happened.

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<v Speaker 1>So, really, the resurrection is what I'd call the foundation of the Christian faith.

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<v Speaker 1>He really did rise from the dead, and so I want to review three things from the book of Acts this morning that Luke explains to Theophilus to explain the existence and progress of Christianity First, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>Second, the ascension of Jesus Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>And third, the promise of Jesus Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>So first, right away, luke gets right to the point the very foundation of Christianity the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>He writes to Theophilus in order to give him some empirical evidence that Jesus died and was raised from the dead.

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<v Speaker 1>That, my friends, is the crux of Christianity he rose bodily from the dead.

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<v Speaker 1>If Jesus didn't rise from the dead, the Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15 that Christianity is null and void.

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<v Speaker 1>Corinthians 15, that Christianity is null and void, it's just another whimsical religion and those who believe it are most to be pitied, as he says in 1 Corinthians 15, 16 to 19,.

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<v Speaker 1>He said if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.

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<v Speaker 1>And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is absolutely worthless.

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<v Speaker 1>You're still in your sins, and then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

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<v Speaker 1>That's it.

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<v Speaker 1>It's the end of the matter.

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<v Speaker 1>And if we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are, of all men, most to be pitied.

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<v Speaker 1>People have always had a hard time believing that Jesus actually rose from the dead, and in the original context, jewish people, roman world, pagans at the time would have considered such a claim impossible.

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<v Speaker 1>Crazy, absolutely crazy.

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<v Speaker 1>Guess what it's the same for people today.

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<v Speaker 1>Crazy, guess what it's the same for people today.

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<v Speaker 1>And if that's the case, you got to ask why did people believe it?

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus rose from the dead.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, luke tells us in Acts, chapter 1, verse 3,.

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<v Speaker 1>To these, meaning the apostles, jesus presented himself alive after his suffering, by many convincing proofs appearing to them over a period of 40 days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.

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<v Speaker 1>That's how Luke begins the book of Acts Many convincing proofs.

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<v Speaker 1>What were these convincing proofs?

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<v Speaker 1>What were these convincing proofs?

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<v Speaker 1>What's helpful is the apostle paul explains somewhat in detail what those convincing proofs were, but we'll talk about others in a minute.

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<v Speaker 1>First corinthians, 15, verses 3 to 8, paul says for I delivered to you, as of first importance, what I also received that Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture, that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.

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<v Speaker 1>Then he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

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<v Speaker 1>After that he appeared to more than 500 brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now.

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<v Speaker 1>Some, though, have fallen asleep.

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<v Speaker 1>Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles and, last of all, as one untimely born, he appeared to me also alive from the dead.

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<v Speaker 1>After Jesus was certified dead, he appeared alive to many people over a period of 40 days.

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<v Speaker 1>He didn't appear as a hallucination, it wasn't wishful thinking.

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<v Speaker 1>He didn't appear to these people in a vision or a dream.

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<v Speaker 1>He appeared in his actual physical presence.

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<v Speaker 1>He appeared alive to Peter, then to the 12 apostles, then to 500 people at once, whom Paul says you know what?

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<v Speaker 1>Go check with them.

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<v Speaker 1>Some are still alive right now.

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<v Speaker 1>You can go ask them.

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<v Speaker 1>Verifiable, falsifiable evidence.

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<v Speaker 1>Then he appeared to James, the Lord's brother, then to all the apostles and last to Paul.

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<v Speaker 1>But in addition to those appearances, luke tells us in his gospel, chapter 24, that Jesus appeared to two other disciples on the road to Emmaus.

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<v Speaker 1>Very important account we have in the scripture from Luke himself and I'd like to just let you see this video where we can see kind of the ancient road to Emmaus.

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<v Speaker 2>The road to Emmaus is hugely important for followers of Jesus because Luke, chapter 24, tells us that the resurrected Christ appears to Cleopas and the other disciple on the road to the village, emmaus.

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<v Speaker 2>How do we know that this is the first century road from Jerusalem to Emmaus?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, in part thanks to Roman milestones.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, indeed, this is a 1700 year old Roman milestone.

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<v Speaker 2>We have some that could even be from the time of Augustus or Tiberius.

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<v Speaker 2>That would be the time of Jesus's life here on earth, before his crucifixion.

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<v Speaker 2>Roman milestones were phenomenally important to the Romans because the Romans were famous for their road infrastructure and the milestone would explain the distance, perhaps to the village of Emmaus, the distance from Jerusalem, who was to be credited for paying for the road, who was in power provincially and, of course, who the Caesar was.

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<v Speaker 2>And this would help Romans understand distances, understand where they were going.

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<v Speaker 2>And that's now a priceless biblical artifact.

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<v Speaker 2>This milestone, because it helps us understand this is the very road where Jesus walked that first resurrection morning.

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<v Speaker 1>Acts 1 and Luke 24 together.

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<v Speaker 1>What strikes you, what strikes me, is how many appearances of Jesus there are.

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<v Speaker 1>Luke 24,.

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus appears first to the women at the tomb, then he appears to the apostles, then to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus.

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<v Speaker 1>You begin to recognize that one appearance was not enough.

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<v Speaker 1>Nobody expected him to be alive after his crucifixion.

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<v Speaker 1>You don't see anybody saying to Jesus oh boy, at last.

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<v Speaker 1>We've been waiting for you.

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<v Speaker 1>Nobody expected it.

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<v Speaker 1>Why is it that Jesus appeared over and over again throughout 40 days?

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<v Speaker 1>Because they couldn't believe it.

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<v Speaker 1>They didn't believe it when Jesus told them about it ahead of time, before he died Mark 10, 34.

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<v Speaker 1>He told them the son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes.

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<v Speaker 1>They will mock him, spit upon him, scourge him and kill him, and three days later he will rise from the dead.

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<v Speaker 1>They heard it point blank.

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<v Speaker 1>They didn't believe it after someone who saw Jesus alive after his death reported it to them Luke 24, 10 to 11,.

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<v Speaker 1>The women were telling these things to the apostles that Jesus was alive, but these words appeared to them as nonsense.

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<v Speaker 1>They would not believe them.

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<v Speaker 1>They would not believe them.

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<v Speaker 1>They didn't even believe it.

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<v Speaker 1>When they see him, when they actually see him in front of them Luke 24, 41 to 42,.

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<v Speaker 1>While they still could not believe it, because of their joy and amazement, he said to them okay, have you got anything to eat?

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<v Speaker 1>Their joy and amazement.

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<v Speaker 1>He said to them okay, have you got anything to eat?

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<v Speaker 1>They gave him a piece of broiled fish, took it and ate it before him, trying to say I'm not a ghost, I'm real, I'm in body, resurrected from the dead.

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<v Speaker 1>They couldn't believe it.

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<v Speaker 1>40 days, appearance after appearance after appearance, eating, talking, even when he's standing there.

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<v Speaker 1>The text says they couldn't believe it, but they were excited.

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<v Speaker 1>Whoever this was, they have a hard time believing that Jesus rose from the dead.

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<v Speaker 1>Over and over and over.

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<v Speaker 1>It took repeated appearances over a period of 40 days to convince them that Jesus rose from the dead and he was alive.

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<v Speaker 1>With that said, luke then turns to the ascension of Jesus Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>Not only mentions the eyewitnesses concerning the resurrection, he also mentions eyewitnesses concerning his ascension into heaven, which is extremely important.

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<v Speaker 1>Let me read Acts 1, 9 to 11.

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<v Speaker 1>After Jesus said these things, he was lifted up while they were looking on and a cloud received him out of their sight and as they were gazing intently into the sky while he was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them and they also said and I'm trying to think, was he saying this sarcastically, or don't you guys get it?

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<v Speaker 1>They also said men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky?

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<v Speaker 1>This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you watched him go into heaven.

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<v Speaker 1>Now, first of all, I think there's a reason we have eyewitnesses to not only the resurrection but the ascension.

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<v Speaker 1>If he had just vanished and not had this experience, this evidentiary reality hitting them and they're seeing it and hearing what's happening it would have been very difficult going forward for them.

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<v Speaker 1>I think There'd be a lot of puzzlement and what now and what now?

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<v Speaker 1>But now, with this appearance of the ascension, what they're meant to understand is that this was a sign of Jesus' exaltation Exaltation.

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<v Speaker 1>They needed to see this.

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<v Speaker 1>The disciples saw Jesus lifted up into the clouds and the angel asked them why they're staring at the clouds, at the sky.

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<v Speaker 1>No, he's not in the sky, he's in heaven.

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<v Speaker 1>The literal heaven is not in the clouds.

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<v Speaker 1>Heaven is where God dwells.

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<v Speaker 1>It's not located in this created part of his universe, but above it and beyond it, past, space and time In a reality we'll know one day.

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<v Speaker 1>The point of the visible ascension of Jesus was to declare the ultimate exaltation of Jesus to the very throne of the universe, sovereign over all rule, power and authority.

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<v Speaker 1>They needed to know this.

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<v Speaker 1>He's now at the right hand of God and you hear them declare this through the New Testament writings he's exalted to the right hand of God over and over again.

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<v Speaker 1>Where do they get that?

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<v Speaker 1>They saw this.

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<v Speaker 1>Not only that.

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<v Speaker 1>The angel gave them this tremendous hope he will come back.

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<v Speaker 1>He's coming back.

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<v Speaker 1>Watch, watch for him, watch, watch for him.

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<v Speaker 1>And that leads us to the third foundation of Christianity the promise of Jesus Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>So you've got the resurrection, the ascension, but Jesus didn't leave them there.

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<v Speaker 1>Before he ascended into heaven, he gave them a promise.

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<v Speaker 1>They needed to hear this so they wouldn't just be turned loose and not really know what's going on.

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<v Speaker 1>Christianity's existence and explosive growth can only be explained by Jesus' resurrection, his ascension and this promise that Jesus gave his disciples to send the Holy Spirit to be with them.

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<v Speaker 1>They saw Jesus alive from the dead.

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<v Speaker 1>They heard Jesus commissioned to be His witnesses everywhere, and then they saw Jesus leave and ascend to heaven.

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<v Speaker 1>Now, honestly, I don't believe Christianity would have survived much past the first century without Jesus fulfilling this promise.

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<v Speaker 1>He said in Acts 1, 4 to 8, gathering them together right before he ascended, he commanded them now don't leave Jerusalem, wait for what the Father has promised.

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<v Speaker 1>If you try to go out now, you ain't gonna make it, which he said you heard from me first.

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<v Speaker 1>We'll get to that for john, baptized with water.

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<v Speaker 1>But you will be baptized with the holy spirit not many days from now.

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<v Speaker 1>So when they had come together, they were asking him lord, is it at this time you're restoring the kingdom to Israel?

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<v Speaker 1>Well, he said, it's not for you to know the times, epochs which the father fixed by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit's come upon you.

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<v Speaker 1>You shall be my witnesses, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, even to the remotest part of the earth, in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, even to the remotest part of the earth.

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<v Speaker 1>But after Jesus ascended, what's interesting is you follow them even in the book of Acts a little further.

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<v Speaker 1>You saw Jesus ascend, they heard the promise, they're in Jerusalem, but you know what they're all huddled together in a room in prayer and they're just there.

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<v Speaker 1>Nothing's going on except praying no-transcript.

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<v Speaker 1>Then in Acts, chapter 4, peter and John are jailed and commanded not to talk anymore about Jesus, but they continued to preach Jesus.

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<v Speaker 1>Then in Acts, chapter 5, all the apostles were arrested, jailed, flogged and told again don't preach this Jesus anymore, or worse will come to you.

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<v Speaker 1>What explains the sudden change in these apostles from praying in an upper room together, having nice, close fellowship in Jerusalem, to going out there publicly preaching under threat of arrest, jail, torture and death?

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<v Speaker 1>What explains that?

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<v Speaker 1>The only way you can explain it is they received the promise, the gift of the Holy Spirit, which we'll review next time, by the way, got to do that to explain the book of Acts.

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<v Speaker 1>But before Jesus died on the cross, he promised to send the disciples his Holy Spirit.

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<v Speaker 1>Even before all this is happening John 16, 5 to 7, he said but now I'm going to him.

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<v Speaker 1>Who sent me?

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<v Speaker 1>And none of you ask me where are you going?

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<v Speaker 1>But because I've said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.

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<v Speaker 1>But I tell you the truth it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the helper will not come to you, but if I go I will send him to you.

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<v Speaker 1>Now I don't know all the theology behind why the Holy Spirit couldn't be sent until he ascended to heaven.

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<v Speaker 1>This is just what he said on his authority I can't send the Holy Spirit until I've ascended to the throne.

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<v Speaker 1>In fact, this is what he said to Mary Magdalene, who saw one of the first to see him after his resurrection, and she's clinging to him In John 20, verse 17,.

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus said to her stop clinging to me, I've not yet ascended to the Father.

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<v Speaker 1>But go to my brother and say to them I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.

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<v Speaker 1>I think what's going on there is Mary maybe assumed oh good, you're back, we're glad to have you back with us.

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<v Speaker 1>His physical presence, it means so much.

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<v Speaker 1>He's saying no, no, no, no, no, no.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm very limited.

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<v Speaker 1>If I stay here like this, I'm going to go, I'm going to ascend to heaven, and the reason he's doing that is so he can send his very presence to live in every heart of the person who believes in him for their salvation.

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<v Speaker 1>The book of Acts begins where the gospel of Luke left off with the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and after Jesus died.

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus Christ from the dead.

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<v Speaker 1>And after Jesus died, not a single one of his followers ever even imagined, hinted at or entertained the possibility that their dead Messiah would be raised from the dead.

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<v Speaker 1>Not one.

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<v Speaker 1>And even after the reports started coming, they couldn't believe it.

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<v Speaker 1>Even after he's standing right, they couldn't believe it, repeatedly appearing to them evidentiary proof that I'm alive wasn't from the dead.

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<v Speaker 1>They needed that and you know what.

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<v Speaker 1>It's what we need.

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<v Speaker 1>We have eyewitness testimony and we trust that these words are true, that he rose from the dead and, by the way, belief in Jesus' resurrection happened immediately after his death, after his ascension.

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<v Speaker 1>The author James Dunn comments that the earliest statement of belief in Jesus' resurrection was written months after Jesus' death, passed down to us by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians, 15.

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<v Speaker 1>Months what's that mean Means?

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<v Speaker 1>There's no time for somebody to create some sort of story and legend and spiritualize Jesus' death and resurrection.

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<v Speaker 1>No time for myths and legends which some claim.

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<v Speaker 1>That's all that is.

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus' resurrection at the time was verifiable and falsifiable right after he died.

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<v Speaker 1>In fact it's interesting there was no debate among his followers that he rose from the dead.

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<v Speaker 1>They didn't argue about it, they didn't dispute over it, they accepted it.

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<v Speaker 1>There was no spectrum of belief of his resurrection.

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<v Speaker 1>Well, I believe he was spiritually resurrected.

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<v Speaker 1>I believe, you know, maybe it's a lesson for no, no, no, no, no.

00:24:13.990 --> 00:24:16.076
<v Speaker 1>Maybe it's a lesson for no, no, no, no, no.

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<v Speaker 1>Every single one of the eyewitnesses he actually rose from the dead.

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<v Speaker 1>The foundation of Christianity rests on eyewitness testimony of these three truths he rose from the dead, jesus ascended into heaven and Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to every single person who believes in him for eternal life.

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<v Speaker 1>I love what Tim Keller said years ago.

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<v Speaker 1>I heard him say if Jesus really rose from the dead, you know what.

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<v Speaker 1>Everything's going to be okay, amen.

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<v Speaker 1>He's at the throne of the universe and you know what else.

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<v Speaker 1>If Jesus is alive, then you can know him personally.

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<v Speaker 1>His spirit can be in you and with you, manifesting God's love to you in your very being.

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<v Speaker 1>That's why he was given.

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<v Speaker 1>Romans 5 tells us.

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<v Speaker 1>Paul tells us the reason he's poured out his spirit so you would know the love of God, how much God loves you in his presence with you.

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<v Speaker 1>And it all begins when you do believe in Jesus as the Son of God, the Savior, whom God sent to exchange his life for yours, enduring the wrath of God for our sins on the cross.

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<v Speaker 1>And so, if you've never done so, I invite you to open your heart and believe in Jesus, to know him, like countless others have since these early days.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's pray, father, thank you that you raised Jesus from the dead and he enters the hearts of everyone who believes in him.

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<v Speaker 1>I ask you today, please help us to draw close to Him, to listen to Him, trust in Him, testify to the truth about Him.

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<v Speaker 1>To all who will listen to us, I pray in Jesus' name, amen.