Acts 1-2: Power to Do What You're Made to Do

We start Acts as the direct continuation of Luke and follow Jesus’ promise that power is coming through the Holy Spirit. We watch the church move from fearful waiting in Jerusalem to bold witness at Pentecost, then ask what that same Spirit empowers us to do today. 
• Acts as Luke’s continuing story addressed to Theophilus 
• Jesus’ ascension and the command to wait in Jerusalem 
• the promise of baptism with the Holy Spirit and power to witness 
• Judas’ betrayal, Scripture fulfillment, and Matthias chosen to replace him 
• Pentecost explained as the Feast of Weeks and what “Pentecost” means 
• wind, fire, and speaking in other languages as the Spirit enables 
• Peter’s sermon using Joel and David to proclaim Jesus’ death and resurrection 
• the call to repent and be baptized for forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit 
• the early church pattern of teaching, fellowship, prayer, generosity, and shared meals 
• the Holy Spirit given for mission and purpose, not spectacle 

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Transcript

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Hey, welcome back to the Out Loud Bible Podcast. This is Mike. We're going to start reading a new book today, the Book of Acts, but it's really just Luke Part 2. The book of Luke just blends

Acts As Luke Part Two

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seamlessly into the Book of Acts, because Luke did write both of them and he was writing a complete story. The story did not end when Jesus ascended to heaven. In fact, we should have known that there was more to the story because Jesus himself had been telling us all along. If you're with me reading through Luke and certainly other gospels, we would have seen that Jesus repeatedly talked about what? He talked about his death, he told his disciples about his resurrection, and he told them about a third thing. You can look forward to the coming of the Holy Spirit. He constantly talked to his disciples about his death, his resurrection, and the coming of the Holy Spirit. And we've seen the first two. Those are recorded well in the Gospels. Now the coming of the Holy Spirit, that's what we get to look forward to today as we read the book of Acts. Now, his disciples, the last thing they knew is they were told by Jesus to stay in Jerusalem until power comes on you, until you are clothed with power from on high. Like, and what what does that mean? I how are we gonna know? I guess we're gonna know it's power from on high. Of course we'll we'll we'll know, right? Yeah, we'll know that yeah, we'll know. Well, when? I don't know when. We'll just wait. Are we gonna know? Is it happening now? I don't know. I don't think so. They're in this state of like, what like we're told to stay here, but honestly, staying here in Jerusalem is probably the last thing they want to do. They don't want to stay in Jerusalem, because this is the city whose officials just killed Jesus, and you think they're gonna start going after some of his followers too. Especially now that news has spread that he like has uh like resurrected and he had been making appearances to people. They gotta shut this thing down. So the fact that his disciples are staying here is ooh, that's a little scary. And they are scared. And we pick up the story here in Acts chapter 1. Let's check it out. We'll read Acts 1 and 2 today in the New English translation. I wrote the former account, Theophilus. By the way, quick pause. Of course, this is Luke

Jesus Ascends And Promises Power

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speaking, and he's taking credit for the former account being the gospel that he wrote, and he's writing to Theophilus. Uh, we don't know if it's a real person named Theophilus, or if it's a title given to someone according to the Greek meaning of the word, the lover of God. It could just be general lovers of God that he's writing to, or it could be someone specific named Theophilus, who's receiving this letter. Either way, it's still for our benefit, and yeah, we love God, so we qualify. All right, here we go. I wrote the former account, Theophilus, about all the things that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after he had given orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. To the same apostles, also after his suffering, he presented himself alive with many convincing proofs. He was seen by them over a forty day period, and spoke about matters concerning the kingdom of God. While he was with them, he declared, Don't leave Jerusalem, but wait there for what my Father promised, which you had heard about from me. For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not many days from now. So when they had gathered together, they began to ask him, O Lord, is this the time when you're restoring the kingdom to Israel? And he told them, You're not permitted to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority, 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 farthest parts of the earth. After he had said this, while they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud hid him from their sight. And as they were still staring into the sky while he was going, suddenly two men in white clothing stood near them and said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking up at the sky? This same Jesus who's been taken up from you into heaven will come back in the same way you saw him go into heaven. Hmm, we're still looking forward to that day, aren't we? Well, then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day journey away. When they had entered Jerusalem, they went to the upstairs room where they were staying. Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James, son of Alphaus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas, son of James, were there. All these continued together in prayer with one mind, together with the women, along with Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers. And in those days Peter stood up among the believers, a gathering of about a hundred and twenty people, and said, Brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit foretold

Judas Remembered And Matthias Chosen

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through David concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus, for he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry. Now this man Judas acquired a field with the reward of his unjust deed, and falling head first, he burst open in the middle, and all his intestines gushed out. This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so that in their own language they called that field Hakaldama, that is field of blood. For it's written in the book of Psalms, let his house become deserted and let there be no one to live in it, and let another take his position of responsibility. Thus, one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time the Lord Jesus associated with us, beginning from his baptism by John until the day he was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness of his resurrection together with us. So they proposed two candidates, Joseph called Barsabbas, also called Justice, and Matthias. Then they prayed, Lord, you know the hearts of all. Show us which one of these two you've chosen to assume the task of the service and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place. Then they cast lots for them, and the one chosen was Matthias, so he was counted with the eleven apostles. Now, when the day of Pentecost had come, by the way, the day of Pentecost was already a festival that the Jews had been celebrating called the Feast of Weeks, celebrating fifty days after

Pentecost Wind Fire And Languages

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Moses had led the people out of Egypt, and it is about the time that he received the law. Anyway, that's what it means when it says Pentecost. The day of Pentecost had come, and they were all together in one place. Suddenly, a sound, like a violent wind blowing, came from heaven and filled the entire house where they were sitting, and tongues spreading out like a fire appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem. When the sound occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Completely baffled, they said, Aren't all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that each one of us hears them in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, the residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, and the province of Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene. Visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans, Arabs, we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great deeds God has done. All were astounded and greatly confused, saying to one another, What does this mean? But others jeered at the speakers, saying, Ah, they're drunk on new wine. But Peter stood up with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them, You men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, know this and listen carefully to what I say. In spite of what

Peter Explains Jesus And Joel

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you think, these men are not drunk, for it's only nine o'clock in the morning. But this is what was spoken about through the prophet Joel. And in the last days it will be, God says, that I will pour out my spirit on all people, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my spirit in those days, and they will prophesy, and I will perform wonders in the sky above, and miraculous signs on the earth below, blood and fire and clouds of smoke. The sun will be changed to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes, and then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Men of Israel, listen to these words, Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, wonders, and miraculous signs that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know, this man who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles. But God raised him up, having released him from the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power. For David says about him, I saw the Lord always in front of me, for he is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken. And therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced, my body also will live in hope, because you will not leave my soul in Hades, nor permit your holy one to experience decay. You have made known to me the paths of life, and you will make me full of joy with your presence. Brothers, I can speak confidently to you about our forefather David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. So then, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, David, by foreseeing this, spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did his body experience decay. This Jesus, God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it. So then, exalted to the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured out what you both see and hear. For David didn't ascend into heaven, but he himself says, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were acutely distressed, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, what should we do, brothers? Peter said to them, Repent, and each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, for the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself. With many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this perverse generation. So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added. They were devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Reverential awe came over everyone, and many wonders

Repent Be Baptized And Live Together

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and miraculous signs came about by the apostles. All who believed were together and held everything in common, and they began selling their property and possessions and distributing the proceeds to everyone as anyone had need. Every day they continued to gather together by common consent in the temple courts, breaking bread from house to house, sharing their food with glad and humble hearts, praising God and having the good will of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day those who were being saved. And as Jesus said, indeed, it's already here. We've been made right before God through Jesus' crucifixion and death. We have been granted eternal life with him through Jesus' resurrection. And now we have something that Jesus said is even better than him being on earth. We have the Holy Spirit. We have God Himself living inside of us and empowering us to go out and share this message, the good news about being made right with God and the eternal life that's possible, to go out into the entire world and tell them this? I mean, that's a big mission, but God has given us big power to do it. The Holy Spirit has been given to us not to have sensational experiences, not to just feel closer to God, but to actually go out and make a difference and share with people what we are witnesses of. What has Jesus done in your life? If Jesus is your Lord and you've been baptized in the name of Jesus, and you have the Holy Spirit, you are fully equipped to go out and live your purpose. That's the thinking out loud thought for the day. Join me next time. We're just getting started.