WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:01.360 Morning, church. 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:08.080 Today's text is from the Book of Acts, chapter 1, verses 1 through 5. 00:00:09.279 --> 00:00:19.839 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 00:00:20.079 --> 00:00:27.839 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. 00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:40.799 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, for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. 00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:42.320 This is the word of the Lord. 00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:51.679 Oh, I'll maybe I'll wear a microphone. 00:00:52.399 --> 00:00:53.280 Try this one more time. 00:00:53.840 --> 00:00:54.880 Good morning. 00:00:56.240 --> 00:01:01.600 It's one of those great microphones where you can instruct like a like a yoga class or something. 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:03.920 Welcome. 00:01:04.079 --> 00:01:05.359 My name's James Rathman. 00:01:05.519 --> 00:01:07.040 Welcome to Redemption Church Denver. 00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:12.239 I'm the pastor here, and uh I always look forward to Sunday mornings getting to gather together with you all. 00:01:12.480 --> 00:01:15.120 It feels like the we're we're getting into the mix of the year. 00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:16.959 School has already started for many of you. 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:21.599 School is just around the corner, maybe tomorrow, for others that are beginning. 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:27.040 Uh, and the Lord continues his faithfulness towards us as a church and as a people. 00:01:27.200 --> 00:01:31.120 So let's pray to him and then we'll move into our text for the day. 00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:40.560 Father in heaven, we are so humbled to gather before you. 00:01:42.079 --> 00:01:45.680 Lord, how incredible it is that you inhabit our praises. 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:52.159 Lord, that you hear our prayers, that you receive our thanksgiving. 00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:56.079 Lord, that you consider our frame and you know us. 00:01:57.599 --> 00:02:02.400 Lord, the one who made the universe also knows the hairs on our heads. 00:02:04.159 --> 00:02:07.680 Lord, these things are too wonderful for us and too amazing. 00:02:08.639 --> 00:02:14.719 Lord, I pray that you would work in our hearts by the power of your Holy Spirit, that we might be shaped by your word this morning. 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:26.319 That your word, which is that flaming sword of the Spirit, would cut down to our hearts, Lord, and enact real transformation of our hearts. 00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:35.840 That you would call us to walk not by the flesh, not according to the flesh, not have minds that are set on the things of the flesh, but have minds that are set on the things of the spirit. 00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:42.080 For the mindset on the flesh is death, but the mindset on the spirit is life and peace. 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:50.960 Lord, we pray that you would work that in our hearts this morning, as we begin this new book of Acts, Lord, that we would see the mission that you have sent your church on. 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:56.560 And Lord, that we would be strengthened and encouraged to take up that mission as a church body today. 00:02:56.800 --> 00:03:00.560 That we would see that it continues laid out before us, Lord. 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:05.199 The wonder of what your spirit is working and accomplishing is still true today. 00:03:05.520 --> 00:03:14.080 Lord, we pray that your spirit would work these great things, these promises of forgiveness, this strengthening, this removal of sin, this removal of the power of sin in our lives. 00:03:14.240 --> 00:03:18.960 Lord, that your spirit would continue to enact those things by the proclamation of your gospel. 00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:21.120 Father, we lift this up in Jesus' name. 00:03:21.360 --> 00:03:21.919 Amen. 00:03:24.159 --> 00:03:31.520 So today we are beginning our what will be a long time moving through the book of Acts. 00:03:31.759 --> 00:03:33.680 The Book of Acts is a great book. 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:39.759 It's uh uh full it's an action-pact adventure, and it there is uh lots of exciting things. 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:47.439 It's uh it's uh it has things like shipwrecks, and it has a sermon so long that uh someone dies. 00:03:52.800 --> 00:04:02.560 It has uh flaming tongues that come down from the heavens, it has um uh so many people being saved and talking in the Holy Spirit that they think they're drunk. 00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:04.319 This is a fun book, you guys. 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:09.599 There's a lot of excitement uh to be seen and laid out in the book of Acts. 00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:14.560 Uh and uh it's appropriate for us to take up this book for this season. 00:04:14.800 --> 00:04:27.920 The typical format for our church is in like in like the spring semester, we'll move through a New Testament book, and in the fall semester, we'll move through an Old Testament book. 00:04:28.079 --> 00:04:34.079 We've moved through Genesis completely, and we are about halfway through Exodus. 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:39.279 Later in the fall, we'll pick back up in Exodus and we'll move all the way through the Ten Commandments. 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:42.959 We're gonna get through all ten, which is something to look forward to. 00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:48.240 And we have also moved through the entire Gospel of Mark. 00:04:48.560 --> 00:04:55.680 So having moved through the whole Gospel of Mark in the New Testament, now it seems appropriate that we would take up the book of Acts. 00:04:55.839 --> 00:04:59.120 Because the book of Acts picks up right where the Gospels leave off. 00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:10.000 This is the story of the early church, how the church takes shape right after Jesus' ascension into heaven, after his resurrection and ascension into heaven. 00:05:10.160 --> 00:05:12.399 And that is right where the book of Acts takes place. 00:05:12.480 --> 00:05:21.920 So it will be inspiring, I hope, for us as a church, encouraging for what the shape of a church looks like, for what the growth of the church looked like in its earliest form. 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:24.720 There's so much to learn in this book. 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:31.199 Now, in the Old Testament, there's this central drama around the land. 00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:33.439 We saw it through Genesis. 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:40.560 Abraham is given a promise from God that he will be a great nation and they will inhabit the land of Canaan. 00:05:40.800 --> 00:05:44.639 Now, the book of Genesis actually ends with that family of promise. 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:52.240 Although growing as a family, so that he is being made into a people from one man, they are exiled in Egypt. 00:05:52.720 --> 00:06:00.560 And as we've seen in Exodus, that they are rescued out of their exile in Egypt, but they're we're still awaiting what is this promised land? 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:03.600 How will they get the promised land? 00:06:05.199 --> 00:06:10.639 And that generation that is rescued out of Egypt, they are not able to inherit the promised land. 00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:14.879 Because of their sin, they wander around for 40 years in the desert. 00:06:15.040 --> 00:06:18.639 And it's actually the next generation that inherits the promised land. 00:06:18.800 --> 00:06:20.639 And they inherit the promised land. 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:24.720 That story is recounted to us in the book of Joshua. 00:06:25.040 --> 00:06:31.360 The book of Joshua is the conquest story of the Old Testament. 00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:35.600 It's the story of the conquest of the promised land of God. 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:45.519 Because the way that the Lord gives to his people the land that he promised them was by commanding them to go and take it by force. 00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:51.519 It was a command of conquest, and he gives that conquest to Joshua. 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:58.959 Now, Joshua is the old covenant book of conquest. 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:04.000 Acts is the new covenant book of conquest. 00:07:04.720 --> 00:07:06.560 That's what the book of Acts is. 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:09.600 It is the new covenant Joshua. 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:22.000 And it is as much more glorious than the conquest of Canaan, than Joshua's conquest was, as the new covenant is more glorious than the old covenant. 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:25.040 You can see these parallels in this story. 00:07:25.519 --> 00:07:30.560 Joshua, you may remember, it begins and Moses just died. 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:31.680 Moses is gone. 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:33.680 He's not going to be with them anymore. 00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:37.120 And so the people of Israel are wondering who will lead us. 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:39.920 And the leader that they are given is Joshua. 00:07:40.160 --> 00:07:45.279 Joshua is this new leader who will take them into the promised land. 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:54.160 And then what happens is shortly thereafter, the whole nation is baptized. 00:07:54.560 --> 00:08:00.560 The whole nation is baptized, and we see that picture of them crossing the Jordan River into the promised land. 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:04.160 The whole nation is baptized by the crossing of the Jordan River. 00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:07.279 It's another parting of the waters that takes place. 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:10.800 Did you know that there were two parting of the water stories in the Bible? 00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:15.920 There's when they cross the Red Sea, and then it happens again for the second generation when they cross the Jordan River. 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:19.120 The river stops and then they walk through. 00:08:19.279 --> 00:08:20.639 And so they're baptized. 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:25.680 And then they go and take the greatest city, the great city that stood in their way. 00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:27.920 And they take the city of Jericho. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:32.960 And the way that they take the city of Jericho is really just by their voices. 00:08:33.519 --> 00:08:36.960 It's by a proclamation of praise to God. 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:40.080 They march around the city and then they blow their trumpets. 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:43.039 And the trumpet blowing is the announcement of a king. 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:47.679 And so just by announcing the king, the walls of Jericho fall down. 00:08:48.639 --> 00:09:13.840 And then they move through the nations that they drive out because the sin of the nations had grown so high and had become such a stench to God that God uses his people as almost like a flood, almost like a Noah flood, where he eliminates the people of the land and he gives this land as an inheritance to his people, a heritage to them. 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:19.679 Now, the book of Acts is just like this story. 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:25.679 It's just like this story, but it's far more glorious. 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:36.720 It's a book of conquest, a New Testament book of conquest, but it's far more glorious than the Old Testament, the Old Covenant's book of conquest. 00:09:38.320 --> 00:09:50.480 First of all, it is more glor glorious because the one the one leader who was with the church, who will now not be physically present with the church in the book of Acts is Jesus Himself. 00:09:51.759 --> 00:09:57.840 And the replacement that is sent to the church is the Holy Spirit himself. 00:09:58.720 --> 00:10:00.399 It is much more glorious. 00:10:00.639 --> 00:10:02.720 Jesus is far more glorious than Moses. 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:06.960 The Holy Spirit is far more glorious than Joshua. 00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:10.639 They are baptized in the book of Acts. 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:13.039 It begins with the baptism, just as Joshua. 00:10:13.200 --> 00:10:14.639 They crossed the Red Sea. 00:10:14.799 --> 00:10:18.480 How much more glorious is the baptism in the book of Acts? 00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:22.159 It begins with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:28.080 So that the Lord Jesus sends his very Spirit upon his church. 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:33.919 And so that the church, it's like they cross the river, they are baptized as a church community. 00:10:36.399 --> 00:10:41.679 Drive out the nations of the land, they bring in the nations of the world. 00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:54.639 That great city which stood before them, Jericho and Joshua, it is Jerusalem in Acts, and it is brought down, it is brought under submission to Christ by the proclamation of the gospel. 00:10:57.039 --> 00:11:04.080 The story of Joshua is the conquest of one nation by one people. 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:09.679 The story of Acts is far more glorious than the story of Joshua. 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:20.879 The story of Acts is the conquest of all nations, all peoples, all tribes, all tongues being brought into submission to the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:26.960 In the book of Joshua, they had swords that are made of steel, which are good. 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:33.360 You know, that's not don't neglect the power of a sword made of steel. 00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:41.039 In the book of Acts, they have a flaming sword made of fire. 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:44.399 It's the sword of the spirit. 00:11:44.639 --> 00:11:46.240 It's the word of God. 00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:51.440 The sword of steel, it can be punctured straight to the heart. 00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:55.120 And it can bring death. 00:11:55.919 --> 00:11:57.679 The sword of the spirit. 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:00.879 It hits deeper than that. 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:04.960 It can bring life to the world. 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:11.120 This is the new covenant book of conquest. 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:17.120 More glorious in every way imaginable than the old covenant book of conquest. 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:18.879 It follows the same outline. 00:12:19.039 --> 00:12:32.080 We're being given the same glorious, wonderful pattern that we saw in the book of Joshua, taken up in this new covenant, something far more glorious, far more wonderful, far more incredible. 00:12:32.240 --> 00:12:49.840 The proclamation of the forgiveness of sins to the whole world goes out in unthinkable power to bring this world-changing, world-altering transformation, one which we stand in the fruit of right now. 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:51.759 How could that happen? 00:12:52.080 --> 00:12:53.279 How could that happen? 00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:57.120 But by the sending of the Holy Spirit to the church. 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:02.240 So let's move into this new covenant, book of conquest. 00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:08.960 See how it happens now on this side of Christ, that the whole world is taken by Christ. 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:11.840 Let's begin in Acts 1.1. 00:13:12.399 --> 00:13:13.679 Start to get our bearings. 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:20.720 In Acts 1.1, it says, In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach. 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:24.320 In the first book, O Theophilus. 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:28.639 Okay, so that means that we're in the second book. 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:30.000 That's the book that we're in. 00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:31.120 We're in the second book. 00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:32.720 What is he referring to? 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:35.279 Now, Acts was written by Luke. 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:45.600 And Luke was a Gentile physician who paid close attention to the situation that was happening in Jerusalem and in Galilee with the Jesus event. 00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:48.080 What was happening with the story of Jesus? 00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:50.240 He was monitoring the situation. 00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:53.519 You know, it's something that now we do that on Twitter. 00:13:54.480 --> 00:14:07.759 But he was monitoring the situation, and he he was taking paying close attention, he took close notes, and he wrote a book to this man, Theophilus, who's who's called Most Excellent Theophilus in Luke. 00:14:08.399 --> 00:14:13.039 Now, this is his second book to this same person, to this same Theophilus. 00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:22.240 Theophilus, so the first the first book is the Gospel of Luke, where he recounts all that took place with Jesus in his time on earth. 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:26.480 And the way that Jesus recounts this is different from the other gospel writers. 00:14:26.559 --> 00:14:29.279 The other gospel writers were eyewitnesses themselves. 00:14:29.519 --> 00:14:31.360 Matthew is one of the disciples. 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:37.840 Mark, although not one of the disciples, is transcribing the experiences of Peter, who was one of the disciples. 00:14:38.080 --> 00:14:41.919 John, of course, one of the disciples, but Luke was not one of the disciples. 00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:42.799 He was a Gentile. 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:43.840 He was not present there. 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:47.519 So what he does is he goes and he talks to eyewitnesses. 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:52.879 He was like boots on the ground journalism, like Mark Ruffalo in Spotlight. 00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:56.240 This is what he, that's what he looks like. 00:14:56.559 --> 00:15:02.720 And he is going to eyewitness after eyewitness and he's collecting the story. 00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:04.080 What exactly happened? 00:15:04.240 --> 00:15:06.399 What took place here for this to happen? 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:20.960 He's reporting it to the man who likely commissioned this effort, who's probably paying him to gather, or at least funding his project, to gather this information about what happened with Jesus Christ, so that he would know what took place there. 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:23.679 And the man that he is writing this to is Theophilus. 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:28.799 And he's conveniently named because his name is at least a stand-in for all of us who are reading. 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:40.320 Theophilus, you can hear it in the word Theo, God, and Phyllis, it's friend, like Philadelphia, you know, city of brotherly love. 00:15:42.480 --> 00:15:45.600 Philosophy, lover of wisdom, Sophia, wisdom. 00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:46.639 You know, you can hear it. 00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:50.960 Theo, like theology, theonomy, theonomy, Theo. 00:15:54.240 --> 00:15:55.600 You can hear it in the word. 00:15:56.639 --> 00:15:57.679 Huxtable. 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:04.720 He is the lover of God. 00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:09.039 So the reader of this is somebody who is a friend of God, somebody who loves God. 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:11.120 That's who this is being written to. 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:17.360 And in that first book, he dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach. 00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:26.080 Now that tells us that this next book that's coming is not the end of what Jesus is doing and teaching. 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:31.840 Jesus will be the central character of this book. 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:34.000 Jesus is still the king. 00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:37.840 This is still all about the proclamation of Jesus. 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:40.240 That's what's taking place in the book of Acts. 00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:44.799 It's still all about the proclamation of Jesus. 00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:52.159 Now, if we go back to the beginning of Luke, we get this picture of how it is that he goes about writing his books. 00:16:52.240 --> 00:17:04.960 And I hinted at it as well, but this, but Luke 1, 1 through 4 is one of the most, uh, from what I'm told, one of the most beautiful Greek paragraphs in all of ancient Greek literature that we have. 00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:09.200 So it's like Homer and Plato and all the ancient Greek literature. 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:11.279 This is one of the most beautiful paragraphs that we have. 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:28.799 Here's what it says it says, Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who have who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us. 00:17:29.440 --> 00:17:46.799 It seemed good to me also, having followed all things very having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. 00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:51.920 Now this same project will continue in the second book, the Book of Acts. 00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:54.960 So what should we expect to find in the Book of Acts? 00:17:55.119 --> 00:18:14.079 We should expect to find a most orderly account of the things that took place after Jesus' ascension and the beginning of the church age in the world, so that when we read them, we might have certainty concerning the things that we have been taught. 00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:28.880 We might have certainty that this has taken place, that the eyewitnesses that he is writing of, that he will quote directly, and he will tell their stories of, this will be published while they are still alive. 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:33.039 And so they must contain the truth. 00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:39.599 We can read this so that we might have certainty regarding the things that are that have taken place. 00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:48.319 Now he continues and he says, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, and Acts 1.2 says, until the day when he was taken up. 00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:51.359 So what's being covered in that first book? 00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:55.839 All that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up. 00:18:56.079 --> 00:19:05.759 Now it doesn't say taken up into heaven, and that's because this word for taken up had become so united to this idea of Christ's ascension that he's able to just say taken up. 00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:09.839 But he'll recount that story again of Jesus being taken up. 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:21.279 So this covers until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:37.039 So in this first book, in Luke, and in the other gospels, what's described to us is all that Jesus began to do and teach until the time when he was taken up into heaven. 00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:39.200 And that's where he resides now. 00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:49.519 Jesus, the man, sits at the right hand of God the Father, and all authority in heaven and on earth belongs to him. 00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:51.519 It is his now. 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:54.880 He is the reigning king now. 00:19:56.480 --> 00:20:02.640 But before he ascended, he gave commands to the apostles through the Holy Spirit. 00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:05.039 That through the Holy Spirit is actually ambiguous. 00:20:05.119 --> 00:20:11.359 It could be connected either to the commands that he gave to the apostles or to the choosing of the apostles. 00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:16.720 Now, when there's that type of ambiguity in Greek, I like to say, why not both? 00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:18.480 Let's have a little bit of both. 00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:25.119 And so he obviously commanded them through the Holy Spirit, because he commanded them by the Word of God. 00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:31.359 And he chose these particular apostles by the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:20:31.519 --> 00:20:32.960 They were chosen by him. 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:35.119 Of course it is both. 00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:45.440 And then what took place in between this time of his resurrection and before the ascension, he describes in verse 3 in this introduction. 00:20:45.839 --> 00:21:01.599 He says, He presented himself, that is, Jesus presented himself alive to them, that is the apostles, after his suffering, by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:10.960 So he is telling us, listen to the incredible nature of these claims that he is making at the beginning of this book. 00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:30.160 He is saying that Jesus Christ, after he suffered and died on the cross, after that was borne witness to, that for many days he appeared to the apostles, for 40 days, 40 days, Jesus lived on the earth after his resurrection. 00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:39.839 And for these 40 days, he appeared to his apostles many times, offering them many proofs that the resurrection had taken place. 00:21:41.359 --> 00:22:02.160 That means that we, and we have to keep this in mind when we're reading the book of Acts, because we can start to fall into, because of Jesus' physical absence from the world, because of his physical presence in heaven, we can start to think that the book of Acts is just the movement that took Place after a martyr. 00:22:02.720 --> 00:22:09.839 And that's often the way that Christianity is described, is simply the movement that began to take place after a martyr. 00:22:09.920 --> 00:22:11.599 But this is different than that. 00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:15.519 Because a martyr goes away and they don't come back. 00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:25.759 You know, martyrs are not typically great at you know starting the movements after the martyrdom that's got to be taken up by other people. 00:22:26.400 --> 00:22:30.400 Jesus does that same thing where he's like, why not a little bit of both? 00:22:30.880 --> 00:22:34.480 Why don't I do the martyrdom and start the movement? 00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:38.480 It's because he had the power to take up his life again. 00:22:38.640 --> 00:22:51.440 And so he incarnate in the flesh, in his glorified body, he takes it up, and by many proofs over the course of 40 days, Jesus begins to establish his church. 00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:58.079 And he will establish it in a way that it is able to move on with power even until now. 00:22:58.480 --> 00:23:00.960 Although he is not physically present with us. 00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:09.920 Something more present than his physical presence. 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:14.480 Some one who is the Holy Spirit, whom he will send. 00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:21.200 So that means when we're reading Acts, we are reading what Jesus is continuing to accomplish. 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:24.480 Jesus' continued work and reign. 00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:26.319 That's what we are in now. 00:23:26.880 --> 00:23:31.119 We are in Jesus' continued work and reign now. 00:23:31.359 --> 00:23:34.319 This book is still about Jesus. 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:39.519 This is still, we're still in the same Bible that began with Genesis 1. 00:23:39.680 --> 00:23:41.839 We're still in the same book. 00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:44.240 We have to remember that when we enter the book of Acts. 00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:49.599 Sometimes when we read the book of Acts, we're like, okay, this is just like a how-to-do church manual. 00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:55.759 And it sort of stands outside of the rest of scriptures or outside of the redemptive narrative of the rest of scriptures. 00:23:56.079 --> 00:23:56.559 It doesn't. 00:23:56.640 --> 00:23:58.319 It's the same thing. 00:23:58.559 --> 00:24:00.559 It's the same thing that's taking place. 00:24:00.640 --> 00:24:02.400 It's still God ruling. 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:07.920 It's just more present to us now because we are in this season with the church. 00:24:08.160 --> 00:24:13.680 We are in this continued church age with the presence of the Holy Spirit. 00:24:15.279 --> 00:24:22.880 And for 40 days, Jesus appeared to them many proofs establishing that he is alive, that it's him. 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:28.160 And what was he speaking about with the disciples during those 40 days? 00:24:28.400 --> 00:24:30.720 He's talking all about the kingdom of God. 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:35.200 He's doing the same thing that he was doing before the crucifixion. 00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:37.839 But now he's able to enlighten their minds. 00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:43.359 Now they're able to see the nature of his sacrifice that took place on the cross. 00:24:43.599 --> 00:24:50.640 And by this 40 days, he is for 40 days telling them about the kingdom of God. 00:24:50.799 --> 00:24:52.720 Now, what is the kingdom of God? 00:24:53.440 --> 00:24:55.119 What is a kingdom? 00:24:55.359 --> 00:24:58.000 Well, that's where a king rules. 00:24:58.799 --> 00:25:00.400 What is the kingdom of God then? 00:25:00.559 --> 00:25:02.559 That's where God rules. 00:25:07.039 --> 00:25:08.480 God rules. 00:25:09.200 --> 00:25:12.079 Is what you could the way you could read it. 00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:17.200 So what that means is that God, what is it, what does it what does the rule of God mean? 00:25:18.559 --> 00:25:20.960 It means he rules in your heart. 00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:28.079 It means that our hearts are conformed to the rule of God. 00:25:29.039 --> 00:25:34.559 You know, a king can rule, but a king can't rule in your heart. 00:25:35.359 --> 00:25:51.119 The kingdom of God means that our hearts are turned towards the Lord, that we are made citizens of heaven by a price purchased by Jesus Christ, who forgives our sins and counts us citizens of the heavenly kingdom. 00:25:51.519 --> 00:25:54.480 And it means rule of the whole world. 00:25:55.200 --> 00:25:58.480 Because all of the world belongs to God. 00:25:58.720 --> 00:25:59.920 It is all his. 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:10.880 So it means that all of the world, all of our institutions, all of the kingdoms are brought into conformity to the will and purposes of God. 00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:13.759 This is what's being proclaimed. 00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:25.119 He is Lord of it all, from the bottom, from the most individual, from you and your heart to the top, to the highest, to the king of kings, the Lord of all creation. 00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:27.200 That is what's being proclaimed. 00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:29.680 How do we participate in that? 00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:36.400 It is the proclamation of the gospel, forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ. 00:26:36.640 --> 00:26:42.160 This draws us into his kingdom so that we are citizens of the kingdom of God. 00:26:42.319 --> 00:26:46.480 And it takes place, he proclaims this for 40 days. 00:26:46.880 --> 00:26:51.839 40 days describing the kingdom of God, showing his resurrection. 00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:58.960 Now, when you're reading the Bible and you see something like 40 days, you should think, oh yeah, the Bible, 40 days. 00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:02.640 It seems like there's a lot of 40 day stuff. 00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:03.920 Can you think of any 40 days? 00:27:04.480 --> 00:27:06.480 What are some 40 things in the Bible? 00:27:08.079 --> 00:27:10.400 Jesus in the desert, 40 days, that's a good one. 00:27:12.480 --> 00:27:14.000 Flood, Noah, good one. 00:27:14.559 --> 00:27:15.119 This is fun. 00:27:15.200 --> 00:27:17.039 This is the way we should do this every week. 00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:18.960 Moses at Sinai. 00:27:19.200 --> 00:27:21.599 Monad, Moses at Sinai going up the mountain. 00:27:21.839 --> 00:27:22.960 Moses at Sinai again. 00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:25.039 Moses at Sinai again in the wilderness. 00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:27.200 They're stuck in the wilderness for 40 days. 00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:31.279 That's called the Daily Devil, by the way. 00:27:36.880 --> 00:27:39.680 Is the song that was supposed to be cued? 00:27:42.720 --> 00:27:44.079 So there's a lot of 40 things. 00:27:44.240 --> 00:27:45.839 You notice what all of those have in common? 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:47.839 You know who pointed out to me another 40 thing? 00:27:47.920 --> 00:27:52.640 Because I I this is like I I'm I'm such a I I'm such a fool. 00:27:52.720 --> 00:27:54.880 Like I don't know how to uh think about these things. 00:27:55.119 --> 00:28:00.240 Um, Andre, your wife, Jenna, she's like, you know what takes 40 weeks, ladies? 00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:01.440 What takes 40 weeks? 00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:04.720 Yeah, pregnancy. 00:28:05.599 --> 00:28:07.440 I was did not see that at all. 00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:09.920 But obviously, that's what's happening here. 00:28:10.079 --> 00:28:11.279 It's a new birth. 00:28:12.319 --> 00:28:13.359 It's a new birth. 00:28:13.519 --> 00:28:14.960 That's why it's 40. 00:28:15.759 --> 00:28:18.319 Because it's the birth, it's coming, it's a new world. 00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:20.480 Rains for 40 days and for 40 nights. 00:28:20.640 --> 00:28:21.440 What's gonna happen? 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:24.720 A new world on the other side of the flood. 00:28:25.039 --> 00:28:25.759 That's for sure. 00:28:25.839 --> 00:28:30.960 We're gonna bring this seed of a people, and we're going to give birth to a new world. 00:28:31.200 --> 00:28:33.359 We're going up the mountain for 40 days. 00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:38.000 There's a new covenantal relationship between God and his people that's going to be born. 00:28:38.160 --> 00:28:40.079 There's a nation that's being born. 00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:47.119 There's 40 years in the wilderness that they're waiting until they go into the land of conquest. 00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:51.920 Because they're giving birth to a new world in the new land. 00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:58.079 For 40 days, Jesus declares the kingdom of God. 00:28:58.480 --> 00:28:59.119 Why? 00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:03.359 Because it's coming, it's gestating. 00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:08.559 You know, they have the app, and it's like it's the size of an eggplant now, or the size of a, you know. 00:29:08.799 --> 00:29:12.799 And it's this time of gestation for the kingdom of God. 00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:14.799 So for those 40 days, what should they know? 00:29:14.880 --> 00:29:16.319 What should this be primed? 00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:20.720 The kingdom of God is about to be born into the world. 00:29:21.359 --> 00:29:22.640 It's coming. 00:29:22.960 --> 00:29:23.519 It's coming. 00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:25.359 There's a new world on the horizon. 00:29:25.519 --> 00:29:30.880 Just like there was a new world on the horizon after the flood of Noah. 00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:36.319 A greater, more glorious, cleanse world is on the other side of that. 00:29:38.640 --> 00:29:40.079 And he commands them. 00:29:40.319 --> 00:29:51.599 In Acts 1, 4 through 5, it says, 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. 00:29:52.000 --> 00:29:58.960 For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. 00:29:59.119 --> 00:30:03.200 What is this forty, this gestation leading up to? 00:30:03.359 --> 00:30:06.880 It is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. 00:30:08.240 --> 00:30:09.680 Moses died. 00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:19.440 That's a glorious thing. 00:30:19.680 --> 00:30:21.279 It's a glorious thing. 00:30:21.599 --> 00:30:37.359 When Jesus says he will no longer be present with us, who does he give to lead us into the promised land, which now in the new covenant is all of creation, the redemption of all of creation. 00:30:37.920 --> 00:30:40.319 He gives us himself again. 00:30:40.720 --> 00:30:45.920 He takes his spirit and he places his spirit upon the church. 00:30:46.079 --> 00:30:48.160 That's what they are waiting for. 00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:52.640 Isn't that what we're that's what that's what the birth is? 00:30:53.039 --> 00:30:55.440 You have the spirit of life placed upon you. 00:30:55.519 --> 00:31:01.920 This is why Jesus taught that in order to be saved, you must be born again. 00:31:03.440 --> 00:31:28.799 This new birth, this picture of the new birth and the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which will be the central uh aspect of what takes place in this first section of Acts, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, will be sent in the Holy Spirit Himself, the third person of the Trinity, the third person of God, will be the one who brings us into this great conquest. 00:31:29.039 --> 00:31:43.200 The conquest of our hearts, the conquest of all nations over the whole world, from the lowest to just you, your heart, to the highest, all the nations of the world, the greatest imaginable. 00:31:44.319 --> 00:31:50.880 It says, and while staying with them in verse 4, he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem. 00:31:51.119 --> 00:31:53.839 That staying with them is really eating. 00:31:54.160 --> 00:31:56.480 It's a word that's that's actually eating. 00:31:56.559 --> 00:31:57.599 It just means eating. 00:31:57.759 --> 00:32:02.079 Sometimes colloquially it can mean staying with somebody, but it means eating. 00:32:02.240 --> 00:32:07.759 And that means that it there's a coven, there's there's a there's a sacramental element to this. 00:32:08.160 --> 00:32:18.079 That Jesus is eating a meal with his people so that they are in peaceful fellowship with them, and that he's promising the baptism that is to come. 00:32:18.240 --> 00:32:21.039 Like the Lord's Supper and baptism. 00:32:21.279 --> 00:32:28.480 This is the sacramental shape of the church, the two sacraments of the church instituted by the Lord. 00:32:28.640 --> 00:32:34.799 You see these over and over again through the scriptures, that this is the shape of the church. 00:32:35.039 --> 00:32:42.880 We are a people who are rescued through the waters in baptism, and we take up a covenantal meal with our Lord because we are at peace with him. 00:32:43.440 --> 00:32:46.000 And then look at the Trinitarian shape of this. 00:32:46.160 --> 00:32:49.279 Look at how all three persons of the Trinity are involved with this. 00:32:49.519 --> 00:32:56.960 A lot of times people call Acts, it's traditionally called the Acts of the Apostles, it's trendily called the Acts of the Holy Spirit. 00:32:57.039 --> 00:33:01.279 And I get that because it is the Holy Spirit doing much of the work in Acts. 00:33:01.519 --> 00:33:08.240 But we we have to see, one of the things I want us to see throughout the book of Acts, is that the shape of it is so Trinitarian. 00:33:09.279 --> 00:33:19.759 It is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit working throughout the whole book of Acts, just as it always is in the redemption of humanity. 00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:20.720 Look at this. 00:33:20.799 --> 00:33:26.319 It is there to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father. 00:33:26.960 --> 00:33:33.680 It is the Father's promise to the people, which he said, You heard from me. 00:33:33.839 --> 00:33:35.279 Who is the you heard from me? 00:33:35.359 --> 00:33:36.640 It's Jesus. 00:33:37.839 --> 00:33:39.279 It is the Father's promise. 00:33:39.519 --> 00:33:43.519 Jesus is the one who gives to us the Father's promise. 00:33:43.759 --> 00:33:58.880 You heard from me, for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now, the Father, the Son, in the giving of the Holy Spirit to the church. 00:33:59.200 --> 00:34:21.599 How could the Holy Spirit of God, which dwelt in the Holy of Holies, the inner sanctum of the temple, only to be approached by the High Priest only once a year, only after that High Priest made sacrifice for himself, so that he might make sacrifices on behalf of the people. 00:34:21.840 --> 00:34:27.360 How could this Holy Spirit be poured out on sinners like us? 00:34:28.000 --> 00:35:01.599 Because the sacrifice of Jesus Christ has been made on the cross, and we are cleansed and purified to be able to be the dwelling, the pure and holy dwelling of the Holy Spirit, which is then moved out into the world, the church militant, the church conquest into the world by the empowered proclamation of the word, which the Holy Spirit continues to empower throughout the whole church age. 00:35:01.920 --> 00:35:11.840 He is empowered the proclamation of the word by the Holy Spirit, so that by hearing the word of the gospel proclaimed, hearts keep changing. 00:35:13.199 --> 00:35:14.719 Hearts keep changing. 00:35:14.960 --> 00:35:21.679 More and more are subdued unto Christ to see him as Lord, the freedom of the forgiveness of sins. 00:35:21.840 --> 00:35:24.239 Look at the Trinitarian shape of this. 00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:27.599 This is where our book begins. 00:35:27.760 --> 00:35:42.480 This is where they link up, where the end of Luke and the beginning of Acts that they link up together with this tension moment right before, right after the resurrection, and we see the ascension take place in Luke, and then more completely in the book of Acts. 00:35:42.639 --> 00:35:49.360 And then we're looking forward to the baptism of the Holy Spirit so that this new world might be born. 00:35:49.920 --> 00:35:59.119 The new world that we get to live into, the church age, where the gates of hell cannot prevail against this offer. 00:35:59.840 --> 00:36:02.639 Jesus Christ has died for your sins. 00:36:03.039 --> 00:36:04.960 You are forgiven in him. 00:36:05.519 --> 00:36:07.039 He is Lord. 00:36:07.360 --> 00:36:12.320 He can cleanse your conscience and offer you peace with God. 00:36:12.480 --> 00:36:16.719 There is no other name under heaven by which men may be saved. 00:36:17.039 --> 00:36:19.519 That same word has that same power. 00:36:19.679 --> 00:36:21.119 Look at this overlap. 00:36:22.239 --> 00:36:25.760 Listen to the end of Luke, Luke 24, 44 through 49. 00:36:25.840 --> 00:36:28.159 It's not the very end, but it's close to the end. 00:36:28.960 --> 00:36:31.920 He's sitting and he's eating with his disciples. 00:36:32.159 --> 00:36:40.559