So today, we are starting a new series. If you're using the Black Bibles that are provided for you, we will be beginning on page 1,080. If you're using your own Bibles, we are in the book of Acts. So last April, we finished up our sermon series in the gospel according to Luke. A series that actually started, I looked back, it started in November of 2021, that series in Luke. And we had plenty of breaks, so it's not like we started then and just went nonstop through Luke. We had lots of breaks, sometimes for the summer, sometimes for other things. We had breaks that were planned, some breaks that were unplanned. And as we approach the end of our time in Luke, there are a couple of folks here who asked me if we would then continue into the book of Acts. And for some reasons, that'll become more apparent as we go into the sermon series. And my typical, well, first of all, sometimes my sinful response is then to say, well, no, because you asked for it. And so it has to be my idea. But also my more typical, approach to preaching through Scripture is to preach a New Testament book and an Old Testament book alternatively, and I thought that going from Luke, the longest New Testament book in the Bible, to Acts, the second longest New Testament book in the Bible, without taking an Old Testament break, well, it just wouldn't...it wouldn't be right, it wouldn't be proper. And so that's why you got Daniel, because someone else had asked for revelation, and I was like, no. And so, so we did Daniel, and so now we're back in the New Testament, and it did seem appropriate to look at Acts together, and I'll explain why it seemed appropriate, but for now, would you stand with me for the reading of God's word? We are in Acts chapter one, verses one through 11. 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. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during 40 days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 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. So when they had come together, they asked him, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? He said to them, it is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed 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 end of the earth. And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight And while they were gazing into heaven, as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes and said, men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. The grass withers, the flowers fade, and yet the word of the Lord remains forever. You may be seated. So our title today, I had to use Roman numerals because they didn't want you to be confused and think we're preaching from Acts and then from Luke 2. So it's Luke 2, as in like Luke, the sequel. Like Luke 2, the rise of the church. You know, some sequels are better than others. We all recognize that. So let's start with the bad sequels. Temple of Doom. Now technically, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is not a technical sequel. I don't know if you know this. Because Temple of Doom technically occurs a year earlier than Raiders of the Lost Ark. You didn't know that, did you? So it's actually technically a prequel, which makes it an even worse sequel. But anyway, it's bad. It's not as good. And the better sequel is clearly The Last Crusade. You know, the Empire Strikes Back, everyone would have to agree, I mean, unless you're a heathen, that it's a good sequel. Now, it's a good sequel. It wasn't fully thought out. Like the idea of a sequel had been thought out, but the direction and the storyline had not been at the time of even the displaying of episode four. And so it's a good, though not entirely planned, sequel. Dune II, which admittedly I have not seen, but I read the whole book. But Dune II, you might say, is a good sequel. Is it though? Isn't it just it was too hard to make a seven hour movie? And so maybe we should make two three hour movies. Or if you prefer, if you're not into Dune, Wicked 2. You know, the new movie Wicked that has come out. They've turned one play into two movies. So is Wicked 2 really a good sequel? Or is it just that they knew you wouldn't sit through the whole thing, or they knew they could make twice as much money off of you? I see all of you. You're so cynical, all of you. So bad. Yeah. Where does Acts fall? Many people talk about Luke and Acts together, Luke-Acts, in fact, or Luke and Acts. Luke is, we call it the gospel, the technical term for it, the actual title is the gospel according to Luke because there's only one gospel, It's not that there's four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, but there's one gospel that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all wrote about. And so Luke wrote about the gospel, the gospel of Jesus Christ, the life, ministry, death, resurrection, and even in his, the end of his, in the end of Luke, he writes about the ascension. And then Acts, he follows it up and he even says here, you know, I started by writing one thing to you, Theophilus, and now I'm finishing up, I'm following up with this next. Just as calling Luke the gospel is sort of a misnamed title, Acts, the full title of Acts is the Acts of the Apostles. And maybe some of your Bibles might indicate that. It has Acts in big letters, but then little letters kind of surrounding it telling you the Acts of the Apostles. But is that accurate? If you've read the book of Acts, Maybe a more honest title would be, Some of the Acts of Some of the Apostles. Because the reality is, this book will focus in very heavily on really two of the apostles at the beginning, won't it? And then even from there, down to one. So Peter and John, I mean, we see some of the apostles at the very beginning, but the reality is the main focus is on Peter and John and then really on Peter. And then it kind of switches less than halfway into the book to this upstart of an apostle, if we can even call him an apostle, named Saul, who changes his name to Paul, And then we just kind of follow Him and we leave all of the apostles behind, or at least the other apostles. The book of Acts covers about 30 years, from about 30 AD to about 60 AD. Maybe you could technically say it goes into 62 AD because of one of the last verses in the book that says, and Paul was there in prison for two years. And so it goes from 60 to 62. So timeline-wise, it covers about the same amount of time as the gospel writings. So Luke, if we stick with Luke, covers about 30 years. And then Acts covers about 30 years. Acts raises almost as many questions as it answers. For example, like the passes that we read in verse 8, it's sort of the book of Acts is going to follow Acts 1-8 as sort of its outline and we're going to watch the gospel spread through Jerusalem, we're going to watch the gospel expand and impact all of Judea, and then we're going to see the gospel move out beyond Judea and even impact Samaria, but then we're going to watch as the gospel spreads out into the world. and impacts not just the Jews who have been scattered throughout the world, but even Gentiles, non-Jewish people will learn that the gospel is not just the gospel of the Messiah of the Jewish people, but the Messiah of the world. But even in that, we're going to watch the gospel expand kind of north and west we hear nothing in this thirty-year account of how the gospel expanded south and east. And so, it's interesting that like even as we read the book of Acts and we think, well, it's really just kind of a brief history of the early church, We have to admit it's a brief, select history of the early church. It's not saying everything that we necessarily want it to say. It doesn't necessarily answer all of the questions we want it to answer, does it? When you read the book of Acts, there's no section that, there's no verse that says, and so then they baptized all their children and everyone who didn't was a sinner. I mean, it's in some of the earlier manuscripts, but I'm just kidding. No. Or, and then they baptized all who believed, and of course they didn't baptize their children. Who would do that? Like, those things aren't in the book of Acts. And so, some of the questions that we think, oh, here's sort of foundational church stuff that we can get out of Acts. Like, those questions aren't really answered. And so, what is the purpose of the book of Acts? Luke gives an introduction, but it's such a non-introduction, isn't it? Interestingly, by the way, this is just a freebie for you, it's useless information, but verses 1 to 5 are one sentence in Greek. So, that's the whole verses 1 to 5, including if you have red letters, including those red letters, that's all one sentence. And so, it's a weird introduction, but the introduction isn't much of an introduction unless Unless Acts is not like The Empire Strikes Back, and Luke actually had a plan for Acts when he wrote Luke, then the introduction to Luke makes sense as an introduction to a two-volume work. So you might, if you are interested, you could flip back to Luke 1, where we can get the introduction to Acts. In Luke 1 verses 1 to 4, Luke says, "...inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, Just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed these things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things that you have been taught. And so when we read that and then read here at the beginning of Acts, 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. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs appearing to them during 40 days speaking about the kingdom of God. And so In one sense, Acts, to understand what the purpose of Acts is, is to remind yourself of what the purpose of Luke was. And he's writing, so that you may have certainty about the things that eyewitnesses have spoken of and that those entrusted with the Word, namely the apostles, have spoken about. And so Luke admits that he's not an eyewitness to most of these things. In fact, even the book of Acts, Luke is rarely an eyewitness of the things in Acts, though sometimes he is. Because we'll see passages toward the end of Acts where suddenly the person writing about the things going on talks about we. And then we got onto a boat, and then we went and did this, and then we were here. And so, Luke was an eyewitness of some of these things. He was a companion of Paul's. In fact, he's mentioned in a couple of Paul's letters. He says, you know, Luke is the only one who is with me, or Luke and these others are still with me. But Paul writes these things from both the Gospel of Jesus Christ, according to Luke, and the Acts of the Apostles. He writes them so that you and I, so that this man Theophilus, and then because of the recording of them, you and I can have certainty about these things. That these are things that actually happened in historical Palestine in the first century. you can be certain of these things that have happened. We read in this first sentence, this long sentence, that we read that Jesus taught the disciples or the apostles more details about the kingdom of God But isn't it interesting that we don't read what Jesus taught them about the kingdom of God? And in fact, if you go back through all four gospels that record much of the resurrection and what happened after the resurrection, there's actually very little detail on what Jesus talked about in those 40 days. Now remember, in those 40 days, he didn't spend like a solid 40 days with the disciples, but he appeared to them a few times. And apparently, during some of those times, even times that we may not have recorded for us, he spent those times teaching about the kingdom of God. So for example, like we know that both in Matthew and Mark, we're told that when Jesus rises from the dead, He tells them, go to Galilee, and I'll meet you there. So clearly, he's not going to be with them the whole time. In John, we learn that Jesus appears at the resurrection, and then eight days later, he appears again to them. So there's a week that he's not with them, but then he comes back and visits with them again. And so we see these things where he's there, but then he's also not always there with them. We're told that he tells them to go to Galilee. So at some point they go to Galilee. We hear about that. We read about that in John 20 and 21 that they did go to Galilee and Jesus as he promised does meet them there. And he comes to them at the seaside in Galilee and that's where the second miraculous catch of fish and and where where he restores Peter and reminds him and all of the disciples feed my sheep take care of my flock feed my my lambs. And so there's a time where he goes with them to Galilee, but then apparently after Galilee, they come back to Jerusalem. Because then he appears to them also in Jerusalem at some point. And he says to them, now wait here in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father. In fact, you read about it in Luke 24. He says, thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead. And this is in verse 47 that repentance and forgiveness of sin should be proclaimed in his name for all nations beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things and behold, I'm sending a promise of my father upon you, but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. So it's interesting that You know, Luke and Acts kind of have this overlap of things. Luke mentions that Jesus is ascension, and then in Acts it's gone into in more detail, and we'll look at that in more detail next week, the ascension of Jesus Christ. But while Luke tells us in Acts 1 here that that Jesus taught about the kingdom of God. The details of what he goes into of what Jesus said are not about the kingdom of God, or at least that we can tell, but about the gift of the Holy Spirit. Less important to Luke are the details of what Jesus said about the kingdom of God. More important to Luke are the details that Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come in a few days. One of the longest teaching sections in the book of John occurs from John chapter 13 through John chapter 17. And it's all his teachings surrounding the institution of the Lord's Supper and their time together before his arrest. And in John 14 and 15 and 16, Jesus goes to great lengths to explain to the disciples how important it is that the Holy Spirit is coming. that in fact it's better for them that the Holy Spirit come to them than that Jesus himself is with them. It's better to have the Holy Spirit. And these are just some of the things Jesus says about the Holy Spirit. He says, I'm gonna ask the Father, and he's going to give you another helper. So someone's going to help you the way I have been with you and helped you. He says this Spirit, this one will be with you forever. So He won't just be God in the flesh with a time frame of life, but the Spirit will be with you forever. He's called the Spirit of Truth. He dwells in you. It's not just that He'll be near you or beside you, but He will actually make His dwelling in you. And even as Jesus talks about this spirit, as another person, he also speaks about the spirit as it's himself. He says, will come to you. So he's promising that this spirit is going to come and he says, I will come to you by this spirit. I will dwell in you. This spirit that dwells in you means that I will dwell in you. In fact, he says, this spirit that dwells in you means that the Father and I will make our home in you. The Spirit will teach you. He will bring to you memory of things that I have taught you. He will bear witness about me, Jesus says. I said already, he says, you're better off with the Spirit than you are the incarnate Son of God. The Holy Spirit will guide you in truth. The Holy Spirit will glorify Jesus. He will convict the world of sin and righteousness and judgment. All of these are in John about the Holy Spirit. And that's what Luke wants to focus on, the promise that the Holy Spirit is going to come in a few days. The one that was promised from the Father. He says, John baptized you with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in just a few days. He talks about, like in Luke, it's more clear because he mentions that it's the power of the Spirit that's coming. And just like you and me, that's the part the disciples latch onto, the power of the Holy Spirit. Okay, now we're talking. Okay, because you've been talking a lot about the kingdom of God. And now the power of God is going to fill us. And so it's almost like we're going to be like, like, like, we're going to get like the, you know, the radioactive spider bite or we're gonna, you know, we're gonna, we're gonna get all that we need. And there's like, so Oh, so then you're gonna fill us with the power of God. Okay, so then does that mean that like now does that mean this is when you're gonna so is this it we're gonna you're gonna restore the power to? Israel now right is that this is because that's what you're telling us right kingdom power. Yes We will crush our I mean your your enemies. Yes, I cannot wait And we all that's in all of us by the way We assume power, like there's only one purpose for power. It's to crush your enemies. What good is it to be right if you don't tell the people that are wrong they are wrong? Like, where is the fun in that? No. I mean, you exercise power, you have hand, as they would say in Seinfeld episodes, like you, like the whole purpose of it is to prove yourself. and to prove that they're wrong and you're right. And isn't it now, is this the time, Jesus? And isn't it interesting that here's the disciples wondering about that, and it's really helpful for us, because now here's a one final application of the book of Daniel for you, are Jesus' words to his disciples. It's not for you to know. So we can spend all the time we want in the book of Daniel, and at the end, we must come back to Acts chapter 1 and say, so now, are these the charts? Are my charts right? Do I have it all right? And hear Jesus' words say, it's not. It's not for you to know the times or the seasons that the Father has set in place. So listen to what it's not saying. It's not saying, hey, listen, there's no real plan here. No, the Father has a set time and place. The times and seasons are set. You don't need to worry about it. The Father is in control. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit is poured out on you. See, God has different purposes for power than you and I do, doesn't he? God says the purpose of the power I'm giving you. And so that you can be my witnesses. So you can take. The truth about who I am and what I've done. And take it to your brothers and sisters in Jerusalem. And take it into all of Judea. And in fact, take it. To those gross. neighbors in Samaria. And in fact, take it to the untouchable Gentiles in the world. Jesus' God's purpose for power is salvation. It has always been salvation. The apostles will be Christ's witnesses It's not a coincidence, by the way, that the Greek word for witness is the root of the word we use for martyr. So power isn't going to do exactly what you think it's going to do for you, but there will be some struggles along the way. There will be trials. There will be endurance. The power that you will need from me is the power to endure, the power to persevere. Acts is this interesting book. It's this interesting bridge. It's like a bridge from the Gospels to the letters. It sort of gives us a connector from the Gospels of the New Testament into the writings of the apostles. It kind of gives us what was going on in that time. Acts is a nice bridge from the Old Testament to the New Testament, or what we might say from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. And we do see the rise of the church as God's people. And Acts gives us sort of that transition. Acts serves as a transition for or a bridge from the kingdom of God seemingly to be about a particular nation. to realizing that the kingdom of God is bigger than a nation. It's about all peoples and languages and tribes and tongues. And we see that bridge coming out of Acts. And Acts serves as a bridge from the New Testament to you and me also. As we read the book of Acts and see that, oh, it's still regular people. Oh, they still struggle. They still doubt. They still have things that they're afraid of, that they're not sure God can handle. And we see ourselves in many of them. And even as the introduction tells us that Luke was about all that Jesus began to do and teach, And the implication that, and now what I am writing to you is about all that Jesus continues to do and teach, only through his apostles. And then we realize that it's still true today, all that Jesus continues to do and teach. And Acts gives us kind of glimpses of that, that it's not all apostles' work, is it? Like the first time, the first time that the gospel will be preached in Samaria will not be by an apostle. It will not be Peter or John or any of the other apostles. It'll be a young man named Philip. He will bring the gospel to Samaria first. Interestingly, the first time that the gospel is, in Acts at least, not the first time, I mean Jesus spoke to Gentiles and He spoke to Samaritans also, but in Acts, the first time that the gospel is admitted to a Gentile that it is for the Gentiles also, it is not by an apostle. It's not that time when we all know about where Peter goes to Cornelius' house, this Roman soldier. preaches the gospel to him. Though before that, again, this man, Philip, speaks not just to a Gentile, but like a royal officer from Ethiopia. Not just like a eunuch, like this dude is like, he's fully committed to his job and his pagan practices and And God opens his heart to God's word and he sends Philip to speak with him, not Peter or John, but this man, Philip. And even the book of Acts tells us it's not about the apostles. It's about the power of God for salvation. And that power is in each of you. And you are my witnesses. Not witnesses of yourself, but witnesses of what Christ has done historically and has done personally for you. Jesus is alive. His spirit dwells and works in you and in me. And He moves through you and through me. We don't have to wait. You don't have to wait for your officers, for your elders. You can be a witness. You can bear witness to what Christ has done. Whether that's through sitting down and specifically explaining it or simply through caring about your friends and your neighbors and your loved ones. so that as Peter wrote, people will ask you to defend the hope you have. And as Paul wrote, I am not ashamed of the gospel. It is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes. Let's pray. Thank you, God, for your spirit, for your work. Thank you, Lord Jesus. for your instruction, for your sacrifice. We pray, God, that as we spend time in Acts together, that you would excite us again to be a part of your community. Fill us with your spirit. In Jesus' name, amen.