“A GREAT PROMISE THAT WAS FULFILLED” ACTS 1:1-8

The book of Acts is a continuation of Dr. Luke’s treatise in the Gospel of Luke in which he gives an account of what Jesus did and taught as He sojourned among men for thirty-three years.  This chronicle of Jesus’ life covers the time of His birth, awesome ministry, and the point of His death, resurrection and ascension.  Dr. Luke, the writer of Acts, addressed this book to a specific person, namely Theophilus, whose name means “friend of God.”  Many scholars advance that the book of Acts was written about A.D. 62 or 63, because it makes no reference to the persecution by Nero (A.D. 64), or Paul’s death (A.D. 68), or to the time when Jerusalem was destroyed (A.D. 70).  The book of Acts serves as the historical connection between the Gospels and the Epistles.  It records the marvelous work of the Saviour through His followers.

In Acts 1:3, Jesus Christ was seen of His disciples for forty days in which He gave them indisputable evidence of His resurrection.  Again, these infallible proofs (positive proofs) served as evidence that Christ kept His promise that He would rise from the grave (Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31, 9:31; Luke 9:22, 18:33).  During the forty days, Christ appeared at least eleven different times to His disciples.  During this time He spoke about “things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”  According to verses 4 and 5, Christ gives specific instruction that the assembled group should wait for the promise of the Father – the coming of the Holy Spirit as their guide in continuing the ministry of Christ through them.

As John baptized with water, this assembled group would be baptized with the Holy Spirit (v. 5).  Having taught His disciples during the forty days “of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God”, the disciples were eager to know the time when this Kingdom would be established, thinking that Jesus would now reign as King since the crucifixion was now past and Jesus had been victorious over the grave.  Jesus replied to these disciples by simply saying that the precise time for the restoration of Israel’s Kingdom was God’s secret and was not important for them to know – “And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power” (v. 7).

Although the exact time of Israel’s Kingdom was not given, Christ gives a commission to these disciples that is still valid today for us – “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (v. 8).  With this commission, Christ promises power to carry out the responsibility to be witnesses for Him.  Power to carry out the commission comes from the Holy Spirit.  As witnesses for Christ, we need the Holy Spirit’s power as we carry the message of the gospel.  From Acts 1:8, the message of the gospel expanded from Jerusalem (chapters 1-7), Samaria (chapters 8-12), and unto the uttermost part of the earth (chapters 13-28).  Because Christ’s promise was fulfilled, we have the power in the Person of the Holy Spirit to equip us in telling a dying world about the emancipating love of God in saving the lost.

May God Bless!