Lesson #02

ACTS 1:1-14
LESSON #02
FROM THE RESURRECTION TO PENTECOST — PREPARATION

• MEMORY VERSE: ACT 1:8
• READ ACT 1:1-5 LUKE’S INTRODUCTION:
  • LUKE REFERS TO HIS “FORMER TREATISE” WHICH WAS THE GOSPEL OF LUKE. HE ANTICIPATED ATTACHING HIS BOOK OF ACTS TO THAT OF LUKE. (1)
  • LUKE MENTIONS HIS FRIEND, THEOPHILUS, TO WHOM THE BOOK IS WRITTEN.
  • THE NAME, THEOPHILUS, IS A GREEK NAME MEANING = A LOVER OF GOD.
  • THEOPHILUS WAS A ROMAN NOBLE CONVERTED TO CHRIST FROM PAGANISM.
  • IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THEOPHILUS FINANCED LUKE’S WRITING OF THE GOSPEL AND THE BOOK OF ACTS.
  • “…Of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach.”

  (1)

• LUKE CLEARLY TELLS US THAT JESUS’ EARTHLY MINISTRY WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING OF JESUS’ WORK.
• JESUS’ PAST EARTHLY MINISTRY WAS IN HIS ROLE AS THE ULTIMATE PROPHET. (DEU 18:15)
• JESUS’ HEAVENLY MINISTRY TODAY IS IN HIS ROLE AS THE ULTIMATE HIGH PRIEST. (HEB 4:14)
• JESUS’ FUTURE EARTHLY MINISTRY WILL BE IN HIS ROLE AS THE ULTIMATE KING OF KINGS. (REV 19:11-16)
• LUKE LOOKS BACKWARD IN TIME:
• IN ORDER TO GIVE HIS BOOK AN ACCEPTABLE FOUNDATION AND AUTHORITY, LUKE TAKES US BACK IN TIME:
• HE TAKES US BACK TO JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION BY REFERENCE TO “HIS PASSION” (3)
• HE TAKES US BACK TO JESUS’ APPEARANCES TO MANY PEOPLE AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION FOR 40 DAYS (3),
• THEREFORE, THERE ARE 40 DAYS BETWEEN THE RESURRECTION AND THE ASCENSION.
• THE BIBLICAL NUMBER 40 IS SYMBOLIC OF A PERIOD OF TESTING.
• THE DISCIPLES WERE BEING TESTED AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTED JESUS.
• HE TAKES US BACK TO JESUS’ WORDS TO HIS DISCIPLES ABOUT WAITING FOR THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. (4)
• LUKE ALSO REFERS US BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF JESUS’ MINISTRY WHEN JOHN THE BAPTIST PROMISED THAT THE MESSIAH WOULD COME TO BAPTIZE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT.

• THE DISCIPLES’ EXPECTATION OF THE RESTORATION OF CHRIST’S KINGDOM ON EARTH. (6)
• NOT KNOWING THE TIMETABLE OF EVENTS, THE DISCIPLES EXPECTED JESUS TO BEGIN HIS MILLENNIAL REIGN FOR 1000 YEARS IMMEDIATELY AFTER HE RAISED FROM THE DEAD AND BEGAN TO APPEAR TO MANY PEOPLE.
• OLD TESTAMENT PEOPLE WERE TAUGHT THAT THE MESSIAH WOULD COME TO EARTH BRINGING HIS KINGDOM TO EARTH. THEY JUST DID NOT KNOW THE TIMING OF IT BECAUSE THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES CONNECTED THE COMING OF THE SPIRIT WITH THE COMING OF THE KINGDOM. (ISA 32:15-20 ISA 44:3-5 EZE 39:28-29 JOEL 2:28-3:1 ZEC 12:8-10)
• TODAY, WE KNOW THAT THIS MILLENNIAL KINGDOM WILL NOT OCCUR UNTIL JUST AFTER JESUS’ SECOND COMING. (REV 20)
• CHRIST TELLS THE DISCIPLES THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT MUST COME FIRST, AND HE ALSO TELLS THEM WHY.
• THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL GIVE THE DISCIPLES POWER TO PREACH THE WORD OF GOD TO THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH. (8)
• BEFORE CHRIST CAN SET UP HIS KINGDOM, HE MUST FIRST SAVE A MULTITUDE OF GENTILES AND A MULTITUDE OF JEWS.
• IT IS THE DISCIPLES WHO WILL GET THE BALL ROLLING AFTER THEY HAVE THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO PREACH THE WORD, TO SEE THAT PEOPLE GET SAVED.
• VERSE 8 IS NOT ONLY A PROMISE TO THE 11 DISCIPLES AND THOSE FEW EARLY CHRISTIANS, IT IS ALSO A COMMAND TO ALL BELIEVERS FROM ALL HISTORY.
• ALL BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST NEED THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
• TO LIVE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE THE WAY CHRIST WANTS US TO LIVE IT, SO AS TO BE A LIVING TESTIMONY OF THE POWER OF CHRIST TO CHANGE A HEART.
• TO SPREAD THE WORD OF GOD TO THOSE NEAR US IN OUR OWN CITY (“IN JERUSALEM”), TO THOSE A SHORT DISTANCE FROM US IN NEIGHBORING CITIES (“IN JUDEA”), TO THOSE A GREATER DISTANCE FROM US IN OTHER STATES (“IN SAMARIA”), AND TO THOSE IN OTHER COUNTRIES (“TO THE UTMOST PART OF THE EARTH”).
• THE EVENTS OF CHRIST’S ASCENSION (9)
• THE TWO MEN IN WHITE:
• THESE TWO ARE OBVIOUSLY ANGELS WHO HAVE THE WISDOM OF GOD, THOUGH THEY ARE NOT CALLED ANGELS.
• THE MESSAGE OF THE TWO MEN IN WHITE:
• THE VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE IS THAT JESUS WILL COME BACK TO EARTH A SECOND TIME. HOWEVER, THEY ALSO GIVE US SOME VERY IMPORTANT DETAILS:
• THE DISCIPLES WATCHING THE ASCENSION ARE TOLD WHERE JESUS IS GOING.
• JESUS IS SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER PERFORMING HIS CHURCH AGE MINISTRY OF A HIGH PRIEST INTERCEDING ON BEHALF OF THOSE WHO TRUST IN HIM.
• THE DISCIPLES ARE TOLD THAT JESUS CHRIST WILL COME A SECOND TIME IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY HE LEFT.
• THAT MEANS HE WILL NOT BE BORN AS A BABY AGAIN.
• THAT MEANS HE WILL NOT SUDDENLY APPEAR IN THE DESSERT. (MAT 24:23-27)
• THAT MEANS AT HIS SECOND COMING HE WILL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN EXACTLY AS HE AROSE, DRESSED IN WHITE TO PUT HIS FOOT ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, THE EXACT PLACE FROM WHERE HE ASCENDED. (12)
• “…a cloud received him.”

(9)

• THIS IS NOT JUST ANY ORDINARY CLOUD. IT IS THE SHEKINAH GLORY CLOUD OF THE BOOK OF NUMBERS THAT GUIDED THE ISRAELITES IN THE DAYTIME.

• THE “sabbath’s day journey” (12)
• THESE EVENTS OCCUR IN A TIME PERIOD REVOLVING AROUND THE HOLY FEAST DAYS OF PASSOVER, THE FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD, THE FEAST OF FIRSTFRUITS, AND THE FEAST OF PENTECOST. BECAUSE THESE ARE HOLY EVENTS THAT CARRY WITH THEM THE SABBATH RESTRICTIONS. PEOPLE WERE REQUIRED TO STAY WITHIN ABOUT 3/4 OF A MILE OF THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM. INNS WERE JAMMED FULL OF PEOPLE, WHICH MEANT THAT MANY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, UNABLE TO GET LODGING IN AN INN, CAMPED OUT ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES SO AS TO BE WITHIN THAT RESTRICTED PERIMETER.
• THE TIMING OF THESE EVENTS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF THE JEWISH PROPHETIC CALENDAR ESTABLISHED BY GOD IN THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS.
• JESUS FULFILLED THE FIRST FOUR FEAST DAYS OF LEV 23 IN HIS FIRST COMING:

• THE HISTORICAL CELEBRATION OF THE FEAST OF WEEKS (PENTECOST):
• THE JEWISH CELEBRATION OF PENTECOST WAS CALLED “SHAVUOT”. THE GREEK WORD, PENTECOST, SIMPLY MEANS = 50. IT WAS CALLED THE FEAST OF WEEKS OR PENTECOST BECAUSE IT OCCURRED 7 WEEKS AND ONE DAY AFTER THE PASSOVER CELEBRATION.
• REMEMBER THAT 7 IS A BIBLICALLY SYMBOLIC NUMBER MEANING GOD’S PERFECTION OR COMPLETENESS.
• 7 WEEKS AND 1 DAY AMOUNTS TO 50 DAYS (PENTECOST).
• 50 IS A BIBLICALLY SYMBOLIC NUMBER THAT REFERS TO “UNIFICATION” OR “FREEDOM”.
• REMEMBER THAT EVERY 50 YEARS WAS THE YEAR OF JUBILEE. (LEV 25)
• ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST IN OLD TESTAMENT TIMES, THE BOOK OF RUTH WAS READ IN THE SYNAGOGUE.
• THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF THE FEAST OF WEEKS:
• IT WAS TO BE A CELEBRATION OF THANKSGIVING TO GOD FOR THE WHEAT HARVEST.
• THE TRADITIONAL PRACTICE OF THIS JEWISH CELEBRATION:
• TWO LOAVES OF BREAD WERE MADE FROM THE NEW WHEAT HARVEST AS AN OFFERING TO GOD. HOWEVER, UNLIKE MOST OF THE BREAD USED IN OFFERINGS AND FEAST DAYS, THESE LOAVES OF BREAD CONTAINED LEAVEN TO MAKE THEM RISE. WHY?
• THE TWO LOAVES OF BREAD WERE TO BE PROPHETIC STATEMENTS CONCERNING THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH MADE OF TWO GROUPS OF PEOPLE, THE JEWS AND THE GENTILES.
• THE LOAVES CONTAIN LEAVEN WHICH REPRESENTS SIN THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE.
• IN OTHER WORDS, THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH WILL BE GOD’S PLAN BUT CHURCHES WILL NOT BE PERFECT AND WITHOUT SIN. CHURCHES ARE STILL MADE UP OF HUMAN BEINGS WHO HAVE A SIN NATURE. THEREFORE, SIN IN THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH WILL, ON OCCASION, PUFF UP WITH PRIDE ANYONE WHO DOES NOT LIVE ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD.
• JEWISH ORAL TRADITION CONCERNING THE OLD TESTAMENT FEAST OF WEEKS:
• THE JEWISH TRADITION CLAIMS THAT GOD GAVE MOSES THE TABLETS OF LAW ON MT. SINAI ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST.
• THE BIBLE DOES NOT VERIFY THIS BELIEF IN FACT, BUT IT IS LOGICAL CONSIDERING THE CONSISTENCY IN THE WAY GOD WORKS.
• READ EXO 24:12
• READ HEB 10:16
• READ 2COR 3:3
• INSTEAD OF WRITING HIS LAW ON TABLES OF STONE, AS HE DID WITH MOSES, GOD WILL NOW WRITE HIS LAW ON THE TABLES OF OUR HEARTS ACCORDING TO THE NEW COVENANT WE HAVE WITH GOD THROUGH CHRIST’S BLOOD.
• HOW WILL GOD WRITE HIS LAW ON THE TABLES OF OUR HEARTS?
• GOD DOES THIS THROUGH THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT. THE OLD TESTAMENT BELIEVER DID NOT HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT INDWELL HIM. HE NEEDED TO HAVE THE LAW WRITTEN ON ACTUAL TABLES OF STONE.
• THE UPPER ROOM IN JERUSALEM:
• THIS WAS A SECOND STORY ROOM OF AN INN RENTED OUT FOR THE PURPOSE OF HOLDING BANQUETS.
• IT IS PROBABLY THE SAME PLACE WHERE JESUS ATE THE LAST SUPPER WITH HIS DISCIPLES BEFORE THE CRUCIFIXION.
• THOSE PRESENT IN THE UPPER ROOM:
• THE ELEVEN DISCIPLES, MINUS JUDAS ISCARIOT.
• OTHER WOMEN LIKE MARY MAGDALENE.
• JESUS’ MOTHER, MARY, AND JESUS’ BROTHERS WHO NOW BELIEVE IN HIM AS THEIR MESSIAH.
• THIS IS THE LAST REFERENCE TO MARY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
• ACTION IN THE UPPER ROOM IS ONE OF WORSHIPFUL PRAYER AND EXPECTANT WAITING.
• THE GROUP OF 120 BELIEVERS STAY TOGETHER FOR ABOUT A WEEK
• 3 DAYS FROM THE CRUCIFIXION TO THE RESURRECTION.
• 40 DAYS OF POST-RESURRECTION APPEARANCES BY JESUS UNTIL THE ASCENSION.
• 7 DAYS REMAIN UNTIL THE FIFTIETH DAY WHICH IS THE DAY OF PENTECOST.
• WHAT DID THE DISCIPLES THINK THEY WOULD EXPERIENCE AT THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?
• ACTUALLY THEY HAD NO IDEA. THEY PROBABLY SPECULATED AS TO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, BUT THERE WAS NO PRECEDENT IN SCRIPTURE FOR EXACTLY WHAT TOOK PLACE, WITH ONE EXCEPTION THAT COULD GIVE THEM A POSSIBLE CLUE.
• READ NUM 11:24-30

HOMEWORK
ACT 1:15-26
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF ACT 1:1-14
• EVALUATE YOUR PERFORMANCE REGARDING THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL:
• TO THOSE IN YOUR CITY –
• TO THOSE IN NEIGHBORING CITIES –
• TO THOSE IN YOUR STATE –
• TO THOSE IN THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH –
• WHAT IS IT THAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO IMPROVE YOUR PERFORMANCE?
• PREPARATION FOR ACT 1:15-26
• READ ACT 1:15-26
• HOW DID GOD PUNISH JUDAS’ BETRAYAL OF JESUS?
• WHAT PROPHECY IN THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURES DOES ACT 1 FULFILL?
• PSA 69:25
• PSA 109:8
• WHY DID THEY NEED TO REPLACE JUDAS?
• WHAT IS THE RATIONALE BEHIND THE USE OF THE CASTING OF LOTS?

• MEMORY VERSE: EPH 1:4