Acts, Chapter 1
© Copyright 2007 Darroll Evans, all rights reserved

 

Acts 1:1-3
1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

 

The “former treatise” is what we now call the Gospel according to Luke.  The gospel of Luke was also addressed to Theophilus.  Both Luke and Acts are personal letters.

 

Luke 1:3-4

3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

 

The goal of Luke’s “former treatise” was to present the teachings of Jesus. To that end, Luke had reported many proofs of Jesus’ resurrection, and of the things Jesus taught pertaining to the kingdom of God. This letter to Theophilus will take up the work of the Holy Spirit after Christ’s resurrection.

 

Has anybody actually read verse 2?

 

“Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:”

 

Through the Holy Spirit, Christ Jesus gave “commandments” (Gr. entailamentos-entailamentoV) to the Apostles.  Christ did not leave us to our own devises.  He gives us instructions, commandments.  If we do as He says, we will be successful. 

 

Roman 8:34 tells us that Christ is at the right hand of the Father interceding for us. 

 

How is He interceding?

 

He is asking the Father to help us follow His, Christ’s, instructions!

 

John 10:30 I and my Father are one.

 

Many lose sight of that verse when discussing the Father and Son. One (Gr. heis-eiV) speaks of being virtually one by union, completely and totally united in purpose.

 

Many attempt to separate the Trinity, but any such attempt is a false reading.

 

That second verse of Acts says that Christ chose the Apostles.  They did not choose Him!

 

In the same manner, He chose us.  We did not choose Him.  The unregenerate spirit is incapable of choosing what is righteous in the sight of God.

 

John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

 

Carnal man cannot “choose” what is righteous!

 

Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

 

The Holy Spirit must act on us prior to our declaration that Jesus Christ is Lord!

 

1 Cor 12:3b no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

 

Human “free will” may be strong, but it is LIMITED!  It does not have the power to choose Christ.  Christ alone chooses us and appoints us to be His disciples.  He is the Author and the Finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2).  We are neither the author nor the finisher of our faith in Christ Jesus.

 

It is through Christ’s obedience to the Father that He, Christ Jesus, showed Himself risen and alive after his suffering on the cross.  He accomplished that great work by many infallible proofs.  One of which was that He was seen by the disciples for forty days, and was heard by them to be speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

 

Acts 1:4-6
4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

 

We begin at the time of the ascension into heaven. At that time, the Apostles and those associated closely with Christ Jesus, were admonished to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the “promise of the Father.”  That Promise was the coming of the Holy Spirit!

 

Just as John the baptizer immersed the repentant in water, Christ in His resurrection would now immerse believers in the Holy Spirit of God.

 

When the Disciples gathered together at the time of the ascension, they asked, “Is this the time?  Will you now restore the kingdom to Israel?”

 

After all the time they spent with Christ Jesus, they still had no concept of grace for Gentiles.

 

Let’s consider the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  As we will see, it is a separate act from the believer’s baptism.  Also let me take this time to say that regenerational baptism, as taught in those Churches that practice it, is a false baptism.

 

Acts 19:1-7
1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
7 And all the men were about twelve.

 

According to these verses, the men were baptized in water according to John’s baptism.  John’s baptism was a regenerational baptism.  Then, they were baptized in the name of Jesus.  That is the most common Christian baptism.  According to many, including me that is sufficient for salvation, if the one baptized actually trusts Christ. 

 

Finally, as a separate act the Holy Spirit “came on them” (Gr. ep autous-ep autouV).  As a result of the last action, they spoke with “tongues” (Gr. gloossais-glwssaiV) and (Gr. kai-kai/and in addition to that) they prophesied (Gr. epropheeteuon-eprofhteuon).

 

The Bible says they spoke with tongues and they prophesied.  They did not preach, or just prophesy!  They spoke with tongues AND prophesied!

 

Many Churches consider prophecy and speaking with tongues to be demonic.  It was not so with Paul.

 

The Holy Spirit is not given to any and all who come to Church.  The promise is selective! Water baptism is not synonymous with Spirit baptism.

 

John 14:15-17
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

 

The Holy Spirit is our seal to redemption! Being sealed and being immersed with the Spirit are separate issues.

 

Eph 1:13 [Christ Jesus] In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

 

Those who understand these things and proclaim them in the Churches are to this day very few, when compared to those who falsely claim to abide in the Truth of the Spirit of Promise!

 

Christ commanded the eleven Apostles left due to the death of Judas to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father. Christ assured them that the promise would soon appear.

 

The question in verse 6 shows the Apostles’ mind-set.  They asked, “Will you now restore the kingdom of Israel?”  After all this, they still wondered, “What’s in it for me?”

 

They could not comprehend that the Messiah would come to them without restoring the Davidic kingdom. They had no idea that Gentiles would be given God’s loving salvation.  They could not see past their apostolic noses.

 

Christ, the Son, came to do something for all people that is very precious to the Father.

 

Amos 9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

 

The Tabernacle of David was an open tent with no Holy of Holies.  Praise went up to God on a 24/7 basis for approximately 35 years.

 

Christ’s goal in salvation is to restore praise to the One worth of that praise.  In the use of “One,” I am referring to the Hebrew word “Echad.” 

 

Spiritually, One is a total grouping, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  It is not a singular as some incorrectly suppose.

 

Acts 1:7-9
7 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.
8 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.
9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

 

Then, Christ said something that men still ponder.

 

Christ told them that such knowledge would not be given to Him or them! Instead, He told them, “You shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost has come upon you: and you shall be witnesses for me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

 

You shall receive (Gr. leempsethe-lhmyeqe- 2 person plural, future indicative) indicated that those who receive the Holy Spirit shall be given power.  That power is not depend on human will power or boldness.  It is a Spirit dependant power given only to those who actually receive the Spirit of Promise.

 

Many people go out in their own will power and achieve what looks like power.  Many large Churches have been built on human personality.  Eventually those efforts fail!

 

Please understand.  God works according to His plan, not ours.  He works according to seasons and ages.  Some call them dispensations.  He does that to achieve His final goal.

 

It was at that point in time that Christ was taken up into heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father.

 

Acts 1:10-11
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

 

At that and while the Apostles looked on, Jesus was taken up into heaven where He resides today at the right hand of the Father.  Two angels appeared to give them this good news.

 

Luke 22:69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.

 

This is not the only reference to Christ Jesus, God the Son, the Son of God, sitting at the right hand of God the Father.  Here are just a few more

 

Acts 7:55-56
55 But he [Stephen], being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

 

Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

 

Eph 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

 

Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

 

And, more!

 

With the announcement of this glorious going came a promise that Christ Jesus would come again. “this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

 

Do you look forward with joy to see His appearing?

 

Some attempt to spiritualize the second coming as some “spooky” inner-self event.  However there will be a world-wide appearing to all men.

 

Amillennialism is a bogus teaching that is unworthy of being called Christianity!

 

Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

 

Zech 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

 

The reference in Zechariah points to a single day when all those who have not acknowledged Him as Lord, including most orthodox Rabbis, shall see Christ Jesus and with tears and great remorse and finally understand His sacrifice for all, including them.  His was a sacrifice that most Jews do not understand or acknowledge.

 

The “coming” of the Lord Jesus will be a time of great happenings on the earth and in society as a whole.

 

II Thess 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

 

The works of Satan shall be destroyed at Jesus’ coming.  His kingdom, the age of peace, will be set up at His coming.

 

However, His coming is not the end of the story.  Read Revelation 20-22 to gain insight into the actual “last things.”

 

Some teach an amillennial view.  Such a teaching is a denial of Scripture.  Amillennialists do not believe the Bible!

 

The second coming of Christ Jesus shall be a wonderful event!

 

Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

 

The result of the second coming will be glorious!

 

Rev 20:1-10
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

 

Most Christians cannot imagine the victory contained in the second coming of Christ.

 

Acts 1:12-14
12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.
13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

 

After that they returned to Jerusalem from the mount Olivet, which is near Jerusalem.  It is about a Sabbath day's journey from the city.

 

A short time after returning to Jerusalem, they went to the upper room. Those in the room were: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the brother of James.  We also find several of His women disciples among that number.

 

They all were there with unity of mind and purpose. They devoted themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

 

Now, Jesus’ mother and siblings were His actual mother and siblings.

 

Matt 12:48-50
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

 

Acts 1:15-22
15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)
16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
17 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.
18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.
20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.
21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

 

During that time Peter stood up in the midst of the gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons and said, "Brothers, the Scripture must (Gr. edei-edei-this is absolutely necessary) fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold through the mouth of David concerning Judas guided those that arrested Jesus, because he was accounted with us, and received his portion in this ministry.”

 

(The money Judas was paid, the price of a slave, had been used to buy a field for his burial.  Being blood money, it could not be put back into the Temple treasury. Falling, he burst open and his bowels gushed out. That action became known to those living in Jerusalem.  From that terrible matter, the field was called “Akeldama,” or Field of Blood.)

 

Furthermore, Peter declared that Judas’ place among the twelve has become uninhabited, and no other should occupy the same position. However, another could be appointed to a similar position.

 

It is my opinion that Paul was appointed to fill that post.  We hear of Matthias only this time.  Whereas Paul took the message of the gospel to the Gentiles.

 

Matthias was chosen because he was one who had been with them from the beginning from the days of John the baptizer until the day Christ was taken into heaven.  Matthias was one who could personally witness to the resurrection.

 

Matthias was chosen by other Apostles. Paul was chosen by Christ Jesus personally!

 

Acts 1:23-26
23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,
25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

 

The remaining Apostles appointed two me as candidates to take the place of Judas.  One was Joseph who was also called Barsabas, and was surnamed Justus.  The other was Matthias.


They sought the Lord in this matter, praying, “Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, that he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.”

And then, they cast lots to determine who should be the replacement. The determination was that Matthias should replace Judas. So, he was numbered with the eleven Apostles.  That is the last time we hear about Matthias in the entire Bible!

 

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