YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES

Acts 1:1-26
Key Verse 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’

In this passage we will see how Jesus planned to establish his disciples to be witnesses.  Jesus wants his disciples to be witnesses to his resurrection.  They were to witness to Jesus resurrection in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.  Secondly, Jesus wants to learn from the disciples who joined together in prayer, during ten days leading up to the Day of Pentecost.  When these disciples set their differences aside and came together for one purpose in prayer, they formed a powerful spiritual unit which is the model for us to follow, even today 2000 years later.

Part 1.  Eyewitnesses
In vs. 1,2 it says, “In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.  When Luke refers to Theophilus, he may have been referring to a specific person.  This person may have been a man of high standing who had spiritual beliefs that were inline with the ministry of Jesus.  Yet, most probably the word Theophilus is a contraction of a Greek words, Theos, and Philos, which mean God and friend or lover.  So the word Theophilus could be addressing those who are lovers of God.

In his former book, Luke was referring to his gospel, the gospel of Luke.  This gospel talks about all that Jesus began to do and to teach while on earth From the time of John the Baptist, all the way to the time of ascension into heaven.  In his next book, the book of Acts, Luke describes the acts of the apostles, who boldly in obedience to Jesus word mission command preach the gospel deep into Gentile territory.  The big difference between the apostles as they are presented in the book of Acts, as compared to how they presented in the book of Luke, is that in Acts, the Apostles are empowered by the Holy Spirit to obey Jesus world mission command. The word apostle, which first appears in vs. 2, means one who is sent forth.  These men were to be witnesses of what Jesus had accomplishes through his death and resurrection.

(To establish these men, as witnesses of the resurrection they first needed to have resurrection faith.)

To be effective witnesses of Jesus death and resurrection they had to see and experience these events first hand.  To be effective witnesses of Jesus death and resurrection, their testimony had to rest on proofs, which they themselves were convinced of .  In vs. 3 it says, “After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.  He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.”  To help the disciples, soon to be apostles, to be effective witnesses of his resurrection, Jesus helped them over a period of forty days,.  Jesus gave them many convincing proofs that he was alive.  He talked with them face to face.  He let them inspect and touch the holes in his hands and feet, and the cut in his side, He ate with them, talked with them, had fellowship with them.  He taught them repeatedly over the forty day period so that they would be convinced of the truth of his resurrection from the dead.  This way, these men could be established as witnesses of Jesus resurrection.

Also to establish these men as his apostles, Jesus spoke about the kingdom of God.  The term “Kingdom of God” basically sums up all the benefits and blessing Jesus had secured for us through his death and resurrection.  Jesus purchased for us sin forgiveness, reconciliation with God and eternal life through his death and resurrection.  Jesus also purchased for us life, to the full, and gave us the ability to enjoy this life right now.  So Jesus impressed on them importance of the kingdom of God for which he suffered and died to give them.  He worked on them until they could taste in their hearts the benefits of the kingdom of God.  

Jesus wants to establish us also, not to be just believers, but to live as witnesses of his resurrection.  For this purpose, Jesus wants to give us many convincing proofs that he is alive and rose.  Do you have certain sin problems in your life that you just can’t overcome by your own will power.  Are there nagging problems in your life which can’t be solved by your human efforts.  If you answered yes to these two questions then thank God.  These kinds of problems pose excellent opportunities to truly experience the resurrection of Jesus in your life.  Jesus wants us to experience his resurrection power in our personal lives, so that we too can live as his resurrection witnesses.  Jesus wants us to live as his servants who by our faith, forcefully advance the kingdom of God, through living as his witnesses.  

One more ingredient needed to establish his disciples as apostles, is they needed the Holy Spirit.  Vs. 4-5 say, “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command:  ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’”  , here Jesus commands to them to wait.  This command for them to wait highlights the fact that the apostles ministry was to be carried out not by human ability or zeal.  The apostles ministry was to be carried out by God’s power through the Holy Spirit.  The apostles ministry was to display God’s power, for his glory alone.

When the apostles received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, it was powerful event.  It will be discussed in more detail in Acts 2.  The outpouring of the Holy Spirit represented the outpouring of God’s Spirit on the earth in order to fulfill the Lord’s world mission purpose.  Each of the apostles became filled with the Holy Spirit.  Each of these apostles became a powerful and bold witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus.  Previously, these men had deserted Jesus when he was arrested.  They were afraid of showing themselves publicly and had locked themselves in doors.  Yet when the Holy Spirit would come and fill them, they would have overwhelming courage and power to stand up and preach to those who had Jesus crucified.  In Acts 2:23 Peter boldly stood up and preached against the Jews in Jerusalem, “…and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.”

The Holy Spirit also made them to be effective witnesses for Jesus.  Through the Sprit of God, their hearts and mouths would be filled with depths of understanding and wisdom concerning God’s salvation.  God would give them powerful words that would cut the hearts of their audience so that they would repent and be saved. (Acts 2:37, John 16:8)  The Holy Spirit would also enable them to perform miraculous signs and wonders to authenticate the Gospel message, so that people would believe and be saved.

When the disciples heard Jesus talk about the coming of the Holy Spirit that would take place in a few days, they thought that Jesus was talking about some big event that was going to happen concerning the kingdom of Israel.  So in vs. 6 it says, “When they met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’”  Despite Jesus rising from the dead, speeding time with them trying to convince of his resurrection, and teaching them about the kingdom of God, the disciples minds were still in the world.  They thought that Jesus was going to restore the kingdom of Israel, freeing them from Roman rule.  

Jesus could’ve been disappointed.  After Jesus had been crucified, and risen from the dead, you might think that they would start to understand, start to have real spiritual desire.  Yet, it seemed that their minds were just stuck in the world.  Jesus could’ve rebuked them.  He could’ve said, “Why are your minds so attached to the world, even after all you have seen?”  Yet, Jesus didn’t rebuke them.  Instead in vs. 7 Jesus says, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.”  Jesus did not rebuke them for being so worldly minded.  Jesus knew what would happen to them after they became filled with the Holy Spirit.  Jesus said in vs. 8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  Jesus knew that when they became filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, they would become different people.  Jesus knew that through the Holy Spirit, these would become bold witnesses of the gospel, who would forcefully carry the message of salvation through Jesus in Jerusalem, in Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth?  

Then in vs. 9 it says, “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their site.”  Wow!  What happened.  As they were there talking with Jesus, suddenly he was taken up into the sky, and then a cloud hid him from their sight.  Jesus was being taken away from them again.  

Previously, the disciples all lived with Jesus.  They learned from Jesus words, they went out on mission journeys with Jesus,  they saw all of his wonderful miracles, and heard his sermons.  They all loved Jesus and never wanted to be separated from him.  Although Jesus told them on several occasions about his sufferings and death, they just didn’t want to hear about.  Then when it happened, it seemed like a bad dream, a huge storm cloud came over their lives.  All their hopes, dreams, and joyful lives with Jesus seemed to just blow away.  Yet, praise God, Jesus was risen from the dead.  Jesus had fellowship with them, ate with them, and taught them.  Maybe after having fellowship with Jesus and experiencing him over a period of 40 days, they started to get that o’l feeling back that they had before.  Yeh, but this time Jesus had immense power.  Even death couldn’t keep his hold on him, and he could walk through walls, and many other things.  Wow!  The possibilities were endless.  Surely Jesus had big plans for them, Jerusalem and all Israel.  Yet, oh, no, Jesus was leaving them again.  This time he floated up into the clouds in the sky.  Maybe that empty and sad feeling they had before, when Jesus was arrested and crucified.  They were dismayed, and just kept looking up into the sky, even after Jesus disappeared behind a cloud.  Vs. 10, 11, as they were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.  ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘Why do you stand here looking up into the sky?  This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”  When the angels said this to the discples, suddenly they snapped out of their trance, and came down to earth.  Apparently the thing that came to their minds as the first thing to do at that point was what Jesus said in vs. 4.  “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.”

They Were United In Prayer (vs. 12-14)

In vs. 12 it says, “Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbaths day’s walk from the city.”  At the rebuke of the angels, the disciples turned their eyes from the clouds, back down to the earth.  In Luke 24:42 it says that the disciples returned to Jerusalem with great joy.  There sorrow was turned into joy at the thought of meeting Jesus again.  Of course there was a lingering fear of the Jews who killed Jesus on the cross.  Yet, this did not stop them from obeying Jesus’ command, “Do not leave Jerusalem.”  The power of the risen Jesus was filling their hearts.  They could obey Jesus direction to wait in Jerusalem for the gift of the Holy Spirit.  They were beginning to change from fearful and sorrowful men into obedient men of God with world mission vision.

When the apostles arrived in Jerusalem they went upstairs to the room where they were staying.  Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James(13).  These were the eleven disciples which Jesus had chosen and were spoken of in the gospels.  All those who received the world mission command were present.  They were in complete agreement to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Previously the disciples didn’t agree on much.  Even though they were living together, there was a lot of tension, and feelings of competition among the disciples.  We can recall events such as when the disciples were arguing with each other about who was the greatest, while Jesus was trying to teach them about his betrayal and death.(Mk. 9:34).  In Mark 10:37 James and John almost demanded that Jesus let one sit on his right and the other on his left in his kingdom.  And we know about the rivalry which existed between Peter and John, always trying to better the other.  In John 21:20,21 the Jesus indicated  the kind of death that Peter would die,  In response Peter pointed to John, and said to the risen Lord Jesus, “Lord, what about him.”  And there are many other examples.

Yet, here in this passage, they all joined as one in waiting for the Holy Spirit.  They were also all in agreement of how to wait for the Holy Spirit.  They weren’t going to sit around just waiting idly.  In vs. 14 it says, “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”  Finally the disciples recognized the importance of prayer, and that the best way to wait for the Holy Spirit was to devote themselves to prayer.  Before this, Jesus was the only one among them who prayed.   Previously we can see how Jesus would get up early in the morning to pray.  When Jesus prayed earnestly in the Garden of Gethsemane, his disciples fell asleep.  Yet, now the disciples began to recognize the importance of prayer.  They realized that the best way to wait for the Holy Spirit was to pray.  

Another thing to look at is that not only did they join together in prayer, but they joined together in prayer for the same topic.  This was to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  These men all had different backgrounds and personalities, and they used to struggle with each other.  Yet, when they met the risen Jesus, they were one in mind to obey the world mission command.  Group prayer is very good.  Yet, when a group of people come together to pray for the same thing, like preaching the gospel to all nations, this kind of prayer  can open nations to receive the gospel.  This kind of prayer can help…………………….  There was an occasion  some time ago when young Jospeph Cho was injured in an accident with a car.  His parents prayed, and there were joint prayer meetings at the Bible center each night.  Even the doctors were a bit amazed at his rate of recovery.  Of course we need to have personal prayer.  In many ministries there are usually a handful of people who pray diligently on their own for the ministry.   Some of these people might be women, and we like to refer to these women as mothers of prayer.  They are indeed a blessing for the ministry.  Yet, when we set aside our individualism, our differences, our egos and ideas, God can use us powerfully as a power station for fully pioneering all Southern California area CSU, UC, CC and private colleges.  

For the past several months I have trying to attend regularly the morning Daily Bread meetings.  Yet, for the past two weeks or more, I have a bit of trouble waking up.  Yet, the times I have attended, reading the Daily Bread passage and praying has been a blessing.  At the meeting there is two by two or three by three prayer.  After reading the daily bread passage, we pray for topics like our Sunday Worship Service Message, the discipleship group meetings in the evenings, for our ministry to double in size, for our local fellowships, and foreign mission fields like Uganda, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, Europe and many others.  We also share our personal prayer topics.  I’ve been out of work for longer than I like to say.  About a week ago, it looked as if my wife was about to lose her job.  Yet, we had shared this prayer topic, and it seemed almost mysteriously, at the last moment, she didn’t lose her job.  

Another important point about group prayer meetings is when people come together to pray jointly, it strengthens the body of believers.  The participants build up kind of a camaraderie, which serves to strengthen and build up our resolve to live as bible teachers and campus servants.  So to join a group prayer meeting in whatever way ones schedule allows is a great blessing for the individual, and for the church.

Part III.  The broken vessel is mended (15-26)
while all of those early believers were praying together, its no doubt that memory of Judas Iscariot, what he had done, and what happened to him cast a dark shadow in everyone’s mind.  Yet, as they prayed, the solution came to Peter in vs. 16,17.  “…and said, ‘Brothers, he Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus—he was one of our number and shared in this ministry.”

The tragedy of Judas betrayal and death was still fresh on their minds.  Each of them had experienced a number of painful events:  Jesus sufferings and death, as well as their own personal failures in following Jesus to the end.  Yet through meeting the risen Jesus, they could see God’s victory over the power of sin and death.  They could each receive healing in their hearts, and be restored to into their love relationship with Jesus.  Yet, the problem of Judas betrayal was very difficult for them.  Judas had been one of their own number.  They had developed a human attachment to Judas, and they trusted him and shared in sufferings together with him.  Yet, suddenly without warning, Judas not only left their fellowship, he betrayed Jesus, and then died tragically.  While they prayed, the solution to this problem was revealed to Peter.  

During this ten day period where they devoted themselves to prayer, Peter probably studied the scriptures as well and these verses were revealed to him.  When Peter used the words, “the Scripture had to be fulfilled…”, these were the same words Jesus spoke over and over again explaining his suffering, death and resurrection.  Through prayer and the word of God, a solution to the problem arose.  Vs. 20 says, “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘May his place be deserted, let there be no one to dwell in it.” And “May another take his place of leadership.’”  To understand that Judas betrayal was according to God’s will mave have been difficult to accept.  Yet, it showed that God did not fail, but that things worked out according to God’s sovereign rule.  The believers didn’t have to understand, why.  They just had to accept it by faith.  Then they could trust one another, and commit their lives to the Christian fellowship.  When you look at the passage, through Peter’s guidance and prayer, Matthias was chosen and added to the eleven apostles.

From the later part of this passage, we want to understand that to have prayer meetings for the work of God should not be viewed as just another meeting or business appointment.  Coming together to pray for God’s work is to form a vessel of the Holy Spirit for the salvation work of God.  May God continually bless this ubf chapter to build up prayer meetings.