WEBVTT 00:00:00.380 --> 00:00:07.690 I'm going to invite you this morning to Acts Chapter one as where we're going to be together today. 00:00:08.500 --> 00:00:09.140 Acts chapter one. 00:00:09.140 --> 00:00:11.420 We're kicking off a new series on the book of Acts. 00:00:11.840 --> 00:00:18.980 If you would like to receive one of these books, which just is the ESV translation through the Book of Acts, you can pick 00:00:18.980 --> 00:00:21.640 this up on your way out if you didn't grab one on the way in. 00:00:22.140 --> 00:00:25.140 It has a great spot to take notes in if you'd like to do that. 00:00:25.260 --> 00:00:30.140 As we journey through the book of acts together, I have known we've been going going to go through this book for some time. 00:00:30.180 --> 00:00:31.580 I've been excited about this book. 00:00:31.580 --> 00:00:38.600 We kind of try to position this book in a place of where we thought we were going to be as a church thinking man, we're trying to build a new building right 00:00:38.600 --> 00:00:45.900 now, and as we look forward to that new building, the Book of Acts would be a great book to kind of prepare our hearts with and knowing that we're going 00:00:45.900 --> 00:00:47.360 to be somewhere in that process. 00:00:47.460 --> 00:00:50.240 And so we're getting to the place we might break ground. 00:00:50.340 --> 00:00:53.920 My hope is before we're done with this book, we have we will have broken ground. 00:00:54.340 --> 00:00:57.240 And if it starts to take longer to break down, I'm just going to slow down in this book. 00:00:57.460 --> 00:00:58.360 I'm just I'm just kidding. 00:00:58.360 --> 00:00:58.980 I'm not. 00:00:59.020 --> 00:01:05.730 I don't want to take forever in a book, but I do want us to appreciate the beauty of this book and what it represents for us as Christians. 00:01:06.760 --> 00:01:12.890 This is a narrative story recording for you the history of the early church right after the Ascension of Christ. 00:01:12.900 --> 00:01:17.120 For the next 30 years, we see an incredible church moving forward in Jesus. 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:19.400 We're really the most of the known world. 00:01:19.400 --> 00:01:26.300 Has the gospel preached to it because of what we find in the early church and their love for the Lord and the way, the way they live for him. 00:01:26.720 --> 00:01:32.690 And so we often say that as a church, like God created the church for a mission, we exist for a purpose greater than ourselves. 00:01:32.760 --> 00:01:39.940 Abc is here to give ourselves away for the glory of God, to the benefit of others and acts records for us how the Spirit of God moved 00:01:39.940 --> 00:01:43.100 through the people of God to accomplish the will of God in this world. 00:01:43.260 --> 00:01:46.840 And the great news is, it's the same God that's moving in his people today. 00:01:47.100 --> 00:01:53.050 And so we have the privilege now that to recognize God has us in a specific place for a specific reason. 00:01:53.360 --> 00:01:53.480 Right? 00:01:53.500 --> 00:01:55.820 It's no accident where God's placed you. 00:01:55.940 --> 00:02:00.590 He and his sovereign And abilities, knew exactly when you would exist and where you would exist. 00:02:00.660 --> 00:02:07.880 And so what does it look like for you and for me to be faithful to Jesus now, in our place in history, as we walk with Christ, what is it God desires 00:02:07.880 --> 00:02:09.710 for us and the book of acts? 00:02:09.740 --> 00:02:16.780 This narrative story becomes this great example and inspiration for us as a church today in following after the Lord and 00:02:16.780 --> 00:02:19.090 what it means for you and for me. 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:24.880 Now, as you read this book, I think it's important to recognize that the author of the book of Acts is Luke. 00:02:24.880 --> 00:02:27.000 Luke gave us two books in the New Testament. 00:02:27.000 --> 00:02:30.300 He gave us the Gospel of Luke, and he gave us the book of Acts. 00:02:30.360 --> 00:02:37.560 In fact, when you start with the ending of the Gospel of Luke and then you go right into the book of acts, you realize those two books really 00:02:37.560 --> 00:02:39.350 dovetail together quite nicely. 00:02:39.460 --> 00:02:46.710 I mean, Luke ends with the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the book of acts begins with the resurrection of Jesus. 00:02:46.920 --> 00:02:54.420 And so Luke records for us as really the only Gentile author of any book of the New Testament. 00:02:54.780 --> 00:03:02.220 And he writes from a time period of Jesus's resurrection, which is around between 30 to 33 A.D. 00:03:02.260 --> 00:03:05.620 and then the story of acts continues to about 60 to 62 A.D.. 00:03:05.620 --> 00:03:12.440 So for 30 years, he's writing for us how the early church moved forward and what God had called them to do. 00:03:12.520 --> 00:03:18.020 And today we're going to talk about how they were introduced to that movement of the Lord in their lives. 00:03:18.020 --> 00:03:23.590 As we look at what it looks like to go from a spectator to a participator in what God calls us to in this world. 00:03:23.860 --> 00:03:30.880 In fact, we're going to talk about four components that help lead us as God's people, from just simply being a spectator into being a participator 00:03:30.880 --> 00:03:33.420 in what God desires for our life. 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:35.930 And in fact, when you think about your life, your life is a gift. 00:03:36.200 --> 00:03:38.780 It is a precious gift to you that we don't want to waste. 00:03:39.220 --> 00:03:46.800 I know we certainly make mistakes, but how can we make most of the life that God has given to us and the reason for which God has created us? 00:03:47.480 --> 00:03:48.540 It's wonderful. 00:03:48.540 --> 00:03:53.500 If you know Jesus this morning, if you might call yourself born again, saved, redeemed in Christ. 00:03:53.540 --> 00:04:00.140 I mean, that's our hope for everybody that they that we would find that in Jesus, which is really the beginning of a relationship in the Lord. 00:04:00.980 --> 00:04:04.660 But to understand God has made us more for just simply to be saved. 00:04:04.660 --> 00:04:11.780 God has a purpose for your existence in this world that is born out of a relationship with him, that as you find new life in 00:04:11.780 --> 00:04:15.470 Christ, you would walk in that relationship and in so doing live for his glory. 00:04:15.900 --> 00:04:21.779 If all God desired for you was to simply save your soul the minute you were saved, he would take you out of this world. 00:04:22.040 --> 00:04:27.400 But the fact that you remain says to us that God has a mission for us to live in light of our relationship with him. 00:04:27.460 --> 00:04:33.310 So as we come to know him and grow in him, what is it like for us to live for him in the world around us? 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:37.700 And so we ask the question here as a church, we have what we call a discipleship pathway. 00:04:38.300 --> 00:04:43.960 And in that discipleship pathway, we ask the question, what does it look like to see someone go from the lost world? 00:04:43.960 --> 00:04:44.920 Don't know Jesus, right? 00:04:44.920 --> 00:04:49.880 Your lost world to a saved spectator among the body of Christ, right? 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:50.990 And we take that serious. 00:04:51.100 --> 00:04:56.480 When someone comes into our church, we want to greet people with kindness, to let people know that they matter. 00:04:56.480 --> 00:05:03.500 Because we're all image bearers of God doesn't mean you have necessarily a relationship with God, but you do have intrinsic worth because you're made 00:05:03.500 --> 00:05:04.840 in the image of God. 00:05:04.980 --> 00:05:10.800 And we want to honor people and one of the most beautiful ways that we can honor God, as seen in the way that we care for people around us. 00:05:10.840 --> 00:05:12.590 Because God made people in his image. 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:16.400 And not only did he make people in his image, he wants to remake you in his image. 00:05:16.400 --> 00:05:18.560 That's the reason Christ came for you. 00:05:18.640 --> 00:05:22.520 So what does it mean for someone to come from the lost world to a saved spectator? 00:05:22.880 --> 00:05:24.330 But we don't want you to stay there long. 00:05:24.440 --> 00:05:31.600 We want you to become a devoted participator in what Christ has called you to, and in him, and from devoted 00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:36.500 participator to a multiplying leader, to recognize the work that Jesus has done in your life. 00:05:36.500 --> 00:05:37.720 He doesn't want to just stay with you. 00:05:37.740 --> 00:05:44.800 He wants you to impart that in others, that others may have the opportunity to experience Jesus to know him and to walk with 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:44.960 him. 00:05:45.960 --> 00:05:53.040 And so as we look at acts chapter one, this is really the that transition that the author is bringing us through is what does it look like in your life 00:05:53.040 --> 00:05:53.440 and mind? 00:05:53.460 --> 00:05:57.840 And I can't think there's not a more beautiful time in our church's history to go through this book than now. 00:05:57.900 --> 00:06:02.300 And recognizing and God's done a beautiful work here, and God is still on the move. 00:06:02.300 --> 00:06:09.380 I mean, we're doing several baptisms today, and we're thinking about a new home together, and we want our future as a church to continue to make an 00:06:09.380 --> 00:06:11.020 impact throughout this valley. 00:06:11.060 --> 00:06:18.160 So what does this look like for us to continue to walk with God, not as a spectator, but moving into being a participator in what 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:19.960 God has called me to in this world? 00:06:19.980 --> 00:06:24.820 Let me let me give you a point, number one, and then we'll read some of this passage together. 00:06:25.340 --> 00:06:28.960 But number one is this we need a foundation to trust. 00:06:31.460 --> 00:06:35.840 We need a foundation to trust something like this. 00:06:35.880 --> 00:06:40.180 To do something meaningful, you need a strong conviction. 00:06:40.440 --> 00:06:42.980 The greater the conviction, the greater the impact. 00:06:43.740 --> 00:06:47.030 The more you care, the more you're going to want to live for that purpose. 00:06:47.980 --> 00:06:52.740 So understanding exactly what Jesus has done for us really becomes that foundation of trust. 00:06:52.740 --> 00:06:56.700 And if we had to pin it on something specific, we'd talk about the finished work of Christ. 00:06:57.540 --> 00:07:00.460 The finished work of Christ is significant for you and for me. 00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:04.050 And understanding that foundation that we have to trust in. 00:07:04.200 --> 00:07:07.270 William Booth, who founded the Salvation Army, he said it like this. 00:07:07.660 --> 00:07:12.220 The greatness of a man's power is the measure of his surrender. 00:07:13.080 --> 00:07:15.040 What's really captivated your heart? 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:16.630 And therefore, what are you going to live for? 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:17.020 Does it? 00:07:17.140 --> 00:07:18.500 Does it ultimately matter? 00:07:19.160 --> 00:07:26.300 And there's no greater purpose that you could live for in this world than the one who has created you for his purposes in him and recreates you through 00:07:26.300 --> 00:07:27.080 the cross. 00:07:27.720 --> 00:07:35.200 As you discover that identity, there is nothing that makes a bigger impact with your life than that, because there are eternal implications in 00:07:35.200 --> 00:07:37.240 a life that's given over to the Lord. 00:07:37.720 --> 00:07:42.320 And this is where Luke starts the story in light of the resurrection of Jesus. 00:07:42.340 --> 00:07:43.770 What does it mean for you and for me? 00:07:44.020 --> 00:07:48.790 And he says it like this in acts chapter one, verse one in the first book of Theophilus. 00:07:49.600 --> 00:07:53.000 I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and to teach. 00:07:53.700 --> 00:07:56.120 Let me stop there before reading these next couple of verses. 00:07:56.720 --> 00:08:04.140 Luke is referencing the first book that he wrote, which is the Gospel of Luke, as he now dovetails into the second book, which is the book of acts, 00:08:04.140 --> 00:08:07.580 how the Spirit of God worked in the people of God to accomplish the will of God. 00:08:07.640 --> 00:08:14.760 This narrative story of the early church, and one of the reasons Luke is able to write this story, is because it was funded by 00:08:14.760 --> 00:08:16.610 a particular individual named Theophilus. 00:08:17.380 --> 00:08:22.940 Theophilus gave what was necessary for Luke and some of his friends to go around the world and document this. 00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:27.660 And Theophilus, I think, very intentionally picked Luke to participate because Luke is a physician. 00:08:27.660 --> 00:08:29.080 He's an intelligent man. 00:08:29.920 --> 00:08:33.900 And so Luke is very precise in what he is documenting, right? 00:08:33.940 --> 00:08:37.679 I mean, I can't think of anyone here this morning that would say, I don't like a precise doctor. 00:08:37.700 --> 00:08:38.860 I like them to miss some things. 00:08:38.880 --> 00:08:39.140 Right. 00:08:39.140 --> 00:08:39.860 Like nobody. 00:08:39.860 --> 00:08:41.100 Nobody's looking for that. 00:08:41.100 --> 00:08:41.419 Right. 00:08:41.460 --> 00:08:48.780 So Theophilus is Theophilus is now looked at to Luke to be this individual And as you read the gospel or the book of acts, excuse me, 00:08:49.080 --> 00:08:56.080 as you read this book of acts, you discover that Luke a few times within this book actually uses the word we to recognize 00:08:56.080 --> 00:09:03.360 that not only is he writing about the acts of the apostles as they're moving around the world, but he's joined in on the journey at various locations, 00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:07.590 and this happens later in the book of acts where Luke includes himself. 00:09:07.920 --> 00:09:14.920 Some think that the reason Luke is including himself is because Luke has just likely become Paul's personal doctor. 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:22.170 Like this guy, the apostle Paul has gone through so much in the beatings and things that he has endured, that he just has needed someone there with him constantly. 00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:29.920 And Luke, in a way, has become like his cut man in his corner as Paul went through nine rounds, he's coming to the sign and saying, am 00:09:29.920 --> 00:09:30.280 I? 00:09:30.400 --> 00:09:37.660 How can I am I knocking like and Luke is probably traveling with him to assist Paul, but he's getting to be at the front 00:09:37.660 --> 00:09:42.460 row of everything taking place and he's recording this now for us. 00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:47.140 I think, Theophilus, when he's giving us an invitation to participate in this, to recognize man. 00:09:47.140 --> 00:09:48.830 God is still writing the story, and I can belong. 00:09:49.820 --> 00:09:57.080 But at the same time, he's also helping us realize that when God's people are surrendering themselves to God's calling in our lives, how we 00:09:57.080 --> 00:09:58.700 can make an impact in this world. 00:09:59.240 --> 00:10:06.260 Meaning, when you look at Theophilus, no doubt knowing Theophilus is human like you and me, he's probably done a lot of things in life where 00:10:06.260 --> 00:10:08.500 he's like, I wish I had not done that right. 00:10:08.580 --> 00:10:09.900 It was pretty stupid. 00:10:09.900 --> 00:10:17.020 I wish I could have a do over, but there's one thing in his life I can say that Theophilus was eternally grateful that he got to participate in, 00:10:18.340 --> 00:10:25.400 and that was to contribute to the cause of seeing the book of acts written that has blessed church history all 00:10:25.400 --> 00:10:26.760 these years. 00:10:26.820 --> 00:10:33.420 Now, even when you read the epistles today, the letters that were written after the book of acts, a lot of what we know about the epistles. 00:10:33.820 --> 00:10:41.120 We know because of this narrative story of acts, it helps bring life to those letters that 00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:48.140 we begin to recognize what Paul, for example, would have been dealing with as he's writing his various epistles through the New 00:10:48.140 --> 00:10:48.640 Testament. 00:10:49.660 --> 00:10:56.980 This is a very critical book to the identity of the church, as we better understand what Scripture says 00:10:56.980 --> 00:10:59.790 because of the narrative of the book of acts. 00:11:00.700 --> 00:11:08.120 And Theophilus was simply an individual willing to give of what God had of him to 00:11:08.120 --> 00:11:11.900 be a blessing to those around him, because it's the same for us. 00:11:13.040 --> 00:11:19.160 Now, here's Theophilus getting an opportunity to be a part of the writing of Scripture and his contribution to that. 00:11:19.540 --> 00:11:24.180 I'm not saying that's you or me today, but God has you in a place for a reason. 00:11:24.900 --> 00:11:32.060 In order to be able to make a difference in understanding what it means to go from this transition from spectator to participator is critical. 00:11:33.060 --> 00:11:39.350 God wants to work not only in you, but through you, and to be confident that we need a foundation. 00:11:39.680 --> 00:11:40.740 This is where Luke is starting. 00:11:41.480 --> 00:11:42.280 He says. 00:11:42.280 --> 00:11:45.120 I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach. 00:11:45.160 --> 00:11:45.640 Verse two. 00:11:45.640 --> 00:11:52.560 Until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 00:11:53.060 --> 00:12:00.280 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during 40 days, and speaking 00:12:00.280 --> 00:12:01.520 about the kingdom of God. 00:12:02.940 --> 00:12:06.220 Here's what Luke is saying is, do you know what's foundational for all of us? 00:12:06.220 --> 00:12:12.840 Really, to be able to move forward is the resurrection of Christ and to understand the importance of this. 00:12:12.840 --> 00:12:20.000 And so in order to do that, Luke is very detailed in the accounts he writes, not only in the gospel of acts, but also in the book or excuse or excuse me 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:21.860 in the book of acts, also in the Gospel of Luke. 00:12:22.680 --> 00:12:28.840 And when you read those stories, you find Luke is he's identifying specific places and he's naming specific names. 00:12:29.640 --> 00:12:36.680 Even in acts, there's over 80 locations identified and there's over 100 people 00:12:36.680 --> 00:12:40.000 listed, and sometimes even their titles are included. 00:12:40.500 --> 00:12:44.460 And it's a way of Luke saying, if you want to verify this, go check this out. 00:12:45.060 --> 00:12:46.440 You need to understand this. 00:12:47.580 --> 00:12:53.390 Throughout history, some of the accusations charged against Christians were that, the Bible was written later. 00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:58.010 These dates, these names, they're not real figures that we haven't discovered them in history. 00:12:58.380 --> 00:13:04.140 And over time, archeology has revealed again and again that, no, the Bible is incredibly accurate. 00:13:04.200 --> 00:13:07.300 In fact, it's 100% inspired by God. 00:13:08.220 --> 00:13:10.210 And so therefore it's trustworthy. 00:13:10.900 --> 00:13:13.650 There was one individual by the name of Sir Walter William. 00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:15.900 Excuse me, William Mitchell Ramsay. 00:13:15.900 --> 00:13:19.400 He was an archeologist and he lived in the 1800s. 00:13:19.400 --> 00:13:22.420 Died in 1939, if I remember correctly. 00:13:22.640 --> 00:13:26.300 But he was an archeologist who was also an atheist, and he wanted to disprove Christianity. 00:13:27.640 --> 00:13:35.100 And so on his first archeological journey, he decided he wanted to follow after what Luke had written in the Gospel of Luke and acts. 00:13:35.540 --> 00:13:40.630 Because Luke was so detailed, he thought it would be easy to quickly disprove what Luke had said. 00:13:40.700 --> 00:13:44.920 And so he was going to write this book that was going to finally, once and for all, put a death knell to Christianity. 00:13:45.960 --> 00:13:52.960 And so he went on this ten year journey, archeological journey, and people were waiting for his return, anticipating his return, will finally 00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:56.260 revealed to us that work that was going to once and for all destroy Christianity. 00:13:57.200 --> 00:14:03.040 But to everyone's surprise, when he had returned from his archeological journey, what they found was quite the opposite. 00:14:04.200 --> 00:14:05.260 That now Mr. 00:14:05.260 --> 00:14:12.460 Ramsay had actually given his life to Christ, and in his works that he accounted of biblical archeology 00:14:12.460 --> 00:14:13.780 sites that he studied. 00:14:13.780 --> 00:14:15.760 And he wrote multiple books on this. 00:14:15.780 --> 00:14:19.720 One of his early books said this Luke is a historian of the first rank. 00:14:20.460 --> 00:14:23.690 Not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy? 00:14:24.340 --> 00:14:28.580 This author should be placed among the very greatest of historians. 00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:36.380 Now, I love this about Christianity because when you think about religions in general, some of them are based on ideas is. 00:14:37.160 --> 00:14:44.280 And some of them, they try to write about locations, but they have what are referred to as anachronisms, where you have people writing about places and 00:14:44.280 --> 00:14:47.160 events hundreds of years after the fact, and they get it all wrong. 00:14:47.180 --> 00:14:54.240 They have things existing when they weren't even invented yet, and it just discredits that religion in general, when they when they do that kind 00:14:54.240 --> 00:14:54.670 of thing. 00:14:54.860 --> 00:15:01.920 But here, when you see the Gospel of Luke, when it's put to the test or the book of acts, when it's put to that test, what you discover is archeologists 00:15:01.920 --> 00:15:05.730 again and again are coming back and validating what we already know about the Bible. 00:15:06.540 --> 00:15:11.140 And the most important event of all events is the resurrection of Jesus. 00:15:11.860 --> 00:15:15.320 Penned on the resurrection of Jesus is everything for you and for me. 00:15:15.740 --> 00:15:18.700 And so this is why Luke is recording this, especially when you look at the Gospels. 00:15:18.940 --> 00:15:26.100 You realize the Gospels when you read the four Gospels, the majority of the Gospels just deal with the final week of Jesus's life and even 00:15:26.100 --> 00:15:33.240 the final moments of Jesus's life, because the whole point of Jesus's life was about his death, burial, and resurrection so that we can 00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:34.340 find life in him. 00:15:35.260 --> 00:15:37.460 And so Luke's gospel is highlighting that for us. 00:15:37.460 --> 00:15:41.500 And as you get to the book of acts, it's then coming to the resurrection of Jesus. 00:15:41.560 --> 00:15:47.160 And Luke continues to write about particular people in particular places, as if to say, if you doubt this, you can check this. 00:15:47.240 --> 00:15:48.740 Even when Paul wrote. 00:15:48.820 --> 00:15:53.300 First Corinthians 15, he talks about the resurrected Jesus appearing to many people. 00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:57.540 In fact, at one point he appeared to 500 people at one time. 00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:01.780 And Paul says some of them have died, but many of them are still awake and are still living. 00:16:01.780 --> 00:16:03.200 If you don't believe me, go ask them. 00:16:04.560 --> 00:16:11.420 And so there was this credibility Christianity rooted not just in historical fact, but really in the identity of a person. 00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:15.440 All of Christianity is pinned on one person and one event, the resurrection. 00:16:16.340 --> 00:16:21.250 So when you think about different religions, the world, some find their identity or philosophy, some might find their identity in a location. 00:16:21.940 --> 00:16:26.540 We really find our identity rooted in a person who we believe is still alive. 00:16:26.540 --> 00:16:33.580 And the resurrection of Christ is the reason why that God became flesh and gave himself for you and for me. 00:16:34.620 --> 00:16:40.660 And so Luke is writing this account to help us recognize what this resurrection means for us. 00:16:40.700 --> 00:16:47.540 It gives us this incredible place to trust and in what God has accomplished for you and for me. 00:16:48.040 --> 00:16:55.360 In fact, when you look at the resurrection of Jesus, it says this in Matthew 28 verse 17, when they saw him, they worshiped him, but some 00:16:55.360 --> 00:16:56.410 doubted. 00:16:57.760 --> 00:16:58.360 Some doubted. 00:16:58.380 --> 00:17:00.660 I love when you read the Gospel of Matthew. 00:17:00.680 --> 00:17:02.780 This is the very end of the Gospel of Matthew. 00:17:03.620 --> 00:17:10.740 And at the very end it says like this in verse 18, if you read further, it says, Jesus says, all authority in heaven and earth has been given unto me. 00:17:11.880 --> 00:17:13.140 Go into this world in verse 19. 00:17:13.160 --> 00:17:18.680 Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, son, the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things. 00:17:18.680 --> 00:17:21.210 And I am with you always, even to the end of the age. 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:23.700 Here's Jesus at his resurrection. 00:17:23.800 --> 00:17:28.700 He wants us to recognize as he's commissioning us, that we're able to do so, and his authority by his power. 00:17:29.700 --> 00:17:34.070 And sometimes people ask that question, by whose authority do you do what you do? 00:17:34.080 --> 00:17:36.020 You know, and it's like, well, Jesus, right. 00:17:36.020 --> 00:17:40.220 You should read Matthew 28 verse 18 and then to go to the world, make disciples. 00:17:40.220 --> 00:17:42.110 And here's the promise that Jesus is with you always. 00:17:42.220 --> 00:17:47.460 And why would I believe that, lest he be resurrected from the grave, that death has not defeated him? 00:17:47.520 --> 00:17:54.000 And because he lives, he's promised that I can live to in his power and his authority by his presence with me. 00:17:55.220 --> 00:18:00.120 Now, knowing that is one thing, but whether or not you believe it. 00:18:02.320 --> 00:18:09.250 I remember when I first became a Christian going through the Bible before I had given my life to Christ and recognizing man. 00:18:09.580 --> 00:18:17.160 If Jesus is really with me, then I should be willing and wanting to give everything to him, trusting what 00:18:17.160 --> 00:18:19.860 he says because I'm either going to believe it or I'm not. 00:18:21.020 --> 00:18:24.430 And you see in verse 17, there is some hesitancy with people that some doubted. 00:18:25.500 --> 00:18:31.820 And rather than throw stones at them, can we just acknowledge for a moment they should They should. 00:18:32.540 --> 00:18:35.660 Because this story is pretty crazy, right? 00:18:35.660 --> 00:18:42.680 Like, if you think about what it was like for Jesus to meet the end of his life, the crucifixion of Christ, this was done something 00:18:42.680 --> 00:18:43.280 shamefully. 00:18:44.120 --> 00:18:51.440 This was this was done in a public forum during a holiday when there would have been a ton of people in Jerusalem by professional 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:53.560 executioners, Roman soldiers. 00:18:53.580 --> 00:18:54.300 He was beat. 00:18:54.660 --> 00:18:58.560 He was hung across, he was speared through his side like people knew. 00:18:58.560 --> 00:19:00.040 This guy definitely died. 00:19:00.040 --> 00:19:02.200 If anyone ever died, this guy died. 00:19:02.740 --> 00:19:09.820 And to have those images in your mind, knowing Jerusalem had been packed and to then have someone come to you just a few days 00:19:09.820 --> 00:19:17.180 later and be like, hey, he's he actually just said, if you want to catch him for breakfast, he's up the street like you've been like, really? 00:19:17.330 --> 00:19:19.250 Like, were you not here a week ago? 00:19:19.470 --> 00:19:21.830 Like, I don't think that can happen, you know? 00:19:22.520 --> 00:19:28.040 Like, there's no doubt that people would have been like as much as I thought he was great, I just can't believe that. 00:19:29.520 --> 00:19:30.120 Until they saw it. 00:19:32.080 --> 00:19:39.240 And for 40 days Jesus walked the earth proclaiming his victory, proclaiming that he had overcome the grave. 00:19:40.120 --> 00:19:40.920 For you and for me. 00:19:40.940 --> 00:19:41.660 And even when you. 00:19:41.820 --> 00:19:44.480 When you study Jesus's life, you recognize man. 00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:48.660 There was no mistake for Jesus in Him understanding who he was. 00:19:49.660 --> 00:19:53.240 And in Mark chapter one, the first thing he says, repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand. 00:19:53.960 --> 00:19:58.040 At the end of his life, when he meets Pontius Pilate, Pilate asks him, are you a king? 00:19:58.080 --> 00:20:03.620 And Jesus says, I am a king, but not of this world, because if I were a king of this world, I would tell my servants to fight. 00:20:04.740 --> 00:20:06.380 So he's acknowledging something about his kingdom. 00:20:06.380 --> 00:20:09.970 One of the favorite stories I have about Jesus is in Luke chapter four. 00:20:10.580 --> 00:20:11.760 I say I like it's me. 00:20:11.780 --> 00:20:19.080 I have this special story about myself, but it's in Luke chapter four, chapter four, verse 15 and 16, where Jesus goes to the synagogue and they 00:20:19.080 --> 00:20:20.220 ask him to read from the scriptures. 00:20:20.460 --> 00:20:27.700 And so he takes the scroll of Isaiah, chapter 61, and he reads just the first two verses, and then he closes a scroll. 00:20:27.700 --> 00:20:33.680 In those particular verses he's reading, or messianic verses about who the Messiah would be and what the Messiah would do when he comes. 00:20:34.580 --> 00:20:41.480 And Jesus takes the scroll and he closes it from there, and he just simply looks at the crowd and says, and all this is being fulfilled in your midst today. 00:20:42.640 --> 00:20:48.140 I gotta think to say something like that, you would either have to be insane or it would be true. 00:20:48.700 --> 00:20:48.820 Right. 00:20:48.900 --> 00:20:55.510 And the fact that he's overcoming the grave is demonstrating to us that he has been victorious, that he is who he said he was. 00:20:56.560 --> 00:20:58.920 And because of that, we can have confidence to that. 00:20:58.920 --> 00:21:05.980 What we discover is this love of God, this sacrificial, compassionate love of God, where he would take on flesh and 00:21:05.980 --> 00:21:13.020 give his life, that we could find freedom in him, that we could be forgiven through the cross of Christ, as his life has become that 00:21:13.020 --> 00:21:18.840 substitute for us, that he has taken on our sin, our shame, that we could take on the righteousness of Christ. 00:21:20.100 --> 00:21:27.540 And beyond that, when we look at the resurrection, what it's telling you and me is that we have hope that evil doesn't get the last 00:21:27.540 --> 00:21:33.500 word, that you think about all the difficulty you might go through in this world and even Jesus's first century followers. 00:21:34.320 --> 00:21:39.870 Seeing how Jesus met his demise, the fact that he died on the cross, they could be worried for their own life. 00:21:41.040 --> 00:21:47.920 But then when they realized Jesus is overcome and promised, they can overcome too, that they begin to recognize that nothing can stop them. 00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:53.600 His power, his authority to take their life from this world. 00:21:53.600 --> 00:21:55.480 They know immediately where they'll be. 00:21:56.800 --> 00:22:02.350 And so it gave him this foundation of trust, as God called them in this world. 00:22:02.600 --> 00:22:03.060 Let me give you a point. 00:22:03.180 --> 00:22:06.620 Number two, I gave them, along with that, a power to embrace. 00:22:07.740 --> 00:22:09.280 It gave them a power to embrace. 00:22:09.500 --> 00:22:10.960 And it says in verse four. 00:22:11.500 --> 00:22:18.940 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, 00:22:19.320 --> 00:22:27.360 you heard from me, for John baptize you with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now, John 00:22:27.360 --> 00:22:28.380 is recognizing. 00:22:28.760 --> 00:22:32.170 He goes on in verse eight to talk about this Holy Spirit as one who gives you power. 00:22:32.680 --> 00:22:36.040 And we quoted Matthew 28, verse 18, 19 and 20. 00:22:36.040 --> 00:22:40.460 All authority given to Christ go into this world and represent or make disciples for him. 00:22:40.900 --> 00:22:46.160 It's this idea of God's, the power of God's presence being with you, because now the Spirit of God dwells in you. 00:22:47.040 --> 00:22:54.140 Remember when Jesus on the cross, the veil was torn on the temple, recognizing that the temple was no longer where the God's presence dwell, but now, rather 00:22:54.140 --> 00:22:59.680 he dwells in his people, that the spirit indwells God's people. 00:22:59.780 --> 00:23:03.860 And as he's describing this for us is we're thinking about that power that we have in Christ. 00:23:04.500 --> 00:23:09.660 He says to us in verse five, he talks about the baptism of John and the baptism of the spirit. 00:23:10.320 --> 00:23:15.800 Now I want you to know the word baptism when you read it in Scripture can sometimes be confusing and here's why. 00:23:16.260 --> 00:23:20.060 We can sometimes read the word baptism and just immediately assume Duncan water. 00:23:20.060 --> 00:23:20.840 Duncan water. 00:23:20.900 --> 00:23:21.620 That's what we here baptized. 00:23:22.020 --> 00:23:22.660 Duncan Water. 00:23:22.680 --> 00:23:24.580 That's how we equate it. 00:23:24.660 --> 00:23:26.560 And I want you to know, sometimes that can be true. 00:23:26.560 --> 00:23:28.440 Like today, we are going to baptize you. 00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:31.800 Some of you, depending on what you've done in life, we're going to really baptize you. 00:23:31.820 --> 00:23:32.560 I'm just kidding. 00:23:32.660 --> 00:23:33.040 I'm just. 00:23:33.140 --> 00:23:33.480 I'm teasing. 00:23:33.820 --> 00:23:35.240 I might hold you under a little longer, though. 00:23:35.240 --> 00:23:37.440 But anyway, if that scares kids. 00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:39.060 I'm sorry, kids, I'm not going to do it. 00:23:39.500 --> 00:23:47.120 But there's a few different baptisms to recognize because we're going to do a baptism today that's different than these baptisms. 00:23:48.420 --> 00:23:55.600 There is John's baptism in Scripture, which is which is not believer's baptism, which we'll practice today, which is unique from the Holy Spirit 00:23:55.600 --> 00:23:58.160 baptism, which is also talked about here. 00:23:58.740 --> 00:24:02.160 When the Bible uses the word baptism, what it means is immerse. 00:24:02.900 --> 00:24:03.850 It means the word immerse. 00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:10.540 The context in which the word baptism is used, then helps us understand what kind of immersion are we talking about? 00:24:11.060 --> 00:24:17.030 So when John baptized in the New Testament, when you start off the Gospels, you see John doing that work of baptism. 00:24:17.760 --> 00:24:22.700 And sometimes people might equate that with the same baptism we do today, which acts clarifies. 00:24:22.700 --> 00:24:23.120 It's not. 00:24:23.120 --> 00:24:23.850 We'll get to that. 00:24:24.360 --> 00:24:28.380 But when John is doing his baptism, what he's doing is a very unique baptism. 00:24:29.260 --> 00:24:36.300 He's recognizing that when the children of Israel in the book of Joshua crossed from the years of wandering in the wilderness, if you're 00:24:36.300 --> 00:24:41.400 familiar with that in the Exodus story, remember they left Exodus as slaves. 00:24:41.500 --> 00:24:45.160 They left from Egypt as slaves, and they wander in the wilderness for 40 years. 00:24:45.780 --> 00:24:48.650 And finally, after 40 years, God lets them cross him to the Promised Land. 00:24:49.160 --> 00:24:51.370 But to cross in the land, they have to cross the Jordan River. 00:24:52.280 --> 00:24:57.140 But John recognizes that when the children of Israel crossed on the Promised Land, they never truly walked faithfully with God. 00:24:58.520 --> 00:25:04.880 But knowing the Messiah is coming, John calls the children of Israel back to the Jordan River to prepare their hearts. 00:25:05.460 --> 00:25:09.440 I mean, God said things like, there's one coming whose shoelaces I am unworthy to untie. 00:25:10.200 --> 00:25:15.370 And John calls Israel back to the Jordan River to prepare their hearts, knowing they had not walked faithfully in that promised land. 00:25:16.100 --> 00:25:20.360 And so it became this place of repentance to open their hearts to the coming of the Messiah. 00:25:20.380 --> 00:25:23.900 When the Messiah comes, they would receive him the baptism. 00:25:23.900 --> 00:25:26.960 The Holy Spirit is baptism, talking about being immersed in the spirit. 00:25:27.340 --> 00:25:34.480 It's because Jesus, the sacrifice is sufficient that now we're promised that the Spirit of God indwells his people, and in fact, we 00:25:34.480 --> 00:25:36.540 are baptized as one body in Christ. 00:25:36.540 --> 00:25:37.920 We are all baptized in the spirit. 00:25:37.920 --> 00:25:41.840 The moment you trust in Jesus, we're all baptized into one body spiritually. 00:25:42.020 --> 00:25:47.100 First Corinthians 12 verse 13 that we become the indwelling place of the Spirit of God. 00:25:47.100 --> 00:25:49.340 First Corinthians 619. 00:25:49.520 --> 00:25:52.600 And so because of that, you are regenerated in the spirit. 00:25:52.600 --> 00:25:53.320 You have new life. 00:25:53.380 --> 00:25:57.200 John chapter three, verse five and six, and you've been adopted by Christ. 00:25:57.440 --> 00:25:59.940 And in Romans chapter eight, verse 15 and 16. 00:26:00.580 --> 00:26:04.330 So the idea of the spirit becomes significant for us to understand our identity, that we belong to Jesus. 00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:06.010 And as he promised, he would be with us always. 00:26:06.740 --> 00:26:11.340 It's because we are sealed in the spirit that we belong to him. 00:26:12.040 --> 00:26:13.860 Ephesians chapter one, verse 13 and 14. 00:26:15.400 --> 00:26:21.140 The role of the spirit in your life is critical to understand how the power of God moves to the people of God. 00:26:21.360 --> 00:26:25.960 Now, just because we have the Spirit of God working in us, doesn't mean we're always surrendered to the way the Lord wants to work. 00:26:26.020 --> 00:26:33.080 That's why last week we looked at passages like First Thessalonians chapter five, verse 18, or Ephesians chapter four, verse 30, which tells 00:26:33.080 --> 00:26:34.760 you, don't quench the spirit. 00:26:34.860 --> 00:26:36.330 Don't grieve the spirit. 00:26:36.540 --> 00:26:40.630 Galatians 516 tells you to walk in the spirit which is to be surrendered to the spirit. 00:26:41.220 --> 00:26:48.320 Or in Ephesians chapter five, verse 18 and 19, to be filled with the spirit means to let him have control 00:26:48.320 --> 00:26:49.060 of your life. 00:26:49.380 --> 00:26:51.430 Out of all the things that could determine what you do. 00:26:51.960 --> 00:26:57.760 Understanding who you are in light of who Christ is, and being surrendered to that purpose in this world, is the greatest thing that you could live for. 00:26:58.620 --> 00:27:06.120 So the foundation of trusting what you had to trust in, and the power of God's presence with you, becomes that place of recognizing 00:27:06.120 --> 00:27:09.180 how precious this calling is in our life. 00:27:09.940 --> 00:27:16.120 To understand that just as the church in Acts saw the Spirit of God moving among them to accomplish the will of God in this world. 00:27:16.160 --> 00:27:21.700 So that same spirit works in this people today to see a tremendous impact in this world around us. 00:27:25.500 --> 00:27:27.840 A power to embrace. 00:27:29.340 --> 00:27:30.050 Let me give you number three. 00:27:33.270 --> 00:27:34.280 A mission to fulfill. 00:27:36.950 --> 00:27:37.960 A mission to fulfill. 00:27:40.150 --> 00:27:44.190 Because we have one of the most precious foundations we could ever have in Jesus. 00:27:45.610 --> 00:27:52.630 It is the most precious foundation we could have in Jesus and the presence of God with us wherever we go, to empower us for what 00:27:52.630 --> 00:27:59.650 God has called us to in this world, so we could attempt great things from God, as William Kerry said, 00:27:59.650 --> 00:28:08.210 and expect great things from God, and realizing that he has called us all and 00:28:08.210 --> 00:28:10.210 the whole point of ministry. 00:28:11.270 --> 00:28:13.110 It's not about trying to prove anything to God. 00:28:13.110 --> 00:28:14.690 Jesus already proven it to us. 00:28:14.690 --> 00:28:15.110 It's not about. 00:28:15.610 --> 00:28:18.830 It's not about getting a task done, though there are things we might do as a Christian. 00:28:18.850 --> 00:28:19.900 It's not about programs. 00:28:20.910 --> 00:28:21.880 It's about people. 00:28:21.990 --> 00:28:23.140 It's about the hearts of people. 00:28:24.230 --> 00:28:26.290 God's interest in this world is the hearts of people. 00:28:26.710 --> 00:28:30.830 That Jesus has created this church to live on mission because his concern is for the hearts of people. 00:28:30.830 --> 00:28:32.810 Knowing that we're all image bearers of God. 00:28:32.810 --> 00:28:34.180 We all have this intrinsic worth. 00:28:34.670 --> 00:28:34.710 But. 00:28:34.770 --> 00:28:39.750 But Jesus has pursued us to give us very life so that we could be regenerated in him. 00:28:40.770 --> 00:28:46.650 There's nothing more important that we could live for than to honor God by how we care for the people around us. 00:28:48.130 --> 00:28:52.910 And so when you when you look at this verse six, he goes on and says it like this. 00:28:53.030 --> 00:28:59.510 So when they had come together, they asked him, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom of Israel? 00:29:00.630 --> 00:29:04.820 And he said to them, it's not for you to know the times or seasons that the father has fixed by his own authority. 00:29:07.830 --> 00:29:15.070 In verse three, if you remember f Jesus's ascension, it tells you in verse three of this chapter that Jesus goes around for the next 40 days teaching about 00:29:15.070 --> 00:29:15.330 his kingdom. 00:29:16.790 --> 00:29:19.110 And so they naturally, in verse six say, okay, Jesus will. 00:29:19.510 --> 00:29:20.830 This kingdom sounds amazing. 00:29:21.630 --> 00:29:22.230 When's it going to happen? 00:29:23.350 --> 00:29:30.670 And if you remember originally when Jesus came, the disciples disciples thought of a geopolitical reign of the Messiah, that he would set up a physical kingdom on this world 00:29:30.670 --> 00:29:31.430 and reign. 00:29:31.970 --> 00:29:34.420 And then when he died, they realized, man, it didn't happen. 00:29:34.430 --> 00:29:35.470 What's going to happen to us? 00:29:36.390 --> 00:29:40.290 But now they're starting to learn that Jesus has a different plan for the way that his kingdom would be made known. 00:29:41.350 --> 00:29:46.540 And as Jesus described, this beautiful kingdom that's going to restore all things broken, it's going to bring back shalom. 00:29:46.690 --> 00:29:51.330 It's going to restore this earth from its fallen state to its perfected state. 00:29:51.430 --> 00:29:53.000 Like Jesus, when's that kingdom coming? 00:29:53.950 --> 00:30:01.230 And Jesus says to him, well, that the detail of that is not for you to know, but rather to understand the privilege it is now the calling before 00:30:01.230 --> 00:30:02.110 you to live for me. 00:30:03.350 --> 00:30:09.580 And here's the interesting thing in regards to his kingdom, when Jesus talked about his kingdom, he taught it like this. 00:30:09.650 --> 00:30:11.180 Theologians refer to it as inaugurated. 00:30:11.410 --> 00:30:18.590 Eschatology has already not yet meaning there's an aspect of his kingdom that's been made known, but the fullness of 00:30:18.590 --> 00:30:20.920 his kingdom will one day come when the King returns. 00:30:22.030 --> 00:30:23.550 And so we're longing for the return of that king. 00:30:23.650 --> 00:30:23.950 So what? 00:30:24.170 --> 00:30:26.390 What does it look like to live in light of that kingdom today? 00:30:27.450 --> 00:30:33.440 Well, when you think in terms of the way Jesus presented himself in the Gospels, he says it like this. 00:30:33.530 --> 00:30:36.300 And Matthew chapter, excuse me, Mark chapter one. 00:30:36.310 --> 00:30:43.310 I already quoted this to you once, but in Mark chapter one, verse 15, Jesus, the first thing he says in the gospel of Mark is repent, for 00:30:43.310 --> 00:30:44.520 the kingdom of God is at hand. 00:30:45.470 --> 00:30:46.990 He's introducing us to the kingdom. 00:30:48.330 --> 00:30:54.930 But then in the book of Matthew chapter six, when Jesus teaches us to pray, he says in verse nine, like this. 00:30:55.370 --> 00:31:01.490 Pray in this way Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed or sacred, be your name. 00:31:02.170 --> 00:31:04.530 Your kingdom come, your will be done. 00:31:05.530 --> 00:31:07.930 So in one sense, Jesus represents the kingdom. 00:31:08.290 --> 00:31:09.550 Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand. 00:31:10.070 --> 00:31:17.110 But in another sense, he says, pray for the fullness of that kingdom, that the return of the king and the restoring of all things shalom that's been lost, 00:31:17.510 --> 00:31:18.350 that we would see that. 00:31:19.550 --> 00:31:19.830 So. 00:31:20.010 --> 00:31:23.750 So what we're learning in this book of acts is really the kingdom of God is on the move. 00:31:23.810 --> 00:31:25.630 And the way that it's on the move is in the people of God. 00:31:26.210 --> 00:31:33.490 One day Jesus will bring the fullness of his kingdom, but for us in the here and now, we get to live out the kingdom of God as God works his kingdom power 00:31:33.490 --> 00:31:34.760 within us. 00:31:35.010 --> 00:31:38.440 Now, I want you to know, some people get radically crazy with that idea, and I don't want to do that. 00:31:38.770 --> 00:31:45.770 But I do want you to realize just how critical and what a gift it is, where God has you today to do things for him 00:31:45.770 --> 00:31:46.630 in this world. 00:31:46.790 --> 00:31:48.330 And Colossians says it like this. 00:31:48.630 --> 00:31:53.480 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness, or some translates kingdom of darkness as a domain. 00:31:53.790 --> 00:31:57.220 And he's transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved son. 00:31:58.110 --> 00:32:01.700 So it's saying, if you belong to Jesus Spirit of God in dwells you. 00:32:02.350 --> 00:32:05.390 You've been sealed, you've been adopted, you've been regenerated, you've been baptized. 00:32:05.810 --> 00:32:06.690 You belong. 00:32:07.390 --> 00:32:08.610 He has you. 00:32:08.610 --> 00:32:09.670 His hand is on you. 00:32:09.670 --> 00:32:10.730 He never leaves you. 00:32:10.730 --> 00:32:12.030 He never forsakes you. 00:32:12.030 --> 00:32:15.970 You've been transferred from a kingdom of darkness which will meet its demise in the wrath of God. 00:32:16.110 --> 00:32:17.810 And you've been brought into the kingdom of light. 00:32:17.930 --> 00:32:18.550 And that's where. 00:32:18.610 --> 00:32:19.460 That's where you belong. 00:32:20.050 --> 00:32:21.990 And sometimes I'll hear people say like this. 00:32:21.990 --> 00:32:25.630 Well, Christians sometimes obsess about the idea of deliverance. 00:32:25.630 --> 00:32:30.100 And I want you to know, Colossians chapter one tells you in Jesus, you've already been delivered. 00:32:30.330 --> 00:32:32.290 Yes, there may be brokenness in this world. 00:32:32.290 --> 00:32:39.310 We may face adversity, but you've already been delivered as a believer, so you get to live in the kingdom of light because you belong to 00:32:39.310 --> 00:32:39.810 Jesus. 00:32:39.870 --> 00:32:47.070 In fact, Romans 14 says it like this for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and 00:32:47.070 --> 00:32:48.950 peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 00:32:50.250 --> 00:32:51.350 So is it the fullness of the kingdom? 00:32:51.410 --> 00:32:54.170 No, but the presence of the kingdom? 00:32:54.170 --> 00:33:01.290 Yes, because the spirit, the Spirit of God and dwelling people of God gives us that the peace, that joy, 00:33:01.590 --> 00:33:04.210 that righteousness of the Lord, so that we can live for him. 00:33:04.710 --> 00:33:10.910 And so when the Bible talks about living for God's glory, he gives us the scope of that in Matthew eight. 00:33:11.030 --> 00:33:12.480 With that, the idea of that commission. 00:33:12.970 --> 00:33:13.350 Right. 00:33:13.350 --> 00:33:15.110 God's calling you into this world then. 00:33:15.230 --> 00:33:16.740 And you see this in the early church. 00:33:17.530 --> 00:33:20.770 You see that they believe the presence of God is with them wherever they go. 00:33:20.790 --> 00:33:27.850 And so they went to the to really all of the known world proclaiming the gospel that within 30 years they went from Jerusalem all the way 00:33:27.850 --> 00:33:34.290 to the capital of Rome and or the capital of the Romans, which was Rome, to proclaim that gospel message. 00:33:34.430 --> 00:33:37.670 And that's where the book of acts comes to the end, is when Paul is in Rome. 00:33:37.970 --> 00:33:40.580 And so this new world within a span of 30 years. 00:33:40.710 --> 00:33:42.350 This is preach the gospel. 00:33:42.350 --> 00:33:46.970 And he says it like this from Jerusalem to Judea, to Samaria, to the uttermost parts. 00:33:46.970 --> 00:33:48.470 God's heart is for people. 00:33:49.590 --> 00:33:56.670 And so God has you in a specific place of a specific time that as you grow in the power of Jesus, that you would live in light 00:33:56.670 --> 00:34:03.950 of that for the glory of God to the benefit of others, a mission to Fulfill 00:34:05.250 --> 00:34:07.600 when it comes to the thought of being a witness. 00:34:07.630 --> 00:34:14.690 That witness in this passage is literally saying is the word for martyr, and it became synonymous with those that would be such 00:34:14.690 --> 00:34:21.770 a witness that would they would be willing to give their very lives for the sake of Christ, because they knew that no matter what happened to them, 00:34:22.750 --> 00:34:29.550 they knew to the one in which they belonged, and therefore lived for his glory, so that we could get. 00:34:29.550 --> 00:34:30.310 Let's get to number four. 00:34:30.510 --> 00:34:37.110 Is this an urgency to act and urgency to act? 00:34:39.290 --> 00:34:46.449 It says, and when Jesus had said these things as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out 00:34:46.449 --> 00:34:47.030 of their sight. 00:34:48.110 --> 00:34:55.190 And while they were gazing into heaven, as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into 00:34:55.190 --> 00:34:55.710 heaven? 00:34:55.889 --> 00:35:02.270 This Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. 00:35:03.010 --> 00:35:04.020 Could you imagine this moment? 00:35:05.570 --> 00:35:08.250 This is You could just be sitting there talking to Jesus. 00:35:08.450 --> 00:35:11.530 All of a sudden, you've been there to take a bite of your meal, and you look up and you're like, where did Jesus. 00:35:11.690 --> 00:35:12.790 Oh, and he's just. 00:35:13.030 --> 00:35:14.230 He's just blown away, right? 00:35:14.310 --> 00:35:16.870 It's like, that was a wild moment there. 00:35:16.870 --> 00:35:17.500 He could have had a warning. 00:35:17.670 --> 00:35:20.170 Jesus didn't know that you were just going to levitate, right? 00:35:20.350 --> 00:35:21.290 Just floating up in the sky. 00:35:21.390 --> 00:35:25.440 This is like I heard a person compare this to giving a child a helium balloon. 00:35:25.790 --> 00:35:32.890 Like, if you've ever want to watch your kid go psycho for a couple seconds, or maybe, maybe much longer than that is, give your kid a helium balloon, but don't 00:35:32.890 --> 00:35:36.530 tie it to the wrist, because, inevitably it's going to happen. 00:35:36.550 --> 00:35:43.590 And but at the same time, you've seen those moments where kids have they've held on to helium balloons for quite a while, and then they kind of get bored of 00:35:43.590 --> 00:35:43.750 it. 00:35:43.790 --> 00:35:45.150 And they know Mom and dad's not going to hold us. 00:35:45.170 --> 00:35:46.710 They're like, yeah, let's just watch what happens, right? 00:35:46.710 --> 00:35:49.430 And they just kind of let go of that and they just see it float away. 00:35:50.010 --> 00:35:53.990 I've heard that moment compared to Jesus like this, like the disciples of the children. 00:35:54.030 --> 00:35:55.350 And Jesus is that hot air balloon. 00:35:55.370 --> 00:35:59.800 And they're kind of regretting they didn't tie a string to Jesus in this, in this story. 00:36:00.090 --> 00:36:02.210 But here's Jesus going away and. 00:36:02.490 --> 00:36:08.830 And then the angels appear and they say Jesus is going to return the same way he came, meaning he'll return in his glory. 00:36:09.290 --> 00:36:14.070 And the fact that he's taken into heaven is showing that his sacrifice is received as sufficient for you and for me. 00:36:15.170 --> 00:36:17.490 But then they're reminding the disciples. 00:36:17.530 --> 00:36:21.610 Look, it's important now to think about where God has you and what God's called you to do. 00:36:22.370 --> 00:36:24.050 Because Jesus can return at any moment. 00:36:25.130 --> 00:36:27.220 And so there is an urgency to act. 00:36:27.710 --> 00:36:28.670 This is number four, right? 00:36:28.670 --> 00:36:29.930 The urgency to act. 00:36:31.050 --> 00:36:33.130 Jesus, the sacrifice accepted. 00:36:33.990 --> 00:36:35.530 Giving me identity in him. 00:36:36.130 --> 00:36:38.230 And the promise, the fullness of the kingdom will come. 00:36:39.050 --> 00:36:42.810 But in the in-between, I have the opportunity to live for his glory. 00:36:44.310 --> 00:36:51.310 When you think about Christ's sacrifice for us, not only is this invitation 00:36:51.310 --> 00:36:58.510 to have this relationship with God, but as we walk in light of that, it then gives us the privilege 00:36:58.510 --> 00:37:01.310 to represent him in the way that we live in this world. 00:37:02.710 --> 00:37:07.110 Acts as that example of an early church who walks in light of that. 00:37:07.950 --> 00:37:11.830 To see how the power of God is made known in their life, even in difficult situations. 00:37:13.070 --> 00:37:16.830 The power of God sustaining them to carry them through in this world. 00:37:17.930 --> 00:37:25.110 And as you look through missionaries throughout history, you see again and again missionaries resting in the promises of God 00:37:25.110 --> 00:37:32.110 this way, that God's glory would be made known in such an incredible, beautiful way 00:37:32.110 --> 00:37:34.150 in their life that they never got over it. 00:37:35.110 --> 00:37:42.190 And they would come back to this place of realizing in Jesus that Jesus promises to be with them again and again, no matter 00:37:42.190 --> 00:37:43.090 where they go. 00:37:44.130 --> 00:37:50.680 There was an individual in history that I just I wanted to there's several I could highlight, but if I just highlighted William Booth. 00:37:50.690 --> 00:37:53.040 William Booth is the guy who founded Salvation Army. 00:37:53.470 --> 00:37:55.470 If you ever look up pictures of William Booth, I. 00:37:55.830 --> 00:38:00.000 I might be under the persuasion that I don't think this guy actually died. 00:38:00.590 --> 00:38:02.720 I think it's possible he might have just got sold. 00:38:02.810 --> 00:38:04.860 He kind of just dissolved into dust and blew away. 00:38:04.890 --> 00:38:06.390 I don't like pictures of him. 00:38:06.390 --> 00:38:08.650 I'm like, I don't even know how this guy's alive in these pictures. 00:38:08.770 --> 00:38:08.850 He's. 00:38:09.090 --> 00:38:11.830 He's a pretty old dude, and he might have the world record. 00:38:11.830 --> 00:38:14.970 I don't know if they counted his age, but he might have the old world record and age. 00:38:14.970 --> 00:38:18.090 But William Booth was a guy that throughout his life, he. 00:38:18.230 --> 00:38:25.370 I think he came to the Lord at 15, but he spent his entire life just faithfully serving him, faithfully serving the 00:38:25.370 --> 00:38:25.590 Lord. 00:38:25.630 --> 00:38:30.030 In fact, at the end of his life, he said a few things that I just want to share with you. 00:38:30.030 --> 00:38:31.670 He said, not cold. 00:38:31.670 --> 00:38:34.630 Did you say not heard the call? 00:38:35.110 --> 00:38:42.190 I think you should put your ear down to the Bible and hear him bid you go and pull sinners out 00:38:42.190 --> 00:38:43.730 of the fire of sin. 00:38:44.490 --> 00:38:47.990 And he said, while women weep as they do now, I'll fight. 00:38:48.590 --> 00:38:50.030 While little children go hungry. 00:38:50.130 --> 00:38:53.190 As they do, I'll fight while men go to prison. 00:38:53.250 --> 00:38:55.060 In and out, in and out, as they do now. 00:38:55.070 --> 00:39:01.790 I'll fight while Well, there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor law school up on the streets, while there remains one dark soul. 00:39:01.790 --> 00:39:02.830 Without the light of God. 00:39:02.870 --> 00:39:03.430 I'll fight. 00:39:03.710 --> 00:39:05.330 I'll fight to the very end. 00:39:06.350 --> 00:39:06.870 And he did. 00:39:07.750 --> 00:39:14.910 In fact, in recognizing the beautiful place that God had him in this world, he said it like this I'm not waiting 00:39:14.910 --> 00:39:16.390 for a move of God. 00:39:17.310 --> 00:39:19.150 I am a move of God. 00:39:20.610 --> 00:39:27.750 I mean, when you think about what your life is in Jesus, it is an incredible miracle that God would love 00:39:27.750 --> 00:39:34.850 you in your sin and give his very life for you, that you could find freedom in him and in that 00:39:34.850 --> 00:39:41.930 freedom that he would promise his indwelling spirit to be with you wherever he goes, to empower you in anything that he's called 00:39:41.930 --> 00:39:42.370 you to. 00:39:42.370 --> 00:39:49.490 In this world that has the joy of knowing Jesus has made known in your heart, it would be demonstrated through your life. 00:39:50.990 --> 00:39:51.590 What a gift. 00:39:52.610 --> 00:39:55.590 And as we look at the early church in the book of acts. 00:39:56.430 --> 00:40:01.380 We have the opportunity to see their example as a privilege for us today. 00:40:01.790 --> 00:40:07.560 You know, one of the one of the things that I love about the book of acts, when you get to the end of it, is that it doesn't have an ending. 00:40:08.830 --> 00:40:12.330 It's one of the maybe, maybe at first it might come across as frustrating. 00:40:12.410 --> 00:40:16.190 You expect as you get to any letter of the Bible, you get to the end, you're like, oh, there's an ending here. 00:40:16.490 --> 00:40:17.850 And you get through the ending and you're done. 00:40:18.070 --> 00:40:18.820 You get to access it. 00:40:18.870 --> 00:40:19.970 It just abruptly stops. 00:40:19.970 --> 00:40:20.450 You're like, what? 00:40:20.710 --> 00:40:21.530 What happens? 00:40:21.530 --> 00:40:23.830 Like, where's the rest of the story? 00:40:23.830 --> 00:40:25.790 Why is there no ending to the book of acts? 00:40:25.830 --> 00:40:26.930 Can I can I tell you my thought? 00:40:27.110 --> 00:40:28.450 That's why there's no ending to acts. 00:40:29.510 --> 00:40:31.210 It's because the story isn't finished being written. 00:40:32.370 --> 00:40:35.290 And the same God that's worked in acts is still in move in his people today. 00:40:36.430 --> 00:40:40.350 And so we have the opportunity to live the story out in our lives as we surrender to him.