
The B-I-B-L-E
Week five - On the Move
Acts 1:1-11 and John 14
“The Bible is a unified story leading to Jesus.” (Bible Project)
So, what about everything that came after Jesus?
**There is no “after Jesus” - He rose from the dead…
I am with you always, even to the end of the age. —Matthew 18:20
AD stands for “Anno Domini,” which means “Year of our Lord” - we’re now in the 2,023rd year of our Lord - we’re still in “Jesus time”
It’s less a question of what happens “after Jesus” and more, what did Jesus do next?
Late nineteenth century, William Stewart Halsted pioneered a teaching method for surgical residents at John Hopkins:
See one
Do one
Teach one
(“one” should not be taken too literally)
*the difference between this and previous teaching methods (primarily lecture) was the massive retention game from being hands on
Turns out that when we’re part of things, when we have skin literally in the game, it all sticks.
Jesus actually pioneered this approach -
He came and showed us
He sent us out to do what he had done
He left us with instructions to make disciples, “teaching them” to obey all that he had commanded…and He would be with us, even to the end of the age.
And so, we turn to this idea of what Jesus did next, which gets us to the book of Acts (also written by Luke) and then the letters written by the early apostles (Peter, Paul, James, etc.) -
In my former book, Theophilus (Theophilus was a high priest in Jerusalem from 37-41 and likely a student of Luke’s), 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. After his suffering, he presented himself to them 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. 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.” —Acts 1:1-5
For forty days after the resurrection, Jesus taught and prepared the disciples for what was coming next…
They were going to receive the Holy Spirit who Jesus had already explained would be their helper and their counselor, and also their power source as they continued Jesus’ work.
Jesus said the Spirit would be with us and in us, teaching us and reminding us of all the things. (John 14:16-17,26)
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 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.”
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
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 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.” —Acts 1:6-11
Too many times we’re standing around and asking the wrong questions (“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”).
Clear instructions -
1.
2. Be my
We’re it - with the Spirit, we are the
The disciples’ ability to do this, however imperfectly, is why the movement didn’t stop with the crucifixion of its leader.
The good news is meant to be shared and embodied.
- It’s why we’re here today.
- It’s why we planted yet another church.
- It’s why we’re building a home base for our ministry so that it can go beyond us.
Jesus calls
So, when we read these letters, we’re listening in on the experience of others as they followed Jesus - their stumbling blocks, their organizational struggles, their weaknesses, their passion and resilience.
And, hopefully, it inspires us to share and embody Jesus for our place and our time. Right now. Right here.
We believe circles are better than rows and that the Bible is best understood in community conversations. If you would like to join or form a small group, please go to our website and click the button that best suits your next step. www.ashleyridgechurch.org/groups