Acts 1:-6-12

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The Book of Acts: The Church on the Move • Sermon • Submitted 7 years ago

Acts 1:6–11

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The Ascension of Our Lord

Acts 1:6–12 AV

When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 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. 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. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 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. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.

Recap:

Last week, we introduced the Bible book entitled, “The Acts of the Apostles.”

Some quotes from last week:

The problem is, if we stayed in Acts, we’d remain spiritual babies. Without the Book of Acts, we’d have no understanding of our the Gospel was to be a world-wide mission.

This book is really about seeing the Great Commission given to the church in ACTION. That’s why I like the name, Acts of the Apostles. The early church was a church on the move.

That’s what we should be. A church on the move.

We also talked about how the risen Lord demonstrated to His disciples infallibly that He was risen from the dead, He gave them specific commandments, and told them to wait until they were endued with power from on high.

We also talked about the “Promise of the Father”, which we identified from the Scriptures as the “Baptism of the Ghost,

which covers putting us into the body of Christ (; empowers us to be witnesses (); and fills us with the Spirit, which gives us power for godly living ()

This, week, moving right along, our main topic will be the Ascension of our Lord.

We’ll do this verse by verse.

Acts 1:6 AV

When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

I. A Question of Vital Importance.

It is vital, because many denominations and religions do not accept this verse.

It deals with the nearly one-eighth of the OT.

It is vital because many unBible-scholars teach that this question was asked by the disciples in ignorance.

One commentator said: “This is done by men who want to protect the infamous postmillennial theory of Plato (427–347 B.C.) and Augustine (A.D. 354–430)—who were both evolutionists. The idea is that the poor deluded Jewish apostles were so materialistic and carnal in their conception of “the Kingdom” that they thought it had to do with the Messiah sitting on David’s throne () and reigning over the house of Jacob () at Jerusalem () over a regenerated () earth (). “Oh, if these ‘carnal believers’ had only known the spiritual joys of the heavenly reign where Christ ruled in the heart by...yak, yak, yak.” Ruckman, Dr. Peter S.. Acts Commentary (The Bible Believer's Commentary Series) (Kindle Locations 571-580). BB Bookstore. Kindle Edition.

Ruckman, Dr. Peter S.. Acts Commentary (The Bible Believer's Commentary Series) (Kindle Locations 571-580). BB Bookstore. Kindle Edition.

Acts 2:30 AV

Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

Luke 1:32 AV

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

Matthew 25:31 AV

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

Matthew 19:28 AV

And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Isaiah 11:1–11

That commentator went on further to say, “No, the question, “Wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” is the most logical and scriptural question a Jewish disciple of a Jewish Messiah ever asked. Ruckman, Dr. Peter S.. Acts Commentary (The Bible Believer's Commentary Series) (Kindle Locations 604-607). BB Bookstore. Kindle Edition.

The restoration of the “kingdom to Israel” is the theme of more than 500 passages in the Old Testament. Isaiah deals with the subject in more than 100 verses; Ezekiel devotes twelve chapters to it; Jeremiah mentions it in at least 100 verses; Daniel is so full of it (Chapters 2, 7, 9, and 12) Ruckman, Dr. Peter S.. Acts Commentary (The Bible Believer's Commentary Series) (Kindle Locations 614-617). BB Bookstore. Kindle Edition.

Ruckman, Dr. Peter S.. Acts Commentary (The Bible Believer's Commentary Series) (Kindle Locations 614-617). BB Bookstore. Kindle Edition.

Acts 1:7 AV

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.

Ruckman, Dr. Peter S.. Acts Commentary (The Bible Believer's Commentary Series) (Kindle Locations 604-607). BB Bookstore. Kindle Edition.

II. God has plans for this current age.

Ruckman, Dr. Peter S.. Acts Commentary (The Bible Believer's Commentary Series) (Kindle Locations 614-617). BB Bookstore. Kindle Edition.

“It is not for you to know THE TIMES OR THE SEASONS, WHICH THE FATHER HATH PUT IN HIS OWN POWER.”

This statement of our Lord is sooooo packed with information. We couldn’t possibly unravel all of its truths in one session. We will cover some of them.

Dispensation: A time period in which God reveals certain truths to certain people for a certain purpose, and it is certain that it will pass.

A dispensation then, is a determination by God to deal with man according to His will.

Acts 2:23–24 AV

Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

Acts 2:23 AV

Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

Daniel 4:35 AV

And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

The Bible is not a systematic treatise on Theology, or Morals, or History, or Science, or any other topic. It is a REVELATION of God, of the Fall of Man, the Way of Salvation, and of God's "Plan and Purpose in the Ages." It treats of- 1. Four Persons-God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, and Satan. 2. Three Places-Heaven, Earth and Hell. 3. Three Classes of People-The Jew, the Gentile, and the Church of God. The Scriptures were given to us piece-meal, "at sundry times and in divers manners."

Larkin, Clarence. Clarence Larkin Collection - 6 Complete Larkin Books [illustrated] (Kindle Locations 102-106). . Kindle Edition.

Go over dispensation chart: 10 Minutes

These are important to understand as we’re reading Scripture.

What is important here? Is it for us to worry about what God has told us not to worry about?

What is it that He wants us to be focused on?

Acts 1:7 AV

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.

Acts 1:8 AV

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.

III. It is God’s Purpose for Us to Preach the Gospel, because He is calling out His bride.

Since God has turned away from Israel for the time being, He is focusing on the Gentiles.

Romans 11:25–29 AV

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Our responsibility is to be a witness unto Jesus Christ. “Unto me.”

This is impossible with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

John 16:7

John 16:7–11 AV

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

Our “commission,” brother, is to preach and bear witness to the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, ‘til hell freezes over. We are to witness for the Lord Jesus in the fullest sense, and we are to no more omit the witness of His work as a Jewish Messiah, Who will come to reign over Israel, than we are to omit His atoning death on the cross for sinners. For every passage in the Bible matching , there are ten matching . We are to be His witnesses at home (Jerusalem), next door (Judaea), all over the town (Samaria), and all over the country (“uttermost part of the earth”). Our orders are to start and keep going till God stops us, and our missionary work is essential, mandatory, primary, and providential; not incidental, optional, secondary, or circumstantial.

2 Corinthians 5:18–21 AV

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Luke 1:30–33 AV

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Ruckman, Dr. Peter S.. Acts Commentary (The Bible Believer's Commentary Series) (Kindle Locations 784-791). BB Bookstore. Kindle Edition.

Acts 1:9 AV

And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

IV. For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Acts 1:10–11 AV

And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 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.

Acts 1:10 AV

And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

Zechariah 14:4–8 AV

And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.

Acts 1:12 AV

Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.