ACTS - WEEK 1
TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 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. 4 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. 5 For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.”
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 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.”
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “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.”
DISCUSSION.
1. In Acts 1:1, Luke also makes the point that in the Gospel of Luke he wrote about “all that Jesus began to do and teach.” What does that phrase imply about the content of Acts?
2. Jesus tells his followers to wait for the Holy Spirit before leaving Jerusalem, what does this say about the importance of the Holy Spirit for those following Jesus?
3. In Acts 1:6, the disciples ask Jesus, “Will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” Jesus responds by telling them that it is not for them to know the times or seasons, but rather “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
a) What sort of kingdom might the disciples have been thinking of?
b) How does Jesus’ answer expand or clarify what sort of Kingdom he is seeking to build?
5. What is it that the disciples are being called to ‘Witness’ to?
APPLY.
1. What would it look like for us to receive the baton of those who are to be ‘witnesses’ to the ends of the earth?
2. Do you see Jesus as continuing to work in the world today? How so?
PRAY.
Spend some time praying for:
The next 10 years of City Light - that we would be committed to continuing to point to and witness about Jesus.
Those we know that we have the opportunity to witness to.