Setting the Stage Luke tells his reader that his first book set forth those things Jesus did and taught. It seems significant that he would mention actions first, then words. Unlike those of us who have sinned, Jesus' actions were consistent with his preaching. In fact, they underscored his teachin... [ Continue Reading ]
The Promise of the Holy Spirit During the days following the resurrection, Jesus appeared to his apostles on several different occasions. On the one mentioned in Acts 1:4, the Lord may have eaten with the apostles, as the margin of the American Standard Version suggests. Certainly, we know Jesus di... [ Continue Reading ]
Questions Concerning the Kingdom Concepts developed in childhood are sometimes difficult to change. Such was certainly the case with the apostles' thinking about the kingdom Jesus would establish. They believed it would be an earthly kingdom that would conquer all of its enemies. So, "they asked Hi... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus Ascends Into Heaven Having issued these final instructions, Jesus began to bless the apostles. At that moment, Jesus was taken up into a cloud. This is the fulfillment of the Lord's own prediction when he asked his disciples, "What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was bef... [ Continue Reading ]
Praying in Jerusalem In full accord with the Lord's instructions, those who had seen Jesus ascend went into the city of Jerusalem and assembled in an upper room. In his previous writing to Theophilus, Luke had said their return to the city was a joyful one. He also reported that they "were continua... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthias Chosen to Take Judas' Office Sometime during that period of waiting, Peter addressed a group of about 120 disciples in reference to the office formerly held by Judas. He had to be replaced because he had been numbered with them and had a part in the ministry the Lord had given to the apost... [ Continue Reading ]
Quoting from Psalms 69:25; Psalms 109:8, Peter reported that the Holy Spirit, through David, had said the habitation of Judas, perhaps as Ash suggests referring to the Field of Blood, would become desolate and another would be chosen to take his office. So, Peter set forth certain qualifications nec... [ Continue Reading ]
Two men were selected who met those qualifications, Barsabas, surnamed Justus, and Matthias. Then, they addressed a prayer to the One who knows hearts, thus acknowledging their own inability to see into the inward thoughts of others. Their prayer was also a means of expressing complete dependance up... [ Continue Reading ]