Acts 1

Acts 1:1-26

THE Acts 1:1-26. THE Book of The Acts is the sequel to the four Gospels. That it was written by Luke, the beloved physician, is commonly conceded. In Luke’s Gospel, we have these words: “It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, “That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed” (Luke 1:3-4). When, therefore, we find the Book of Acts opening with these words: “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus”, there can be little doubt that it is the same writer addressing a second Letter to the same friend.The purpose of this second communication becomes clear when we consider this opening speech. In the Gospel, Luke had rehearsed the history “of all that Jesus began both to do and teach”, concluding with the risen Christ. He is now ready to present an addenda that deals with the ascended Lord, who by His Holy Spirit continues both “to do and teach”. Hence the language:“Until the day in which He was taken up, after that He through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the Apostles whom He had chosen: “To whom also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God” (Acts 1:2-3). The sacrificial ministry of Christ was completed with His death and it covered a period of but thirty-three years. The priestly ministry of Christ was commenced with His resurrection and ascension and will continue until He come as King.But His priestly ministry is not concerned alone with intercession. The high priest had more obligations than that of bearing the blood within the veil. It was his also to keep an oversight of the people and to guide them in all spiritual affairs. So with Jesus, our interceding Lord.In the Old Testament, while Aaron made the atonement, Moses fulfilled the office of teacher and guide. In the New Testament, while Christ is interceding, His Holy Spirit is teaching and directing. Hence the language:“And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith He, ye have heard of Me. “For John truly baptised with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence” (Acts 1:4-5). The question of the slow believing disciples— “Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel” (Acts 1:6)? occasioned an answer in which may be found the key to the Book:“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” (Acts 1:7-8). Therefore, study will reveal the fact that the whole Book of Acts is a fulfillment of this prophecy and in execution of this program. In chapters 1-9 inclusive, the Gospel is presented in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. But with the conversion of Saul, the Christian mission takes on the wider sweep—“unto the uttermost part of the earth”.This first chapter of Acts records the ascension promises. There are three: The Promise of the Coming Spirit; The Promise of the Coming Son; The Promise of the Coming Apostasy.THE PROMISE OF THE COMING SPIRITThis promise had been previously spoken. There are two mistakes into which many readers fall: The first is to suppose that this was the primary revelation of the Holy Ghost; the second is to imagine that the disciples knew nothing of His direction until Pentecost.The study of the Old Testament will correct the first. There are few Books of the thirty-nine that make it up which ignore the third Person of the Godhead.

It was the Spirit of God who “moved upon the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). It was the Spirit of God who was grieved with the antidiluvians (Genesis 6:3). Concerning Bezaleel, the son of Uri, it was said, “I have filled him with the Spirit of God” (Exodus 31:3). Moses said, “Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them” (Numbers 11:29). It was the Spirit of God that came upon Balaam (Numbers 24:2), and upon Azariah (2 Chronicles 15:1). But the instances are too many for complete mention.

There are not scores of them; there are hundreds rather!When we come to the New Testament, Christ Himself approaches His death comforting His disciples by the fact that when He is gone the Holy Spirit will be with them to abide forever.“And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; “Even the Spirit of Truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:16-17). But He was to be more than Comforter.“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My Name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26). Those modernists who try to make it appear that there is little or no connection between the various Books of the Bible are certainly dead alike to the continuity of thought and action of the Bible. We remark again, Acts is the sequel to the Gospels and its records relate alike to the posthumous work of Christ through His personal representative—the Spirit.This promise looked to another and better baptism.“For John truly baptised with water; but ye shall be baptised with the Holy Ghost not many days hence” (Acts 1:5). It is true that the certain presence of the Spirit of God in the world to indwell and direct those who are the Lord’s own is not necessarily the assurance of individual baptism by the Spirit. We believe that these disciples were Christians now; that they had accepted Christ as their Messiah and had yielded their hearts to be obedient to His will. But there was further blessing in store for them “not many days hence”. The reference here is plainly to the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost which came ten days later.There may be such a thing as unbaptized believers.“Now when the Apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: “Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (“For as yet He was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus.) “Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost” (Acts 8:14-17). There is a constant discussion of the question: “Was the baptism of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost the first and the last needful outpouring of the Spirit upon the church?” Many of our excellent Bible teachers say, “Yes,” but all are agreed that so far as the enduement or fulness of the Spirit is concerned, that is not the common experience of the Christian, yet it is the sorely needful one. Scripture and experience seem to agree that there is such a personal infilling as to result in “power”, and that as Pentecost was the fulfillment of the promise in verse eight—“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”—so again and again in the history of the Church, there have been kindred experiences of the Spirit’s outpouring and the Church’s power.This baptism anticipated all evangelism.“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” (Acts 1:8). It is perfectly evident that that promise was not limited to the then living disciples. They did not reach the uttermost parts of the earth, but the program involved does and will. Christ said, “The gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church”, and history reveals the truthfulness of His Word. As long as the Church lives and continues its work, the history made will answer point by point to the prophecy uttered in this verse, for the verse contains not only prophecy—“Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you”—but the command—“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”.When we concluded Matthew’s Gospel, the great commission was ringing in the ears of the disciples:“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:19-20). Here we have the promise of that power that will make possible the execution of the commission, and the command repeated in another form. While the Church lives, these texts remain her marching order.We pass then from The Promise of the Coming Spirit toTHE PROMISE OF THE COMING SON“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. “And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren” (Acts 1:10-14). This promise was made by heavenly attendants.“Two men stood by them in white apparel”. Angels take human form. Angels are perfect linguists; when they speak, every man hears in the tongue wherein he was born. Angels are eloquent with information; what they say can be received without skepticism. The information of earth may prove to be misinformation, but that which is brought down from Heaven is like the Heaven itself—fixed, stable, dependable. That is why revelation does not need to be changed; in fact, that is why revelation cannot be improved upon.The wisdom of Heaven is perfect.

When Prophets wrote by the pen of inspiration, their words were in agreement with what the angels now say. When the Apostles speak of the Second Coming, because the Holy Ghost gives them utterance, they also will be in accord with the words of angels.Their “garments of white” indicate the land whence they came. Their language has about it the aroma of Heaven, and the information they impart is exactly what the bewildered Apostles sorely needed. Favored indeed are the men to whom God sends messages by the angels.Their speech sufficed to confirm Christ’s Word.He had said, “If I go, * * I will come again” (John 14:3). The Word of Christ does not require confirmation. His Word is true, and truth is ever and always its own witness; but the minds of men demand line upon line, precept upon precept, prophetic, apostolic, angelic, and Divine deliverances all on the same subject, and such God gives.

His accommodation to infidelity is a marvel. His treatment of unbelief is also in grace. When Thomas will not believe except he see the nail prints in the hands, and thrust his fingers into the open side, then God, in Christ, will meet his infidelity with whelming evidence. He shall do even as he desired, and the sense of sight and of touch shall combine to slay his skepticism.“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the Prophets, “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son” (Hebrews 1:1-2). As is often true in court, the most competent and dependable witness is produced last. So God makes the testimony of His Son to establish that of Prophets, Apostles, and angels. But Bible students are especially impressed with the fact that they speak in absolute harmony on the subject of the Second Coming or Christ’s Return.This promise sent the disciples to seclusion and prayer.“And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren” (Acts 1:1-2). There were 120 of them in that upper room—120 of the 500 who beheld His ascent. The prayer service is selective to a good degree. A prayer-meeting is the test of church-membership. It will take out of the greater company the spiritually elect. It will bring together those who believe most firmly and it will prove at once the state of the church and the source of spiritual life and power. There are great-brained, high-headed men who think a prayer-meeting is beneath them, and even professed Christians who look upon an assembly for prayer as well-nigh a foolish waste of time.

But such men poorly believe God and give little place to Divine power in the program of life. If history has attested any truth, it has abundantly proven this, that prayer links life with Divine power; and in the twenty centuries of church history, it has been basal in the biggest undertakings and the most worthwhile accomplishments.This upper room, then, is not a reflection on the early Church. The failure to have an upper room; the failure to visit that upper room; the failure to wait in the upper room—this explains the weakness of the present Church. When prayer ends, power ceases.But we pass to the third point.THE PROMISE OF AN “And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) “Men and brethren, this Scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. “For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. “Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. “And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. “For it is written in the Book of Psalms, Let Ins habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and, His bishoprick let another take. “Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, “Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that He was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of His resurrection. “And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. “And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two Thou hast chosen, “That he may take part of this ministry and Apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. “And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven Apostle” (Acts 1:15-26). There are some sad lessons here, but they freed, none the less on that account, to be learned.The direst prophecies must come to pass.“David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus” (Acts 1:16). See Psalms 55:23 and Psalms 109:8.The betrayer was to be numbered with the Apostles and obtained part of their ministry. Most people delight in prophecies of coming good; no one loves the prophecy of coming evil. But as prophecy is the mold of history, men will find it refers to both. Its fulfillment is as certain when treachery, conviction, and judgment are involved as when loyalty, commendation and praise are justified. We can’t pick out from the prophecies the pleasant things and believe that they will be fulfilled and set aside the unpleasant, saying that they will never come to pass. “God is not slack concerning His promises”. Those of judgment and mercy are alike sure.

Judas is as certain to come, as the Lord’s betrayer, as John the Baptist is as His forerunner. He, who is fit for the crowns of the earth, Judas will send to a crown of thorns, and in his own experience suffer the consequences thereof, committing suicide, and staining the very field itself with the blood money received for that betrayal (Acts 1:19), making it to be forever barren and desolate (Acts 1:20).But while deceivers sin, believers slip.Peter’s action here is an unwarranted one.

Peter had been commanded to “wait for the promise from the Father”. But waiting is difficult for the racer. Sitting still is a maddening experience for the over energetic. Keeping silence is unendurable for the eloquent. Better a church business meeting than nothing; better the election of an officer than no excitement at all; better throwing dice than dallying away the days! Is it so? Alas, many a man has spoken when silence would have been a thousandfold more acceptable to God! Many a church has been set to some activity in carrying out an uninspired plan, in putting over a man-made program, when continued prayer was the Divine pleasure!

We often wonder why so many movements within a church? Why so many organizations? Why such multiplied programs? Why an eternal fume and fuss—sales, fairs, and pageants? Of making programs there is no end. Would-be leaders must get up something in order that they may lead; must provide a circus in order to be the ring-master!Will anybody tell us whatever came of this meeting? Can anybody prove that this put the church forward in the least? Does anybody know the history of this politically chosen apostle?If there is one thing in the Christian system of which men have made a mess, it is the attempt to make ministers.

We have reached the point now where the entire program of preacher production is in “regular hands”, and has a “standard” up to which they must measure. It isn’t identical with that which Peter prescribed. Would it were! It is not a bad thing at least for a man who proposes to be a minister to have known the Lord. But that which he must know now, if he is going to be a minister, is what the university professor has said in class, what the unbelieving modernist has written in a book, and what the “middle of the road” committee requires for its approval. The program of preacher-making is now reduced to a system and “standardization” is its expression.

Neither the Scriptures nor the mind of the Spirit is much consulted. They are making “Matthiases” instead, but they are not always “given of Jehovah”.

They pray over them; they choose them by lot; they publish their apostleship; they put their names in the ministerial register; but alas, they have not necessarily made an Apostle!Apostles are made by Divine appointment only. Saul didn’t measure up to the standard drawn up by Bishop Peter. He hadn’t “companied with them all the time as the Lord Jesus went in and out among them, beginning with the baptism of John until that same day when He was taken up”. But he did have an experience that made an apostle possible. He saw the risen Lord! He heard His voice! He received from Him his commission! After all, is not that the true standard of the ministry?

The man who is to preach Christ must see Christ, not Jesus only. Matthias had done that. But Saul saw Christ and it made Paul of him. He saw the glorified Jesus, the exalted Jesus, the Jesus who was none other than God, the Jesus whose glory was blinding, and whose Word was whelming, and whose command was imperative. College and theological seminaries can go on making preachers. They can frame their standards and roll out their graduate with the stamp of the mold all over him; but the province of making “apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers” has never been surrendered (Ephesians 4:11), and will forever abide with the ascended Lord (Ephesians 4:10).