YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES

Passage: Acts 1:1-11

Key verse: 8

NIV

Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven

1 In my former book,(A) Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach(B) 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven,(C) after giving instructions(D) through the Holy Spirit to the apostles(E) he had chosen.(F) 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them(G) over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.(H) 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait(I) for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.(J) 5 For John baptized with[a] water,(K) but in a few days you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.”(L)

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore(M) 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.(N) 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;(O) and you will be my witnesses(P) in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,(Q) and to the ends of the earth.”(R)

9 After he said this, he was taken up(S) 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(T) stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,”(U) 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(V) in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

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Footnotes
  1. Acts 1:5 Or in
  2. Acts 1:5 Or in
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

1 In the first book, O (A)Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began (B)to do and teach, 2 until the day when (C)he was taken up, after he (D)had given commands (E)through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 (F)He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

4 And while staying[a] with them (G)he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for (H)John baptized with water, (I)but you will be baptized (J)with[b] the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

The Ascension

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, (K)will you at this time (L)restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, (M)“It is not for you to know (N)times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive (O)power (P)when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and (Q)you will be (R)my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and (S)Samaria, and (T)to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, (U)he was lifted up, and (V)a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, (W)two (X)men stood by them in (Y)white robes, 11 and said, (Z)“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, (AA)will (AB)come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

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Footnotes
  1. Acts 1:4 Or eating
  2. Acts 1:5 Or in
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
INTRODUCTION TO ACTS Many have understood 'Acts'' as referring to the acts of the apostles. However, it is the Holy Spirit who is seen to guide, empower and control every event, so perhaps it is more appropriate to understand this book primarily as the acts of the Holy Spirit. In the first part, Chapters 1-12, Apostle Peter takes a prominent role among the apostles and later, from Chapters 13-28, Apostle Paul's ministry is mainly recorded. The key verse of Acts is 1:8. 'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.' This was the very last command of Jesus and provides a kind of index of contents for the whole book because it records the gospel spreading out from Jerusalem in chapters 1-7, through all Judea and Samaria in chapters 8:1-11:18 and finally to the whole world as symbolised by Rome (11:19-28:31). Through Acts we can learn God's heart and vision for world salvation and the role of the Holy Spirit in accomplishing Jesus' great world mission command. Luke wrote Acts. The book reveals his scholarship as a historian and eyewitness attention to detail. It is thought that as Paul's dear friend, travelling companion and doctor (Col 4:14) he would have been able to interview Peter, John and other apostles in Jerusalem. It is likely he wrote his account during Paul's two-year imprisonment in Caesarea (circa AD 6 -62), before sailing to Rome. The book ends rather abruptly, in fact it does not finish. The Holy Spirt is continuing his work through believers in each generation as we preach the good news of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth, until he returns. YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES 1. Wait for the Holy Spirit (1-7) Luke had written his gospel and now the book of Acts to Theophilus, a name that means "lover of God." After Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared to his disciples over a period of forty days. He wanted to convince them of the fact of his resurrection and victory over sin and death. He also spoke about the kingdom of God. The disciples still had a worldly dream to restore the kingdom to Israel. However, Jesus wanted them to lead all people into his eternal kingdom, through faith in his death and resurrection. 2. You will receive power (8-11) The disciples were very limited in their wisdom, experience, and character. They had hardly travelled outside of Galilee, how could they be Jesus' witnesses to the ends of the earth? They could when they received the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would equip them to witness to Jesus in every situation. The Greek word for witness implies "martyr." They would burn with God's love for lost souls and give their lives to see Jesus' gospel reach the ends of the earth.

Prayer: Help me to witness to Jesus in the power of your Holy Spirit.

One Word: Jesus' witness to the ends of the earth