“Promised Power” – Acts 1:1-11

R.C. Sproul, Acts,

An alternate title that could be given to the book, one that I favor, is “The History of the Acts of the Holy Spirit.” Since it was inspired by the Holy Spirit and is a record of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the apostolic church and on the ministry of that church, one could even go so far as to call it “The Autobiography of the Holy Spirit.” (R.C. Sproul, Acts, 2).

 

What follows in the rest of Acts is a drama of the highest magnitude—the drama of the obedience of the early church to the mission that Christ had given to it. (R.C. Sproul, Acts, 5).

 

The theme of Acts is this: the church’s obedience to Christ’s commission and commandment to be His witnesses as the ascended King, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. (R.C. Sproul, Acts, 6)

 

He will return in glory. In the meantime, it is time to go to work, fulfilling the Great Commission. (R.C. Sproul, Acts, 10).

 

Phillip A. Bence, Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition,

People considering a decision for Christ need to understand the origins and early days of the movement they might join. (Phillip A. Bence, Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition, Kindle Edition)

 

It might be good for Christians today to ask why the evangelical church, with a large percentage of the North American population in its membership, is not affecting its society in larger ways. (Phillip A. Bence, Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition, Kindle Edition)

 

Luke was a Gentile. In Colossians 4:10-11, Paul mentions Aristarchus, John Mark, and Jesus, also called Justus, as being “the only Jews among [his] fellow workers.” Paul then goes on to describe three more colleagues, including Luke, who must have been Gentiles. Among all the New Testament writers, Luke was the only one who had not descended from Abraham. Luke was an “adopted member” of God’s family, and yet he wrote a larger proportion of the New Testament than any other inspired writer. The grace God gave to Luke, He still gives to us.(Phillip A. Bence, Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition, Kindle Edition)

 

Luke was a medical doctor. Obviously, today’s physicians view ancient medical knowledge and training as quite primitive. Even so, skills of observation and attention to detail would have served the ancient doctor as much as his contemporary counterpart. Luke’s medical training would have prepared him for his primary career as well as for work in historical research and writing. (Phillip A. Bence, Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition, Kindle Edition)

 

Who was Theophilus, the named recipient of both volumes of the two-volume set of Luke and Acts (see Luke 1:3; Acts 1:1)? His identity remains one of the puzzles of biblical history. Biblical scholars have been able to offer nothing but guesses. The only solid hint Luke gives us is the honor that he gave to Theophilus, calling him “most excellent” (Luke 1:3). The only other New Testament people to receive such acclaim were the Roman governors Felix and Festus. Luke saw Theophilus as one deserving great respect. The name Theophilus is derived from two Greek words meaning “God” and “love.” Either from his parents’ early hopes, or by his own personal piety, Theophilus was described as a “God-lover.” (Phillip A. Bence, Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition, Kindle Edition)

 

To best understand Acts, readers should see it as the second half of a two-volume set. Luke makes this clear, in Acts 1:1, both by his reference to his “former book” and by addressing the second volume to the same recipient, Theophilus. (Phillip A. Bence, Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition, Kindle Edition)

 

Volume 1 of Luke’s set deals with roughly the first third of the first century; the second volume describes events which occurred in the next thirty years. The last verses of the Gospel and the first verses of Acts cover the same events. Why did Luke include this overlap? Luke wanted both books to help his readers look back to previous events and to underline the importance of future events. You have probably watched a television miniseries. The first minutes of the second and subsequent episodes give a synopsis of how the story has developed to that point. This overlap both helps viewers to remember what has happened and prepares them to watch the story further unfold. Luke wished to accomplish the same goals. People picking up his second volume would need to know they were moving into the middle of a story. (Phillip A. Bence, Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition, Kindle Edition)

 

Notice how the last words Jesus spoke in the Gospel (see Luke 24:45-49) parallel the first words Jesus spoke in Acts (see Acts 1:4-5, 8): “You should stay in Jerusalem. You will receive power from God. You will be witnesses. Through you, the nations will hear the good news.” Why does Luke include this repetition? To tie the two books together. The same Jesus who was the central figure before His own death remained the central figure after His resurrection. (Phillip A. Bence, Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition, Kindle Edition)

 

The Ascension left the disciples feeling bereft; perhaps they still felt disappointed that the Kingdom had not come as they felt sure it would. God was gracious; He sent them angels to encourage them and to remind them that the One who had just left them in the clouds would return in the clouds to end all time. Although the end had not yet come, they should not give up. The angels invited the Eleven (and us) to believe that the kingdom of God had truly invaded this world. Likewise, they help us to anticipate the day when the kingdom of God will replace the kingdoms of this world. (Phillip A. Bence, Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition, Kindle Edition)

 

Jesus will come. This knowledge gives us perspective. The world in which we live remains a fallen world, but we can see that nothing will prevent the coming of the new world. (Phillip A. Bence, Acts: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition, Kindle Edition)

 

Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts,

Luke was a close friend and companion of Paul. He is listed as the writer of the gospel bearing his name by nearly all the ancient church fathers, including Justin Martyr (A.D. 100–165), Irenaeus (c. A.D. 120–200), and Tertullian (A.D. 160–230); all agree on Luke. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, xi).

 

Although the writer does not identify himself by name anywhere in the book, he does use the pronoun “we” beginning with 16:10, thereby indicating that the writer had joined Paul in his journeys in Troas at that point. As such, Luke must have become one of Paul’s coworkers, which is what Paul explicitly acknowledges in Philemon 1:24. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, xii).

 

Christianity was recognized by the Roman authorities before A.D. 65, but then Nero began persecuting followers of the Christian faith. Yet Acts makes no mention of this persecution. It also does not comment on the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, something that would surely have been mentioned if Luke had written in the 70s. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, xiv-xv)

 

Noting that the gospel account, probably written A.D. 60–61, was the first of his two books to Theophilus (1:1), the two books probably were written within a short time of each other, possibly during Luke’s stays with Paul while in prison in Caesarea (23:33) and Rome (28:14-16). (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, xv)

 

The book of Acts, written by Luke, picks up where Luke’s Gospel left off, providing details of the birth and early years of the church that Jesus had promised to build. Together the two books, Luke and Acts, form a seamless account of how the followers of Jesus “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6 NKJV) by taking the good news of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8 NLT). (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 1)

 

When addressing Theophilus in Luke 1:3, Luke called him “most excellent.” A proper name with a title indicates that this was probably a real person, someone who belonged to the nobility, possibly as a high-ranking Roman official. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 1)

 

The early Christians did not believe in the resurrection of Christ because they could not find his dead body; they believed because they did find a living Christ. C. T. Craig

Acts (Life Application Bible Commentary) (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 2)

 

Studying and using convincing proofs for the defense of Christianity (apologetics) is a valuable tool today. Not only does it help confirm the faith of Christians, but it also functions to help unbelievers come to faith. Many Christians today owe their conversion, humanly speaking, to the work of C. S. Lewis, whose apologetic arguments in Mere Christianity led them to believe. C. S. Lewis himself was converted by means of these kinds of arguments. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 3)

 

So we have the two aspects of Christianity that would soon spread like wildfire from the temple porticoes in Jerusalem: (1) convinced witnesses who had been with the resurrected Christ; and (2) a clear message of Christ’s desire to rule in people’s hearts and of his promise to return (1:3-10). (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 4-5)

 

The Holy Spirit was sent so that God would be with and within his followers after Christ returned to heaven. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 6)

 

During the years of Jesus’ ministry on earth, the disciples continually had wondered about the coming of the kingdom and what their roles would be in it. In the traditional view, the Messiah would be an earthly conqueror who would free Israel from Rome. But the kingdom about which Jesus spoke was first of all a “spiritual” kingdom established in the hearts and lives of believers (Luke 17:21); behind it was the earthly kingdom that Christ promised to institute at his return. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 7)

 

“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.” This is the last recorded statement of Christ on earth. It is thus final, authoritative, and of utmost importance. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 8)

 

God’s gospel has not reached its final destination if someone in your family, your workplace, your school, or your community hasn’t heard about Jesus Christ. How are you contributing to the ever expanding testimony of God’s mercy and grace? (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 10)

 

The great thing is to be found at one’s post as a child of God, living each day as though it were our last, but planning as though our world might last a hundred years. C. S. Lewis

Acts (Life Application Bible Commentary) (p. 11). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

 

History is not haphazard or cyclical; it is moving toward a specific point—the return of Jesus to judge and rule over the earth. We should be ready for his sudden return (1 Thessalonians 5:2), not by standing around “staring at the sky” but by working hard to spread the Good News and help build Christ’s church so that others will be able to share in God’s great blessings. (Grant R. Osborne, Life application Bible Commentary: Acts, 11).

 

Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts,

We have all to ask, not where we should be most at ease, but where we shall be most efficient as witnesses for Christ, and to remember that very often the presence of adversaries makes the door ‘great and effectual.’ (Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts, 7)

 

Waiting times are not wasted times. Over-eagerness to rush into work, especially into conspicuous and perilous work, is sure to end in defeat. Till we feel the power coming into us, we had better be still. (Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts, 7)

 

Our Lord does not deal with their misconceptions which could only be cured by time and events; but He lays down great principles, which we need as much as the Eleven did. The ‘times and seasons,’ the long stretches of days, and the critical epoch-making moments, are known to God only; our business is, not to speculate curiously about these, but to do the plain duty which is incumbent on the Church at all times. The perpetual office of Christ’s people to be His witnesses, their equipment for that function (namely, the power of the Holy Spirit coming on them), and the sphere of their work (namely, in ever-widening circles, Jerusalem, Samaria, and the whole world), are laid down, not for the first hearers only, but for all ages and for each individual, in these last words of the Lord as He stood on Olivet, ready to depart. (Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts, 8)

 

Luke has left plenty of blank paper at the end of his second ‘treatise,’ on which he meant that succeeding generations should write their partial contributions to the completed work. (Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts, 15)

 

The New Testament gives little encouragement to a sentimental view of life. Its writers had too much to do, and too much besides to think about, for undue occupation with pensive remembrances or imaginative forecastings. (Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts, 19)

 

The Spirit of God is the true Interpreter of Providence. He calms our nature, and enlightens our understanding to grasp the meaning of all our experiences. The Spirit makes

joy more blessed, by keeping us from undue absorption in it. (Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture: The Acts, 21)

 

Arnold E. Airhart, Beacon Bible Expositions: Acts,

Jesus’ words (v. 5) are reminiscent of the prophecy of John the Baptist to whom they refer. (Cf. Matt. 3:11-12.) John’s baptism with water was unto repentance. The baptism with the Spirit is Jesus’ baptism and is for spiritual purity and power. It became possible because the crucified, ascended, and exalted Lord received in His glorified humanity that gift on behalf of men and bestowed it upon His obedient followers. (Arnold E. Airhart, Beacon Bible Expositions: Acts, 19)

 

There is the contrast in the disciples between the absence of full knowledge even amounting to misunderstanding and the presence of a divine and sufficient power. It was not for them (or us) to know, and it is profitless to speculate on either the duration or the time periods in God’s plan for the Church. What was to be theirs was the gracious strength to see it through. God’s most precious gift is entirely compatible with our necessary human limitations. (Arnold E. Airhart, Beacon Bible Expositions: Acts, 21)

 

The 40 days between the Resurrection and the Ascension constituted a transition period in the relationship of the disciples with the Lord. Vital lessons were being learned as again and again He appeared and then vanished from their sight. For the disciples, the Ascension marked the end of our Lord’s earthly and visible ministry, but it would be another 10 days until, at Pentecost, the new relationship through the Spirit would be fully inaugurated. (Arnold E. Airhart, Beacon Bible Expositions: Acts, 22)

 

He who in the miracle of incarnation took unto himself our real humanity did not and never will lay it aside. The One in the heavens at the Father’s right hand who intercedes for us is a glorified man, one of us forever. The hand He reaches out to us is the hand of Deity to be sure, but it is also a human hand. (Arnold E. Airhart, Beacon Bible Expositions: Acts, 23)

 

Craig S. Keener, Acts, Vol. 1,

Before the Spirit is poured out (2:1–47), the exact contours of the group of apostolic witnesses are carefully defined (1:15–26). The transition between volumes 1 and 2, then, is a transition of leadership from Jesus to the apostles (the Spirit working through both) and from Jesus’s active ministry in person to his continuing ministry through his name (2:38; 3:6) and (most regularly emphasized in Acts) the Spirit (2:33). (Craig S. Keener, Acts, Vol. 1, 642)

 

Acts traces this continuing story through the Jerusalem church (exemplified especially in Peter) and the mission as far as Rome, particularly through Paul, Luke’s prime agent in the Gentile mission. If Luke’s first volume was “all that Jesus began to do and teach” (Acts 1:1; see comment there), his second volume might be titled “What Jesus’s Followers Continued to Do and Teach” (cf. the emphasis on apostolic teaching in 2:42),33 with a special focus on Peter and Paul. (Craig S. Keener, Acts, Vol. 1, 645)

 

Prefaces by educated authors follow typical rhetorical conventions. Greek historians reused themes from prefaces in Herodotus and Thucydides, including “the praise of history, the claim of impartiality and the permanent value of the subject.” They typically used some of the following stock topoi in their prefaces, some of which Luke also uses:24

1. “Requests and dedications”
2. Apology for substandard
3. Discussion of history’s usefulness
4. Brief discussion of predecessors (often negatively)
5. Claim to be impartial
6. Discussion of, and claim to, using proper methods
7. Reasons for having selected the topic (Craig S. Keener, Acts, Vol. 1, 649)

 

Given the attached title (“most excellent”) in Luke 1:3, “Theophilus” is almost certainly a real name. (Craig S. Keener, Acts, Vol. 1, 657)

 

God’s “kingdom” is similarly the focus of many other summaries (e.g., 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 20:25; Luke 4:43; 8:1, 10; 9:2, 11, 60; 10:9; 16:16). This includes two teaching summaries that frame the concluding message of this book (Acts 28:23, 31), just as the kingdom dominates discussion in 1:3, 6. Kingdom teaching thus frames the book of Acts, connecting the movement’s message with that of Jesus in Luke’s Gospel. (Craig S. Keener, Acts, Vol. 1, 662)

 

The disciples by now understand that Jesus is the Messiah (Luke 24:46) but have not yet understood the implications for the present meaning of the kingdom. Luke-Acts portrays Jesus as heir to David’s throne, but the nature of his royalty is not immediately a “political, this-worldly restoration” or “re-establishment of the monarchy,” dramatically affecting the empire’s political situation.315 It redefines their hope and especially their immediate focus. (Craig S. Keener, Acts, Vol. 1, 684)

 

Contrary to the later Gentile church’s de-Judaized way of reading Scripture, Jesus does not deny that Israel’s restoration will come. Rather, he merely warns the disciples that it is not their place to know the times (1:7), the sort of detailed chronological map offered in some apocalyptic documents; instead, they must focus on their mission (1:8, which may function as a prerequisite for the end). (Craig S. Keener, Acts, Vol. 1, 687)

 

Because Luke views Gentile Christians as grafted into Israel’s heritage (to borrow Paul’s language in Rom 11:17–24), they are a welcome part of Israel’s restoration; that is, the church is part of eschatological Israel, and the restored remnant of Israel will also belong to the church. (Craig S. Keener, Acts, Vol. 1, 688)

 

The promise of Jesus’s return in this passage (implicitly associated with the time of the kingdom’s restoration, Acts 1:6) is to be regarded as no less certain than the promise of the Holy Spirit’s coming just treated in 1:3–8 (and fulfilled in 2:4). (Craig S. Keener, Acts, Vol. 1, 711)

 

1. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts,

That the risen Christ ate in the presence of his disciples when he appeared to them is stated explicitly in Luke 24:42-43 (cf. Acts 10:41). Plainly his resurrection body had no need of material food and drink for its sustenance. But Luke may imply that he took food in the company of his disciples, not for any personal need of his own, but in order to convince them that he was really present with them and that they were seeing no phantom. (F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, 34)

 

The time was now drawing very near, said Jesus, when these words of John would be fulfilled: “you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days’ time.” According to Old Testament prophecy, the days of fulfilment would be marked by a widespread outpouring of the Spirit of God,27 and John’s baptism in water not only prepared his repentant hearers for the coming judgment but also pointed them on to that spiritual baptism of which the prophets had spoken. (F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, 35)

 

John F. Walvoord, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament,

Acts 1:3 states that the Lord instructed the disciples about the kingdom. He certainly gave them the right impression as to its character and future coming. What Jesus discussed here (v. 7) was the time of the coming of the kingdom. The Greek word for times (chronous) basically describes duration of times, and the word for dates (kairous) refers to both length of times and kinds of times (as in, e.g., “hard times”). The disciples were not to know either the times or the critical periods the Father had set by His authority. Later, further revelation would be made concerning these (cf. 1 Thes. 5:1). (John F. Walvoord, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament, 354)

 

Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John and Acts,

 

The cloud is undoubtedly meant to symbolize the shekinah, the visible manifestation of the divine presence and glory. Such a cloud hovered above the tabernacle in the wilderness as a visible token of the glory of God that dwelt within the tabernacle (cf. Exod 40:34). Such a cloud enveloped Jesus and three of his disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration as a visible sign of God’s presence and his approval of his Son (cf. Mark 9:7, II). Something very similar is presented here: Jesus as the ascended Lord is enveloped by the shekinah cloud, the visible manifestation of God’s presence, glory, and approval. (Richard N. Longenecker, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, John and Acts, 258)

 

F.F. Bruce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: Acts

From the earliest times in Israel, God was acknowledged as king (cf. Ex. 15:18). His kingship is universal (Ps. 103:19), but is manifested most clearly where men and women recognize it in practice by doing his will. In Old Testament times his kingship was specially manifested on earth in the nation of Israel: to this nation he made known his will and he called it into covenant relationship with himself (cf. Ps. 147:20). When human kings arose over Israel, they were regarded as vicegerents of the divine King, representing his sovereignty on earth. With the fall of the monarchy and the end of national independence, there arose a new conception of the kingdom of God as destined to be revealed on earth in its fullness at a later date (cf. Dan. 2:44; 7:13–14). It is in the light of this later conception that we should understand the New Testament teaching about the kingdom of God. Jesus inaugurates the kingdom: it “drew near” with the inception of his public ministry (cf. Mark 1:14–15) and was released in power by his death and exaltation (cf. Mark 9:1). The things relating to the kingdom of God which form the theme of his post-resurrection teaching at the beginning of Acts are identical with “the things relating to the Lord Jesus Christ” which form the theme of Paul’s teaching in Rome at the end of the book (28:31). (F.F. Bruce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: Acts 52-3)

 

Plainly his resurrection body had no need of material food and drink for its sustenance. But Luke may imply that he took food in the company of his disciples, not for any personal need of his own, but in order to convince them that he was really present with them and that they were seeing no phantom. (F.F. Bruce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: Acts 54)

 

The words “a cloud received him out of their sight” are reminiscent of those with which the Gospel incident of the transfiguration comes to an end: “a cloud came and overshadowed them; … and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’ And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone” (Luke 9:34–36). They are reminiscent, too, of Jesus’ own language about the parousia of the Son of Man—“coming in clouds with great power and glory” (Mark 13:26); “coming with the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14:62). The transfiguration, the ascension (as here described), and the parousia are three successive manifestations of Jesus’ divine glory.37 The cloud in each case is to be understood as the cloud which envelops the glory of God (the shekhinah)—that cloud which, resting above the Mosaic tabernacle and filling Solomon’s temple, was the visible token to Israel that the divine glory had taken up residence there (Ex. 40:34; 1 Kings 8:10–11). So, in the last moment that the apostles saw their Lord with outward vision, they were granted “a theophany: Jesus is enveloped in the cloud of the divine presence.”38 (F.F. Bruce, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: Acts 57)

 

Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary,

We don’t know who Theophilus was or even if he was a believer, but Luke’s salutation suggests that he may have been an important Roman official (see Acts 23:26; 24:3; 26:25). Likely Theophilus was a Christian or at least a seeker who was carefully studying the Christian faith. His name means “friend of God,” and we hope he lived up to his name. (Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, 322)

 

The important thing is not to be curious about the future but to be busy in the present (Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, 323)

 

“Witness” is a key word in the book of Acts and is used twenty-nine times as either a verb or a noun. A witness is somebody who tells what he has seen and heard (Acts 4:19–20). When you are on the witness stand in court, the judge is not interested in your ideas or opinions; he only wants to hear what you know. (Warren Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, 323)

 

 

Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts,

When I was a boy in the Middle West, the summer months were punctuated by thunderstorms. I was fascinated by the amount of time which elapsed between the lightning and the thunder. My friends and I would count the seconds between the brilliant flashes of light which pierced the gray sky and the turbulent rumble of the thunder caused by the heating and expansion of the air along the line of the lightning flash. We would argue as lads about which we liked best—the lightning or the thunder. I supported a case for thunder without lightning. One day my father overheard us. “Son,” he said, “you can’t have the thunder without the lightning.” The first chapter of Acts is the account of what happened between the lightning of the incarnation of Christ and the thunder of Pentecost. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 23)

 

The major thing that Jesus did between the lightning of the incarnation and the thunder of Pentecost was to be sure His disciples understood how He would continue His ministry with them. Luke tells us “He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments.” This second verse can be rendered that Jesus taught His disciples about, or concerning, the Holy Spirit. He wanted them to know that after His ascension He would be back. The Holy Spirit would be His continuing, present tense ministry among them. They needed to know that the same Lord who had lived and died and been raised up for them would be the source of their power to live the abundant life He had promised them. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 28)

 

 

 

For Jesus, the kingdom meant the absolute reign and rule of God. Being born again was declared the qualification of entering it. He made that abundantly clear to Nicodemus (John 3:1-8). Only by beginning life all over, with a complete surrender, could anyone experience the promise that the kingdom of the Lord’s reign and rule would be within him or her. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 31)

 

We offer the Lord no place if it is second place. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 32)

 

lightning striking the clocktower to power the delorean

 

The idea of God being king of Israel goes back to the early history of the Exodus. He was considered greater than any pagan gods or rulers on earth. “The Lord shall reign forever and ever” (Exod. 15:18). The people of Israel were secure that this kingdom on earth was His chosen people. The Davidic kingdom was the closest they had come to God’s kingdom in their history. When that kingdom was divided and when Israel eventually lost its political power and independence, the Kingdom of God was envisioned in the future when they would return to that time of David’s glory. That’s why there were so many questions asked by Israel’s leaders about whether Jesus was the true son of David. The Messiah was expected to return Israel to the grandeur of international power and political freedom. His peace was understood to be the result of victory over other nations and the supremacy of God’s people as a theocracy. God reigning over Israel and Israel a military leader of the world were the vision and hope. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 36)

 

1. F. Bruce translates the Greek of that as, “It does not belong to you to know,” i.e., “It is not your concern.” What is not within the purvey of our responsibility is knowledge of the times or seasons. The Greek words are chronos and kairos. Chronos denotes a space of time or duration of time. Kairos is event-oriented time. For example, chronos would be used to describe the length of time of the germination, sprouting, cultivating, and growth of a field of grain; kairos would be used for the actual time of harvesting. The time spent working on a degree would be chronos and kairos would be the time of the awarding of the degree. W. E. Vine is helpful here. He says, “Broadly speaking, chronos expresses the duration of a period, kairos stresses it as marked by certain features . . . chronos marks quantity, kairos quality.” The point for the disciples—and us—is that both kinds of time are under the control and planning of the Lord’s strategy. How long we must wait and what will be given at the end of the wait is up to Him. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 39)

 

We’ve all chaffed under the impatience of waiting times. We want everything yesterday. We ruminate over our problems and finally pray about them and expect an immediate answer. The Lord waits until we are able to appropriate the answer. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 39)

 

What I sense Jesus is saying to the disciples and to us in His response, is that the power of His Spirit will be entrusted to people who can accept His authority over timing. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 39)

 

Oswald Chambers puts this into perspective. We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God can do and that God will not do what we can do. It is in the chronos that we do what we can do; the propitious intervention to do what only He can do will be done on His timing and by His power. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 40)

 

There are very few examples in two thousand years of Christian history of people becoming Christians with no direct or indirect influence from witnesses in whom the Savior communicated His love…Augustine was alone when he gave his life to the pursuing Savior, but his mother, Monica, was praying!  (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 41)

 

We are to die to ourselves and our control of our privacy and schedules and become available to share by life and action what Christ means to us and can mean to others. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 41)

 

Who has the Lord put on our agenda to love and introduce to Him? Who now is alive forever because we cared about him or her and were used as the Lord’s spiritual obstetrician? (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 41)

 

The Lord’s power will not be squandered on us for long if we refuse to be channels of His grace as witnesses. (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 42)

 

A further preparation for the power of Pentecost was the Lord’s ascension. This essential doctrine, which is a part of the Apostle’s Creed, makes an excellent springboard for the communicator from at least two vantage points. The first is the event itself and what happened to Jesus through it. The second is the response of the disciples and what happened to them because of it. Both are related to the descending of the divine to the human so that the human could be ascended to the divine. Put another way, in the sagacity of the Church Fathers, “Christ became what we are in order to make us what He is.” (Lloyd J. Ogilvie, The Communicator’s Commentary: Acts, 43)