ACTS SERIES: FINAL INSTRUCTIONS – CHAPTER 1

Luke, the physician, once again is writing to Theophilus, the same person to whom he addressed the book of Luke. In that book, he shared the story of Jesus’s life on earth, and in Acts, he wrote approximately the next thirty years of the saga of Jesus’s followers after His ascension.

Luke starts this memoir by sharing that after His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus spent forty days on earth proving He was indeed alive, communing, and teaching his disciples (1 Corinthians 15:6; Acts 1:3).  At this last gathering before His ascension, He gives them some vital life changing instructions. They were to remain in Jerusalem until they received the promise of the Father that He had previously spoken about at their last supper (John 14:16 -18, 26; 15:26; 16:7-11,13). This promise which was the Holy Spirit would guide, comfort, and teach them, plus assist them in recalling what Jesus had told them.

Also, at this last meeting the disciples asked Jesus the question that was their nationalistic hope and foremost in their mind, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” In turn, Jesus informed them that God knows the time and they were not privy to it. Then He tells them when the Holy Spirit comes on them, they will have the power to share the good news of the gospel to the people in Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. For the disciples, the uttermost part of the earth would be the great cities of Asia Minor and Greece, which were seen in Paul’s travels to Philippi, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, and Rome.

Immediately following, they saw Jesus ascending into the heavens via the clouds. Their unwavering gaze was interrupted by two men in white apparel who stood by them and informed them that Jesus would one day return in the same way they just saw Him depart. Leaving Mount Olivet, they returned to an upper room in Jerusalem, where one hundred and twenty gathered to pray and supplicate God in one accord.

Peter stood up amid them and proposed, according to the scriptures, that they needed to choose a successor to Judas Iscariot, who was remorseful and committed suicide after he betrayed Jesus (Matthew 27:3-10; Psalm 69:25; 109:8). Additionally, Peter shared that whoever was chosen should have been one of Jesus’s faithful followers during his three-year ministry and a witness to Jesus’s resurrection. To this end, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias was chosen. The group prayed, asking God for direction, and drew lots between the two candidates, with Matthias being chosen.

Since then, people have questioned the validity of the group choosing another apostle because nothing in scripture talks about Matthias after this selection. However, this is not a good argument because nothing is said about eighty percent of the other apostles.