Daily Bible Reading (Friday, May 4th)

8

Acts 1 (ESV)

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 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.

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

The Ascension

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

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.[c]

15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong[d] he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,

“‘May his camp become desolate,
    and let there be no one to dwell in it’;

and

“‘Let another take his office.’

21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Footnotes:

  1. Acts 1:4 Or eating
  2. Acts 1:5 Or in
  3. Acts 1:14 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters; also verse 15
  4. Acts 1:18 Or swelling up

8 Comments

I loved your post, Ben, picking up on Peter’s leadership in a time of the unknown. Thanks for that.

v11 “why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way you saw Him go into heaven.” He’s coming back not as the sacrificial lamb of God but as the King! What an amazing day that will be! Maranatha!

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” May we be faithful to fulfill our mission and spread Christ's name to the ends of the earth!

The Holy Spirit gives us the power to witness for Christ. What are we waiting for? Praying that the Lord will give us boldness to speak of Him.

The promised Holy Spirit has not yet come and the disciples do not seem to know what this will look like or how it will happen to them. While they pray and wait I imagine this may have been a time when they could be tempted to fear, with Jesus ascended and the Holy Spirit not yet descended. Peter’s leadership in trusting that everything that happened with Judas is according to God’s purpose allows the disciples to move into the next step of obedience in selecting another apostle to take His place. I pray that we will all recognize God’s sovereign and control over all of the events in our life as well so that we can be free to trust Him in the next step of obedience He reveals to each of us through His word, however small that may seem.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you" (v.8). Jesus didn't just go to heaven and leave me, he gave me His Holy Spirit and power. I'm not living the christian life on my own, but by the power of the same Holy Spirit who empowered Jesus the Man. I have no excuse for my sin, no reason to fear, no cause to be timid. I have the very power of God in my life. Praise God.

Every sentence in verses one through eight is filled with the authority of Jesus! And when His apostles ask about Jesus restoring the kingdom of Israel, He doesn’t tell them they have their theology wrong, He simply tells them they don’t get to know the timing; there is a future for Israel in accordance with the promises of God. Question: When the New Jerusalem is revealed, will it be Matthias‘s name or Paul‘s name that is written on the 12th foundation stone? I’m going with Paul. See you Sunday!

Verse 8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” All the earth! So this could read, “Witnesses in Jerusalem....and to all of San Antonio!” Heavenly Father thank you for sending a helper. We need the Holy Spirit daily. Help us to live and walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16, 25). I ask that you’d use the members of Believers Fellowship as witnesses to your gospel in all of San Antonio. Amen!

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