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Acts 1:1-11

Acts 1:1-3

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, (Life and death of Jesus)2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 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. 

Our Mission: Lives Transformed by The Gospel!

Ezekiel 36:26-28

26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you… 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. 

John 14:16,18

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

Acts 1:4-5

4 And while staying 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; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”  

• I can have the Holy Spirit but the Holy Spirit may not have me!

Acts 1:6-7

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

Acts 1:9

9 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. (didn’t ascend to get away from them – but to empower them) 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.     

“It isn’t that God has a mission for His Church, it’s that God has a church for His mission.”  ~Ed Stetzer 

Consumer vs. Missionary

Consumer:  I can experience God by myself  (you were made to connect with others – commands in the NT plural!)

Missionary:  I can experience more of God with others    

Consumer:  I can participate in whatever I want to  (I’m the head)

Missionary:  I should embrace what the bible says about the church  (Christ is the head)      

Consumer:  I’m committed as long as my needs are met

Missionary:  I serve others needs through the church

Consumer:  What can the church do for me?

Missionary:  What can I do for the church?

Is the object of the church you or others? – NOT ABOUT ME 

• He is with us!  Jesus in us is better than Jesus beside us!