In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instruction through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen. Acts 1:1, 2
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God Jesus Christ Holy Spirit Apostles Disciples Angels |
The Father promised the gift of the Holy Spirit. 5 Father set times and dates by His own authority. 7
After His resurrection, Jesus spent forty days teaching the kingdom of God. 3 (See page 2). He was taken up into heaven. 9 One of the first prayer requests made by the apostles to Jesus after He ascended to His throne was to tell them who He wanted to take Judas’ apostolic ministry, Matthias or Justus. 24 In a short time after Jesus ascended and the apostles were baptized with the Holy Spirit. 4, 5 They received power. 8 The Holy Spirit had spoken by the mouth of David about Judas Iscariot long ago. 16 Jesus commanded the apostles to wait in Jerusalem until they were baptized (immersed) with the Holy Spirit. 4 After the power came they were to witness for Him in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. 8 Finally, they watched Jesus ascend into heaven from the Mount of Olives. 10, 11 They returned to Jerusalem and met in an upstairs room in Jerusalem. 12, 13 Lots were cast in order to know who Jesus chose to replace Judas. His choice was Matthias. 26 About 120 believers gathered in Jerusalem with the eleven apostles after Jesus returned to heaven. 15 Some women were present. Jesus’ mother and His brothers were present. 14 Two men dressed in white (angels) told the disciples Jesus would return from heaven. 10, 11 |
This series of biblical interpretation aids, charts and lessons have been put together to assist Bible teachers in young churches.
There is a great need for teachers in churches that have been
Acts 1
started by missionary efforts. This is not a commentary on Acts;
therefore, the charts and lessons have been designed to assist Bible teacher’s with their class preparation. All Christians should apply proper biblical principles for reading the different kinds of literature in the Bible. This material is designed for reading a narrative.
What Jesus Did and Taught in the Forty Days
Acts 1:1-3. In the former book: Luke wrote what Jesus did and taught until He was taken up to heaven. We need to keep these thoughts in mind; that is, what Jesus did and taught in Luke and the other Gospels as we read the “Acts of the Apostles.” Now, let us think about what Jesus did and taught in the forty day period after God, the Father, raised Him from His physical death and the time He was taken up to heaven. Read Acts 1:1-11.
- What we know from the Bible about what Jesus did in the forty days after His resurrection from His physical death:
- Matt. 28:9. Greetings to the sisters at the tomb. Then Jesus said, “Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see Me.”
- Mark 16:9. Mary Magdalene was one of the women.
- Mark 16:12. Jesus appeared to two men walking in the country.
- Luke 24:13-18. Luke told the name of one of the men and the village to which the road led. “Emmaus & Cleopas.”
- John 20:19-26. Jesus appeared to the disciples, probably, in Jerusalem the next Sunday after His resurrection. Then a week later He met with them again when Thomas was present.
- Acts 10:41. Peter told Cornelius and his household, “He (Jesus) was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen – by us who ate and drank with Him after He rose for the dead.”
- Acts 13:30, 31. Paul told the Jews at the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch, “But God raised Him from the dead,
and for many days He was seen by those who had traveled with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now His witnesses to our people.”
- John 21:1. Sometime during the forty days, Jesus met Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James and John for a fish breakfast by the Sea of Tiberias.
- I Cor. 15:5-7. In addition to these people, Jesus was seen by more than 500 people including His half-brother, James.
- Acts 1:4-11. Finally, Jesus met with eleven of the twelve Apostles on the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem from which He ascended into heaven.
- We don’t know what Jesus did during the forty days; however, we do know what He taught. He taught the kingdom of God. When we think about a kingdom, we generally think about four main aspects of a kingdom:
- Authorities, territory, citizens and the law that governs the life of the citizens.
- By reading Matt. 28:18, we understand Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and earth.
So we know Jesus is the authority and heaven and earth is the territory.
The citizens are those who have been baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit. They are the ones who obey everything Jesus taught the Apostles to teach.
- By reading John 18:37, we understand the citizens of the kingdom of Jesus Christ are those of us who are on the side of truth. Truth is the law of His kingdom.
- John 14:6. “I am the way and the truth and the life.”
