Lesson 253 - Junior
Memory Verse
"While they beheld, he was taken up: and a cloud received him out of their sight" (Acts 1:9).
Notes
The Acts
The first four Books of the New Testament are called the Gospels. They tell the good news of salvation. They tell about Jesus and His life. During the time that Jesus lived here upon the earth, He chose disciples and taught them His plan for Christian living. Jesus taught by giving the example in His own life. Jesus did not teach one thing and do another thing. He taught, and then practised what He said, to prove that His Word is true. He taught His disciples by being with them, and showing them how to be Christians.
Jesus taught by parables, in a simple way that even the common people and children could understand. "Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people" [MAT:4:23]). Jesus performed great miracles, showing His power over all things. "The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preach to them" [MAT:11:5]).
The fifth Book of the New Testament is called "The Acts of the Apostles." It tells us about the work of Jesus' disciples and their obedience in teaching Jesus' commandments. Jesus taught and worked with His disciples "until the day in which he was taken up." That day he ascended into Heaven. His ascension was His leaving the disciples and going into Heaven, as He told them He would do. Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you.... that where I am, there ye may be also" [JHN:14:2-3]).
Resurrection
After Jesus rose from the grave on the first Easter morning, He appeared to His followers at different times over a period of forty days. During that time he gave proof that He had risen from the dead. The things that Jesus did after His resurrection proved that He was alive. There was a sureness about His resurrection, and Jesus gave the disciples no chance to be mistaken about His being alive.
The disciples knew that Jesus was alive because He appeared and showed Himself to them. No once, but several times! Not only to one person, but to groups of His followers! [1CO:15:5-7]). Jesus walked and talked with them [LUK:24:13-27]). He ate with them [LUK:24:41-43]). He showed them the wounds of the nails in His hands, and the place where the spear pierced His side [JHN:20:20]). Jesus talked to the disciples about their work for the Kingdom of God [LUK:24:44-49]; [MAT:28:16-20]; [MAK:16:14-18]). All these things gave evidence that Jesus was living.
The Comforter
Before Jesus had been crucified, He had talked to His disciples about leaving them. He comforted them by saying that He would come again to receive them [JHN:14:2-4]). Jesus said that the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, would be sent to the disciples. After Jesus left, they would not be alone, because the Comforter would abide with them and in them [JHN:14:16-17], [JHN:14:26]). Jesus mentioned some of the things that the Comforter would do: teach the disciples [JHN:14:26]), guide them [JHN:16:13]), testify of Christ [JHN:15:26]), and reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement [JHN:16:8]).
At another time Jesus told the disciples what their work was to be. They were to teach the Gospel in all the world. In our preceding lesson we read about this commission that Jesus gave His disciples. But before they went out into the world to preach, they were commanded to receive the Comforter, which was the promise of the Father [LUK:24:49]). The time had now come for Jesus' departure. He had given the disciples their instructions, along with a promise to be with them [MAT:28:20]).
The Mount of Olives
The last that Jesus talked with His disciples was at Bethany, at the mount of Olives [MAK:11:1]; [LUK:19:29];[LUK:24:50];). The disciples asked Jesus if He would restore the kingdom to Israel at this time. It had been promised by God that the kingdom of the Jewish people would be restored. "I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellers as at the beginning" [ISA:1:26]). "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgement and justice in the earth" [JER:23:5]).
At this time they were under the government of the Romans. They longed for the day when the promise would be fulfilled. The disciples expected Jesus to set up an earthly kingdom when He was upon earth. They thought He would restore the Jewish kingdom then [LUK:24:21]). Jesus did not say He would not be the ruler of all the people. To this day the promise has not yet been fulfilled; but we, too, are looking forward to the time when the "kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever" [REV:11:15]).
No one knows the day when Jesus will take His place as "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS" [REV:19:16]). Only God the Father knows when that time will be. Jesus told His disciples, which includes us, that it was not for them "to know the times or the seasons." They had work to do. It was for them to prepare for Jesus' return and to spread the Gospel. Jesus commanded the disciples to wait for the "promise of the Father" about which He had told them. The disciples were commanded not to depart from Jerusalem, because there was a wonderful blessing in store for them. Jesus told them that they were to receive another baptism other than that of John the Baptist. In a few days they would be baptised with the Holy Ghost.
Water Baptism
John the Baptist baptised in water and preached "the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" [MAK:1:4]). When the people went to John to be baptised, he told them that they must first repent, then they could be baptised, John said, "Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance" [MAT:3:8]).
Some people wondered if John the Baptism was the Christ and Messiah who was promised. John was not Christ. John was the forerunner who prepared the way for Christ. John testified of Christ and said: "I indeed baptise you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and with fire" [LUK:3:16]).
Witnesses
In order to be a follower of Jesus, one must truly repent as John taught, and as Jesus taught [LUK:13:3]). When one has repented and knows that his sins are forgiven, he is saved. He then should consecrate his life to the Lord and pray that God will take out the root of sin in his life that he may be sanctified. "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification" [1TS:4:3]). Jesus suffered and shed His Blood that His people might be sanctified " cleansed from inbred sin [HEB:13:12]). Jesus prayed for His disciples to be sanctified. He said, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" [JHN:17:17]).
In order for Jesus' disciples properly to witness for Him, they were commanded to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost. They would receive power which would make them witnesses and enable them to "preach the gospel to every creature" as they were commanded.
After they were baptised with the Holy Ghost, which gave them power, they were to witness for Jesus. They were to start in Jerusalem, where they would receive God's promise. From there they would witness in all the land about, in all Judea, and in Samaria. They were to witness not only in their own land and continent, but God's people were to spread the Gospel and witness to the uttermost parts of the earth.
Ascending into Heaven
As Jesus was talking to His disciples, he lifted His hands and blessed them [LUK:24:50];[LUK:24:51]). As He did so, He began to rise, higher and higher, into the sky. As the disciples watched, a cloud gathered about Jesus -" and they saw Him no more. Jesus had ascended into Heaven. He was not snatched away by angels nor in a chariot. He did not disappear when the disciples' backs were turned. They saw Him ascend to Heaven. There He sat down at the right hand of God the Father [MAK:16:19]; [1PE:3:22]) and there Jesus is interceding for men [ROM:8:34]; [HEB:7:25]).
As the disciples continued to watch the cloud, two men in white garments stood by them. They asked the disciples: "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." The disciples realised that Jesus was gone. Now they had work to do in spreading the Gospel, but they remembered to follow Jesus' instructions. They went to an upper room in Jerusalem. They tarried there, and continued in one accord and in supplication. About 120 of Jesus' followers, including His mother and brethren, gathered to pray.
Matthias
Peter brought to their attention the fact that someone must be chosen to fill the place left vacant by Judas, who had betrayed Christ. Judas had been one of the disciples [MAT:10:4]; [LUK:6:16]). He forsook Christ and the other disciples. He sinned by selling Christ for thirty pieces of silver. But he cast the money down in the Temple, saying, "I have betrayed the innocent blood" [MAT:27:4]). Since it was unlawful for the chief priests to put blood money into the treasury, they agreed to buy a plot of ground with it. It was called the "potter's field," and was a place in which strangers were buried. To return the money neither blotted out Judas' sin nor restored him to a place among the disciples.
The great place of duty and privilege which Judas left when he forsook Christ was soon filled. Matthias was numbered with the eleven. Matthias had been with the others all the time that Jesus was with them, from the time of John's baptism even until Jesus' ascension. The disciples prayed to ask the Lord to choose, and the lot fell upon Matthias. Later on Paul was called to be the Apostle [ROM:1:1]; [GAL:1:1]).
Watching for Jesus' Return
Jesus had left His disciples, as He had said. They waited in the appointed place for the Comforter. No doubt, in their hearts was a great joy, because they would see Jesus again: "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" [JHN:14:3]).
The disciples had been told to watch and pray because no man knows the day nor hour when Jesus will come again [MAT:25:13]; [MAK:13:32-33]). They were told to take heed lest the day of Jesus' return come upon them unawares [LUK:13:37]). What does it mean to "watch"? Someone has said: "To watch means to believe that He will come, to love His appearing, to think always of His coming, and to realise that the time is near." Are you watching? Are you prepared and waiting for Jesus' coming? The return of Jesus will be a great joy to those who are watching, and it will be a sad day for those who are not prepared.
Questions
1. What was the work of John the Baptist?
2. What did Jesus do besides teach?
3. What proof did Jesus give that He was alive after rising from the grave?
4. Why did not Jesus set up an earthly kingdom at that time?
5. What is the difference between water baptism and the baptism of the Holy Ghost?
6. What was the promise of the Father?
7. Where and how did the disciples wait for the promise of the Father?
8. Tell about Jesus' ascension.
9. What were the words of the two men in white apparel?
10. Who was chosen to take Judas' place?