Words of Jesus 68

I won't be covering the whole book of Acts here but only the words of Jesus and verses accompanying the actual words of Jesus.

• Acts 1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

Luke is referring to the gospel of Luke in which he wrote of the life and works of Jesus. He continues now to cover the period following Jesus' return to heaven.

• Acts 1:2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

Before Jesus return, He gave great care to expound the scriptures and give commandments to His disciples. He did this by the power of the Holy Spirit which was later given to the apostles, followers of Jesus and any others down through the ages who would receive.

They were to heed those commandments and teach them to generations following. A full study on the book of Acts will show us that the acts of the apostles were never to stop but continue until the Second Coming of Jesus. For how can we possibly spread the gospel without having the same power of the Holy Spirit Jesus gave to the apostles and many others on the day of Pentecost.

• Acts 1:3 To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
• 4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith He, ye have heard of me.
• 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

They were not to go preach without being baptized with the Holy Ghost. This was given to all who believe to equip them for service. All the love, endurance, and gifts of the spirit come by the Holy Ghost. Not all of us operate in all gifts at the same time but it is given to edify, to save the lost, to heal the sick and carry on the word of Christ from generation to generation. At no time was this ever to stop. It will only stop when people stop believing and depart from the word of God. They stop when they subsitute their own doctrines, traditions and rituals in place of the written word.

Just because we hear rumors of some that have chosen to depart from Christ and start to deceive, fake, and use the message of the gifts of the spirit to gain materially does not get away from the fact that there are real gifts of the spirit that should be operating among us to bring people to Jesus, glorify God and convince all that Jesus is the Christ. We cannot possibly counterfeit something that isn't real. Do we stop preaching salvation because some claim to be saved and act like their children of the devil instead? Besides in today's world we cannot trust rumors. Even our news media spreads things that are not always truth. Unless we go visit every church and hear every sermon someone preaches ourselves, how can we know for sure rumors are true.

Just because some live in sin while claiming to represent Christ does not make the message of the bible any less true. It just shows that when the truth is starting to save the lost, the devil sends in the counterfeits to stop it. He also tries to bring in just one or two with a root of bitterness to sow discord and evil. Still some things can just be rumors. 

We must not trust in outward rules, rituals, regulations, ceremonies for our salvation instead of simple faith in Jesus Christ. There may sometimes be persecution, worldly pleasures and many other things to stop the truth of the gospel from reaching the lost. Nevertheless with all this, that does not make the word of God and the message of salvation any different. It is still the same whether we believe it or not, whether someone imitates it or not or whether the world rejects it or not.

• Acts 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
  7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

All of bible prophecy is important and was written for us to study and understand. There is a blessing promised to those who read and keep the words of the prophecy in Revelation. However, in light of what the Jewish nation was expecting, Jesus made it clear that the restoration was not to happen at that time but later. Many didn't recognize that the Jesus was the Messiah because they were expecting the kingdom of the Messiah then. They were not looking for a savior from sin. We are not to worry about the time frame but occupy until He comes again. 

We are to study prophecy so that we can be alert and aware of the times to warn those that have not yet come to Christ for their salvation from sin, but the actual day and hour of the restoration of Israel will come at the appointed time and we must not try to wait until that day before we start preaching the gospel.  

Restoring the kingdom and setting up an everlasting righteous reign of Christ is to come but the message of salvation must first be preached. That message is that all have sinned and need to repent and believe in Jesus Christ to be free from sin. Without Him there is no salvation. That message must be preached to the whole world. If they do not turn from sin and come to Christ, they will die in their sins and be lost forever. The kingdom of Christ is now within every believer. The literal physical kingdom of Christ is coming but only after the gospel is preached to the entire world. To enter that kingdom, sin must be dealt with. We cannot enter eternal life while we remain in our sins without Christ.

We need to study prophecy and be aware of the signs of the coming of the Lord.  It also gives us hope that things will not continue as they are indefinitely. The prophecies are given to comfort us and warn us of things to come. While teaching that though, our main focus is to bring the lost to salvation before that door closes. There is a point where it will be too late. When we read Revelation, we see that at certain points people repent but we see also that they also reach a point where no matter what judgment God sends, there is an attitude of an unwillingness to repent. 

• Revelation 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:

So sad to read of those in the future that are so fully deceived that they refuse to repent even when bad happens to them.

• Revelation 16:9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

• Revelation 16:11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

So we see the need for preaching the gospel along with the warnings and teachings of the prophetic books also. 

• Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

We cannot witness properly without the power of the Holy Spirit. This does not just come one time in the life of a believer. This is a continue infilling as we walk with the Lord. We still can choose to yield and trust in the Holy Spirit to lead us or choose to do things our own way. If we try to go our way, much will be lost and the work of God will be hindered. We must learn to listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit or we will just have programs and manmade rituals instead of lives being brought to Christ and changed to bring forth fruits of righteousness.

• Acts 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
• 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
• 11 Which also said, 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.

We are to be about the Father's business and not stand gazing on a mountain top to catch a glimpse of the Lord. In other words, begin to occupy until He returns doing the will of God believing and seeking Him daily. Be filled with the Spirit which is given to all who obey Him.

• Acts 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.  

The days of preaching the gospel are now. We need to reach as many as we can with the message that Jesus came to save us from sin and bring us a new life in Him. All He asks is that we believe this and receive Him in our lives this day. 

Words of Jesus Part 69

Words of Jesus Index