This tape contains the first of a series of teachings on the Book of Acts by the Reverend John W. Howe of Trugo Episcopal Church in Fairfax, Virginia. The teaching is entitled, The Point of the Power, and covers the first chapter of Acts, verses 1 through 15. We're beginning something today that is different in lots of ways from anything that I've taught here before, and you need to know that I have not committed myself to any kind of a pre-worked out schedule. We're going to take it as we can. We may or may not finish it, but we're going to move as the Spirit of God allows us.

It may be interrupted from time to time with studies on other things, but I have really wanted to share with you an investigation of the book of Acts. I think it's enormously misunderstood. It's very important that we deal with it in terms of its background and setting.

And so I'm going to begin today. I'm going to begin very, very slowly today. And then I hope we'll pick up speed as we move on into it.

If I can paraphrase verse 7, it is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has fixed for this study to end. We'll see where he takes us. the old saw has it that familiarity breeds contempt familiarity with some of the titles the names in the bible may breed if not contempt at least a certain confusion or misunderstanding and I want to start right off the bat with the very title of the book we call it the acts and I don't know if you stop to think of what that word really means It means the actions or the activities.

That's what it really is. It's a record of the activities. But then we go on to say of the apostles.

And that really breeds some confusion. It would be far more accurate to say the activities of the Holy Spirit through the apostles. Or perhaps even better than that, the continuing activity and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself through His church by the inspiration and empowering of the Holy Spirit.

This may take longer than I thought. Go away for a month. It becomes a revival meeting, right?

Let me just say that again without interruption. The continuing activity and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself through His church by the inspiration, the empowering, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And I hope that we'll see at least how I got to there this afternoon.

Verse 1. In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach. I want to take just that much.

The word Theophilus, the name Theophilus is a proper name. It is, in fact, the combination of two Greek words, and you can probably see them there. Theo, or Theos, from which we get theology, means what?

God, obviously. And Phyllis, or Phylaa, from which we get such things as Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, It's one of the words that is translated into English, love. It means brotherly affection.

So this proper name literally means a lover of God. It's a great name to have, isn't it? Most people suspect that Luke, who was the author of this book, the recorder of it, if you will, was in fact writing to a literal specific individual who had that name.

A Gentile, lover of God perhaps, but one who was interested in the gospel and was interested enough to investigate into the truth or falsehood of the rumors about this man Jesus. Okay? Other scholars have suggested that this was Luke's way of personifying or personalizing a letter or an account for anyone to whom such a name might apply.

To anyone who would fall into the category of lover of God, interested in the truth. I suspect that it's both alright that it's addressed to a particular literal historical individual probably a Gentile possibly a proselyte a convert to Judaism in other words who was a lover of God and who was interested in the gospel Luke is writing to him in particular but very conscious of the fact that there are going to be many others interested in the same thing hold your finger here for a moment and turn back to Luke's gospel I want you to see the way it begins because it's going to shed a lot of light on what is happening in the book of the Acts Luke again addresses himself to the same person the same name says inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, just as others have tried to do this, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed. So he's already heard about Jesus.

He's already heard something of the gospel. Luke says, I am making it my business to write for you as orderly an account as possible, to set the details in their proper order. Now, you may be familiar with the fact that the four Gospels, as we have them today, are written for quite different purposes.

Now, they're all trying to tell the truth, of course, but they're telling it in very different ways. And I'm not going to expand on this very far, but just comment on it in passing. that a careful examination of Matthew's gospel will show you that what he really does is he arranges the details of the narrative, of the chronology of events.

He arranges them around a thematic teaching. If you will, it's really an encyclopedia of Jesus' teaching on a number of themes, very deliberately organized in that way. Mark's gospel, by way of contrast, and we're going to see this in a few weeks' time, Mark's gospel is really one long sermon.

And it follows very closely the sort of sermon that Peter gave. And most scholars conclude that Mark really was a sort of a secretary to Peter. And as Peter's becoming an old man, Mark writes down in a very full account the sort of sermon account that Peter would preach.

John, on the other hand, gives us what is really a sort of a personal memoir. And if you will, I don't want to raise all sorts of problems for you, but if you will, a sort of a theological memoir. It's a little cameo of the person of Jesus.

And John cares very little for the actual historical order in which things took place. That is not of concern to John. It follows roughly the same order, but that's not what he's about.

What he's doing is he's giving us a very personal impression of Jesus. So if you came at it from the point of view that all the Gospels are trying to do the same thing, you're going to find discrepancies within them, and you're going to say, well, that just proves that the Bible can't be trusted, you see. But when you realize that they're doing things for quite different purposes, they're giving us a different approach to the truth, All right? That helps us to understand why John may put the cleansing of the temple at the very beginning of Jesus' ministry, and all the other three put it in the last week before his crucifixion.

Do you see that? Okay? Luke is the author who comes closest to the 20th century canons of historical narrative, historical biography, if you will.

Luke tells us right here, my concern is to give you an orderly account of the way in which the events unfolded. And so it's Luke to whom we consistently look to give us our chronology. It's Luke by whom we identify when these things took place.

And we sort of read the other Gospels in the light of the order that we find in Luke. It's Luke who consistently bends over backward to identify what's going on in the ministry of Jesus with secular events. you know what's going out there in the outside world so for instance you remember how Luke gives us the Christmas story you know in the year that so-and-so was governor when so-and-so was tetrarch when so-and-so you know and so if you know your secular history you can go and figure out when that was and scholars would put it approximately 4 BC sounds very funny doesn't it Luke himself was not an eyewitness.

He was a Gentile convert, and we find him appearing later in the book of Acts. He traveled with Paul. We read about that, for instance, Acts 16 and elsewhere.

He tells us in the opening to his gospel that I made it my business to talk to those who were the eyewitnesses. Luke is a very careful historian. And most unbiased scholars would say, in fact, far and away, he is the most careful historian from the ancient world.

I want to read you a quote from Sir William Ramsey, who, interestingly enough, began his archaeological career as a skeptic. He was not a Christian. He did not believe, and in fact tried to overthrow the truth of the gospel.

And he concluded, after careful investigation, this. He said, Luke is a historian of the first rank. Not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy.

He is possessed of the true historic sense. He fixes his mind on the idea and plan that rules the evolution of history and proportions the scale of his treatment to the importance of each incident. He seizes the important and critical events and shows their true nature at greater length, while he touches lightly or omits entirely much that was valueless for his purpose.

In short, this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians. Luke comes closer, I say again, than anyone, anyone from the ancient world to our contemporary standards of biographical historical narrative. Turn back then to chapter one of the book of the Acts, and he tells us, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach.

Do you catch the implication of that? I have dealt with what he began to do. Now, I'm dealing with what he continued to do and teach.

Do you see that? The first volume had to do with Jesus' own personal ministry when he was confined to a body like our own, when he could be in only one place at a given time. But now I'm dealing with what he continued to do and teach through his apostles, through the church.

Do you remember that Jesus shortly before he went off to betrayal and crucifixion made a promise? And he said, truly I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do. It's recorded in John 14.

He said, and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. Let me ask you, who does it?

Who does it? He says, greater works than these will he do. You.

And then he turns right around and says, whatever you ask of me, I will do. What's he saying? Now, Edna.

I will do it through you. Okay, and that's the principle on which we're working here. Jesus talks about, except the seed fall into the ground and die, it shall never produce anything.

and that's precisely what he did. He fell into the ground and died, or so it appeared, but in fact he was just germinating and he sprang up and reproduced himself so that it is truly the apostles, they are doing it, and yet it is truly Jesus and he is doing it. And as a matter of fact, it's truly the Father who's doing it, that the Father may be glorified through the Son.

All right? He says, through or by the Holy Spirit. It's the work of Jesus in the church by or through the Holy Spirit.

He goes on a little further in John's Gospel to say, it's actually to your advantage that I go away. They can't figure that out at all. You know, what could be better than having Jesus here literally, physically in our midst?

And he says, nope, there's something far better than that. It is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the counselor will not come to you.

But if I go, I will send him to you. So Jesus says, if I go, I will send the Holy Spirit who will be another counselor, another comforter, paraclete, the one who comes alongside. I will send another, which means one like myself.

He will indwell you and he will empower you. He'll be like me, but the difference is that whereas I'm confined to one place, at a given time in my body, He'll be wherever you are. If there are ten Christians, He'll be in ten places at once.

If there are a hundred thousand Christians, He'll be in a hundred thousand places at once. Jesus says in Matthew's Gospel, almost His last words, Lo, I am with you always. And then He ascends into heaven.

How can He be with us always? By His Spirit who indwells us. As a matter of fact, the identification is so close that in three different places in the New Testament, the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, is actually identified as Jesus' own Spirit.

Did you know that? There's one in the book of Acts itself, Acts 16 and verse 7. He's called the Spirit of Jesus.

And then in Romans 8, verse 9, and in 1 Peter 1, verse 11, he's called the Spirit of Christ. the spirit of Jesus the spirit of Christ he belongs to Jesus he is so closely identified with Jesus alright that it really is Jesus living out his life through us as we are indwelt by the spirit of God it's terribly important that we get that straight okay most of us use language like I invited Jesus into my heart you know I know he lives because he lives inside my heart Right? And what we're really doing is using a kind of theological shorthand.

Jesus does not live in my heart. Jesus is on the right hand of the Father, okay, making intercession for the saints. But the Spirit of Jesus lives inside my heart.

And so one understands the theological shorthand. That's a legitimate thing to say so long as you know what you're doing. Okay?

So, I wrote you before, Theophilus, lover of God, one interested in the truth. I wrote you a book, the purpose of which was to give you an orderly account of the ministry here on earth in the body of this Jesus, who claims to be and we recognize as the Christ. Now, I'm writing you a second book, which has precisely the same purpose, but this is his ministry carried out through those who belong to him by the indwelling and the empowering of the Spirit of God, who is also His Spirit.

You with me? So much for the first verse. Verse 2 tells us that the first volume took us up to the day of Christ's ascension.

And it says, which came after He had given commandment. What commandment? Well, if you go back to the very end of all four Gospels, you'll find it.

We usually call it the Great Commission. Matthew 28 and verse 19. Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

That's his commandment. Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them all that I have commanded you. And then he says, as I've already quoted, Lo, I'm with you always.

Mark chapter 16, verse 15, go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. Not just to people, it literally impacts the whole created order. Through people, all right?

And if you skip Luke for just a moment and look at John, you might turn there it's just back about a page John chapter 20 verse 19 and following this took place on the evening of Easter first day of the week the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews Jesus came and stood among them and said to them peace be with you when he had said this he showed them his hands in his side then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord and Jesus said to them again peace be with you as the father has sent me even so I send you and when he had said this he breathed on them and said to them receive the Holy Spirit if you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven if you retain the sins of any they are retained so Matthew Mark and John all speak of this commandment as being one of sending them. As the Father sent me, even so I send you. Sending them out into the world to make disciples, to preach the gospel, to bring in fact the whole of creation under the federal headship of this Lord Jesus Christ.

It's a command of sending, of commissioning. Alright? And it's a command that includes their being filled with the Holy Spirit.

He breathed on them. He said, receive the Holy Spirit. They're not to do this in their own strength.

They're to do this in the power of the Holy Spirit. It's a sending which includes their being given the right to proclaim forgiveness of sins. It's a commandment of reconciliation.

of bringing those who were alienated and estranged from God back into fellowship with him through this Jesus Christ. But now, if you look at Luke's gospel, the closing portion of it, you find a most extraordinary thing. Luke chapter 24.

Again on Easter evening, we find, beginning with verse 45, Jesus has been speaking with them and instructing them and it says then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures and said to them thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations beginning from Jerusalem there's the sending out there's the preaching there's the reconciliation there's the including of all nations again you are witnesses of these things and behold I send the promise of my father upon you but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high that is a very strange thing isn't it Matthew, Mark, John say I'm sending you out go preach make disciples make converts bring the whole of creation under the discipline the authority of this Lord Jesus. Luke says, yes, there's a sending, but first, there's a waiting. First, there is an empowering.

Wait until you are clothed with power from on high. Let's come back to chapter 1. Verses 3 and 4.

To them, that is, his apostles, Jesus presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking of the kingdom of God. And while staying with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which he said, quote, You heard from me, for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. So this volume begins at precisely the point that Luke's Gospel leaves off.

All right? They have been breathed on on Easter evening. They have in some sense received the Holy Spirit.

There has been a forgiving of their sins, a regeneration, if you will. The Holy Spirit has come to live inside them, to take up residence, to make them new creatures in Christ. They have already been commissioned.

Their ministry is to go out into all the world, beginning at Jerusalem, and reaching beyond it to the uttermost parts of the earth, making disciples of all nations. But, before they do that, they're to wait for something else. And empowering.

And here, Jesus equates what was called the clothing with power in the last chapter of Luke's Gospel. He equates here with the promise of the Father and the phrase baptism with or by or in or into the Holy Spirit. it.

Now, I got to tell you, if you're confused, so were they. They had no idea what they were waiting for. They had no idea when it was coming.

We know with hindsight that it took 10 days. They didn't know what it was going to be like when it happened. They didn't know how it was going to be related to or different from what they'd already experienced.

And I want you to try to climb inside their head for just a moment and think like a good Orthodox Jew would think. Because you're going to see that the mindset that they had at that point of confusion carries all the way through to the very end of the book of Acts. And you see that being expressed here in the next couple of verses.

So, when they had come together, they asked him, now mind you, this is all still prior to the ascension, they asked him, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? Now, mind you, they've received the Holy Spirit. They've spent three years with Jesus.

They've observed his ministry. They've sat under his teaching. Now he's appeared alive to them with many proofs.

He's instructed them for 40 days. You know, suddenly the penny is dropped and they understand all sorts of things that they didn't previously understand. supposedly, they've been commissioned to go out into all the world and make disciples of all nations.

Right? Not just for the Jews. Right?

They're going to knock down the barrier between Jew and Gentile. And what is the foremost question on their mind? Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?

Somebody has said there are almost as many misconceptions in that question as there are words. no i won't do it you will no it won't be at this time it'll be beginning now and carrying all the way through time and leading on into eternity no it won't be to israel as you've known it as to a brand new kind of Israel, a brand new people of God, in which neither Jew nor Gentile, neither male nor female, neither slave nor free, a whole new people of God. No, it won't be a matter of restoring, restoration of what has been is something unimaginably better.

And Jesus doesn't even answer the question directly. They are so far off base. He says, it's not for you to know the times are seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and to the end, the uttermost part of the earth.

They've received the Spirit, and yet they're going to receive some new empowering by the Spirit. Many of us have gotten very, very excited about that power in this generation, and a good thing, too, because we've seen altogether too little of it for too long. But I want you to be very clear that the power has a purpose.

It's not power just so that we can have a Jesus high. You know, Jesus is not in the business of giving spiritual trips to people. Do you know what I'm talking about?

You shall receive power so that you can fulfill the commission. So that you can be my ministers, my witnesses, my evangelists, my apostles. So that you can begin here in Jerusalem and reach on beyond it to all of Judea, the southern kingdom, the remnant of the old kingdom of David and Solomon.

And beyond that, to Samaria, the northern kingdom, which is sort of half Jewish, if you will. And beyond that, even to the dirty Gentiles, to the uttermost parts of the earth. That's the purpose of the power.

It's reaching out, reaching out. A new kind of kingdom, a new kind of people of God. But you see, they're thinking in terms of Jewish exclusivity.

Make it comfortable for us. Wipe out the Gentiles. Re-establish David's dominion.

And that, I suggest to you, is going to run with us all the way to the end of the book. They keep needing to learn what this Great Commission really means. What the dimensions of it are.

The wonder of the plan of God to reach out and include everybody. So that's the first great theme and I want us to watch for that. It's going to come up over and over and over again.

It's going to come up in relationship to Stephen. It's going to come up in relationship to Peter. It's going to come up in relationship to Barn and when he said this as they were looking on he was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight and while they were gazing into heaven as he went behold two men stood by them in white robes possibly the same two who were there at the tomb on Easter morning and they 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 they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives which is up on a hill the city, the Sabbath day's journey away, and when they had entered they went 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, Simon the zealot, and Judas the son of James.

All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.