1. HOW TO Acts 1:1-14

3. ACTS 1:1-14 “The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day He was taken up, after He had by the Holy Spirit, given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. To these, He also presented Himself alive over a period of forty days after His suffering, by many convincing proofs….And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem…and they were asking Him, ‘Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates which the Father has fixed by His own authority.’”

4. ACTS 1:1-14 (Cont.) “‘But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and Judea, and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.’ After He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And two men in white clothing stood beside them and said, ‘You men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.’”

5. ACTS 1:1-14 (Cont.) “Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives…they entered into the upper room where they were staying…(11 disciples named). These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.”

6. CONCERN FOR THEOPHILUS!

7. WHO WAS DR. LUKE? AND WHO WAS THEOPHILUS? DR. LUKE: A MEDICAL DOCTOR BECAME THE PERSONAL PHYSCIAN OF PAUL WROTE BOTH THE GOSPEL OF LUKE & ACTS THEOPHILUS (lover of God): A RELATIVE? A FRIEND? A SEEKER? A NEW BELIEVER? A FORMER AQUAINTANCE? (whoever he was, he was somebody important enough to Dr. Luke to have two historical accounts of Jesus addressed to his name)

8. ORDERS FROM ON HIGH!

9. “To these He presented Himself alive, after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3) “If Christ has not been raised…your faith is also vain (worthless).” Apostle Paul (I Cor. 15:14)

10. A LOGICAL QUESTION! “…appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the Kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3) “And when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, ‘Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?’”

11. A VERY INSIGHTFUL ANSWER!

12. BUT, I WANT TO KNOW!

13. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW! (Acts 1:8)

14. UP, UP, AND AWAY! “AND AFTER HE HAD SAID THESE THINGS, HE WAS LIFTED UP WHILE THEY WERE LOOKING ON AND A CLOUD RECEIVED HIM OUT OF THEIR SIGHT.” (Acts 1:9) NOW WHAT?

15. THE ASCENSION! Why was it necessary for Jesus to ascend back into heaven? 1.To fulfill prophecy (Ps. 47:5; 68:18; Jn. 3:13) 2.So the Holy Spirit could come (Jn. 16:7) 3.To complete His mission (Jn. 4:34; 9:4; 17:4) 4.To be our Friend in high places (Heb. 4:14-16) 5.To pray for us (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25) 6.To be our advocate (defense attorney) I Jn. 2:1,2) 7.So He can come back again (Acts 1:11)

16. MORE INFORMATION!

17. WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU KNOW AND YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO! “Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives to the upper room where they were staying….These with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer….” (Acts 1:12, 13) OBEYED What they knew PRAYED For what they did not know STAYED Together for fellowship, encouragement and support!

18. HOW TO GROW IN YOUR FAITH! 1.KEEP ON helping others in their faith, like Dr. Luke was concerned for Theophilus! – CARE! 2.KEEP ON being a seeker of truth – STUDY! 3.KEEP ON being a doer of truth – OBEY! 4.KEEP ON CONTINUING IN THE TRUTH – PURSUE!