1. The Acts of the Apostles January 19, 2014 Bob Eckel 1 Acts 1:9-14 “Christ’s Ascension; Disciples to Jerusalem” Acts 1:9 – “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.” –What things? – see verses 7 and 8 –So where did this happen? Bethany – Luke 24:50 –A village fifteen furlongs from Jerusalem at the Mount of Olives - Luke 19:29. –So where did He go? The right hand of God – Col 3:1 The 3 rd heaven – II Cor 12:2-4 The throne – Rev 3:21 The most holy place – Heb 9:12

2. The Acts of the Apostles January 19, 2014 Bob Eckel 2 Acts 1:9-14 “Christ’s Ascension; Disciples to Jerusalem” –And had He not predicted this? John 14:1-3, 28,29; 16:7,8, 16,17 –And a cloud received Him Clouds repeatedly are used as a transport vehicle for the Lord (Matt 17:5) and the Lord Jesus Christ (here and when He comes again – I Th 4:17; Matt 24:20); and not angels. Clouds also refer to the shekinah, the visible symbol of the glorious presence of God –Exod 40:34; Matt 17:5; Mark 9:7 Acts 1:10 – “And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in (brilliant – Wuest) white clothing stood beside them.” –while they were looking on intently into the sky The verb here connotes not only intensity but persistence

3. The Acts of the Apostles January 19, 2014 Bob Eckel 3 Acts 1:9-14 “Christ’s Ascension; Disciples to Jerusalem” –Who are these white clothed guys anyway? Angels, but white garb is not always described –Mark 16:5; John 20:12 –stood beside them As if they were participating in the same experience but perhaps not with less wonder and more informed? Acts 1:11 – “They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This 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.” –All of those present were from Galilee Isn’t it interesting that only Judas Iscariot was from Judea.

4. The Acts of the Apostles January 19, 2014 Bob Eckel 4 Acts 1:9-14 “Christ’s Ascension; Disciples to Jerusalem” –How would you respond to their message? Clouds? When? Where? In what form? Visibly? As King? –Zech 14:4 - And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east …. –The Mount of Olives also prophesized in Ezek. 10:4; 11:23 »Baker – ‘It is interesting to note that when the glow departed from the temple in the days of Ezekiel, the glow cloud departed from its place between the cherubim to the threshold of the temple; and then departed from the temple, and from the city itself to the mount on the east of Jerusalem.’ The disciples had hope that His promises were true, that He would return – Luke 24:52 Acts 1:12 – “Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near

5. The Acts of the Apostles January 19, 2014 Bob Eckel 5 Acts 1:9-14 “Christ’s Ascension; Disciples to Jerusalem” Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.

6. The Acts of the Apostles January 19, 2014 Bob Eckel 6 Acts 1:9-14 “Christ’s Ascension; Disciples to Jerusalem” Acts Handout Vern Peterman

7. The Acts of the Apostles January 19, 2014 Bob Eckel 7 Acts 1:9-14 “Christ’s Ascension; Disciples to Jerusalem” –The journey is only 0.6 miles but this was the limit of travel by Jewish law on the Sabbath Implied in Exod 16:29; Num 35:5 Acts 1:13 – “When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.” –What upper room is this? The Upper Room – Matt 26:17-19 Some speculate that this may have been John Mark’s home.

8. The Acts of the Apostles January 19, 2014 Bob Eckel 8 Acts 1:9-14 “Christ’s Ascension; Disciples to Jerusalem” And where He may have appeared to them after the resurrection – John 20:19,26 –where they were staying Imperfect construction, e.g. on and on. –So who were the 12 disciples? Mark 3:16 –Simon Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James of Alpheus, Thaddeus, Simon the Canaanite, Judas Iscariot Matt 10:2 –An identical list in a different order Luke 6:14 –Simon the Canaanite is Simon the Zealot –Judas the brother of James vs. Thaddeus Acts 1:13

9. The Acts of the Apostles January 19, 2014 Bob Eckel 9 Acts 1:9-14 “Christ’s Ascension; Disciples to Jerusalem” –Judas Iscariot omitted; Simon the Canaanite is Simon the Zealot; Judas the brother of James vs. Thaddeus –Why was Simon Peter always on the list 1 st ? –Why was Judas the brother of James on 2 lists and Thaddeus the other 2? »These were likely different names for the same disciple. Acts 1:14 – “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.” –Who are these women? Probably those that followed Christ from Galilee –Luke 23:55, 24:10 –Are you surprised that they are included here?

10. The Acts of the Apostles January 19, 2014 Bob Eckel 10 Acts 1:9-14 “Christ’s Ascension; Disciples to Jerusalem” And what does this say about how the Lord views women? Mary, the mother of Jesus –Her last mention in the NT. And His previously non-believing sibling half brothers. –John 7:5 »James, Joses, Judas, Simon – Mark 6:3 –Notice – continued in one mind and in prayer continued – preserver sing and constant attention one mind – used 22 times in 11 verses –All but one of these are in Acts. –And what do you think that mind set was all about? –Psalms 133:1 – ‘Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!’ And, what was their prayer? –The promise of the Father (Acts 1:4)?