Jesus gives his final admonition to his disciples and ascends to heaven. As the disciples stand looking up, two angels appear and ask them in Acts 1:10–11 “Men of Galilee, why do you stand there looking into the sky?”. They had been commissioned, and this was a time for action. They do what Jesus said and wait in Jerusalem as he told them in Acts 1:8 “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses”. Then, we find Peter, no longer denying Christ, not running away, but commanding the attention of everyone around him, saying in Acts 2:14 “let this be known to you, and pay attention to my words!’” and in Acts 2:41 “on that day about three thousand souls were added”.
All That Jesus Began To Do and To Teach
Why Do You Stand There?
Acts 1:6-11
The Sequence of Christ’s Post-Resurrection Appearances1
Luke 24:27 “And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things concerning himself in all the scriptures”.
and later in
Luke 24:45–48 “Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and would rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things”.
Now at his last appearance with them, in
Acts 1:6b “they began asking him, saying, ‘Lord, is it at this time you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?’”
But they still didn’t get the point that Jesus had not come to overthrow the government of the Romans or even to remove the devil and his fallen angels from their territory. That time will come, but now Jesus tells them, the Holy Spirit is coming with power. This is the beginning of what many have called the age of grace. Jesus sent them to be witnesses in
Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest part of the earth.”
These times where often marked by the appearance of angels and as the disciples watch Jesus ascend, it is time for them to take action and return to Jerusalem. And here are the angels, prompting them to get going in
Acts 1:10–11 “two men in white clothing stood by them 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand there looking into the sky?”
Engaged With One Mind in Prayer Together
Acts 1:12-26
We Hear Them Speaking the Great Deeds of God
Pay Attention to My Words
Acts 2:14-24
This man, Peter, is the one that had denied Christ three times. He denied that he knew Christ, denied that he was with him as a disciple, and denied knowing anything about him in Luke 22:54-62. Then, after Jesus resurrection, after Jesus had appeared to the women, and appeared to the twelve with Thomas, Peter, apparently not knowing what to do, led other disciples back to their old livelihood, saying in John 21:2-3 “I am going fishing”.
But now, after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we find a new man in
Acts 2:14 “But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them, ‘Judean men, and all those who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and pay attention to my words!’”
Peter is now speaking with authority and, without shrinking back or any fear, says to the crowd in
Acts 2:22 “Israelite men, listen to these words!”
Now, Peter delivers the message of salvation through Jesus Christ in
Acts 2:21 “And it will be that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”
And Peter doesn’t hold back or soften the message in any way saying in
Acts 2:23–24 “this man … you executed … 24 God raised him up”.
God Has Made Him Both Lord and Christ
What Should We Do?
Acts 2:37-41
In response to these events, first the outpouring of the Holy Spirit where in
Acts 2:11 “both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages the great deeds of God!”
And then Peter’s words of explanation, in
Acts 2:37 “Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘What should we do, men and brothers?’”
You would think it would have been obvious to them what to do. It was just a few years before that John the Baptist had called them to repent. And Jesus had gone from city to city teaching in their synagogues, and also to crowds along the way. But we should understand that the world is blind to the things of God until they hear the word preached to them. On this day, for these people, “when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart”.
Peter repeated the salvation message in
Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”.
Study Verses
- Acts 1:6-11 Why Do You Stand There?
- Acts 2:14-24 Pay Attention to My Words
- Acts 2:37-41 What Should We Do?
Today’s Reading
- Acts 1:1-26
- Acts 2:1-41
References
- 1. Mitchell, E. (2012, March 21). The Sequence of Christ’s Post-Resurrection Appearances. Retrieved from https://answersingenesis.org/jesus-christ/resurrection/the-sequence-of-christs-post-resurrection-appearances/