God-Expired

Acts 1:1–11

“In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen. After His suffering, He presented Himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift My Father promised, which you have heard Me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Then they gathered around Him and asked Him, “LORD, are You at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”

We now go into the writing of the Apostle Luke, a companion of the Apostle Paul, a trained physician and an erudite chronicler, journalist, and historian, this he demonstrates in writing a carefully investigated and orderly account of significant events in their lives (Luke 1:4), handed down to them “by those who from the first were eye-witnesses and servants of the word (Luke 1:2),” for the purpose of knowing the certainty of the things we’ve been taught (Luke 1:4). The Book of Acts is his second volume work. First, He connects these events to the resurrection of Jesus Christ (v. 3), the foundation of our faith, by which all other things, as we see throughout Jesus’s side of the resurrection, stream forth. I believe all Scripture is like that, it was inspired (Dr. Brian Edwards prefers “expired”, or “exhaled”) by God for the purpose of our knowledge of Him, ourselves, and the world: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the person of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work (II Tim 3:16-17).” We’d do well to read our bibles and take its words to heart, as the LORD said to His servant Joshua, so unto us, His servants as well, “this book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night, so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in all you do (Jos 1:8-9).” LORD forgive us our sins and help us approach Your word with reverence and humility, may Your Holy Spirit strengthen and guide us with wisdom to follow Your Word, our LORD Jesus Christ. In His precious Name. Amen.