ACTS : week 3

Levi Lusko - Fresh Life Church

Floating, Exploding & Voting

Acts 1:9

Jesus had just given the promise that the Holy Spirit would come.
You will be my witnesses.
You don't need to know the time of My return.

When Jesus spoke "these things" He was taken up to Heaven...

1. Jesus in gravity.
Jesus was standing on the Mount of Olives - 400ft tall

God seated & in-control.

Acts 7:55 Stephen was the first martyr and Jesus chose to stand.

When a saint is received into Heaven God chooses to stand - the ultimate gentleman.

Why did Jesus leave?
A. His mission was accomplished.
B. The Helper would come - the Holy Spirit
C. He went to make intercession for us.  He's praying for us!

2. Angels & Prophecy
"Straining their eyes" to get one last glimpse of Jesus.
They saw Jesus perform so many miracles and yet they were awestruck at the sight of Him ascending to Heaven.

The two angels were inspiring them to get to work and live for Jesus' return.

Jesus is the same
He will come again
He will come again in like manner

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus is the same yesterday, today & tomorrow.
Grace & Judgement

3. The Disciples & Unity
You can't be a solo, lone-ranger Christian.
Jesus taught the disciples to pray.
It's the only thing the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to do.

We hate silence or dead air.

Taking time to talk to God keeps you close to the Father
1. Prayer is not optional - it is vital.
2. We all can stand to grow in our prayer lives.
3. Conversation - we should also listen.
4. Prayer is not just for ourselves - it's for others.
5. Not for getting what we want done in Heaven, but praying His will for earth.
6. Prayer can happen any time, any where.
7. We can pray God's word back to Him.

4. Judas & Iniquity
Psalm 41:9 it was prophesied
Luke : the doctor : gave vivid description of what happened to Judas.
*this is the exploding part of the title*
Judas hung himself.
Judas never imagined that that one sin would have ended his life this way.
We don't consider the end result of a seemingly "small" sin.

Psalm 109:8 They would need to fill Judas' place
They formed a committee and voted on who would fulfill his place.

They said, God show us which of these two men you want us to replace Judas.

Is there a Mathias that you're keeping in your life, that you need to see that God has a Paul for you instead.
Praying I'll go anywhere for you God as long as it's one of these two places.
I'll take any position of work as long as it's one of these two jobs.

How did a one-time disciple [Judas] end up so badly?
Small compromises.