Acts 1:1-11 | Witnesses to the Kingdom

Sermon Notes

Preacher: Jeremiah Fyffe

**1. JESUS: RISEN (v1-3)

1. JESUS: REDEEMER (v4-5)
2. JESUS: REIGNING (v6-11)**

The purpose of the distinction between baptism with water and baptism with the Holy Spirit is to be careful to distinguish the external sign (administered by a mere human using earthly means) with the inward result of salvation (administered by Jesus, the Redeemer, using Spiritual means)

Luke 1:1–4 ESV
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

Hebrews 8:1–2 ESV
Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.

Matthew 3:11 John the Baptist says …
I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

R. C. Sproul:
The theme of Acts is this: the church’s obedience to Christ’s commission and commandment to be His witnesses as the ascended King, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. If you wonder why the first-century church turned the world upside down and why we do not, it is because they preached the kingdom of God, and we do not.

John Calvin summarizes:
Christ spoke chiefly about the corruption of human nature, the tyranny of sin—whose slaves we are, the curse and judgment of eternal death—to which we are all bound, the receiving of salvation, the forgiveness of sins, self-denial, spiritual righteousness, the hope of eternal life, and so on. If we wish to be taught the Christian faith and understand it correctly, we must apply ourselves to these things.

John Calvin
It was appropriate that the apostles should be the first to get in the habit of obedience, for they were soon to lay Christ’s yoke upon the neck of the world.