Acts Part 4

The apostles did not always understand Christ's teaching or the significance of events while He was with them. However, after His glorification, they began to understand what had previously been unclear. John 12:16 explains,

"His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him." 

Jesus had also promised that the Holy Spirit would help them understand and remember His teaching. In John 14:25-26, He said,

"These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, [which] the Father will send in My name, [it] will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." 

Luke 24:44-45 further records that Jesus explained how the things written in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms concerning Him had to be fulfilled. He then

"opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures."

Through Christ's instruction and the work of the Holy Spirit, the apostles received greater understanding of the Scriptures and the work they had been called to accomplish. 

In Acts 1:3, after His crucifixion and resurrection, Christ presented Himself alive to the apostles over a period of forty days. Luke emphasizes that there were many proofs of His resurrection. The apostles had personally experienced these events and were witnesses to the fact that Jesus had risen from the dead. 

Paul provides additional details about those who saw Christ alive in 1 Corinthians 15:4-8. He explains that Christ was buried and rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. He was seen by Cephas (Peter), then by the twelve, and afterward by more than five hundred brethren at once. Paul also mentions that Christ appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and finally to Paul himself. 

The apostles and other disciples had witnessed Christ's crucifixion and then encountered Him alive again. Their testimony was based on what they had personally seen and experienced. 

Luke 24:36-43 provides a detailed account of Christ appearing to His disciples. When He first stood among them, they were frightened and thought they had seen a spirit. Jesus responded by showing them His hands and feet and inviting them to touch Him. He explained,

"Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have."

He then ate a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb in their presence. These details demonstrated that He was physically alive and not merely an apparition or an imagined experience. 

John 20:26-29 records another appearance, when Jesus came to the disciples while Thomas was present. Jesus invited Thomas to examine His hands and side. Thomas responded, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus then said,

"Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

The apostles had strong grounds for their testimony because they had personally encountered the resurrected Christ. They were not simply repeating a story they had heard from someone else. They had seen Him after His suffering and resurrection, and their testimony became central to the message they would preach. 

Acts 1:3 concludes by explaining that Christ spent forty days with His disciples,

"speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God."

The Kingdom of God was the message Jesus had preached throughout His earthly ministry. After His resurrection, He continued teaching His disciples about the Kingdom, preparing them to carry that same message forward. 

Mark 1:14-15 records,

"Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.'"

The gospel is not simply the message that Jesus died for our sins so that we can be forgiven. It also includes the good news of the coming Kingdom of God and the need for people to repent and believe the gospel. 

This was the message Jesus preached during His ministry, and it was the message He instructed His apostles to continue preaching. They were to proclaim Jesus as the Messiah and teach about the Kingdom of God. The final chapter of Acts demonstrates that this message remained central to the apostles' work. Acts 28:23-24 describes Paul explaining and testifying about the Kingdom of God and persuading his listeners concerning Jesus from the Law of Moses and the Prophets. Some believed what he taught, while others disbelieved. 

From the beginning of Acts to its conclusion, the Kingdom of God remains a central theme. Christ prepared His apostles to continue the work He had begun, proclaiming the gospel and teaching people about the coming Kingdom of God. 

Acts of the Apostles is a course taught at ABC by Mr. Darris McNeely. Recordings from the 2022–2023 class year are available on the ABC website.

UYA Team | uya@ucg.org  

United Young Adults (UYA) primarily serves the 18–32-year age group for the United Church of God. There are three main areas of contribution to the lives of young adults: Promoting Spiritual Growth, Developing Meaningful Relationships and Making the Most of Your Talents. The Know Your Sword series is a daily expository message introducing God’s Word from a trusted perspective.