From time to time we will take a look at various chapters in the bible
____________________________________________________________________
Acts 1 :1. The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
Please compare this with Luke Chapter One:
Luke 1
1. Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
2. Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
3. It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
4. That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
Luke wrote or dedicated these two books to the mysterious Theophilus. We don't know who he is or shall I say; who he was. One writer suggests that it wasn't to anyone in particular, as Theophilus means ''Friend of God''. I suppose that we may never know. Some have suggested that he was a Student of his, perhaps a new convert or even someone he was witnessing to. For all we know, he might be another doctor?
Acts 1 Verse 2 continues:
2. Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
3. To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:
4. And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
Luke is reminding him of some of the things she talked about his previous writings (Luke 24). That Jesus died, rose again and then walked and talked with them in person.
Acts 1:5. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence.
Luke starts to set the stage for the rest of the story. You see Theophilus, Jesus told them what was going to happen. You see, even though he was going away, he had a plan.....
Acts 1: 6. When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
7. And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
When they gathered to tell Jesus good bye, he told them not to start fretting about the end times, not to fret about the last days, but to wait for the PROMISE, to be baptized with the Holy Ghost (Spirit)
In other words, we need to put our trust in God. He does not tell us the day our our deaths or when he will return. Why? He wants us to be ready no matter WHAT happens. If we knew he was coming at 9:00 tonight or that were were dying at 10:00, we would be ready, because we knew we had no other good choice. But because we do not know when, we can decide to do the right thing or to live our own way.
God wants a people who will worship him in spirit and in truth, not just because they know that in 2 hours he will return, or that the world will end next Tuesday. He wants us to worship him and love him for who he is and what he has done.
