The former account I made, O Theophilius, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, (2) until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, (3) to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.  (4) And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; (5) for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”  (6) Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him saying, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”  (7) And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.  (8) But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  (9) Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.  (10) And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,   (11) who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?  This same Jesus, who was taken from you into heaven, will so come again in like manner, as you saw Him go into heaven.” 

The Acts of the Apostles is the chief source of facts of the early church beginning from the Ascension of Christ Jesus who completed the work of redemption for all who believe in Him.  Christ’s last words to His disciples commanded them to wait for the promised Holy Spirit who would enter them with power and authority to continue all that Christ did and taught, giving life to His church.  At this time Christ commanded the apostles to be His witness to all the world.   Ten days after His ascension, on Pentecost Sunday, fifty days after Passover,  the Spirit became indwelling in them and with this unique act of God in history, the church of Jesus Christ was born.

This great commission of God was Christ’s  focus and mandate.  It was/is God’s patten for the beginning church. God worked through men then and now in history by the Spirit in building Christ’s church and evangelizing the world.  The great commission is the outline of Acts of the Apostles – beginning when the Spirit came as we are told in Luke’s history of the explosion – divine explosion – and miraculous spread of the early church from Jerusalem to Rome in just 30 years. Behind it all  is the dynamic and miraculous power of the Spirit.

Our verses today end with the promise that Christ Jesus will return – and only the Father knows when.  At this second coming of our Lord, time will end and man will either enter eternal life with God or face judgment.