The former account I made, O Theophilus, 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 up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

The Acts of the Apostles was written by Luke; historian, Gentile, physician and sometimes companion of the apostle Paul. In Acts, Luke tells how Christ’s church began in Jerusalem and spread to the ends of the earth – he provides a link between his gospel and the spread of Christianity from a few Jews to the world. He is really describing the acts of Jesus through the Holy Spirit in His witnesses. Acts was probably written toward the end of Paul’s life as there is no mention of persecution of Nero – and no mention of the death of Paul – or of the destruction of the Temple by Rome in 70 A.D. Both Luke’s gospel and Acts are written to an unknown man. And both are written to provide an accurate historical foundation in Jesus Christ. Both are based on eyewitness testimony by credible men and the main message of both centers on Jesus Christ and His resurrection from the dead.
Our verses today show the sovereignty of God – nothing can stop what He intends to do. The coming of the Holy Spirit changed the apostles from self seeking, doubting and fearful men to bold, obedient and confident witnesses to the gospel showing the power is in the Spirit, not in men. We must first live for God before we can speak (witness) for Him. Jesus lived perfectly for 30 years and then taught at His appointed time. Jesus was raised up in His physical body not as a Spirit – think of the implications of that! Before the Ascension of our Lord, He gave the command – the not ambiguous command – that the apostles were to be His witnesses to the whole world. This new expectation/commission was to be the continuing ministry of Jesus, spread not by the apostles but by the divine power within them. The main message was the resurrection of Jesus; the seal of God on His acceptable sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin.
Christianity is faith rooted in history. It is the power of God’s word and God’s revelation of Himself in Jesus Christ with the apostles as witness. God is at work in history through His church.