Last Sunday as we looked at the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, we took time to note one of the most significant words in the book of Acts. It is the little word "began" in verse one.
"The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach," (Acts 1:1)
The book of Acts records what our Lord continued to do and to teach through His body, the church.
If we are not careful, we can be guilty of misunderstanding the words of our Lord upon the cross, when He cried out, "It is finished" (John 19:30). When the Savior declared "It is finished," He was referencing His work of redemption, which was accomplished "once for all" on the cross (Hebrews 10:10). He was declaring that man's debt for sin could be marked "paid in full."
But the Lord Jesus did not say, "I am finished." His work on the earth is not yet completed. Only his work of procuring men's salvation is finished. The work of proclaiming the salvation He has provided is still going on. That is what Luke meant when he spoke of what our Lord "began to do and teach." The exciting thing to realize is that the ascension of our Lord was vital to the continuation of our Lord's work on earth through His body, the church.
"Nevertheless I [Jesus] tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:" (John 16:7-8)
The ascension of our Lord did not end His work but, rather, introduced a new phase of His ministry through His church, empowered by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). We need to understand that we are involved in this ministry this very day. The Lord Jesus Christ desires "to do" and "to teach" through you. Are you allowing Him to do what He began in you and through you?
Bear in mind that you can "[be] confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6). Amen and amen.
