Reading: Acts 1:1-11

Text: Colossians 3:1-4

Set your minds on things above

Acts 1:1-11 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Introduction

1 The first account I ^[a]composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, ² until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had ^[b]by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. ³ To ^[c]these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. ^4 [d]Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for ^[e]what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; ⁵ for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized ^[f]with the Holy Spirit ^[g]not many days from now.”

⁶ So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; ⁸ but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

The Ascension

⁹ And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. ¹⁰ And as they were gazing intently into ^[h]the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. ¹¹ They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into ^[i]the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

Colossians 3:1-4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Put On the New Self

3 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ^2 [a]Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. ³ For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.