Theme: The risen, ascended and exalted Christ. Both Acts 1:1-11 and Luke 24:44-53 relate the story of the Ascension, according to Luke. The account from Ephesians 1 exalts Christ as having all things put under his authority.

COMMENTARY

Epistle: Acts 1:1-11
In introducing his book, Luke notes to Theophilus that he is taking up where he left off with his gospel. The gospel ends with the witness to the resurrected Christ and Acts begins by bringing to a close this 40-day string of appearances. The disciples are still anticipating a kind of earthly reign (v. 6), but Jesus tells them not to be concerned with God's chronology but to wait for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which would empower them for witness to the world. Having said this, he rose out of their sight. Two angels ask them why t…