Jesus Dipped But Left Instructions — Modern Paraphrase | nocap.bible
Jesus Dipped But Left Instructions.
Acts 1 — Jesus drops the mission briefing, then floats out
8 min read
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Key Takeaways
Jesus told the disciples the best part hadn't happened yet — after YEARS of following Him — because the Holy Spirit was about to change everything.
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The squad's response to Jesus leaving wasn't panic or a rebrand meeting — they just prayed together and waited like He told them to.
📢 Chapter 1 — Jesus Dipped But Left Instructions 🚀
This is where it all begins — not story (that was the ), but the story of what happened AFTER. picks up right where his first book left off, writing again to . Jesus has already died, risen, and spent forty days proving He's alive. But before He leaves for good, He's got one last mission briefing for the squad.
And what a briefing it is. Jesus tells them to sit tight, wait for the , and then take His message to the entire world. Then He ascends into , the stand there in shock, and two basically have to tell them to close their mouths and get moving. The book of Acts is about to go off. 🔥
The Previously On... Episode Recap 📖
opens with a quick recap of everything that went down in his first book — of Luke. lived, taught, died, and then came back. Not metaphorically. Not spiritually. He showed up in person, multiple times, over forty days, giving undeniable proof that He was alive. And during those appearances, He kept talking about one thing: the .
But here's the key moment. Right before everything changes, Jesus tells the to stay put:
Jesus said: 🔥 "Don't leave Jerusalem. Wait for the promise the Father made — the one I told you about. John baptized with water, but in just a few days, you're going to be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
That's a wild thing to hear. They'd been following Jesus for years, watched Him die, watched Him come back — and He's saying the best part hasn't even happened yet. The was about to change everything. ⚡
"So... Are We Taking Over Now?" 🤔
The had one thing on their minds. They'd seen conquer . Surely NOW was the time for Him to set up His , overthrow , and restore to its former . So they asked the question they'd been holding onto:
"Lord, is this the time you're going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
Honestly, fair question. But Jesus redirected them hard:
Jesus said: 🔥 "It's not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority. But you WILL receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
They wanted a political kingdom. Jesus gave them a global mission. They were thinking local takeover; He was thinking worldwide movement. The wasn't coming to make them comfortable — He was coming to make them unstoppable. That's the right there. 💯
The Ascension (He Really Just Floated Away) ☁️
And then it happened. Right after those words — no dramatic pause, no countdown — was lifted up right in front of them. They watched Him rise, and then a cloud took Him out of their sight. Gone.
Picture it: the standing there, mouths open, necks craned, staring at the sky where Jesus just was. They were shook. And honestly? Who wouldn't be?
But then two men in white robes (read: ) showed up and hit them with the reality check:
"Men of Galilee, why are you just standing here looking at the sky? This Jesus, who was taken from you into heaven, will come back the exact same way you just watched Him go."
Translation: stop staring and start moving. Jesus is coming back — that's a . But in the meantime, there's work to do. The wasn't Jesus ghosting them. It was Him taking His seat at the right hand of God and sending them out as His representatives on earth. 👑
The Upper Room Squad 🙏
The headed back to from the — about a day's walk away — and went up to the upper room where they'd been staying. And the roster was stacked:
, , , , , , , , James son of Alphaeus, the Zealot, and son of James. Along with the women, the mother of , and His brothers.
About 120 people total. And what were they doing? Not strategizing. Not planning a rebrand. They were praying. All of them, together, united, consistently devoted to . No cap — they took Jesus' instructions seriously and waited on God.
There's something powerful about that. Jesus said "wait," and they actually waited. Not anxiously scrolling for updates, not running ahead of the plan. Just praying together and trusting that what He promised would come through. 🙏
Peter Addresses the Judas Situation 💀
During those days of waiting, stood up in front of the whole group. He had something heavy to address: what happened with .
"Judas was one of us. He was part of this ministry, chosen just like the rest of us. But he became a guide for the people who arrested Jesus. The Scripture had to be fulfilled — what the Holy Spirit spoke through David about him."
(Quick context: Judas took the money he got for betraying and bought a field. He fell headlong in it, his body burst open, and everyone in heard about it. They called it Akeldama — the Field of Blood. It was brutal.)
Peter then quoted two from the :
"It says, 'May his place be deserted; let no one dwell in it,' and 'Let another take his position.'"
Then he laid out the criteria for a replacement: it had to be someone who had been with them from the beginning — from all the way through the and . Someone who could be a firsthand witness to everything Jesus did.
Peter wasn't being petty about Judas — he was being obedient to . The spot needed to be filled, and he handled it with authority and clarity. This is the same Peter who denied Jesus three times, now standing up and leading 120 people. That's a only God can do. 🔥
Matthias Gets the Spot 🎯
Two candidates were nominated: called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Both qualified. Both had been there from day one.
But before they made a move, they prayed:
"Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which one of these two you've chosen to take this role in the ministry and apostleship that Judas walked away from."
Then they cast lots — and the lot fell on Matthias. He was added to the eleven , bringing the number back to twelve.
What's about this moment is the order of operations: they prayed FIRST, then acted. They didn't just vote on who they liked more or who had the better résumé. They asked God to make the call. They trusted that God knows hearts better than people know faces. The team was complete. The was about to show up. And the was about to be born. ✨