The Story Goes On | Chip Stallings | August 23, 2026

Luke opens Acts by tying the gospel account to what Jesus “began to do and teach,” which means Acts carries forward what Jesus continues to do. The story of God does not stop at the resurrection or even at the ascension. Jesus hands off the baton to ordinary men and women, and the big question becomes whether the church will carry it.

Jesus gives the apostles his presence after the resurrection. For forty days, Jesus presents himself alive by many convincing proofs and speaks about the kingdom of God. The risen Christ does not leave confused followers with a vague assignment. The risen Christ anchors their confidence in his living presence.

Jesus also gives the Spirit’s power and purpose. The disciples ask about restoring the kingdom to Israel, and Jesus gently but clearly corrects their focus. Their concern is not necessarily wrong, but it is not the main thing. Jesus gives them the true north star: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses” in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

The gospel becomes the greatest blessing anyone can offer another human being. Jesus died for sins, was buried, and rose on the third day according to the Scriptures. A witness simply tells what has been seen and heard. The baton moves when changed people tell other people how Jesus has changed life.

Acts 2 shows what happens when the Spirit fills the church. About 3,000 people believe, repent, and are baptized, and the first New Testament local church is born in Jerusalem. Those believers devote themselves to the apostles’ instruction, fellowship, breaking bread, prayer, sacrifice, public presence, and witness. Their priorities are not random. Their priorities keep the main thing the main thing.

Fellowship becomes more than shared interests, shared politics, shared background, or shared language. The early believers have the mission of Jesus in common, and that becomes enough. The redwood image fits: no intertwining, no growth. Connectedness matters because the church is wired for communion and close relationship.

Breaking bread carries both ordinary meals and the Lord’s Supper. Prayer shapes temple rhythms, homes, meals, and private worship. Sacrifice flows freely, not by coercion, because brothers and sisters see needs and meet them. Public witness spills into daily life, and the Lord adds to their number day by day.

The baton finally lands in the hands of those who have received the gospel. The church is not designed to be a destination. The church is a launching pad, sending the baton to neighbors and to the nations.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. The story goes on Jesus does not stop working when Acts begins. Luke presents the gospel as what Jesus began to do and Acts as what Jesus continues to do through his people. The church does not invent a mission, but receives one already moving through history. [47:18]
• 2. The Spirit is not optional The Holy Spirit is not a luxury added to Christian activity. Jesus says the disciples need power before they go, because witness cannot be carried in human strength. The mission is too much for mere enthusiasm, planning, or personality. [55:09]
• 3. Witnesses tell what they received A witness does not have to be impressive, polished, or professionally trained. A witness simply tells what has been seen and heard of Jesus. The baton moves through ordinary obedience, one handoff at a time. [58:56]
• 4. Fellowship grows intertwined roots The first church’s fellowship is not built on sameness of background, language, or preference. The mission of Jesus gives believers the most important thing in common. Like redwoods, connected roots make deep growth possible. [70:51]
• 5. The church launches the baton God never designed the church to be a final destination. The church exists as a launching pad, sending the gospel to neighbors and nations. The question is not whether the baton has arrived, but whether it will be passed on. [90:06]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [25:49] - Worship and Opening
• [43:57] - Open to Acts
• [45:18] - The Baton Handoff
• [47:18] - Jesus Continues His Work
• [49:25] - The Story Goes On
• [52:03] - The Spirit’s Power and Purpose
• [56:28] - The Greatest Blessing
• [58:35] - What a Witness Does
• [63:56] - The First Church Begins
• [66:28] - Devoted to Right Priorities
• [68:34] - Fellowship and Redwood Roots
• [73:47] - Breaking Bread and Prayer
• [80:12] - Public Witness and Favor
• [87:46] - Pass What Was Received

Bible Reading

Acts 1:1-8
“I wrote the first narrative, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up, after he had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After he had suffered, he also presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. ‘Which you have heard me speak about,’ he said, ‘for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.’ So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?’ He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’”
[48:33] [51:12] [52:05]

Acts 2:42-47
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”
[01:04:57] [01:06:28]

Matthew 28:19-20
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
[01:07:49]

Observation questions

1. In Acts 1:1-8, what does Jesus give his disciples before sending them out, and what specific job does he tell them to do? [52:05]
2. In Acts 1, what question do the disciples ask Jesus, and how does he redirect their attention? [53:04]
3. In Acts 2:42-47, what practices did the first believers devote themselves to together? [01:06:28]
4. What are some visible ways the early church lived out their life together in Acts 2, especially in meeting needs, sharing meals, and gathering publicly? [01:20:12]

Interpretation questions

1. Luke says the Gospel told what Jesus “began” to do and teach. How does that shape the way Acts should be understood—not mainly as the story of the apostles, but as the continuing work of Jesus through his people? [47:18]
2. Jesus does not answer the disciples’ question about Israel in the way they expected. What does that reveal about how easily good concerns can become distractions from the main mission? [54:29]
3. Jesus says the disciples will receive power from the Holy Spirit in order to be his witnesses. Why is that connection important? What tends to happen when people try to live on mission without depending on the Spirit? [55:09]
4. Acts 2 connects the church’s shared life with its public witness and with people being saved. What does that suggest about the relationship between inward devotion and outward mission? [01:22:19]

Application questions

1. The baton has reached each believer through many ordinary people who simply passed on what they received. Who first placed the gospel into your life, and who might be one person God is putting in front of you now to receive that same blessing from you? [01:29:55]
2. Jesus gently redirected the disciples from a secondary concern back to the main thing. What feels like a competing priority in your life right now—not necessarily a sinful thing, but something that may be crowding out witness? [01:31:17]
3. A witness simply tells what has been seen and heard. What part of your own story of Jesus’ grace could you share naturally with a friend, neighbor, coworker, or family member this week? [58:56]
4. The early church was deeply connected, like intertwined redwood roots. Where do you feel well-connected in Christian fellowship, and where do you still feel isolated or mostly on the edge? [01:10:51]
5. The first believers devoted themselves to Scripture, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. Which of those has been most steady in your life lately, and which one needs fresh attention? [01:04:57]
6. The early church met needs with willing sacrifice, not pressure. When you become aware of a real need around you, what usually rises first in your heart—avoidance, caution, compassion, generosity? Why might that be? [01:18:48]
7. The church is not meant to be a destination but a launching pad to neighbors and nations. In the rhythms you already have—home, work, school, friendship, routines—what might it look like to live more like someone who is sent? [01:30:14]