Jesus is Delegating: What Acts 1:1–5 Reveals About Your Purpose
- Thad DeBuhr
- Jan 6
- 7 min read
Study Guide: The Kingdom Handover (Acts 1:1–5)
Imagine you’ve worked for years at a small, family-owned woodshop. The owner is a master craftsman. You’ve watched him turn rough logs into beautiful furniture. You’ve listened to his stories about how a shop should be run, how customers should be treated, and what "true quality" looks like.
One day, the owner calls you into the office. He doesn’t give you a new assignment; he gives you the keys. He tells you he’s heading to the main headquarters in a different city to oversee things from there. He’s not closing the shop. He’s leaving it in your hands. Everything he started doing, he now expects you to continue doing using his tools, his reputation, and his resources.
This is exactly where we find the followers of Jesus in the opening lines of Acts. The Master Craftsman is handing over the keys.
Before you dig into the study guide, I would suggest reading or listening to the passage in two different bible translations from this list: NIV, NLT, NASB, ESV, NKJV
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Setting the Scene: Making Sense of the Handover
For three years, the disciples had been listening to Jesus tell stories. He often spoke about landowners who went on journeys, kings who left servants in charge of their estates, and masters who expected their workers to keep the business running while they were away. At the time, those stories probably felt like interesting lessons about "someday."
In Acts 1:1–5, "someday" finally arrives.
The Nobleman on a Journey: Jesus had told a story about a nobleman going to a far country to receive a kingdom and leaving his servants with money to "do business" until he returned (Luke 19:11–13).
The Overlap: Now, Jesus is literally preparing to go to that "far country" (Heaven). But in the Bible, Heaven isn't a place billions of miles away; it’s the "Home Office" or "Control Room" that overlaps with our world. Jesus is moving to the Control Room, and he is delegating the "family business" on Earth to those who have put their trust and allegiance in Him as the Messiah.
Summary: The Five Pillars of the Handover
Jesus is no longer just telling a story about a landowner leaving; He is the King preparing to head to the "Home Office" of Heaven. This isn't a goodbye; it's a massive promotion for His followers. He is officially handing over the keys to the family business.
To help us understand how this works, we can look at the Five Pillars of the Handover. These pillars show us that those of us who choose to trust & follow Jesus aren't just fans of his watching from the sidelines—we are the stewards He has trusted to run the show.
1. Part Two Begins (Acts 1:1)
Luke (the author) tells his friend Theophilus that his first book was about everything Jesus began to do and teach. This is a huge clue! It means that the stories of Jesus in the Gospels were just the "Pilot Episode." Acts is the rest of the season. The same power that healed people in the first book is now being handed over to the people in the second book.
2. The 40-Day Playbook (Acts 1:2–3)
After coming back to life, Jesus stayed for 40 days. Why 40? In the Bible, 40 is the number for "preparation." Moses spent 40 days on a mountain getting the plans for God’s tent (the Tabernacle). Now, Jesus spends 40 days giving his friends "convincing proofs" that he is alive and coaching them on the Kingdom of God. He’s handing over the playbook.
3. Stewards, Not Owners (Acts 1:4a)
Jesus reminds them that they are caretakers. In the Parable of the Vineyard (Matthew 21:33–41), the landowner lets farmers rent his land. The farmers got in trouble when they started acting like they owned it. Jesus is telling his friends: "I am still the Boss. I’ve planted the seeds and built the walls. Your job is to tend the garden and make sure it grows."
4. The Discipline of Waiting (Acts 1:4b)
Jesus gives a strange command: "Wait in Jerusalem." In the Parable of the Watchful Servants (Luke 12:35–38), the servants had to stay alert, not knowing when the master would knock. Jerusalem was a dangerous place—it’s where Jesus was just killed! But Jesus tells them to stay in the "danger zone" and wait. You can’t do God’s work on your own energy; you have to wait for the "Engine" to be installed.
5. High-Performance Fuel (Acts 1:5)
Jesus promises they will be "baptized with the Holy Spirit." This harkens back to the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30), where the master gives his servants huge sums of money to invest. The Holy Spirit is our "Capital." Jesus isn't asking us to use our own cleverness or savings to change the world. He’s giving us His power.
The Analogy: John the Baptist’s baptism was like a car wash (cleaning the outside). Jesus’ promise is like a gas station (putting high-performance fuel inside). One looks good; the other actually powers the movement.
🛑 How to APPROACH This passage in ACTS Incorrectly: Common Pitfalls
People often get off track when reading Acts by pulling specific events out of their historical context. Here are some ways we tend to miss the point:
The "Superhero" Myth: People often read Acts and think the disciples were special "super-Christians." This makes us feel like we can't do what they did. But they were messy, confused, and scared. The only thing "special" was the Boss they worked for and the Spirit He gave them.
The "Self-Help" Trap: Some people use these verses to say, "If I just wait long enough and pray hard enough, I'll get 'power' to get the life I want." That's out of context. The power in Acts 1 is given to "do business" for the King, not to serve our own agendas.
The "Formula" Fixation: People sometimes argue over the way someone is baptized or the specifics of the Spirit. They miss the "Kingdom Handover." They focus on the "fuel" but forget that the fuel is meant to make the "car" (the mission) move.
✅ How to APPROACH THis passage in ACTS Correctly (Tips and Principles):
To get the most out of this passage in Acts and stay on the right path, try these steps:
Read it as a Progress Report: When you read Acts, ask: "How is the 'Family Business' doing today?" It’s a story of growth and expansion.
Respect the Geography: Notice that Jesus starts the handover in Jerusalem. He doesn't tell them to go to a "safe" place; He tells them to stay where the mission is needed most.
Think Like a Steward: Always ask, "Since I don't own this life/job/family, but I'm managing it for Jesus, what would He want me to do with it today?"
Questions to Chew on and Discuss:
These questions are designed to help you personally dig deeper into the passage.
Jesus spent 40 days proving He was alive so His friends wouldn't have any doubts when things got hard. What "proofs" of God’s goodness in your own life can you hold onto when things get "dangerous" or difficult?
If your current job, your home, or your neighborhood is a "department" of Jesus' business, how would you grade your "stewardship" this past week? Are you acting like the owner or the manager?
Journey Group Discussion Starter:
Whether you're helping facilitate a small group, talking about this passage one-on-one with a friend, or even just need a topic to guide the conversation at the dinner table, these ideas can help start a good group conversation before you dive into the passage and questions in this study guide.
The "Handover" Moment: If Jesus walked into the room right now and handed you a physical set of keys to your city, what’s the first thing you’d feel? Fear? Excitement? Confusion? Why?
The "Waiting" Room: Share a time in your life when you "ran ahead" of God instead of waiting for His timing/power. What happened, and what did you learn about the importance of "waiting in Jerusalem"?
Sum it Up
The beginning of Acts is the moment the "will" is read and the keys are handed over. Jesus moved from being the person doing the work on the ground to being the King directing the work from the Control Room.
He has given us the keys (authority), the playbook (His teachings), and the fuel (the Spirit). Those who put their trust and allegiance in Him are "Mobile Mini-Temples" tasked with running the family business until He returns.
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