May 16, 2021

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  • Our story takes place between Ascension and Pentecost. For the disciples this became another season of waiting.  In Acts 1:6 they ask Him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”  They have already spent much time waiting, and they find out that they will be waiting again.
  • While they are waiting they are given one command, two rebukes and three promises.
    • Command: Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait
  • Rebukes: It is not for you to know times and dates. Why do you stand here looking at the sky?
    • Their focus is not to be on their Jewish hopes or the fact that He is gone. They are to focus on the command and the promises.
  • Three Promises
    • Gift my Father promised – Holy Spirit
    • Power from the Holy Spirit, you will be Jesus’ witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. Holy Spirit plus Great Commission
    • Jesu will come back in the same way you have seen him go
  • Are we there yet? What do we do when we are waiting? They wait in faith – faith in a person and faith in the promises.
  • Promise one will be fulfilled in a few days, promise two will be fulfilled in a few years, promise three will not be fulfilled in their lifetime. They don’t know that. As far as they know, all three are going to be fulfilled in the near future; during their lifetimes.
  • We have these same promises
    • The Presence of the Holy Spirit
    • The Power to be Witnesses
    • The Return of Christ
  • In addition, we have the personal promises the Lord has given us in scripture and/or through a direct word from the Lord that He has spoken to us. Sometimes we are standing on promises God has given, but the timing may be very different than we expect.
    • 2 Pet 3:8-10a – But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. (NIV)
  • Are you standing on a promise of some kind during this season of your life? It might be a specific word from the Lord or may be a general promise from scripture?  Healing, salvation of a family member, finances, calling/direction…
  • The reason they can have confidence in the promise is because they trust the person… So far, He has done everything He has said, including rising from the dead.
  • The evidence of their faith in Jesus and the promises while they wait is shown in three things:
  • First, they obey the instruction. They stay in Jerusalem.  Staying in Jerusalem is important because geographically that is where the Spirit will be poured out.  We might think of stories in the Bible where people were asked to obey a command, like the woman with the jars of oil (2 Kings 4:1-7) or Philip and the Ethiopian (Acts 8:26-40)
    • In our lives the issue may be big or small. It might be a sin to deal with or a relationship to repair.  It might be stay or to go, to start or to stop. Are you aware of anything the Lord is asking you to do?
  • Second, they continue in prayer. The word for prayer here is “Proseuche”, which is a general word for prayer used throughout Acts and other places in scripture.
    • 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers (Proseuche) and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (NIV)
    • They might have been asking for something specific (like the Holy Spirit) or they might have been simply worshipping. Maybe they were reading and praying through the Psalms or were reciting the prayer Jesus had taught them to pray.  In whatever way it manifested, their prayer indicated they believed Jesus words and took seriously what He had said.
    • How is your prayer life? Are you continuing in prayer?  Do you speak with the Lord regularly?  Do you ask, seek and knock? Or have you become discouraged or weary… Luke 18 – Jesus taught them a parable to teach them to pray and not give up…
  • They prepare for the promise’s fulfillment. They are told they will be witnesses, so they make sure that the “team of witnesses” is complete, especially the team of “eyewitnesses”.
    • Why was it important to have 12? Twelve might have been symbolic of the 12 tribes of Israel.  Jesus is a new patriarch with his “12 sons” starting/restoring a kingdom.  Some commentators indicate that 120 men were needed to form a new Jewish community or assembly (the fact that several of the 120 were women may be an indicator of the higher value that was being given to women in the church)  with 12 elders (1 for each 10).  Or it might simply have been so that “the scripture would be fulfilled”.
    • Regardless of the reason, Peter (and the group) believe it is important (and biblical) that they fill out the team in preparation for what is next.
    • There are Many stories in the Bible of preparing, for example, David made extensive preparations for the temple (1 Chron 22), even though he wouldn’t be building it.– 1 Chron 22:5 “So David made extensive preparations before his death.” (NIV)
    • What about you? Do you need to prepare for the fulfillment of the promise in some way?  Getting some education, freeing up time from some commitments so that you are available, etc.
  • Conclusion
    • Here we are between ascension day and Pentecost, or in the bigger picture, between the Ascension and the Return. And we are all waiting. What promises are you waiting on and holding on to?
    • How about taking some extra time this week to wait for and prepare for a fresh work of the Holy Spirit in your life?
    • Is there an act of obedience you need to respond to? Maybe it is getting some prayer, connecting again with other believers or dealing with an issue of some kind in your life the Lord is putting His finger on.
    • How about spending some time in prayer, reminding God of His promise, asking again for the breakthrough you seek, or pressing in to ask for the Holy Spirit to move in a new way in your life.
    • Is there a step of preparation you need to take? In some way to put a stake in the ground for what you believe is coming?
    • Are we there yet? No, but we are closer than we were yesterday. While we are waiting, let’s remember the promises, obey, pray and prepare.