Acts 1:6-9
Acts
1:6-9
So when they had come together, they asked him,
“Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He
said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the
Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you
will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
We say that there are no stupid questions because admitting
ignorance is difficult; but it is the first step towards growth. The disciples ask a question that must have
been difficult for Jesus to hear because it reveals that they still didn’t “get
it.” However, His answer revels that
they would “get it.” The questions we
ask reveal a great deal about our hearts and our understanding. The response of Jesus reveals important
information that should transform our hearts.
As we examine the disciple’s question and Jesus’s response, we should
examine our hearts as well as our priorities.
A PROBLEM OF PRIDE: The disciples have been anxious for the
restoration of the kingdom of Israel since Jesus called them. They understood the prophecies of the Old
Testament predicted an unending kingdom for their nation. They believed that Jesus was the fulfillment
of these promises and they were excited about the prospects of ruling and
reigning with Christ. They figured to hold
prominent positions in this kingdom. None
of what they believed was wrong. The
problem was the timing. Jesus had
clearly and repeatedly told them that they should take the Gospel to all
nations. They had a national vision
while Jesus had an international vision.
Jesus had told them that they would suffer while fulfilling the mission
He had given them. These teachings of
suffering while making disciples in all nations were not as attractive as the
idea of having influential positions in the kingdom of Israel. Jesus does not criticize their hope for a
kingdom. He does tell them that the
timing of this hope is something that only the Father has authority over. We all prefer to focus on the promise of
blessing instead of the call to suffer and serve. Pride leads us to place our nation above
other nations and our comfort over Christ’s mission.
A PROMISE OF POWER: Jesus had already promised the disciples
the coming of the Holy Spirit in the past and now He makes it clear to them
that they would be empowered by the Holy Spirit. This is an essential truth that must be
remembered in any and all ministry. The
power of the Holy Spirit is the key to the success of any advancement of the
mission Jesus gave us. All that will
follow in this book is a direct result of the fulfillment of this promise. All that we might accomplish today is a
direct result of the fulfillment of this promise. We must not think that the Holy Spirit was
not active prior to His coming on the disciples and Pentecost. However, it is clear that His ministry was
intensified and modified by the work of Christ on the cross, the resurrection
and ascension of Jesus. I will not
speculate about what might have stimulated this change, but it is clear that a
change in the ministry of the Spirit occurred.
It is also clear that this change had a profound effect on the lives of
the disciples. We must recognize and
remember that we are beneficiaries of this same transforming power of the
Spirit of God. He has been promised to
us and God has kept that promise. His
supernatural power enables and sanctifies us for the glory of God and the
growth of His kingdom.
A PROPHECY OF PROGRESS: The result of the power of the Holy
Spirit in the lives of the disciples meant that there would be progress in two
specific areas. The first would be
progress in their personal walk and character.
No longer would they be unstable or uncertain. Instead, they would be witnesses. They had been followers and they had
experienced ministry, but they had been extremely inconsistent. In the face of persecution, they would fear
and flee. They were far more interested
in political power then proclaiming the Gospel.
The Holy Spirit would change all of that. They would now be witnesses. The word used for
witness in this passage is the word from which we derive martyrs. These fearful men would all become martyrs
for the cause of Christ. The second type
of progress prophesied in the passage was the progress of the Gospel through
their witness. It would progress from
where they were in Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria and to the ends of the
earth. The language here indicates more
of a simultaneous progress than a sequential progress. The rest of the book of Acts follows this basic
outline of how the Gospel was proclaimed in Jerusalem and then the message
spread to the surrounding regions due to persecution. Philip will go and lead a revival in Samaria
and the Paul would go to the ends of the earth.
However, the Gospel continued to be preached in all those places. Jesus is not saying that we must reach our city,
then our state, then our neighboring states before we think about going to
other nations. The Holy Spirit would
lead them to be witnesses in all these places.
Jesus wants to be worshiped by disciples in all the nations of the
world. The Holy Spirit came to equip and
inspire the disciples to accomplish exactly that mission.
APPLICATION: Don’t be distracted or enamored by the thought
of building our own kingdoms. The only
legitimate kingdom is the Lord’s so we must follow our call to live for Him. Be confident in the power of the Holy Spirit. Don’t trust in human strength or natural
ability. Be a witness of Christ no
matter what the cost. Promote the
advance of the Gospel to all nations everywhere.
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