In my former book,
Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach,
until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to
the apostles He had chosen. After his suffering, He showed himself to these men and gave many
convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke
about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this
command:
“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have
heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with
the Holy Spirit.” So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time
going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them:
“It is 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, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After He said this, He was taken up before their
very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky
as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,”
they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken
from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.” Then
they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from
the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying.
Sermon:
Illustration: One man said to the other, “my wife talks to herself a lot.” The other replied,
“mine does too, but she doesn’t know it. She thinks I’m listening.”
When Jesus spoke to his disciples, like the man above, they often didn’t listen, but following
his resurrection, they did.
This sermon today is taken from the Book of Acts. Acts is a continuation of Luke’s writings.
Fifty days following Passover was the Old Testament feast of Pentecost or feast of weeks or
feast of harvest. Jesus died at Passover, on a Friday. He was raised three days later which was
on Sunday which we celebrate as Easter.
Passover began the Jewish New Year (our March/April) the Jewish first month.
For Forty days following his resurrection Jesus remained on earth.
That brings us to forty days of instructions.
He showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.
1 COR 15:3-6:
“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he
was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then
to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers.”
Do you know that Christ died for your sins and that he arose on the 3rd day and that he is still
truly alive today?
Acts 1:3
“He spoke about the kingdom of God”.
Acts 2
“He gave instructions”
Do you know what His instructions are?
Some of Jesus’ instructions are found in the following verses:
Luke 24:49 -
“I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until
you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Acts 1:4 - On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command:
“Do not
leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.”
There are many scriptures in the Bible that speak volumes on waiting on God.
Here are a few:
Psalms 5:3 - In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before
you and wait in expectation.
Psalms 37:34 - Wait for the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when
the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
Psalms 40:1- I waited patiently for the LORD? He turned to me and heard my cry.
Proverbs 20:22 - Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the LORD, and he will
deliver you.
There’s something VERY SPECIAL about waiting on God AND THE ANSWER THAT WILL COME.
Matthew 28:18-20 - Then Jesus came to them and said,
“All authority in heaven and on earth
has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you, and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Mark 16:15 - He said to them,
“Go into all the world and preach the good news to all
creation.”
Yes, Jesus gave many instructions to his disciples, and today he still instructs his followers.
If you profess to be his child you must hear his words and follow them. When he says, “Wait” you
must wait, and when he says, “Go”, you must go. There are always blessings in obeying his
commands.
Following the 40 days of instructions there were 10 days of praying.
As he commanded, they waited, but not just sitting idly by, they waited, praying. They waited
some more: 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 days they prayed and nothing??? WHY?
It was still important to “WAIT”
Have you ever heard of praying through?
It means; Praying! Sticking it out with God in prayer until you get an answer. They did, and
finally, one day the answer came.
One Day of being ready.
When the day of Pentecost came (Fifty Days following the Resurrection). THE ANSWER CAME. They
were ready.
What were they ready for?
THEY WERE:
Ready for the Holy Spirit.
Ready for the Father’s gift.
Ready to go.
Ready to be that witness.
Ready for the task.
Ready to be the church in action.
Ready to Teach – Preach - Win.
They listened to his instruction. They obeyed. They waited, and without hesitation they would go.
For us today, we need to be ready, and we can be.
The challenge for all of us as believers today is to:
Be sure to listen closely to the instructions of our risen Lord. He constantly speaks and is
attempting to relate his will and purpose for us yet today.
Be sure to wait on him as He commanded and stay in prayer. Prayer is the key for each and every
believer today, every family, and every church to succeed. Prayer is the key in particular in
witnessing for Christ and winning the lost to Him.
The Holy Spirit came on them after they prayed and effectively stuck with it.
Today, the Holy Spirit is still the same. He will come to the obedient and those who build
strong prayer lives. Be sure to spend prime time and valuable time with God in prayer.
You will be amazed as to what God will do in your life, in your marriage, in your church.
