Our decisions about career, family, hobbies, and friends matter less to God than our moral decisions. God’s view of our lives is very different than the one we carry in our heads. Whether a person is a huge success or a financial failure, whether a mountaineer or an accountant, whether married or single, whether living in the inner city or on a farm makes little difference to God. God is interested in whether we are pure in heart, merciful, loving, and repentant...The Bible talks about righteousness incessantly...If God cared about our intelligence or athleticism or marital status or career success, then you might think those things would be major themes in the Bible. But they just aren’t. Chris Swanson, “The Lie of Authenticity”
Waiting for the Holy Spirit, part 1 Acts 1:6-11
And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. Luke 24:50 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. Acts 1:12
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 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.” Acts 1:6-8
And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:9-11
Four things that needed to happen while the apostles waited for the Holy Spirit 1. Receive their commision from Jesus (6-8) 2. Witness Jesus’ ascension into heaven (9-11) 3. Persevere in prayer (12-14) 4. Replace Judas with Matthias (15-26)
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 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.” Acts 1:6-8
Mount of Olives - aerial view from the south Andrew Shiva / Wikipedia
Mount of Olives - view from the southwest Wikipedia
Olive trees on Thassos, Greece Petr Pakandl / Wikipedia
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 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.” Acts 1:6-8
The apostles were (still) expecting: 1. A political and territorial kingdom (“restore”) 2. A national kingdom (“Israel”) 3. An immediate kingdom (“at this time”)
The apostles were (still) expecting: 1. A political and territorial kingdom (“restore”) 2. A national kingdom (“Israel”) 3. An immediate kingdom (“at this time”) Jesus’ reply: 1. The kingdom of God is spiritual, not political or territorial
Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. Luke 2:25
And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:38
But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Luke 24:21
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 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.” Acts 1:6-8
The apostles were (still) expecting: 1. A political and territorial kingdom (“restore”) 2. A national kingdom (“Israel”) 3. An immediate kingdom (“at this time”) Jesus’ reply: 1. The kingdom of God is spiritual, not political or territorial 2. The kingdom of God is international, not national
... and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8
Mount of Olives - aerial view from the south Andrew Shiva / Wikipedia
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Revelation 7:9-10
The apostles were (still) expecting: 1. A political and territorial kingdom (“restore”) 2. A national kingdom (“Israel”) 3. An immediate kingdom (“at this time”) Jesus’ reply: 1. The kingdom of God is spiritual, not political or territorial 2. The kingdom of God is international, not national 3. The kingdom of God is gradual, not immediate (now and not yet)
As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return…” Luke 19:11-12
He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.” Acts 1:7
He said to them, “It is not for you to know times ( χρόνος ) or seasons ( καιρός ) that the Father has fixed by his own authority.” Acts 1:7
Now concerning the times ( χρόνος ) and the seasons ( καιρός ) , brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 1 Thessalonians 5:1 ...in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages ( χρόνος ) began and at the proper time ( καιρός ) manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted… Titus 1:2-3
And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:9-11
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