DEVOTION

“Final Orders”
Acts 1:1-11

1
In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the
beginning 2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions
through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 After his suffering
he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them
during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 While staying with
them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of
the Father. "This," he said, "is what you have heard from me; 5 for John baptized
with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
6
So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you
will restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He replied, "It is not for you to know the
times or periods that the Father has set 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, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 9 When he had
said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their
sight. 10 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two
men in white robes stood by them. 11 They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand
looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into
heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

Jesus spent the 40 days following His resurrection with His closest disciples,
teaching them about the Kingdom of God. The New Testament records five
statements Jesus made during this time, which some have labeled “Great
Commission” statements. These statements record Jesus’ final instructions to His
followers and my friend David Brickner with Jews for Jesus likes to call them
“Messianic Marching Orders.”

The disciples knew that Jesus was the Messiah. They knew that he had died
horribly on the cross, and that he had risen from the grave after three days. They
didn’t have any doubts left about who He was. Despite all this, their response to his
final instructions – both in this passage and in the other Great Commission
statements – indicate that they still didn’t get it all. They were clinging to their
preconceptions of what the Messiah would do and be, and this hampered their
ability to be ministers of the gospel. They were following a model that had worked
in the past. They had seen Jesus himself minister in a particular way. Jesus had sent
them out to minister, and then they had always returned to Him.

Even on the other side of the cross, after Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, after
spending 40 days with the resurrected Christ, the disciples assumed that their
ministry was just going to continue the way it had been. Yet the disciples were
about to start walking down roads they never could have predicted, visit places
they never visited before, accomplish things they couldn’t have imagined before,
and live and die in unbelievable ways. Jesus’ last instructions to them were a call
to understand that change was coming, and that change is inevitable.

The disciples’ question to Jesus was, “Lord, will you at this time restore the
kingdom to Israel?” This is a question that came out of an understanding based on
their Jewish education and religious training. Their understanding was limited to a
Messiah who would visibly, physically rule the kingdom of Israel. Jesus didn’t
reject the question entirely; He simply let them know that the answers they wanted
weren’t being made available by the Lord. Now, that must have been difficult for
the disciples to hear. It’s difficult for us as the church today to read it as well, and
realize that we don’t get advance knowledge of God’s timing. The problem was
that the disciples had a vision of what their ministry was supposed to be, and their
vision had to change to match the reality of what God intended. They were going
to have to change.

Jesus didn’t tell even his closest followers what the future held. He only made
them the promise, “You will receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon
you.” This should tell us even today of the importance of the indwelling of the
Holy Spirit; it is the Holy Spirit which changes and transforms us, and gives us the
power to do God’s work. Why is this important? Because things change, situations
change, and that is a fact of both life and ministry. The Holy Spirit would be with
the disciples but would be within them.” That was a miraculous change in the order
of things.

Once the promised power of the Holy Spirit came, the disciples were able to fulfill
the calling the Lord had placed on them. Then and only then they were equipped to
be the witnesses that Jesus) commissioned them to be. In the past, He had sent
them out two by two throughout the towns and cities of Israel, to return to Him
after a short time. After the coming of the Spirit, they were sent out to people of
different languages and cultures, and lived in cities and countries they had never
dreamed of. Instead of returning to Him after a short time, the disciples continued
on in ministry until they were each joined with Him in glory.
The disciples were beginning to understand Jesus’ point, and just in case they still
didn’t quite get it, Christ ended His earthly ministry with the greatest sermon
illustration ever. While they were watching, He was taken up and a cloud received
Him out of their sight. Maybe you can imagine the looks on their faces when He
vanished. Maybe that was the point where one of them might have said, “uh …
wait a minute. Lord, we still have some questions!” Do you think they understood
immediately that everything had changed, or did it dawn slowly that Jesus had left,
and that they were being entrusted with the responsibility of carrying on His
mission?

It was frightening for the disciples to face life and ministry in the wake of Jesus'
departure, so it was vital for them to receive the assurance of the angels: “Men of
Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been
taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into
heaven.” He is coming again! That was the disciples' future hope, and it’s ours
today. At the same time, had Jesus not ascended, the disciples would never have
fully realized their responsibilities.

As we’re starting a new year, I think that as the men of this church, we need to
consider how things might need to change for us this year, both as individuals and
as a church. Change is not an enemy. It’s necessary and it can be good. What can
we accomplish together if we patiently and prayerfully seek the leading of the Holy
Spirit to open each of us to His empowerment? What impact can we have on our
families, our church, and our community if we allow God to help us see what
changes are needed to the model we’ve used to minister?