Waiting for God's Power, Acts 1:4-8
“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.’ Then they gathered around him and 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.’” (Acts 1:4-8, NIV)
After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples for 40 days, during which time he spoke to them “about the kingdom of God” and “commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me” (Acts 1:3c-4). In this context, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (v. 6c). It was evident that the disciples were still waiting for a political restoration of the nation of Israel, that is, a golden age in which the Messiah would sit on David’s throne and they would occupy positions of honor, as the sons of Zebedee had intended (Matthew 20:21).
In his response, Jesus disconnected Israel’s political destiny from the spiritual kingdom he was about to inaugurate, vindicated the Father’s sovereignty over times and seasons, and called His disciples to wait and focus on what would be their responsibility: to be his witnesses when the time came.
The disciples waited ten days for the coming of the Spirit, though not passively. They spent time together in constant prayer and meditation, as seen in Acts 1:14: “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” This was a time of communion and spiritual preparation; of humility and patience. During that time, Peter recalled before everyone and in great detail the betrayal and death of Judas, and he proposed choosing Judas’s replacement (1:15-22). So, they nominated two men and presented them before the Lord in prayer: “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs. Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so, he was added to the eleven apostles” (vv. 24-26).
On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon them (Acts 2:1-4), and under His influence, the disciples spoke in tongues, explained and applied Old Testament messianic prophecies, called the people to repentance, baptized thousands, healed the sick, and preached boldly. As a result, the church grew in Jerusalem and soon overflowed like a swollen river throughout Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Our modern world forces us to do things in a rush. We want faster processors in our computers and smartphones, airplanes that get us to our destinations faster, conversations that get right to the point, fast food, instant coffee, etc. As a consequence, we are increasingly impatient. Nevertheless, rushing into things does not possess any intrinsic quality or virtue. And when it comes to the kingdom of God, rushing can be fatal.
To be specific: when the church fails in its efforts to bring the gospel to the lost, it’s because it rushes and does not allow the “kardiognosta” (“the knower of the hearts,” Acts 1:24) to do the choosing and the empowering. And so the church, led by self-calling people lacking the necessary power, dives headfirst like a swimmer into a pool.
The Spirit gave the disciples courage, direction, wisdom, and strength. The boldness, daring, and power with which they preached Christ after Pentecost couldn’t be explained otherwise (Acts 4:8, 13, 31). The church of our time must learn this lesson and allow the Holy Spirit to fill it, guide it, and empower it. Without the Spirit, the apostles could do nothing. Neither can we.
