Jesus says something completely astounding. It is the fulfillment of what John the Baptist said some three years ago at the beginning of His ministry. Even Jesus spoke of it as an incredible future event. Jesus gives them instructions to get the promise. They must have been thinking about something else…
Acts 1:4–6 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
Maybe it isn’t as bang-bang in real time as we read it here, but still. Were they thinking that the promise only had to do with the restoration of Israel? Were they singularly focused on that restoration? We don’t know. What we do know is that the disciples are people and we people want to know the answer to, “when” question.
When am I getting that promotion? When is the money coming in that I need? When am I going to get married? When is it going to stop snowing? If I were there I might ask, “When are we going to be baptized with the Spirit?” Still, it is a when. Jesus gives an answer that we should pay attention to.
Acts 1:7–8 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.”
It’s not like we can’t know when anything is going to happen, but this does seem to be one of those Jesus switch the subject to the more important thing, the Holy Spirit, what will happen with us, what we will do. Come on somebody!
Acts 1:4–6 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
Maybe it isn’t as bang-bang in real time as we read it here, but still. Were they thinking that the promise only had to do with the restoration of Israel? Were they singularly focused on that restoration? We don’t know. What we do know is that the disciples are people and we people want to know the answer to, “when” question.
When am I getting that promotion? When is the money coming in that I need? When am I going to get married? When is it going to stop snowing? If I were there I might ask, “When are we going to be baptized with the Spirit?” Still, it is a when. Jesus gives an answer that we should pay attention to.
Acts 1:7–8 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.”
It’s not like we can’t know when anything is going to happen, but this does seem to be one of those Jesus switch the subject to the more important thing, the Holy Spirit, what will happen with us, what we will do. Come on somebody!
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