While We Wait

Overview

While We Wait

The book of Acts is Luke's second volume—a continuation of "all that Jesus began to do and teach" (Luke's Gospel) now carried on by Christ through His church. Before His ascension, Jesus gave His followers content (the gospel story), purpose (witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth), and a command: wait in Jerusalem for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 1:9-11, Jesus is taken up in a cloud, and two angels in white—God's way of marking pivotal moments in salvation history—assure the disciples that "this Jesus" will return in the same way. The same Jesus who joined humanity to divinity in the incarnation, who bore our sin on the cross, will come again as true God and true man.

So what did the disciples do while they waited? They obeyed, and they prayed. Acts 1:12-14 tells us they returned from the Mount of Olives the short distance to Jerusalem—just as Jesus had commanded in Acts 1:4—and gathered in the upper room, "constantly devoting themselves to prayer." Notable in that gathering were the women, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Jesus' brothers—the same brothers who, according to John 7:5, had not believed in Him during His earthly ministry. The risen Christ had changed everything. This is a picture of the early church the Spirit calls us to emulate.

Waiting is hard, and Scripture is honest about how God's people stumble in it. Abraham and Sarah grew impatient with God's promise of a son and tried to engineer their own solution Genesis 16. Israel, weary of Moses' delay on Sinai, fashioned a golden calf Exodus 32. The common thread: when God seems slow, we suspect He has forgotten us, and we turn aside—to worry, to disobedience, to rival priorities. We push ahead on our own timetable rather than trusting His.

If you find yourself waiting today—on direction, on a relationship to heal, on healing of body or soul—you are not alone, and there is good news. The same Jesus who ascended bore every sin, including the sins of disobedience that surface in our seasons of waiting; we are washed in His blood and marked in our baptism with that gospel promise. And just as God does not waste suffering, He does not waste waiting. He often makes us wait so we learn that He is in charge and we are not, that He sets the agenda, that tomorrow belongs to Him, and that we are wholly dependent on the One who holds all our days. So embrace the waiting, and ask: Lord, what will You teach me here? Then do what the early church did. Obey, and pray.

Transcript

Let's open our Bible's please to the very first chapter of the Book of Acts. 0s

We began our journey in this incredible book last Sunday and I just want to recap 5s

what we went over. 11s

Because the first few verses of the Book of Acts are just so incredibly instructive for us 13s

to understand what is going to follow. 19s

So you'll recall here that the author of Acts was Luke, the same Luke that wrote the gospel of 23s

Luke. So there are two volumes. The first volume, the gospel of Luke, has to do with everything 32s

that Jesus did to his ascension. The second volume, which is the Book of Acts, has everything to do 38s

with what Jesus continues to do through his church. So you've got the same theme. It's the work of Christ. 46s

It's the work of Christ before the ascension and the work of Christ after the ascension. 53s

The recall that Jesus told his disciples to wait, to wait into Jerusalem before they set out 60s

for their evangelistic ministry. There were to wait for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. 70s

So they had the content, which is the story of Jesus Christ, they were waiting for the empowerment 75s

of the Holy Spirit and they knew their purpose. Their purpose was to go out and to make the 83s

disciples of all nations. Remember Jesus said it starts in Jerusalem and then goes to Judea in 91s

Samaria and then it goes to the end of the earth. Those are concentric circles and you see the Book of Acts 97s

that's the outline of the Book of Acts. You can just divide up the various chapters to the 103s

witness in Jerusalem, the witness in Judea in Samaria and the witness to the ends of the earth. 108s

The key word in those opening verses of the Book of Acts was to wait to wait. 116s

Content, they had it, yep, purpose, they had it to wait for the empowerment of the Spirit. 123s

So let's pick up where we left off, verse 9. When he had said this as they were watching, 132s

he was lifted up and a cloud took him out of their sight. This is the ascension. 141s

We know from scripture in the 40 days after the resurrection during those 40 days Jesus appeared 151s

in the disappeared. This is different. Now he is leaving. He is ascending into heaven and this is the 157s

fulfillment of the prophetic word. Remember when Jesus said in John the 6 chapter, he said, 164s

then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 171s

It was just the prophetic word of that which the disciples would experience. His ascension 179s

into heaven. So no longer were they to expect him then to keep appearing in disappearing. No, 186s

he was ascending back to the Father. Next verse, verse 10. While he was going 193s

and they were gazing up toward heaven. Suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 203s

See that word there that says they were gazing up. Literally in the Greek that word means to 212s

stare to stare. And the appearance of these two in white robes, 219s

well those are angels. Remember whenever an angel or angels show up in the Holy Scripture, 226s

it's God's way of saying, look here. This is really important. Angels constantly show up 236s

at key points in the history of the salvation message. Same thing with the ascension. 246s

Verse 11, they said, men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? Remember they're just 255s

second part of 11. This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will come in the same way 267s

as you saw him go into heaven. Notice there it says, this Jesus, this Jesus, 279s

in Bethlehem, in the nativity, the incarnation of Christ. That was the joining forever 293s

of humanity with Christ. At the inflectionment of Christ or as one author, I like what he puts it, 303s

when God puts skin on. When God puts skin on there, that was the joining of humanity with Jesus Christ. 311s

And that goes into all of eternity. So this Jesus, the Jesus, then that you know, the 319s

Jesus that we will one day meet face to face, he will be true God and true man. He will come back 326s

and he will be exactly as he was when he left. That divinity and humanity joined together 335s

for all of eternity. So you've got the content, you've got the purpose, they wait for the power. 347s

Jesus had commanded them to wait in to Jerusalem until the empowerment came. Jesus ascends into heaven 359s

the fulfillment of prophecy. So here's the question, what did they do while they waited? 368s

What did they do while they waited? 386s

They obey. They obey. They'll obey. Look at verse 12. Then they return to Jerusalem from the 393s

mount called Oliveit, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath days journey away. How did they obey? 405s

They obeyed by staying in Jerusalem. Look at verse 4, please, of chapter 1. 414s

While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise 421s

of the Father. So what did they do? During their time of waiting, they obeyed. 428s

Look again at verse 12. They returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Oliveit. What is that 439s

tell us? That tells us that that was the mount from which Jesus ascended into heaven. 446s

Luke tells us in his gospel it was actually the backside of the mount. Now just so we have the right 453s

picture in our minds, minds here, this is not a huge mount. The mount of Oliveit is a whole 458s

whopping 400 feet, 400 feet high. Jerusalem is only 200 feet high. But still it's a magnificent place 466s

from which he ascended into heaven. And in the backside there would have been more privacy. 474s

He would have looked down then upon Jerusalem proper. When it says then, which is near Jerusalem, 481s

a Sabbath day's journey away, that doesn't mean that Mount Oliveit was a whole day's worth of 487s

walking. Sabbath day's journey away, that was a unit of measurement in ancient day, a unit of 496s

measurement that just simply meant 3000 feet. And so when Jesus ascended into heaven, when He said, 502s

stay in Jerusalem, it wasn't that they had a long day's worth of travel to get back from the mount 508s

coming down the 400 feet and traveling. No, it traveled 3000 feet. 516s

What did they do then? Well they waited. They obeyed. They obeyed. 528s

All week long, I have had a song going through my head. All week as I have worked on the sermon. 544s

Not a him. It's a song from Mr. Rogers neighborhood. You remember Mr. Rogers, right? 556s

Kindly, gentle guy, where in the sweaters coming in? Did you know just as an aside that he was an 565s

ordained for his paternity and pastor? And that interestingly studies were done and that 572s

parents and grandparents would tune into that show, each and every day. But even people, the studies 579s

were saying that didn't have children or didn't have grandparents. There was a whole segment that 587s

simply watched the show and they said, why did you do that? And the response was, because he helped me 593s

relax. He was so, come on. Well he's used to sing this song. Remember? Let's think something to do while we're waiting, 598s

while we're waiting till something's through. Remember that? Here's this master teacher of children 616s

and he's teaching children. How to wait? How to wait? It'd be hard to wait, can it? It could be hard 628s

for an adult to wait, especially when you're waiting on God. I think of Abraham and Sarah 638s

remember God had given the promise that this couple who was well past child bearing years 646s

would have a child and then through this child this nation is going to be born and the Messiah is 653s

going to come forth from this nation. But Abraham and Sarah didn't like God's timing 659s

on when this child would show up and so they thought it would be best to take matters into their own 666s

thinking and why not then have a child there, fathered by Abraham through the slave because obviously 672s

God needs help in fulfilling his promise. What was the problem? He struggled with waiting. 681s

My Moses goes up to Mount Sinai. Moses doesn't come down according to the time table of the 693s

people with the ten commandments. So what do the people do? They form their own God. They collect 697s

the gold. They form their own God and then worship here the God that they have fashioned with their 704s

own hands. And what was at the heart of their struggle? What was at the heart of their struggle was 712s

God must have abandoned us because God wasn't acting in accordance with His time table. 718s

And with us when it comes to waiting for God we could be prone to disobedience. 728s

Can't wait. When we wonder where is God we then start to worry. 740s

We're tempted to wonder if somehow He has forgotten us and so we turn away. 751s

We wonder if indeed God simply has a plan for us but instead of pouring ourselves into the 760s

promises of God Almighty we've got our different priorities and God is forgotten in the process. 766s

I so often God makes us wait but we react with disobedience. 774s

That's why when you look at this text and you say what did they do? The early church 791s

in their period of waiting and you see they obeyed what an incredible picture that is for us. 802s

And their obedience took the shape not only of staying put like Jesus said but their obedience 820s

then manifested itself in additional ways. Look with me please at verse 13. 829s

When they had entered the city, remember they've come now from on all of it. The ascension has occurred. 840s

They traveled the 3000 feet. When they'd entered the city they went to the room upstairs where they were staying. 846s

Peter and John and James and Andrew Philip and Thomas Bartholomew and Matthew, James Sonnevelle 853s

Fius and Simon the Zellot and Judas Sonneve James. In ancient day homes typically had an upper room. 860s

It was a multi-purpose room. This must have been the home of somebody who was quite wealthy. 869s

Simply by the sheer number of people that could fit into the upper room. 876s

But what is it that they do while they wait as the obey and stand Jerusalem waiting for the 880s

empowerment here of the Holy Spirit and now waiting for the same Jesus to come back again. So while they're 887s

waiting for the empowerment and waiting for the Holy Spirit what do they do as part of their obedience? 894s

Verse 14. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer together with certain women 901s

including Mary the mother of Jesus as well as his brothers. So what do they do? 915s

They obey and they pray. They obey and they pray. And notice his in that upper room. 928s

Together with certain women including Mary the mother of Jesus as well as his brothers. 942s

Those brothers are James, Joseph, Jude, and Simon. Technically they're half brothers right because 949s

Jesus was virgin born. But remember remember what Scripture tells us about his brothers earlier in John 7. 955s

The Scripture says not even his brothers believed in him. And now here they are. 963s

Post-essential. Waiting for the power of the Spirit to come upon them waiting for the second coming of Christ 974s

together in the upper room and they're praying and who's there? 984s

But his brothers is brothers. This is a beautiful picture of the early church. 991s

As you move through the New Testament you get these pictures of obedience of the early 1006s

church that we say beloved by the grace of God may we emulate that. And then you also get pictures 1013s

of the early church and you say we need to do the exact opposite of that. The exact opposite of that. 1019s

This is one of those pictures. We're to emulate that amidst our time when we're waiting 1025s

on God that we obey and we pray. This is a positive picture here that early church isn't it? 1037s

There's a whole bunch of negative ones. 1054s

Beloved of God if you are struggling today in terms of waiting for God 1059s

perhaps in terms of a direction waiting for God in terms of a relationship to heal, waiting for God 1065s

fill in the blank. If you find yourself waiting for God today and if you find yourself 1073s

struggling amidst the waiting period beloved you are not alone. You are not alone. 1081s

And in fact as you look at your life under the examination of the word of God if you find yourself 1092s

that you have entered into this disobedience toward God as you wait for Him. 1098s

And instead of trusting in Him during the trials you've turned away instead of 1106s

embracing the waiting period you say well maybe God is just forgotten me. 1112s

Amit's the expressions of disobedience there's good news for you and the good news for you and for me 1119s

is that the very one who ascended into heaven and will come back again before His ascension 1128s

bore all of your sin on the cross. All of it we are washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. 1134s

We've been washed in our baptism where that gospel message was personally put with the water 1143s

and we have been washed in it including our sins of disobedience toward God when we doubt Him 1150s

when we turn from Him amidst our times of waiting. Washed in the blood of Jesus. 1160s

And the good news also the good news is just like with suffering just like with suffering. God never 1171s

wastes waiting. Never wastes in fact God oftentimes makes his wait. Why? 1183s

Because what is it that we learn as we wait on Him? 1197s

What we learn as we wait on Him is 1202s

He's in charge and we're not. What we learn is that He sets the agenda and we don't. What we learn is 1205s

He's in charge of tomorrow. We're not. And what we learn is a dependency on the one who holds 1216s

all of us and who holds us for all of our days that stretch as far until the Lord says 1226s

you're done. Come home. Come home. That indeed God is the one who is Lord of the waiting. And 1235s

He oftentimes uses the waiting to mature us, to mature us, to mold us to be more and more like 1245s

Jesus Christ. The good news beloved is God doesn't waste suffering and He doesn't waste waiting. 1254s

And if you find yourself amidst the time of waiting and bracelet embrace it, it is from God, 1262s

he's the one that holds the time schedule and the time table. Embrace the waiting and say, Lord, 1271s

what is it that you will teach me as I wait? So let's think something to do while we're waiting, 1279s

while we're waiting till it's through. Oh, this is a pretty good idea. 1300s

Oh, babe! And pray! Something to do while we're waiting. 1311s

Right neighbor? Right? 1326s