"Waiting For Divine Equipment," Acts 1:4

WAITING FOR DEVINE EQUIPMENT Acts 1: 4 The first five acts introduce gospel day us verses of the book of to the dawn of the promised to build send the Holy Spirit as Jesus had . His church and to another Comforter. The crucifixion Calvary's rugged hill on is done. The resurrection from the garden tomb has been established. Jesus has visited with " disciples and those whom He would for some 40 days. Now, He is ready to ascend back to His heavenly home and to be seated on the right hand of His Father as the last act of His earthly journey. The disciples are anxious. They do not know What to' do or how to respond. Teaching His 1 them more, Jesus says, "Wait for the promise or the Father which ye have heard of me." (Acts 1: 4b) disciples, hey are busy menbusy fishing, busy repairing nets, busy collecting taxes. At the crucifixion, these busy men can not stand sitting around just waiting, doing nothing, you might say. So some left the Golgotha hill and went back to Galilee. Some went back fishing again. (John 21: 1-3) When people have nothing to do or don't know what to do, they have a hard time just waiting. Waiting is not easy for active people. Restless people are always looking for the next thing to do. When we first meet the More times than I to remember stayed at home, my family asked, "What are you doing here? when I have have care 2 something wrong?" My response is always the same, "I live here." It took me a long time to understand that they are accustomed to me being on the move and doing something, so when I am doing nothing it doesn't make sense to Is them. original Biblical language, this "WAIT" means eager expectation, In the word to look for with a view toward favorable reception, to be patient with expectant hope, to confidently tarry and hold on, to anticipate what will be. Job sums it up with, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in him. (Job 13: 15) "All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come." (Job 14: 14) Waiting can be difficult. For sometimes it is a sign of uncertainty. It 3 just hurts and we can hardly stand it. Doing nothing for another moment is more than we can take. We would feel just had something to occupy We our time, to keep us busy, to do would rather be doing anything than doing nothing or waiting. Jesus calls His disciples together and sais "Wait for the promise of the Father." Hold on. Don't be in such a hurry. Tarry a while for help is on the way. The Holy spirit is coming. Pentecost is almost here. When God promises, we need only better is we . wait for Him to do what He said He would do, to fulfill His promise, to do what He said. Wait until God send the Divine along help that the Church cannot get without. Wait until God empowers the Church to do Divine service. Wait 4 prerequisite for Christian work. And spiritual achievement. for the First, remember that The Father promised divine equipment. Because He loves His children and want nothing less than the very best for them, The Father promised to provide the help that kingdom workers need. They have already been baptized with water, now they are to be baptized with the Spirit. It is this Spiritual and divine help that equips us to meet our responsibilities, to face trials, to overcome obstacles, and to bear fruit that is good. Second, remember that The Master commands equipment. us to "wait" for divine We fulfillment of the can expect the promise 5 "not many days hence." with one When we are another and in fellowship praying to God hearts open to His answer, God will pour out oil sufficient for our cups to with our overflow. Know that the mustard seed needs time to sprout and grow and produce. The Psalmist reminds us, "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord." (27: 1314) "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him prospereth in his way Those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth." (Psalm 37: 7 & 8) Jeremiah said, "It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the who ... 6 (Lamentations 3: 26) Isaiah wraps it up with "for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me." (Isaiah 49: 23b) "They Lord." that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40: 31) Wait I say, wait on the Lord. That why I sing, "Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift." (2 Corinthians 9: 15) as 7 SALT REBECCA D 110 SEMI COUNTY LAKE 529-90-9277 JORDAN 1150/000 1130 MONTHLY --EARNINGS SINGLE 1559.00 HOURLY DEP RATE YTD-- CURRENT REGULAR TAXED UNTAXD GROSS TAXBLE END 04/20/05 04/15/05 CURRENT YTD--- 31. 25 223.64 97.82 769.58 125 WARRANT NUMBER 0 1433.77 10165.45 1562.84 11183.67 572.18 NATWID-457 ---TAXES CURRENT FEDERAL 143.67 955.07 72.51 495.24 112.07 794.76 $990.66 ======> -------------HOURS-------------- OfT OT-R CURR STATE FlCA/MEDI LWOP BAL---- YTD SICK 18.75 VACATION 25.00 LOSE==> (COUNTY PAID)- -BENEFITS 25.00 INS-UNTAXD DEDUCTNS USE OR PERIOD 401K 33.38 GROSS --LEAVE DATE 457 OTHER PAY DEPOSITED WARRANT --REDUCTIONS 1562.84 OTHER TOT 02 17.990 OVERTIME NET Stub 1 of 1 AUDITOR O. DEDUCTION 04 PTD/PLEDGE !----DEDUCTIONS-------------- TAXED URS RETIREMENT=NONCONTRIB -- ----------CHARITIES---------- 86.34 YTD- 4.29 BOND 100.57 UAGE INS PMT 10.00 PAID MATCH 173.31 DISBLTY 1240.23 9.37 67.06 46.89 335.51 INSURNC 372.99 2932.92 FICA/MD 112.07 794.76 401K SALT LAKE COUNTY AUDITOR 2001 S. STATE STREET N3300 SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84190-1100 SALT LAKE COUNTY TO THE TREASURER OF SALT LAKE COUNTY NET AMOUNT $990.66 DATE 04/20/2005 *NON NEGOTIABLE* DEPOSIT *NON NEGOTIABLE* ADVICE ONLY REBECCA 0 JORDAN 5237 S GRAVENSTEIN PARK MURRAYUT 84123 Payroll Advice Only - Non Negotiable DO NOT PAY WHAT TO DO WITH "WHEN" Acts 1: 6-7 thing that makes all of us human being curious is the matter of as will the storms come? When will the sun The one time. We want to know and get an answer to the question "when"? When rise? When will the seasons change? When will my change come? We want to know "when'? trying to comfort His disciples about His coming crucifixion, He said, "See ye not all these things? Verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down." (Matthew 24: 2) The disciples came to Him privately as He sat in the Mount of Olives and asked, When Jesus was 1 "Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of they coming, and of the end of the world." (Matthew 24: 3) On another occasion, the Pharisees demand of Jesus, "When shall the kingdom of God come." Jesus answered, 'The Kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall say, Lo here! Or, Lo there! they For, behold, kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17: 20-21) Here in Acts 1: 6, the disciples are asking the same question again, "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom of Israel." "RE" might well be called the prefix the of The Bible. It is the root of Biblical theology. It suggests going back. It is the faith of experience again. You recall words like return, revive, reunion, 2 rebirth, reveal, redemption, reconciliation, resurrection, and of course restore which appears over 1 00 times. I glad that the God I serve is in the restoring business or I would not stand a chance. Our problem is that we want to am , know "when"? Baptist was the last Old Testament prophet and he came announcing that change was at hand. The savior was coming. Yet through his entire ministry, John and Jesus made it a custom of doing many things Old Testament style. The Bible says that it John the Jesus custom to go to the synagogue for worship on Saturday, an Old was Testament practice. Thedisciples of John and Jesus carried out Old Testament customs and practices p 3 when eating and visiting. They knew Jesus had come to . they walked and talked and lived with Him in hope to the soon restoration of the Kingdom of Israel. They heard Jesus say, "Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things." (Matthew 17: 11) But they did not hear fulfill the law and him say "But I say unto you, that Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have cone unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of 12) The disciples could recall the promise of the Messiah to restore Israel and they hoped for the children of Israel to man suffer of them." (Matthew 17: dominate the world. Jesus reminds them kingdom was not of this world. Still, the disciples want to know "Is this the time you are going to restore the that His 4 kingdom of Israel?" Jesus responds, "It is not for you to know the times or the dates. The Father has put all of that in His own hands. In other words, the Kingdom will be restored. That is the Fathers business and responsibility. Believe that will all your heart, but stop trying to pin down the time. Leave "the when" entirely up to the One who who sees, and who is everything. 5 knows, sovereign over