Forty Important Days End (2)
Acts 1:1-11
I sometimes wonder why 40
days?
-I go back and see that Jesus
was in the desert for 40 days when he was tempted by the devil. Those
40 days of preparation were essential in the life of Jesus.
-Noah stayed in the
-The 12 spies that were
sent by the Israelites to search the “Promised Land” remained in
-The Israelites wandered
in the desert for 40 years before arriving to the Promised Land.
Every time the number 40
comes, God is preparing something new, something different: a new
phase, a new period in the journey of our life.
Forty important days after
the resurrection, It seems Jesus is preparing his
disciples for an important mission, for a “long” trip.
-40 important days passed
after the resurrection.
40 days of teaching,
breaking bread together,
having fish for breakfast,
encouraging the frightened disciples.
asking them not to leave
Jesus said goodbye, but he
gave us duties; there is an unfinished
ministry to be accomplished by the faithful
followers of Jesus. It reminds me of the Unfinished Symphony
of Schubert. His pupils finished it after his
death.
1- Be my
witnesses:
“But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in
Statistics indicate that 80%
of Christians become Christian through the witness of other Christians. Can you
see how high the number is? This does not mean that Billy Graham style big
crusades are not important. I believe those also are
important. However, the best way one can invite someone to Christ is through
changed lives. Although sermons are good for teaching, changed lives
speak louder. People watch you and can be lead to Christ through you. Jesus
challenged his disciples. He asked them to be his witnesses.
I am so glad that Daniel gave his testimony today. We
were praying for his healing. God answered our prayer and Daniel is testifying
to it.
2- Be my
witnesses all over the world:
“…be
my witnesses in
Remember these disciples did
not travel much. Those days people did not travel more
than 50 miles from their home. Not too far.
Can you see their faces as
they heard these words: “to the ends of the earth.” They were probably overwhelmed
by this challenge.
“Be my disciples in remotest
parts of the earth.” Indeed, the disciples Thaddeus and Bartholomew left their security
in the 50-mile radius, traveled all the way to
-“During World War I,
General Douglas MacArthur was a 38-year-old brigadier general and brand new
brigade commander in France. He went forward and waited in the trenches
with the battalion that was going to lead the way in a major attack.
He called the battalion commander. "Major," he said,
"when the signal comes to go over the top, I want you to go first, before
your men."
He paused and then continued, "If you do this, your battalion will follow.
You will earn the Distinguished Service Cross and I will see that you
get it."
He looked the Major over for several long moments. "I see you are going to
do it," MacArthur said. "You have [the medal] now."
So saying, MacArthur unpinned a Distinguished Service
Cross from his own uniform and pinned it on the uniform of the Major.
Now, I ask you, what happened when that signal came to
go over the top? Well, you know as well as I do. The
Major, proudly wearing a Distinguished Service Cross which
he had not yet actually earned, charged out in front of his troops. And as
MacArthur had forecast, his troops followed behind him.” 1
The disciples
had a commander called Jesus. They had the confidence of the protection of the best commander. They also
knew that their commander went before them. They did not know what kind of
“troubles” they would face. But they had the assurance
of Jesus.
It is similar in our lives. The
church grew up under persecution. We have just finished the book of Acts.
It was full of adventures. Christ did not promise a smooth “ride”. No,
in fact the devil is happy when there is trouble. --We were watching the persecution
in
We in the West need to be
careful. Although we have stability, yet we face a different kind of persecution.
Materialism and self-centeredness is all around us. Being “lukewarm” in
our faith is the best way for the church to lose its testimony.
3- I’ll
be back from “the right hand of God.”
Two important points:
-“After the Lord Jesus had
spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of
God.” (Mark 16:19)
Jesus went to his “home,” to
the Father, and he is sitting on the right side of the Father. This is the day
of Coronation. This is the day of victory. He is interceding
for us.
We read in 1st
Peter 3:22, “22who has gone into heaven and is at God's right
hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.”
Jesus has the authority and
the glory. He is the Lord of Glory.
In Ascension, we realize that
Jesus is not limited in time and space anymore. Jesus is
everywhere. He is back to the glory of God .Willingly he gave up the
glory of heaven in order to be like us, so that no one will perish.
The disciples were confused
and scared of the fact that Jesus would not be with them in flesh. But that was good. I am glad that Jesus
ascended. Jesus is everywhere. Christ is everywhere. He is present with us
through the Holy Spirit. Because of his presence, we can continue being his disciples
and servants.
So on one hand Christ
is sitting the right side of God interceding for us.
-The other side of the coin,
he will return. “I shall return,” said the famous General Douglass MacArthur. There is
a promise from Jesus that he will be back.
When? No one knows the time. We need to be ready.
The disciples were looking up
and here is the Good News:
“10They
were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men
dressed in white stood beside them. 11"Men of Galilee,"
they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same
Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way
you have seen him go into heaven."
-On video
players there is the command of
reverse. You can watch the movie backwards. This time every eye will see.
It is not private.
7Look, he is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see him, (Rev 1:7)
“For the Lord himself
will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the
archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise
first. 17After that, we who are still alive and
are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in
the air. And so we will be with the Lord
forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words.” (Thess
4:13)
Am I
ready for the coming of the Lord?
I am, but how? Not by sleeping, no,
by being alert and ready to be his witness. Being his disciple, which means someone who constantly learns.
Being in
prayer and mediation so that the
Spirit of Lord will equip us to face the challenges that the world will
bring.
Minister Owen Bourgazie said:
“At the Ascension Jesus left
the Here for the Everywhere
He left the Time for the
Eternal;
He left the First Century to
fill All the Centuries.”
Amen
1 H. M. Boettinger, MOVING
MOUNTAINS, pp. 86-87