Hello, my dear “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Have you ever found yourself looking out into your future with both a strong sense of excitement but also fear? That is exactly what I think was happening in Jerusalem with the disciples and close friends of Jesus, as I left you yesterday.
They had come to Jerusalem in anticipation of the Shavuot festival which often lasted a full week and concluded 50 days after Passover. Like Passover, Shavuot was another of the three main Jewish festivals, which most able-bodied Jews would try to attend in Jerusalem, every year. (Deut. 16:16) That meant, of course, Jerusalem and all neighboring towns would be overwhelmed with pilgrims, from all across the Roman empire.
But their anticipation for this festival was different, for resurrected Jesus had told His disciples NOT to leave Jerusalem during this Shavuot festival but wait for a supernatural, spiritual experience! Jesus had described it with these words: “…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…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 1:4,5,8)
Now please remember what you know about these disciples. Several were fishermen, one a former tax collector, and we really don’t know much about the education or vocation of the rest of them. They were all good Jewish men to be sure, so when Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit of God coming upon them in power, I assume they were NOT confused.
If anything, they would have been excited, very excited!! Why? Because they knew Jewish Biblical history. They knew several great Jewish heroes had been anointed by God’s Holy Spirit for particular, significant, God given assignments. And if that was going to happen to them, they would be overwhelmed with a combination of extreme excitement and near paralyzing fear! Pause, can you think of some of those heroes who would have come to the minds of these disciples? May I give you a short list?
* Moses!
You’ll recall when Moses met God at the burning bush, and God sent Moses back to meet the Pharaoh, God promised “I will be with you.” (Ex. 3:12) Moses met 8 times with God up on Mt Sinai in the cloud of God’s presence, and the 8th time as Moses came down his face was so radiant the people asked him to put a veil over his face! (Ex. 34:29) When the leadership load had become too great for Moses, God told Moses to select 70 elders of Israel and God said: “I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them…” (Numbers 11:16,17)
Yes, the disciples knew the only way Moses was able to lead their ancestors through such difficult years was the Holy Spirit of God empowering and guiding Moses daily, for more than 40 years! As the disciples thought about Moses, I think they would have been a bit overwhelmed to consider the Holy Spirit might come upon them like He empowered Moses!
* Gideon was very different.
Gideon’s Holy Spirit anointing was short lived, and for a specific, strategic military purpose. (Judges 6:34; 7:7) God anointed Gideon with His Holy Spirit and led Gideon to lead only 300 Jewish men in battle against an invading army of so many Midianites they could not be counted. (Judges 7:12) Do you remember the result of that remarkable Holy Spirit anointed battle? How do you suppose the disciples responded as they thought about Gideon?
* David was anointed by the Holy Spirit of God as a boy (1 Samuel 16:13) and that anointing empowered David against Goliath the giant; (1 Samuel 17:45,46) and protected David from Saul’s vicious attacks; (1 Sam. 18:1-12) and guided David during his kingship, and even as he instructed his son King Solomon regarding construction of the Temple. (1 Chron. 28:8-12)
Oh, there are many more, but those three give us some insight into what the disciples may have been thinking when Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit coming upon them in power. Acts 1:12-14 tells us the disciples finally left the Mount of Olives that day, after Jesus disappeared up into the clouds, and they walked into Jerusalem, evidently to a gathering of many of Jesus’ friends and followers. I assume they’d all come for the Shavuot festival, and since most were from Galilee, once they found each other, they likely hung closely together.
Why? Waiting. That’s what Jesus had told them to do, wait! But while they waited, they were trying to figure out what they should do next. Jesus was obviously gone and permanently. He would no longer be with them or give them direction about what to do each day. They each and all had important decisions to make about their futures. Have you ever been in that place in your life?
Acts 1:14 reports: “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” We assume the women were Mary Magdalene and others who had often traveled with Jesus and the disciples, caring for their needs. (Luke 8:1-3) But did you see it says Brothers! We assume these are one or more of Jesus’ familial brothers. They had refused to believe in or show Jesus any respect in the past.
But now, it appears Jesus’ resurrection convinced them, and they were in that room waiting. What do you imagine Mary the mother of Jesus felt and thought about these days? Undoubtedly the conversations of all these friends of Jesus revolved around their memories with Jesus and seeking to discern what they should plan to do after the Shavuot festival. Hours turned to days and nothing happened.
In his frustration, impetuous Peter evidently felt something needed to happen and Acts 1:15-26 tells us Peter presented to the group a plan for selecting a replacement for Judas Iscariot! I see no evidence the Holy Spirit led Peter to do this, nor had Jesus made any mention of such action. As you read through that experience, you’ll find the disciples did in fact choose a man named Matthias to join their group replacing Judas. (Acts 1:26) But I find it interesting there is virtually no mention of Matthias after that day!
Jesus had told the disciples to WAIT. They didn’t. Instead they complicated matters by making a plan, acting on their plan and then asking God to bless their plan. Have you ever found yourself doing that my friends?
One of the most difficult things for us, who claim to be followers of Jesus, is learning to do things God’s way, in God’s time and follow God’s leading. Those 10 days the disciples and other friends of Jesus spent in Jerusalem were intended to be a spiritual & practical training time for all of them, to learn how to WAIT for God’s leading. Have you learned that important lesson?
Let’s pause right here and the ‘lessons learned’ notes below will help us with important reflections; then a worship song that will draw us to Jesus; and I’ll be here waiting for you tomorrow. Don’t rush friends, learn to wait on God for His guidance.
Today’s Scripture: Acts 1:12-26.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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