Jesus, Waiting and Change
Acts 1:1-11
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But 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.”
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They 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.”
This Sunday’s service can be viewed on our Facebook page @ Sunday, July 30, 2023
What is the biggest change you've ever made in your life, or had to make?
Whatever it was or is, I imagine it was a few things: stressful, exciting, complicated, and shook things up a bit. The experts tell us that the big changes we will experience in our lives are: going to school for the first time (for kids and parents), moving, leaving home, getting married, new job, buying a home, having your first child, losing a loved one, and retirement. (I am sure you can add some of your own things to this list)
Whatever change you have gone through, God is with us in it. Jesus experienced life as fully human, and fully God. He gets us. And, I hope you find comfort in this reality.
The early followers of Jesus experienced tremendous changes in their lives as they encountered Jesus while He was alive, and then even more powerfully after His death and Resurrection. The Church was birthed through and in the midst of these changes.
As we study the book of Acts over the next couple of months, I hope we will find ourselves in this story, as we re-think church, and why we gather, who we are as God's people, our identity and DNA as a local church, and how to live out the Great Commission to worship, serve and bear witness to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I look forward to seeing you, and worshipping our Lord Jesus together on Sunday at NewDay!
In Christ,
Pastor Kari