UPON THIS ROCK
“HE’S COMING BACK!!
Text: Acts 1:10-11
Introduction: An Attitude of Expectancy
Some of the most exciting periods of our lives are the times of anticipation. The times when we can't think of anything but what we are expecting to occur. I can remember many times like these: Counting the days till Christmas; getting driver's license; marriage; etc...When we are living with an attitude of expectancy our steps begin to quicken & our eyes brighten as we reach out to our future dreams. When Jesus ascended from the Mount of Olives to His throne in glory, He left His church with an attitude of expectancy.
Here in this last earthly meeting of Jesus & His disciples we find the Lord leaves them with a promise of something great that is going to take place in their lives. They are to wait for the baptism of the Holy Spirit that will empower them to be witnesses for Jesus to the world. Jesus left them with an attitude of expectancy. There are times in all of our lives we are faced with circumstances that require either a decision or an action. These are the moments we must seek God for an answer and learn to have an attitude of expectancy.
Transition: 1st we must learn to:
I. WAIT WITH EXPECTANCY v.4 & 7
a. The Concluding Command “…commanded them…”
Earlier Jesus had challenged them with the Great Commission: Mat 28:19 (NIV) "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," And here in the last moments of His earthly ministry to them, He gave them the final command, (v.4) "wait”. Jesus told them to wait for the baptism of the Holy Spirit to come upon them so that they might receive His power so they might be equipped to witness. We are not waiting for the Holy Spirit to be poured out like they were, that's already happened; but sometimes we need to wait for Him to act in our lives. One of the primary reasons many fail early in life is because they are not properly prepared for what they are about to face in the real world (elab…Prodigal Son). Sometimes Jesus' word to us is "wait". We pray for something we believe is God's will, & His answer sometimes comes back…"wait".
b. The Mysterious Moment v.7 “…to know the times…”
In vs.7 Jesus gives us a principle that we need to understand:
Time is in God's hand. We often fail to understand this truth.
God answers our prayers & works in our lives according to His timing, not ours. Our response to God's word must look unbelievably inconsistent to Him. When He tells us to "Go", we want to plant our feet firmly on the ground & stay. When He tells us to "Wait" we want everything yesterday. The secret to learning how to wait is expectancy…and the secret to expectancy is faith.
II. WATCH WITH EXPECTANCY v.10 & 14
a. A Steadfast Sight “…while they looked stedfastly…”
We should live our lives with one eye on the world and the events that are taking place according to the scriptures, & the other eye focused towards Heaven and the expectation of our Lord returning!!
Mat 24:42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come."
Mat 25:13 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." It is true that we do not know the day nor the hour in which the Lord will return, which is all the more reason to live our lives as if He is coming today. We must watch for Christ's return with expectancy.
b. A Continued Commitment v.14 “These all continued…”
As Children of God, we don’t watch as the world watches (seeing is believing…I can show you better than I can tell you; …Missouri, show me; ect.). Children of the most high God “Walk by faith and not by sight”. In order to watch in the Spirit, we must talk in the Spirit.
Mk.13:32-33 “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. 33 Take ye heed , watch and pray : for ye knownot when the time is . Jesus reminds us that we are to wait & watch because the imminence of His return should stimulate a new realization of the temporal nature of this life. If we are to have an attitude of expectancy we must watch for the coming of Christ & for the Holy Spirit's involvement in our lives.
III. WORK WITH EXPECTANCY v.11
The words of the angels ought to ring continually in our spiritual ears: “…shall so come…” Expecting Christ's return will drive us to do more than wait & watch. Living with an attitude of expectancy will lead us to work for the salvation of our fellowman.
ILLUS: An American, walking in Ireland, became lost while looking for a certain town. Hot, tired, & discouraged, he sat down by the side of the road. A farmer soon noticed him & asked if he could help. "You're in luck", the Irishman said when he learned of the man's destination, "That town is only about half a mile on down the road." The American thanked him & walked the half mile, only to realize there was no town to be seen. So he stopped & asked another man. Again, he was told "a half mile." But again, he found nothing. It was only after the scene was repeated several times that he finally came to the town. A few days later he happened to run into the first man who had given him directions: "Why did you tell me the town was so close?" he asked. Well" the Irishman replied, "you looked so tired I didn't want to discourage you by telling you how far away the town really was. In Ireland we are always trying to soften the journey of a stranger by giving him little dribbles of encouragement that help him along." The American was shocked, & said, "In America they are always careful to give you the exact information." Shaking his head, the Irishman said, "That's the trouble with Americans. They don't think enough of you to tell you a lie."
a. An Enlightening Exchange 2Thess.3:7-10 “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat .—Eating is one of the reward one has the privilege to enjoy as a result of their work (elab...Seals/Fish; Elephant/Peanuts; Monkey/Bananna;) Some people became so excited about the second coming of Christ they decided to quit their jobs and just wait. Paul doesn’t say that if they could not work they should not “be allowed” to eat, but rather that if anyone did not want to continue working he should decide to stop eating also.
b. A Shared Salvation Acts1:8 “…shall be witnesses…”
The power to which Jesus referred was not political, but spiritual. As Jesus had been anointed at His baptism with the Holy Spirit and power, so now His disciples will share in that anointing. As Christ bore witness of the Father and His love for mankind, so too are we as Christians called upon to share the message of the Messiah to the masses. If we are to work with expectancy, we will share with those who are hurting the invitation of Jesus Christ, "Come unto me all ye who are labor & are heavy laydened, & I will give you rest." Jesus is coming again, & I want Him to find us working when He comes.
**CONCLUSION**
“IT’S ABOUT TO BLOW”
1Thess.4:13-17 But I would not have you to be ignorant , brethren, concerning them which are asleep , that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again , even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.15For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep . 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall risefirst:17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Some of the most exciting periods of our lives are times of anticipation. Times when we can't wait for our expectations to be fulfilled. I've mentioned High School graduation, getting driver's license, & counting the days to Christmas as those kind of exciting periods. Periods when we find ourselves with an attitude of expectancy. I'm going through a period in my life like that right now & I hope you are too.
I am expecting NEW HOPE M.B.C. to do great things for God. And I pray that you will join me in anticipation of what God can do through us here.
