“After Easter Experience”
May 4, 2014
Acts 1:1-14
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.”
12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”
If you were here last week you will recognize that this is the Scripture we used for the background on the message on what the disciples were doing after Easter. You remember that we said they 1. Walked in Joy; 2. Walked in Obedience; and 3. Walked in service. Today I want to take that same Scripture and change the focus just a little bit.
Imagine how it must have been at that time. Last week we talked about the emotional roller coaster ride the Apostles must have been on. Palm Sunday, The Last Supper, the Friday crucifixion, and then Resurrection Sunday. From the heights of euphoria to the depths of depression – what an emotional swing. But now Jesus was back. He was resurrected from the dead. Imagine spending 40 days with Jesus. This Scripture says He did stuff with them. He ate with them! He presented Himself to them! He convinced them that He was alive with many convincing proofs. He taught them things! Wouldn’t you have loved to be in one of His classes? He spoke to them about the Kingdom of God. He instructed them through the Holy Spirit. I wonder what that was like. He also taught them -Himself.
I wonder if they all sat down on a hill side like they did on the Sermon on the Mount, and listened to Jesus explain things. He knew He was going away soon – so He was giving them His final personal instructions. Maybe it was kind of like a picnic – because they were eating at times. Maybe it was like the times He fed the people with fish and bread. Jesus ate with them. That was important because some people could say it was His ghost or spirit that they saw. But He ATE with them! He was REAL! He was human! It was a ‘bodily resurrection’. Jesus had indeed conquered death!
There were three subjects that Jesus talked about after His resurrection and just before His ascension to Heaven that we know about. There may have been many more, but there are three areas of teaching I want to look at a little closer this morning. He spoke of the end times; the Holy Spirit; and our purpose.
First, let’s look at what Jesus taught us about the end times. This was a subject that was much on the first century Christians minds. It is much on our minds in this day and age, too. It seems we are living out the prophecies of the end times. We know so little about it and there is a lot of contradictory speculation out there. But there are a few things we know about it -because Jesus told us. We need to focus on those things.
Notice that Jesus started to speak to them about a subject that was very important to Him – the Holy Spirit. But someone interrupted Him and changed the subject. Look at this incident again.
“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. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…” Acts 1:4-8
Do you see how Jesus sets the topic, they gather around Him to hear Him speak and someone asked a question that was burning in their heart. They wanted to hear about the coming Kingdom. They wanted to hear the glory stories of how they would come into power. They wanted to hear Him speak once again about how they would rule and reign with Him.
They were kind of getting ahead of themselves. What they needed first was the Holy Spirit. What they needed first was power. A Kingdom that is Spiritless is powerless. A life that is Spiritless is powerless. A movement, like the Republic of Jefferson Movement, if it is Godless and Spiritless is powerless. What they – and WE – need is more power and more of the Holy Spirit. I will talk of that in just a little bit. But what did Jesus say in response to the question of whether He was going to set up the Kingdom at this time. He said, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority…”
So here is the first thing we learn from Jesus about eschatology, or the study of the end times. We do not know the time or date. Jesus said in another place,
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” Matthew 24:36
Anyone who declares that he knows the date of Jesus’ return is in error. You can take what else they have to say with a grain of salt. THIS we know – we don’t know!
But we can know the general time frame. We can know the season. Jesus said in another place,
“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near— at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.”
Matthew 24:32-34
What are the things that reveal that Jesus’ return is eminent? Listen!
“4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:4-14
A lot of stuff has to happen before we know it is the season – but as we look at the signs – many scholars believe we are indeed in that end time season.
There is more that Jesus revealed about the end times. We know it will be sudden. It will take the world by surprise. Jesus said,
“37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour[f]your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Matthew 24:37-44
So Jesus’ return will be sudden and it will be like it was in Noah’s day. A lot of people think that the righteous will be raptured out before things get really rough on earth. The rapture comes before the tribulation – but that is not what Jesus taught. Who was taken during the days of Noah – the righteous or the wicked? The righteous remained and the wicked were swept away. Here’s another parable Jesus told about the end times.
“24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’ Matthew 13:24-30
Who is gathered first? The tares – then the wheat is collected. Jesus explained this parable like this:
“37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
Matthew 13:24-30
To me it is clear that Jesus taught that Christians will go through the tribulation. There is a lot of other Biblical support for that view – but isn’t it interesting that Jesus talked about His return just before His ascension?
But what Jesus really wanted to talk about is the Holy Spirit. That WAS and IS the need. The Scripture says,
“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. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…” Acts 1:4-5, 8
The Scripture is usually telling us to GO or ‘follow’ or something else to get us out of our comfort zones. But here we are told to ‘stay’; “don’t leave”, “WAIT”!
The reason is because if we go without power we are pretty much wasting our time. If we try to live and work and serve without being filled with the Holy Spirit we will get frustrated and defeated very quickly. The Apostles had already tasted the bitter taste of defeat on that terrible Friday when they ran and hid. Peter denied He even knew Jesus. There was no way they could fulfill their calling without divine power – and neither can we.
Let me be quick to say that this was a different experience with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit works in our lives while we are still sinners. He convicts us of sin and leads us to the Lord. But this second experience is where the Holy Spirit has permission to fill you with Himself. A lot of people only experience the ‘external’ influence and workings of the Holy Spirit. They never come to a place of complete surrender; never come to a place of complete obedience to His known will. Consequently, they can never realize the power and transformation that the Holy Spirit brings when we yield body and soul to Him.
The disciples at Pentecost were empty of self-promotion and personal aspirations. They were living in faith and obedience and willing receptacles for the person of the Holy Spirit. If we want that power in our life - all willful sin must be gone. We must be completely surrendered to God. We must be seeking the power of this wonderful blessing – and God will infill us with His presence and power. Jesus said,
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11:9-13
The Heavenly Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask to be filled by Him. Have you done that? Don’t ask if you aren’t willing to do your part – but if you are you simply need to ask.
One finial thing I want to point out that Jesus did after His resurrection and before His Ascension. 3. He gave us our purpose. He said,
“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.” Acts 1:8
We are saved to serve. We are sanctified to serve. We are given the Holy Spirit to empower us for service. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit we will be witnesses like we never were before. Before Pentecost Peter denied Jesus. After Pentecost Peter preached to the very crowd who crucified Jesus and three thousand of them believed and turned to the Lord.
You will experience a new effectiveness when you are filled with the Spirit. You may not preach to thousands but you will be a better witness. You will experience a new power to live the Christian life. You will find that sins hold on you is broken. You don’t have to willfully sin any longer. You may make mistakes and errors in judgment and say the wrong thing at the wrong time – but you won’t live in rebellion any longer. You will find you have a new purpose in life – to serve Jesus faithfully. He will equip you and teach you through the Holy Spirit to become more and more Christ-like and more and more effective in your service.
Jesus spoke to us about the 1. End Times; 2. About being filled with the Holy Spirit and 3. Our purpose in life. Listen to His voice. He is still leading today! When you hear it – obey. Then ask for the Holy Spirit. You will be filled.
