The Ascension And The Empowered Movement

Ekklesia: The Ascension and The Empowered Movement Acts 1: 4-14

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I have watched over my lifetime different movements that have been started by men and women with purpose who dared to stand against racism, injustices

and the mistreatment of people who have been treated like second class citizens. I can say today that I am able to do a lot of things as an African American because of the civil rights movement and those who stood up, fought and died for the right to be equal and have a voice in this country. I thank God for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and many others who started a movement of which many other movements were initiated. Groups like the SNCC - STUDENT NON VIOLENCE COORDINATING COMMITTEE, CORE - CONGRESS OF RACIAL EQUALITY, NAACP - NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE, SCLC - SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP COUNCIL. While many of them are gone...the Movements started by these individuals still continues to this day.

As we look at our text Jesus has ascended into heaven. After his death, burial and resurrection Jesus showed himself to hundreds of people. After He had promised to build “the church” I can imagine in my mind the alienation, the heartache, the lonesomeness that the Apostles must have been feeling because the Leader of this movement has left them. Like many who have endured the loss of a Leader. I’m sure that there were questions that arose like. What do we do now? What would Jesus want us to do? Like many successors they are fine as long as they are part of the Kingdom, but not have to lead the Kingdom! I can imagine that fear filled their hearts.

However like the Apostles we should thank God for the words that were spoken to us and spoken over our lives, that were meditated upon as we listened over the years. The reason I say that is because the final words of Jesus to His Apostles would become the scope of His call on their lives. Here they are in the Upper Room doing all that they know to do in difficult times - praying.

Jesus had commanded them in Luke 24:49

“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”

Jesus also promised them in Acts 1:8

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

As we can see from the Day of Pentecost even to the great Azusa Street Revival that no movement of God has power without Gods presence. The Holy Ghost Power was and still is the motivating factor in the Ekklesia Movement.

In Acts 1:4-5 Jesus is speaking here and He says,

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

The words that they hung on and meditated on from their Leader were promises that described what they were to do, where they were to go and how their obedience would impact and change the world forever.

Let’s read some of those scriptures:

John 14:16

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.

John 14:26

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

After 40 days of appearances Jesus now shows up to them and tells them. The promised Holy Spirit would come to them “ in a few days. “

John the Baptist had prophesied to them at Jesus’ baptism in Mark 1:8

“I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.”

A few days after Jesus’ ascension in the Upper Room in Acts 2 during the Feast of Pentecost Johns prophecy and Jesus’ promise was fulfilled.

Jesus had come to bring the Kingdom of God “on the earth just as it is in heaven.”

Like many who staked their lives and livelihoods on the words of Dr. King and others, the Apostles staked their lives and livelihoods on Jesus and the hope of such a King and Kingdom. When Jesus was crucified I’m sure that their hopes had surely failed and they were probably ready to return to their former lives as faithful Jews waiting for the Christos - the Anointed One, so when Jesus showed Himself as the Resurrected Lord, their hope for the Kingdom on earth soared.