Oxygen 2011 - Session 5
(rough notes)
There is a vast importance in using our minds in the service of God. Not failing to serve God with all our mind, heart, soul and strength.
Acts 1:4-11
4 While He was together with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “This,” He said, “is what you heard from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, are You restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by His own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The Ascension 9 After He had said this, He was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. 10 While He was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.”
At the start of the book of luke and acts, Luke takes lengths to explain the supernatural events that occurred at the time.
The first supernatural account is that of an angel talking to Zacheria.
The second supernatural account is that of Jesus ascension.
Luke knows what the prime objection is. He knows that people have and always will object to supernatural events. Even those who believe in God don’t believe supernatural events.
zacheria’s heart shows his disbelief.
The first attacks on the Christians were by the sadducees who denied any resurrection. They were the religious people.
If you believe in prayer yet don’t believe in a supernatural God, you have nothing to say.
It’s not just atheists that reject the supernatural.
Why the ascension? Since Jesus was appearing and disappearing for 40 days why did he rise up?
Luke points out that Jesus was taken up. Lifted up. He went up and the cloud received Him out of their sight.
When Jesus ascended, he took over authority. It is symbolic. He went up to sit at the right hand of the authority on high.
Jesus ascension was observed.
Jesus ascension was attested to.
Luke is getting across what the supernaturalist denies. The ascension was visible. Jesus was taken up and will come in the same we that you saw Him go.
In the same way Jesus ascended, He will return.
There is the future goal. Jesus is going to return. It will be visible.
The return if Christ is integral to the Gospel.
We are called to turn from sin to God. We are called to wait for His return.
Jesus coming has massive consequences for believers as we will all stand before God and be judged for the works that we have done.
The context of the ascension is the matter of the restoration of the Kingdom to Israel.
The orthodox Jews believe that Jesus never saved anyone.
Because of the resurrection, the disciples recognize that Jesus use of death, the ultimate weapon of the enemy, and breaking it shows His power.
The disciples don’t ask “are you going to restore the Kingdom?” But instead “are you going to restore the Kingdom to Israel ’now’?”
The question of why doesn’t end all pain and suffering is what is given at the start of the book of acts.
What is meant by the word Kingdom? Why does there appear to be this space between the first and second coming of our Lord Jesus?
To the Pharisees Jesus said, look the Kingdom of God is among you.
To His disciples, Jesus said don’t believe those that say the kingdom of God is here or the kingdom of God is there. For no one knows when the kingdom of God will come.
The disciples and the Pharisees didn’t see that the King was standing in front of them. Jesus was identifying Himself as the King.
The seeing and identifying that Jesus is the King is a spiritually identified truth.
There is a spiritual component to the Kingdom.
The Jews were looking for an outward, political Kingdom to bring freedom from the Romans.
Since sin came by a lack of trust in God, so must there be an element in restoration and forgiveness come through a trusting in God.
When Jesus brings His Kingdom, it will come with complete visibility.
Jesus kingdom is not of this world. This is what Jesus told Pilate.
The disciples ask, are you going to do it now? Jesus responds by saying it is all organized, it will happen, but it is not for us to know. We are to be witnesses to the ends of the Earth.
Where do we stand in History?
Miracles and healing show Gods restoration of things. Though why isn’t everything restored? Because the time for all things to be restored has been promised though has not yet come?
The day of Pentecost came and the Holy Spirit was poured out. This reminds us that there is a Jewish calendar.
Those feasts point forward to Christ. Christ is our Passover lamb. There has been fulfillment in Christ.
Any farmer will tell you how good a harvest is going to be. Look at the first fruits. Jesus is the first fruit of the resurrection. Look to Jesus to see what life to come will be like.
Passover, first fruits, Pentecost. All happened. So what about the three other feasts?
Tabernacles? Isaiah 25 - God promises to make a feast in the mountains.
The Lord of Hosts will prepare a feast for all the peoples on this mountain — a feast of aged wine, choice meat, finely aged wine. 7 On this mountain He will destroy the burial shroud, the shroud over all the peoples, the sheet covering all the nations; 8 He will destroy death forever. The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face and remove His people’s disgrace from the whole earth, for the Lord has spoken. 9 On that day it will be said, “Look, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He has saved us. This is the Lord; we have waited for Him. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”
It is no mistake that the book of revelation ends with almost these exact words.
There is a space between the incarnation and the return. The existence of this space will raise many questions. This is why the book of acts goes to such length to address these questions.
The biggest reason to trust God is the cross.
Bearing shame and scoffing rude, in my place condemned He stood.
God has not remained distant but has become part of it.
God is sensitive enough to your heart that He will be the one to wipe away the tears from your eyes.
