As we continue to understand the gifts of Easter, we are moving toward something big. In just a week or so, God is going to give us what Jesus promised, The Holy Spirit. These 40 days following Jesus’ death and resurrection have been filled with surprises. Jesus is showing us the reality of resurrection and that the Kingdom of God is upon us!
If you missed any of part this series, you can catch up here;
What comes after Easter? Everything!
Understanding the gifts of Easter – week 1;
Understanding the gifts of Easter – week 2;
Understanding the gifts of Easter – week 3;
Understanding the gifts of Easter – week 4;
Understanding the gifts of Easter – week 5.
Let’s begin in Acts 1:1-11.
“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.”
Wait for the gift…
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.”
These forty days following Jesus’ death are critical to the foundation of our faith. Every time Jesus showed up, he revealed the Kingdom of God. Resurrection is real. There IS life after death. But we must wait for the most important gift, the Holy Spirit.
Waiting is hard. But God does His best work in the waiting. Jesus instructs those closest to him “to wait for the gift…”
When we trust God and obey what He asks of us, amazing things happen.
blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
Hebrews 11:1 reads, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Jesus, in his appearing, was building their faith. And building ours.
If you remember, just a few weeks ago, Jesus told Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
“John finishes his gospel by stating,
“Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
Understanding the gifts of Easter leads us to our purpose. That we might believe and in our believing, we may have life.
Next week, we are going to receive that new life, the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. This is the power we need to do the work God has asked us to do. The Kingdom of God is coming! We just need to wait for it!
Let us pray;
God of all that is, may we learn to wait for You in all things. Continue to build our faith so that we may go out and share our story. May we be excited to be a part of the Kingdom of God here on earth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
P.S. Leave me a comment below because I love hearing from you. Forward to a friend and ask them to subscribe to my website. Post on Facebook and tag me in it. Until next time, trust and obey for there is no other way. -M
One thought on “Understanding the gifts of Easter – week 6”
When we trust God and wait on Him, amazing things happen! Love you