Good men, below are some insights into the fourth and fifth verses of Acts 1. Keep reading. A daily reading of Scripture is needed. To grow as men, to grow spiritually, we need God’s Word. Trust that is changes us.
Verse 4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me;
Verse 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
he ordered them: This is a good word to see in Scripture. We don’t always take the commands of Scripture seriously. We are passive to God’s word at our own peril.
Jerusalem: It is no small thing that the place where they torture and mock and kill Jesus is the place where the Holy Spirit is given to the disciples. In the next chapter the Holy Spirit will change Jerusalem.
but to wait: Ah, to wait. To be put on hold. To be patient when we do not want to be patient. First, see that this is a God thing. He moves slower than us. Second, see that we are not alone. God makes other people wait too. Third, patience is one of the highest virtues.
the promise: As we struggle with the word ordered we also struggle with the word promise. We tend to think God promises things that don’t come true. Things like health, financial stability, relational well-being, and a culture that would get more and more moral. It is easy to be discouraged about the promises of God. The fault is not with God, but what we believe we can rightly expect from God. Trials, struggles, suffering, setbacks, broken relationships, and financial struggle are seen all through Scripture. This promise, though, and this kind of promise, is 100% reliable and true and effective and successful. The authentic promises of God are always true and always reliable.
Father: This is another tough word. If we think of God as a human father who keeps his kids from harm, and meets every need as we expect, we will be discouraged and disappointed. If we see God as a Heavenly Father, then we will trust that He is all-wise and fully sovereign, and his actions will always be for our good, even when things feel the opposite. A heavenly Father will carry us forward, day by day, maturing us and preparing us for heaven. See Philippians 1:6. And see Proverbs 3:5. And see Isaiah 55:8-9.
He: Notice again that all this is about Jesus. It’s about what he is doing, what he is ordering, and what he is reminding them of. Always watch for and listen to Jesus in the Bible. He is always the main thing.
you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit: This! This the game changer and life changer in the transition between Jesus’ death and the birth of the church. And it will be the Holy Spirit that empowers the apostles. This is also personal. This is for us too. God lives within us. The Holy Spirit is IN us. This is a promise we can count on.
In our generation, and in our style of church, the Holy Spirit is spoken of, even championed, but we are not good at teaching and modeling how to walk through our day with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is more real, more true, more encouraging, and more helpful than we know. A short article about walking in the Holy Spirit.
Disappointment with God is a heavy thing to live with. This is one of the best books on the subject.
The Men's Bible Reading Idea 