Thursday, September 11th

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Thursday, September 11

Acts 1:1-11

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 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; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

Remember back in middle school or high school when the teacher would give an assignment and then leave the room? For me what happened next depended greatly on whether or not I believed my teacher was going to return before the class period ended!

If I was reasonably sure that the teacher was not coming back then I was quite likely to spend the class period goofing off with my friends instead of doing the assignment. But, on the other hand, if the teacher said she was coming back and I knew her to be true to her word, then I would make sure I finished the assignment before I did anything else to make sure I was prepared when she returned!

And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven."

This is one of the great promises of our faith as followers of Jesus. He’s coming back! This promise is reiterated throughout the New Testament.

Jesus promises to return to take us to be with him (John 14).

Paul tells us that when Jesus returns the dead will be raised and we will receive our new spiritual bodies. (1 Corinthians 15)

In the Book of Revelation we see Jesus revealed as the King who will return to judge all sin and rule in absolute authority.

In 2 Timothy 4:8 Paul writes:

Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

It seems to me that there are two sides to the promise of Jesus’ return. First; as believers the promise of Christ’s return is to give us great hope! We can rest in his promise that whatever may happen around us, or whatever hardship of suffering we may endure, in the end he will take us to be with him forever. Second; the promise of Jesus’ return also compels us to invest ourselves fully in the mandate he has given. Time is finite. History as we know it will have an end. He has called us to take the gospel of salvation to the whole world before that time comes.

Many scholars believe the “crown of righteousness” that Paul talks about is a special reward - above and beyond salvation - promised by Jesus for those who have served the cause of the gospel here on earth. We don’t know what that reward entails, but we do know that Jesus left us with a mandate and that he will honor those who have served that mandate well.

May we be people who long for his appearing; but until then, may we also be among those who share the gospel of Jesus with the world.


Pastor Brian Coffey