The Waiting in the in between

Nobody likes to wait.

Going to the Secretary of State, Going to Cedar Point, at the ER.

It’s been said that good things come to those who wait but waiting takes patience.

What do we do when we wait? We play on our phones, we read, we sleep.

During COVID I had to quarantine for 10 days… in isolation… not around anyone… not sleeping in my own bed. It was not fun, it was boring.

Jesus told the disciples before HE left to wait for just a few days.

It was between 4-5 days.

From Passover to Pentecost was 50 days… Jesus was with the disciples after the resurrection for 40 days .

The last supper was on the feast of unleavened bread which marks the beginning of Passover. So including Jesus Praying in the garden of Gethsemane, HIS arrest, crucifixion and 3 days in the tomb… they had to wait about 4-5 days.

Jesus said there was purpose behind the wait. Jesus said…

Acts 1:8 ESV

8 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.”

Jesus commanded HIS disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit to fill them with power.

Why did Jesus make the disciples wait? He could have postponed HIS ascension until the day of Pentecost but for some reason, Jesus wanted HIS disciples to learn to wait on the Lord.

To Jesus waiting was important. Waiting is surrendering our own plans for God’s better plan.

Waiting means laying down our own agenda for God’s better agenda.

Waiting means letting go of our own will for God’s perfect will.

Waiting means surrendering our power for HIS promised power to fill those who wait so they could be effective witnesses for Jesus.

Good things come to those who wait.

PRAY

Acts 1:4 (ESV)

4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father...

Jesus said to wait… not long, just a few days.

When we are not willing to wait we rush things… we become over committed and super busy trying to accomplish so many things on our own strength, using our own power, relying on our own resources.

We give God our leftovers and nobody likes eating leftovers. If we are not willing to wait on the Lord and rest and rely on HIS power, HIS strength, HIS wisdom to be witnesses for Jesus we will be ineffective.

God wants to empower us… HE wants to fill us… so if we are going to be that healthy church that God wants us to become, we must learn to wait on God.

We never want to be in front of God when we do that, we trip ourselves up… we sell our ministries short… we are just going to keep looking for different programs, that are newer, and more expensive.

There is nothing wrong with good programs but if we are not Holy Spirit led and Holy Spirit empowered we are relying on our own carnal limitations that requires more time… more people… more money with less fruit.

When the church is Holy Spirit filled… when each of us, as members of the Body of Christ, are empowered by the Holy Spirit, we will speak the very words God wants us to speak at the right time.

If we are going to be witnesses for Jesus we must be willing to wait on God’s timing.

Seeking HIS presence, HIS power, and HIS purpose still requires waiting.

What do we do in the waiting?

First, let’s mention the thing we don’t do.

Don’t sit back and watch

We have too many spectators and not enough participants. Jesus said...

Acts 1:7–11 (ESV)

7 [Jesus] said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 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.”

9 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. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 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.”

People can spend their entire life waiting and not moving forward in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Many people don’t know their role or in fear they are not willing to step out in obedience. When Jesus said to wait, HIS intent for those watching Jesus ascend into heaven was not to sit there and watch.

As the disciples watched Jesus ascend into heaven two angels came and said, “Men of Galilee, 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.”

The disciples were looking up into the sky as if they forgot what Jesus taught them for the last 40 days…

Jesus taught them about the Kingdom of God,

HE confirmed HIS resurrection power,

They were commanded to wait for the promise from the Father, the Holy Spirit.

The angels said to the disciples that Jesus is coming back soon so be ready for HIS return.

You are witnesses of Jesus, don’t just sit back and do nothing.

They didn’t play candy crush, solitaire, troll facebook, binge watch Netflix, or watch football.

As they waited for the promise from the Father, scripture says that they prayed and they prepared.

So when we wait, we…

Wait in Unified Prayer

So after Jesus ascended into heaven, all the disciples obeyed Jesus by going to Jerusalem back to the upper room. That’s where they waited.

Acts 1:12–14 ESV

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

The 11 disciples, Mary the mother of Jesus and HIS brothers as well as other women were all together in the upper room praying.

Acts 1:14 (NLT)

14 They all met together and were constantly united in prayer.

It wasn’t just shooting up a blessing given before a meal. No, they were all together, in one accord, devoting themselves to unified prayer for the days ahead.

They were seeking God’s direction, God’s protection, provision, wisdom, just resting in the presence of the Lord until God’s promise of the Holy Spirit came and filled them.

We see that everything throughout the Book of Acts begins and ends in corporate prayer.

Waiting before Pentecost,

After Pentecost Acts 2:46 & 3:1 they prayed and then the Blind begger was healed. Peter and John were punished for speaking about Jesus.

Acts 4:23 & 24 all the believers prayed and great love and generosity, all the believers were one in mind and heart… because of prayer.

Acts 5:12 said that many signs and wonders happened among the people.

In Acts 6, when they choose the deacons for the purpose of prayer and they prayed for them after they were chosen.

Cooperate Prayer is the constant throughout the Book of Acts. When people prayed, God worked, the church encountered growth, both numerical and spiritual.

There are so many wonderful benefits that we enjoy as we make praying together a priority as a church…

Prayer brings us to a place of unity in purpose.

Prayer shift our focus from our own ability to God’s mighty power working through us.

Prayer increases our expectation to see the supernatural at work.

Prayer makes us effective witnesses for Jesus

God wants us to continually ask HIM.

We need a deeper hunger to pray that only happens when we make prayer a priority and a habit.

Prayer is always the very best use of our time when waiting but we see the church took this time to prepare.

Wait and prepare

As they waited, they prayed but also prepared. Under Peter’s leadership they felt like it was important to select somebody to replace Judas.

They knew that in order to be witnesses for Jesus… starting in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and throughout the world, they had to be prepared for ministry growth.

Acts 1:15–17 ESV

15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.”

Acts 1:20–26 ESV

20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms, “ ‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and “ ‘Let another take his office.’ 21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Things to consider as we prepare.

Peter, who became the leader of the early church and here he made his first major decision.

First, He explained the reason behind this decision.

Secondly, he based this decision on scripture.

Thirdly, he set up the requirements necessary to fill this very important role.

The person must have accompanied the disciples throughout Jesus’ ministry.

From John’s baptism until now.

This wasn’t anything Jesus said was necessary.

This wasn’t part of the commandment Jesus set out for them to do while they waited.

However, this was a decision made birthed from prayer and for some reason, they felt like they needed to fill Judas’ vacancy at this time.

So, out of the 120 individuals, 2 of them meet those requirements. So they brought those 2 names before the Lord, and they prayed.

In vs. 24 they prayed, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen.”

Then they cast lots (basically drew straw, roll the dice, left it up to chance) and so through that process, Matthias was selected.

Even though they prepared in the waiting, this was a very insignificant decision made in the early church.

Some significant takeaways from this decision.

Matthias didn’t play a significant role in the early church.

We don’t know much about Matthias in church history because he did not play a significant role. He was a person who held the title as apostle and is just only mentioned here.

This was the last time casting lots was used to make a decision.

one and only time in the Book of Acts that casting lots were used. That’s an Old Testament method.

Moving forward they relied on the Holy Spirit.

This decision was initiated before the church was filled with the Holy Spirit.

They relied on the old method of making decisions and not being led by the Holy Spirit.

I believe Matthias was man’s choice, I believe God’s choice came later in the Book of Acts.

Paul

I don’t think Matthias wasn’t a bad choice, I think we can get ahead of God and when we do that, we make decisions based on a process, or filling a title.

When we wait on the Holy Spirit we will be much more effective in making Godly decisions. We won’t have to correct, we won’t live in regrets. When we wait on the All knowing, All powerful, All present Holy Spirit to fill us, we will make much better choices.

Wait on Holy Spirit.

Take Away:

Know the importance of waiting.

Pray, Prepare, as we are led by the Holy Spirit being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Our effectiveness as witnesses for Jesus is directly connected to our willingness to wait on God.