Time of restoration?
Book of Acts: Deer Creek • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 12 viewsAim: To look at the time of the kingdom, the restored kingdom
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Further introduction
Further introduction
We stated this journey several weeks ago and we are still in the introduction to the book of Acts.
Disciples question Jesus about the restoration of the kingdom (1:6)
Jesus in short tells them do not worry about it (1:7)
Did the disciples misunderstand the nature of the kingdom still? Let’s look at this all together and you can draw a conclusion at the end.
Context, I think it is important that we keep things in context.
1 The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen.
3 To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. 4 Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of 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 were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;
We have now read this passage several times over the last few weeks, anything stick out to you in this passage today?
Look at (vv.5-6); do you notice anything, do you notice the “time gap?”
We do not know the number of days in this gap, but there is a gap. From instructions, to questions.
You can see the question is about when is Jesus going to restore the kingdom to Israel.
What does the word “restore” mean?
(verb) bring back (a previous right, practice, custom, or situation); reinstate.
Jesus answer was simple, was not theirs to know.
(Transition) - Jesus did not correct them on their interpretation of the kingdom (earthly, heavenly); He just told them it is not theirs to know. =some think they were still mistaken about the nature of the kingdom, others, not so much, just the timing. So, as we go through this today you can decide on where you land on this. Let me give some evidence the disciples had:
They had education
They had education
During discipleship, apostle training with Jesus
They were told they were to know the mystery of the kingdom.
10 As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. 11 And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables,
While spoken in parables, Jesus did explain to them
30 And He said, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it? 31 “It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil, 32 yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade.” 33 With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it; 34 and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.
I think that you can see in both of these passages, eventhough in parables about the kingdom, Jesus would explain the mystery of the kingdom to them.
Jesus taught about the nature of the kingdom
20 Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”
It was not to come with observation, but would be “within” you or “in your midst”
Jesus spoke to Pilate about the nature of the kingdom
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” 37 Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
Pilate saw what Jesus was speaking of the nature of His kingdom! It was not of this realm.
(transition) - - - If that were not enough teaching, Jesus was with the disciples, the apostles for another 40 days before His ascension (that will be next week). There is from the resurrection to the ascension time.
After His resurrection
We just read in (1:3) presented himself alive
To the disciples on the road to Emmaus he explained.
25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 “Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
To the apostles, he opened their minds to understand.
44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
Let that sink in for a minute, with the 3-years of training by the Master, do you think they were not given the right information? Do you think, they were mistaken about the nature of the restored kingdom? Let’s press on and talk about the restored kingdom.
The Restored kingdom
The Restored kingdom
It was promised in the Old Testament
Promised to David
12 “When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, 15 but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”
This is the promise that was reviewed in Ps89.
An everlasting covenant (vv.3-4, 28-29, and 35-36)
Despite the divided kingdom, the captivity, the promise was still in place
By the prophets of the Northern Kingdom (Hos3:5)
By the prophets of Southern Kingdom (Isa9:6-7; Jer23:5-6)
And, yes, even after the return from exile and the restoration of Israel (Zech6:12-13)
This is seen, announced in the New Testament too.
By the angel Gabriel to Mary (Lk1:31-33)
By Zacharias after the birth of John when the Lord opened his mouth again (Lk1:68-70)
Well, cannot leave out the first gospel message by Peter and the apostles (Act2:30-36)
Or by the Lord himself to the church at Philadelphia (Rev3:7)
I know I have mentioned many scriptures but have not turned there today, and all of this over just the last two verses of the introduction to Acts. But yet there are further observations that can be made too before we close.
Further observations
Further observations
This was announced by both Isaiah and Gabriel that Jesus would be given the throne (authority) of David
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.
and
32 “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
As announced, proclaimed by Jesus, the apostles that His reign would include the Gentiles since
Jesus has all authority on heaven and earth (Mt28:19)
The gospel was to be spread to all nations (Mt28:19)
For God has made him Lord over all (Act2:36)
He who is head over all things (Eph1:20-21)
20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
and I cannot leave out
22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.
nor
8 But of the Son He says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, And the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom. 9 “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness above Your companions.”
For he is the Lord of Lords, king of kings (1Tim6:14-15; Rev17:14, 19:16)
As further evidenced by the Lord’s brother
The house (tabernacle) of David has been built, and this includes the Gentiles
13 After they had stopped speaking, James answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me. 14 “Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name. 15 “With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 16 ‘After these things I will return, And I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen, And I will rebuild its ruins, And I will restore it, 17 So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,’
We still have not addressed the timing very much in our lesson today, for the timing began when Jesus ascended into heaven (Act1:9) we will get there next week, but consider
13 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. 14 “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.
This is the One who sits at the right hand of God with all power, might and dominion (Eph1:20-21).
Conclusion
Can you see that the kingdom promised by Jesus is a restored kingdom? The fulfillment of the promise to David, and that the restored kingdom is more than just Israel it includes the Gentiles. Not limited to Israel land, but all of earth, and heaven united, not limited to physical bodies, but spiritual beings now that are kingdom dwellers right now with a physical kingdom to come.
I know this is a little longer today, thanks for bearing with me on this.
