IN THE MEANTIME - LUKE 24: 44-49 & ACTS 1: 1-5

Christian Standard Bible (Chapter 24)

44 He told them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 He also said to them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead the third day, 47 and repentance for forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And look, I am sending you what my Father promised. As for you, stay in the city until you are empowered, from on high.”

1 I wrote the first narrative, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up, after he had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After he had suffered, he also presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.THE HOLY SPIRIT PROMISED4 While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “Which,” he said, “you have heard me speak about; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.”

BIG IDEA: WAITING IS WORTH IT!

THIS MORNING, WE TAUGHT AND PRAYED ON ONE VERSE, PSALM 46:1, WHICH SPOKE OF GOD’S PRESENCE, POWER AND PROTECTION OVER US, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE FIND OURSELVES IN INEVITABLE TROUBLES.

THE EMPHASIS WAS UPON BELIEVERS TRUSTING IN GOD, AS WE ENDURE TROUBLES...

HMMMM, TRUSTING, WHILE WAITING!

AND I’VE DISCOVERED THAT IT’S DURING THESE “IN THE MEANTIME” MOMENTS THAT TRUST AND/OR FAITH ARE MOST MEANINGFUL.

WE ARE STILL IN THIS POST-RESURRECTION - PRE-PENTECOST SEASON IN OUR SCRIPTURES...

JESUS HAS BEEN RESURRECTED AND CONFERRED ALL POWER AND AUTHORITY...

HE TARRIES ON EARTH, AFTER HIS BEING RESURRECTED, TO FULFILL SCRIPTURE AND TO AFFIRM HIS DISCIPLES...

ANNNNDDDD, HE OFFERS ANOTHER PIECE TO THIS FOUNDATIONAL PUZZLE FOR THE BELIEVER’S SUCCESS - THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT...

STACK IT UP: THE FATHER SENT THE SON, THE SON SENDS THE SPIRIT, THE DISCIPLES (FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT) ARE SENT…INTO THE WORLD!

BUT IN OUR PASSAGES FOR TODAY, THE DISCIPLES ARE GIVEN SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS:

49 And look, I am sending you what my Father promised. As for you, stay in the city until you are empowered, from on high.”

4 While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise.

WATCH THIS BELOVED: THEY SAW HIM DIE. THEY TOUCHED HIS RESURRECTED BODY. NOW HE TELLS THEM TO WAIT....

CHURCH - FRIENDS - COUNTRYMEN!

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU’VE BEEN PROMISED GREATER?

YOU WAIT!

DON’T ALLOW YOUR “IN THE MEANTIME” MOMENT TO OVERWHELM YOU!

DON’T ALLOW THE CLEAR COMMANDS OF OUR CHRIST TO MISS YOU!

WAITING AIN’T WEAKNESS!

WAITING IS, IN FACT, FAITH IN ACTION!

WAITING DECLARES, “I DON’T KNOW WHEN, BUT I DO KNOW WHO!”

AWWWWW, SO THE DISCIPLES ARE TO WAIT IN JERUSALEM FOR THE FATHER’S PROMISE...

QUESTION: IS THE FATHER RELIABLE? YES, HE IS!

SINCE HE IS RELIABLE.

SINCE HIS TRACK RECORD IS PERFECT, WHY DO WE HAVE SUCH A HARD TIME “IN THE MEANTIME?”

WAITING PUTS THE WEIGHT UPON GOD!

LOOK AT THE PASSAGE: 44 He told them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 He also said to them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead the third day, 47 and repentance for forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And look, I am sending you what my Father promised. As for you, stay in the city until you are empowered, from on high.”

THEY COULDN’T BE WHO THEY WERE CALLED TO BE WITHOUT WATING...

HAD THEY GONE WITHOUT THE EMPOWERING - INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE EXPERIENCED SUPER-NATURAL SUCCESS!

WAITING IS WORTH IT!

REMEMBER & RECITE GOD’S PROMISE!

FRIENDS, WE ARE WEARING TOO MANY WOUNDS, BECAUSE WE KEEP GOING WITHOUT THE WORD TELLING US TO GO, AND WITHOUT THE SPIRIT GUIDING US TO GO…WE’RE JUST GOING!!!

WE PARTNER WITH GOD WHEN WE WAIT.

WE DEMONSTRATE FAITH IN GOD WHEN WE WAIT.

WE EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF GOD WHEN WE WAIT...