Acts Week 2: Waiting, Wishing, and Witness
This week, we begin our study of the book of Acts in chapter one. Within the first 11 verses, Pastor Brad notes four things that are happening in this passage. We can all relate to these today as well: waiting, wanting, witnessing, and watching. Jesus tells his disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit. The disciples, after hearing this, reveal what they want to happen. They want Jesus to restore the nation of Israel, at a time and in a manner which they imagine. Instead, Jesus tells them that it’s not for them to know the specifics of the Kingdom’s coming. He explains that after waiting, they will become witnesses to what they have seen, empowered by the Holy Spirit. They are meant to be the means of the Kingdom’s coming. They just don’t see it yet. The disciples are then tempted to watch the spectacle of Jesus’ ascension rather than going and doing what he’s told them to do. These same tasks and these same challenges still face believers today.