The Bible teaches that after Jesus Christ rose from the dead, he “shewed himself alive…by many infallible proofs, being seen of them [his disciples] forty days…” and taught them “things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). The certainty of the resurrection of Christ is indisputable. Paul testified to this great truth in his letter to the Corinthians relating that “he [Jesus] was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once…after that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles…last of all he was seen of me also” (I Corinthians 15:5-8). The resurrection is the cornerstone of Christianity and necessarily was the focal point of the preaching of the Apostles throughout the book of Acts.
But our Lord’s post-resurrection teaching pertaining the kingdom of God is important also. The disciples, like the rest of Israel, were looking for their Messiah to come and deliver their nation from Rome’s oppression. God had promised a Messiah through Abraham who would lead his people and rule the nations. Jesus had proven himself as this Messiah and the disciples were convinced of that. In fact, Peter had testified to this very fact declaring to Jesus “Thou are the Christ [Messiah], the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Now that he was risen from the dead, they were curious if the Lord would assert his rule. They asked him “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6).
No doubt, his response surprised them somewhat. In the first place, he told them “It is not for you to know the times or seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power” (Acts 1:7). In other words, your attention is wrongly focused. Rather, he turns their attention to a different display of power. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
The plan was not for the Messiah to rule the nations at this time, but for the Savior to receive repentant sinners through the proclamation of the gospel. His power would instead be manifest through his disciples as they witnessed to the world how he conquered sin and death through his death, burial, and resurrection. Consequently, he told them “not to depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father…ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence” (Acts 1:4-5).
Christ, having set the course for his followers in this present age, “he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9). Soon after this, the Holy Spirit was sent from the Father on Pentecost and so the work of building the Lord’s church began. But the promise given to his disciples as they watched their Lord ascend into heaven remains. “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
From the Chaplain 