27th Mar 26 | 16:08
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01 Acts 01 01-05 THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 07 Acts 01 03 The message of His kingdom
📖 Acts 01:01-05
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07 – 10Jun2022 – *The message of His kingdom* - _Acts 01:01-05_ - THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - Bible reading: _Luke 24:44-45_
“Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You always taught about Your kingdom. You have shown us that we must be in Your kingdom and enjoy the Shalom of God. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.”
*_Acts 1:3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God._*
The Lord spent 40 days with those whom He had chosen, after His resurrection. During those days, He taught them about the kingdom of God, which is what He had taught throughout His time, before His death on the cross.
First, the Lord had to convince His disciples of His resurrection. This was indeed strange that the disciples, who had heard Jesus tell them of His death, burial and resurrection, on several occasions, were still unwilling to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead.
_Mark 16:9-14 Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. (10) She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. (11) And *when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe*. (12) After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. (13) And *they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. (14) Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen*._
For the disciples to accept that Jesus had risen from the dead, was a high hurdle to cross. It was a hard shift for the disciples and it definitely was not out of emotional exuberance. We know that the disciples embracing His resurrection was pivotal in history.
Paul explains to us how Jesus presented Himself alive by many infallible proofs.
_I Corinthians 15:3-7 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, (4) and that He was buried, and that *He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, (5) and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. (6) After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once*, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. (7) *After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. (8) Then last of all He was seen by me also*, as by one born out of due time.
John reveals to us, in his epistle, how the resurrection of Jesus had revolutionised him.
_I John 1:1-4 That which was from the beginning, which *we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life— (2) the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— (3) that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. (4) And these things we write to you that your joy may be full*._
*He is in full flow, sharing his experience, wanting his readers to also come into the same joy of knowing the risen Lord*.
As the Lord revealed Himself to the disciples after His resurrection, He, once again, established in their understanding, the truth of His kingdom.
These were the teachings of Jesus to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus
_Luke 24:25-27 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart *to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! (26) Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" (27) And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself*._
Jesus taught all the disciples about His kingdom.
*_Luke 24:44-45 Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." (45) And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures._*
The teaching of Jesus, throughout His ministry here on earth was concerning His kingdom. This matter of the kingdom of God is what the Law, the prophets and the Psalms taught about. The truth of the kingdom of God is revealed to us at creation.
The Lord longs for us to come into the fullness of His kingdom.
*Knowing God’s concern*
```Lord, our excitement about Your kingdom is subdued. We ought to be full of joy because we are in Your kingdom.```