Studies by Book
02 Acts 01 06-11 HE WILL COME IN LIKE MANNER AS YOU SAW HIM GO INTO HEAVEN 01 Acts 01 06-07 The change in the disciples
📖 Acts 01:06-11
01 – 18Jun2022 – *The change in the disciples* - _Acts 01:06-11_ - HE WILL COME IN LIKE MANNER AS YOU SAW HIM GO INTO HEAVEN - Bible reading: _Matthew 20:20-23_
“Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You are showing us what it means to be in Your kingdom. You desire that we set our hearts and minds on things above and not the way the world operates. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.”
We have completed the study of _Acts 01:01-05_, which we had titled THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. We now begin the study of the next paragraph, which is _Acts 01:06-11, which we will title, HE WILL COME IN LIKE MANNER AS YOU SAW HIM GO INTO HEAVEN. It is a longish title but it carries the message of these few verses.
*_Acts 1:6-7 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" (7) And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority._*
The question of the disciples reveals their mindset. The Jews, including the disciples, were all eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and set up His kingdom. In this kingdom, Israel would rule their own lives and not be ruled by another nation. Their aspirations and dreams would be fulfilled in the Messianic kingdom. Their nation would also be above all the other nations. These were some of the important matters of the kingdom that the Jews were expecting would take place, when the Messiah would set up His kingdom.
There were several prophesies in the Old Testament of the Messiah setting up His kingdom.
*_Isaiah 9:6-7 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (7) Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this._*
The kingdom of God would be in the lineage of David.
*_Jeremiah 23:5-6 "Behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. (6) In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS._*
It was a kingdom very particularly for Judah and Israel. It would be a kingdom that would set right all the ills and struggles that the Jews were presently experiencing. The Jews had a holistic perspective of the kingdom of God. To them, a political kingdom and the worship of God were not two separate spheres, but one.
Besides other aspects of the kingdom that the Jews, particularly the disciples, were waiting and hoping for, they also saw themselves, holding important positions and portfolios in the kingdom which Jesus would establish.
We can see that the longings and desires of the disciples were not aligned with the longing of the heart of Jesus. Jesus’ burden was for ‘the lost’ to be found. People and creation should be reconciled to Him, for which the disciples would be witnesses and to this end they needed to be baptised with the Holy Spirit. The disciples were on a divergent perspective altogether from that of the Lord.
*The wrong motives and wants of the disciples needed to be burnt and they needed to be purified so that they could truly be His witnesses. To this end they needed to be baptised with the Holy Spirit.*
_Matthew 20:20-23 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. (21) And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "*Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom*." (22) But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able." (23) So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but *to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father*."_
This request from James and John did not go well with the other disciples because all of them were vying with one another and hoping to land good places for themselves in the kingdom of Jesus. These were the matters of the heart that needed to be purified by the baptism of the Holy Spirit before the disciples could be His witnesses.
After the baptism of the Holy Spirit, these disciples were powerfully changed. They were no more worried for themselves and they understood the kingdom of God, perfectly.
James was beheaded almost immediately after the baptism of the Holy Spirit and John was banished to the island of Patmos. All the disciples were martyred for the Gospel of Jesus. They were completely aligned with the purposes of Jesus. It was the baptism of the Holy Spirit that changed these disciples so powerfully.
*The question to me*
“Lord Jesus, I look into my heart and there I see that my motives are often divergent from Yours. Please burn away the foolishness from within me.”