Before my father passed away, my family were able to spend precious time with him. We talked together about so many things, and he told us he loved us. His last words to us were very important. When people die they leave behind their "will", their last message to their loved ones. In the same way, before Jesus ascended into heaven, he left his disciples with his last message and his will for them.
Today’s message is about Jesus and his ascension. Jesus was cruelly killed on the cross and three days later was resurrected. That is, he became alive again. He spent forty days on this earth with his people after his resurrection. And in Acts 1:1-11 we are told what Jesus did in those forty days, before he ascended and went up to heaven to be with his father. Also, we need to remember the promise Jesus made to his people, this great gift we were given. And I would like to explore further how we should live and work for Christ in this journey of ours on this earth.
In this passage of the book of Acts, Jesus left his disciples with this final, very important message saying to them before he ascended to heaven. "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about (Acts 1:4).” Jesus also told them at this time to wait for the gift God promised. The people must have wondered what this promise was to be. Perhaps they wondered if he could keep his promise. We know that it is not easy to always keep our promises, even those we make to God. Our God kept his promise, and he sent Jesus into this world as the prophets in the Old Testament had mentioned. After Jesus was born, and grew up and started his ministry serving God and his people, Jesus made a promise.
In John 14:16-18. Jesus says, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” Jesus made a promise, a binding covenant, that he would send the Holy Spirit, this other advocate, to be with his people forever. When this Holy Spirit came, he would be with them and help them to live and work for God.
And Jesus continued. He said in Acts 1:5, “For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we will become children of God and is said that we are baptized with the Holy Spirit. This means that when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, when we truly accept Jesus Christ, we are being controlled by God. So the Holy Spirit is leading us and helping us to become true disciples, true students of our Lord as we work for him. The Holy Spirit helps us to be children of God.
As you know, we are children of God and disciples of Christ. We learn from him. We believe that the Spirit of God is living in us here on earth. To his disciples, Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." The book of Acts is known to be the book of Apostles or the book of the Holy Spirit. Disciples of Christ chose to go out into their world and make disciples throughout all the earth. They are also called the witness of Christ. After making this promise of sending the Holy spirit to be with his people, Jesus ascended to heaven.
This message is given to all the disciples of Christ until today. As a follower of Christ, we are to do our best to be a witness of the gospel. Then our Lord will be so pleased. Let us continue to so, so that more people will come back to God and work as disciples of Christ.
Rev Dr Je Cheol Cook
In this passage of the book of Acts, Jesus left his disciples with this final, very important message saying to them before he ascended to heaven. "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about (Acts 1:4).” Jesus also told them at this time to wait for the gift God promised. The people must have wondered what this promise was to be. Perhaps they wondered if he could keep his promise. We know that it is not easy to always keep our promises, even those we make to God. Our God kept his promise, and he sent Jesus into this world as the prophets in the Old Testament had mentioned. After Jesus was born, and grew up and started his ministry serving God and his people, Jesus made a promise.
In John 14:16-18. Jesus says, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” Jesus made a promise, a binding covenant, that he would send the Holy Spirit, this other advocate, to be with his people forever. When this Holy Spirit came, he would be with them and help them to live and work for God.
And Jesus continued. He said in Acts 1:5, “For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we will become children of God and is said that we are baptized with the Holy Spirit. This means that when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, when we truly accept Jesus Christ, we are being controlled by God. So the Holy Spirit is leading us and helping us to become true disciples, true students of our Lord as we work for him. The Holy Spirit helps us to be children of God.
As you know, we are children of God and disciples of Christ. We learn from him. We believe that the Spirit of God is living in us here on earth. To his disciples, Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." The book of Acts is known to be the book of Apostles or the book of the Holy Spirit. Disciples of Christ chose to go out into their world and make disciples throughout all the earth. They are also called the witness of Christ. After making this promise of sending the Holy spirit to be with his people, Jesus ascended to heaven.
This message is given to all the disciples of Christ until today. As a follower of Christ, we are to do our best to be a witness of the gospel. Then our Lord will be so pleased. Let us continue to so, so that more people will come back to God and work as disciples of Christ.
Rev Dr Je Cheol Cook