It’s Ascension Day again, at least according to the “Western” Christian calendar. On this day we remember that Jesus was taken up into heaven. We can find the story in Acts 1. Even though there is not much detail in the story, there is a real important point Jesus makes in his conversation with his disciples – a point we often miss.
Last year I wrote a short article in which I focused on what the angels said: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11 ESV). Jesus is coming back to this earth in the same way he left the earth 2000 years ago. And when he comes and sets his foot on the Mount of Olives, he will defeat the antichrist and set up his throne on Mount Zion (= the Temple Mount).
A Crucial Question: “Will You At This Time Restore The Kingdom To Israel?”
This time I want to focus on the question the disciples asked, and the answer Jesus then gives:
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
(Acts 1:6-8 ESV)
When I used to read this passage in the past, I always thought the disciples were hugely mistaken. Did they really think that the kingdom of Israel would be restored? Jesus’ kingdom is the kingdom of heaven. It’s a spiritual kingdom. These disciples were so mistaken that Jesus had to correct their theology (or actually: their eschatology = what they believed about the end).
But is Jesus really correcting their theology? Good question!
When you look at Acts 1:3 you can see that Jesus spent 40 full days with his disciples. One important reason for that extended time period was that he “presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs.” His disciples really had to understand that Jesus was alive again, and that he had a physical body. Yes, it is a resurrected body, a glorified body. But it’s still a physical body. He wasn’t some kind of ghost now.
A second important reason why he spent so much time with them after his resurrection was that he was “speaking about the kingdom of God.” He gave them some real in-depth teaching about the kingdom of God above everything he had already taught them before his death and resurrection. And if he spent that much time with them, I think the disciples must have gotten a pretty clear picture of what that kingdom of God would look like, when it would come, and where it would be established. I don’t think what Jesus taught them was so much different than what the prophets in the Tanakh (the Old Testament) foretold.
Jesus Corrects The Disciples’ Sense of Timing, Not Their Theology
So what did Jesus say to his disciples when they asked him if he would at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? First of all he said: “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.” Does he correct their theology here? I don’t think so! He corrects their sense of timing.
They were thinking that the Messiah would come once and do everything the prophets foretold in one go. So, this is the right moment to establish the renewed kingdom of Israel, right? I think they were already giving each other positions in Jesus’ government. But Jesus basically says: now is not the time yet. This is up to God the Father to decide!
“You Will Be My Witnesses”
And then Jesus shifts their attention away from the government position they were hoping to get to the task at hand: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8 ESV).
Their task is to be “my witnesses”, Jesus’ witnesses to Jews in Jerusalem and Judea, to Samaritans, and then to the Gentile nations in the rest of the world. In evangelism, it’s often considered good practice to “witness” about the things that Jesus has done in your life.
But is that really the meaning of this word? The Greek word that is translated as witnesses is “martures.” This is where the word “martyr” comes from. Apparently, you must be willing to be persecuted and even killed for your testimony (and yes, all the apostles except for John died for their testimony).
But what we often miss here is that “martures” is a legal term. You’re a witness in a legal setting to something that has taken place. Jesus sends out these disciples to stand as witnesses in a court of law to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. He called them to serve as witnesses that he is the true King of Israel who will return to this world. In the next chapter we can see that Peter uses the same word in his sermon: “This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses” (Acts 2:32 ESV).
The disciples – and we as their successors – are called to be witnesses to the King who died, rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, and will return in glory on the Day of the Lord to judge the earth and set up his righteous millennial reign. That is the essence of the Gospel of the Kingdom!
An Assignment We Need Holy Ghost Power For
There is an assignment. But there is also a promise: “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” You will receive power, Holy Ghost power, to accomplish the task at hand. The word “power” in the original Greek is “dunamis”. This is where we get the word “dynamite” from. It’s an explosive power the Lord wants to pour out over our lives. It’s an explosive power that is indispensable if we want to be the witnesses that God has called us to be. The Holy Spirit empowers us to be his witnesses!
What a promise to ponder when the King is lifted up in the air and a cloud takes him out of your sight!
This Ascension Day, may we hunger for another outpouring of that Holy Spirit power on our lives and our churches so we can be witnesses to a lost world around us! Let’s pray for one last great revival!
Last Sunday I preached on Acts 1:1-11. Here is the video:
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