His Timing—Let Us Wait; Let Us See All
If you know me, then you know that I enjoy a good movie on the “big” screen now and again, although my significant other does not (enjoy attending the movies). When there is an opportunity to attend a movie viewing, I enjoy the “WHOLE” movie—the commercials to the credits. That’s right. I sit enjoying the scroll of names.
In previous years, whenever I would show a film in my classroom, I would allow the credits to roll to the end frame. The first time I did not turn off the film, my students questioned my antics; the second time, they saw the pattern. WHY becomes the question. The easy answer is this—She’s just weird. The next answer is this—I wanted my students to see all the careers possible, and this is so easy to see at the “end” of a movie while the credits roll forward and the names, with career names connected, pass before our eyes.
Now, I no longer show movies in my classroom, but whenever I am afforded the opportunity to see a movie, I sit there as others stand, gather their things, and take their leave. At the end of the credits, the theatre is empty (except for the one hired to clean and those who have traveled to the movie with me).
Why watch the credits (besides to see all the career paths)?
Why sit still as the credits roll, revealing the careers, songs, and locations of filming?
Why stay to the very end, until the screen goes dark?
Why?
- It is for the same reason that we read the entire Bible.
- It is for the same reason that we study the Scripture daily.
- It is for the same reason that we strive to memorize verses upon verses in God’s Word.
- It is for the same reason.
As we might expect, the Bible has much to say about this. Let’s read God’s Word together.
“Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
and He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day,
and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.
And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with the power from on high.’”
(Luke 24: 45-49)
“but you are to stay . . .”
We know that when Jesus left earth to return to heaven, God’s Holy Spirit was sent.
We also know that when God takes His church out of the earth, His Holy Spirit will leave the earth.
We know this because the Bible says it is so.
The disciples needed to stay in Jerusalem until they were ”clothed with the power from on high.” They needed to stay there, waiting for God’s timing because they knew that to go would only mean they would be going in their own power. Jesus told them to wait, so they waited. Then God sent them out two-by-two, & they went into the world to proclaim the salvation of the LORD.
As we march toward the celebration of the Day of Pentecost (a day that will arrive soon), we can be reminded of the importance of “waiting” for God’s timing & of the importance of the POWER of God living inside each of us who have accepted Christ Jesus as our Savior.
“Come Holy Spirit”
We pray for this.
We hope for this.
We yearn for this.
Do we wait for this?
Do we wait for God’s timing OR Do we rush in, rush ahead, and rush to do the work only God can do?
There is no way we can ever “persuade” people of the truth of the gospel; the Holy Spirit of God does this work. That was true with the disciples then, and it is still true with us today. The disciples were sent into the world to proclaim Jesus has risen & lives. We are sent into the world to proclaim the same. God’s Message Has Not Changed—EVER!
God’s Mission Has Always Been to Save the Lost—to Save Humanity—to Forgive Our Sins—to Provide Us a Way to Know Him—to Give Us New Life—Forever Within His Presence.
Last week, I spoke these words: “Through our actions, attitudes, or conversations with people, we either drive them FAR AWAY from God—OR—We draw them toward the TRUTH of God.”
Let us remember today the serious business of walking through this day—Led by the Holy Spirit of God.
- To be truthful, I am not so good at the waiting part.
- To be truthful, I am really good at rushing ahead.
- To be truthful, I need to see this truth today.
- To be truthful, Jesus Himself used daily interaction with others to reveal Himself, to lead them to see their need of a Savior, & to show them how much they needed God to save them.
“And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with the power from on high.’”
(Luke 24: 49)
His Timing—God’s—Is Impeccable & God’s Timing Is Always Right!
Today, we are not living a movie; we are living real life.
We are not just sitting day-by-day, waiting for the credits to play, waiting for the day we will arrive home.
We are to live in obedience to God.
We are to live with our eyes, with our focus on Jesus, our LORD and SAVIOR.
We are to live, knowing that the next thing Jesus will do is Stand Up to RETURN.
We are to live, not with our heads tilted back, looking toward the sky, and we are not to live with our eyes focused upon our daily tasks.
NO—We are to live alert, ready, obedient, and focused—always prepared to “love out loud” & to “give our testimony” how Jesus made us brand new.
We are to live—prayerfully walking through our days—being led by the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD!
Thus, let us end with what the disciples “saw” as they walked with Jesus (to Bethany), as they saw Jesus ascend back to heaven.
Today, let us see the “truth” of what the disciples “saw” that day.
“And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven.
And they, after worshipping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising God.”
(Luke 24: 50-53)
”And they, after worshipping Him, . . .”
(Luke 24: 52)
Let us learn to wait upon the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Let us learn to wait.
Let us learn what obedience really looks like.
Let us learn how to live, speak, and go—in light of God’s leading.
Let us learn to worship Jesus, the Savior of the world, just as the disciples did.
Let us continually praise God.