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Hello my name is Jerral Campfield and this web site is dedicated to Moral Recognition Therapy using Biblical principles. Please come back often to join me in understanding Gods hands are outstretched still to forgive. |
ACTS OF THE HOLY SPIRT |
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Contributed by Jerral Campfield
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Friday, 19 March 2021 |
6 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. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be [c]witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Jesus Ascends to Heaven 9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” Here they are in in Galilee asking to go to Jerusalem and they obey, but first they are cheerfully together to be the witnesses of His ascension. Lord are you going to restore again the Kingdom of Israel? They thought for sure God was going to have the last say and was going to rule from here on out Rome. 1. “Surely thou wilt not at all restore it to the present rulers of Israel, the chief priests and the elders, that put thee to death, and, to compass that design, tamely gave up the kingdom to Caesar, and owned themselves his subjects. What! Shall those that hate and persecute thee and us be trusted with power? This be far from thee.” Or rather, 2. “Surely thou wilt now restore it to the Jewish nation, as far as it will submit to thee as their king.” Now two things were amiss in this question:—They thought Christ would restore the kingdom to Israel, that is, that he would make the nation of the Jews as great and considerable among the nations as it was in the days of David and Solomon, of Asa and Jehoshaphat; that, as Shiloh, he would restore the sceptre to Judah, and the lawgiver; whereas Christ came to set up his own kingdom, and that a kingdom of heaven, not to restore the kingdom to Israel, an earthly kingdom. [1.] How apt even good men are to place the happiness of the church too much, in external pomp and power; as if Israel could not be glorious unless the kingdom were restored to it, nor Christ’s disciples honored unless they were peers of the realm; whereas we are told to expect the cross in this world, and to wait for the kingdom in the other world. How hard it is to get over the prejudices of education. The disciples, having sucked in this notion with their milk that the Messiah was to be a temporal prince, were long before they could be brought to have any idea of his kingdom as spiritual. [3.] How naturally we are biassed in favour of our own people. They thought God would have no kingdom in the world unless it were restored to Israel; whereas the kingdoms of this world were to become his, in whom he would be glorified, whether Israel should sink or swim. [4.] How apt we are to misunderstand scripture—to understand that literally which is spoken figuratively, and to expound scripture by our schemes, whereas we ought to form our schemes by the scriptures. But, when the Spirit shall be poured out from on high, our mistakes will be rectified, as the apostles’ soon after were. “Lord, wilt thou do it at this time? They were really excited for now they were going to be a part of those who rule. They wanted God to show his majesty as He was doing now. But Christ gave an answer to this question, like that which he had a little before given to Peter’s enquiry concerning John, What is that to thee? Acts 1:7; It is not for you to know the times and seasons. He does not contradict their expectation that the kingdom would be restored to Israel, because that mistake would soon be rectified by the pouring out of the Spirit, after which they never had any more thoughts of the temporal kingdom; and also because there is a sense of the expectation which is true, the setting up of the gospel kingdom in the world; and their mistake of the promise shall not make it of no effect; but he checks their enquiry after the time.
He wants them to Know He was not going to allow them that privilege, for He is ready to part from them in love to this world. Jesus spent a great deal of time talking about getting them to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. He did not want them to be puffed up with revelations, but there was more to unfold. The Lord is always wanting us to know the way, truth and life and He gives us signs of the time to over look the evil that will destroy us. Thank the Lord we are able to relax in His arms, so we can produce goodwill and peace. Here the Disciples were over joyed and the Lord is letting them know we are going to have season of winter and trouble, Spring of beginning of growth and Summer to fulfill growth and fall to harvest the fruit. You are getting ready for summer time of growth in the Church. It is what the Father hath put in his own power; it is hid with him. None besides can reveal the times and seasons to come. Known unto God are all his works, but not to us, Acts 15:18. It is in his power, and in his only, to declare the end from the beginning; and by this he proves himself to be God, Isa. 46:10. Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’ Remember Israel was in bondage 400 yrs. And in Babylon 70 years and they did not know this, so they did not know when the Spirit was going to manifest Himself to them. It is said, perish the man who calculates the time. Lord help us to not be perplexed over the time and seasons we are living in, for You’re in charge. All we need to do, is be witness for publishing the truth to our world. And be able to prove it by being martyrs to the Lord, that is willing to sacrifice for the Lord everything we have. The Lord then can take what He has blessed us with to glorify His name. God wants to empower us for we do not have strength on our own, we need the power of the Holy Spirit. So those He calls He will empower for His will beginning at Jerusalem and that is home, where we live. Then Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth you will be a witness. So now He leaves them, as he was gradually taken into heaven as a cloud received Him. Remember Elijah was fetched away by a Chariot of fire and horses of fire. Remember, Jesus rose from the grave by His own power, in the sight of the Disciples. They did not see Him arise for the grave, but are now seeing him rise into the clouds slowly disappearing. He made the clouds His Chariot, remember He often was in the clouds over Israel and over the Church protecting us. The eyes of a great many witnesses followed him into the cloud; and, if we would know what became of him then, we may find (Dan. 7:13), That one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him in the clouds as he came near before him. Notice they look Steadfastly toward heaven expecting to see a miracle again, but no. Instead two Angles appeared to them with a message You men of Galilee , why stand you gazing up into heaven? Here the angels knew they were Galileans, people looked upon with disdain. This same Jesus, who is taken up form you into heaven and whom you are looking thus long after, will appear the second time without sin. For he was judged us as a sinner. He will come again in glory to judge how we are preforming in trusting and obeying. He is going to come again in the clouds with the sound of the trumpet 1 Thess. 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Now you have seen Him depart, but soon you’re going to be full of His Holy Spirit what a comforting thought. To be continued! |
Copyright 2005 Jerral Campfield, All rights reserved.
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