Do Not Leave Home Without It!

Apparently, when God sent the Holy Spirit, it was a really big deal!

Act 1:1 NLT In my first book [The Book of Luke] I told you…about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven…  3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.  4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 

WHAT??  Wait??

I’ve been pondering the magnitude of this promised gift and these remarkable instructions. Consider this. The disciples had literally just witnessed the most stunning/amazing, miraculous series of events in the history of the human race – culminating with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and His subsequent Ascension. Never had there been a better moment to launch a fervent army of evangelists into the world! Never had the zeal of the message been more alive within their hearts! Never had they been as well equipped with a transforming message! HE IS ALIVE!

Yet, God directly instructed this impassioned group – wait!

Apparently more was needed than simply having a convincing message. They indeed had the powerful message/the payload, but not the rocket-fuel! Even this dynamo (eyewitness accounts of the Resurrection) needed to be plugged into the power source!

I suppose also, it was miraculous that they could actually obey – and contain themselves to wait until the promised outpouring of the Spirit’s power was received – which, of course, birthed the Book of Acts. And this birthing continues today – because the rocket-fuel is still available! Selah. \o/