After Easter . . .

As Jesus prepared His disciples for the events that were to follow the last supper, John 16:7-12 tells us that the disciples could not understand that Jesus must die and rise again. Instead of receiving what the Lord was giving them, they were overcome by grief. Yet Jesus encourages them saying, ”But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth.”

In the days to follow, Jesus would continue to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 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."
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:1-11

He is risen indeed! And what a joyous inheritance we have as sons and daughters of the Most High! When Pentecost came, a sound like a rushing mighty wind would blow in from Heaven, and the little band of believers would never be the same!! They were armed and on the way to fulfilling the Great Commission totally driven, directed, empowered and in submission to the 3rd person of the Godhead, Holy Spirit! The Spirit indwells us as we receive Christ as Lord today. We don’t have to wait.
Hebrews 13:8 tells us, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. The Spirit of God today is at will and at work in full power to bring the good news of the gospel to every nation. The history that began 4000 years ago for the people of God is still the good news for today! It is a message of salvation, healing, deliverance and hope for tomorrow! We can go as deep with Holy Spirit as our heart desires – the more we seek Him, the more we make Him a part of our daily decisions, the more we understand and the more effectual we are in the bigger purposes of God’s truth and plan for our lives!

And the very best news of all is that this same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. We live in a corrupted world of limited vision – especially in spiritual places. Every prophecy about the Lord’s first coming has been fulfilled, and so will His second be!! Are you ready? Will you embrace the fullness of Jesus today and welcome Holy Spirit’s work in your life? Will you let Him lead, guide and empower you to live a life of kingdom vision? Will you pray that He will empower you to share the good news of Jesus and declare His word in your family, your neighborhood, and on the job?

If we receive Him as the early Church received Him, we can experience the same manifestation of Holy Spirit’s power, which resulted in believers who devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved!!