What Are You Looking At? (Acts 1:6-11)
Last week we began our study of the book of Acts. The opening of this book shows us that Jesus isn't done. He said, "It is finished" on the cross, but Jesus didn't mean that all of his work was complete. There is still one thing remaining. The promise of the Father has been made possible through the sacrifice of Jesus, but it hasn't been released yet. Jesus has accomplished the redemption of mankind, but men don't know what he has done.
Last week, Luke began to wrap up Jesus' 40 days of teaching on the kingdom by telling the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the promise. We saw that the Spirit was about to be poured out. John baptized with water, but Jesus is going to baptize with the Holy Spirit. He is the one who will bring about every spiritual blessing and establish the kingdom of God. Along with that, there will be condemnation and a fiery judgment for all who refuse to believe.
Today, we will finish Luke's wrap-up of their conversation before Jesus ascends into heaven.
The Nature of the Question
Acts 1:6 (ESV) --- 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
These men want to know if Jesus is going to restore the kingdom to Israel. Why would they want to know that? Did they not understand everything Jesus has told them for the last 40 days? Of course, they understood. They don't ask if Jesus is going to restore the kingdom to Israel. They ask if he is going to do it at this time. They know that Jesus is going to restore the kingdom to Israel because Jesus has told them that. The question is, "Are you going to restore it at this time?"
Some of you might be scratching your heads right now. Did Jesus restore the kingdom to Israel? Look at these prophesies.
Amos 9:11--15 (ESV) --- 11 “In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old, 12 that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name,” declares the Lord who does this. 13 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it. 14 I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. 15 I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them,” says the Lord your God.
Here we see the same thing we saw in the spirit being poured out prophesies. God is going to restore the fortunes of Israel. He will rebuild the ruined cities and give people to inhabit them. He will give them an abundance of rain, food, and security. The restoration of Israel is the promise of the Father. These disciples are just looking forward to the fulfillment of the promise.
There is a lot of criticism toward the disciples about this question. Many think the disciples do not know the nature of the kingdom. However, their question was based on scripture and everything Jesus had been telling them. There is no reason to look down on them. They understand scripture, and Jesus has just spent 40 days speaking to them about the kingdom. Let's look at how Jesus responds.
Jesus Responds
Acts 1:7 (ESV) --- 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
The answer is not chastising them for failing to comprehend the nature of the kingdom. Jesus tells them that they don't need to know the timetable. God has that under his control. Isn't that an interesting response? Why not just say, "Yes, the restoration that was foretold will begin at this time," or "No, the restoration the Old Testament is talking about won't happen until after Jerusalem is destroyed and thousands of years have passed." Instead, he keeps them in suspense. They will have to wait and see.
This answer has opened the door for many different beliefs about the restoration of Israel and the establishment of the eternal kingdom. But consider what he has just said. The promise of the Father and the baptism with the Holy Spirit will take place "not many days from now." These two ideas have always been connected to the restoration of Israel, so it's not thousands of years away. So why would they ask if this will be the time? They want to know if it will all happen at once. Notice Jesus' response. "It's not for you to know the times or the seasons. "God is keeping some things a mystery. God doesn't plan to reveal his whole plan. Now, consider what he says next.
Acts 1:8 (ESV) --- 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.”
What does this tell us about the restoration of the kingdom to Israel? Isn't Jesus implying a worldwide spread of his kingdom beginning in Jerusalem? The disciples will have power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them. What kind of power? It's a power that will make them effective witnesses of Jesus worldwide. The restoration of the kingdom to Israel is about creating redeemed followers of Christ. The territory God is interested in is inside of people. He wants their hearts.
Jesus Ascends
Acts 1:9--11 (ESV) --- 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and 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.”
After telling his disciples that they will be his witnesses to the end of the earth, he starts to ascend into heaven. Jesus has no intention of staying with the apostles in a physical sense. He told his disciples this in the gospel of John.
John 14:2--3 (ESV) --- 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
John 14:15--17 (ESV) --- 15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
John 14:25--26 (ESV) --- 25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Jesus must go to the Father to send the Holy Spirit. He will give them power and guide them into all truth. He will help them with everything they are supposed to accomplish and bring to remembrance everything that Jesus has said to them. Jesus can't stay with them. He knows that he can more effectively serve them from heaven. This fulfills Daniel 7:13-14.
Daniel 7:13--14 (ESV) --- 13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
As Jesus disappears from his disciples, he comes to God and receives all dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. The kingdom is in the hands of a descendant of David.
Then, a couple of angels appear, and they ask the disciples, "Why are you still looking into heaven?" The disciples are lingering and hoping that Jesus will come back. They are struggling with separation anxiety. The angel tells them that Jesus will return in the same way he left. He will come in the clouds. This should spark lots of memories for them. Jesus said in Matthew 24 that his servants better be working while he is gone. They better not slack off thinking that he won't be coming back. He will come with the clouds and bring judgment on the unrighteous.
It's time to get to work.
What Do We Need To Know?
The kingdom of Isreal will begin restoration as God has promised not many days from Jesus ascending into heaven. But it will happen in God's time and in God's way. Skipping ahead, we will see that it begins on Pentecost. The rest of the New Testament shows us that there is a new, heavenly Jerusalem where God dwells. It is not a city that is on this earthly. As Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world." But the Spirit is poured out, the kingdom is restored to Israel, and every spiritual blessing is received by those who love God.
This text points to a heavenly kingdom with a heavenly city and a heavenly king. Jesus doesn't ascend into space. He transitions to the heavenly realm where "All authority in heaven and earth has been given." He reigns from on high to open the door to this city and kingdom to whomever he wills. Eventually, he will move on from Israel to the surrounding nations.
This text is our road map for this book. Jesus plans to conquer in this order. He will send his apostles to Judah, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. This will become a worldwide kingdom. Israel will no longer be about who you descend from. Israel will be about having the faith of Abraham.
The arrival of the Holy Spirit will mark the start of this kingdom. Jesus will give his twelve apostles power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them. The Holy Spirit will help them, making their witness effective in spreading the gospel of Jesus' death and resurrection throughout the whole world. This is what this book is all about. It's the story of Jesus helping his disciples spread the restored kingdom of Israel through the Holy Spirit.
Of course, this matters to us because the kingdom is still spreading. It's not over yet. The book of Acts never really ends because we are still writing it. The apostles' witness is spreading through us as we share our faith with others. We are the restored kingdom of Israel, and we share in all of the spiritual blessings that the prophets foretold.
What Do We Need To Do?
We see the disciples looking up in wonder as Jesus ascends as we study this text. Have you ever felt like that's what you should do? Sometimes, we can get locked into all that God has done for us. Listen to the words of the angels again.
Acts 1:11 (ESV) --- 11 and 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.”
We started with a question, and now we will end with one. He said, "Why do you stand looking into heaven?" Is this not what we are supposed to do? No, Jesus wanted his apostles to obey him while they waited for him. He wants the same from us. Jesus is not on his throne, making sure that we are looking at him all the time. He is on his throne, wanting to help us seek and save the lost.
Do we think of him in that way? What would happen if we transitioned from awe and wonder to complete focus on the task of seeking and saving the lost? What if we obeyed and became men and women who shared the good news of Jesus throughout the world? That's his purpose for your life. You may not play the most prominent or flashiest role in this work. You may not get recognition from your peers, but you need to keep pushing and striving alongside your brethren.