Jesus’ Final Instructions

Forty days after the resurrection, and a week before the day of Pentecost, Jesus gave his final instructions to his disciples.  Acts 1:4-5 describes his instructions.  “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.  For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”  The disciples were not to remain in Jerusalem, praying until they received the Holy Spirit, as Jesus had promised in John 14:16-17.  “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

Until the Holy Spirit came into them they would have no spiritual power, and John 16:7 makes it clear the Holy Spirit would not come until after Jesus ascended into Heavn.  “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.”  At the time,  the disciples were more concerned with the Lord’s return and rebuilding Israel than with having spiritual power, as we see in Acts 1:6.  “When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” 

Unfortunately, many Christians today are still more concerned with when the Lord will return than with learning to let the Holy Spirit direct their lives.  Acts 1:7 makes it clear that such a focus is misdirected.  “And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.”  The scriptures tell us a great many details about what will happen when the Lord returns, so that when those things happen we will not panic, knowing God is still in control.    We are to be prepared at any moment, because we will not know in advance, as Luke 12:40 warns.  “Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.´

Instead of focusing on when the Lord will return, we need to focus on the Holy Spirit’s power in our lives, as Jesus said in Acts 1:8.  “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”  It is the Holy Spirit’s power in us that enables us to fulfill the Greast Commission and do what Christ has commanded.  It is far more important that we make sure of the Holy Spirit’s presence in us than that we know when the Lord will return, because as Romans 8:9 tells us, “…if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”   Too often the focus on prophecy serves as a distraction to keep people from making sure of their own salvation or developing a proper spiritual life. 

It is interesting that this was the last point Jesus made before he ascended into heave, according to Acts 1:9.  “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.”  While it is important to teach people about the Lord’s return, prophecy must never take precedence over developing a proper spiritual life. 

The Lord will return at the proper time, and in the meantime, we need to focus on obeying him, as the  angels pointed out in Acts 1:10-11.  “And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”  We just need to do our job and trust him to keep his promises.