Wait for the Promise

Wait For the Promise of the Father

“Behold, I send forth the promise of my Father on you. But wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high." (Luke 24:49)

Greetings brothers and sisters in the name of Christ Jesus!

            The last command Jesus gave to His disciples was to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the gift His Father promised them, the Holy Spirit. This was the gift they would need to successfully spread the gospel to the nations.

            Many things about this command need to be understood; three things in particular I’ll comment on.  These were Jesus' last words to His followers. To carry out the ministry of Christ, these directions needed to be followed then and still need to be followed today.

            1. Stay in Jerusalem.

            Staying put in one place for anyone is difficult. In a society like ours today that is able to travel the world in hours, staying put is a difficult request. Remaining still in the silence is a discipline few in our culture practice. Finding solutions to our often daily problems find us searching for help in many places. As we experience loneliness and tragedy in our lives we reach out to anyone or anything that might bring us comfort. Many of us come to God during these times and though this is the place to come, this wasn't the command Jesus gave. He did not say come to God every once in a while, He said come and stay put!

            Staying in Jerusalem is actually staying with Christ. He is the only One who has seen and knows the Father and therefore is the only One who can reveal to us the truth about the Father; we must remain in Him! Jesus is the only One who knows the spirit of men and therefore He is the only one who can open up our understanding about the ways and will of God; we must abide in Him (stay in Jerusalem).

            2. Wait for the promise.

            Coming to God is essential, but coming with the intention of waiting upon Him is the important factor. Waiting involves prayer, fasting, and reading scripture. These disciplines reveal to the Christian who God is, how He speaks and how He works. Waiting also shows respect and belief in God; belief that He will reveal himself in His time. Faith always pleases the Father; waiting for His blessing demonstrates the real faith of the believer.

            3. Receive the Holy Spirit

            The reward to the Christian who stays in God's Word, speaks to Him in prayer, and surrenders impurities through fasting, receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. This Spirit enables the believer to effectively spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the commission to all of Christ's followers, preach the gospel.

            This is also the process of sanctification. Jesus prayed that his disciples would be sanctified (set apart). Jesus can abide in a sanctified believer, employ him, and present him faultless before God.

            If you want to step out of your own strength and walk in the Spirit of Christ, run to God, wait for His blessing, and you shall receive it.

Christ's peace be with you,

Pastor, Jim Bringman