(Today’s audio reading on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1i0LmMIuzVWBHPPqSzCjIQ)
The disciples kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set the dates and times, and they are not for you to know.” (Acts 1:6-7)
“I can’t wait!”
We live in anticipation: of the time when we finish college and get our diploma (or when we pay off the bills from our children’s college expenses!); we keep eyeing the calendar and looking at the day circled in red which indicates our long-planned wedding day; we dream about the day (any way it will ever get here?!) when we will pay off our house mortgage and be ‘free’ of that monthly burden; a mother longs for the moment when the baby she has carried inside for 9 months will finally make her grand entrance. Anticipation is normal and wonderful, and also a bit scary as we wait for the fulfillment of our longings. (One question is: how will the future reality match our mental and emotional anticipation?)
I notice in this instance of disciple-anticipation that Jesus didn’t answer their question and say, “This is not about that! The meaning of this is a lot deeper and more important!” They were asking about Israel being freed from the hated Romans; he was directing their attention to the next big event, which was the impartation of the Holy Spirit. It was no doubt easy for them to think it was about the former.
Jesus, their mighty teacher and wonder worker, had showed the ultimate power with resurrection from the dead. And note they had no inkling, at least from what we are told from the Scripture presentation, that he would soon ascend to heaven before their eyes and be gone…it’s easy to imagine that they thought Jesus was setting up his heavenly shop, right here in Jerusalem, forever and ever, hallelujah, amen! He would rule from here, and all would be right, and they would live happily ever after. Surely, his resurrection would result in a new day for Israel! Free at last! Free at last! We’re going to thank Yahweh Almighty, that we are free at last of these despised Romans! Get off our land! Jesus is setting everything in order! Romans, you are no longer welcome here! See ya!
Have you ever thought what it would be like for the time to have finally arrived for a big event, only to learn that the big event was not the big event? It would be sort of like, you thought you were going to get married on August 9, and yet when August 9 finally comes, you find out that’s the day you are going to move across the country….huh?! Wait, that can’t be! Talk about confusion, disappointment, and personal chaos! “Alex, I’ll take Total Upheaval for 400.” What’s happening?
What’s happening in this Pentecost-story scene is that Jesus is keeping their attention focused on the work of the Father and not the nationalistic work of Israel. It was no doubt a huge shock for them. He didn’t scold them and tell them to get their thinking straight, and concentrate on bigger and better things…he simply pointed them to what was ahead. And he told them who was in charge of the schedule.
For the disciples, it was the “best of times” to have Jesus among them again! It was the “worst of times” to realize that their long-awaited anticipation of ousting the hated Romans was not going to happen.
Their thinking is going to get rearranged, and it’s nothing like they’ve ever imagined.
Truly, the “best of times” is coming.
“Father, thank you for holding our times in your hands and directing history as you plan.”
Freddy Boswell 