In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began 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 presented himself to them 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 baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’ Then they gathered round him and 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 NIVUK https://bible.com/bible/113/act.1.1-11.NIVUK
When I was at school, our PE teacher tried to teach us to run the relay race. It made me chuckle when I was picked for a team. Firstly, because I am not a fast runner. I'm not at all an athlete. Secondly, the relay is one of the most technical events in athletics. Even top level teams with the fastest sprinters in the world have been known to be disqualified. I can't remember if our team did well. All I can remember is the backs of all the other runners in front of me. You see, there are rules in relay races. The second, third and fourth runners receive the baton inside a box. If they drop the baton or receive it outside the box then they are disqualified. It's what makes it so difficult. In these verses, Jesus is handing the baton on to His disciples. The boundaries of the handover are defined by these five 'buts'. Jesus was dead but is alive tells us of the critical importance of the resurrection, both as a historical fact and as the driver and constrainer of our activity. Not leaving but remaining in the city tells us that God has a purpose for us even when sometimes we have to remain in dangerous places. It emphasises the need for us to be submitted to Him in everything. Being baptised with water but then also baptised with the Spirit confirms that we need His power to carry out His mission. Him not giving us knowledge but power and purpose reminds us where our focus should be - on being His witnesses across the globe. And lastly, knowing that Jesus has left but is returning reminds us that we need to be ready and doing His work. There is a baton that was passed from Jesus to the disciples and then to us. It is a great privilege and a great responsibility. The disciples picked it up and ran with it in dangerous times. Now God is calling us to do the same. Do we hear the call of the five 'buts'? Are we truly ready to follow Him, even now?
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