Waiting and Praying
“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken tip; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly 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. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey. And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.” — Acts i. 9-14.
“A ND when he had spoken these things.” These A words! They were the last and yet not the last. The last in the ministry of his visible presence; but he will continue to teach them still. His word liveth and abideth I for ever. He will make good his promise, “Lo, I am with you alway.”
Waiting and Praying.
We linger on the last words: “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons.” Himself knows them, and knowing them, knows that it was not expedient to impart these deep things of God to men. But in the act of intimating that the date of the event must remain concealed, he clearly declares that the event itself is sure, — the establishment of the kingdom in Israel — the universal reign of the Son of David. The event is sure, and the date also is fixed; but the knowledge of the date cannot be revealed. For their sakes it is concealed; for manifestly the absolute declaration of the date would thwart and hinder the establishment of the kingdom. It would have closed the lips of suppliants, and paralysed the hands of those who should be fellow-workers with God.
When the Lord declines to declare the date of the expected consummation, he gives them another thing instead. He gives them what he counts better. Something which they asked was not for them, and therefore it was withheld; something which they did not ask was for them, and therefore it was bestowed. It is thus that we treat our children day by day.
He never gives his disciples a blank refusal. When he declines one thing, he bestows a better. That which he bestowed in this case was the combined promise and command of the eighth verse: “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons; but ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me,” etc. Instead of permitting them to occupy their minds with an unknown future, he sends them into present work. Instead of telling them when the kingdom will come, he assigns to them the work of bringing in the kingdom. It is by their witnessing that the nations will be made subject to Christ. “The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly but you must arise and contend; you must cast down the old serpent, and stamp upon his prostrate folds.
“And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them.” Whoever the messengers may have been, the message which they bear is clear: “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.” The interval must be occupied, not in pensive, fond upward gazing, but in hearty, earnest work. He will come again; but times and seasons which man cannot number will intervene. These are times of witnessing for all the disciples of Christ. They must receive the Spirit; they must be witnesses for Christ; they must begin at Jerusalem; they must reach the ends of the earth. After that shall the end be. The time seems long; and yet it is approaching quickly. That fixed star seems fixed indeed to our eyes; there it has stood in the deep of heaven, and glittered down on the upturned eyes of longing disciples these eighteen hundred years — the bright promise of his coming; but though it seems to stand still, it is moving; it is approaching. Be of good cheer, disciples, your Redemption is nearer than when those Galileans first left their nets to follow Jesus. The fixed star is not fixed — it is rushing through space to its goal, although its movements cannot be detected by our instruments. The kingdom is coming, although it is beyond the power of our calculus to predict the time of its arrival. Its sudden appearing will surprise and gladden the waiting Simeons and Annas of that day.
This earth is a small body; it is like a grain of sand on the shore of Immensity — a Bethlehem-Ephratah among the worlds which constitute God’s universe: yet the Earth is, and ever will be, the most valued of all his works, because
Waiting and Praying. into it has come and from it has ascended the Divine Kedeemer, in whom all things shall yet be gathered into one. Here he passed through his humiliation, and here will his glory be displayed.
When the disciples reached the city, they betook themselves to a large upper room — some hall, either hired for the purpose or gratuitously placed at their disposal by some believer, such as Joseph of Arimathea, who owned property and loved the Lord. From the beginning the Lord needed men of property, and from the beginning he provided them. To the poor the Gospel was preached; but at the same time the love of Christ constrained some of the rich to minister unto him of their substance whatever material means were necessary for the work.
As they enter the upper room the names of all the Eleven are taken down and transmitted by the record to the latest generation. Peter is restored, and his backsliding healed; Thomas is confirmed, and believes, although he no longer sees. We have here what in modern phraseology would be termed the minutes and the sederunt of the first missionary meeting. With the apostles other believers, men and women, assembled, until the company in the upper room numbered about a hundred and twenty.
Here is the first assembly of the Christian Church after the ascension of the Lord. This is the well’s eye near the summit of the mountain, and the tiny rill that trickled over its brim that day has grown into a mighty river now. Down through the generations the stream has flowed without ceasing; and at this day, although many things impede its progress, the Christian Church is the greatest power in the world. How great the numbers that go up to the house of God to worship in the name of the one Mediator! From a very small mustard seed a mighty tree has grown.
30 The Church m the House,
In that upper room were all the elements that go to constitute “the Church.” The first assembly was the germ of all that followed. United worship is a Divine ordinance. Not only is it in accordance with the revealed will of God, it is manifestly suited to the need and the capacity of men. It is true that the spiritual life depends primarily on the individual; but it is also true that for spiritual growth and health we are instrumentally dependent on association with fellow-Christians.
Our soul’s state is much affected, either for good or evil, by the company of our kind. A human being has a separate personal identity, and also social relations with his neighbours. Some of our actions are solitary, and terminate on ourselves, such as breathing, thinking; others are necessarily social, and presuppose society, such as speaking, hearing, loving. If a man were entirely separated from his kind, he would no longer be what he is — would soon cease to be. Half of his faculties would lie dormant for want of exercise; and lying long dormant, they would die; and the death of one-half of his faculties would soon take the life out of all the rest.
Thus necessary is society for man. God has not neglected this feature of the human constitution in the structure of his covenant and the organisation of the Church. Our individual relation to God is the first thing: Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? — thou me. But when this first commandment of the Gospel has been enforced, the second, which is like unto it, is not neglected. None can save his brother; every one must enter into relation with God for himself; but every man both gets and gives in intercourse with society. Every disciple helps or hinders his fellow-disciple. In all earnest times they that fear the Lord speak often one to another; and the Lord hearkens and hears when any company, great or small, agree to seek him together.
The Spirit at Pentecost.
There was perseverance in the prayer of the primitive Church — “they continued.” There was unity in those early prayer-meetings — they prayed “with one accord.” The prayers were not soon broken off, and were not hindered by disagreements among the suppliants. They ascended straight to heaven in a pillar of pure incense, and descended soon in showers of blessing — a great refreshing from the presence of the Lord.