“To Go and Come” – Acts 1:1-26

The strain on the disciples must have made for some strange days.

Before His crucifixion He said “I will go away, and I will come to you” (John 14:28) and “I will not leave you bereft. I will come to you” (John 14:18).

He said He would rise on the third day and now Jesus had appeared to them multiple times.

Still it must have felt strange and unfinished. Where was the kingdom (Acts 1:6)? Jesus had said “the world shall see Me no more; but you shall see Me because I live, you shall live also” (John 14:19) but it was all so unclear. Was His three days in the tomb His “going”? Were His resurrection appearances His “coming”? Then Jesus began again to speak of the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5). The work of Jesus would continue (1:1), so there must be something more.

But, what?

Then came the day … He rose into the clouds and was gone (Acts 1:9).

Now what?

Were they alone?

Jesus had told them to remain in the city until “clothed with power” (Acts 1:4, Luke 24:49), so the disciples, Mary and over one hundred others returned to Jerusalem (Acts 1:12) and prayed (1:14-15). They understood the need to replace Judas (1:15-26) as a matter of fulfilling prophecy and God’s purpose. Still, there must be more than this. I have often wondered what went through their minds during this time. They had no way of knowing the wonders that God had in store. They could not appreciate that the coming of the Holy Spirit was the coming Jesus promised the night He was betrayed.

I think in many ways those days between the ascension of Christ and Pentecost were a microcosm of the church age. We do not have the direct and miraculous working of the Holy Spirit at this time, but we know there is something more in store. Like the filling of Judas’ office, we know from God’s word that there is work to be done now before Jesus “comes”. The daily work of the church may seem mundane and routine, if we allow it. But, clearly it is not the design.

By fulfilling the word and work of God in preparation for the “coming”, the church was unified (1:14) and coiled like a spring when the sound of rushing wind came upon them. May we never underestimate the importance of the little things in our faithfulness to Christ.

After all, although He is gone, He is coming (1:11)!