4On 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. 5For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.” 6Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8But 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 the resurrection of Christ, many of his followers felt a sense of vindication. For three years, they were under public scrutiny for being followers of a very controversial person named Jesus who claimed he was the Son of God. And so now, as expected, after that they had the seen the Lord and had been with him again, the disciples felt ready to level up, so the speak. With renewed faith and with passions fanned, they simply felt so ready to do more, but Jesus tells them, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
Clearly, the disciples did not find the words of Jesus exciting. Most of them were at the prime of their lives. They were young. They were full of energy. They were bursting with creativity and ideas. They were expecting some real adventure. Telling them to wait, and leave Jerusalem seemed awfully out of place.
And so, in an effort to “impress” the Lord with their seeming grasp of what is to come, they ask him a question: “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
Many times, people ask questions not to really find answers and serious insight. Sometimes, we raise questions to show off what we seem to know and grasp. These questions often reflect our prejudices and our biases, and even our lack of humility and graciousness to truly learn from the Lord.
The Israelites had been under Roman rule for many years. Their hearts were longing for some national pride and political vindication. And why not? Now with the resurrected Christ with them — one who was invincible and truly indestructible even by death — what can they not do, and what can they possibly not win?
But you see, friends, instead of hearing what they wanted to hear, the disciples a deeply strange reply from the Lord, “8But 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.”
That must have brought so much disappointment, frustration, and even confusion in the hearts of the disciples. Some of them must have secretly said to themselves, “What?! Can you say that again, Lord? After all this trouble, after all drama of seeing you tortured, crucified, and come miraculously back to life, this is all you want us to do? To witness about you? Are you serious, Lord?!”
The word witness comes from the Greek word martus and it means martyr — someone who is willing to die and lay down one’s life for the sake of others.
What an unexpected turn of events. The disciples wanted to reign and perhaps, even lord over their political enemies. But Jesus tells to serve and give of themselves. How frustrating they must have felt.
Based on the spirit of our scripture reading, agenda is the inner motive behind our every action.
You see, even during the early stages of his ministry, the disciples had always found it difficult to grasp the agenda of Jesus. When Peter heard Jesus speaking about his death and suffering, he tried to prevent it by saying, “Lord, this shall not happen to you.” Very quickly, Jesus rebuked him and said, “Get thee behind me Satan… for you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16: 21-23)
Now, even after his death, the disciples continued to pursue a different agenda. They were thinking of overthrowing Rome, and restoring the glory of the Old Israel, but Jesus had in mind the many nations who needed to hear about the good news of the resurrection.
Friends, this is why we need to wait for the Holy Spirit. Before the coming of the Holy Spirit , the disciples were filled with themselves, but when the Spirit of God came during Pentecost, their hearts were overtaken with a desire to do preach Christ, even at the expense of their very life.
Allegiance is loyalty and fidelity. Allegiance is faithfulness. Allegiance is what and to whom you are willing to give of yourself the most.
You see, when our agenda is misplaced, our allegiance will naturally just follow. And it can be the other way around, too. When our allegiance is misplaced, so will our agenda be.
Sadly, because of their personal agenda, the disciples failed to envision the glorious future ahead. They never saw it coming. The never realized that though ordinary and unschooled, they would later change the destinies of nations forever. Though frightened and intimidated by the possibility of death, they would one day face great oppositions because of Jesus; that some of them will even die violently as martyrs of the faith because they will not bow before the Emperors of Rome.
The late US Senator from Oregon who was an evangelical Christian, Sen. Mark Hatfield, once visited the “House of Dying” in Calcutta, India with Mother Teresa. The House of Dying was a place where sick children were cared for in their last days, and where the poorest of the poor line up by the hundreds to receive medical attention.
Watching Mother Teresa minister to these people, feeding, and nursing those left by others to die, Hatfield was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the suffering she and her co-workers face daily. “How can you bear the load without being crushed by it?” he asked.
Mother Teresa replied, “My dear Senator, I am not called to be successful, I am called to be faithful.”
WAIT. Let us not rush quickly into our plans. Let us not be impulsive in our actions. We are not always right in what we think, no matter how sincere we may be. Let us align with God’s plans, and see that his purposes will never fail.
WORK. Just like the disciples, let us fold up our sleeves and put our faith to action. After three years of being with Christ, watching and observing him, it was their turn to do their part. We cannot be forever watching while others are working. Find something to do for Christ. Volunteer your time. Give your resources. Offer your talents for the Lord.
WITNESS. A witness is one called to testify and give evidence. We cannot testify to what we have not seen and experienced ourselves; otherwise, we will be a false witness.
What has Christ done for you? Don’t keep it to yourself. Take a step of faith. Pass it to others. Speak. Reach out. Remember that you are just an instrument; it is the Lord who will ultimately do the rest of the work.
