Acts 1:1-14 ~ All these with one accord

 

Acts 1:1-14

1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when He was taken up, after He had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He had chosen. 

3 He presented Himself alive to them after His suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the Kingdom of God.

4 And while staying with them He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 

7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 

9 And when He had said these things, 

as they were looking on, 

He was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as He went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, 

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? 

This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, 

will come in the same way as you saw Him go into Heaven.”

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 

13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers.

Acts 3:19-20

Repent therefore, and turn back, 

that your sins may be blotted out, 

that times of refreshing may come

 from the presence of the Lord, 

and that He may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus

As we journey with the Word of the Lord in our walk with Jesus Christ, we will have our yesterdays and today's and tomorrows in our thoughts reading His Word. I have not always loved the Ascension. And now I certainly do. Because I was at lunch with two decades of friendship, with older ladies, and they explained the Ascension is the Lord making sure we don't worry about what happened to the missing Jesus and His Body. We will not ponder and have concern over the Living Body of Jesus. The Lord did not want us to have this question or concern. 

My Sophomore College year: 

Our Canterbury Priest encouraged me to take Egyptian History with a Professor friend. Who opened up the class by saying the Ascension was a myth because all Pharaohs ascended. He went on to say this is the slave culture of Jews to want to leap ahead of their slavery owners. Interesting, because Jeremiah Chapter 16 speaks of Jews saying they are from the south, but were never, ever slaves in Egypt. Nope. Nada. Jeremiah records the waywardness before the Babylonians would destroy and enslave Judea. Their attitude wanted history to change and to write their own history. Leaving God.  And I raised my hand because my Priest and this Professor were friends, been referred to the class, to ask how the cultural generations would pick this up again. And was lambasted up one side and down the next.

Next Wednesday at Canterbury College Station, our Happy Priest, smilingly, asked me how the class went. Not so good, and I gave our Priest the conversation --- HELD IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE CLASS.  End of Smiling Priest, who told me to give the class another go and things would go better. 

I said the deadline for drop add is approaching. I determined this would improve. Next class...Oh, fires of hell, it did not improve. And I ran for the drop add building. Outta that. But, perhaps, that is what made me remember so well about Pharaohs ascending. 

(I was told later, the Professor actually was a strong Christian and I should have stayed. Well.)

Know the Scriptures

Know the Power of God

The Ascension is a Victory of

Jesus Christ

for us 

ALL

Scriptures say knowledge and wisdom aren't necessarily happiness. 

Is it a sad thing to know about ascension being an idea in the ancient world?  Yes, it was.  The idea felt besmirched. And this is only a half thought, really.  The Lord did not ignore the excitement and wonder the mercy, works and life of Jesus, with His Sacrifice, had stirred when Jesus said He was bringing a new Heaven and a new earth.  Rome was on fire to know more about Jesus, certainly just a few years after Jesus had Ascended to Heaven.

Titus 3:7-8

Having been justified by His grace, 

we would become heirs with the hope of eternal life. 

This saying is trustworthy. 

And I want you to emphasize these things, 

so that those who have believed God 

will take care to devote themselves to good deeds. 

These things are excellent and profitable for the people.

Mark is written, by Mark, and asked for by the Disciple Peter. These are the miracles the first century Romans wanted to know more about Jesus and His Power. Love. Mercy.

It would be a Roman god of Olympus standard operating procedure to ignore what frail mankind could want.  Puny.  This is not the exact nature of Jesus, God has sent us. 

Hebrews 1 

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of  His nature, and He upholds the universe by the Word of His Power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

If the recent Egyptian Cleopatra and Mark Antony era 30 BC, world, was interested in Pharaoh ascending as a god, while everyone knew, mostly, these Emperor gods were more the admiration and respect of earthly power, why wouldn't God Himself allow His Son the 

Victory?

The Almighty, Ancient of Days, would consider what we would call, now, pop culture to bring His Wonderful Son Glory with understanding of the Love God has to save the world in Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 8

I say this not as a command,

 but to prove by the earnestness of others 

that Your Love also is genuine. 

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ

Acts 3:19-20

Repent therefore, and turn back, 

that your sins may be blotted out, 

that times of refreshing may come

 from the presence of the Lord, 

and that He may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love, 

but perfect love casts out fear. 

For fear has to do with punishment, 

and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Titus 2:14

He gave Himself for us

 to redeem us from all lawlessness 

and to purify for Himself 

a people for His own possession, 

zealous for good deeds

DO ALL THE GOOD

THE LORD
HAS SET 

BEFORE 

YOU

TO 

DO

Easter worldwide

.

Holding her stones dear.  The Church. Your Church.  The worldwide Christian Church.

Paris closes for Easter Weekend. The Restaurants and shops close. And here is the schedule printed in years past:

Abba, Father,

Know the Scriptures,

Know the Power of God.

And we will believe in the One He has Sent.

Surely, He took on our infirmities 

and carried our sorrows; 

yet, we considered Him stricken by God, 

struck down and afflicted.  

But He was pierced for our transgressions,

 He was crushed for our iniquities; 

the punishment that brought us peace 

was upon Him, 

and by His stripes 

we are healed. 

Each Day we are Blessed 

to ask for more

More Heaven on earth.

Gently, we hand You our Cares

knowing Your Hands hold

this so well.

Tenderly.

And we are Loved and Filled.

We give thanks for

Your Sacrifice

to bring those unworthy

to be adopted into Your Family.

Knowing we are not perfect,

have weakness,

flaws 

and sins.

And draw near to you with confidence

in Jesus Christ

according to Your Will

Your Word

Your Steadfast Love

and Your Promises in Jesus.

Dwell in us

and help us to be Pleasing to You

Dwell in those we Love and Honor

and help us to seek You first

and we will end well in Jesus Christ.

Matthew 6:33

Seek first the kingdom of God 

and 

His righteousness, 

and 

all these things will be added to you.

Please pray for me

I've been on 7 medications for

middle ear infection in 14 days.

Sinus and allergy infection.

This is about 7 medications than

I've been on for 8 years.

These last few weeks,

we had Covid,

critical care in the Hospital for

Edward for a ruptured part,

both had norovirus for Christmas,

and now middle ear infection.

Thank You, Father,

for my full expectation

for healing and good health.

Thank You

for Jesus Christ. 

Thank You.

Our God is working. His Son, 

Jesus is working.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

YES Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You Jesus