Jesus knew the culture of all the marriage laws Augustus had placed in the Huge Roman Empire
Jesus needed no one to bear witness about man, for He himself knew what was in man.
Apparently, Caesars and Caesarea would last forever. The Sheer Power.
And Jesus took His Disciples to tell them about His Plan for the Church
and the Victory of the Church. Not the plan of mortal man,
the Plan of the Son of God, Messiah.
Acts 1
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.
15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,
“‘May his camp become desolate,
and let there be no one to dwell in it’;
and
“‘Let another take his office.’
21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
Jesus Christ of God equips the Disciples in a world known to have all kinds of drastic situations in the first century. Jesus knows in all environments the Holy Spirit is working. So much heart, Love, Soul, Agape, Jesus knows He will Save the world. And God is still working.
1, Jesus didn't expect mankind to save the world.
Jesus instructed us how we were to live in His Promises, Have His Love and be part of His Joy to our lives. The Exodus was for us to have a Hope and a Future. To raise our hopes, raise our families to Love and have relationship with Jesus, be ready to give an explanation for our hope, future, Joy and love for one another.
2. Right away, the first sentence tells us God is communicating to you - individually.
Just as we have conversations, generally, individually. God is going to focus on us one by one. Your Loving Relationship with Abba is His Love for you.
3. What Commands are Jesus giving to those in relationship with Jesus?
Love one another. Love the Lord Your God with all your heart, mind and soul. Love yourself and don't let the love we have for each other falter and fall behind. Jesus fulfills all the Word of God. Every dot and every iota.
4. Jesus expects us to think and talk about the Kingdom of God. We are transitory here, but Jesus and the Word of God want us to glimpse Heaven and know our destination. Focus on the Kingdom where you are invited, chosen, saved and Loved.
5. Don't jump out ahead.
Wait for the Holy Spirit. The Work and Salvation of God is God's Plan.
Don't grow weary, look at the Promises God gives you, His Beloved.
6. People always have a plan. And God will instead decide.
We don't have to know God's Plan. He has got His Plan. His Authority.
7. In God's Plan, we bear witness. The Word of God says be ready to gently have an explanation for your hope and your Joy. Why you love others.
This isn't long ago, dusty or forgotten, to Abba. Today is thousands of years to God. The Good News is alive, working and breathing out the Word of God as Love.
8. Even on this day, Jesus was with the Disciples. Jesus left their ministry in the Power of the Holy Spirit. Even then, just the day-to-day existence, the so-called details of life, caused the Disciples to commute, journey. You are able to see this physically, in spiritual thought and prayer, and in being pulled and tugged to do what we might consider routine or even mundane.
However, God says stay on the Journey
Stay in prayer. Prayer in the car, prayer in the plane, prayer in the those who wander aren't always lost - thinking, Pray. Talk to Abba. Stay with the One Who Loves You. Focus on what is Good, Noble and Pure.
Imagine, God of All, God the Almighty invites you to talk to Him any time you want. And the Gates of Heaven are open - Always. And you are invited to ask for more of God's Heaven to be seen today on this earth.
9, Put yourself physically in fellowship.
Be able to share Prayers. Pray for one another. Pray when your family gathers together. Even Jesus Christ had disappointing family relationships. And on this day, Jesus is seeing His Love flow and all things are made new and reunite in Jesus. Love allows us not to sweep it under hidden like a bad rug, not to come out moldy, but to be genuine and wait for God's Love to renew and make all things new in Him.
10. Peter stands up (remember Jesus sat to teach) to discuss, not what interests Peter, Peter is doing exactly what God placed in the first few sentences. Peter is discussing the concerns of people love people and the community news. Our Peter isn't above being in the water or fray, as Jesus is.
Peter is seeing the events God gives us in Light of God's Working. Peter is making discussion of the Bronze Age to Jesus today. Peter is calling upon people in grief to see Social Justice and encourage goodness. Time has shown us Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Immediately, Peter isn't power hoarding. Peter is expecting the Family of God to pull together and Peter is equipping others to make the Light of Christ known.
11. Love one another. The newly-ministry-given, take risks opening their hearts. Peter is not acting as if Peter could fail. He is giving not only some Bible instruction, Peter is expressing his own thoughts of life falling into the Word and Heaven.
Peter's witness, is given with heart. It's not a History Lesson. No one jumps up to discuss if the Virgin Birth actually happened. Or if Deuteronomy is in vogue. Peter is giving Love. Giving hope and a future.
12. Look what Peter left out.
Peter didn't discuss Pilate or the Temple Guards. Peter didn't discuss Simeon bravely carrying the cross. Our Peter was pointing to the Hope and Glory of Jesus. Peter didn't dwell on emotions they had all felt in an emotional day. Peter was leading Forward. There is no mention of the sin causing Good Friday. No one is informed of the failure of society or the pitfalls of the Roman Empire. In fact, it was a dire time. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, sees Forward with Jesus Christ.
Peter could have praised John. As lead speaker, he could have started talking about the dangers they face. They have asked Jesus, today, for a Political discussion about safety and Jesus didn't do it. Peter could have said, yep, Thomas was right, Jesus was killed. Peter answers the questions of Love, compassion, and next. Our walk on water, Peter didn't start guessing when the Holy Spirit was actually going to arrive. There is exactly and only Love. Not cultural goo and not whitewashing what had happened. Not one bootstrap is yanked up savagely.
Frankly, watching Peter step beautifully up like this is what Jesus hoped - a work of the Holy Spirit.
This is beyond Peter. Peter definitely has Help, Helper, Comforter.
Amen, May the Grace, Mercy and Help Helper
of God
fall afresh upon us all in the Highest Name of Jesus, we pray.
Amen and Amen.
Ecclesiastes 9
7 So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this! 8 Wear fine clothes, with a splash of cologne! 9 Live happily with the woman you love through all the days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your reward for all your earthly toil.
Abba, Father God
Your Help, Your Comfort.
To do what You have written in the Will of Your Book of Life.
Dwell is us
and
help us to seek You first.
Help us be the Beloved
You want to Bless, we ask.
Love, Peace, Hope and Future.
Help us to finish well.
Give us this Day. To feel Your Help and be a Blessing.
To Live Your Blessings.
Having the Blessing to Seek You First and Your Kingdom,
Live life with Love, Peace and Joy.
Jesus is the fulfilling of Your Word. Every dot and every iota.
Jesus is our Advocate.
Thank You the Salk Vaccine took care of Polio, miraculously for reasons unknown Today.
Take care of Your Good Creation as teamwork for the defeat of this virus.
We are tending to each other in good cause.
Help us to unite remembering our Jesus and His Blessings.
Being compassionate to each other for the up building
of the world Jesus wants to save.
Praying Elliott's Healing and Blessing for his family!
The Lord's Mercy to my mother and family.
We ask the Needs of the Nation and Your Good Creation.
Mercy and Justice our Nation and those working to defend our Freedoms in Jesus Christ.
The Nation and the world to have fewer Pandemic mind outrageousness.
Healing us all in Love and Joy and Peace.
Bless the Recovery.
Thank You, Abba.
In Jesus and His Name, Mercy,
Grace and Love forever. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †