This study was first taught on January 8, 2017

Topic: The Promise and the Wait_1: General and Specific

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Background
We concluded on the considerations that will help us to understand and comprehend the Acts—actions, activities, deeds, and ministry—of the Apostles—those sent by the Lord Jesus to do the work of God. The four considerations are that the Acts of the Apostles are:
1. A continuation of all that the Lord Jesus began both to do and teach—CONTINUITY;
2. The Acts of the Holy Spirit by the hands of those sent by the Lord to do the work of God, otherwise, it is unacceptable service—CONNECTIVITY;
3. The result of an irrefutable and irrevocable assurance of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of those who belong to Him—CONVICTION; and,
4. Focused on the kingdom of God, and the things that pertain thereto—CONCERNMENT.

While looking at the last consideration—concernment—in our last meeting, we noted that from the commencement of His ministry up till His final departure from the earth after His resurrection, the Lord’s concernment was the kingdom of God. Indeed, He instructed His disciples to preach the kingdom of God to those they were being sent to. In like manner, we must be engaged in propagating the kingdom of God, and the things that pertain thereto—repentance, forgiveness of sin, faith toward God, salvation, eternal life, baptism, suffering, persecution, to mention a few.

The Lord’s focus was not on a kingdom ruled by men; neither did He encourage the setting up of a kingdom of empire-builders, dominated by the building of cathedrals, and superstructures, and the installation of men after the flesh; nor did He advance a kingdom of cares, pleasures, crass materialism, or, of dependence on, and the pursuit of, money; rather, the Lord spoke of the rule and reign of God in the hearts and affairs of men, and how this was to come about through relationship with God after men have been reconciled to God through Him (Christ). The apostles of old did not lose focus on this matter of the kingdom of God, and all that appertains to it. We must, likewise, resist every attempt to dissuade us to take our focus off the kingdom of God.

Scripture Text(s)
Acts 1:4-5
With our understanding of the Acts of the Apostles being a continuity of the work of Christ, a connectivity through the Holy Spirit to the Lord of the work, a conviction of the resurrection of the Lord, being a very crucial part of the work of witnessing about Christ, and, a concernment with the kingdom of God and the things that appertain thereto, we now move on to another crucial subject matter that involves the accomplishment of the task set before the apostles of old, and by extension, the task set before us—our need of “the Promise of the Father”.

One of the commands the Lord gave by the Holy Spirit during the forty days He spent on the earth after His resurrection, was that His disciples remain in Jerusalem, until they received “the Promise of the Father”. This was obviously a very crucial part of their assignment, for the Lord made it clear to them that, “… you shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8), thus, inferring that without the Holy Spirit (the Promise), their witness will be ineffective and unproductive! The significance of the Lord’s instruction carries more weight when we realize that His disciples, were being hunted by the civil and religious authorities of the day, in what was a mop-up operation, as well as, the elimination of witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Tonight, in our discussion, we shall look at the command, “wait for the Promise of the Father”, in general and specific terms, and its implications for us, today! May the Lord, by His Spirit grant us the grace to receive understanding of these things, Amen.
Numbers 23:19; 1 Kings 8:56; Jeremiah 33:20-26; Hebrews 6:16-19; Jeremiah 31:31-33; Ezekiel 36:25-28; Joel 2:28-32; John 7:37-39; 14:16-17; 16:7-8, 13-14; Luke 24:47-49; Acts 1:8; Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 4:16-21; 3: 21-23, 16-17; Genesis 15:1-5; 16:1-5, 15; 17:15-22; 21:1-5; Habakkuk 2:2-3; Hebrews 6:11-15; 10:32-36; Proverbs 24:10; Isaiah 40:28-31; Philippians 4:6-8; Luke 11:11-13.

Conclusion
Whenever God makes a promise, it is as good as done; but between the declaration (prophecy) and the manifestation (the coming to pass) of the promise, there is usually a time lag, thus, necessitating the wait! The inability of many to wait for the promise of God to come to pass, has always been a challenge in Christendom; hence, we have people not being able to wait for the promise of God, and going about seeking alternatives to resolve their situation; who end up making a mess of things, as did Sarai.

Therefore, we need to learn lessons that will help us wait for the promises of God, including “the Promise of the Father”. Scripturally, waiting is not to be done fretfully, anxiously, or, passively; rather, we are to wait expectantly, without complaints, grumbling, or, murmuring; always looking forward to the manifestation of the promise. Also, waiting is not an aimless, hopeless, and endless act; rather, we must keep our focus on the promise, in hope or anticipation, knowing that at the time set or appointed by God, the promise will surely come.

Hence, we need to write down the promise as revealed—not as we may perceive it—so that we can always keep it in view and not be blindsided; we need to be resolute in our faith in God and in His word; we need to patiently endure the challenges that may occur while waiting—public humiliation, loss of property, incarceration, threats to life, etc.; and, we must persevere in prayer and communion with God, regardless of what may be happening to the contrary of what has been promised. Also, God helps us to hold on to His promises, by rehashing and rehearsing the promise (His word) constantly in our hearts. And when this happens our strength to keep on waiting is renewed, and, like the eagle, we can soar above contradictions to the promise.

Specifically, as it applies to waiting for “the Promise of the Father” (the Holy Spirit baptism), we must keep on asking, holding on to God’s word, and be expectant, regardless of the feeling of ‘humiliation’ among other believers, and mockery by unbelievers, for, “the Promise of the Father” shall surely come upon you!

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