Easter 7
Devotional
Water From the Well
Lectionary Devotional For Cycle A
Object:
He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
-- Acts 1:7-8
This is the Luke/Acts version of the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20). It came in response to a question about the timing of God. "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" As Jesus had said before, and as many seem unable to understand, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority...." It is difficult for humans to resist the temptation to want to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17). In essence, even if we would acknowledge that we are not God, we at least want to be included in the secret of how God will complete the creation. As it was in the Garden of Eden, the question here is also one of obedience. Jesus gave his disciples their marching orders. They were to be his "witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
The task of the church is not to serve themselves but to serve the world. In preparation for that task, they were to return to Jerusalem and await the coming of the Holy Spirit. So that there would be no question that this responsibility rested on the entire church, we are told that included in those who were in Jerusalem awaiting the Holy Spirit were "certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers." Acts began to tell the story of the unfolding of the mission of the church accompanied by the Holy Spirit. It was made clear from the beginning of the life of the church that we are not to spend our time gazing into the heavens seeking signs of Jesus' return but are to be about the work of Christ as guided by the Holy Spirit here on earth.
-- Acts 1:7-8
This is the Luke/Acts version of the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20). It came in response to a question about the timing of God. "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" As Jesus had said before, and as many seem unable to understand, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority...." It is difficult for humans to resist the temptation to want to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17). In essence, even if we would acknowledge that we are not God, we at least want to be included in the secret of how God will complete the creation. As it was in the Garden of Eden, the question here is also one of obedience. Jesus gave his disciples their marching orders. They were to be his "witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
The task of the church is not to serve themselves but to serve the world. In preparation for that task, they were to return to Jerusalem and await the coming of the Holy Spirit. So that there would be no question that this responsibility rested on the entire church, we are told that included in those who were in Jerusalem awaiting the Holy Spirit were "certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers." Acts began to tell the story of the unfolding of the mission of the church accompanied by the Holy Spirit. It was made clear from the beginning of the life of the church that we are not to spend our time gazing into the heavens seeking signs of Jesus' return but are to be about the work of Christ as guided by the Holy Spirit here on earth.
