UNIFY 6 of 11: Trusting the Lordship of Jesus ends our confusion

Before Jesus returns to heaven, the disciples ask Him when the kingdom of Israel will be restored. They want to go back to “the good old days” when they ruled their own kingdom. They’re confused: wondering when Jesus will finally do what they expect. (Acts 1)

We are often confused – living in tumultuous times, wondering when things will get better, hoping that God will fix everything, impatient because He doesn’t do what we expect. Jesus’s answer to the disciples is direct and honest, “It is not for you to know.” In fact, he has other plans for them: they are to be his witnesses, eventually “to the ends of the earth.”

Would you blame the disciples if they were even more confused by Jesus’s answer? Not only has he ignored their question, but he has other plans for them. They would never have expected that he would want them to be his witnesses all over the world! How will they do this? Jesus promises them that they “will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them.”

Jesus reminds the disciples that the Father has all authority. Ephesians 1 reveals that God has set Christ at his right hand, far above all rule and authority. Mark writes that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God; he shares God’s power. This power is seen when the disciples “went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere” and “confirmed by the signs”.

While we are often confused and wondering when Jesus will restore our lives back to normal, he has a plan for each of us. How does he respond to our confusion? First, he asks us to trust his Lordship over all things, all times and places. Second, he promises to empower us through the gift of the Holy Spirit. Finally, he sends us into mission to our corner of the world. You are invited to set aside your confusion and your agenda, and to serve the Lord Jesus by proclaiming the coming of his kingdom.