Mister “Final Authority”

Monday   10-12-15  Málaga, Spain

Scripture reading:    Neh 7-8     Acts 1

S=Scripture O=Observation A=Application P=Prayer  SOAP for the soul.

S.  Acts 1:6-8  "Lord, are you going to free Israel now and restore our kingdom?" "The Father sets those dates," he replied, "and they are not for you to know.  But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere — in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."  NLT

O.  Just as Jesus was about to ascend into heaven, His disciples hit Him with this question.  Jesus let them know that the dates of these future events were not for them to concern themselves.  Instead soon the Holy Spirit would fill them and they were to concern themselves with getting the message of Christ’s redemptive work throughout the world.

A.  Harold Camping, owner and “answer man” teacher on his “Family Radio” station, spoke as if he was the final authority about everything, including future events.  Several times he announced certain dates when Jesus would return.  He ignored Jesus’ words “these dates are not for you to know.”  Finally, on his second or third try, he announce May 21, 2011 as the date Christ would return.  He insisted that this time he had calculated it down to the very day.  But once again he was humiliated and his voice of “final authority” was permanently silenced.  He had missed the intent of Jesus’ answer to His disciples.  “Don’t concern yourselves with dates.  Get out there and carry the message of redemption to the whole world.”

P.  Lord Jesus, it is so easy to get hung up on minor issues and to ignore Your first priority of evangelism.  We tend to separate Acts 1:7 from Acts 1:8, but You connected them.  You were trying to get us to properly organize our priorities.   Forget dates!  Wait for Your Holy Spirit baptism, then “Go.”  “Go, filled with Your message of love!  Go, filled with Your message of hope.  Go, filled with Your message of Grace... Go, to the ends of the earth.”  The dates will take care of themselves.  “Occupy until I return!”  (Luke 19:13)  Amen.

Ralph