Acts 1:6
Verse
Context
Sermons
William MacDonald
J. Edwin Orr
Art KatzJ. Edwin Orr
Willie Mullan
Alan Redpath
David ShirleySummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
When they therefore were come together - It is very likely that this is to be understood of their assembling on one of the mountains of Galilee, and there meeting our Lord. At this time restore again the kingdom - That the disciples, in common with the Jews, expected the Messiah's kingdom to be at least in part secular, I have often had occasion to note. In this opinion they continued less or more till the day of pentecost; when the mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit taught them the spiritual nature of the kingdom of Christ. The kingdom had now for a considerable time been taken away from Israel; the Romans, not the Israelites, had the government. The object of the disciples' question seems to have been this: to gain information, from their all-knowing Master, whether the time was now fully come, in which the Romans should be thrust out, and Israel made, as formerly, an independent kingdom. But though the verb αποκαθιστανειν signifies to reinstate, to renew, to restore to a former state or master, of which numerous examples occur in the best Greek writers, yet it has also another meaning, as Schoettgen has here remarked, viz. of ending, abolishing, blotting out: so Hesychius says, αποκαταστασις is the same as τελειωσις, finishing, making an end of a thing. And Hippocrates, Aph. vi. 49, uses it to signify the termination of a disease. On this interpretation the disciples may be supposed to ask, having recollected our Lord's prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem, and the whole Jewish commonwealth, Lord, Wilt thou at this time destroy the Jewish commonwealth, which opposes thy truth, that thy kingdom may be set up over all the land? This interpretation agrees well with all the parts of our Lord's answer, and with all circumstances of the disciples, of time, and of place; but, still, the first is most probable.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?--Doubtless their carnal views of Messiah's kingdom had by this time been modified, though how far it is impossible to say. But, as they plainly looked for some restoration of the kingdom to Israel, so they are neither rebuked nor contradicted on this point.
John Gill Bible Commentary
When they therefore were come together,.... That is, Christ, and his eleven apostles; for not the hundred and twenty disciples hereafter mentioned, nor the five hundred brethren Christ appeared to at once, are here intended, but the apostles, as appears from Act 1:2. they asked of him, saying, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? The kingdom had been for some time taken away from the Jews, Judea was reduced to a Roman province, and was now actually under the power of a Roman governor. And the nation in general was in great expectation, that upon the Messiah's coming they should be delivered from the yoke of the Romans, and that the son of David would be king over them. The disciples of Christ had imbibed the same notions, and were in the same expectation of a temporal kingdom to be set up by their master, as is evident from Mat 20:21 and though his sufferings and death had greatly damped their spirits, and almost destroyed their hopes, see Luk 24:21 yet his resurrection from the dead, and his discoursing with them about the kingdom of God, and ordering them to wait at Jerusalem, the metropolis of that nation, for some thing extraordinary, revived their hopes, and emboldened them to put this question to him: and this general expectation of the Jews is expressed by them in the same language as here, "the days of the Messiah will be the time when , "the kingdom shall return", or "be restored to Israel"; and they shall return to the land of Israel, and that king shall be exceeding great, and the house of his kingdom shall be in Zion, and his name shall be magnified, and his fame shall fill the Gentiles more than King Solomon; all nations shall be at peace with him, and all lands shall serve him, because of his great righteousness, and the wonderful things which shall be done by him; and whoever rises up against him God will destroy, and he shall deliver him into his hands; and all the passages of Scripture testify of his and our prosperity with him; and there shall be no difference in anything from what it is now, only "the kingdom shall return to Israel" (i). (i) Maimon. in Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 11. sect. 1.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
In Jerusalem Christ, by his angel, had appointed his disciples to meet him in Galilee; there he appointed them to meet him in Jerusalem again, such a day. Thus he would try their obedience, and it was found ready and cheerful; they came together, as he appointed them, to be the witnesses of his ascension, of which we have here an account. Observe, I. The question they asked him at this interview. They came together to him, as those that had consulted one another about it, and concurred in the question nemine contradicente - unanimously; they came in a body, and put it to him as the sense of the house, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? Two ways this may be taken: - 1. "Surely thou wilt not at all restore it to the present rulers of Israel, the chief priests and the elders, that put thee to death, and, to compass that design, tamely gave up the kingdom to Caesar, and owned themselves his subjects. What! Shall those that hate and persecute thee and us be trusted with power? This be far from thee." Or rather, 2. "Surely thou wilt now restore it to the Jewish nation, as far as it will submit to thee as their king." Now two things were amiss in this question: - (1.) Their expectation of the thing itself. They thought Christ would restore the kingdom to Israel, that is, that he would make the nation of the Jews as great and considerable among the nations as it was in the days of David and Solomon, of Asa and Jehoshaphat; that, as Shiloh, he would restore the sceptre to Judah, and the lawgiver; whereas Christ came to set up his own kingdom, and that a kingdom of heaven, not to restore the kingdom to Israel, an earthly kingdom. See here, [1.] How apt even good men are to place the happiness of the church too much in external pomp and power; as if Israel could not be glorious unless the kingdom were restored to it, nor Christ's disciples honoured unless they were peers of the realm; whereas we are told to expect the cross in this world, and to wait for the kingdom in the other world. [2.] How apt we are to retain what we have imbibed, and how hard it is to get over the prejudices of education. The disciples, having sucked in this notion with their milk that the Messiah was to be a temporal prince, were long before they could be brought to have any idea of his kingdom as spiritual. [3.] How naturally we are biassed in favour of our own people. They thought God would have no kingdom in the world unless it were restored to Israel; whereas the kingdoms of this world were to become his, in whom he would be glorified, whether Israel should sink or swim. [4.] How apt we are to misunderstand scripture - to understand that literally which is spoken figuratively, and to expound scripture by our schemes, whereas we ought to form our schemes by the scriptures. But, when the Spirit shall be poured out from on high, our mistakes will be rectified, as the apostles' soon after were. (2.) Their enquiry concerning the time of it: "Lord, wilt thou do it at this time? Now that thou hast called us together is it for this purpose, that proper measures may be concerted for the restoring of the kingdom to Israel? Surely there cannot be a more favourable juncture than this." Now herein they missed their mark, [1.] That they were inquisitive into that which their Master had never directed nor encouraged them to enquire into. [2.] That they were impatient for the setting up of that kingdom in which they promised themselves so great a share, and would anticipate the divine counsels. Christ had told them that they should sit on thrones (Luk 22:30), and now nothing will serve them but they must be in the throne immediately, and cannot stay the time; whereas he that believeth doth not make haste, but is satisfied that God's time is the best time. II. The check which Christ gave to this question, like that which he had a little before given to Peter's enquiry concerning John, What is that to thee? Act 1:7, It is not for you to know the times and seasons. He does not contradict their expectation that the kingdom would be restored to Israel, because that mistake would soon be rectified by the pouring out of the Spirit, after which they never had any more thoughts of the temporal kingdom; and also because there is a sense of the expectation which is true, the setting up of the gospel kingdom in the world; and their mistake of the promise shall not make it of no effect; but he checks their enquiry after the time. 1. The knowledge of this is not allowed to them: It is not for you to know, and therefore it is not for you to ask. (1.) Christ is now parting from them, and parts in love; and yet he gives them this rebuke, which is intended for a caution to his church in all ages, to take heed of splitting upon the rock which was fatal to our first parents - an inordinate desire of forbidden knowledge, and intruding into things which we have not seen because God has not shown them. Nescire velle quae magister maximus docere non vult, erudita inscitia est - It is folly to covet to be wise above what is written, and wisdom to be content to be no wiser. (2.) Christ had given his disciples a great deal of knowledge above others (to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God), and had promised them his Spirit, to teach them more; now, lest they should be puffed up with the abundance of the revelations, he here lets them understand that there were some things which it was not for them to know. We shall see how little reason we have to be proud of our knowledge when we consider how many things we are ignorant of. (3.) Christ had given his disciples instructions sufficient for the discharge of their duty, both before his death and since his resurrection, and in this knowledge he will have them to be satisfied; for it is enough for a Christian, in whom vain curiosity is a corrupt humour, to be mortified, and not gratified. (4.) Christ had himself told his disciples the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, and had promised that the Spirit should show them things to come concerning it, Joh 16:13. He had likewise given them signs of the times, which it was their duty to observe, and a sin to overlook, Mat 24:33; Mat 16:3. But they must not expect nor desire to know either all the particulars of future events or the exact times of them. It is good for us to be kept in the dark, and left at uncertainty concerning the times and moments (as Dr. Hammond reads it) of future events concerning the church, as well as concerning ourselves, - concerning all the periods of time and the final period of it, as well as concerning the period of our own time. Prudens futuri temporis exitum Caliginosa nocte premit Deus - But Jove, in goodness ever wise, Hath hid, in clouds of thickest night, All that in future prospect lies Beyond the ken of mortal sight. - Hor. As to the times and seasons of the year, we know, in general, there will be summer and winter counterchanged, but we know not particularly which day will be fair or which foul, either in summer or in winter; so, as to our affairs in this world, when it is a summer-time of prosperity, that we may not be secure, we are told there will come a wintertime of trouble; and in that winter, that we may not despond and despair, we are assured that summer will return; but what this or that particular day will bring forth we cannot tell, but must accommodate ourselves to it, whatever it is, and make the best of it. 2. The knowledge of it is reserved to God as his prerogative; it is what the Father hath put in his own power; it is hid with him. None besides can reveal the times and seasons to come. Known unto God are all his works, but not to us, Act 15:18. It is in his power, and in his only, to declare the end from the beginning; and by this he proves himself to be God, Isa 46:10. "And though he did think fit sometimes to let the Old Testament prophets know the times and the seasons (as of the Israelites' bondage in Egypt four hundred years, and in Babylon seventy years), yet he has not fit to let you know the times and seasons, no not just how long it shall be before Jerusalem be destroyed, though you be so well assured of the thing itself. He hath not said that he will not give you to know something more than you do of the times and seasons;" he did so afterwards to his servant John; "but he has put it in his own power to do it or not, as he thinks fit;" and what is in that New Testament prophecy discovered concerning the times and the seasons is so dark, and hard to be understood, that, when we come to apply it, it concerns us to remember this work, that it is not for us to be positive in determining the times and the seasons. Buxtorf mentions a saying of the rabbin concerning the coming of the Messiah: Rumpatur spiritus eorum qui supputant tempora - Perish the men who calculate the time. III. He appoints them their work, and with authority assures them of an ability to go on with it, and of success in it. "It is not for you to know the times and the seasons - this would do you no good; but know this (Act 1:8) that you shall receive a spiritual power, by the descent of the Holy Ghost upon you, and shall not receive it in vain, for you shall be witnesses unto me and my glory; and your testimony shall not be in vain, for it shall be received here in Jerusalem, in the country about, and all the world over," Act 1:8. If Christ make us serviceable to his honour in our own day and generation, let this be enough for us, and let not us perplex ourselves about times and seasons to come. Christ here tells them, 1. That their work should be honourable and glorious: You shall be witnesses unto me. (1.) They shall proclaim him king, and publish those truths to the world by which his kingdom should be set up, and he would rule. They must openly and solemnly preach his gospel to the world. (2.) They shall prove this, shall confirm their testimony, not as witnesses do, with an oath, but with the divine seal of miracles and supernatural gifts: You shall be martyrs to me, or my martyrs, as some copies read it; for they attested the truth of the gospel with their sufferings, even unto death. 2. That their power for this work should be sufficient. They had not strength of their own for it, nor wisdom nor courage enough; they were naturally of the weak and foolish things of the world; they durst not appear as witnesses for Christ upon his trial, neither as yet were they able. "But you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you" (so it may be read), "shall be animated and actuated by a better spirit than your own; you shall have power to preach the gospel, and to prove it out of the scriptures of the Old Testament" (which, when they were filled with the Holy Ghost, they did to admiration, Act 18:28), "and to confirm it both by miracles and by sufferings." Note, Christ's witnesses shall receive power for that work to which he calls them; those whom he employs in his service he will qualify for it, and will bear them out in it. 3. That their influence should be great and very extensive: "You shall be witnesses for Christ, and shall carry his cause," (1.) "In Jerusalem; there you must begin, and many there will receive your testimony; and those that do not will be left inexcusable." (2.) "Your light shall thence shine throughout all Judea, where before you have laboured in vain." (3.) "Thence you shall proceed to Samaria, though at your first mission you were forbidden to preach in any of the cities of the Samaritans." (4.) "Your usefulness shall reach to the uttermost part of the earth, and you shall be blessings to the whole world." IV. Having left these instructions with them, he leaves them (Act 1:9): When he had spoken these things, and had said all that he had to say, he blessed them (so we were told, Luk 24:50); and while they beheld him, and had their eye fixed upon him, receiving his blessing, he was gradually taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. We have here Christ's ascending on high; not fetched away, as Elijah was, with a chariot of fire and horses of fire, but rising to heaven, as he rose from the grave, purely by his own power, his body being now, as the bodies of the saints will be at the resurrection, a spiritual body, and raised in power and incorruption. Observe, 1. He began his ascension in the sight of his disciples, even while they beheld. They did not see him come up out of the grave, because they might see him after he had risen, which would be satisfaction enough; but they saw him go up towards heaven, and had actually their eye upon him with so much care and earnestness of mind that they could not be deceived. It is probable that he did not fly swiftly up, but moved upwards gently, for the further satisfaction of his disciples. 2. He vanished out of their sight, in a cloud, either a thick cloud, for God said that he would dwell in the thick darkness; or a bright cloud, to signify the splendour of his glorious body. It was a bright cloud that overshadowed him in his transfiguration, and most probably this was so, Mat 17:5. This cloud received him, it is probable, when he had gone about as far from the earth as the clouds generally are; yet it was not such a spreading cloud as we commonly see, but such as just served to enclose him. Now he made the clouds his chariot, Psa 104:3. God had often come down in a cloud; now he went up in one. Dr. Hammond thinks that the clouds receiving him here were the angels receiving him; for the appearance of angels is ordinarily described by a cloud, comparing Exo 25:22 with Lev 16:2. By the clouds there is a sort of communication kept up between the upper and lower world; in them the vapours are sent up from the earth, and the dews sent down from heaven. Fitly therefore does he ascend in a cloud who is the Mediator between God and man, by whom God's mercies come down upon us and our prayers come up to him. This was the last that was seen of him. The eyes of a great many witnesses followed him into the cloud; and, if we would know what became of him then, we may find (Dan 7:13), That one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him in the clouds as he came near before him. V. The disciples, when he had gone out of their sight, yet still continued looking up stedfastly to heaven (Act 1:10), and this longer than it was fit they should; and why so? 1. Perhaps they hoped that Christ would presently come back to them again, to restore the kingdom to Israel, and were loth to believe they should now part with him for good and all; so much did they still dote upon his bodily presence, though he had told them that it was expedient for them that he should go away. or, they looked after him, as doubting whether he might not be dropped, as the sons of the prophets thought concerning Elijah (Kg2 2:16), and so they might have him again. 2. Perhaps they expected to see some change in the visible heavens now upon Christ's ascension, that either the sun should be ashamed or the moon confounded (Isa 24:23), as being out-shone by his lustre; or, rather, that they should show some sign of joy and triumph; or perhaps they promised themselves a sight of the glory of the invisible heavens, upon their opening to receive him. Christ had told them that hereafter they should see heaven opened (Joh 1:51), and why should not they expect it now? VI. Two angels appeared to them, and delivered them a seasonable message from God. There was a world of angels ready to receive our Redeemer, now that he made his public entry into the Jerusalem above: we may suppose these two loth to be absent then; yet, to show how much Christ had at heart the concerns of his church on earth, he sent back to his disciples two of those that came to meet him, who appear as two men in white apparel, bright and glittering; for they know, according to the duty of their place, that they are really serving Christ when they are ministering to his servants on earth. Now we are told what the angels said to them, 1. To check their curiosity: You men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up into heaven? He calls them men of Galilee, to put them in mind of the rock out of which they were hewn. Christ had put a great honour upon them, in making them his ambassadors; but they must remember that they are men, earthen vessels, and men of Galilee, illiterate men, looked upon with disdain. Now, say they, "Why stand you here, like Galileans, rude and unpolished men, gazing up into heaven? What would you see? You have seen all that you were called together to see, and why do you look any further? Why stand you gazing, as men frightened and perplexed, as men astonished and at their wits' end?" Christ's disciples should never stand at a gaze, because they have a sure rule to go by, and a sure foundation to build upon. 2. To confirm their faith concerning Christ's second coming. Their Master had often told them of this, and the angels are sent at this time seasonably to put them in mind of it: "This same Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, and whom you are looking thus long after, wishing you had him with you again, is not gone for ever; for there is a day appointed in which he will come in like manner thence, as you have seen him go thither, and you must not expect him back till that appointed day." (1.) "This same Jesus shall come again in his own person, clothed with a glorious body; this same Jesus, who came once to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, will appear a second time without sin (Heb 9:26, Heb 9:28), who came once in disgrace to be judged, will come again in glory to judge. The same Jesus who has given you your charge will come again to call you to an account how you have performed your trust; he, and not another," Job 19:27. (2.) "He shall come in like manner. He is gone away in a cloud, and attended with angels; and, behold, he comes in the clouds, and with him an innumerable company of angels! He is gone up with a shout and with the sound of a trumpet (Psa 47:5), and he will descend from heaven with a shout and with the trump of God, Th1 4:16. You have now lost the sight of him in the clouds and in the air; and whither he is gone you cannot follow him now, but shall then, when you shall be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." When we stand gazing and trifling, the consideration of our Master's second coming should quicken and awaken us; and, when we stand gazing and trembling, the consideration of it should comfort and encourage us.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
1:6-11 Jesus’ ascent into heaven (see also Luke 24:50-53) took place on the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:12; Luke 24:50). It was Jesus’ last physical appearance—he was taken into heaven, where he will remain “until the time for the final restoration of all things” (Acts 3:21).
Acts 1:6
The Ascension
5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. ”6So when they came together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Be Filled With the Spirit
By William MacDonald4.1K37:29Holy SpiritACT 1:6ACT 4:31ROM 12:1COL 3:16In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of meeting certain conditions in order to experience the power and filling of the Holy Spirit. The first condition is to have a complete dedication and devotion to Christ, surrendering one's life without reservations. The speaker emphasizes that this is not just talk, but a genuine commitment. The second condition is to be transformed by the renewing of the mind, not conforming to the ways of the world. The speaker highlights the significance of the Holy Spirit's filling, which brings power, boldness, and a great witness to the resurrection of Jesus. The book of Acts serves as an example of how the Holy Spirit's presence and filling can transform ordinary people into powerful vessels for God's work.
Monday #2 the Work of the Holy Spirit
By J. Edwin Orr3.0K51:10Revival TheologyJOL 2:28MAT 6:33ACT 1:6ACT 2:15ACT 2:17ACT 2:42ACT 2:46In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the need for the overwhelming and convicting power of the Holy Spirit in today's wicked generation. He compares the current state of society to the revival of the Eisenhower years in the 1950s, highlighting the gross immorality, profanity, pornography, and crime prevalent today. The preacher quotes Finney, stating that revival is the right use of appropriate means. He uses the analogy of drunkenness to explain the stages of revival, emphasizing that the disciples on the day of Pentecost were not drunk but filled with joy and celebration. The preacher concludes by emphasizing the need for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the whole body of Christ and the conviction of fellow citizens.
Dvd 38 the Last Interview
By Art Katz2.4K50:27ACT 1:6
This sermon delves into the importance of understanding and embodying the concept of the kingdom of God, emphasizing the need for a deep reverence for God's Word and a prophetic consciousness within the Church. It discusses the significance of martyrdom as a demonstration of ultimate submission to God's lordship and the anticipation of the kingdom's establishment. The message calls for a profound shift in perspective towards Israel and the eschatological urgency that should define the Church's existence.
Is Revival the Work of God or the Work of Man?
By J. Edwin Orr2.1K1:21:26Revival TheologyACT 1:6In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of organizing and planning for evangelism. He states that it is the duty of the Church to evangelize and teach others about God's word. The speaker also mentions the need for social action, as Jesus taught that helping others is equivalent to serving Him. He shares a humorous anecdote about a famous soloist who mistakenly claimed to have written a song that was actually written by Charles Wesley. The sermon concludes with a discussion about the decline of the country in the 1950s and the need for a revival.
(Common Market) the Finish
By Willie Mullan1.7K1:03:52Common MarketMAT 6:33MAT 24:22MAT 24:37LUK 17:20ACT 1:6REV 19:6In this sermon, the preacher discusses the signs of the end times and the coming of the Lord. He mentions the development of the common market and the possibility of a number being placed on people's hands. The preacher emphasizes the truth of Jesus Christ's existence and the significance of his life, death, resurrection, and ascension. He also refers to the book of Daniel, specifically the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar and its interpretation by Daniel, which symbolizes the succession of Gentile world empires.
A Saved Soul and a Wasted Life
By Alan Redpath1.7K36:30Christian LifeMAT 6:33JHN 16:7ACT 1:6In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of not being neutral in one's Christian faith. He shares personal anecdotes and stories to illustrate the impact of a committed and passionate Christian life. The preacher challenges the audience to consider if they are willing to pay the price of discipleship and prioritize their relationship with God over worldly pursuits. He also highlights the power of the Holy Spirit in driving home the message of salvation and urges believers to actively share their faith with others.
Progress of Redemption #06
By David Shirley1.2K1:06:00RedemptionJER 30:1EZK 16:59AMO 9:11HAG 2:9ACT 1:6In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of standing firm and being faithful to God until the end. He encourages the listeners to have a clear vision of God and the victory they have in Christ, as this will prevent their hearts from being troubled. The preacher also discusses the final battle between good and evil, where the devil and his followers will be thrown into the lake of fire. Finally, he mentions the great white throne judgment, where all people will be judged according to their works. The sermon concludes by highlighting the symbolic nature of the book of Revelation and the need to visualize its message.
Easter conf.shannon Hills 02
By Welcome Detweiler92431:57MRK 16:19LUK 24:50ACT 1:6ACT 1:11In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of knowing the safety that comes from having a relationship with God. He highlights that many people who appear to have it all together are actually living in fear and uncertainty. The preacher encourages the audience to share the message of salvation and anticipate the future with hope. He reminds them that even though the task may seem overwhelming, everyone has a role to play in spreading the gospel until Jesus returns. The sermon concludes with a reminder of the upcoming service and a call to continue seeking God's will.
The Ascension of Christ
By Todd Atkinson4571:01:52AscensionLUK 24:50ACT 1:1ACT 1:6ACT 1:8ACT 2:1ACT 2:42In this sermon, the speaker begins by leading the congregation in reciting the Apostles' Creed, affirming their belief in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. The speaker then shares a personal experience of feeling lost and disconnected, and seeking God's guidance to regain lost parts of themselves. The sermon also promotes an upcoming conference called "Living Free" and encourages the congregation to attend. The speaker concludes by discussing the significance of Jesus being taken up into heaven, emphasizing the role of the Heavenly Father in bringing His son back to Himself.
Part 24: Pretribulationism (Continued)
By John F. Walvoord0JHN 14:3ACT 1:61TH 4:171JN 3:2John F. Walvoord preaches on the imminency of the return of Christ, emphasizing the literalness of Christ's promise to come again to receive His disciples to Himself. The hope of the church is to be taken to heaven, contrasting with the hope of Israel for Christ to reign on earth. The doctrine of imminency is crucial, as the disciples are encouraged to not be troubled, awaiting Christ's return without signs or prerequisite events.
Kingdom Authority
By Richard E. Bieber0PSA 2:1MAT 16:21MAT 16:24LUK 4:5JHN 12:24ACT 1:6ROM 8:37Richard E. Bieber preaches on the authority given to believers by Jesus, emphasizing the power to carry a cross, pray to the Father, make disciples, and break through the gates of death. He contrasts the confidence and impact of those who walk in this authority with the lack of impact seen in a group of Christian students who felt powerless in a hostile environment. Bieber highlights the need for believers to embrace their anointing, exercise boldness, and live out their faith with the assurance of God's power and presence.
The Contrast Between the Old Dispensation and the New
By T. Austin-Sparks0Old vs New CovenantThe Role of the Holy SpiritACT 1:6ACT 13:27REV 19:10T. Austin-Sparks emphasizes the significant contrast between the Old and New Dispensations, illustrating how the Jewish rulers in Jerusalem failed to recognize the deeper meaning of the Scriptures, despite their familiarity with them. He argues that the coming of the Holy Spirit introduced a new understanding and application of God's Word, moving beyond mere verbal statements to the living voice of God. Sparks highlights that true spiritual insight requires the Holy Spirit's guidance, which reveals the divine implications of Scripture, ultimately pointing to Jesus Christ. He warns against the dangers of rigid adherence to tradition and the letter of the law, advocating for a dynamic relationship with the Spirit that fosters genuine spiritual growth and understanding. The sermon calls believers to yield to the Holy Spirit, ensuring that their inner lives align with God's eternal purpose.
Part 10: The Historical Context of Premillennialism
By John F. Walvoord0MAT 20:20LUK 1:32LUK 22:29ACT 1:6ROM 11:1ROM 11:291CO 15:232TI 3:162PE 1:20John F. Walvoord delves into the historical context and theological significance of modern premillennialism, highlighting the challenges faced by this doctrine throughout history. He emphasizes the importance of the infallibility of Scripture, literal interpretation, evangelicalism, opposition to ecclesiasticism, and the emphasis on prophetic studies within the framework of premillennialism. Walvoord traces the roots of premillennialism from the Old and New Testaments, through the early church, to its resurgence in modern times, portraying it as a system of Biblical interpretation that honors the Word of God and prepares believers for the second coming of Christ.
Part 16: The Abrahamic Covenant and Premillennialism
By John F. Walvoord0GEN 17:7JER 31:3LUK 1:32ACT 1:6ROM 11:25John F. Walvoord preaches on the restoration of Israel as a nation, emphasizing the prophetic promises of Israel's future glory and the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant. The restoration of Israel is based on God's faithfulness to His promises, including Israel's continuance as a nation, regathering after dispersion, and possession of the promised land. The New Testament affirms Israel's restoration, with Romans 11 highlighting the future salvation of Israel and the removal of their spiritual blindness, pointing to a glorious future for the Jewish people.
The Transition
By T. Austin-Sparks0Salvation of the SoulTransition from Temporal to SpiritualISA 55:8MAT 21:43LUK 22:32ACT 1:6HEB 4:121PE 1:51PE 2:51PE 5:8T. Austin-Sparks emphasizes the significant transition represented by Peter, who serves as a link between the old Israel and the new spiritual Israel. He highlights that this transition involves moving from a temporal understanding of God's kingdom to a spiritual one, where believers must embody the truths of this new Israel. Peter's experiences and teachings illustrate the challenges of accepting this spiritual reality, especially in the face of trials that test our faith and selfhood. The sermon underscores that the ultimate goal of these trials is the salvation of our souls, which is a profound and ongoing battle within us. Sparks encourages believers to recognize the importance of this transition and to remain vigilant against the temptations of self-sufficiency.
Descended and Ascended
By Erlo Stegen0Victory in ChristIntercession of JesusACT 1:6Erlo Stegen emphasizes the significance of Jesus' ascension in Acts 1:6-11, contrasting the disciples' focus on earthly matters with the spiritual victory Jesus achieved through His descent into death and subsequent ascension. He highlights that Jesus humbled Himself, conquered sin, and now intercedes for believers, assuring them of victory over temptation. The sermon reflects on the transformative power of recognizing Jesus' victory and the gifts He bestows upon His followers for ministry. Stegen encourages believers to look to Jesus in heaven, where He actively intercedes, and to be moved by the Holy Spirit's conviction of sin, leading to repentance and strength in faith. Ultimately, the message calls for worship and a commitment to spreading the Gospel.
The Church Which Is His Body
By Lewis Sperry Chafer0ACT 1:6ACT 15:13ROM 11:251CO 12:12EPH 1:22EPH 4:7EPH 5:292TI 2:12REV 20:6Lewis Sperry Chafer preaches about the new purpose of God in this age, focusing on the formation of a heavenly people who are part of the kingdom in its present mystery form but not related to the Messianic earthly kingdom of Israel. The disciples, being Jews, initially struggled to understand Jesus' sacrificial death and the ministry of the new gospel age, which was later revealed through divine compulsion and the first church council. The Apostle Paul received a special revelation about the church as the 'called out ones,' a new body formed by both Jews and Gentiles, united in Christ and destined to be His bride and body, fulfilling the eternal purpose of God in this age of grace.
Part 3: Amillenniallism in the Ancient Church
By John F. Walvoord0DAN 7:13MAT 20:20LUK 22:29JHN 14:2ACT 1:61CO 15:232TI 2:152PE 1:202PE 3:8John F. Walvoord delves into the historical background of amillennialism and premillennialism, highlighting the revival of interest in millennial theology due to the decline of postmillennialism and the rise of premillennialism in recent years. The arguments surrounding the millennium have been characterized by a fresh study of ancient church literature, vigorous attacks on premillennialism, and a renewed investigation of millennialism in the early church. The sermon explores the lack of concrete evidence for amillennialism in the first and second centuries, with only disputed testimonies and a shift towards allegorical interpretations in the third century leading to the rise of amillennialism.
Understanding His Ways
By John Follette0LUK 1:26ACT 1:6ACT 1:82CO 12:72CO 12:9EPH 2:10John Follette delves into three common questions Christians often ask: When, How, and Why. He emphasizes the importance of trusting God's timing, methods, and purposes, even when we do not fully understand. Through examples like the disciples' misunderstanding of Jesus' kingdom and Mary's acceptance of the miraculous birth of Jesus, Follette illustrates the need to surrender our own desires and perspectives to God's divine plan. He also explores Paul's experience with a 'thorn in the flesh,' showing how God's power is made perfect in our weaknesses, leading to a deeper reliance on Him.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
When they therefore were come together - It is very likely that this is to be understood of their assembling on one of the mountains of Galilee, and there meeting our Lord. At this time restore again the kingdom - That the disciples, in common with the Jews, expected the Messiah's kingdom to be at least in part secular, I have often had occasion to note. In this opinion they continued less or more till the day of pentecost; when the mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit taught them the spiritual nature of the kingdom of Christ. The kingdom had now for a considerable time been taken away from Israel; the Romans, not the Israelites, had the government. The object of the disciples' question seems to have been this: to gain information, from their all-knowing Master, whether the time was now fully come, in which the Romans should be thrust out, and Israel made, as formerly, an independent kingdom. But though the verb αποκαθιστανειν signifies to reinstate, to renew, to restore to a former state or master, of which numerous examples occur in the best Greek writers, yet it has also another meaning, as Schoettgen has here remarked, viz. of ending, abolishing, blotting out: so Hesychius says, αποκαταστασις is the same as τελειωσις, finishing, making an end of a thing. And Hippocrates, Aph. vi. 49, uses it to signify the termination of a disease. On this interpretation the disciples may be supposed to ask, having recollected our Lord's prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem, and the whole Jewish commonwealth, Lord, Wilt thou at this time destroy the Jewish commonwealth, which opposes thy truth, that thy kingdom may be set up over all the land? This interpretation agrees well with all the parts of our Lord's answer, and with all circumstances of the disciples, of time, and of place; but, still, the first is most probable.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?--Doubtless their carnal views of Messiah's kingdom had by this time been modified, though how far it is impossible to say. But, as they plainly looked for some restoration of the kingdom to Israel, so they are neither rebuked nor contradicted on this point.
John Gill Bible Commentary
When they therefore were come together,.... That is, Christ, and his eleven apostles; for not the hundred and twenty disciples hereafter mentioned, nor the five hundred brethren Christ appeared to at once, are here intended, but the apostles, as appears from Act 1:2. they asked of him, saying, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? The kingdom had been for some time taken away from the Jews, Judea was reduced to a Roman province, and was now actually under the power of a Roman governor. And the nation in general was in great expectation, that upon the Messiah's coming they should be delivered from the yoke of the Romans, and that the son of David would be king over them. The disciples of Christ had imbibed the same notions, and were in the same expectation of a temporal kingdom to be set up by their master, as is evident from Mat 20:21 and though his sufferings and death had greatly damped their spirits, and almost destroyed their hopes, see Luk 24:21 yet his resurrection from the dead, and his discoursing with them about the kingdom of God, and ordering them to wait at Jerusalem, the metropolis of that nation, for some thing extraordinary, revived their hopes, and emboldened them to put this question to him: and this general expectation of the Jews is expressed by them in the same language as here, "the days of the Messiah will be the time when , "the kingdom shall return", or "be restored to Israel"; and they shall return to the land of Israel, and that king shall be exceeding great, and the house of his kingdom shall be in Zion, and his name shall be magnified, and his fame shall fill the Gentiles more than King Solomon; all nations shall be at peace with him, and all lands shall serve him, because of his great righteousness, and the wonderful things which shall be done by him; and whoever rises up against him God will destroy, and he shall deliver him into his hands; and all the passages of Scripture testify of his and our prosperity with him; and there shall be no difference in anything from what it is now, only "the kingdom shall return to Israel" (i). (i) Maimon. in Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 11. sect. 1.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
In Jerusalem Christ, by his angel, had appointed his disciples to meet him in Galilee; there he appointed them to meet him in Jerusalem again, such a day. Thus he would try their obedience, and it was found ready and cheerful; they came together, as he appointed them, to be the witnesses of his ascension, of which we have here an account. Observe, I. The question they asked him at this interview. They came together to him, as those that had consulted one another about it, and concurred in the question nemine contradicente - unanimously; they came in a body, and put it to him as the sense of the house, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? Two ways this may be taken: - 1. "Surely thou wilt not at all restore it to the present rulers of Israel, the chief priests and the elders, that put thee to death, and, to compass that design, tamely gave up the kingdom to Caesar, and owned themselves his subjects. What! Shall those that hate and persecute thee and us be trusted with power? This be far from thee." Or rather, 2. "Surely thou wilt now restore it to the Jewish nation, as far as it will submit to thee as their king." Now two things were amiss in this question: - (1.) Their expectation of the thing itself. They thought Christ would restore the kingdom to Israel, that is, that he would make the nation of the Jews as great and considerable among the nations as it was in the days of David and Solomon, of Asa and Jehoshaphat; that, as Shiloh, he would restore the sceptre to Judah, and the lawgiver; whereas Christ came to set up his own kingdom, and that a kingdom of heaven, not to restore the kingdom to Israel, an earthly kingdom. See here, [1.] How apt even good men are to place the happiness of the church too much in external pomp and power; as if Israel could not be glorious unless the kingdom were restored to it, nor Christ's disciples honoured unless they were peers of the realm; whereas we are told to expect the cross in this world, and to wait for the kingdom in the other world. [2.] How apt we are to retain what we have imbibed, and how hard it is to get over the prejudices of education. The disciples, having sucked in this notion with their milk that the Messiah was to be a temporal prince, were long before they could be brought to have any idea of his kingdom as spiritual. [3.] How naturally we are biassed in favour of our own people. They thought God would have no kingdom in the world unless it were restored to Israel; whereas the kingdoms of this world were to become his, in whom he would be glorified, whether Israel should sink or swim. [4.] How apt we are to misunderstand scripture - to understand that literally which is spoken figuratively, and to expound scripture by our schemes, whereas we ought to form our schemes by the scriptures. But, when the Spirit shall be poured out from on high, our mistakes will be rectified, as the apostles' soon after were. (2.) Their enquiry concerning the time of it: "Lord, wilt thou do it at this time? Now that thou hast called us together is it for this purpose, that proper measures may be concerted for the restoring of the kingdom to Israel? Surely there cannot be a more favourable juncture than this." Now herein they missed their mark, [1.] That they were inquisitive into that which their Master had never directed nor encouraged them to enquire into. [2.] That they were impatient for the setting up of that kingdom in which they promised themselves so great a share, and would anticipate the divine counsels. Christ had told them that they should sit on thrones (Luk 22:30), and now nothing will serve them but they must be in the throne immediately, and cannot stay the time; whereas he that believeth doth not make haste, but is satisfied that God's time is the best time. II. The check which Christ gave to this question, like that which he had a little before given to Peter's enquiry concerning John, What is that to thee? Act 1:7, It is not for you to know the times and seasons. He does not contradict their expectation that the kingdom would be restored to Israel, because that mistake would soon be rectified by the pouring out of the Spirit, after which they never had any more thoughts of the temporal kingdom; and also because there is a sense of the expectation which is true, the setting up of the gospel kingdom in the world; and their mistake of the promise shall not make it of no effect; but he checks their enquiry after the time. 1. The knowledge of this is not allowed to them: It is not for you to know, and therefore it is not for you to ask. (1.) Christ is now parting from them, and parts in love; and yet he gives them this rebuke, which is intended for a caution to his church in all ages, to take heed of splitting upon the rock which was fatal to our first parents - an inordinate desire of forbidden knowledge, and intruding into things which we have not seen because God has not shown them. Nescire velle quae magister maximus docere non vult, erudita inscitia est - It is folly to covet to be wise above what is written, and wisdom to be content to be no wiser. (2.) Christ had given his disciples a great deal of knowledge above others (to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God), and had promised them his Spirit, to teach them more; now, lest they should be puffed up with the abundance of the revelations, he here lets them understand that there were some things which it was not for them to know. We shall see how little reason we have to be proud of our knowledge when we consider how many things we are ignorant of. (3.) Christ had given his disciples instructions sufficient for the discharge of their duty, both before his death and since his resurrection, and in this knowledge he will have them to be satisfied; for it is enough for a Christian, in whom vain curiosity is a corrupt humour, to be mortified, and not gratified. (4.) Christ had himself told his disciples the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, and had promised that the Spirit should show them things to come concerning it, Joh 16:13. He had likewise given them signs of the times, which it was their duty to observe, and a sin to overlook, Mat 24:33; Mat 16:3. But they must not expect nor desire to know either all the particulars of future events or the exact times of them. It is good for us to be kept in the dark, and left at uncertainty concerning the times and moments (as Dr. Hammond reads it) of future events concerning the church, as well as concerning ourselves, - concerning all the periods of time and the final period of it, as well as concerning the period of our own time. Prudens futuri temporis exitum Caliginosa nocte premit Deus - But Jove, in goodness ever wise, Hath hid, in clouds of thickest night, All that in future prospect lies Beyond the ken of mortal sight. - Hor. As to the times and seasons of the year, we know, in general, there will be summer and winter counterchanged, but we know not particularly which day will be fair or which foul, either in summer or in winter; so, as to our affairs in this world, when it is a summer-time of prosperity, that we may not be secure, we are told there will come a wintertime of trouble; and in that winter, that we may not despond and despair, we are assured that summer will return; but what this or that particular day will bring forth we cannot tell, but must accommodate ourselves to it, whatever it is, and make the best of it. 2. The knowledge of it is reserved to God as his prerogative; it is what the Father hath put in his own power; it is hid with him. None besides can reveal the times and seasons to come. Known unto God are all his works, but not to us, Act 15:18. It is in his power, and in his only, to declare the end from the beginning; and by this he proves himself to be God, Isa 46:10. "And though he did think fit sometimes to let the Old Testament prophets know the times and the seasons (as of the Israelites' bondage in Egypt four hundred years, and in Babylon seventy years), yet he has not fit to let you know the times and seasons, no not just how long it shall be before Jerusalem be destroyed, though you be so well assured of the thing itself. He hath not said that he will not give you to know something more than you do of the times and seasons;" he did so afterwards to his servant John; "but he has put it in his own power to do it or not, as he thinks fit;" and what is in that New Testament prophecy discovered concerning the times and the seasons is so dark, and hard to be understood, that, when we come to apply it, it concerns us to remember this work, that it is not for us to be positive in determining the times and the seasons. Buxtorf mentions a saying of the rabbin concerning the coming of the Messiah: Rumpatur spiritus eorum qui supputant tempora - Perish the men who calculate the time. III. He appoints them their work, and with authority assures them of an ability to go on with it, and of success in it. "It is not for you to know the times and the seasons - this would do you no good; but know this (Act 1:8) that you shall receive a spiritual power, by the descent of the Holy Ghost upon you, and shall not receive it in vain, for you shall be witnesses unto me and my glory; and your testimony shall not be in vain, for it shall be received here in Jerusalem, in the country about, and all the world over," Act 1:8. If Christ make us serviceable to his honour in our own day and generation, let this be enough for us, and let not us perplex ourselves about times and seasons to come. Christ here tells them, 1. That their work should be honourable and glorious: You shall be witnesses unto me. (1.) They shall proclaim him king, and publish those truths to the world by which his kingdom should be set up, and he would rule. They must openly and solemnly preach his gospel to the world. (2.) They shall prove this, shall confirm their testimony, not as witnesses do, with an oath, but with the divine seal of miracles and supernatural gifts: You shall be martyrs to me, or my martyrs, as some copies read it; for they attested the truth of the gospel with their sufferings, even unto death. 2. That their power for this work should be sufficient. They had not strength of their own for it, nor wisdom nor courage enough; they were naturally of the weak and foolish things of the world; they durst not appear as witnesses for Christ upon his trial, neither as yet were they able. "But you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you" (so it may be read), "shall be animated and actuated by a better spirit than your own; you shall have power to preach the gospel, and to prove it out of the scriptures of the Old Testament" (which, when they were filled with the Holy Ghost, they did to admiration, Act 18:28), "and to confirm it both by miracles and by sufferings." Note, Christ's witnesses shall receive power for that work to which he calls them; those whom he employs in his service he will qualify for it, and will bear them out in it. 3. That their influence should be great and very extensive: "You shall be witnesses for Christ, and shall carry his cause," (1.) "In Jerusalem; there you must begin, and many there will receive your testimony; and those that do not will be left inexcusable." (2.) "Your light shall thence shine throughout all Judea, where before you have laboured in vain." (3.) "Thence you shall proceed to Samaria, though at your first mission you were forbidden to preach in any of the cities of the Samaritans." (4.) "Your usefulness shall reach to the uttermost part of the earth, and you shall be blessings to the whole world." IV. Having left these instructions with them, he leaves them (Act 1:9): When he had spoken these things, and had said all that he had to say, he blessed them (so we were told, Luk 24:50); and while they beheld him, and had their eye fixed upon him, receiving his blessing, he was gradually taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. We have here Christ's ascending on high; not fetched away, as Elijah was, with a chariot of fire and horses of fire, but rising to heaven, as he rose from the grave, purely by his own power, his body being now, as the bodies of the saints will be at the resurrection, a spiritual body, and raised in power and incorruption. Observe, 1. He began his ascension in the sight of his disciples, even while they beheld. They did not see him come up out of the grave, because they might see him after he had risen, which would be satisfaction enough; but they saw him go up towards heaven, and had actually their eye upon him with so much care and earnestness of mind that they could not be deceived. It is probable that he did not fly swiftly up, but moved upwards gently, for the further satisfaction of his disciples. 2. He vanished out of their sight, in a cloud, either a thick cloud, for God said that he would dwell in the thick darkness; or a bright cloud, to signify the splendour of his glorious body. It was a bright cloud that overshadowed him in his transfiguration, and most probably this was so, Mat 17:5. This cloud received him, it is probable, when he had gone about as far from the earth as the clouds generally are; yet it was not such a spreading cloud as we commonly see, but such as just served to enclose him. Now he made the clouds his chariot, Psa 104:3. God had often come down in a cloud; now he went up in one. Dr. Hammond thinks that the clouds receiving him here were the angels receiving him; for the appearance of angels is ordinarily described by a cloud, comparing Exo 25:22 with Lev 16:2. By the clouds there is a sort of communication kept up between the upper and lower world; in them the vapours are sent up from the earth, and the dews sent down from heaven. Fitly therefore does he ascend in a cloud who is the Mediator between God and man, by whom God's mercies come down upon us and our prayers come up to him. This was the last that was seen of him. The eyes of a great many witnesses followed him into the cloud; and, if we would know what became of him then, we may find (Dan 7:13), That one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him in the clouds as he came near before him. V. The disciples, when he had gone out of their sight, yet still continued looking up stedfastly to heaven (Act 1:10), and this longer than it was fit they should; and why so? 1. Perhaps they hoped that Christ would presently come back to them again, to restore the kingdom to Israel, and were loth to believe they should now part with him for good and all; so much did they still dote upon his bodily presence, though he had told them that it was expedient for them that he should go away. or, they looked after him, as doubting whether he might not be dropped, as the sons of the prophets thought concerning Elijah (Kg2 2:16), and so they might have him again. 2. Perhaps they expected to see some change in the visible heavens now upon Christ's ascension, that either the sun should be ashamed or the moon confounded (Isa 24:23), as being out-shone by his lustre; or, rather, that they should show some sign of joy and triumph; or perhaps they promised themselves a sight of the glory of the invisible heavens, upon their opening to receive him. Christ had told them that hereafter they should see heaven opened (Joh 1:51), and why should not they expect it now? VI. Two angels appeared to them, and delivered them a seasonable message from God. There was a world of angels ready to receive our Redeemer, now that he made his public entry into the Jerusalem above: we may suppose these two loth to be absent then; yet, to show how much Christ had at heart the concerns of his church on earth, he sent back to his disciples two of those that came to meet him, who appear as two men in white apparel, bright and glittering; for they know, according to the duty of their place, that they are really serving Christ when they are ministering to his servants on earth. Now we are told what the angels said to them, 1. To check their curiosity: You men of Galilee, why stand you gazing up into heaven? He calls them men of Galilee, to put them in mind of the rock out of which they were hewn. Christ had put a great honour upon them, in making them his ambassadors; but they must remember that they are men, earthen vessels, and men of Galilee, illiterate men, looked upon with disdain. Now, say they, "Why stand you here, like Galileans, rude and unpolished men, gazing up into heaven? What would you see? You have seen all that you were called together to see, and why do you look any further? Why stand you gazing, as men frightened and perplexed, as men astonished and at their wits' end?" Christ's disciples should never stand at a gaze, because they have a sure rule to go by, and a sure foundation to build upon. 2. To confirm their faith concerning Christ's second coming. Their Master had often told them of this, and the angels are sent at this time seasonably to put them in mind of it: "This same Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, and whom you are looking thus long after, wishing you had him with you again, is not gone for ever; for there is a day appointed in which he will come in like manner thence, as you have seen him go thither, and you must not expect him back till that appointed day." (1.) "This same Jesus shall come again in his own person, clothed with a glorious body; this same Jesus, who came once to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, will appear a second time without sin (Heb 9:26, Heb 9:28), who came once in disgrace to be judged, will come again in glory to judge. The same Jesus who has given you your charge will come again to call you to an account how you have performed your trust; he, and not another," Job 19:27. (2.) "He shall come in like manner. He is gone away in a cloud, and attended with angels; and, behold, he comes in the clouds, and with him an innumerable company of angels! He is gone up with a shout and with the sound of a trumpet (Psa 47:5), and he will descend from heaven with a shout and with the trump of God, Th1 4:16. You have now lost the sight of him in the clouds and in the air; and whither he is gone you cannot follow him now, but shall then, when you shall be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." When we stand gazing and trifling, the consideration of our Master's second coming should quicken and awaken us; and, when we stand gazing and trembling, the consideration of it should comfort and encourage us.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
1:6-11 Jesus’ ascent into heaven (see also Luke 24:50-53) took place on the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:12; Luke 24:50). It was Jesus’ last physical appearance—he was taken into heaven, where he will remain “until the time for the final restoration of all things” (Acts 3:21).