Waiting for What?

Acts 2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?

I hate to wait, don’t you? It’s probably one of the greatest sources of constant irritation in my life. Waiting in traffic, waiting in lines at the store, waiting for the package to arrive, waiting for the diagnosis. The list is endless of things we must wait for in life. All the while, our flesh grates against it.

And now, even Jesus had told His disciples to wait. It would seem with the importance of getting the world-wide church started, that Jesus would have His followers off and running, but instead He has given them the most important command of all: “Wait.”

“Wait for what?” we would probably have been inclined to ask. It’s a normal question. “Why do we have to wait? Is what we are waiting for going to be worth the wait?” Ah, the ever-present questions of the flesh…

Jesus has told them to, “Wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father.”

Herein lies one of the greatest examples of what we are to DO in our Christian lives, and it is really the first command given to what would become the church. “Wait.” Man, that just kills my flesh! You?

And so, the disciples waited. Jesus had told them to wait - and then He left, ascended up into the clouds, not to be seen again by physical eye by those who had seen Him ascend. They waited. They waited. And they waited some more. Ten days they waited secluded in a room, cloistered to themselves. What a way to build a church – eh? What if Jesus told us to wait like that?

Wait a minute – in actuality He has, and is. You see, the Christian life is all about waiting on the promise of the Father. It seems we are never all we can be, and it seems we are always building and moving, and never completely achieving what we seek – that is, perfection. Holiness. We are always seeking perfection, and waiting on holiness. Waiting for the promise of the Father – that we may be made whole, and that the church may be all it can be. It just kills my flesh to wait. You? Hmmm…And suddenly there comes a sound from heaven, a rushing mighty wind…

- Pastor Bill